The Quinnipiac Chronicle, Volume 92, Issue 16

FEBRUARY 16, 2022 • VOLUME 92 • ISSUE 16

The official student newspaper of Quinnipiac University since 1929

AIDAN SHEEDY/CHRONICLE

Second vandalism incident referring to land indigeneity comes close to QU p. 2

PHOTO BY THE WHITE HOUSE

OPINION P.4: UKRAINE CONFLICT

Staff Writer Christiaan McCray says the Russia-Ukraine conflict calls Biden’s leadership into question

PEYTON MCKENZIE/CHRONICLE

A&L P.6: MLK JR. DREAM WEEK

Department of Cultural and Global Engagement recognizes secondannual Martin Luther King Jr. Dream Week

PEYTON MCKENZIE/CHRONICLE

SPORTS P. 11: WOMEN’S BASKETBALL IS RED HOT A dive into the women’s basketball team’s dominant run of form

Amid Lamont’s mask guidance, QU ‘actively discussing’ mandate

By JACKLYN PELLEGRINO Staff Writer

Quinnipiac University is reopening the mask mandate discussion following a recent decision for K-12 schools.

Gov. Ned Lamont signed a bill Feb. 15, ending the statewide school mask mandate effective Feb. 28. This bill gives local schools the option to determine their own mask protocol.

Dr. David Hill, senior medical advisor, said that the governor is leaving it up to schools to make their own decisions about masks. Hill said most of what the governor said doesn’t apply to private higher education.

“There’s going to be a lot of contentious discussions — battles so to speak — probably in many public school districts, and I’m sure their boards are meeting now to decide

DANIEL PASSAPERA/CHRONICLE

Whether Gov. Lamont’s mask mandate stance will impact QU’s decision is still unclear.

what they’ll do,” Hill said.

As a private institution, it will be Quinnipiac’s decision as to whether to keep the mask mandate or not. Hill said the university will also look to see what other Connecticut universities will be doing.

“We are actively discussing this now, we realize that asking students to wear masks in indoor spaces has been a challenge,” Hill said.

“I’m sure if you go out into the hall now, you’ll realize that some students aren’t wearing masks in their dorm rooms, in their halls and I know it’s created a challenge for some (resident assistants) to try to continue to ‘police this.’”

Hill said that it is likely that Quinnipiac will maintain its policies until spring break.

“Now that students are wearing higherlevel protective masks in the classroom, it’s a pretty safe environment,” Hill said. “To go from everybody being masked in the classroom to nobody being masked in the classroom might be a big ask for the faculty and maybe for other fellow students.”

The Chronicle conducted an online survey asking students whether or not they agree with the local changes and if Quinnipiac should keep the mask mandate or not.

Out of 151 responses, 56% of students agreed with lifting the mask mandate in local K-12 schools and 44% of students did not

agree. In regard to Quinnipiac’s mandate, 56% of students said it should be lifted and 44% of students said it should remain in place.

Lisa Zarcone, a Quinnipiac mathematics professor and math teacher at North Haven High School, said she has mixed emotions about the mandate being lifted in local public schools.

“I think that it would be great to not have to wear them any longer just comfort-wise, and we’ve been doing it for so long,” Zarcone said.

“But I’m also just nervous, I think working in a school with so many kids who are unvaccinated and usually the younger kids get sick a lot and they pass the germs on, so I think I’m hesitant to kind of go with that just yet.”

Zarcone said that she thinks it’s premature to lift the mandate, although it will be hard to know when the right time will be.

“It’s a little too soon to do it now during cold and flu season in the winter, maybe waiting until the weather’s a little better and see how things go then,” Zarcone said.

Despite concerns about the lifted mandate, Zarcone said she thinks most students will be happy with the decision as they have been pulling down their mask or wearing it incorrectly in class.

See MASK MANDATE Page 2

2| News

MEET THE EDITORS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michael Sicoli MANAGING EDITORS Emily Flamme Toyloy Brown III CREATIVE DIRECTOR Connor Lawless DIGITAL NEWS EDITOR Chatwan Mongkol NEWS EDITORS Nicole McIsaac Melina Khan ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR Katie Langley OPINION EDITOR Xavier Cullen ASSOCIATE OPINION EDITOR Michael LaRocca ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Ashley Pelletier ASSOCIATE ARTS & LIFE EDITORS David Matos Neha Seenarine SPORTS EDITORS Riley Millette Peter Piekarski ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITORS Cameron Levasseur Ethan Hurwitz PODCAST PRODUCER Brendan Samson PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Daniel Passapera DESIGN EDITOR Amanda Riha ASSOCIATE DESIGN EDITORS Peyton McKenzie Emma Kogel COPY EDITOR Aidan Sheedy THE QUINNIPIAC CHRONICLE is the proud recipient of the New England Society of Newspaper Editors’ award for College Newspaper of the Year in New England for 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2015-16.

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The Quinnipiac Chronicle

February 16, 2022

Sign vandalized at Sleeping Giant “The Quinnipiac University Indigenous Student Union is taking this act of protest quite The Sleeping Giant State Park entrance sign seriously and is deeply reflecting on the injuswas reported vandalized Feb. 11, after it was tice that this act is highlighting,” ISU wrote in painted red with stenciled black words reading a statement released Monday. “We are critically “Hobbomock” and “you are on native land.” thinking about how we can work towards being There have been no charges or police rein better relations with Indigenous communicord of the incident, according to the Hamties.” den Police Department.

While ISU does not have ties to the inciThe wood sign, which is located in front dent, the messaging of the vandalism resurof the park’s entrance and across from Quinfaces a more prominent issue regarding the nipiac University’s visitor entrance on Mount university’s Indigenous roots.

Carmel Avenue, greets all park visitors as Historically, the university has remained they cross the foot of the giant. As of pubdistant from the people who originated on lication, Park Supervisor Jill Scheibenpflug its land. Seemingly small cultural footprints said the vandalized side of the sign has been have remained, such as the plaque of the removed for repairs.

“Legend of the Bobcat,” which alters the traThis incident comes a week after a sepaditional story of Sleeping Giant and removes rate incident at West Rock Ridge State Park the Hobbomock name. in New Haven. On Feb. 8, state park officials Some students said they believe the unifound the entrance sign painted red with the versity should be more original land’s name in connected to its Indigblack, similar to what ocenous roots. curred at Sleeping Giant.

“I understand it,” said “Last week, we went to Anastasia Soteropoulos, West Rock Ridge for the a sophomore public relasame thing; same paint, tions major. “I see more same stenciled lettering,” of the campus being the said Patrick Kiely, a Deissue. I don’t see why partment of Energy and they protested that and Environmental Protection not the campus too.” conservation officer. “We One student said this are just trying to figure out action is a chance for the who is (doing) it.” administration to recognize Hobbomock is the name the university’s Indigenous given to the giant in the background. legend passed down from “It is a call to recogthe Quinnipiac people. nize the people that came The land is a sacred area to before us,” said Brandon them and other Indigenous Assi, a sophomore biogroups around. medical sciences major.

Scheibenpflug, who “It’s bringing awareness has worked with the park’s that we need cultural system for 32 years, said understanding … as if this type of event was we are carrying on the AIDAN SHEEDY/CHRONICLE not a rare sight, but the (Quinnipiac) legacy.”

The Sleeping Giant State Park entrance sign was partially covered after it was severity was.

By AIDAN SHEEDY Copy Editor

“We’ve had graffiti,” Scheibenpflug said.

“Graffiti has been a problem forever. It costs a lot of money to get rid of it.”

In the morning of Feb. 11, public safety officers from the university and DEEP arrived at the scene. Scheibenpflug said that the university’s security cameras caught the suspect in the act, but the footage proved to be inconclusive.

Scheibenpflug painted and put up the sign herself in 1988.

“I was annoyed. I made this sign,” Scheibenpflug said. “I just refinished it last year. I was not happy that this happened now.”

In response to the nearby vandalism, the university’s Indigenous Student Union released a statement Feb. 14, calling this an “act of protest.” The organization did not refer to it as vandalism and made it clear that no ISU members were involved.

vandalized Feb. 11.

MASK MANDATE from cover “I think they’ll be a bit more comfortable, but I do worry about the kids who are more uncomfortable and maybe whose families want them to keep wearing a mask,” Zarcone said. “Then they become the one or two kids in the class that are wearing it, so I do worry about maybe bullying with that, and kids that are not really understanding of others choice to just still possibly wear one.”

Aden Mariyappa, a software engineering graduate student, said he thinks Quinnipiac should keep the mask mandate.

“It feels a bit early,” Mariyappa said.

“Kids are really good at spreading germs, but we’re all adults so I don’t see why there’s any reason we should stop (wearing masks).”

Emily Becker, a first-year psychology major, said that she doesn’t think the mask mandate should be lifted right away, but it should be lifted soon.

“I’m getting fed up, I mean I wear the mask not happily, no one does that,” Becker said.

