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THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MANHATTAN COLLEGE | SINCE 1924
Volume CII, Issue 8
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NEW YORK, OCTOBER 20, 2020
Manhattan Caucus: Modern Media vs The Debate Stage Sophia Sakellariou Senior Writer
Students Find Creative Outlet The LWGRC and Sanctus Artem teamed up for an artmaking session on the mini quad. LAUREN RAZIANO / THE QUADRANGLE
MC Celebrates National Fair Trade Month Shannon Gleba & Jilleen Barrett
Copy Editor & Asst. A&E Editor The month of October is National Fair Trade month, and Manhattan College is showing its commitment to the cause by continuing programming and the sale of fair trade products. Fair Trade promotes products in developed countries being sold at a price that is fair to those who produce them in developing countries. Fair Trade first came to the college after Lois Harr, assistant vice president of Campus Ministry and Social Action, traveled to Ecuador on a L.O.V.E. Trip run by CMSA where she learned about the importance of buying products produced by those earning living wages in an ethical manner. Harr then attended a con-
IN NEWS:
Just Peace wins regional student award on p. 5
ference in Boston alongside a number of students, including many members of the club Just Peace. The group became interested in bringing Fair Trade to campus, and they began the process of doing so in around 2010. “We found out about [the Fair Trade certification] by about 2010 and 2011, I suppose,” Harr said. “And we went to their list and we said, you know, except for them saying so we pretty much are a fair trade campus because we’re doing all those things. We just haven’t gotten their stamp of approval.” In 2012, the certification that made MC the first official Fair Trade college in New York City became official, and the group celebrated this accomplishment. “We had a big celebration in the atrium downstairs in
IN FEATURES: Sigma Delta Tau starts online thrift store fundraiser on p. 7
[Café 1853] ... the president came, someone from Catholic Relief Services was there … and I’m always proud to say the original [certificate] hangs in the president’s dining room at the college,” Harr said. There are a number of requirements that an institution must follow in order to remain considered a Fair Trade college. “You have to have this steering committee, this group of people meets regularly and plans the events and plans the educational and [promotes] awareness and makes sure that your retailers are selling stuff right,” Harr said. Since then, the Fair Trade commitment has grown on MC’s campus, and the dining hall and campus shops are willing to sell products that are __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Presidential debates serve as a platform for candidates to speak directly to the public on where they stand on key issues. Based on the candidates’ performances in the first debate on Sept. 29, and the out of the ordinary town halls that replaced what should have been the second debate on Oct. 15, there has been much discussion on just how effective the standard debate format is, at least with a candidate who routinely attacks his opponent through unwarranted interruptions and bullying tactics. According to The New York Times, presidential debates rarely cause major shifts in the polls. The town hall events that took place on Oct. 15, a result of Trump’s refusal to participate in a virtual debate, only reinforced that idea as the audiences for each were likely dominated by the candidate’s respective supporters. These events don’t serve to gain a greater following for each candidate, but to reinforce their image with the support base they already have. There exists a common link between this phenomena and the public discourse surrounding politics on social media. The notion of confirmation bias explains how the public follows individuals and social media accounts that enforce their own political beliefs. As such, their beliefs are constantly reinforced by the media they consume, strengthening their belief that they are educated and in the right with their opinions. However, this weakens the citizenry as the nation grows increasingly polarized by not seeking out differing perspectives to make informed decisions. These mediums not only offer a place for people to connect with others they agree with and attack those they don’t, but for presidential candidates to have a direct link to the people who hold the power to elect them.
IN A&E:
Voting Enthusiasm & Masks as Artwork on p. 8
Historically, when a president wanted to speak to the public, a statement was made. Now they have the power to send out a message to millions through a 280 character tweet. I sat down virtually with students in COMM 400: Political Communication to reflect on candidates’ performances in the first debate and to discuss how modern media such as social media have altered that connection between candidates and the people they serve. Headed by Dart Westphal, director of environmental studies, the class spoke on points ranging from how social media may influence the effect of debates to its role in highlighting key takeaways. “What was shown in the last debate is that [debates] are going to start meaning less and less,” C. Garrett Keidel, a senior communication major and social media editor for The Quadrangle, said. “I’m not sure that right now they mean absolutely nothing. There’s a significant portion of the voting population who are not that active on social media and get campaign messaging through ads on television and the presidential debates. But with the performance that was put on by the Trump campaign in the last debate, I think it’s going to show that at least if he is on stage, the debates are going to mean less and less.” Trump’s bullying tactics extend beyond the debate stage to his Twitter account, where he is notorious for calling out individuals he disagrees with. He has faced much criticism for the tweets he shares as well as backlash from Twitter itself in regards to false claims. The debate stage was an opportunity for him to be more clear in his policy agenda, but it did not play out that way. “Social media is such a relevant tool for the candidates to express their opinions and the people to [share] their opin__________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
IN SPORTS:
New Eligibility in Men’s Basketball on p. 12
Opinions & Editorials
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the Quadrangle Volume CII, Issue 8 October 20, 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 Pete Janny Sports Editor Managing Editor C. Garrett Keidel Social Media Editor Brian Asare Photography Editor
Whit Anderson Asst. Sports Editor Samantha Walla Production Manager Emily Hollar Asst. Photography Editor Asst. Production Editor
Kelly Kennedy Nicole Rodriguez Asst. Production Editor 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. via Google Meet. All are welcome to come and join the club.
Connect with The Quadrangle
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THE QUADRANGLE
LET T ER to The Editor Dear Editor, The Office of Graduate School & Fellowship Advisement and the President’s Office would like to invite all members of the Jasper community to attend our annual Public Service Forum on Nov. 4, which will be hosted on Google Meet. The annual forum seeks to invigorate student interest in public service — a sector that urgently needs young, passionate pioneers and volunteers to lead the charge. This year’s panel will feature two speakers who have been and continue to be heavily involved in public service at high levels. Gregg Bishop, a returning guest, is the current Interim Executive Director of Coro New York, which is New York City’s premier civic leadership training organization. Bishop has also served as the Commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services. Adrienne Trinka is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Fresh Air Fund, an independent, not-for-profit agency that has provided free summer experiences to more than 1.8 million New York City children from low-income communities since 1877. The panel will be moderated by our very own Rob Walsh from the President’s Office. Gregg Bishop and Adrienne Trinka will be speaking about their experiences in public service and the importance of the younger generation stepping in to make changes happen. If you’re interested in going into public service after graduation or even to get started while you’re still at Manhattan College, join us at the forum to hear from the best in the industry! You, too, can make a difference in the world. The Google Meet link for the event will be: http://meet.google. com/ygt-kyyu-wbx Hope to see you there! Jiuxing “Paul” Fucao Graduate Assistant, Graduate School & Fellowship Advisement
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.
