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Volume 56, Issue 63 | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Outgoing executives express gratitude ‘The strength of your team is your strength’: Njomo, Bisner and Basden reflect on time in office

By BELLA LAUFENBERG Associate News Editor

Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story was publised online on April 4.

Allan Njomo and Matthew Bisner were elected in early 2021 to serve as Notre Dame’s student body president and vice president, respectively, for the 2021-2022 term. Along with Alix Basden, their chief of staff, the three said they started their term not really knowing what they had gotten themselves into. By the end, they said they gained an appreciation for their school and each other and have shared an incredible experience that they are immensely grateful for.

“The most immersive, intense lab you will ever be a part of” On April 1, 2021, Njomo, Bisner and Basden started their term.

They had a big win early on.

The University announced that MLK day would now be observed with a full day off for students, faculty and staff.

Basden explained a lot of the work surrounding the observance of MLK day had been done before the beginning of their term by 2020-2021 Johnson Family Hall senator Eliza Smith.

She said that Cassidy Ferrell, director of student empowerment, adopted the resolution when the Njomo-Bisner administration

Courtesy of Allan Njomo

see EXECUTIVES PAGE 3

Matthew Bisner, Alix Basden and Allan Njomo (from left) ended their respective terms as student body vice president, chief of staff and student body president on April 1 when the new administration took over.

Muslims observe Ramadan

Annual lecture addresses sexual abuse in Church

By EMMA DUFFY News Writer

Rev. Hans Zollner delivered this year’s annual Keeley Vatican Lecture Tuesday night at the Eck Visitor Center.

The annual lecture seeks to deepen “Notre Dame’s connection to the Holy See by bringing distinguished representatives from the Vatican to Notre Dame to explore

MAGGIE KLAERS | The Observer

By ISA SHEIKH Associate News Editor

On Friday night, t he beginning of t he mont h of Ramadan was announced based on t he sighting of t he new moon. Earlier in t he day, professor Ma han Mirza emphasized t he spiritua l importance of t he mont h in a sermon delivered during Friday prayers to Muslim members of t he Notre Dame communit y.

Ramadan, t he nint h

NEWS PAGE 3

mont h of t he Islamic lunar ca lendar, is marked by daily fasting from water and food.

The fasts last from sunrise to sunset, which means t hat for tri-campus students, t he f irst fast lasted approx imately 14 hours and 20 minutes. The fasting period w ill gradua lly increase to about 15 hours and 45 minutes at t he end of t he mont h.

Mirza, t he executive director of t he A nsari Institute see RAMADAN PAGE 4

VIEWPOINT PAGE 7

questions involving Notre Dame’s Catholic mission.”

The topic of his lecture was the sexual abuse of minors in the Catholic Church. Zollner is a German Jesuit Priest, a theologian and a licensed psychotherapist who focuses on the prevention and healing of childhood sexual abuse. He’s also a professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

Zollner argued that the problem of sexual abuse is prevalent in the Church, plaguing countries all around the globe.

“It is so very uncomfortable, but true, because we don’t realize how much of the trauma of victims of abuse is present in our minds,” Zollner said. see LECTURE PAGE 4

College alumnae detail their FBI experience

By ROSE ANDROWICH News Writer

The Saint Mar y’s College Sociolog y Club hosted graduates Isabella Speedon ’18 and Fav i Cruz ’19 Tuesday night to speak about their experience w ithin the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Speedon and Cruz offered students w ith sociolog y

SCENE PAGE 8

majors and minors tips on to pursue a career w ith the FBI. Speedon, who is part of the Bureau’s inter v iew council for San Diego, offered adv ice on what students should pay attention to.

“The biggest thing that I’ve noticed would be to pay attention to leadership and initiative because that’s

W LACROSSE PAGE 16

something I’ll admit our office really lacks right now,” she said.

The FBI pays attention to a variet y of other factors but students’ majors isn’t one of them, according to Speedon. Being a criminal justice major isn’t necessar y, but you have to have some background see FBI PAGE 4

SOFTBALL PAGE 16

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The Golden Dome shines against the gloomy gray skies. South Bend has seen clouds and experienced rainy weather this first week of April. As winter passes and summer lies ahead, the trees on campus remain bare and unpredictable temperatures are the norm.

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Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Traditional ballads on Tik-Tok Lecture 1050 Jenkins Nanovic Halls 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Open to the public.