However, Becker also said the mandate should be upheld because she has seen many people violating safety protocols on campus.

“The people here, they legit never wear their masks, so I don’t think we should yet,” Becker said. “You just have to wear them for like 1-2 hours when you’re sitting here in the student center and class. I see people walking through the student center with no masks on and it really bothers me.”

Morgan Bloom, a sophomore political science major, said she thinks the spread of COVID-19 is still “a real thing.” However, she said students and staff are going to do what they want despite the implemented policies.

“At the same it’s not really going to matter what they end up doing because no one wears their mask anyway,” Bloom said. “I walk in here and see one (person) not wearing masks at all and two people wearing it incorrectly. Maybe half the time I see the staff wearing their masks so it’s not going to matter what the school does in the end because the students and the staff are just going to do what they want.”

“It’s not going to matter what the school does in the end because the students and the staff are just going to do what they want.”

– Morgan Bloom SOPHOMORE POLITICAL SCIENCE MAJOR

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February 16, 2022

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

News |3

Hamden Mayor Garrett and QU President Olian discuss pandemic leadership

By AMANDA UNDARI Contributing Writer

Quinnipiac University President Judy Olian and Hamden Mayor Lauren Garrett spoke Feb. 14, about the challenges they have faced as women in leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. The event, which was held in the Mount Carmel auditorium, also worked to showcase improved relations between Hamden and Quinnipiac officials.

The fireside chat, moderated by Dean of the School of Business Holly Raider, focused on Olian’s and Garrett’s experiences with changing demands of leadership during the course of the pandemic and the ways they adapted to those changes. They also shared how they’re using their power to enact inclusion in their hiring processes.

Raider’s first question focused on how the pandemic has affected the way leadership is executed.

“There are two aspects of leadership: The here and now, and the tomorrow,” Olian said.

“And you can’t forget about either. It was easy to be consumed by the here and now.”

Olian compared leading during the pandemic to a game of whack-a-mole.

“You’re really responsible for the well-being of a community that lives together, learns together and plays together, and you want to be sure that you’re doing the right thing,” Olian said. “Sometimes what we did was not just about our own community, but about the community in which we live, Hamden.”

Garrett, who was sworn in as Hamden mayor in November, said her experience has been a little different.

“It is challenging to have to build connections when sometimes we were reduced to 50% of staff in the building at a time,” Garrett said.

“The way that we’ve been doing it is by being extremely present and approachable. We’re there early and staying late.”

As the conversation flowed, it moved in the direction of how the pandemic has affected women, and specifically women with young children.

Attributing a report by McKinsey & Company, Olian said four in 10 women think about changing roles due to challenges presented by the pandemic and the unpredictability of kids’ involvement in school.

Garrett, who is the first female mayor of Hamden to be sworn in since 1999, said that men “always have a supportive team behind them.”

“They typically have a wife who’s taking care of all the responsibilities at home, dealing with children and household issues, and women may not have that supportive team or may be doing that supportive work already in addition to being an executive,” Garrett said.

The conversation eventually steered toward diversity in hiring processes, and Garrett said she has multiple female and minority counterparts alongside her.

“By putting people in leadership roles who are absolutely lovely to work with and know so many people, they really help to shape the community,” Garrett said. “We’re bringing more diversity into the town of Hamden.”

Once the forum opened for questions from attendees, David Tomczyk, associate professor of entrepreneurship and strategy, asked about the new partnership between Garrett and Olian.

“I think this is the first time I’ve actually seen Hamden and QU in the same room with no screaming,” Tomczyk said.

Tomczyk is referring to tensions between former Mayor Curt Leng and the administration at Quinnipiac. According to a Chronicle article published in 2017, the Hamden-Quinnipiac relationship worsened after the medical school was expanded in North Haven and not Hamden.

Although the meeting was open to the public, no Quinnipiac students attended. This is indicative of an issue of involvement between

JACK SPIEGEL/CHRONICLE

President Olian (middle) and Hamden Mayor Garrett (right) spoke about their leadership styles during the pandemic.

QU students and the Hamden community, pointed out by Tomczyk.

“Students in the Hamden community have always been pretty much separate,” Tomczyk said. “There isn’t an ongoing partnership where the students feel like they are part owners and that they truly have value in the community.”

Improving the relationship with Quinnipiac is a priority for Garrett, as she said doing so would better the whole community.

“I know that in the past, the mayor has put in the revenue line that assumes QU will be making a donation to the town,” Garrett said.

“This is the first year where we are not going to be putting in a donation line.”

According to Garrett, her and Olian have been communicating about the intentions of Quinnipiac’s donations.

“President Olian and I have had discussions about this, and I am aware that QU wants to be able to put their stamp on a project, not just give a blank check,” Garrett said.

Garrett also said she plans to assist Quinnipiac with its Master Facility Plan by com-

municating with her staff about commitment to the projects.

“Quinnipiac has a really big goal for this next year with the master facility plan, and I want to make sure that I’m there to help them through the process and that my staff is committed to the projects,” Garrett said.

Tomczyk, who has been working at Quinnipiac for 12 years, said that seeing the mayor come to Quinnipiac and sit down with the university’s president was “a truly awesome and groundbreaking thing.”

“I was super fascinated to see how Hamden and Quinnipiac are getting along,” Tomczyk said. “Over the past 12 years, the relationship has been more contentious.”

After seeing Garrett and Olian interact, Tomczyk said the two women are, “actively seeking to listen.”

“At the end of the day, the messages that we heard from both Judy and Mayor Garrett is that they are both open to new possibilities, and that’s something that we haven’t had for a very long time,” Tomczyk said.

Talent management degree to be offered in fall 2022

By MELINA KHAN News Editor

Quinnipiac University is launching a new bachelor of science degree in talent management in fall 2022, focusing on tracks in sports, entertainment and esports management.

The program, which is “designed to teach you the business side of sports, esports or entertainment,” according to Quinnipiac’s website, will be the only one of its kind in the country, said Tuvana Rua, the program’s faculty coordinator. “(Quinnipiac has) something unique going on that nobody pretty much in the country has because we do have a law school, and we have obviously phenomenal programs, both in the communications school, business school, as well as arts and sciences,” said Rua, associate professor of management.

Incoming first-year students who apply to the talent management program may be offered enrollment in a 3+1 or 3+3 accelerated dualdegree program. Students who are eligible will be able to complete their bachelor’s degree in three years, and then complete either a graduate degree in their fourth year or a law degree in three additional years.

“There’s only one more school in the country that offers this program in a joint way, but we are the only one who offers an accelerated path where you can finish (a bachelor’s and juris doctorate degree) in six years,” Rua said.

After coming to Quinnipiac three years ago, Rua said she saw the popularity of the sports studies minor, and recognized the need for a sports management major. Eventually, in collaboration with Julia Fullick-Jagiela, chair of management, the two approached professors within the sports studies, game design and media studies departments to establish the three tracks of the degree.

However, despite the program’s interdisciplinary nature, it will be housed in the School of Business, where the management program resides.

“Interdisciplinary learning is significant and important in general, and there are ways that we are advancing that across the university,” said

ILLUSTRATION BY CONNOR LAWLESS

Holly Raider, dean of the school of business. “…

We are in an interdisciplinary friendly campus in that way, and we encourage it and I think the talent management degree takes that even further … the major really takes into account that the real world is interdisciplinary.”

Professor of media studies Lisa Burns will be the academic advisor for students pursuing the entertainment track. She said the talent management program will work well within media studies courses.

“I’m excited to be involved because a lot of my classes examine the entertainment and sports industries from a business perspective,” Burns said. “I know there are jobs in these fields, and I believe our faculty have the expertise to prepare our graduates for these careers.”

The talent management program is the first esports-focused degree at Quinnipiac. Its introduction comes after increased prevalence in the sport at Quinnipiac, including with the opening of the esports room on the York Hill campus in October 2021 and Quinnipiac’s club team ranking first in the MAAC last year.

Elena Bertozzi, chair of visual and performing arts and professor of game design and development, said having a degree focused on esports will create new opportunities for students.

“There are very few programs right now that are addressing things like esports,” Bertozzi said. “Esports is so new, it literally went

from almost nothing to explosion in just three or four years … so this is really an opportunity for us to start producing graduates in an area that very few other schools are competing in right now so it’s a great opportunity.”

Theo Offerman, a junior game design major and president of the club esports team, said the new degree focusing on esports management will give students new perspectives on the sport.

“This degree can potentially give Quinnipiac students a greater perspective of esports management, especially some opportunities to connect with professionals in the industry,” Offerman said. “During my time at Quinnipiac, I have seen the rapid growth of esports both around the world and here at school. In some cases, its popularity has soared over certain athletic sports just from the sheer amount of video games that can be played competitively these days.”