OCTOBER 20, 2020
Opinions & Editorials
LET T ER to The Editor: Rachel Roca writes: This semester is hard. That is not to say that every other semester is a breeze, but we are faced with unprecedented times. Our nation is in utter turmoil during this election season. We have continued to see the effects of systemic racism along with pervasive issues, adding to the numerous examples of why there is so much work and reform left to be done. This is compounded by the pandemic that is still wreaking havoc on the world. There is a lot to address — too much, it feels like most of the time. As we finish midterms week, and I make preparations for life after graduation, I feel a deep tiredness unlike other semesters. It is not a mid-semester lull, it is the stress of living in a world that is quite literally on fire. I acknowledge that I am privileged enough to deal with a relatively light weight on my shoulders, given all of these circumstances. At Just Peace, we work to both spread awareness and take action in the community about social issues that need addressing. This can function as a modern day slavery awareness event, to the Period Project. We invite our members to bring forth the issues they are passionate about, and we aim to work with them to explore and create events around these topics. Just Peace is a safe place to learn about, raise your voice, and do something about the social issues in our communities today. We encourage you to vote, reach out to your representatives, sign petitions, and any other actions that you feel safe and comfortable participating in (please wear a mask and social distance while protesting!). I also realize that this resistance is hard and tiresome. It takes intention to make sure you have a plan to vote, to get up out of bed and go to classes everyday, and to be joyful in these times. It is so important, now more than ever, that we take care of ourselves — our minds, bodies, and souls (if you believe in souls). Selfcare is absolutely necessary; it is simply impossible to keep going, keep working without rest. The world is a better place when we are in a better place to engage and help each other and the world in meaningful and genuine ways. So please, stay connected with your loved ones and neighbors; support each other. I know this is so difficult with many of our MC community remote, and those on campus experiencing social distancing. My heart aches for our freshmen who may be struggling to find friends and a group during this time where socializing safely and meeting new people is limited. Seeing this need in the community, Just Peace has launched the Pandemic Peace Pals! This Google form will allow us to friendship-match you with other Manhattan College students who are also looking for new friends and connections. Our goal is to build positive peace (the attitudes, institutions, and structures that provide flourishing) by strengthening our bonds as a community. The form does not take long to fill out, and you can be as descriptive or vague as you’d like. We only ask that you agree to three items: that Just Peace will read the submission and share your name and email with your pal(s), that you will treat your pal(s) with respect and compassion, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, religion, identity, etc., and that if you meet your pal(s) in person, you will follow social distancing guidelines and wear a mask. Of course, if you are free on Tuesdays at 3:30, I invite you to attend our Just Peace meetings. I would be utterly happy to see you — all are welcome, at any time. We want to work with you and get to know you in our endeavors to make the world a better place. This semester we are meeting virtually. To get the links for our meets and events, you can check out @justpeacemc on Instagram or the Just Peace email list. If you have questions, want the link, or aren’t on our email list, please send an email to justpeace@manhattan.edu! I will happily add you to our email list where you will be up to date on all of our events, and other events we think you should check out on and off campus. Plus, we very seriously uphold the tradition of adding a picture of adorable dogs at the end of every email update, in case you needed more convincing. I’ll end with a few reminders. Please be aware, safe, and healthy. Be active and deliberate in both your communities and your self-care practices. Build a mutual support system with your loved ones. If you need/ want a friend, check out the Pandemic Peace Pals, or come to Just Peace! Peace, Rachel Roca, Co-President of Just Peace
Sign up for Just Peace’s Peace Pals by scanning this QR Code:
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THE QUADRANGLE
MC Celebrates National Fair Trade Month
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Fair Trade certified. Anabelle Chiaravalle, senior environmental science major, is currently acting as Fair Trade Assistant through campus employment after being introduced through the Catholic Relief Services last year. “I was really excited to start this position because I knew how important Fair Trade is for me and our campus,” Chiaravelle said. “Fair Trade is an organization that favors developing countries in order for them to maintain good trading techniques with developed countries, in developing
countries producers are faced with inhumane working conditions and unfair wages. The organization certifies products that have been ethically made.” Chiaravelle works alongside Casey Monroe, the graduate assistant for the Office of Campus Ministry and Social Action on a number of events and initiatives to keep the community involved in the effort. In the upcoming weeks, CMSA will be hosting a Fair Trade Festival on the quadrangle. CMSA plans to get other organizations involved in the facilitation of the festival, including clubs focused on helping the environment. “The first two hours on the
quad will basically be games and free samples of fair trade items and more information about fair trade on the quad,” Monroe said. “And then we’re also going to try to see if we can get people to have like mini socially distant picnics, on the quad as well. Just because we want as many people to be, you know, in the same realm of good positive vibes and learning more about their trade.” The last hour of the event will include clearing the college’s rooftop garden and preparing to plant vegetables once the weather turns in the springtime. Chiaravelle hopes that the Fair Trade Festival, alongside
the other events planned for this month on campus, will encourage students to think critically about the products they buy, and the industries that they support. “Fair trade is so important in this aspect because it’s more than just a country problem, it’s a human’s rights and equality problem that ties into our daily lives and reflects who we are as people,” Chiaravelle said. Further, Chiaravelle feels it is necessary to acknowledge where a product comes from and who makes it, as becoming more aware could help change the harmful treatment of workers. “Supporting Fair Trade
isn’t just supporting an economic movement for companies, it’s about the treatment of people,” she said. As consumers, we have the power to choose where we buy our products from and that determines who we are supporting in the process. People need to become more conscious of where they’re spending money, even if it means we have to make some sacrifices because our materialistic pleasures should not surpass the treatment of others.”
Manhattan Caucus: Modern Media vs The Debate Stage
SAMANTHA WALLA / THE QUADRANGLE __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ions,” Molly Prior, a senior communication major said. “Based on how disastrous and disorganized this past [debate] was, I think that eventually they’re going to fade out.” Social media not only serves as a source of information, but an opportunity for people to discuss the more memorable moments. During the vice presidential debate on Oct. 9, a fly landed on Vice President Mike Pence’s head and remained there for nearly two minutes. The incident went viral, was turned into memes, and later made into a skit with Jim Carrey on Saturday Night
Live. “I think with social media it’s easy to forget the bigger picture,” Cristian Forletta, a senior communication major, said. “People focused on the fly, that’s all they kind of remember from what Pence said or did. In the media surrounding the debate in general, that’s all they remember.” Even though social media serves as a platform for the public to engage in discussion surrounding these events, that doesn’t mean that they are having the right conversations. However, this isn’t necessarily a new phenomenon. “This isn’t something that hasn’t happened before,” Keidel said. “There’s always going to
be things that are seen on the presidential debate stage that become more memorable and maybe even more influential to people than what’s actually spoken. You can look back at Nixon and his sweating on tv which made him look like he was nervous and that’s what people were talking about rather than what he was actually saying. I also believe George H.W. Bush was the one who looked at his watch during a presidential debate which made it seem like he was looking forward to getting out of it rather than actually being a part of it.” There was a common consensus among the class that yes, social media has an effect on public discourse, but
that Trump’s personality has a heavy hand in how that discourse unfolds. “What’s really unfortunate is that his performances in 2016 looked respectable compared to what he did two weeks ago, but if you look at videos online, if you look at the rallies, [Trump supporters] are not changing their opinions,” Keidel said. “I think what it actually would do is drive more Democrats to the polls if he continued to attack that way. I don’t think it would necessarily attract anybody to the Trump campaign as much as fuel the Biden campaign.” Trump’s supporters were drawn to him in 2016 for his outrage tactics on the stage,
but those same tactics are now turning voters away. “I think we have to think about how some of these things going on in the campaign keep people away from voting,” Westphal said. “That is the thing about all the social media controversy of targeting people to make them not vote for somebody. I think that what the class is saying is that at this point it’s turning people off, it’s keeping them away from voting. It’s not about who’s going to support you, it’s about who might have supported you but decides to stay home.” Editor’s Note: C. Garrett Keidel is the Social Media Editor for The Quadrangle.
