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THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MANHATTAN COLLEGE | SINCE 1924
Volume CII, Issue 2
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NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 8, 2020
Three New COVID-19 Cases on Campus Gabriella DePinho Editor-in-Chief
One Week Done! As the sun set on the first week of classes, Jaspers who were out on the quadrangle were greeted with peach clouds over Memorial Hall. GABRIELLA DEPINHO/ THE QUADRANGLE
Manhattan College Advocates Take to Instagram: Let’s Talk About it MC Caroline McCarthy & Kelly Kennedy
Staff Writer & Asst. Production Editor Inspired by the national response to the death of George Floyd, social justice advocates across the nation have found new ways to speak up against injustice, and a new instagram page @LetsTalkAboutItMC brings the national conversation around racial inequality onto the Manhattan College campus. The account gives Jaspers a platform to anonymously share their stories of injustices and open up discussion about racism, homophobia, sexual assault and other forms of harrassment and discrimi-
nation that have occurred on campus. The account creators, who the Quadrangle has granted anonymity to given the nature of the posts, are two current Manhattan College students hoping to not only create a safe space for other students to speak about their personal experiences, but also create change in the Manhattan College community. “We hope that MC faculty and administration will truly listen to the stories that are being shared to us, especially since many students voiced their concerns in the past and have felt that MC didn’t take them seriously,” said LTAIMC. “The lack of resources and the attitude that the faculty and public safety has towards situa-
IN FEATURES: Manhattan Caucus Cosmetic Chemist Society is back! comes to campus on p. 2 on p. 6
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tions on campus has negatively affected our community, resulting in students feeling like they aren’t being heard or helped.” The account’s direct messages are open for all students to anonymously write in and explain their experiences or what they think the school should do in order to improve the lives of students. The account was started on May 31, 2020, and has ammassed 113 posts from students and 1,376 followers. “It was a complete surprise [that so many students wrote in] yet it was also very reassuring that the community on campus is willing to actively listen to and support those who were __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
In an email sent out on Thursday evening, Manhattan College leadership informed students, staff and parents that Manhattan College’s positive coronavirus cases have had a slight increase. The email stated that during the week of August 24, there were 748 tests completed on campus or submitted through the portal that led to the discovery of two positive cases, one a student and one an employee. The data for the week of August 31 is pending as testing continued through Friday afternoon; however, as of Thursday evening at 6:18 p.m., the time at which the email was sent, 300 tests had been conducted, with one positive result and some results still pending. Combining these results with the positive case from the week of August 17, Manhattan College has seen four positive cases among the campus community, prior to the completion of the first week of classes. The email also updated the community on quarantining guidelines, as well as the threshold of cases it will take to send the school completely remote. Resident students who are required to quarantine must do so in a sanctioned room in Horan Hall and must do so completely through day 14 of the quarantine. Those students are then allowed to move into their actual room for the semester on day 15; if those students have in-person classes on day 15, they must begin to attend class in-person. In a separate email on Thursday morning, Richard Satterlee, vice president for student life, reminded students that if they chose to go home for Labor Day weekend, “our College community is counting on you to make smart decisions.” Additionally, Satterlee
IN A&E:
Leslie Odom Jr. Zooms In on p. 10
advised students not to travel to states currently on New York State’s travel advisory. If students choose to travel to one of those states, they will be subjected to quarantine upon returning to campus. “We ask you to continue to wear a mask or face covering, ensure social distancing and above all avoid large gatherings and parties,” Satterlee wrote. “We have done so much to avoid the spread of exposure to COVID 19 in our community and we cannot afford your behavior over this weekend to diminish these efforts.” Until the Thursday evening email, the college had yet to announce the threshold of cases that would send the school into remote learning. “Having 100 cases or 5%, whichever is lower, will result in a college having to go to fully remote for two weeks,” wrote Jaspers Return leadership in the email. “During that time, cases will be evaluated and a course of action will be determined. Manhattan College had already determined that it would implement a 5% threshold, however, 100 students will be its threshold because that is the lower number.” While the college plans to test three to five percent of all members of the school community each week, including students, faculty and staff, the email stated it will be following the threshold of 100 student cases for a shift to remote learning, rather than 100 total cases. The email also stated that local and state health officials have the right to suspend campus activities even with a lower positive caseload if they feel the college is struggling to control an outbreak. All students, faculty and staff are still required to fill out the daily symptom tracker and receive a green pass before coming to campus or leaving their dorm rooms each day.
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the Quadrangle Volume CII, Issue 2 September 8, 2020
The Editorial Board Gabriella DePinho Editor-in-Chief
Maria Thomas News Editor Alexa Schmidt Arts & Entertainment Editor Managing Editor Christine Nappi Features Editor Pete Janny Sports Editor Managing Editor C. Garrett Keidel Social Media Editor Brian Asare Photography Editor
Nicole Fitzsimmons Anna Woods Asst. News and Features Editors Jilleen Barrett Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor Whit Anderson Asst. Sports Editor Samantha Walla Production Manager 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
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Manhattan Caucus: Gearing Up to Vote Sophia Sakellariou Senior Writer
Welcome to Manhattan Caucus, a biweekly column that provides the Manhattan College community with election news and information as we gear up for the 2020 Presidential Election. To kick off this semester, we’ve started with the basics: voting. Voting is one of the greatest ways to be politically active and perform your civic duty as an American citizen. However, it is not as simple as walking to the polls, casting your ballot, and receiving a coveted “I Voted” sticker. Depending on which state you reside in and where you are registered, the process can be much more difficult. This may be your first time voting so it is crucial to have a plan of action. Below is a brief guide to understanding the process and ensuring your ballot is cast on Nov. 3. Reminders on Who Can Vote: To vote you must be a citizen of the United States, at least 18 years of age, be a resident of the county or city in which you are voting in for at least 30 days before the election, not be in jail or on parole for a convicted felony, and you must not claim the right to vote anywhere else. Early Voting: New Yorkers don’t have to wait until Election Day to cast their vote. The early voting period runs from Saturday Octo-
ber 24, to Sunday November 1, but these dates vary depending on where you live in the state. To check for Early Voting locations and times in your area, enter your information at https:// voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/. In-Person Voting on Election Day: New York residents must vote in the district in which they are registered. To check where you can vote, go to https://voterlookup.elections. ny.gov/ and enter your information. This site will tell you which Election Day Poll Site to go to to cast your ballot along with directions on how to get there. If you’re a first-time voter, be sure to bring an ID with you to the polls. If you do not have a driver’s license, a government issued document with your name and address is a valid form of identification. Voting by Mail: For residents outside of their registered voting district, an absentee ballot can be submitted. This is a great option for students who live on campus and are registered to vote at their home address, not their college address. Note that you need to be registered to receive an absentee ballot and can check your registration status at https://voterlookup. elections.ny.gov/. An application for an absentee ballot must be submitted 7 days prior to the election and can be found online at elections.ny.gov. As stated on the
top of the application, “The ballot itself must either be personally delivered to the board of elections no later than the close of polls on election day, or postmarked by a governmental postal service not later than the day of the election and received no later than the 7th day after the election.” Of Note: You Cannot Vote Twice A recent announcement by President Trump encouraging citizens to vote twice has caused much confusion around the process. This is an act of voter fraud in many states. New York gives voters the option to vote by absentee ballot and later vote again at the polls, but this does not mean New Yorkers can vote twice. By casting a ballot at the polls, the previous vote by absentee ballot is voided, making each individual valid for one vote. For Other States: Each state has its own voting rules and some processes are more straightforward than others. To check in with your home state’s rules go to https://www.vote.org/voter-registration-rules/ where you can also register to vote if you have not done so already. For many states the deadline to register is 30 days before the election so act now. Remember: your vote counts. Be sure to let your voice be heard this November.