PSY CHI Stress Balls Kushwa-Leighton Library Sidewalk 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Grab a ball and destress.

Raise Your Voice: Student Research on Sexual Violence 123 Regina Hall 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

All are welcome.

ND LGBTQ+ Alumni Panel McKenna Hall Room 205 noon - 2 p.m.

Lunch provided.

Symphonic Band and Winds DeBartolo Performing Arts Center 3 p.m.

Free but ticketed.

Raise Your Voice: Start by Believing Day Rice Commons 5 p.m. - 6 p.m.

All are welcome.

FLTA Showcase 202 LaFortune 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Come meet our Fulbright Language Teaching Assistants.

Popcorn History: “Red Dawn” and Discussion Driscoll Auditorium 6:30 p.m - 9:30 p.m.

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Quiz Bowl Intramural Tournament LaFortune Student Center noon - 4 p.m.

Teams of 3-5 people.

Sneak Peek: “Father Stu” (2022) DeBartolo Performing Arts Center 7 p.m.

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3

Former Ukrainian journalist evaluates media

By RYAN PETERS Notre Dame News Editor

Editor’s Note: This article is part three of a series called “Ukrainian voices on campus” detailing the stories and perspectives of Ukrainian and Ukrainian American tri-campus community members. The first two installments of the series can be read online.

Ukrainian graduate student Anna Romandash knew for months that Russia posed a threat to Ukraine. However, she never expected a full-scale invasion.

“This is a movie about you,” she said of watching Russia invade her native Ukraine.

Romandash grew up in the Lviv region in western Ukraine before attending Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU). After college, she became a journalist, collaborating with media outlets such as Radio Free Europe and at one point was a fellow with CNN. Romandash freelanced throughout Europe, primarily working on topics such as human rights violations and liberation movements.

Executives Continued from page 1

took over.

The Senate passed a resolution calling for the full observance of MLK day in late March 2021 at the end of the Ingal-Galbenski term. The resolution was passed to the faculty senate and subsequently tabled until the fall semester. However, when the senate reconvened in the fall, the decision had already been made by the academic council, which Njomo serves on.

The Njomo-Bisner administration also worked to make University sexual health resources more clear to students. The team worked with University Health Services (UHS) staff and University graphic designers to make posters that show students the sexual health resources UHS offers.

The posters were distributed to rectors to post in the dorms.

The team also made tremendous gains in University affordability, working with programs such as the Office of Student Enrichment (OSE) and the Transformational Leaders Program. They worked with the assistant provost for academic advising to make tutoring more accessible.

They also collaborated with administrators about the opening of the new Center for Diversity and Inclusion. The center will be located on the second floor of LaFortune Student Center and will combine the Multicultural Student Programs and Services (MSPS), OSE and the Gender Relations Center (GRC).

After about seven years as a journalist, she enrolled in the Master of Global Affairs (MGA) program at the Keough School of Global Affairs.

With her family in Ukraine while she completes an internship in the U.S. as part of her studies, the distance between her and the war has led to a sense of powerlessness, Romandash said.

“It’s very difficult to comprehend this. It’s very difficult to function knowing this,” Romandash said, referencing the alleged massacre in Bucha, Ukraine.

At the same time, Romandash has felt more connected to Ukraine since the war broke out. She said it has been harder to connect with people who are not Ukrainian because a lot of people fail to completely understand the suffering Ukrainians are experiencing right now.

Romandash criticized Western media’s coverage of the war. She said outlets should stop referring to the war as “Putin’s war.”

“It’s not Putin’s war against Ukraine. There are more than

100,000 Russians fighting in Ukraine. They are not Putin.

They are Russian individuals who are committing atrocities,” she said. “Putin, of course, is the leader, but he would not be able to wage the war if he didn’t have significant support within the army and within the society in Russia.”

Along with the narrative of “Putin’s war,” she added that Russian citizens should not be viewed as victims. She said she has heard the narrative that Russians are victims of the sanctions imposed by the U.S. and Europe and called it “dangerous.”

“We know that more than 80% of Russians support Putin and support the war. They do suffer from the sanctions imposed by the US and by Europe, but they’re certainly not victims of the war because there are no missiles falling on their houses and there are no massacres happening in Russia and there’s no war there,” Romandash said.

“And it’s very dangerous how a lot of Western media keep victimizing Russians and they say, ‘Well, you know, poor Russians

cannot afford sugar now.’ Well, those Russians, if they’re so unhappy with sugar prices, they should take to the street, and they should demand the war to be stopped. But you don’t see that happening,” she added.