The sports track of the program will also be the only bachelor’s degree with a focus in sports offered at Quinnipiac. Co-Director of the Sports Studies Minor Richard Hanley said he anticipates interest from both current and prospective students about the program.

“I imagine I’m going to be receiving a lot of emails from students who want to transfer majors and want to see if they can apply their minor in sports studies to what will be a major in sports management,” Hanley said.

Hanley said administrators are beginning to determine the process for current students who want to transfer into the program in the fall.

“We don’t anticipate any issues whatsoever and are looking forward to it,” Hanley said. “We think it’s a very, very important major, we think it fits with our students aspirations and our goal is to make sure that we prepare the students to succeed in those aspirations.”

Matthew Miller, a senior media studies major and sports studies minor, said he would have “absolutely” considered entering the talent management program if it was offered when he was in his first year.

“I’ve always wanted to work with the New York Giants,” Miller said. “With my degree, the media studies major, sports studies minor, I still feel like there’s a chance, but if I had the talent management degree, which focuses specifically on the sports aspect, I feel like (that would) be a much better opportunity.”

Sadie Peart, a junior finance major, was recently made aware of the talent management degree and has already decided that she will be transferring into the program.

“I’ve always wanted to be a college hockey coach, but didn’t know what major to pair that with,” Peart said. “And now with this new major I have many options like being a sports agent or a general manager for a team.”

44 | O p i n i o n

T hTeh eQ Q uu i ni nnni i pp i a cc CChhr or no inc il ec l e

February 16, 2022

Opinion

Biden isn’t ready for war with Russia As tensions rise in Ukraine, the US needs to step up

PHOTO BY THE WHITE HOUSE

President Joe Biden sat at his desk at Camp David on Feb. 12. He spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin that day, warning him that the U.S. would enforce severe consequences if Russia invades Ukraine.

By CHRISTIAAN MCCRAY Staff Writer

The Russians are on the brink of invading Ukraine, and the U.S. government appears to be unprepared.

Around 100,000 Russian troops are stationed at the Ukrainian border. The soldiers are equipped with heavy artillery, armored vehicles and tanks. At any moment, Russian President Vladimir Putin can give the order for the troops to invade and potentially begin World War III. This is the culmination of continuous tension between Russia and Ukraine that has been ongoing since Ukraine gained independence from the Soviet Union on Aug. 24, 1991.

The world powers, specifically the U.S., do not have the suitable leadership to deal with a conflict of this stature. President Joe Biden constantly changes his stances on international conflicts, most notably taking troops out of Afghanistan in an unorganized manner after voting for the war as a senator in 2001. This weakens our allies’ trust in him as a leader and if Russia invades Ukraine, Americans are screwed.

So how did we get to this very moment?

Ever since Ukraine became an independent country, the Russian government has tried many methods to regain power over it.

From allegedly poisoning a presidential candidate to the illegal annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula Crimea.

Russia’s annexation of Crimea was done to try to block Western energy companies from the natural resources that are located in the Black Sea. Today, the peninsula is one of the many locations where Russian soldiers are

stationed around the Ukrainian border.

With Russian soldiers on the brink of invading Ukraine, where does the U.S. stand regarding this conflict?

Well, Biden does not know.

Biden suggested that the U.S. would not involve itself in the matter if a small conflict occurred.

“Russia will be accountable if it invades and it depends on what it does, it’s one thing if a minor occasion and we end up having to fight about what to do and not do,” Biden said.

Days later, Biden tried to clarify his statements and said any form of invasion will cause severe consequences for the Russian government.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was displeased by Biden’s comments.

“There are no minor incursions and small nations,” Zelensky tweeted. “Just as there are no minor casualties and little grief from the loss of loved ones.”

Since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, the U.S. and its European and G-7 partners have imposed sanctions on Russia. Even after these consequences, the Russian government has shown that nothing is going to hinder them from rebuilding the Russian empire.

Though it seems like there is no other option than a world conflict, a world war is not the only answer.

If Russian soldiers invade Ukraine, the American government should not declare war immediately. In both World Wars, the U.S. stayed out of the fighting and instead funded its allies who were in battle. The country entered war once American citizens were attacked. Declaring war right away would be

impulsive. However, changing stances on whether you would act or not is worse.

Instead of backtracking on previous comments, Biden can look to fund Ukraine with artillery if Russia invades, and he can make sure no other world power joins forces with Russia, especially China. Russian and Chinese forces banding together would be detrimental to any country fighting against them. The U.S. has one of the strongest militaries in the world, but its forces do not have the capabilities to fight them both. The American government should look to

better Chinese relations and make sure that if Russia does invade, the Chinese government does not intervene in support of the Russians.

The issue with Biden is that we do not know whether he is going to make the right decision or not. With his approval rating continuing to plummet, Biden has shown he is not fit to run a country, let alone during a world war.

BBC News reported that French President Emmanuel Macron believes an agreement to prevent war in Ukraine is within reach. We must hope that this conflict does not worsen.

Russia

Seeking more influence over Ukraine and against NATO appeal

Ukraine Seeking NATO membership

Territory held by Russian-backed seperatists

Crimea

Ukranian land annexed

by Russia in 2014

Black Sea ILLUSTRATION BY CONNOR LAWLESS

February 16, 2022

T hT eh eQQu ui innnn ii p ii aacc CCh h r or noi nc li ec l e

Opinion|5

Opinion

Sports fans should treat athletes like human beings

By CONNOR YOUNGBERG Staff Writer

According to Athletes for Hope, 35% of professional athletes suffer from a mental health crisis. Meanwhile, it feels like sports fans have become more ruthless to these athletes every day.

As athletes continue to open up about their mental health, it’s time fans start treating these players as people too. Over the past four to five years, athletes across all sports have expressed their struggles with mental health.

Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons has been one of the latest athletes to share his experience with mental health issues.

Before the season, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted that Simmons has said he is not mentally ready to start the 2021-22 season. All of this is after his 2021 playoff run with the Philadelphia 76ers, which ended with Simmons playing poorly and the entire city of Philadelphia turning against him.

After receiving an entire offseason’s worth of backlash on social and traditional media, Simmons decided he wasn’t mentally prepared to begin the season. Even after that announcement, he continued receiving hate online.

Simmons was finally traded to the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 10. Philadelphia fans still logged into Twitter to spread hate, especially in replies to the official 76ers account, following the trade. Many people have even said that Simmons is faking his mental illness. Continuing to publicly resent a player, especially after they have said they’re dealing with mental health issues, is beyond disgusting. Mental health issues should be treated seriously and athletes deserve to be

PHOTOS BY ALL-PRO REELS AND DEAN HARTMANN/FLICKR. PHOTOILLUSTRATION BY CONNOR LAWLESS

supported, especially at a time when mental health awareness is in the spotlight.

In 2018, Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love and Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan were two of the first prominent NBA players to open up about their mental health struggles. Love wrote an essay in the Players Tribune where he opened up about a panic attack he suffered in the middle of a game. He said that was the moment he realized he had to talk about his mental health and opened up to the Toronto Star about his struggle with depression.

Although DeRozan and Love received a great amount of support, it shouldn’t take these athletes opening up for them

to be treated like human beings. They put on their shoes the same way we do and go through similar everyday struggles. Just because they are famous and have humongous contracts doesn’t exempt them from being stressed and overwhelmed.

Places such as Philadelphia, New York City and Boston have a reputation for being tough markets for athletes because players will only get support when they’re succeeding. The fans of these cities are exceedingly harsh, especially when players are playing poorly or in a slump. Boston specifically has a reputation for being racist towards athletes. Racism unfortunately plays a major part in online harassment.

being the only person of color in the room.

But I didn’t leave.

I didn’t let my skin or my race control what I wanted to do.

Yes, I’m only a first-year student and I have so much more to learn about my sorority and how they put themselves out there.

But, these girls have shown me so much respect and treated me kindly thus far.

I receive all types of comments on me being in a sorority.

“Oh well, you’re just buying your way into parties and friends.”

“Don’t you feel out of place there?”

I constantly get judged by strangers and people in my life. My experiences may differ from other people like me. It can be odd to not see people like you in the room, but that’s been my reality since middle school.

With a quick Google search, you can find the good and bad about being in a Panhellenic sorority as a person of color. Recently the topic of being a person of color in a sorority came up on TikTok during University of Alabama’s rush.

The University of Alabama has a history of segregation in its sorority system.

One of the biggest stories about the university’s sororities was when a young woman spoke to the school newspaper, saying that she did not get a bid due to her race.

This is not the first time this has happened.

According to a New York Times article, “Black students (at the University of Alabama) have occasionally tried to join the traditionally white sororities, but these attempts have mostly gone nowhere. No black

woman has made it through the recruitment process since 2003.’’

To know something like this is crazy.

Just because of the color of their skin and the knowledge of their race, they couldn’t join.

Nobody should be discriminated against just because of their skin color and race.