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.
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Manhattan College Advocates Take to Instagram: Let’s Talk About it MC __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 in an unfavorable position,” LTAIMC said. “Manhattan College has a history of being dismissive towards a great deal of the student body, particularly POC, BIPOC, students of lower socioeconomic status, and women who have experienced sexual harassment/assault on campus.” The Instagram account acknowledges discrimination, student issues, allyship, concerns regarding the administration, and commuter issues on campus. Manhattan College self-reports that only 31% of students are minorities. The first post from the account creators, posted on May 31 2020, features a woman in a face mask with the words “I can’t breathe” written across her mouth. That one post sparked quick student response. Twenty-eight posts were live on the account by June 1st. One post, addressed in the “Commuter Voices” highlight of the page, states, “Manhattan College really doesn’t care about their commuter students, especially commuter students of color...I’m tired of commuter students being treated as second class citizens.” @LetsTalkAboutItMC has also inspired similar pages in the surrounding area. Students
from other colleges and universities, such as Fordham University and SUNY Albany have taken inspiration from Manhattan College’s page to start their own “Let’s Talk About It” platform. “We were very surprised that Fordham and UA decided to make a page inspired by us,” said the account creators. “We were both very excited and happy that people are deciding to make changes on their campuses and we hope to see more colleges take action over situations that many their faculty and staff have overlooked. We can only wish luck, support and condolences to people who have experienced injustice on campus and didn’t receive the comfort and guidance they deserve.” @LetsTalkAboutItMC’s commitment to creating a safe, inclusive community is stressed in their bio, which reads, “A page where Manhattan College students can freely talk about their experiences on campus, where they’ve felt out of place or discriminated against.” The account urges students to take an active role against racism in the Jasper community and nation as a whole. Links to contact the administration about their recent contract with Aramark and the debate to rename Kelly Commons have been shared with followers. The account’s highlight
section is filled with resources for followers to educate themselves on racism, campus issues, commuter concerns, and announcements for upcoming town hall meetings. This page has served as an important resource in itself, as it contains the necessary tools to start the process of creating a better environment for Manhattan College students, faculty and staff. “Given the current state of the world after the murder of George Floyd, it is painfully obvious that our country has neglected the voices of Black and Brown people,” said the creators. “The people of America are outraged, frustrated, and angry that their call for justice has not been answered.” The account creators believe that the growing national movement seeking to raise up marginalized voices has a place at MC. “In a similar way, there are voices on our campus that we feel have not been heard,” the creators said. “We want people from our school community to know that they are not alone, and that similar experiences connect many of us. The goal of this page is to create a safe place where students can freely share their experiences, feelings, and frustrations, and know that they will be heard, and uplifted, without having to fear consequences or judgement.”
@letstalkaboutitmc keeps the Manhattan College community engaged and updated on the goings on around campus.
@LETSTALKABOUTITMC / COURTESY
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COVID-19 Era Student Lead to Rule Viola Anna Woods Asst. News Editor Prior to the end of last semester, Student Government held their annual executive board elections. The election resulted in campaign violations which caused a party’s disqualification, and delayed results. Despite the chaos, ultimately it was a large majority of the members of the Bronx Party -led by president Shannon Gleba -- who won the election. The other positions filled are as follows: Anthony Bradley, executive vice president, Isabel Gardner, vice president for social life, DeVaughn Harris, vice president for residential affairs, Amanda Arroyo, vice president for commuter affairs, Alex Nieves, vice president for finance, Peter Janny, vice president for communication, Ella O’Brien, vice president for academic affairs, Alexa Schmidt, vice president for club administration. “Just Jaspers, “Jasper Town (J-Town)”, and the “Bronx Party,” were the three parties that ran for a position on the 20202021 executive board. Gardner originally ran as a member of “Just Jaspers” but managed to beat out junior Michael Rafferty who ran for the position with the Bronx Party. Right as campaigning was about to begin for the three eager boards, the student body was sent home due to the pandemic. All parties had to adapt to the pandemic and rework their campaign strategies that were planned prior to the closure, bringing unprecedented challenges to students who ran. “It was a very interesting experience having to campaign during a time when we could not connect with the students in person,” said Shannon Gleba. Gleba, a senior studying public health with a concentration in healthcare administration, discussed how technology has been the best way to reach students in the past, making this year no different. “However, I feel as if social media campaigning has become much more prominent in the past number of years, so we had a good blueprint of how it would work. Thankfully my board was able to meet on campus before we were sent home, so we all knew each other and could connect over the phone with a better idea of what we were each like in person,” said
Gleba. John Bennett, Director of Student Engagement, shared that the college’s election processes fortunately did not have to be altered too much. “The pandemic didn’t change too much of the election itself because we had made the transition a few years ago to online voting,” said Bennett. “When we make any changes [to the rules] it’s acutely your fellow students in student government that are in control. We help the process along and make sure that what is being done is appropriate. And within the guidelines with the student government realm. We back them with what they want to do.” Bennett believed the biggest challenge was how the shift to online campaigning altered the possibility of other students running. “It was a challenge in a sense that you don’t know [what] kept people from running,” he said. “Maybe other people were on the fence about it and would’ve put their toes in the water if we were on campus … maybe we could’ve talked them into it. So I feel like the unknown aspect kind of hurt. But in the same token the amount of students who voted was the same number every year.” Fortunately, the pandemic did not hinder the percentage of students who voted. According to John Bennett, the average percentage of students who vote in student government elections nationwide is about five percent. This year about 20 percent of Manhattan College students voted, which is typical of the school. For the past couple of years typically 20 to 25 percent of Manhattan students vote. While the election seemed to be running fairly smoothly during the 24-hour voting period, towards the end of the voting period, controversy arose as teams were discovered to have violated campaign rules. When students make the decision to run as a candidate they are required to thoroughly read official ”Election Rules and Guidelines” paperwork. There are also information sessions that are held to explain the rules further. The rules are set in place to ensure that the election is fair. In order to give candidates fair warning, the rules are presented to students two weeks prior to the start of the campaign period. This election, the rules came into play
more than ever. Jasper Town, led by senior Nicole Diaz, received a third party endorsement that was swiftly brought to the attention of the elections committee, which is made of outgoing members of the current executive board. The endorsement came from the popular bar and restaurant, Fontenova Tapas & Tacos, located at 216 W 242 St. The restaurant posted pictures of the Jasper Town party on their Instagram Stories. The post on their story tagged the party’s campaign account and was captioned “#VOTEJTOWN” with a “Please Vote” sticker. They also posted a photo on their main account with the caption “Fontenova is a proud supporter of the J-Town eBoard student government campaign at Manhattan College! Please support by sharing this post! #VoteJTown.” The Instagram account boasts 847 followers, a significant portion of whom are Manhattan College students. The guidelines specifically outline that “no campaign materials may be posted or distributed off campus (including bars and restaurants).” Another rule states that “any outside endorsements, sponsorships, or gifts are strictly prohibited.” Additionally, students are expected to maintain social media accounts that are only used for campaign purposes and they are not allowed to post information about their election or campaign on any other accounts. John Bennett explained why the bar and restaurant rule is set in place. “The reason why the bar and restaurant aspect is on there too is to not promote underage drinking,” he said. “Most of the candidates were under 21 and seniors are not allowed to vote in the election anyway. So there’s a few different reasons why that rule has been set in place for years, it’s not something new.” Diaz is a senior majoring in international relations and political science with a minor in Spanish, and was the presidential candidate for Jasper Town. She explained that when the opportunity to have Fontenova endorse them arose, they immediately seized the opportunity. “Our reaction was ‘yeah why not’, never thinking about anything else other than, we want students to know that we’re a team that’s running and