As Ukraine experiences the largest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II, Romandash said she would like to see more media coverage of the over 6 million internally displaced people within the country. Instead, she said, she has seen the majority of coverage dedicated to the European countries receiving refugees.

“So there are at least 6 million Ukrainians inside Ukraine who are internally displaced and Ukraine alone has to deal with that situation,” she said.

“It’s much more difficult because Ukraine as a country has super limited resources.”

Romandash said the current Russian-Ukrainian war is a continuation of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine in 2014.

During the 2014 war, most of the correspondents covering the war were based in Moscow, leading to Russian-centric

coverage. Trying to balance opinions when one side is lying, she said, distorts the coverage.

“Everything was done through the Russian perspective. ‘This is what Russia says and this is what other governments are saying to that.’ This is really wrong,” she explained.

“As a journalist, you want to have this two-sides [narrative] of the story, but one side is lying and one side is committing war crimes. This is not the balance of opinions that you’re presenting to your readers.”

One positive aspect of Western media’s coverage of the war that Romandash recognized is the amount of attention it has received. Since the war broke out, she said she has pushed professors and classmates to support Ukraine through humanitarian aid. As an influential Catholic institution, Notre Dame has the ability to provide lots of support for Ukraine, she said.

“We do need prayers,” she said, “but we also need humanitarian aid.”

The administration was similarly focused on the implementation of Callisto across the tri-campus community.

Basden explained that Callisto’s model is based on the statistic that most people who sexually assault victims are repeat offenders. Students from all three colleges can report incidences of sexual assault and, if the offender’s unique identifier (such as their NetID) has been entered before, the victim student gains access to 10 hours of free legal counsel.

“It’s a service for survivors, and it is a service that hopefully attempts to eliminate the phenomenon of repeated sexual assault instances on campuses by the same person,” Basden explained.

Other accomplishments that occurred during the NjomoBisner administration were the founding of the interfaith council and the push to divest from fossil fuels.

The interfaith council, Njomo said, is a council of many major religious groups on campus including the Muslim Student Association, the Jewish Club and the Ansari Institute. “[The interfaith council] creates a space for dialogue about how we address and collaborate on different issues of faith that we see on campus,” Njomo explained.

The divestment of fossil fuels by the University was a push that came from the student senate. Njomo said that the project was headed by the social concerns director Aidan Creeron and sustainability director Avery Broughton. The groups came together to pass a resolution in the

senate and organize marches.

Bisner noted that their work with the divestment push was mostly reactionary following the University’s commitment to become carbon neutral by 2050, which was in line with the Laudato Si’ action platform.

weekend of April, hadn’t been done since COVID-19 shut down the University in spring 2020.

They credited Mary Elizabeth Stern and Erica Maggelet with having done a huge amount of work to pull together the event.

Njomo expressed his pride in the entire team of people they worked with, including the senate and executive cabinet.

“I’m just proud of how everyone came together and worked diligently on what they were passionate about,” he said. “It’s one thing to have members in a team and it’s another to have those people fully devoted to their work and be able to tangibly track progress along those lines.”

else they’d like to add, the team, breaking down in tears, expressed their extreme gratitude to each other for the time they spent together and all that they accomplished.

“I just want to continue expressing my gratitude for Matty and Alix. They carried me through this entire thing,” Njomo said. “Reflecting on our time, there’s no way I do this without them.”

Bisner joked about the fateful conversation that started their entire journey.

“Allan, I had a crazy idea, and I sat you down for lunch well over a year ago. I said, ‘Do you want to be president?’ and I thank God every day you said yes,” he said.

Basden reflected on how the three became like a family over the year they shared together.

“At the end of the day of the end of your time in college, it’s about where that time went, and so much of it went to these two goofballs. I’m just so happy, it’s been a privilege,” she said.

She also noted how grateful she was for the passion her team exuded.

“The strength of your team is your strength. Not only are Allan and Matty my biceps, my quads, my delts ... but also the whole team, the cabinet, everyone who was on their departments, the senate,” she said. “What you find is the strongest possible network of students who are passionate, who are involved and who are motivated, and that for me, it’s better than going to class.”

Proudest moments The team said they were especially proud of the Pridefest celebration that student government put on near the end of their term March 24 - 26.