News
OCTOBER 20, 2020
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Just Peace Recieves Don Shaffer Student Peacemaker Award Nicole Rodriguez
Asst. Production Editor
This year, Manhattan College’s Just Peace Club has been awarded the Don Shaffer Student Peacemaker Award from Peace Action New York State (PANYS). The award is named after Don Shaffer, an activist who recognized that a strong New York presence in the national network of Peace Action was important. Shaffer mentored and connected New York leaders for many years and recipients of this award are those who carry forward his legacy. The award recognizes an outstanding student chapter for their impressive work and leadership in peace education and activism within their community and among their peers. As a student chapter of PANYS, Just Peace is dedicated to social justice, action and awareness. The group provides a safe space for students on campus to learn and engage in the social issues they are passionate about. Just Peace co-presidents Rachel Roca and Khaitlyn Figueroa both are student organizer interns for PANYS participating in regular meetings and conferences. Roca further explained the club’s affiliation to the organization. “Peace Action New York State is our mother organization,” Roca said. “Just Peace is one of many student campus chapters in the state of New York. I along with Khaitlyn Figueroa, the other co-president, are also student organizer interns for PANYS — all presidents are.We have regular meetings with other leaders from across the state and conferences. PANYS is an awesome organization fighting for really important causes and they provide us with a lot of support.” Just Peace hosts events on different topics revolving around current events and membership interest in collaboration with other organizations on and off campus. Event topics range from mental health to modern day slavery to climate justice. Annual events include the Period Project where members collect free menstrual products to donate to local shelters and their clothing drive for New York clothing shelters. Sydney Waitt, the club’s social media editor, described the
unique role Just Peace plays on campus. “Just Peace plays an important role on campus,” she said. “I think we’re known for a lot of our annual events as well as many collaborations with other clubs. I think what makes Just Peace so special is that we are very active and intertwined with the Jasper community and that’s something we’re incredibly proud of.” The Don Shaffer Student Peacemaker Award is not only an honor for Just Peace, but also a reflection of the leadership role students have taken in the struggle for justice and peace. “The Don Shaffer Student Peacemaker Award is an immense honor,” Waitt said. “There are several chapters all around New York and to be recognized for the hard work and dedication this entire group, including our recent graduates, has put in feels very rewarding. I think it’s a good reminder that although we don’t always see the effects and results of our advocacy it does make even a slight difference, and that’s a reward in itself.” Figuero recognizes while this award means a lot, it’s not the most important thing for the club. “Being recognized for this award means a lot to our club,” Figueroa said. “We hope that the small changes our club makes fosters growth for our community.” To Just Peace’s advisor, Kevin Ahern, this recognition is a testament to the students’ hard work. “This is great news,” Ahern, an associate professor of religious studies, said in a story posted on the college’s website on Oct. 5. “It reflects the leadership role of our students at Manhattan in the struggle for justice and peace.” Just Peace will be screening a documentary with Campus Ministry, participating in MC Halloween and organizing Pandemic Peace Pals, a new initiative to connect Jaspers to new friends.
TOP: Roca (left) and Figuero (right) represented the club while accepting the award. MIDDLE: The slide PANYS showed when announcing Manhattan College’s Just Peace as the Don Shaffer Peacemaker Award recipient. BOTTOM: Just Peace was awarded by PANYS for their outstanding student leadership RACHEL ROCA / COURTESY
Features
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THE QUADRANGLE
A Slice of Social Justice: What You “Knead” to Know about Voter Suppression Jocelyn Visnov Staff Writer
The Campus Ministry and Social Action organization held their most recent Slice of Social Justice event this past Wednesday, Oct. 14. This lecture series, typically done while enjoying some delicious pizza, has been moved to an entirely virtual format for this semester. However, this has not stopped CMSA from providing students with valuable information on the social justice topics that matter most. This week’s presentation was led by Margaret Groarke, a professor of political science. Groarke has taught a plethora of different classes on both United States government and European history. She has also been heavily involved with CMSA. This week’s Slice of Social Justice event surrounded the topic of voter suppression. As the co-author of a book called Keeping Down the Black Vote, Groarke is highly knowledgeable on the topic. “I think voter suppression is un-American,” Groarke said. “I think it is a very American idea that every eligible person should be able to state their
case and vote their values. And then we should gather that together and make policy out of it. But I think it’s also sadly a very American thing to engage in voter suppression.” For those who may have missed out on this past week’s event, Groarke shares her main piece of advice in regards to the upcoming election. “We have to be ready to cut through the hysteria this election,” Groarke said. “We have to be ready to be calm, and we might have to wait a couple of days to have a final count on some of the elections that happen, and because there are so many mail ballots. And I think we have to be aware that different people, including Russians, are going to try to use social media to get people riled up around the election. And so we should all be skeptical of things that we read on social media, especially on election day. Try to check with alternative sources before sharing the latest outrage from social media. We don’t want to be part of the problem.” While CMSA would prefer to hold this lecture series in person, one of the advantages to hosting it in a virtual format is that it’s easier than ever for
students to drop in and listen. Wednesday’s event had about 35 people in attendance. Emily Gianni, a freshman and first time attendee of Slice of Social Justice, shared her thoughts. “It was a great way to open up a conversation and learn something you may or may not know about,” Gianni said. “The event was extremely informative and it wasn’t biased towards one side of a situation.” Each Slice of Social Justice event covers a different topic, opening up a new conversation about equality and activism each month. Kathleen Von Euw, the assistant director of community engagement, shared how the topics are chosen. “We have a number of students that work in our office, so we have work study students, and graduate students, and so sometimes different student organizations will bring a topic to us,” Von Euw said. “We’ve often collaborated with Just Peace, a student club, or the Catholic Relief Services student group. We’ve also collaborated a lot the last few years with the Lasallian Women and Gender Resource Center ... Also like the signs of the times, like what’s going on in the world right now. And within our country
and local community.” The next Slice of Social Justice event will be taking place virtually this Friday, Oct. 23. This week’s discussion is titled “The Intersection between Environment and Racial Justice.” Students can access the link to this event on CMSA’s website. For anyone who is looking to become more involved in social justice activities, or other clubs on campus, Von Euw shares some advice on how to get started.
“I think the best way to get involved on campus is to try to attend a few events, whether they’re virtual or in person, that are in line with what you’re interested in,” Von Euw said. “And then ask, when you’re there, or shoot an email to the people organizing the event, to see about other ways to get involved with that club or organization or that office.”