we want to get the word out for them just to hear our initiatives,” she said. “ It just had never crossed our minds, even when calling the shots, that it was going to be a problem with the rules or that more than that that it would get twisted in a really toxic horrible, negative manner that we would be promoting underage drinking.” Diaz owned up to the violation and explained that they were trying to campaign in the most efficient way, given the circumstances. “Pretty much the rules and guidelines that we got sent to us were the same rules that were for in-person campaigns,” she said. “So nothing was adopted, nothing was changed, nothing was rewritten or explained in a different manner to adapt to a pandemic or to an online campaign. My team takes total fault --- to not reading the guidelines but I think at this point like every team was trying to get a hold of students the best way that they possibly could.” To her, the decision was coming from a place of wanting to connect with voters. “I think that we really just said yes to it because we wanted to be able to connect with students in as many ways as
we possibly could, seeing that everybody was kind of everywhere in the middle of a pandemic,” Diaz said. “We said yes to it. And we definitely saw the repercussions of that so much as to winning the vote of the student body for most of our positions but having to forfeit that and getting disqualified pretty shameful to say the least. We spent quite a long time preparing and planning everything. But you know at the end of the day as a leader I’ll always say this and I’ll own up to it. I was president of that board so I should have gone through it more and maybe not had Fontenova promote us.” Bennett shared that the elections committee and student engagement were notified of the post by fellow students. As a result. the elections committee conducted an official investigation to ensure that the election remained fair. Bennett said that discovering whether the disregard for the rules was intentional or not was a key component of the investigation. “There’s always kind of the discussion of is it something completely innocent and they’re naive to or is it something that they’re in sup-
The announcement delaying election results posted by @mcstudgov on April 21,2020 MANHATTAN SGA / COURTESY
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t Government Elections ations, Near Sweep
The endorsement posts from the Fontenova Tapas and Tacos Instagram. @FONTENOVATAPAS / COURTESY
port of,” said Bennett. “So the elections committee did their research and looked into and interviewed students on both sides. Ultimately, the committee found that it was something done consciously so they thought it was worthy of the removal.” While the elections committee had the final say, Student Engagement leadership also sought support from the National Student Government Association office. “The elections committee felt that [the post] swayed the vote enough to change the elections which is why they disqualified one of the groups,” Bennett said. “As the committee makes that decision and they are empowered to do so, within student engagement we followed up with the National Student Government Association office to make sure that [the decision was] appropriate, in order to make sure it was okay if this is what they decide and the [Association] did say yes. That was more official and more unofficially we also reached out to some of our sister schools that we have a relationship with and asked how they have dealt with similar situations. They all said they had removed parties and candidates in the past too. Ultimately, we wanted to make sure that what the elections committee
was deciding was okay to be decided upon.” Bennett also added that Student Engagement and members of the 2019-2020 executive board reached out to the members of Jasper Town after the disqualification to encourage them to run for other open positions. Diaz shared that at first she did not realize that JTown was going to be disqualified when they were initially notified of the violation. “Each member was called in for individual interviews by the elections committee to determine the severity and ultimate disqualification of the party,” she said. “The committee also met with the two other parties to discuss their social media violations as well. Every other team had a hearing as a group, except for ours. When we found out that other teams had met together, we knew something was up and we knew that we were definitely in more trouble than it seemed to be. So we each met on our own and explained that it was an honest mistake that we had never intended to do and we were really trying to play by the rules as much as we could.” Each member of JTown was called in for individual interviews by the elections committee to determine the severity of the violations, which did ulti-
mately lead to the disqualification of the party. The committee also met with the two other parties to discuss their social media violations as well. Nadia Itani, a senior civil engineering major, was the vice president of academic affairs last academic year and was present for all of the hearings with the Elections Committee. “I was present for the hearings with each board as a member of the Elections Committee,” said Itani. “Essentially, every board did violate the rules in one way or another, and the common thread between each board is that at least one member of each board advertised their board on their personal social media accounts. For this reason, each board was asked to attend a hearing to discuss. JTown was asked to attend a hearing as a part of this evaluation, but due to their more serious allegations, their board members were asked to attend individual hearings prior to their total board hearing. The other two boards were very polite and apologetic and were quick to accept blame for their actions, while JTown was with reason - very guarded and a bit defensive. The purpose of meeting with each member of their board individually was to gauge who was truly involved in the endorsement. It was important to us as an Elections
Committee to notify them that they were not diligent in reading through the campaign rules and to acknowledge, assess the manner in which they reacted to the situation.” On being on the SGA executive board while the hearings were taking place, Itani felt “uncomfortable” at times. “In all honesty, being part of SGA at that time was both uncomfortable and strange, especially knowing I’d be returning to campus as an assembly member for my senior year following this election,” she said. “It’s obviously not an ideal situation to have to disqualify an entire board from an election but this was an instance in which we had to enforce the rules to have a fair and honest election. It took quite a bit of time and effort to come to a just decision but I admire the commitment of the senior members of our board despite their fast-approaching graduation date.” Due to the hearings, election results were delayed. SGA made a statement on their Instagram which said: “Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Student Government election results for 20202021 have been delayed due to violations getting reviewed by the Elections Committee. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to studentgov@manhattan.edu or studentcourt@manhattan.edu.” The board members elected were notified via email that they had won. Despite the controversy of the election, Gleba and the executive board are excited for this upcoming year. “This year we are most excited about bringing the same sort of energy back to campus
that we have had in the past. While this is definitely a difficult task as a result of protocols put in place, we are hoping to still plan events and programming that will get all of the students excited to be back together! Also, over quarantine many issues were brought up to SGA and we are eager to get down to work with our fellow students to make Manhattan College welcoming, and the way our students want it to be. There is a lot of work to be done, but getting everyone back on campus happy and healthy was definitely our main goal since April,” said Gleba. Gleba is grateful for the opportunity to represent the student body and to make Manhattan a better place. “Campaigning, voting, being elected and taking the position have taught me so much about what it means to be a leader in these few short months,” she said. “While many of the topics and issues we have dealt with so far are very emotionally-charged, and important, I feel like I have learned to approach these sort of situations. “I have also learned even more about how driven and amazing the students of Manhattan College are. It is inspiring to see so many students take a stand against injustice, and I hope to continue to be a vessel for creating change on campus. It is my job to represent the students’ voices, and I will never lose sight of that.” Editor’s Note: Shannon Gleba, Peter Janny and Alexa Schmidt are members of The Quadrangle.