Being in a sorority is not about having a

In last year’s UEFA European Football Championship match between England and Italy, the game came down to a penalty shootout. England players Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka took penalty kicks for their squad. All three players are under 25 years old. All three players are Black. All three players missed their penalty kicks. As a result, England lost the championship game and the three young English players immediately faced backlash online. An overwhelming amount of the backlash was racist.

All three athletes were probably already feeling awful about letting their team down.

But to see all of the racial abuse is terrifying, and I can’t imagine the effect that has on their mental health, especially at such young ages.

Similar to Simmons, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley decided he had to step away from the game. In a tweet, Ridley explained that he had to sit out for the rest of the season and focus on his mental well-being instead. Ridley hasn’t been active on social media since then.

Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Lane Johnson also took a break from the season, missing three games for the Eagles.

Johnson has opened up about mental health in the past and was supportive of Ridley’s decision to step away.

These athletes are burdened with expectations, and anxiety, stress, depression and other mental health problems are a big part of their lives already. Fans should be supportive and appreciative of these players rather than giving them hate and negatively affecting their mental health.

Athletes are people too.

Despite outside judgment, I found my place in Greek Life

By SANIYA POWELL Staff Writer

Everyone wonders what community they will find when they get to college. Some people join sports and clubs, while most just wait for their community to come to them.

I found my community in Greek life.

Most of my peers at college and home said it was a huge surprise I joined a sorority.

They all thought because of the color of my skin I wouldn’t fit in and that I would leave immediately. They told me I would be an outcast, or worse, the token person of color.

The Panhellenic council hosts all sororities at Quinnipiac University including mine, Gamma Phi Beta. This council governs all laws and regulations we follow every day.

Before attending Quinnipiac, I knew that the diversity stats were not good. The school prides itself on having a “diverse student population.” But according to Quinnipiac’s website, only 21% of the university’s class of 2024 are underrepresented minorities.

Yes, I did come from an integrated school of kids, but I always was the only person of color in the class. My neighborhood was predominantly white with my family and my next-door neighbors being the only Black family in the cul-de-sac.

I hung out in a predominantly white group of friends and played sports while being the only Black person on the team. I was the token Black girl for so long, I didn’t want to keep up this cycle.

I had concerns about becoming the token person of color again in a sorority, but so does everyone else. I got used to the fact of

status, getting into parties or hatred. It is about sisterhood and sharing the same values.

I’m very pleased about how Quinnipiac’s Greek life treated me thus far. This community opened its arms for me when I joined.

I am not discriminated against because of who I am. I feel wanted.

ILLUSTRATION BY CONNOR LAWLESS

6|Arts and Life

February 16, 2022

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

Arts & Life

MLK DREAM WEEK KICKS OFF BLACK HISTORY MONTH

By ASHLEY PELLETIER AND TOYLOY BROWN III

To start off Quinnipiac University’s second-annual Martin Luther King Jr. Dream Week on Feb. 7, the Department of Cultural and Global Engagement showed the documentary “John Lewis: Good Trouble.”

The 90-minute movie screening was followed by a discussion about the late John Lewis, who was a civil rights activist who served in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Vice President for Equity, Inclusion and Leadership Development Don Sawyer III said that Lewis is an example of someone who worked to create change during the civil rights movement as a college student and that students watching can see how influential they can be.

“I just think that students sometimes don't realize how powerful their voices are, and I think watching a documentary like this and understanding other movements, you see that the youth has always been at the forefront of the struggle,” Sawyer said.

Christy Valentin, a junior athletic training major, said the idea of starting “good trouble” reminds her to continue using her voice on issues that affect her community and people of color overall.

“I've been trying to grow a lot and just advocating for myself and my community as a Latina and just speaking up about issues,” Valentin said. “Even if it feels like wrong, or it feels a bit rebel-ish, I’m like ‘Let me just speak up and speak to people,’ but speak with love … that’s one thing (Lewis) was really big on is peace and love, but still being active in your community and using your voice.”

The purpose of this event was to make people reflect on King’s impact and how good trouble needs to continue in the present day.

“The work of anti-racism, the work of social justice does not happen in silos,” said Veronica Jacobs, associate director for multicultural education and organizer of the screening. “It doesn't happen in one particular moment. It couldn't happen only in 2020 when we had the world awakening, racial awakening with the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. It has to continue on a daily basis.”

The event was in partnership with the Student Programming Board where it raffled off prizes, including AirPods and a Comfy blanket hoodie.

Adriane Jefferson, the director of arts and cultural affairs of New Haven, presented the second event of the week. She lectured on the influence of systemic racism on culture and entertainment in the United States.

To start, she explored the deep foundation of institutional racism following the Civil War, from Reconstruction through the Clinton administration. She pointed out how upholding systemic racism has led to inequity in the arts and entertainment industries, stating that Black and brown people only see around 2% of the revenue that is taken in by those industries.

Jefferson acknowledged that conversations about racism and how it is ingrained into society can often be uncomfortable, but they are the only way to get to the root of American history.

“It can be a rough and difficult conversation that forces us to reconcile with the truth of our history, of the racism that has existed in the United States for decades,” Jefferson said.

“That is the only way we are going to move forward and can advance racial justice, racial equity and dismantle systems.”

Jefferson also wanted to show that arts and culture do not always live up to the common expectation of acceptance and liberalism. She said that she is constantly working to dismantle the deep-seated racism in the arts.

“I myself have been very intentional and very purposeful with using the arts as an avenue to activate change, to eradicate racism,” Jefferson said. “I feel like that is my purpose, that is my call in life. … I’ve seen a lot. ...

People often feel like arts and culture is more liberal, more progressive, inclusive of all people. That is the general notion when we’re thinking of arts and culture.”

Entertainment and media industries are worth around $2 trillion globally, according to the Global Entertainment and Media Outlook report by Pricewaterhouse Coopers. However, a majority of people working in the arts and entertainment industries are white. According to the 2021 Hollywood Diversity Report by UCLA, around 75% of writers and directors of major films were white.

“What’s really interesting about the entertainment industry is that oftentimes they are valuing profit over people,” Jefferson said. “The people at the top, running the industries, even though most of the talent that you’ll see on your screen is Black and brown, are often white executives making billions of dollars off of Black talent. They are

controlling the narrative of the Black and brown story.”

Jefferson said some progress has been made to address the inequity Black people face in arts and entertainment since the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020. However, she said more work needs to be done locally and nationwide to level the playing field.

“Money is not reaching the Black and brown community at all,” Jefferson said. “If you start to look within our cultural institutions … usually it is (a) white male lead or white female lead, and there’s a reason for that. It comes down to education and wealth. Most Black and brown people are not going to school for the arts, and it’s not because they don’t want to. It is because they can’t take the risk.”

She also explained New Haven’s Cultural Equity Plan, a series of strategies to address this inequity in the arts community. These strategies include immersing Yale students in the community beyond downtown New Haven and even giving stipends to non-white artists in the New Haven area to work on their craft.

“It is really unheard of, giving unrestricted money to artists is not really a thing,” Jefferson said. “It’s something we’re having to push. It is something we’re having to hold ourselves accountable to … We’re trying to get money to Black and brown artists so that they can generate wealth.”

The DCGE rounded off the week with two performances of “Death by a Thousand Cuts: A Requiem for Black and Brown Men,” a screenplay written by Steve Driffin about the experience of being a Black man in the U.S.

Four Black men stand at the front of the stage in the Clarice L. Buckman Auditorium. They aren’t given names, only the colors of the shirts that they wear: black, gold, green and red. The four men are an amalgamation of experiences.

“A lot of my own personal stories are in there as well,” Driffin said. “I just wanted to make sure that I told our story encapsulated. (I) tried to capture our stories and our experiences living in this land, because it’s real.”

Driffin uses an amazing mix of sound and spoken word to leave his audience with chills. A majority of the music used throughout the show was what Driffin listened to over the eight-year process of writing.

“The music was intentional,” Driffin said. “No matter what goes wrong, we will still find a way within song and music.

Singing gets us through so many obstacles, and then there’s love.

We saw love, we saw joy, all that encompasses who we are.”

Denisse Bermello, a first-year biology major, said that “Death by a Thousand Cuts” was moving because it went a lot deeper than stories often do.

“It was really inspiring, and we were able to see the lives of Black people and their daily struggles,” Bermello said.

While “Death by a Thousand Cuts” discussed racism and microaggressions that Black men face, it also delved deep into colorism, toxic masculinity, romance and many other topics.

“The play has been therapeutic,” said Sharmont Little, who plays one of the four men in the show. “To go through it twice a week, practicing over and over again. I go home to something different every day.”

Actor Sharmont Little noted that bringing 'Death by a Thousand Cuts' to life was a therapeutic process.

PEYTON MCKENZIE/CHRONICLE

PEYTON MCKENZIE/CHRONICLE

The four characters in 'Death by a Thousand Cuts' are left unnamed to represent the multitude of experiences of Black men in the U.S.