Pridefest, Njomo explained, was meant to create a space for the celebration of LGBTQ+ students on campus.

The focus was on celebrations and promoting happiness, Basden said, because a lot of the events surrounding LGBTQ+ students have negative undertones.

“The three pillars of Pridefest were education, celebration and healing,” she said. “We really envisioned something that wasn’t all about difficulty and wasn’t all about hardship.”

Basden, who is the sister of a wheelchair user, said her proudest accomplishment is the conversation the team facilitated surrounding accessibility.

“We worked with the University architects to open up a lot of conversations about potential accessibility improvements in the halls,” she explained. “The fact that we got to choose to pursue it in this way is really meaningful to me.”

Bisner said the project he was most proud of was re-assembling Back the Bend, a full-day service project that hundreds of students take part in. Back the Bend, which took place the first

Moving forward The three will head out on very different paths when their time at the University concludes in a few weeks.

Basden will be a legal analyst at Goldman Sachs, an investment banking company. Bisner will be heading back to Mississippi to take a gap year before hopefully heading to law school. Njomo will be working as a consultant in the healthcare sector.

They all explained that there are numerous lessons they will take with them into their respective careers.

“I think what Notre Dame has taught me is patience,” Bisner said. “Patience either to keep moving along with these multiyear projects or patience to deal with stuff as it comes up.”

Bisner said he agreed with how one of his mentors had described the entire experience as an “immersive lab.”

When asked if there’s anything

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4

NEWS

The observer | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Ramadan Continued from page 1

for Global Engagement with Religion and a professor in the Keough School of Global Affairs, says that the fasting for Ramadan is a central element of the Muslim faith.

The observance of Ramadan “is one of the five pillars of Islam,” Mirza said, Ramadan is “a spiritual reboot or a spiritual bootcamp.”

Mirza explained that for Muslims, the fasting and other acts of devotion — including voluntary nighttime prayers and additional focus on reading the Qur’an — are meant to increase followers’ consciousness of God. “[Fasting] can be taxing for those who want to eat, especially if they like to snack or get their coffee, so you have to abstain from all of that. And the idea is to be mindful of God and to generate an inner capacity of self-restraint, for the sake of God,” he explained.

“That’s something that should guide you throughout your life,

FBI Continued from page 1

in law enforcement, she said.

Cruz said that in her experience, she has met a lot of people with different educational backgrounds. Her friends are all different types of leaders, and she said she’s always so fascinated because they teach her things.

Cruz’s favorite part about working with the FBI is the excitement because it is challenging. In her previous jobs, she never had that much challenge

the rest of the year, but people drift, and so every year Ramadan kind of pulls you back.”

Mirza said around the world, Muslims participate in Ramadan as a communal activity.

“If you’re in the Muslim world, you experience that with the whole community, the whole society participates in a different rhythm,” Mirza said.

On campus, however, Muslims are a small minority and experience a different environment while fasting away from home.

First-year Abulrahman Atassi, who resides in Keenan Hall and studies chemical engineering, recalled his childhood in Dubai observing the month along with his family.

“It was great. In the morning, your mom comes to wake you up, and then you eat something and perform the morning prayer,” he said.

Atassi said that while he’s enjoyed his first Ramadan on campus, it’s difficult to balance the spiritual devotion that the month brings

with his rigorous schedule. At home, he said, things such as congregating for prayer and the recitation of the Qur’an are ubiquitous. He also says the month coinciding with Lent has provided connections to the Catholic identity of the University.

“You’ll find that there are definitely some similarities with Lent. Both are fasting and, you know, trying to develop discipline and consciousness,” Atassi said.

Along with being a practicing Muslim, Atassi is also the vice president of the Muslim Student Association (MSA).

The MSA worked with Campus Dining in order to ensure Muslim students were receiving sufficient meals.

Each day, Atassi explained that students have the option to grab meal boxes for dinner, prepared with halal meat and poultry, and brown bags for the pre-dawn breakfast, called ‘suhoor.’ This is especially necessary on the weekends, when the dining halls close more than an hour before the sun sets.

“They’ve offered us a great menu. They’ve made a variety of different dishes,” Atassi said.

“They’ve put dates and water in the bag, which are things that you usually break your fast with. They’ve just been very accommodating and welcoming to students.”

The MSA has also organized nightly ‘tarawih’ prayers, which are a special set of prayers offered by Muslims during Ramadan. They’ve been held in various locations, including the multi-faith prayer room in the Coleman-Morse Center and Keenan Hall’s basement.