This week’s Slice of Social Justice event surrounded the topic of voter suppression. As the co-author of a book called Keeping Down the Black Vote, Groarke is highly knowledgable on the topic. JOCELYN VISNOV / THE QUADRANGLE
Kappa Delta Pi to Host Virtual MC Halloween Event
Nicole Rodriguez
Asst. Production Editor Every fall, Manhattan College’s education honor society, Kappa Delta Pi, hosts an annual Halloween event turning the college’s campus into a maze of trick-or-treat delights for local children to enjoy and celebrate. The event, previously known as Safe Halloween, is now called MC Halloween and will return this year in a virtual format on Oct. 30. Co-president of KDP Patricia Wright highlighted the changes that were made to this year’s event from its new name to its virtual format. “We voted on the new name of MC Halloween [and] we thought this would be a great opportunity to transform the title into something more fun and inclusive towards our surrounding community,” Wright said. “We felt the last name could be insulting to our surrounding community at MC and we wanted to be respectful towards the community. Also, the title promotes where the
event is usually located, MC. This year has brought many changes to our lives, and of course during the pandemic we were in need of a new virtual structure for our event. So, what better time to change things up and work to improve KDP’s social awareness in altering the title.” Kelsey Kovacs, KDP’s vice president of campus and community events, and Kelsey Reynolds, campus and community events co-chair, were tasked with creating the virtual version of the event. The campus and community events team collaborated with Kimberly Woodruff, the college’s director of instructional design, in order to make the virtual event as interactive, accessible and fun for the children as possible. “Our campus and community events team has collaborated with the director of instructional design, Kimberly Woodruff, to develop our very own Google website that families will be able to visit,” Kovacs said. “Here, visitors will be able to find resources for students
of all grades, ranging from Pre-K to 12th grade, parent resources, navigating Halloween amidst COVID-19 resources, book recommendations for students, fun padlet galleries as well as all of the information and links needed for MC Halloween. Then, we have created a ThingLink for our MC Halloween event. This is an interactive page that students can maneuver through by clicking on different buttons that bring them to a diverse bunch of activities...all submitted by student clubs and organizations here at MC.” Given the event’s virtual format this year, its planning process differed compared to years prior and dates back to the summer. KDP will be accepting any help they can receive when it comes to planning this event. “Of course it needs to be much different this year, so this required getting in contact with technology experts,” Reynolds said. “This planning began over the summertime [and] the name transformation decision also took place over the
summer. This event really requires a solid couple of months of organizing and planning. After beginning to structure our website and ThingLink, we needed to contact as many clubs and organizations at MC as possible to see who was willing to be involved this year and send us virtual activities for the kids. Putting all of these activities into our virtual format has taken a lot of time and effort from our whole team working on MC Halloween.” Although MC Halloween will be held virtually this year, KDP anticipates their event to be just as fun and full of Halloween spirit as their previous in-person events, with the help of the college’s various clubs and organizations. “Many clubs and organizations are involved in MC Halloween this year,” Kovacs said. “We tried to make it as similar to the in-person experience as we could. Instead of clubs hosting rooms, we asked them to submit activities for the students to enjoy. We have activity ideas from 15 clubs so far, and are open to receiving more
activities from other clubs or students. Our KDP members have also submitted many creative MC Halloween activities this year. Everyone has been so willing to help during this exceptional time, and we are so grateful for that, this event would not have been possible without all of the amazing clubs on campus and our awesome KDP members.” There are many activities in store for MC Halloween, including some surprises. Children of varying ages and grade levels are able to participate in these activities from home at their leisure and at their own pace, once given access to the MC Halloween link. There are two different pages on the site catered towards ages three through 10 and 11 to 14. The KDP Community website with other resources and activities will be up on Friday, Oct. 23 and the MC Halloween ThingLink will be up and available on Friday, Oct. 30.
Features
OCTOBER 20, 2020
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Sigma Delta Tau Opens a New Door for Fundraising and Launches an Online Thrift Store Madalyn Johnson Web Editor
Sigma Delta Tau has been a sorority chapter at Manhattan College since 2013 and notably makes it their mission to empower and help women through philanthropy. Over the years, they’ve partnered with several organizations such as Prevent Child Abuse America, Women for Women International and Jewish Women International. The sisterhood normally fundraises for these causes by holding bake sales in Kelly, hosting Chipotle fundraisers or raising awareness for these causes on the quad. However, this semester has put a halt to clubs’ in-person fundraising events, especially for SDT– an organization dedicated to raising awareness and funds for important causes. In response to COVID-19, sisters of SDT have started an online thrift store, hosted on Instagram using the username @ sdt_thriftshop, to raise money for Jewish Women International. The college community can shop for donated clothes from popular clothing brands like Urban Outfitters, American Eagle and PINK, all while contributing to the cause. Micaela Beatty is a senior and the vice president of philanthropy for SDT. Having been a part of the sorority for four years now, the online switch to fundraising is a new and unique experience. Beatty, along with most of the sisters, hopes the online thrift store will successfully spread awareness and raise money, similar to how in-person sales in the past did. “We, in a normal semester, would hold a lot of bake sales and fundraisers,” Beatty said. “Due to COVID it’s been a lit-
tle tricky, but this is why we’re starting the online store. We think it would be a great way for people to donate a lot of stuff and it would be a great way to fundraise virtually so that there’s not a lot of contact.” Junior Ciara Coyle, the vice president of finance for SDT, came up with the idea of putting together an online thrift store when attending the Elevate Conference, an annual leadership conference for all of the SDT chapters’ executive board members. On top of keeping in mind that contact had to be limited, Coyle thought that the online store would be an innovative way to help new members participate in a sorority event. “Last year we went to an Elevate conference and one thing we wanted to do was new events to get members more involved, so we decided we’re going to do a thrift store event and open it to the whole Manhattan College community,” Coyle said. “We were originally planning on doing it on the quad so we can attract foot traffic. That’s why it’s more vital to get extra exposure for a virtual event like this.” Isabel Gardner, a junior and the vice president of social life for SDT, explained how excited she was to creatively help JWI through a virtual fundraiser. “Ciara brought up the idea to the executive board and I was really excited because I used to sell my clothes on Depop and I worked in thrift stores, on mission trips, pretty much my entire middle school and high school life,” Gardner said. “We want to be able to provide used clothing that everyone can wear and just new styles instead of what you would normally find at thrift stores, which is very old cloth-
ing.” Pickup week for the online thrift store began Oct. 7 and the store will run until Oct. 24, but sorority members want the community to know if shoppers need more time, especially during midterm week, extended dates for pickup week can be arranged. With October still being an unsettling and absurd month for the college, the sorority sisters have changed how they get the word out about sorority events, like the online thrift store. Many of the sorority members have taken it upon themselves to individually market the event and to contact people they know. “I post on my personal Instagram, I post it in almost every group chat that I’m in, I individually text so many people to remind them to bring home clothes and I put it on my Snapchat,” Coyle said. “So, it’s really just individualized.” With fundraising and interaction among students on campus drastically changing, sorority members have found upholding their duties to be more difficult. Beatty shared how she responded to COVID restrictions being an obstacle to holding philanthropy related events. “From a philanthropy standpoint, fundraising has been really hard just because we normally have constant bake sales, we do pinwheels on the quad to raise awareness, so social distancing has been hard,” Beatty said. “But as the vice president of philanthropy I took it upon myself to make all the events remote, I mean maybe there are one or two [events] that I give sisters the option to go to in-person, but again I’m reinforcing social distancing and
Sigma Delta Tau members came up with the idea for an online thrift store when visiting this year’s Elevate conference. CIARA COYLE / COURTESY masks have to be worn, it’s always required.” Gardner also thinks social distancing is a top priority to prevent sorority sisters and other students from getting sick. She wants to use her role on the sorority executive board to set an example and demonstrate to other members that virtual events are the way to go. “We’re not really doing anything in-person because parties are just not safe right now and we don’t want to support not social distancing,” Gardner said. “We actually had our first virtual mixer last week and it
Sigma Delta Tau has been a chapter at Manhattan College since 2013. In response to COVID-19, sisters of SDT have started an online thrift store to raise money for Jewish Women International. @ SDT_THRIFTSHOP / COURTESY
was very cute, we came on a Zoom call, dressed up in costumes and just played some fun games. But, it’s nice to not have to do anything in-person because I’m personally not comfortable and I don’t want to put any sisters or any sister’s family in jeopardy.” Sorority members ensure that along with donating to charity, shoppers are getting unbeatable deals, like receiving another article of clothing for free or buying anything for $5 after donating clothes. Apart from getting clothes for low prices, SDT members want people to participate because shoppers are donating to a significant cause that aims to inspire and help women. Beatty discussed how shoppers’ participation in the virtual event can be impactful for so many women in need. “The philanthropy we’re working with this semester, Jewish Women International, the whole reason why they’re a program is to end domestic violence, ensure economic literacy, so I think those are really important issues,” Beatty said. “Yes, you’re going to be donating clothes and yes, you can get a free item, but the bigger picture is that you’ll be helping millions of girls that are suffering from those types of issues.”