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Meet Shannon Gleba, Your Student Body President Gabriella DePinho Editor-in-Chief In the middle of each spring semester, students are barraged by a flurrying of campaigning done by Student Government Assembly Executive Board hopefuls. Yet this spring, as a result of the then just beginning pandemic, election season went virtual but the passionate candidates did not let that stop their hopes. After days of Instagram posts and a virtual town hall, senior public health major Shannon Gleba was elected Manhattan College’s student body president for the 20202021 academic year. Hailing from Midland Park, New Jersey, Gleba arrived at Manhattan College from Immaculate Heart Academy, an all-girls’ high school in Bergen County. For Gleba, becoming a Jasper was in her blood. “I ended up at Manhattan College because both my parents attended Manhattan, as well as my uncle and grandfather, so it was just kind of in the family and it was a good next step for me as well,” she said. Upon arriving at Manhattan College, Gleba wasted no time in becoming involved. She arrived on campus already a member of The Quadrangle, having been awarded The Quadrangle scholarship at the end of her senior year of high school. Additionally, she joined the women’s rowing team during her first semester. Beyond being a staff writer for The Quadrangle, Gleba has served as a copy editor for the publication since the second semester of her freshman year. She also started working in the Center for Academic Success as a writing consultant at the beginning of her sophomore year. Her favorite part of it all? The people she’s met along the way. “I like being part of these activities because they give a great sense of community and friendship,” Gleba said. “I really made my best friends through clubs and organizations on campus, and they give you a real sense of what it means to be a leader and real-world experience for after college as well.” Gleba’s first introduction to an elected position in the Student Government Assembly was during junior year, where she served as a Vice President of the School of Education and Health. “My sophomore year I just became pretty interested in the
process of student government and I wanted to get more involved in leadership on campus, and on the government side of things, so I just reached out to people who were already on student government and they encouraged me to run for Vice President for the School of Education and Health,” she said. “So in that role, I worked with another student, Shanice Lyle, and we had to organize events for the School of Education and Health during the semester.” Jumping from VP of the School of Education and Health to running for Student Body President was quite the leap, but Gleba felt she could handle it. “This year I kind of want to get more involved and have a bigger role, so I put together a board of people who I know are super involved on campus and would be really great for the job and we decided to campaign and run in March and ultimately won in April,” Gleba said. “I think a large part of it was that I saw a need for not someone like me, but someone with the same ideals as myself, in the position. I wanted to make sure it was filled by somebody who had the skills and the abilities to lead a school like this. “I think I was also encouraged by the people who were brought onto my board because we had discussions about who should run for what position and ultimately we decided that I had the passion and the drive to be student body president.” While former newly executive board members normally have the summer off, Gleba and members of her executive board started to work right away. “We kind of got thrown into the positions with not much background or training because there was such a need for us to be leaders,” Gleba said. “We’ve just been facing a lot in
a few short weeks in this position, but I think this has been really beneficial because we also kind of were thrown into the fire, and you kind of learn as you go. So we’ve learned everything upfront and we can keep working as we go along this year.” The newly elected president and her team were brought into conversations about coronavirus and returning to campus, as well as growing conversations around racial justice and equity. During the summer, the board had weekly meetings to discuss and plan for the school year, as well as two open meetings. In one of those meetings, the Black Student Union was made an official school club. “Something that became really important to us over the summer was making the Black Student Union an official club on campus,” she said. “As a board, we all agreed that that was very far overdue and should have been completed way earlier. So that was probably the first thing on my to-do list.” However, Gleba hopes that one small step is just the beginning of good things for the campus community. “I think we can see a rise of activism in our students this year and I think working alongside them towards these goals is definitely important for me this year as well,” Gleba said. “I just have a lot of passion for the school and for equity and justice for all.” Gleba, who hopes to have a career in law one day, notes that her time at Manhattan College has molded her into the leader she has become. “I think I’m a completely different person than I was in high school and I’m happy to say that,” she said. “I really just have grown so much confidence in my ability to speak up
-----------------------“I think we can see a rise of activism in our students this year and I think working alongside them towards these goals is definitely important for me this year as well,” Gleba said. “I just have a lot of passion for the school and for equity and justice for all.” ------------------------
and things like that since high school and 14-year old, or even 18-year-old Shannon definitely would not have seen me in this position. “I think it’s important to remember that those points in your life where you weren’t the
person you wanted to be, help you become the person you do want to be at the end. I am thankful for shy and anxious Shannon in high school because, without that, I would not have been where I am today.”
Gleba arrived on campus already a member of The Quadrangle, having been awarded The Quadrangle scholarship at the end of her senior year of high school. Additionally, she joined the women’s rowing team during her first semester and has served as a Vice President of the School of Education and Health in the Student Government Assembly her junior year. SHANNON GLEBA / THE QUADRANGLE
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MC’s Black Student Union Comes Back in aVital and Largely Virtual Semester Madalyn Johnson & Kyla Guilfoil Web Editor & Staff Writer
The Black Lives Matter movement has taken the country by storm and has revitalized the Civil Rights movement that has persisted for decades. At Manhattan College, the BLM fight is being represented and pursued by the college’s Black Student Union. The Black Student Union has been a club at Manhattan College since 2017, but only recieved formal recognition as a club by the Office of Student Engagement this past summer. According to the club’s treasurer, Diane Yomkil, both the college administration and the student government had to vote this summer to declare BSU as an official college club. Yomkil, as well as the club’s president and vice president, Mamady Ballo and Ashley Baptiste, said that the club’s officiality shouldn’t have been a long time coming. “I do think it took too long to declare the club as an official club,” Yomkil said. “Manhattan College is composed of people who come from different places, we have diversity. We have people from different
countries, and we have African and Black students here. And so, we created the BSU club to create this strong community bond between those African and Black students.” To Yomkil, the fact that many other clubs were recognized as official and BSU wasn’t – at least for the first three years of its existence – was unusual as BSU is one of the college’s organizations that aims to make the college campus more inclusive. Members thought the club’s official status should have been a no-brainer, and the fact that a vote was needed to officialize the club surprised Yomkil. “I kind of find it strange that we had to vote, or they had to vote, for BSU to be an official club, because it made it seem like if we didn’t have enough votes, we would have never been an official club, and that’s kind of strange to me,” she said. On top of being an official club, the BSU executive board is certain the club will look different this year. “I think we’re changing with the current climate right now,” Baptiste said. “There’s a lot going on, like police brutality and racial justice, and I think we want to shine a light on all of that, as a club.”
The current issues facing the country will impact the club’s activities this semester. Last year, the club dedicated a lot of time to getting to know one another by creating a strong community bond and doing fun activities. This semester, BSU members will address more issues about racial discrimination and plan to invite guest speakers to add to these difficult discussions. Throughout summer break, many discussions about how the college handles inclusivity began in response to the tragic events that sparked conversations about systematic racism. The BSU became very active on their Instagram account, @mc.bsu, informing followers about their views on decisions that exemplified the college’s efforts to try to make the campus more inclusive. On June 29, the executive board of BSU met with President O’Donnell to talk about ways the administration could help promote inclusivity on campus. Controversial decisions, such as the name of Raymond W. Kelly ’63 Student Commons Building and the college’s recent partnership with Aramark, were also discussed. “We did talk about the renaming of Kelly Commons,” Baptiste said. “[O’Donnell]
The ladies of BSU hosted an Instagram live on Sept. 4 to discuss what events they have planned for this semester despite the remote move. MANHATTAN COLLEGE BLACK STUDENT UNION / COURTESY
The Black Student Union has been a club at Manhattan College since 2017, but was only recognized by the college as an official club this past summer.