February 16, 2022

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

Arts and Life|7

ME, YOU AND THIS BIG WALL YOU'VE BUILT BETWEEN US

By NICOLE MCISAAC News Editor

Life can be overwhelming. Between constant change, heavy demands, crippling anxieties — the list can go on — it’s hard to keep everything under control. However, those unplanned stressors that fulfill daily routines find ways to engulf almost every aspect of our lifestyles, including romances.

The pressures from school, personal conflicts, family, friends and a crumbling mental state are all prime examples of the components that configure into a bottled-up emotional mental showdown. Once released, these feelings can take a big toll on relationships — even the inseparable ones.

According to a 2020 report by the American Psychological Association, 49% of American adults reported their behavior was negatively impacted by the physical and emotional toll of increased stress. The study further disclosed how that mood alteration branches out into one’s romantic endeavors.

“Most commonly, (American adults) report increased tension in their bodies (21%), ‘snapping’ or getting angry very quickly (20%), unexpected mood swings (20%) or screaming or yelling at a loved one (17%),” the researchers stated in the report.

However, it is important to note that the impact of stress on relationships won’t look the same for everyone. While some may find themselves often fighting with their partner, others might be feeling more detached and withdrawn from any sort of engagement.

In an online study published on SpringerLink, researchers viewed two experience sample studies and discovered a common disengagement from work-induced stress spilling over to romantic relationships.

“These results suggest that detachment from work not only affects the working individual’s, but also their close partner’s the perception of their interactions, showing that detachment plays an important mediating role in the stress spillover and crossover process,” the researchers wrote in their analysis. “This emphasizes the relevance of addressing interpersonal processes in the association between detachment and well-being.”

The majority of the time, one might not have the slightest clue as to why their partner is hitting the fight-orflight mode in life. However, since the effects of stress are completely unavoidable in relationships, it is crucial to be able to recognize the warning signs and be able to manage the situation at large. And if you love them, you will.

Here are a few signs that could indicate that your partner might be undergoing a fair amount of stress: Withdrawal

If your partner is showing any of these indicators, it may be time to have a civil, calm and meaningful conversation that avoids any blaming viewpoints.

And it can be hard. It's not as simple as sitting your partner down and having a conversation on the copious amount of stress that grips their every thought pattern. It can feel vulnerable, unsettling and plain awkward.

However, if you love this person, it is important that you acknowledge the struggle they are facing and accommodate accordingly to ensure a safe and protective space.

Oftentimes, stress can force individuals to disassociate from the world and create a bubble from the outside forces around them. If your partner is pushing you away in any way, shape or form, this could potentially stem from them trying to avoid placing their funk on your shoulders.

Fighting and constant pushback When your partner is dealing with crippling stress, they could find themselves lashing out and spewing hateful word-vomit. While this should not be excused as acceptable behavior, it could be a sign of underlying mental blockage that they are taking out on you and your relationship.

Alienation Your partner might be less willing to engage in free-time activities, making you feel disconnected from them. This might feel like they are losing interest in spending time with you, it is important to note that they are often yearning for separation from any social engagement.

Lack of physical attraction When a person is going through a rough patch, physical touch and sexual intercourse could be the last idea popping up in their mind. It is important to understand that this isn’t your significant other’s fault, and does not mean they have lost feelings for you.

ILLUSTRATION BY EMMA KOGEL

SAVE YOURSELF TIME, GET TO THE POINT

By NEHA SEENARINE

Associate Arts & Life Editor

If the world can agree on one thing, it’s how to say no.

“No” may be a simple term, but it’s extremely powerful.

The blunt response can be beautiful, however, it leaves us wondering if the situation was handled correctly. People shy away from saying the two-letter word because it seems too aggressive.

Most times people want to be empathetic to their peers — well, at least I think. We find ourselves in situations that we don’t want to be a part of. As many similar interests you and your friends might have, you’re different people. They

could invite you for a night out or a road trip to the Mall of America, and maybe you’re not into that. Your response can be as simple as saying no, but that’s almost never the case.

People usually have a hard time rejecting others and make the action more complicated than necessary. Instead of saying no, they give responses such as, “I’ll get back to you,” or “I have to check my schedule.” In their minds, they already made the decision not to go. It seems like you have to keep your friend status updates even when you could’ve said no in the first place.

The situation can escalate where you tell your friends you have other plans. They can follow up with you and ask

ILLUSTRATION BY JENNA HALLAM

how things went. Sometimes people might have a hunch that you didn’t want to see them and have a speed round of trivia questions for you. A hard lesson to learn is you can never keep up with the lies.

Lying gives me major anxiety. I feel instant paranoia trying to pull off a scheme. It saves my sanity to be truthful rather than spewing out a fake scenario. I understand it can be difficult to say no to a friend, but what's worse is them finding out you lied.

Do yourself a favor and keep it real.

People appreciate it when you are straight up with them. I have been the friend on the other side, and it can be annoying when you’re left waiting for a definite answer. There are times when I felt like a bother constantly asking if they were going to follow through with plans. I understand that they weren’t trying to let me down, but in the end, I still was hurt for getting the run-around.

Being told no doesn’t hurt as much as you think it does.

I have been told no many times, and my reaction varied.

I know when I was younger if my mom told me no, I’d just ask my dad immediately afterward. It would backfire sometimes, but that’s a part of growth. If I were to be told no now, I’d accept the rejection and move on with my life.

If I didn’t understand why I was told no, I’d ask why and communicate with the person.

However, some things are left better unsaid so you can’t push them to explain. When you provoke people too much after they say no, it can lead to an unwanted reaction.

It took me a while to learn that it is OK to tell people no. There is no reason why I should feel embarrassed or worried about something I don’t want to do. I have been in plenty of scenarios where I agreed to take on tasks when I didn’t want to disappoint someone. It is important to be vocal about the actions you don’t want to make. It feels good to say no, because I know if I were to say yes, I might not feel comfortable following through. The key is to stay truthful to others and most importantly, yourself.

8|Arts and Life

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

February 16, 2022

SAMPHA’S 'PROCESS': A REBIR TH OF SONIC EXCELLENCE celebration of his album, he went back to social media to thank those who have stayed with him over the years and to Everyone's had that moment where a piece of art changed inform the public that he is currently working on more music the way they see the world around them. Mine came in the to release in the future. To curb his fan base’s cravings for late evening of Sept. 26, 2020. more content, Sampha also decided to release the two bonus On that day, in the midst of a darker time in my life, I tracks to “Process,” which were formerly exclusive to Japan. found myself listening to the album “Process” by English After learning about this revelation, I rushed to my Apple artist Sampha, originally released on Feb. 3, 2017.

Music and immediately played the two tracks “In-between Before this moment, I primarily knew Sampha for his and Overseas” and “Answer.” Hearing Sampha sing was features on songs such as “Too Much” by Drake and “Saint enough to have me tear up and hug my phone as if it were an Pablo” by Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West. old friend I had not seen since middle school.

Those songs were where his charming and unique voice stole This new release reminded me of how much I love this the show from some of the most iconic artists of my time. album. Having heard a great deal of music over the few years, These tracks were enough for me to know that I was a “Process” is one of two albums I would give a legitimate fan of his sound. Out of curiosity, I scoured the Apple Music perfect score, sitting alongside “Currents” by Tame Impala. I library to find out if he had any solo music, and what I just find it sad how whenever I bring it up, no one stumbled upon would become my favorite has ever heard of it or even knows who Sampha is. album of all time.

I want to spread the word about this I vividly remember that fateful masterpiece. It’s not like this album wasn’t Saturday night, alone at home. I decided liked upon release. The album won the 2017 to lay down in my bed and give this album Mercury Prize, awarded to the best album a listen. A few moments into the first track released in the U.K. by a British or Irish act, “Plastic 100°C,” I learned what it felt like and was also given an 8.6 out of 10 rating by to ascend to a higher plane of existence as music review site Pitchfork. a result of music.

This isn’t the first time I have tried to show “Plastic 100°C” did a superlative job at off this album to the public before. In May establishing the starry tone of the album.

2021, during my high school stint with WMCX The blend of natural piano and electronic Radio in West Long Branch, New Jersey, I sounds gave it an astral feel that, on dedicated an entire episode of my weekly occasion, may bring me close to tears. show to this album, explaining to whoever was The rest of the album provides the listening why I love it so much. A year later, listener with more, switching between my sentiments remain the same. slower tracks like “(No One Knows Me) “Process” is likely the most underrated Like the Piano” and “Timmy’s Prayer,” collection of music I have ever listened to. and some ambitious electronic sequences Even with its rare low points, there is nothing like “Reverse Faults” and “Under.” Even stopping this album from being a perfect the two songs I deem weaker than the rest, experience from front to back. Even though it the mid-album interlude “Take Me Inside” PHOTO BY NRK P3/FLICKR is five years old, there has never been a better and the final track “What Shouldn’t I Be?” Sampha celebrated the fifth anniversary of 'Process' by releasing two bonus tracks. time to experience what it has to offer.