Arts & Entertainment
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THE QUADRANGLE
Sanctus Artem and LWGRC Team Up for Socially Distanced Art Making Lauren Raziano Staff Writer Students stood around a table with art supplies and posters on the mini quad on Tuesday, Oct. 14 for the creation of art that will be included in an upcoming art installation. Sponsored by the Lasallian Women and Gender Resource Center, students created artworks about themes such as voter engagement, COVID-19, racial justice and the Black Lives Matter movement. Ireland Twiggs, a Manhattan College senior and an intern at LWGRC, is responsible for the bi-weekly session called “grARTtitude”, which she has decided to change up. “We are shifting kind of the grARTtitude art session to this political front and we will be installing a political art installation,” Twiggs said. Twiggs said that those three topics were chosen “because we feel like they are on the forefront of everything we see and interact with, whether it’s the news, instagram post, and affecting our daily lives the most.” As a result, students will have the opportunity to form their own opinions on these important contemporary topics. The event was also co-hosted by Sanctus Artem in hopes of attracting more students to the art-making display. “Because we found that it’s really hard to find community
on campus, it’s hard to figure out who’s around and who’s not, so we wanted to collaborate to bring more people together who may not access the center. Sanctus Artem is a phenomenal organization that does a lot with art so we wanted some pros with us,” Twiggs said. Rosy Moody, a junior student and vice president of Santus Artem, attended the event and understands the logic for why different campus groups would want to co-sponsor events such as this. “So the LWGRC was responsible for organizing this event and since it was an art centered event, Sanctus Artem was invited to be a partner on it to reach out to students who enjoy doing art as well as a community that likes activism,” Moody said. Artistic representation of political topics is an effective form of expression because most of these phenomenons resonate deeply with the average person. “It’s easy and it’s a universal language so you don’t have to use big words or fancy rhetoric to get your point across,” Moody said. “If you are able to look at a picture and identify, ‘oh its a picture of many people of different groups holding hands’ or its a picture of a ballot, it’s like the saying that comes to mind, ‘a picture is worth a thousand words,’ so that’s why art is so important
Julia Ettere’s artwork focused on themes of voting and mask-wearing. LAUREN RAZIANO / COURTESY because it can mean a thousand different things to the people that it reaches.” Julia Ettere, a senior and an intern at LWGRC, said about the art work she created, “I came to support the event and promote the importance of voting. So for my artwork I included a mask and the importance of voting for my picture.” The themes the artists decided to focus on have been
at the attention of students for months. The beauty of this event is that it gave them a creative outlet for what was on their minds. “It’s something that, although Manhattan students were home over the summer, it’s something we were all seeing on the news, we see every single day and finally we get to come together as peers and have a conversation about it
and express our views as a Manhattan College community instead of just seeing it on the news from wherever we were, we can come together as a community and have discussions and debate,” Moody added. The installation of the student-created artwork will be hosted on Tuesday, Oct. 20 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the second floor of the Kelly Student Commons.
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OCTOBER 20, 2020
Arts & Entertainment
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How Digital Arts and Music Classes Have Been Adapting to Virtual Learning Nicole Fitzsimmons & Zoe DeFazio
Asst. News/Features Editor & Staff Writer The landscape of digital arts and music classes is rapidly changing in the midst of at-home and remote learning. Professors at Manhattan College have been diligently trying to shift their curriculum and learning style to give students opportunities to learn effectively in environments that would have usually been hands-on, in the studio or in the classroom. The expectations of the arts and entertainment industry are changing, and MC students are learning this first hand. The new normal for students taking the course Art of Digital Photography with art history and digital media professor, Lili Kobielski, has changed quite a bit from the way it has been taught in previous years. More one-on-one meetings, shorter class gatherings, virtual group critiques, weekly photo projects, photo editing, and flexibility on what students can choose to shoot have been some ways Kobielski has adapted to teaching a digital arts class without being able to interact with her students in person. “In my other in-person classes, we would do more small group activities, or we would go out and shoot more, so, you know, all of these things, I miss,” Kobielski said. “But I think it’s amazing that we are able to have class and be together and have this sense of community, and to do this work and to connect. So yes, it’s not ideal, but I think it’s actually going well. And I think I know that the students are doing really amazing work, maybe even like, another level of excellent work this year. I think just because everyone is, I don’t know, so stressed with what’s going on. It’s good for artistic expression.” A major challenge, however, that comes with remote learning
in digital arts classes is the lack of equipment needed to succeed in these classes for many students. Whether it be cameras, editing software, television equipment, or microphones, students have little access to the equipment they would be using on campus to get a real-life experience on what life in the industry may look like. Manhattan College has been able to send out cameras and other equipment to students taking Art of Digital Photography. The class has even been able to utilize editing software online that mimics Photoshop and allows for students to effectively work on their pieces. While this was a challenge in the beginning, life now seems to place so much value on the ability to adapt to these kinds of changes. “I miss being in the lab, which, you know, has great software, great computers, and not being able to use the photo printers and the little studio, you know, that’s sad” Kobielski said. “But I think really, the spirit of the classes is expression and learning about photography and learning some of the history. You know, it’s such a difficult time for everybody, I think, students, including myself, kind of appreciate having an outlet. So I think it’s been very positive. And I know, for myself, I’m so happy to have this sort of interaction with people since you know, I’ve been so isolated. So that’s been very nice to connect.” For students taking Studio Television Production with communication professor Thom Gencarelli, a major aspect of the class would usually revolve around learning the art of television production and the techniques with the help of the extensive industry-standard technology and production studio MC has to offer. This studio allows students to practice with audio, staging, cameras, graphics, lighting and more, as listed in the description on the
communication course catalog. The remote status of the class this semester created a new challenge: how to allow students to effectively learn how to broadcast without being in the studio. Even further, how to allow students to understand the professional world without having much access to the major components used in it. After a declined request to hold this class in-person, Gencarelli needed to evaluate these questions and make changes to the curriculum to make these aspects a reality. “I had to say: how do I re-imagine, re-conceptualize, re-plan this course in a way that will give the students what they’re paying for?” Gencarelli said. “You guys pay a lot of money, we better give you your money’s worth. And so how in this class, do I give people their money’s worth given what the class was supposed to be? And, so, a typical day is that the class is nothing like what it would be on premises. But I’ve still tried to find a way to teach some of the basics of what they’re supposed to learn.” Students have been able to utilize an online software that allows them to broadcast from the place they reside. This adjustment to the class was not just necessary, but also beneficial. This is the software that industry professionals are now using since they also can’t always be together with a crew to broadcast. “He’s [Professor Gencarelli] teaching us how to broadcast out of our house,” Christopher Plate, a sophomore communication major, said. “You know, it’s pretty cool that I’m just sitting in my dining room and I can broadcast something, or live stream something out to you. It’s neat. It’s something that you never thought of.” As for changes, students and professors alike recognize that things are very much up in the air right now. Kobielski plans to adjust to her classes