MANHATTAN COLLEGE BLACK STUDENT UNION / COURTESY wasn’t willing to adhere to that. He said we would have to discuss further but we also talked about creating inclusivity in classrooms and including more black history classes, and just minority faculty members and stuff like that. He did help up with the recognition of the club and we wanted $10,000 allocated towards the budget and he made sure to get that money for us.” Some club members also thought they were not heard by MC when expressing concern about working with Aramark. Ballo stressed how she wants the college to start taking action and putting into effect these crucial changes. “As far as the Aramark deal and the diversity council, I feel like the school has not listened because they have signed a contract with a company that they knew would raise major concerns for the Jasper students and parents,” Ballo said. “As for the diversity council being a student representative for BSU, I really hope this council is ready for change to be made on campus. I want Manhattan College to understand that in order for real substantial change to happen on campus we must all voice our concerns and not just say that we want change rather our actions prove it.” The immense changes that COVID-19 has brought onto campus life at colleges has
made BSU more determined than ever to introduce students to a club that addresses serious social issues and promotes positivity and kindness to its members. Yomkil discussed how the BSU executive board plans on organizing club meetings that do just that even with the downside of not being able to connect with members face-to-face. The club will give students a chance to get to know each other while discussing social issues in an in-depth manner. BSU members are eager to organize a club that’s fun and focuses on relevant issues in today’s society. They strongly urge all Manhattan College students to come to the meetings and participate in the activities lined up for this semester. “Although it is called the Black Student Union, you don’t have to be black to be in a club, you don’t have to be a student of color, everyone is invited into BSU,” Yomkil said. “You should join this club because we plan a lot of fun stuff for you guys this semester and I feel like it would just be good for you to kind of know what’s going on around our communities, the structural issues and the struggles that we have.” The first meeting date for BSU will be on Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. To learn more about BSU, follow the club’s Instagram account, @mc.bsu.
Features
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THE QUADRANGLE
Manhattan Welcomes New Cosmetic Engineer and Chemist Society Nicole Fitzsimmons
Asst. News & Features Editor Over this past summer, students have been working diligently to establish Manhattan College’s first ever Cosmetic Engineer and Chemist Society on campus. Through the local chapter at the college, new members can expect help in navigating the professional world and opportunities to make connections with others who are passionate about this field of study. Inspiration for the society sparked as Ciara Coyle, a junior chemical engineering major, noticed very large and successful programs for cosmetic engineering at other universities. Due to the large population of engineers on the college’s campus, she thought starting up this society would be the perfect opportunity for students who are professionally interested in the cosmetic industry to grow throughout their entire college experience. “My attraction to this school was it’s one of a kind cosmetic undergraduate and graduate programs,” Coyle, founder and co-president of the society said. “This was really my attempt to fill that gap of space from freshman to junior year where you do not work with cosmetics until you declare it as your concentration as a senior or graduate student.” The introduction of the so-
ciety was welcomed with open arms by the faculty at Manhattan College. Samiul Amin, associate professor of chemical engineering, accepted the role as advisor of the society and was immediately impressed with it’s goals and message. “I think one of the things is that we are really trying to enhance the visibility of the cosmetic engineering program at Manhattan College,” Amin said. “There’s multiple aspects of the society I think, which are going to play a key role in kind of enhancing both the visibility and appeal of cosmetic engineering, both to the students, but also, kind of, for external visibility to some of the cosmetic companies.” Connections to cosmetic companies and cosmetic events are an essential part of the new society. Amin states that communication with the broader cosmetic industry can really help the college become a leading force in the cosmetic sciences and can increase the appeal of the field. “We have a few events lined up already such as our guest speaker, Katrina Bernhardt, a facial scientist and chemical engineer at Johnson and Johnson and a student cosmetic internship panel for this coming October,” Coyle said. “My longterm goal for the club is that it continues to build a greater member body and helps students network and navigate the world of cosmetics.”
The introduction of the new laboratory of cosmetic engineering at the college has also been integral in the advancement of the community. In the east coast, very few academic institutions have laboratories like the one that has recently been established. “I think there’s very few academic, if any, academic institutions which have a cosmetic lab like the one we have, so that’s generated a lot of interest from a lot of the industry,” Amin said. “The companies are doing projects with us, which allows students to kind of work on industry sponsored projects. And, it’s also, kind of, enhanced the visibility of our cosmetics program.” Junior chemical engineering major and co-president of the society, Gianna Villani, also testifies towards the value of the new cosmetics lab to the program at Manhattan College. “I am currently researching in the new cosmetics lab in the Leo Engineering Building,” Villani said. “I think this definitely had some type of contribution because I was able to contribute things that I have learned while working in the lab into the new society.” On top of research opportunities and connections, members of the society can expect to unite with other students in learning more about the industry. “The society is meant to help members navigate the
cosmetic world before their first professional experience in it,” Coyle said. “I hope that members make connections with professionals already in the field who we will be hosting as guest speakers or who we may interact with on field trips. I hope to educate the aspiring students in our club on the knowledge of cosmetic formulation, design, and testing. Members can expect fun and interactive activities that will have them leaving with a little more insight than they came with.” The society also hopes to make career counseling and managing the professional world a seamless process. Villani hopes to soon contact some of the career counselors at Manhattan to initiate appointments to work with student’s résumés in the society. “Members can expect fundraisers that are being developed, as well as meetings with career developers, as well as alumni in the industry of cosmetics,” Villani said. Any undergraduate student who is enrolled at Manhattan College is eligible to join the society, no matter what their major is. Students who have a passion for the cosmetic sciences and the cosmetic industry in general can find a perfect space to learn, grow, and express themselves in this program. To keep updated on the society, they will be active on their
social media pages, which are currently Facebook, Instagram (manhattan_ccs) and LinkedIn. The Cosmetic Chemist Society is always looking for new members, so simply send a personal message with an email to join an innovative part of the Manhattan College community. “This is beyond just chemical engineering, because there are students who could be in cosmetics in the chemistry department, who are studying biochemistry,” Amin said. “Students who are studying, even biology, or students, obviously, studying chemical engineering, I think this kind of brings them together with a kind of a common area of interest in terms of cosmetic cosmetic sciences.”
The Cosmetic Chemist Society is always looking for new members.