Mirza spoke to the benefits of having prayer spaces on campus.

“The administration has been very receptive and hospitable, just the existence of at least two prayer rooms on campus that have ablution facilities Muslims need to perform a ritual ablution before the [five daily] ritual prayers, and most of us have a very hard time doing that in other institutions, where you might have to use public

sinks,” he said.

On campus, Muslims have access to prayer rooms in Jenkins Hall, Coleman-Morse Center and the Law Library.

Mirza stressed that members of the community should do their best to accommodate fasting students, while they try to balance limited sleep and the lack of nourishment throughout the day.

“The best thing is to be aware that this is happening. If there’s a teacher, they can maybe work with the student to think of exam times or, when something is due, show a little bit of flexibility,” he said.

Atassi said Muslim students are more than happy to share their experiences with others.

“Everyone is open to being asked questions. So if you have any questions, stop any Muslim and ask them, and they’ll be more than happy to answer,” he said.

for being there.

“For me since I do teach a lot of folks I would say the teaching aspect is what’s really entertaining for me and is most enjoyable.

I try to incorporate hands-on learning because that’s the only way I think you’re really going to be able to understand some of these systems.

And so thankfully with my field of work, we have a lot of test environments. So, the fun part is the little things that I find enjoyment in, and I always like

to create fake warrants or fake case files. So, I’m constantly adding, you know, superheroes or TV characters, just to make it a little bit more fun but ultimately teaching folks and then watching [others] accomplish their goals,” she said.

Speedon and Cruz offered advice to current Saint Mary’s students about the importance of reaching out to alumnae of the college.

“I would say reach out to your alumni. I mean, Favi

and I are here for a reason. It’s because we love helping other Belles,” Speedon said.

“The Sisterhood is a real thing.

Every time I come across a Saint Mary’s sticker, there’s like a little skip in my heart because it just kind of takes you back all the way to the sisterhood that I miss so much. And so, I try in any instance to help somebody from Saint Mary’s,” Speedon continued. “That goes not only for the Bureau, for any career, we’re resources to you. So don’t

ever be afraid or ashamed to use your resources. “ Cruz also offered support to students, saying “I’m always here. I am here every other week.

But we’re here to help. I love seeing other people succeed. And I know that’s where like sometimes where I do I enjoy it. When I see friends doing better, I’m like overly excited.”

Lecture

the institution, like the v ictims themselves.

These sincere human reactions make it that much more important to speak correctly about the matter, Zollner said.

Zollner argued that like w ith many scandals, misconceptions surround the Church sexual abuse crisis. He said that, for one, celibacy is not to blame for the abuse.

“There is no proof that celibacy, as such, leads to abusive behav ior.

Other components around it, yes, may contribute, but not much”, Zollner said.

Zollner also pushed back on the idea that the problem lies w ith homosexual priests.

“Again, sexualit y as such does not lead to abuse.

Other components may contribute to that, but not sexualit y in itself,” Zollner said.

Zollner also addressed those who instinctively deny claims of sexual abuse.

W henever sexual abuse is brought up,

not even just in the context of the Church, there are people that claim that the majorit y of these are false allegations. Zollner sought to clear this up.

“I asked the head of the disciplinar y sanction, foundation for doctrine.

Some time back I asked him, John, tell me how many false allegations come to your desk and he has seen it from 2002 onwards,” Zollner said. “And he replied, literally, ver y ver y few.”

Zollner discussed how people look upon the Church for comfort. Priests set themselves apart from societ y, Zollner said, but lately, they have let people dow n.

“You stand for a church that proclaims the gospel of salvation and not of suffering,” Zollner said. “W hen we celebrate the liturg y, we proclaim something different and people expect that we behave accordingly.”

Because of the attention

the issue has garnered, attempts have been made to remedy the problem. There have been new guidelines regarding safeguarding and new laws that have sought to address the crisis. Zollner heralded these recent movements are accomplishments, but he said they are not enough.

He called on the Church to change not just its laws, but its attitudes.

“Relatively much has happened over the last years in the Church. But that is not sufficient,” Zollner said. “It needs also a change of attitude.”

“You need to ow n it ourselves,” Zollner said “Each and ever y one of us in this room and online should consider for a moment, now or later this evening, what can you do, what can I do, so that we can be a safer place, a safer societ y and a safer church.”