By MICHAEL LAROCCA Associate Opinion Editor

are still head and shoulders above most songs I listen to on a daily basis.

The album’s theming was sublime, as Sampha decided to use “Process” as a vessel to explore his grief after the loss of his mother in 2015. The sentiment came through best on “Kora Sings” and “(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano” where he sings out to his mother in an attempt to remain close with her and preserve the memory of her.

“Process” just recently celebrated its five-year anniversary this year and is to date Sampha’s only solo studio album. For the longest time, I was unsure whether he still made music, especially after his Instagram went cold after Nov. 30, 2018.

At one point, I compared him to the great Lauryn Hill, whose only solo album was an opus of epic proportions.

On the album’s fifth anniversary, Sampha returned. In

'THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT': A DISMAL EXAMPLE OF WASTED POTENTIAL

By JACK MUSCATELLO Staff Writer

The finale of “The Book of Boba Fett” released Feb. 9, on Disney+ after a tumultuous seven-part journey. But the final episode wraps up what has become a fundamentally broken return to glory for the beloved “Star Wars” icon.

Disney captured lightning in a bottle three years ago with the first season of “The Mandalorian.” The divisive movie sequel trilogy had erased much of the excitement surrounding the intellectual property and hopes for a healthy rivalry with Marvel collapsed following the disappointing box office returns for “Rise of Skywalker.” The jump to online streaming in November 2019 proved to be a fitting extension for the Star Wars canon, as the relaxed pace of weekly episodes allowed a smaller story to take shape gradually.

The streaming giant followed up their initial success with a look at the life of Boba Fett after his death in “Return of the Jedi.” For the uninitiated, the famed bounty hunter comically fell into the jaws of an old space worm, named the “sarlacc,” during the opening act of the 1983 film. The

collective dismay from fans kickstarted the idea that he actually survived his infamous demise, and several novels and comic books explored this possibility in great detail.

With Fett’s surprise appearance in the second season of “The Mandalorian,” however, Disney rightfully followed up with an official backstory for the character. The first episode provided a visually striking look at his dramatic escape from the creature, complete with a race against time and a use of his signature flamethrower.

But the positive attributes of this concept largely end after this sequence. The show explores several facets of his life beyond this point, but does so in the most frustrating way possible.

The series initially splits its storyline between flashbacks and present day. The opening episodes juggled Fett’s early efforts to heal himself, as well as his pursuit to become a leader on the planet Tatooine, but the editing fails this back-and-forth flow. Both sections are not layered evenly throughout each chapter, and this hopscotch between timelines creates a confusing disconnect.

However, a dramatic shift in "Chapter Five" further complicates everything. A blaring musical cue in the final moments of "Chapter Four" gives way to a violent return for the Mandalorian himself, also known as Din Djarin. But if the intense opening isn’t enough, the entire fifth installment plays like the beginning of the familiar hero’s third season.

Djarin receives a lesson about the strict tradition of Mandalorian culture, travels to Tatooine and makes a plan to visit his old friend “Baby Yoda,” now referred to as Grogu. Some impressive action beats and camera tricks from director Bryce Dallas Howard complement this new storyline nicely, and the thrills throughout the episode mark the first moments of genuine excitement in the show.

But this is a bizarre deviation for an already convoluted season of blockbuster television, and the random pivots only grow more intense.

"Chapter Six" quickly ushers in a surprising array of cameos ILLUSTRATION BY SHAVONNE CHIN

and familiar faces, along with a completely new location.

This is abundantly satisfying as a devoted fan of the franchise. The developments throughout this entire hour are completely devoted to scratching the nostalgia itch, and all of the technical achievements on display are truly a sight to behold.

But it is nearly impossible to appreciate all this episode has to offer when Fett is given little more than a glimpse in the opening scene. By this point, the show is less engaging and fundamentally boring when he is directly involved in the story. The stakes surrounding him are low, his villains are weak and his central plotline is stretched to its absolute limits. This is a complete failure on behalf of the screenwriting throughout, and an unwelcome reminder of Disney’s botched work on the sequels.

As the finale begins, all of the clutter begins to boil over.

Director Robert Rodriguez’s outlandish vision culminates in a mess of plastic CGI, choppy action and jumbled character resolutions. Though the performances are all solid, the dialogue resorts to tired cliches and meaningless quips, reducing much of the emotional payoff to a glorified shrug.

As is the unfortunate theme with this series, Djarin receives a far more resounding send-off than Fett. The Mandalorian is actually the last character we see before Ludwig Goransson’s theme erupts over the credits. This supersedes Fett’s final accomplishments, which would be much stronger if given more time. For a show supposedly devoted to analyzing the bounty hunter’s psyche, the audience is given almost nothing to latch onto, either emotionally or thematically.

These faults cripple Fett’s ability to exist outside of his historic archetype. His first appearances decades ago were short and quiet. His lack of dialogue was enticing and his refined behavior made him a respected nemesis. Possibilities for him to grow as a three-dimensional person during this series were virtually endless, especially given the boundless universe of “Star Wars.”

Now, the show has reduced him to just another old man. Any potential for him to become a nuanced anti-hero, underground criminal or wise mentor has been mangled, which makes it feel like the show has accomplished nothing.

“The Book of Boba Fett” is a hulking missed opportunity.

The series tries its best to satisfy as many fans as possible, but manages only to corrupt the appeal of a classic figure.

Though the outcome of the finale is tiny when compared to the galactic adventures of Luke Skywalker, the promise of a small-scale, character-driven adventure has been failed by a creative team blinded by the past glory of this timeless fantasy saga.

February 16, 2022

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

Arts and Life|9

ILLUSTRATION BY PEYTON MCKENZIE

Poem by Allison Damigella Allison Damigella is a staff writer for The Quinnipiac Chronicle

DO YOU WANT YOUR POETRY FEATURED? YOU CAN SUBMIT YOUR WORK TO THEQUCHRONICLE@GMAIL.

Dear Counselor Dear Counselor is a column written by Mary Pellitteri, a counselor with Quinnipiac University's Counseling Services, to answer questions students have regarding mental health and wellness. To submit questions to "Dear Counselor," contact us at thequchronicle@gmail.com. All chosen questions will be anonymously published.

This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, and does not constitute medical or other professional advice.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY MARY PELLITTERI

I feel like my assignments are really getting on top of me.

How can I manage my time better?

Some days, don’t we wish there were more than 24 hours in a day? The problem is, we would probably still feel busy, rushed and scattered.

It can be challenging trying to balance academics, other school responsibilities, friends, family, and self-care/me time.

Often, the key to effective time management is to plan and stay organized, in other words, use your time wisely.

- DON’T WASTE TIME; look at what distracts you and adjust accordingly. You may consider limiting your social media or phone time while studying.

- PLAN; prioritize, make a to-do list.

- ASSESS YOUR CURRENT SITUATION; do you have a few hours, or 30 minutes between classes? Are you feeling like you could focus on a bigger assignment, or tackle one or two easier ones?

- DON’T MULTITASK; your brain works best when you are focused on one task at a time.

- SET A STUDY ROUTINE WHEN POSSIBLE; for example go to the library every Monday and Wednesday between your 10 a.m. class and 3 p.m. class. Then don’t think about it, just do it, no exceptions!

- TAKE BREAKS, REWARD YOURSELF; take breaks often to get up and move around. Take longer breaks and have a snack, text a friend, watch YouTube. Try meditating, even if it’s only for a few minutes, to refresh your brain.

Your reward from developing these habits may very well be that you will feel more accomplished and less stressed.

How can I manage my relationship amid the stress of everyday college life?

One of the best ways to do this is by being in a HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP! Your responsibility as a student is to give school your best effort. You will not be able to do this if you are worried about other things; a stressful relationship will zap all your energy!

Important requirements in any relationship are mutual respect, honesty, open communication, trust, and genuinely liking the other person. Love is important, but that's not enough. Relationships begin by building a friendship. Do you enjoy spending time with this person? Are your disagreements respectful? Is the drama minimal?

Relationships can take time and effort, but they should not be draining and demanding.

Your partner should want what is best for you, and that includes doing your best with your academics and other school involvements.

Being organized and planning can be helpful, so you and your partner can block some time to be together, after school responsibilities are accounted for.

A relationship should be an add on in your life, not the main focus. Try not to have expectations, of where it will lead, just enjoy the moment. And remember, always be true to yourself!