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needs as the second half of the semester approaches, making minor tweaks to ensure that students are not too stressed and can express themselves effectively in what they are passionate about. “Just last week, I could tell that the students were really, you know, excited about their midterm projects and working on something that’s like completely their own,” she said. “So I cancelled the assignment that I had last week to give them another week to just to work on their midterm. So I don’t have any particular changes planned. But you know, week by week, I try to be sensitive to the needs of class and adjust accordingly.” On the other hand, there is only so much professors can do to make sure that these classes are being taught the best way possible without actually being on campus. “In this studio television class and my other class, I’m trying to gauge what is going on with my students,” Gencarelli said. “And, I’m trying to think ahead and try to be both careful, but also attuned with what seems to be going on with them. And I don’t know, again, I don’t know if I’ll be able to make things better or make things work better for them. I don’t know.” One of the biggest questions that arises for digital arts and the entertainment industry in general is if the changes that need to be made will affect the way things work once the pandemic is over. “You know, given what’s going on now, and this is an interesting question about education too,” Gencarelli said. “After everything gets back to normal — and it will, it must, you know — after everything has, how will some of the things that we have done and learned during this time bring about change for good? And so, if you can produce a television show, from a platform on a laptop, and re-
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cord and broadcast it to 10s of millions of households, why do you need to have a studio and crew at all? And so you know, well, that’s a scary question with respect to jobs. But at the same time, it’s a really interesting question with respect to teaching people something that is a version of what they may very well be using in their future when they work in the industry.” Being able to express themselves in ways that they may use in the future is a major benefit to learning in these classes virtually. While it is not ideal, it may be effective and valuable to students who are currently exploring certain industries. “I like to be hands-on,” Plate said. “But I guess that’s the way the industry is going, as you see from the news and everything. So I guess in a way, it is effective, in the perspective of that’s the way the industry is going.” Adapting to virtual learning has not been easy for any classes during this chaotic time. Professors and students have been tested to find ways to adjust and learn without the basic items they have been used to. After all, this may lead to innovation and new skills for the betterment of the preparing students for their professional careers. “I think I said it before, but I am grateful to have the opportunity to work with amazing, talented, hard working young people,” Kobielski said. “And, you know, I’m grateful every day for the connection and to hopefully, you know, help some people who are interested in this kind of medium, find their voice. It’s very fulfilling and, you know, makes me happy every week. So I’m grateful to be here. And I hope sincerely that we can all be back in person as soon as possible.”
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THE QUADRANGLE
Pamela Moleri: An Italian Woman’s Perspective on American Fashion Adrianne Hutto Contributor Pamela Moleri is a freshman biochemistry major from Bergamo, Italy. The Quad sat down with her to discuss her own fashion style and how it differs from everyday American fashion. The Quadrangle: Where does your style influence come from? Pamela Moleri: Honestly, I don’t really look up to anyone in particular. I just look at things in the store and be like, “Oh I like this.” Usually stores nowadays have whatever is in Vogue at the moment. I try not to be so mainstream and buy what everyone else has, like for example last year everyone had turtlenecks and neon stuff and I was like, “no I’m not gonna go for that.” So I try to look at things that are actually in fashion, but not very mainstream. TQ: Which brands are your go to? PM: Zara for sure. I really like a few designer brands, like Burberry, I have a few things from there, Yves St. Laurent, and my favorite brand is Dior, but I don’t have anything from there. TQ: You said you like stuff from Vogue? Do you read magazines or do you get influenced from content online? PM: I look online because I follow a lot of fashion bloggers or Hypebae is a website I like. TQ: Do you buy most of your clothes online or in person? PM: In person. I have to try it on before I buy it. If I want to invest in something expensive
I would rather touch it and feel how it is before I buy it. TQ: What is your staple piece or item you wear the most? PM: My favorite item, as of right now — I really like wearing jeans. I have different styles, I have mom jeans, skinny jeans, straight leg jeans. I try to explore with jeans. TQ: Which colors are you most drawn to? PM: Neutral. I don’t like colorful stuff, things that have a lot of patterns or flowers. I like unit or bland colors. TQ: Do you follow any style trends? PM: I really like pointed toe shoes, for whenever I go out at night. TQ: Do you wear a lot of high heels? PM: Not usually, because they hurt my feet. TQ: What shoes or bags do you wear or use the most? PM: Air Forces. I never once in my life lacked Air Forces in my wardrobe. Even if you’re wearing fancy clothes you can make it look more casual with a sneaker. My bag at the moment is my YSL bag because I purchased it most recently. TQ: How do you think being from Italy makes your style stand out more than someone from the United States? PM: Lately I’ve been blending in a lot with people from the United States, because I don’t put a lot of effort into what I’m wearing. Whenever I was back home and I went to school, I had to kind of dress up because everyone else did. Going to school wearing hoodies, I never thought I would wear, but right now I wear a lot of sweatpants
Pamela Moleri outside the Artechouse in New York City. KATELYN LAM/ COURTESY
because no one cares and it’s comfy. If I dress up and we go out, my style difference might be more noticeable. TQ: Do people in Italy dress up more? PM: I never saw one of my classmates come to school in sweatpants. Some of the guys did but I never saw a girl wear them. Ripped jeans aren’t really a thing, girls are really modest about how they wear ripped jeans. Everyone wore fancy clothes at least at the school I attended. I’m not speaking for all of Italy, but at my school they did. TQ: Has where you come from affected your style choice? PM: A little bit. There are some things, since I was raised to dress a certain way, like my parents would put me in a lot of fancy dresses when I was younger. But some things I would never wear, crocs. A lot of people wear crocs to go out and go to class and I would never wear crocs. TQ: Thoughts on a Bucket Hat? PM: I would never wear that. TQ: Are there any brands you like that you can only find in Italy? PM: There are some brands you can find in Europe but not the US. I don’t know if you have it but it’s Bershka, it’s kind of like Zara but for skinny people because I cannot shop there, I will never find something that will fit me. But if you want something fancy there is Gucci Garden which you can only find in Florence. TQ: Are there any style differences you’ve noticed between Italy and the U.S.? PM: The way Americans
Pamela Moleri in her dorm after class. ADRIANNE HUTTO / COURTESY dress down versus Italy. Like yesterday in Locke’s I saw a girl wearing pajamas, not that there is something wrong with wearing pajamas in public — I would personally never do it. If you go to the grocery store here, let’s say Walmart, that’s where you see the worst things ever — at least for me. Like if I go to the grocery store in Italy I would have to wear jeans and a t-shirt. I cannot do pajamas. People here wear pajamas to Walmart, I could never. Like slippers. Why would you wear slippers out in public? TQ: American’s buy lots of cheap clothes in bulk, but with your fashion I see more highend staple pieces. Can you elaborate on that? PM: In Italy, now that we have Zara and other chains we tend to buy more clothes from there. But I remember before that with my mom or my family we would go to one specific store and buy a lot of high-end clothes and that was it for the year and the next year we would buy new clothes. We would have three new outfits to style with different items, maybe during the year I would buy new things. TQ: Have your friends and family influenced your style? PM: My friends have quite a lot. Two of my best friends actually are involved in the fashion world. My best friend’s mom owns a showroom in Milan, and I got the opportunity to buy some stuff from her that was for next season. She