Continued from page 1

Please recycle The Observer.

Many people w ithin and outside of the Church are aware of the problem, Zollner said, but he feels that the awareness has not prompted enough action.

“Ow n the topic, not only as an intellectual exercise, not only as gaining some more insight into some aspect of something you put w ith your tribe,” Zollner said. “We cannot continue just listening over and over again to the same words, we need to ow n it and act upon it.”

“That includes that we become aware of our ow n reactions, the human ones, the administrative ones and the spiritual,” he said.

Zollner said that the v ictims of these accounts are harmed in extremely detrimental ways.

He mentioned that other Catholics also face disgust and struggle w ith faith in

Contact Isa Sheikh at isheikh@nd.edu

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News

ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022 | The Observer

5

How student groups function at Notre Dame

By ALYSA GUFFEY and BELLA LAUFENBERG Editor-In-Chief, Associate News Editor

Editor’s Note: This is the first story in a series examining how student groups run as part of the larger Notre Dame community.

32 residence halls.

354 clubs.

20 student organizations.

Many students have found a home w ithin the variet y of student groups that thrive under the dome, but few understand how the Universit y structures the multitude of clubs and organizations it houses. To make the process clearer, The Obser ver interv iewed student leaders and administrators from across campus.

The beginnings A ll student groups on campus must go through an approval process to be officially recognized. This process involves first submitting an application and then awaiting a decision.

The application periods for prospective clubs are in the spring and the fall.

Interim Director of the Student Activ ities Office (SAO) Maureen Doyle explained that the approval process for clubs must first go through SAO before the Club Coordination Council (CCC) looks at the proposal.

She said SAO deals w ith logistical details such as risk management and copy right issues.

“SAO decides whether the club could be established, and then CCC decides whether it should be established,” Doyle said.

Therefore, the CCC has the final say on all club approvals, CCC president and senior Maddie Tupy said.

The CCC is a student organization that is responsible for the allocation of funding for clubs. According to their website, the organization also represents clubs in the Student Union, increases awareness of club issues on campus and supports clubs as they network, fundraise and consult. “[The CCC] represents issues of clubs to the rest of the Student Union,” Tupy said. “I’m a member of the senate. My goal is to vote on things that I think would positively impact clubs on campus. And we also have an Instagram account where we tr y to promote club progress.”

Tupy said ever y club must align w ith the Catholic mission of Notre Dame and all du Lac policies. If it does not, it w ill not be approved as an official club.

Other reasons clubs may

not be approved include a lack of interest in the club and a low chance of sustainabilit y, Tupy said.

Classification Differences On the SAO website, there are four distinct classifications for student groups: CCC, organization, residence hall and graduate.

Doyle explained that many organizations are outlined in the Student Union Constitution — such as the class councils.

“Our student org[anization]s are larger, more ingrained organizations than student groups on campus so there’s less ebb and f low w ith an organization than there is w ith a club,” she said.

There are 20 groups classified specifically as student organizations: Bookstore Basketball Commission, each year’s Class Council, Club Coordination Council, Debate Team, Diversit y Council of Notre Dame (DCND), Executive Cabinet (Student Government), Financial Management Board, FUEL (First Undergraduate Experience in Leadership), Hall Presidents Council, Irish Gardens, Judicial Council, Junior Parents Weekend, OffCampus Council, PrismND, Senate, Student Union Board (SUB) and The Shirt Project.

The classification of a group as a club or student organization means the group has different routes to receiv ing funding, assigning an adv isor and planning events.

Allocating funding A ll groups classified as clubs secure funding under the CCC. Tupy said a minimum of 40% of the Student Union budget goes toward funding.

Each club fills out a budget that requests a certain amount of funds for the events and programs they plan to hold throughout the year. She said only about 15% of the funding that clubs request gets fulfilled in the allocation process.

“I do get a lot of frustration sometimes w ith clubs just not understanding why they got the money they did in our process, and the way we have to allocate money to clubs is just so complicated that sometimes it’s just hard to explain it,” Tupy said.

Meanwhile, student organizations do not receive funding from the CCC budget but rather from the Financial Management Board, Tupy said.

Two specific student organizations, Irish Gardens and

The Shirt Project, are revenue-generating projects but are still classified as organizations, Doyle said.