@MANHATTAN_CCS / COURTESY
Does Your Mental Health Get a “Green Pass?” Jocelyn Visnov Staff Writer
Each day, Manhattan College students log onto the Glance app and fill out a series of questions. This quick daily quiz is indicative of whether or not you are in good enough health to go about your day while keeping yourself and the MC community safe. The questions pertain to your physical health, but how about your mental health? Would you give your mind a “Green Pass?” Mental health has a history of being an uncomfortable, sensitive subject to discuss. The first step to breaking the stigma is starting the conversation. Finding the balance of managing your school work and social life commonly causes some unrest amongst college students. However, when keeping up with current events and dealing with the unknowns and struggles of the ever-changing global pandemic, it’s no surprise that students may be experiencing increased anxiety or
lack of motivation. Students and faculty alike understand that the state of our world right now may be impacting the mental health of students. “The cumulative effect of the stress can impact our family function, our academic functioning, our occipital functioning, or social and recreational functioning for faculty and for students alike,” Zella Moore, chair of the psychology department, said. The decrease of in-person human interaction has led to the realization among many that connecting through your computer simply does not compare to in-person human connection. This applies to socializing as well as education. “It’s trying to get those warm interpersonal connections going [with students],” Moore said. “That’s a little harder.” Over the course of the pandemic, the “typical” day to day schedule for all students has been altered drastically. Junior Florentina Ondolfo, president
of the Psychology Club, shares her advice about virtual learning. “I’ve had to learn to be a little bit more flexible with all the online stuff, and I think that everyone should try to keep a more flexible approach to things” she said. Social distancing safety guidelines make for less in-person human interaction in all areas of life. Activities involving large amounts of people have long been deemed unsafe, making events like social gatherings or musical performances nearly non-existent. Julia Ettere, a senior psychology major shares her experience dealing with uncertainty and isolation. “It’s been very stressful, having this unknown,” Ettere said. “We didn’t know if we’re going back to school, and we really don’t know how long we’re gonna be on campus. I’m graduating this year so I don’t know what’s gonna happen when I graduate. Everything is unknown and it’s definitely caused a lot of anxiety.” For students struggling
to adjust to social distancing guidelines, Ettere suggests relaxing and reaching out to others. “I think just putting on relaxing music and coloring is a nice way to tune everything out,” Ettere said. “I’m definitely staying in touch as much as possible. Like today I did a Google meet with one of my professors just to talk about how stressed I was, so definitely reach out to people.” While it’s completely normal to be upset about canceled events or feel isolated from others, MC has created safe ways to remain both social, and socially distant. The Office of Student Engagement has organized fitness classes, movie nights, and dining spaces which are all outdoor and accommodate safe distancing practices. Ondolfo encourages students to get creative and try something new. “Keep an open approach to how things are gonna go and try not to focus on the negatives,” Ondolfo said. If you think you or someone
you know may be struggling with their mental health during these difficult times, don’t hesitate to reach out to the counseling center here on campus. Struggling college students often don’t realize that there are mental health resources available to them just a short walk away. To get in contact with someone from the department, go to the Inside Manhattan website, and click on the counseling center link under Student Life. Now, Jaspers, it’s your turn. Mental health is just as important as physical health, so be sure to check in on your roommates and loved ones. Let’s keep the conversation going and increase the awareness of mental health all around campus. “There’s really a spectrum of the pain we might be experiencing [right now],” Moore said. “But challenges do give us the opportunity to develop more as people.”
SEPTEMBER 8, 2020
Arts & Entertainment
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QQC:Quality Quarantine Content C. Garrett Keidel Social Media Editor
Does anyone remember how they even began to envision the year 2020 would go for them on New Year’s day, the resolutions to go to the gym more or even spend more time with friends? No? Thought so. The year 2020, in what feels like the longest year of many of our lives, has proven to be one of the most disturbing global events to the ordinary person’s way of life. More than that, 2020 has brought about the phrase “social-distancing” and “quarantine” into the modern lexicon faster than any dystopian movie or novel imaginably could. Who even knew there was the namesake movie, Quarantine in 2008? Many Manhattan College students have experienced, or are currently experiencing a quarantine. If you are currently in this situation, or possibly preparing to not see another human being for a two week minimum period of time, and
are looking for quality content to pass the time instead of the lacking personal interaction through Zoom or FaceTime calls, you have come to the right place. Below are several recommendations. “Why Won’t You Date Me?”, Nicole Byer (Podcast) For many, quarantining may feel like the most socially isolating span of two weeks they have ever felt. But is that kind of the point of a quarantine? Nonetheless. What better way to cope with the loneliness in quarantine than by listening to the romantic loneliness of comedians? The podcast hosted by comedian Nicole Byer, follows her quest to understand why she is perpetually single. Accompanied by fellow comedians, previous flings, and other celebrity guests, Byer discusses and dissects relationships of the past. Mold your experiences of perceived loneliness in quarantine and join the conversations of romantic loneliness for a laugh out loud experience that’s guar-
anteed to lift your spirits. “Explained”, Netflix (TV Series) Intellectual stimulation may not seem very exciting to a campus of college students just starting a new semester, but the Netflix original series “Explained” may just very well be the series that converts you from monotonous youtube binges to mini-documentaries about a wide variety of topics. No two episodes are the same, and every single one is roughly 15 to 20 minutes long. Recommended episodes include the origins of the exclamation mark, astrology, the racial wealth gap, and the even more eerie during a COVID-19 world “The Next Pandemic” (released Nov. 7, 2019). “Avatar: The Last Airbender”, Netflix (TV Show) The Nickelodeon cartoon of many of our childhoods is streaming on Netflix. Catch up in the nostalgia of the story, and the memories of watching it in your childhood home. With three whole “books” of content available, you are sure to have
several days worth of storyline to catch up on, revisit, relaugh, recry, and recover from how you’re feeling in quarantine. “Shots with Jack Daniel”, Jack Melanson (IGTV) @shots_with_jackdaniel This new Instagram original content from Quadrangle alumnus, Jack Melanson, is sure to leave you feeling entertained, positive, and more informed after every episode. Along the lines of Trevor Noah and John Oliver, Shots with Jack Daniel is an instagram infotainment show commenting on current events. Melanson said in regards to his mission, “I wanted to continue some important conversations. In the first episode I talked about Trump, and his lack of knowledge when it comes to the history of his own political party, and for some reason that issue alone has been one that I have cared about forever...when Trump began piggy-backing on the idea that he and Lincoln are a part of the same political party it really bothered me. No one was talking about how he was wrong there.”
The show discusses several topics on contemporary themes that pertain to our everyday lives. A beautiful mixture of comedy and commentary that allows it to reach and connect with an ever so growing digital audience. “My favorite joke I have written for the show comes from the first episode. I sort of talked about life and what matters to a republican, and I compared it to the American flag. I said ‘republicans only care about being red, white and blue,’ because after all the only thing that matters is red republican lives, white lives and apparently now blue lives.” If you are seeking fresh infotainment, with a perspective that has a connection to the Manhattan College campus, this is the show for you. And that’s your week of Quality Quarantine Content. If you have any suggestions for future content, contact the Quadrangle (@mcquad on Instagram) or C. Garrett Keidel (@garrettkeidel on instagram)
Keeping B“Izzy” During Quarantine: Art by Iz Colleen E. McNamara Staff Writer
As classes, athletics, clubs and work obligations start back up again, despite how abnormal each of those daily events might appear, it is easy to forget the endless boredom or free time most people faced in the past few months. Quarantine meant a sudden shift in routine, which allowed students to rediscover old hobbies, reestablish family connections or even reinvent themselves. For Izzy Frazza, a sophomore philosophy and peace and justice studies major, quarantine meant starting a personal online jewelry company via Instagram, called “Art by Iz” during her free time this summer. “I was creating things just for fun, being stuck in my house with quarantine, I was creating a lot more earrings than what I had to do with it, so, I thought if people like this, why not make some money off of it, and give the earnings to a good cause,” Frazza said. “I started around July, mainly making earrings but also bracelets, since some people don’t wear earrings as much, and most recently, working on paintings, which I have been slowly adding to the instagram page.” Frazza personally crafts
each item she sells, offering prices that reflect the time she spends making the piece. “Some products are faster than others to create, that’s how I decide the prices I want to set for each item,” she said. “Prices are based on the allotted costs to purchase the products, the supplies to make the jewelry, and the type of art itself. The bracelets are less expensive because they are a little quicker, the earrings on the other hand, I have to hand wrap the wires so it takes a little bit longer -- though earrings are still the most popular item.” Advertising one’s product typically can be done in a number of ways, yet given the current pandemic, the main source of communication is through social media. “I started reaching out to my friends,” Frazza said. “I made some as gifts for my friends, asking them to post on their instagram story, and give me a quick shoutout, they were all open to doing that, and quickly, the word spread, hashtags helped.” Another unique aspect about this sophomore’s company is that everything is up to the customer, whether that be color choice or jewelry style. Frazza has samples of pieces she is selling on her Instagram platform for viewers to purchase or request a specific
item. In fact, one customer reached out to Izzy with the request to make a bracelet, since earrings were not an option. “A lot of people make requests, the bracelets for instance, I hadn’t even thought to make bracelets, that was a request by a person who really liked my Black Lives Matter earrings, but didn’t wear earrings,” Frazza said. Beyond the convenience and personalization options, the customers are given the opportunity to support an organization Frazza is passionate about. “My inspiration to donate a portion of sales came from a combination of present-day issues,” Frazza said. “My end goal, I want to be a lawyer and hopefully work for American Civil Liberties Union [ACLU] one day, and I’m really passionate about social justice, and helping people,” Frazza said. She donated $25 of her first week’s sales and an additional $35 most recently to the same organization. She supports the same values and beliefs that the ACLU represents. “I wanted to select an organization that supports black lives, LGBTQ+ rights, and women’s reproductive health rights, the ACLU covers it all, is why I ultimately continue to
show my support towards that organization,” Frazza said. Frazza’s jewelry also conveys a message which parallels issues brought to light by the ACLU. Art by Iz reflects the social justice issues that are consuming a large amount of media content today. She plans to continue conveying issues important to her, such as encouraging everyone’s voice to be heard. “Right now I’m working on bracelets that say V-O-T-E as we are nearing the election,
I will be posting those soon,” Frazza said. Anyone with a hobby, idea or some free time can use technology to their advantage and promote their product. As fall activities begin to resume, Frazza will continue her Instagram Business. “Art by Iz is something I’ve been doing, just for fun, not too serious and will definitely keep up with my designing and making my jewelry,” Frazza said.