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

10|Sports

Scores & Schedule

February 16, 2022

Inside the minds of dominant goalies Corinne Schroeder and Logan Angers

Wednesday 2/9

MBB won 69-60 @ Fairfield

Friday 2/11

WIH won 7-2 @ Dartmouth MIH won 3-1 @ St. Lawrence WIT&F @ BU Valentine Invitational (no team results)

Saturday 2/12

MLAX won 15-14 @ UMass Lowell WBB won 78-49 vs. Iona WIH won 2-1 @ Harvard MTEN won 4-3 vs. Merrimack MIH lost 3-1 @ Clarkson WIT&F Yale Giegengack Invitational (no team results)

Sunday 2/13

MBB lost 83-66 vs. Manhattan

Tuesday 2/15 WIH won 4-0 @ RPI

FEB. 13

PEYTON MCKENZIE/CHRONICLE

Wednesday 2/16 MLAX @ LIU 11 a.m.

Thursday 2/17

WBB @ Fairfield 7 p.m.

Friday 2/18 BASE @ Saint Joseph’s 3 p.m.

WIH vs. Yale 6 p.m.

MIH @ Dartmouth 7 p.m.

ACRO @ Kutztown 7 p.m.

Saturday 2/19

WIT&F MAAC Championships BASE @ Saint Joseph’s 12 p.m.

SOFT @ Howard 1 p.m./3 p.m.

WLAX @ LIU 1 p.m.

WBB vs. Niagara 1 p.m.

MLAX @ Brown 3:30 p.m.

WIH vs. Brown 3 p.m.

WTEN vs. Stony Brook 6 p.m.

MIH @ Harvard 7 p.m.

Sunday 2/20

WIT&F MAAC Championships BASE @ Saint Joseph’s 12 p.m.

SOFT @ Howard 12 p.m.

MBB @ Marist 2 p.m.

MTEN vs. LIU 6 p.m.

Tuesday 2/22 MIH vs. Yale 7 p.m.

ALEX BAYER/CHRONICLE

By MILTON WOOLFENDEN Staff Writer

The 2021-22 season has been undeniably unique for Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey.

While the team has struggled to find consistency since the new year, it currently sits at 22-7-3. The Bobcats also are fourth in ECAC Hockey with an in-conference record of 14-6-0 while also currently being ranked No. 9 in the country.

Graduate student Corinne Schroeder is making good use of her only season with the Bobcats after transferring from Boston University this past offseason.

“It’s a little scary just switching teams, but everyone was very welcoming and I think we have a great group of girls and we all work together and get along very well,” Schroeder said.

Schroeder, along with senior goaltender Logan Angers, have been the epitome of “double trouble” this season in between the pipes. Until the team’s game on Feb. 6, Angers was the only goalie in the country to still be undefeated.

But all good things must come to an end as Angers took her first loss of the season after allowing five goals in the team’s 5-1 loss at St. Lawrence.

Schroeder and Angers sat down for interviews along with Assistant Coach Amanda Alessi, who works primarily with the goalies, to discuss their performances this season.

What has been your most memorable game so far this season?

Schroeder: I’d say my favorite game this season, the one that was really the most fun for me, was the second game against Wisconsin. It was a great atmosphere to play in with all those fans ...They were ranked first in the nation so it was a lot of fun to see how a team like that operates.

Is there still a part of you that gets nervous going into a game?

Schroeder: There’s definitely a piece of me that still gets nervous, especially for big games. There’s a quote that goes something like “When you stop getting nervous it’s time to retire” and that resonates with me because if you aren’t even a little bit nervous, you probably won’t have that same drive and determination you need to win.

Are you happy with your performance so far this season or do you think you think you could push the envelope even further?

Schroeder: I’ve had a fairly good season so far. … But I think recently there’s definitely more that I could be doing. It doesn’t matter if it’s is big stuff or little stuff, your goal should always be to continue to get better.

Thinking big picture, what is your favorite aspect of the team?

Schroeder: There’s just so much. I think, honestly the culture here ... We’ve managed to do really well with all staying on the same page. There’s definitely a cohesiveness among this group.

Were you mad at yourself when you suffered your first loss of the season vs. St. Lawrence?

Angers: You’re always going to lose games throughout the season. The important thing is not to get down on yourself.

Once you start doubting yourself it’s really hard to get that confidence back. Lucky for me, my teammates and coaches are really supportive.

How much of your success would you attribute to the team culture and feedback from coaches and teammates?

Angers: I think that every time we step on the ice is truly a whole team effort. Everyone makes everyone better every day, and that’s what has made us so successful this year.

People in all sorts of situations have superstitions.

Are you part of the group of athletes that have pre-game traditions/superstitions?

Angers: I try not to have too many superstitions as then I get stressed out if everything doesn’t go the way I planned.

I like to think of it more as routine than superstition, I’ll always tape my stick, wear my hair in a bun, and the last song I listen to in my headphones is “Where I Wanna Be”

by Big Gigantic.

What do you see for the future of this team in general?

Angers: I think the connection and depth our team has this year is something really great that will help us have a really good playoff push. I think all of us can see an NCAA championship in our future as we really do believe in our team’s ability and that we are good enough for that.

Where do Angers and Schroeder rank among former Quinnipiac goalies?

Alessi: Quinnipiac has had such awesome goaltending since before I was here. Corinne and Logan have great numbers right now. With goalies, we’re typically looking for a save percentage that’s .93 or above. That usually means you’re putting your team in a position to win games.

From freshman year to senior year how much has Angers matured as a goaltender?

Alessi: From her first start freshman year to now, Logan has grown by leaps and bounds. She takes feedback so well and is always working on some aspect of her game, whether it’s juggling or tracking pucks. She was already a great goaltender coming in, but I feel like we were able to unlock another level of ability.

How difficult of a conference is ECAC Hockey compared to other conferences?

Alessi: We believe the ECAC is the toughest conference in college hockey. Every ECAC game feels like a playoff game, which is awesome preparation for the ECAC playoffs and NCAA tournament.

February 16, 2022

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

Sports|11

The Quinnipiac women’s basketball team has been red hot. Let’s put it into context

By RILEY MILLETTE Sports Editor

The Quinnipiac women’s basketball team has won its last two games by a combined total of 50 points. Here’s a list of notes that also revolve around the half-century mark: • Quinnipiac’s top four scorers against Iona on Feb. 12, combined for 53 points.

• Only two WNBA players in history, Liz Cambage and Riquna Williams, have scored 50 points in one game.

• Quinnipiac scored only 50 points in its 18-point loss against Providence in December, its most lopsided loss of the season.

• The Bobcats’ lowest point total of the season, 47 against Iona last month, falls shy of their margin of victory in their last two games.

Before you shout it from the rooftops, yes, Quinnipiac’s opponents in those two games were not the pick of the litter.

Canisius, whom it played last Monday, is 2-13 in MAAC play and Iona is now 5-9 in conference play after this weekend’s loss.

Trap games predate all of us. They’ve been happening since the beginning of sports, and Quinnipiac has won all its expected games in the last month. Its only two defeats in the last month were a road loss against fourth-place Monmouth and a five-point road loss to Iona that senior guard Rose Caverly said motivated the team on Feb. 12.

The way the Bobcats play when they’re up big is a sign of a team built for the postseason. It starts with head coach Tricia Fabbri, who was still on her feet and playing field general with the game well in control.

It trickles down to the leaders of the team, especially Caverly. With six minutes left in the game, sitting on a comfy 30-point cushion, Caverly still commanded the offense, calling plays and running the point like she did in the first quarter, a quality even more important alongside younger players.

Even in runaway games where some teams tend to stagnate, the Bobcats used the opportunity to remedy one of the weaker points of their game. I use the term “weaker” loosely, since there isn’t much fundamentally wrong with the Bobcats’ play lately, but Fabbri said transition defense has been a bigger focus as of late. Quinnipiac’s “tenacious half-court defense,” as Fabbri calls it, has been strong, led by standouts like junior guard Sajada Bonner. But the Canisius game showed that the team can slow down a highcaliber player.

Canisius sophomore guard Dani Haskell, a dangerous player in the open court, started the game with a nifty behind-the-back pass in transition that led to a bucket. But controlling the paint gets easier when you have a 6-foot-2inch forward like junior Mikala Morris, who ran the backboard all night against an undersized Golden Griffins team.

Morris’ defensive skills, which won her the MAAC Defensive Player of the Year award last year, has continued to improve. Her footwork on defense has become more efficient, her ball awareness has grown keener and her instincts of when to follow a block and when to crash for a rebound are evident.

“Now you just see (Morris) just really feeling confident, comfortable with that turn-around shot,” Fabbri said. “Just an

point margin of victory over last two games #12 Rose Caverly 14 Points 38 Points

17 Points

37 Points

Leading scorers in those games extra lift, a real momentum. But we’ve been really good in the half court and now we’re extending that to the transition.”

Even against an Iona frontcourt with more size than Canisius, Morris controlled the glass. She brought down 10 rebounds, leading to her fourth straight double-double and fifth straight game with over 10 rebounds.

Now 15-8 overall and 10-4 in the MAAC, the Bobcats have hit their stride at the perfect time. Before last week’s blowout win over Canisius, Quinnipiac needed a breather.