has a lot of good clothes and I was kind of influenced by her. I would ask her what she thinks about my outfit. TQ: What motivates you to dress up in the morning, I feel like you addressed this with when you said I never wear pajamas to Walmart. But could you elaborate more? PM: It depends on how much time I have when I wake up. I’m one of those people that tend to sleep as much as they can and leave little to no time to prepare themselves in the morning. I prepare them in my mind. TQ: When do you like to get dressed up? PM: When I go out with my friends, like during the night. TQ: How does your day to day style differ from your going out looks? PM: You will notice because I will put a lot of fancy clothes together and I dress up. It’s a more nighttime appropriate outfit. TQ: Where do you find style influence in the media? PM: On Instagram, the explore page I get some suggestions. TQ: Where do you find new styles or looks? PM: I walk into the store and be like “oh let me try that on and then I’m like yes that would look cool” and then I try to make an outfit and that’s kind of how I get all my clothes.
Sports
OCTOBER 20, 2020
11
Valentine, Eight Other Past Swimmers Honored for MAAC 40th Anniversary Pete Janny & Nicole Fitsimmons
Sports Editor & Asst. News Editor Manhattan swimmers and divers probably have the busiest schedule of all the student-athletes at the school. Finding the motivation to get up everyday at 5:30 a.m. for 6 a.m. practice is not easy, especially when the rest of your typical day consists of classes, more swimming, and then homework. The cycle repeats itself day after day, regardless of how your body feels or how far behind you are with homework. College swimmers at MAAC member schools have been living this type of hectic lifestyle year after year since the conference adopted the sport in 1984. These 36 years worth of competition has featured countless great Manhattan swimmers for a program that has maintained a respectable reputation, despite the fact the program does not have a pool campus. Of the generations worth of Manhattan swimmers who have come and gone, there are nine who have stood out from the rest, as deemed by the MAAC as part of the conference’s 40th Anniversary tributes. These honorary tributes are done for each athletic program in the conference for the purpose of recognizing the best student-athletes who have competed at MAAC schools throughout the past four decades. The recipients of this special honor for Manhattan swimming and diving make up a stacked group of performers whose tenures at the school range from as early as 2003 to present day. The list includes nine swimmers between both men’s and women’s teams — Alexandra Hutzler’18, Courtney Arduini ‘07, Megan O’Keefe ‘09, Bridget Latino ‘12, Kali Nembach ‘20, Robert Varieur ‘13, Mike Mackay ‘15, Lance Neuendorf ‘16, Dallan Treanor ‘16, and current graduate student Timothy Valentine’20. The commemoration of these accomplished Jaspers has allowed the program to reflect on the progress made over the years. With there being no season in sight — which traditionally starts in October and ends in February — it’s been an arduous semester spent
training for the current crop of swimmers and divers at the school. Valentine, one of nine performers recognized and an active swimmer for the program, is no stranger to change. Currently on his fifth year with the program, after retaining another year of eligibility due to injury, Valentine has had three different coaches at Manhattan — a narrative far more commonly experienced by professional sports teams than college sports teams. Despite the series of coaching changes, Valentine has willed himself to historic heights for the program. During his freshman season of 2016-2017, Valentine etched his name in the program record books by becoming the first Jasper to ever win a ECAC Championship, which he secured in the 100 breaststroke. He also boasts the school record in the 50 breaststroke and a fourth place finish in the MAAC Championships. For the past three seasons, Valentine has enjoyed the continuity and lessons learned under head coach Patrick Malone. The timing of Malone’s arrival was a good break for Valentine, who was coming off a shortened sophomore season due to injury. Under Malone’s tutelage, Valentine made a successful comeback the following year and has seen his development progress ever since. The steadying presence of Malone did more than just give Valentine the confidence and emotional support he needed; he also helped him refine his swimming mechanics. “Coach Pat has been so great for me,” Valentine said. “I think just our open dialogue and knowing that I can come to him with anything, whether it be swimming, school, life, he just always has that open door policy where it doesn’t matter what you’re going through, talk with him, and you’re able to just find more closure about different things. I think that really helped me. I think his approach to swimming has helped me also, with a big stress on technique. I’ve always been somebody as a swimmer who relies mostly on my athleticism, rather than my technique. So having that to complement my athleticism has been huge for me.” Malone cherishes the opportunity to help his swimmers reach their potential in the wa-
ter. His job becomes even more enriching when a swimmer of Valentine’s caliber is on board, thus giving him the chance to witness greatness. “For me, the coaching aspect of it is just letting young people like Tim achieve their desired level of success,” Malone said. “I am creating the map for them to help achieve their goals. But for me, it’s their accomplishment and I just get to help guide them. So I’m very, very excited about continuing to do that with our new group this year.” Since swimming usually only generates public interest during the Summer Olympics once every four years, it takes a special commitment behind the scenes from coaches and swimmers worldwide to advance the brand of the sport. Malone had his own run of glory as a swimmer, culminating with an All-American Honorable Mention during his career at Division III school Rowan University, after getting started as a young boy. From that moment on, his love for the craft has not faded an ounce, making it only natural for him to get into coaching after his own career. “This has been a big dream for me,” Malone said in regards to his opportunity to coach at Manhattan. “My journey has allowed me the ability to refall in love with the sport that I started doing at age five all the way through my college years. And to be able to just help create that same love that I had as a young swimmer to a future generation and just continue growing our sport that doesn’t really get too limelight, unless it’s an Olympic year.” The future of college sports is still shrouded in mystery with there being no end in sight of the COVID-19 pandemic. With fall sports like swimming and diving currently on the backburner, the focus is now on making sure the college basketball and college football seasons get completed given their money-making value for many Division I schools. Furthermore, the reality that high school sports across the country have had more success restarting than college sports is indicative of how bad things are. The coming months will likely be crucial for college sports in limiting the residual effects of the pandemic. The fallout could be even more devastating for sports
Timothy Valentine is a graduate student and swimmer at Manhattan who was one of nine members of the program — past and present — to be honored as part of the MAAC 40th Anniversary tributes. Valentine is playing out his final year of eligibility this year, granted to him as a result of missing most of his sophomore season due to injury. GO JASPERS/ COURTESY like swimming and diving. In the case of the Manhattan swimming and diving program, the loss of the fall season means no pool time; not even for practice. Additionally, members of the team are dispersed with some in-person and some remote — which has made it harder to get to know each other, especially for the freshmen. Still, Valentine is ready for the challenges that lie ahead in order to get back to doing what he loves most. “I think once we get back in the pool, there definitely is going to be a level of appreciation, especially because we’ve been out of it for so long,” Valentine said. “Personally I haven’t been able to swim since March, because I don’t have a club team that was open during the pandemic. Definitely that first jump in, it’s gonna be a little weird, but I think it’s gonna be something that you grow to appreciate because you don’t know how much you miss something until it’s taken away.”