Examples of Isabel’s handmade jewelry, more can be found on her instagram account, @artby1z ISABEL FRAZZA / COURTESY
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Arts & Entertainment
THE QUADRANGLE
Leslie Odom Jr. Kicks off Student Engagement Lecture Series Alexa Schmidt & Jilleen Barrett Editor and Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor
The Student Engagement fall lecture series kicked off with a virtual visit from Leslie Odom Jr., on Sept. 3 via Google Meet. The event was open to anyone with a manhattan.edu email address, including alumni, and about 140 people attended. Odom Jr. is most known for playing the role of Aaron Burr in “Hamilton,” which opened off Broadway in 2015. Odom Jr. answered questions for a little under an hour. JR Caldwell and Andy Bauer, professors in the performing arts department, and student moderators facilitated the conversation. Topics included but were definitely not limited to personal experiences, pieces of advice he would give to anyone, technical problems one can encounter in the theater and some singing. Senior Jenn Bueti, the president of Singers, kicked off the discussion. Bueti has been a fan of Odom Jr. since high school, and connected to him as an individual, as well as the story he was telling. When presented with the opportunity to interview him, she came up with a list of questions she’s been itching to ask. “I thought long and hard about the main points he was
getting across in the autobiography [“Failing Up”] and tried to come up with relevant questions for an audience who have and have not read the book,” Bueti said. “Also I thought he has been asked so many questions about working on “Hamilton” that I tried to switch them up and I was more interested in learning about Leslie than anything else. He is such an inspirational and intricate man, it was such an honor.” When asked what his “security blanket” was, and how he knew everything would work itself out, Odom Jr. responded with advice he was given from his mentor. “I was about to turn 30 years old. At this point I made my Broadway debut as you probably know, at 17 years old when I went into “Rent” on Broadway and I’d done a bunch of TV after graduating college and still, I was tired of the up and down,” Odom Jr. said. “I was tired of the uncertainty that can come along with this business. And I was really looking to do something else with my life. “And I met with my mentor and he said he heard me out and he said, ‘okay, you can quit, you can do something else. That’s, that’s no problem. I’m sure we can talk about some other ways that you can use these skills. But I’d love to see you try first. Because you try before you quit.’ And as smart as I knew he was I just never heard something so ridiculous
in my life.” His mentor said, “You can make things happen for yourself,” and that is the advice Odom Jr. has carried with him since. “And I have to tell you, I have not stopped working in nine years,” Odom Jr. said. “And that is not just because the phone has been ringing that whole time. I tell you, I’m never sitting at home waiting for two rings even now. I’m always working on my own projects, creating my own stuff. And so that was the best piece of advice I remember. God that was amazing.” In the age of social media and constant activity, Odom Jr. was careful to touch upon taking the time for yourself and well-being. “There’s just times where you have to be diligent, you know, you check in with yourself and you know when you’ve been on that phone too much, when you’ve been focused on a screen too long,” Odom Jr. said. “It has to be intentional, mindful, purposeful about those times that you shut the phone off. And you take into nature, you go on a hike, you go to the park, give yourself an hour, I’m not going to worry about the phone or now or I’m going to go check in with a friend… So much of what I do is about output. And so I have to be mindful of the times when my well is drying, I need some input.” Overall, the level of excite-
ment within the Google meet was high. Julianna Finnerty, a senior Business Management major, felt the heat of this excitement after Odom Jr. noticed a comment she sent about her custom shoes. “Who just said they paint custom shoes?” he asked. “Paint me some shoes!” Finnerty has been painting custom shoes for about a year and advertises them on her Instagram @finnscustoms. She has been a fan of Odom Jr. since his “Hamilton” years and loves his album “Mr.” “I knew when I heard of the opportunity to chat with him through MC Student Engagement that I wanted to see if he wanted me to make him a pair of shoes,” Finnerty said. “As for a design for him I would really love to hear from him what he would like. I was thinking maybe obviously “Hamilton” or something to do with his album but whatever design he would like I would love to bring that to life for him.” John Bennett, the director of Student Engagement, believes that the lecture series is one thing that cannot be taken away from students during a time where a normal college life is almost unrecognizable. “We tried to make sure to make it as personal as possible,” he said. “That starts with it being hosted by members of our community, but also, we made sure that there would be a live chat option so that all
students could interact with the speaker and type questions in to ask them, while also seeing their name pop up on the screen.” Anthony Bradley, the executive vice president of the student body, agrees. “The lecture series will not change much now that it is online. Granted, nothing will beat sitting in-person with a great speaker, but the content and thought-provoking talk will still be the same,” he said. Though the lecture series is different this fall, Bennett has hope that students will be just as engaged with it as usual. “We are supposed to get autographed pictures after the fact that we’ll be giving out to students for attending,” he said. “So they should still be able to get a cool, tangible momento of the event.” Odom Jr. emphasized the importance of human connection and keeping the arts alive, even if through a virtual platform. “We’re trying to get through this moment, we will gather in spaces again together,” Odom Jr. said. “But in the meantime, we have to be creative. We have to figure this out. We create our way out of any box, any box that people try to place us into, so you can do it. I look forward to seeing how you guys find a way to still be vital and make necessary art because we certainly need the art.”