Senior guard Mackenzie DeWees had missed a game with an injury, junior forward Cur’Tiera Haywood missed six games with an injury and the schedule flung a bevy of road games at them all at once.

Five of seven games before the Canisius matchup were away games. This included the loathed bus ride to Buffalo, which can drudge on for more than six hours.

“This stretch has been grueling, just to travel,” Fabbri said. “We needed to come up for air, and we’re getting healthier. They have endured.”

PEYTON MCKENZIE/CHRONICLE

Freshman Jackie Grisdale has registered 20 minutes in seven straight games as the first guard off the bench for the Bobcats.

INFOGRAPHIC BY CONNOR LAWLESS

Since her return, DeWees looks every bit of herself, scoring 19 and 18 points in the last two games. Haywood has returned to her role as a steady contributor off the bench, shooting a combined 5-of-7 in those two games. And of course, the usual suspects like Morris, Caverly and senior guard Amani Free have left their marks.

But another reason for the Bobcats’ recent boost in form is their newly utilized injection of freshmen. Forward Grace LaBarge and guard Jackie Grisdale have entered the rotation and registered meaningful minutes in recent weeks.

“Both Grace and Jackie have emerged,” Fabbri said. “(It’s) February now, (they’re) really comfortable in their roles. Getting the minutes, getting the confidence and continuing to expand, and they’re invaluable down the stretch.”

Grisdale has offered exactly what the Bobcats’ system entails. She’s an efficient shooter (45% from the field, 40% from 3-point range) and is quick on her cuts, which the Bobcats offense has been built on as of late.

LaBarge fits the Cur’Tiera Haywood model. She isn’t yet an explosive scorer like Haywood can be, but her presence in sub packages and her effort on defense point toward more usage in the future. “(LaBarge is) so athletic, long, skilled and fast,” Fabbri said. “If you watch defensively, it’s like a cat out there. She can defend anyone from a center to a point guard. We can really have some defensive versatility.”

It seems irresponsible to dump all this heart-eyed admiration over the Bobcats’ last two games without reminding you that these two games were against two of the bottomfour teams in the MAAC. I also admit that I said something similar last year before watching the team suffer a shocking first-round exit in the MAAC tournament against Rider.

But LaBarge and Grisdale have offered new depth. DeWees and Morris are playing at the top of their games — just as expected — but most importantly, the team is peaking at the right time. Not only is the tournament only a few weeks away, but there are still a couple more important games circled on the regular-season schedule against Manhattan and Fairfield.

Every game in February is an adjustment to the landscape of Atlantic City. Whose stock is going up and whose is going down before the games really matter?

Last season, Quinnipiac dropped two of its final three regular-season games. One loss was to Siena and one was to Niagara, who were ranked No. 9 and No. 8 in the tournament, respectively. That couldn’t have inspired overwhelming confidence on the bus ride to New Jersey. What would you rather do on a four-hour bus ride: relive the glory of stomping a team by 20 points or pick apart the details of a game that you know shouldn’t have gotten away from you?

We probably won’t see the Bobcats rip off landslide victories with regularity for much longer. But they did wonders to reaffirm this team’s place at the top of the conference.

12|Sports

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

February 16, 2022

Sports @QUCHRONSPORTS

PHOTO FROM QU ATHLETICS

Meet QU’s only conference-winning team last year

Golf head coach John O’Connor: No repeat would be ‘huge disappointment’

By BRENDAN SAMSON Podcast Producer

Quinnipiac University has 21 athletic teams. Out of those 21 teams, only one of them won its conference championship last season. That team is not men’s ice hockey or women’s soccer — it’s golf, who won the MAAC title last year and looks to repeat in 2022.

Over the past three seasons, the golf team has quietly been one of best teams the school has to offer. In the 2018-19 season, the Bobcats tied for second place in the MAAC tournament, the 2019-20 season was canceled due to the pandemic and in 2020-21 they came home victorious after beating out eight other schools, but had regionals canceled due to rain.

Not only did they defeat these schools, they demolished them. The school with the closest score was Albany, a whopping 18 strokes behind.

While there has been massive turnover for the team since 2018, the goal is no different for head coach John O’Connor: win the MAAC and make some noise in regionals.

BRENDAN SAMSON/CHRONICLE

Golf head coach John O’Connor goes pin hunting with a 7-iron on the team’s TrackMan 4 simulator.

O’Connor said not winning the conference would be a “huge disappointment,” especially considering where the Bobcats rank among other MAAC teams.

“The team is really good,” O’Connor said. “We’re in the national rankings that have 265 Division I teams, we’re over 20 spots better than the next team in our conference, which is Albany.”

In Golfweek’s national rankings, Quinnipiac, ranked 130, slotted in a mere .49 points above Albany at 150. O’Connor thinks that is far closer than it should be.

“The St. John’s event that finished our season last year, we beat Yale, we beat Seton Hall, we beat St. John’s, and Columbia,” O’Connor said. “Not all (are ranked ahead), St. John’s is not ranked ahead of us, but Yale right now is ranked 75 in the country and we beat them.”

While Albany is the stiffest competition in the MAAC, Quinnipiac will see a major change in strength of schedule outside of the conference. Last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team only played schools in Connecticut.

For 2022, the schedule is back to normal, and to kick it off, the team travels to Mill Springs, North Carolina to play in the Gardner Webb University Invitational. However, the pandemic will still impact the season as the team will have to bus to tournaments, in some scenarios upwards of 14 hours.

Not only will the team be busing to North and South Carolina, places that they used to fly, but O’Connor will have the privilege of manning the wheel for the trips.

Despite the long ride, junior Kaylee Sakoda is excited to travel because for her and many of the players, this will be their first opportunity to play out-of-state courses since 2019.

“Going somewhere besides just around here and out to those courses that we haven’t been to since freshman year,” Sakoda said. “Like Hilton Head. We’re really looking forward to just being somewhere else.”

Along with staying in state last season, Sakoda missed the first five fall tournaments in 2021 because of a wrist injury, only competing in the final tournament, the Saint John’s Invitational.

The injury came after Sakoda slept on her wrist the wrong way, which resulted in almost two months where she was unable to practice until slowly ramping up activity for the tournament.

“I was just practicing, half-shots, not even driver, and just chipping and putting a lot,” Sakoda said. “Then, going into the tournament, it was just kind of like, ‘I’ll play and then if my wrist hurts, then I can pull out. If not, just see how it goes.’

I didn’t really have any expectations for how I would play and then ended up playing well.”

“Well” is an understatement as Sakoda came out and shot a 69, equating to 2-under-par and tying her teammate, sophomore Amy Uchida, for the best score in the tournament. The two led Quinnipiac to a first-place tournament finish, beating

out second-place Albany once again, this time by 14 strokes.

Now with Sakoda back and at full strength, O’Connor views the roster as one the deepest in the NCAA. “Kaylee is solid. Amy Uchida is solid. Leeyen Peralta is solid. We’re solid from top to bottom,” O’Connor said. “Meg Yoshida is solid. Elysa Kim is solid. Pauline Zang is solid. In addition to girls that we won with last year. Darby Lillibridge, Elena Lopez is solid. Mia Grzywinski was Player of the Year in Connecticut and I mean, we can use her, but we’re a little bit better than she is now, we’re deep. It’s a good team.”

O’Connor called nine of these players solid but can only use five.

Among the reserves is junior Grzywinski, who despite winning Connecticut Professional Golfers’ Association Player of the Year twice in high school, serves as a depth player on the team.

Fortunately, depth is the key to success in team golf.

Each school has five players who compete for them, but only the bottom four scores are counted. That means that all five scores are equally important. It’s not enough for one player to shoot low, they all need to be able to post low scores.

One thing helping the Bobcats shoot low is the nifty new simulator room located in the corner of the Athletic and Recreation Center. During the winter months, the team has been using the simulator to stay tournament ready.

“We were here last year, we were able to practice,” Sakoda said. “It was very, very helpful, because we got to play in the hours that we normally couldn’t like after dark or when it was just too cold outside.”

The TrackMan 4 simulator allows for the players to play real courses all over the world, including Pebble Beach and even Hilton Head, the course the team will travel to on March 19 for the Low Country Intercollegiate tournament. While it is not as good as the courses themselves, it has technology that they cannot use out on the course.

“You have to be able to hit a fade if you need to, or hit a draw when you need to,” O’Connor said. “So, they have to get good at some of those shots. Fine-tuning their distances. So, if I went to one of them and said, ‘How far do you carry a 7-iron?’ Because of the simulator, they can tell me exactly what that number is.”

Thanks to the simulator and its aid in honing their skills, junior Leeyen Peralta is excited to get their season started and see where it takes them.

“I definitely say that we’re all looking forward to MAACs,” Peralta said. “And then because of our experience last year winning MAACs and going on to regionals – at least both of us (Peralta and Sakoda) – and then a big number of us are looking forward to getting to regionals and just see what happens there.”