An additional source of funding for both clubs and student organizations is through universit y offices and departments. Assistant Director of the Gender Relations Center (GRC) John Johnstin said his office sets aside funds to help co-sponsor clubs and events that “obv iously relate to the mission of the GRC.” The GRC encourages healthy dialogue on relationships, gender and sexualit y, according to its website.

Johnstin said the GRC both heeds requests from student groups and seeks out sponsorships for events.

He said the office is f lex ible w ith how it supports student groups.

“Sometimes it’s helping them develop and sometimes it’s just kind of assisting them w ith financial support,” Johnstin said. “But it’s always looking to see how we can support, and it looks different in a number of different ways, [depending] what the club or organization is specifically looking for.”

Another office in the Div ision of Student A ffairs, Multicultural Student Programs and Ser v ices (MSPS), supports students of color and creates opportunities to celebrate the richness of hav ing a diverse student population, director Arnel Bulaoro said in an email.

Support from MSPS comes in a variet y of forms, Bulaoro said, w ith the most popular being financial support, adv ice and advertisement.

“W hen the office is inv ited by student groups or campus partners to collaborate on an event or initiative, we prioritize these inv itations by asking how it supports our students of color and how it impacts the [diversit y, equit y and inclusion] work of the Universit y,” he said v ia email.

Across the board, student groups also have the abilit y to raise money through fundraising events — the largest being the annual Notre Dame Day.

Assigning advisors Clubs and organizations differ significantly in how adv isors are chosen. In clubs, students can choose their adv isor, while in organizations, the adv isor is chosen for them by SAO. Part of Doyle’s role as director of SAO is assigning adv isors, who she says largely help w ith logistical operations, not the content of the group’s efforts

Sophomore Dane Sherman, co-historian of the student organization PrismND, described it as one of the “weird things” about being classified as a student organization.

“Students are consulted in those decisions, but we’re not allowed to choose that person. We are given some pur v iew or some choice over it but not a huge amount,” Sherman explained.

Doyle, who ser ves as an adv isor to the executive branch of student government, said the facult y adv isors are supporters, not leaders of the groups.

“Our philosophy on [being adv isors] is to walk the path w ith our students and not do it for them,” she said.

Planning events In order for a club to host a speaker, hold a forum or have any event, they must fill out a form and gain approval from SAO. Doyle explained that the most important consideration for allow ing a club to hold a programming event is to determine if the event aligns w ith the club’s mission statement.

“If an event aligns w ith the mission, great, then absolutely. If it doesn’t, then what is the reason for that group to be sponsoring something, coordinating something that is outside of the mission of their organization or their club? ” Doyle said.

For example, PrismND’s mission statement calls for it to be a “peer-to-peer interaction-based student organization/gay-straight alliance, where LGBTQ students and A llies can work together to ‘create a sense of human solidarit y and concern for the

common good’ as outlined in Notre Dame’s mission statement,” according to the club’s bylaws.

Sherman explained that this can limit PrismND in some aspects such as pushing policy initiatives or staging demonstrations.

Senior Matheo Vidal, co-president of College Democrats, said there are a few limitations to what events the club is allowed to hold.

“There’s a rule in the CCC guidelines somewhere that we are in accord w ith all of the Universit y’s positions on various issues regarding the Catholic faith,” Vidal said.

Vidal noted that reproductive rights is the main area the club steers away from — including hosting speakers or alumni that work in that area of politics. Vidal said the club does this “in an effort to continue to operate.”

Junior Chessley Black lock, incoming president of FeministND (FemND), expressed a similar v iew.

She said the club prioritizes keeping their space on campus.

“We as feminists and as a feminist club want to address those specific elements of [feminism] not all of which the Catholic Church approves of in any manner,” she said. “W hether or not that is something we similarly disagree w ith or opposingly agree w ith, that’s not a statement we get to make, and we do that in the interest of preser v ing our club status.”

Contact Alysa Guffey and Bella Laufenberg at aguffey@nd.edu and ilaufenb@nd.edu

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The observer | Wednesday, April 6, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Love and attention

Inside Column

Write more notes Maggie Klaers Graphics Editor

Even the smallest of actions can brighten someone’s day or even change their life.

During this time of the semester, while we all get swept up in our overf low ing Google calendars, pack our weekends full of future memories and just tr y to get through the day on three hours of sleep, it becomes so easy to forget that the little things we do can impact others greatly.

In high school, I got involved w ith a group of high school clubs know n as Letters of Love.