[TOP] Finnerty honors many famous figures in her custom designed shoes that she has been making since 2019, and is excited to make a pair for Odom Jr. JULIANNA FINNERTY / COURTESY [LEFT] Many students including Anna Woods referred to Odom Jr.’s lecture as “the highlight of 2020”. ANNA WOODS / THE QUADRANGLE
Sports
SEPTEMBER 8, 2020
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With Fall Sports Cancelled, One Manhattan Coach has Athletes More Prepared than Ever Whit Anderson Asst. Sports Editor
The widespread cancellation of sports seasons on college campuses across the country has many coaches and athletes trying to find some stability in the midst of these uncertain times. Here at Manhattan, Head Strength and Conditioning coach Mike Olave is helping lead the efforts to keep our student-athletes in good physical condition during the coronavirus pandemic. Previously an assistant at Manhattanville College, the Jasper alum and former United States Military Academy intern made his way back to campus in 2017 to become the Head Strength and Conditioning coach in charge of various sports such as cross country, soccer, baseball, lacrosse, and women’s basketball. The MAAC’s cancellation of fall sports in July forced Olave to get more creative in the way he does his job. Since the start of the pandemic, one of his main priorities has been to achieve positive communication between him and his athletes. “It [the cancellation] was kind of expected,” Olave said to The Quadrangle. “I think the main thing I try to focus on and communicate to the athletes is that there’s still an end goal, whether it’s being delayed or not. The direction we’re going is always forward. We want to make sure we keep a positive environment so they feel com-
fortable and that they’re not training for nothing.” Although Olave is still a relatively new staff member, he has one of the stronger influences among members of the athletic department in determining which organizational approaches yield the best training results for Manhattan athletes. The central goal is to execute these plans as best as possible, and having a mind like Olave involved with this committee to stay on top of these changing circumstances is reassuring. “Over the entire summer, I was a part of a task force which involved a lot of people from our athletic department and also people from the school itself to try and develop scenarios and plans for how things are gonna look,” Olave said. “A lot of those plans changed week to week and day to day. They’re still even changing now. The biggest thing is that we’re all working together as a community to figure out what’s the safest way and most effective way to do what we need to do.” The development of fitness routines for athletes this fall is the main focus at the moment. This phase of the planning process comes after a summer filled with changes made to the traditional conditioning programs for athletes. However, Olave knew how to make modifications to their regimens in ways that were easy to follow. And since each athlete had different levels of access to resources, Olave concocted multiple plans to ensure nobody
had an excuse for coming back to school out of shape. Clearly, his high expectations for his athletes have not changed, even in this weird environment. “Every summer I send each team their own packet with everything from speed, strength, conditioning, agility, and everything they need,” Olave said. “Basically I just extended their summer packets to five months. And being in the situation we were in, I knew a lot of people weren’t going to have access to gyms or equipment. So I came up with three different plans, one being with body weight, another being with a little equipment, and the third being a lifting plan if they had access to what they needed.” One silver lining that comes from having a season cancelled is the extra time afforded to get better. Olave’s ability to keep his athletes prepared is a testament to the work he puts in to motivate his athletes, and also a reflection of how committed and driven the students are to be at their best for when their time to compete comes. And while the status of the fall season has already been determined, the winter and spring seasons are still up in the air. But regardless of what the future holds, there is zero intention from Olave to create any major differences in the level of intensity between how fall athletes train and how the rest of the athletes do. Olave goes by one mantra. “My philosophy is if you stay ready you don’t have to get ready,” he said. “As long as we
Mike Olave has been the Head Strength and Conditioning coach at Manhattan since 2017. GO JASPERS / COURTESY have that mindset we should be good. We don’t know who’s going to play and who isn’t, so the biggest thing for them is to try and get better everyday.” The athletes seem to be in good hands under Olave’s care. But what about the average student? How can a non-athlete stay in shape with the fitness
center and Draddy Gym being closed off at the moment? Similar to what he demands of his teams, he wants everyone to have a no-excuse mindset. “There’s so many things you can do,” he said. “You just have to be creative to find ways around the restrictions.”
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Sports
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THE QUADRANGLE
Men’s Basketball Transfer Jason Douglas-Stanley Cops Waiver From NCAA for Immediate Eligibility
[ABOVE] Douglas-Stanley played at George Mason University for two seasons before choosing to transfer to Manhattan. GOMASON.COM / COURTESY [LEFT] Manhattan’s new shooting guard Jason Douglas-Stanley spent his high school years at Mount Vernon High School and graduated in 2018. LOHUD.COM / COURTESY
Pete Janny Sports Editor
While the coronavirus pandemic continues to blur the prospect of a college basketball season, Manhattan men’s basketball will have a different look next season if and when they take the court. The program is looking to capitalize off a few good concessions they have received from the NCAA this offseason. The Jaspers’ expectations are trending up at this stage in the offseason, and a big reason why is the recent change in eligibility for George Mason University transfer Jason Douglas-Stanley. The NCAA informed Manhattan that Douglas-Stanley’s request for a waiver has been granted, making him immediately eligible for this upcoming season, according to a tweet from Jon Rothstein on Aug. 31. The verdict on Douglas-Stanley comes
following little chatter about the Mount Vernon native’s intentions to avoid having to sit out next season. The news is a welcomed development for a Jaspers’ team excited about the offensive potential that Douglas-Stanley brings to the table. “We are very excited about Jason being eligible for the upcoming season,” Steve Masiello, Manhattan’s head coach, said to Go Jaspers. “He will add another dimension to the strong perimeter we have in place.” Prior to attending George Mason for two years, Douglas-Stanley played for Mount Vernon High School for four years. While there, he emerged as a prolific scorer, averaging 28.7 points-per-game and notching a single-season program record with 100 3-pointers, according to The Journal News. His success on the high school level was amplified by the competitive Mount Vernon teams he played on. During his ten-
ure, the program advanced to three state final fours and were crowned 2017 Class AA State Champions. His best individual performance in high school came on Feb. 3, 2018 when he scored 50 points against Waleigh in a 97-82 Mount Vernon victory in which he set the highest single-game scoring mark in program history. “Jason is a gifted scorer and a winner,” Masiello said to The Quadrangle in an interview back in June. “He comes from a high pedigree program at Mount Vernon and I recruited him a lot in high school. He’s a great kid, high energy, and fun to be around.” Douglas-Stanley’s first two seasons at George Mason were a disappointment for a player of his caliber. He appeared in just 39 games, posting pergame averages of 1.6 points and 0.5 rebounds. In need of a change of scenery, he decided to move closer to home for this new chapter. Douglas-Stanley
is hopeful that his tight relationship with Masiello and the expectation of more playing time at Manhattan will restore his confidence. “I knew that he [Masiello] believed in me and what I was capable of,” Jason Douglas-Stanley told The Quadrangle in an interview back in June. “I want to help the team get better and help everything in the long run so I felt Manhattan would have been a good choice and had a good support system behind me and my city behind me being from New York.” Manhattan is coming off a season having shot 30.9 percent from three-point range, a big constraint on their offensive production. However, adding an aggressive shooter like Douglas-Stanley should provide a boost in that department in hopes of making the offense more dynamic. The local product has no shortage of motivation to make his presence felt
from the get-go. “I was told shooting was a struggle for Manhattan last year so I definitely want to bring more range,” Douglas-Stanley said. Earlier in August, news broke that Seton Hall transfer Anthony Nelson received a waiver from the NCAA, thus preventing him from having to sit out as well. Nelson is projected to be inserted as Manhattan’s starting point guard on the strength of his playmaking and defensive potential. In two seasons at Seton Hall, Nelson averaged 2.6 points, 2.0 assists, and 11.4 minutes per game, according to the New York Post. Both Nelson and Douglas-Stanley, who each have two seasons of eligibility remaining, will look to make a real difference in the Manhattan backcourt next season.