With Valentine around for one more year, Malone is excited to watch him build on his legacy, as well as be a source of inspiration for the younger swimmers and divers at Manhattan. “He’s been phenomenal and a crucial aspect since I came on board at Manhattan College in regards to changing the culture, creating the level of accountability amongst ourselves, especially with so much prior turnover in leadership,” Malone said.
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Sports
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THE QUADRANGLE
Samba Diallo is Eligible and Expected to Bolster Reloaded Jasper Team Pete Janny Sports Editor
On Thursday, Oct. 13, Manhattan received word from the NCAA that UMass transfer Samba Diallo’s waiver to play this season has been approved. The change of eligibility status for Diallo is the latest positive development in what has been an eventful offseason for the Jaspers. Diallo was the second of three acquisitions for the Jaspers in the transfer market, joining the likes of Seton Hall transfer Anthony Nelson and George Mason transfer Jason-Douglas Stanley. Diallo announced his commitment to Manhattan in April and almost instantly became a talking point in Manhattan basketball discourse as a player whose development has been well-documented since his days at Pope John XXIII High School in Sparta, N.J. Originally from Senegal, Diallo first came to the states for his sophomore year of high school when he settled in with a host family. During his time at Pope John XXII, he emerged as an exciting prospect with his imposing 6-7’ frame, garnering interest from notable programs such as Virginia, Rutgers, and a host of A-10 schools including UMass. However, after tearing his ACL his senior year, Diallo’s future became unclear and many schools turned their attention away from the humble forward. Yet he wasn’t going to let the injury and adversity define his basketball career. Ultimately, Diallo decided to take his talents to UMass, where he played for two seasons in Amherst. After posting 3.5 points-per-game and 3.3 rebounds-per-game in 17.0 minutes-per-game as a freshman, he elevated his game this past year contributing 6.7 pointsper-game and 5.9 reboundsper-game, while also registering 10 double-figure scoring performances and three double-double outputs. All in all, Diallo led the Minutemen to 25 wins in his two seasons there, with 14 of those coming this past season. His departure from the program was a big loss for UMass — who has become the subject
Transfer Samba Diallo announced his decision to transfer to Manhattan from UMass in early April. On Oct. 13, the Jaspers found out from the NCAA that Diallo’s request for a waiver had been approved, making him immediately eligible for the 2020-2021 season. GOJASPERS / COURTESY of NCAA penalties handed to them the other day for financial aid violations linked to their men’s basketball and women’s tennis programs. As a result, the men’s basketball program had 59 wins vacated from their record as part of a punishment that many officials around college sports believe is harsher than deserved. UMass plans to appeal the punishment, arguing they were not aware of their misconduct, which is said to have lasted from 2014 to 2017, according to the Boston Globe. Ever since the school self-reported their own financial aid missteps in the spring of 2017 — around the same time men’s basketball coach Derek Kellog was fired — the NCAA has kept close tabs on UMass athletics, having interviewed coaches, student-athletes and staff members. Although Diallo wasn’t at the school during the period of transgressions, it’s unknown if the current situation the UMass basketball program faces factored into his decision to leave. Had Diallo stayed, he would have been part of a program facing probation for the next two years. “It wasn’t as hard as I
thought it was going to be because I got the help from my previous school [UMass] and I still talk to Coach McCall so they made sure the process was easy for me,” Diallo said in regards to the process of transferring schools. “I’m happy I’ll be able to be out there and available for my teammates.” After Diallo entered the transfer portal in late March, Manhattan head coach Steve Masiello was one of the first coaches to contact him. The player and coach had previously developed a relationship back when Diallo was in high school, but neither could have predicted their paths would cross again. As an experienced Division I player, Diallo projects to be a good fit in Masiello’s system as a player who possesses both maturity and tremendous raw talent. “It’s been great and we talk pretty much every day,” Diallo said in regards to his relationship with Masiello. “I’m a pretty easy going guy and I like to talk with people. Not just basketball, because there is a lot more to it and just life in general. It’s good to have that person right by your side who believes in you and puts your interests first. “
Masiello has big plans for Diallo as he attempts to get all his new players acclimated to the program’s system. He liked what he saw from him at UMass, and is confident Diallo can take his game to the next level at Manhattan. The addition of Diallo and other newcomers will have a large say in Manhattan’s quest for their first MAAC Championship since 2015. “I think more than anything his role with us is going to be different than what he’s used to in that for us his role will expand and he will be a real impact guy for us at Manhattan,” Masiello said. “He was looking for a different situation and we’re hoping we can give him that and we hope that can help lead to victories.” Having all arrived at the same time, Diallo, Douglas-Stanley, and Nelson know exactly why their journeys have converged in Riverdale. The plan is to rack up a lot of wins, and in the process get Manhattan back to being a giant in the MAAC. “We are here for a reason and one reason only, which is to win,” Diallo said of him and his fellow transfers. “We always talk about how much we want
to win and how much we want to take this program to where it needs to be.” When Diallo does take the court for the first time in a Manhattan uniform, it will come as part of an unprecedented season that will be without fans until Dec. 23 at the earliest due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. To boot, Diallo and his teammates will enter the fray of the MAAC season earlier than normal with the men’s circuit starting on Dec. 8 after only roughly a week and a half of non-conference play. The 20game conference schedule will be a test of every team’s mental endurance more than anything else -- coronavirus testing will be held three times a week on top of all the traveling they will have to do. Diallo is ready for anything, though, because the return of college basketball will allow him to live out his dream once again. “I think we’ve all experienced having the chance to do what you love every single day and never once thinking you won’t be able to do it. I think that everybody lost that because of COVID so it just makes us be aware and be grateful for a lot of things.”