These clubs organized meetings for high school students to get together and make cards for hospitalized or seriously-ill kids.

Grace Berbig started the first ever Letters of Love club back in 2018. W hen Grace was ten, her mom tragically lost her battle w ith cancer. Out of this tragedy sprang the inspiration for Letters of Love and a determination to bring more kindness into the world.

W hile her mom was hospitalized, Grace and her sisters would bring handmade cards to decorate the drear y walls of their mom’s room. These small acts of kindness ser ved as a reminder that while they weren’t always in the room w ith her, that they were always lov ing and rooting for her.

Now, only a few years after Grace started the first club, Letters of Love has become an official 501(c)(3) w ith 25 clubs and over 1,000 total members. To date, we have donated over 60,000 cards to our little heroes.

One of the things that makes me so proud to be a part of Letters of Love is the stories we hear from some families who have received these cards. Isak Hedeen was involved in a terrible accident that left him immobilized and recovering alone in a hospital room while v isitors were restricted as a COV ID precaution.

Letters of Love led a campaign to collect cards for him. In total, we were able to gather over 200 cards. Isak said that he was feeling incredibly alone and these cards prov ided a reminder of the support he had from his communit y.

We frequently get messages from other families sharing similar stories, say ing how some small letters from strangers were enough of a push to keep fighting amidst great pain and hardship.

It’s a humbling reminder that we all have the power to make a difference in each other’s lives.

The moral of the stor y is that you truly can never know what your actions mean to others. If you w rite a card to a stranger, smile at that girl dow n the hall you don’t know that well or go out of your way to walk w ith someone, you just might make their day.

If you feel so inspired — or simply don’t want to do your calculus homework tonight — consider grabbing a piece of paper and some markers and making a card. You can send your cards to Letters of Love, PO Box 354, Long Lake, MN 55356. You might not know the kid who w ill get it, or exactly what they’re going through, but you can be sure it w ill mean a whole lot to them to know you’re in their corner.

Today I challenge you to w rite a note to a friend, text your mom or find some other way to let someone around you know how much they mean to you. It’s on all of us to create a kinder world, one card, one smile, one hello at a time.

You can contact Maggie at mklaers4@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Ellie Konfrst Butterfly Effects

I’m not ver y good at settling on a favorite any thing, but when people ask me what my favorite mov ie is, I usually tell them 2017’s “Lady Bird.” It’s a prett y basic answer for a twent ysomething white woman, but I tell anyone who w ill listen that my favorite artist is Taylor Sw ift, so it’s not like I’m tr ying that hard to build my indie cred. If you haven’t seen “Lady Bird,” I’ll give you the briefest of synopses. Lady Bird is a senior at a high school in Sacramento, and the film depicts her relationship w ith her mother, the trials and tribulations of young love, and, more than any thing, her desperate desire to leave Sacramento.

I saw “Lady Bird” in an independent theater in my hometow n w ith my mom in the fall of my senior year of high school, and the film burrowed somewhere deep inside of me. I could w rite 1,000 words about how much I love “Lady Bird,” but instead I want to talk about a line from the mov ie that I’ve found myself considering more these days.

Near the end of the mov ie, Lady Bird meets w ith a teacher to discuss her college essay who tells her that it’s clear from the essay how much she loves Sacramento, much to Lady Bird’s surprise. Her teacher tells her that she w rites about Sacramento w ith a lot of affection and care, to which she responds that she pays attention. Her teacher replies, “Don’t you think maybe they are the same thing? Love and attention? ” As graduation approaches, I’ve found myself w restling w ith conf licting feelings - excitement and anx iet y about the future, nostalgia and ex haustion w ith college. I’ve always felt a bit like I wasn’t quite enjoying college enough.

I’ve struggled w ith the volatilit y of blossoming friendships, feelings of constant stress and competition and a homesickness that never quite seemed to dissipate. So I’ve been tr ying to figure out where that leaves me as we near the end: Am I relieved? Sad? Will I miss it? Did I love it here?

Nothing is ever black and white, of course.

I w ill miss it and I w ill be relieved to get out - both of those things can be true. But I’ve been thinking about Lady Bird’s essay on Sacramento as I think about leav ing South Bend behind, and while I’m not certain that I’ve loved it here, I am certain that I’ve paid attention.

I remember so v iv idly the heat billow ing through Ryan Hall when I first moved in and hating the Welcome Weekend t-shirts they gave us. I can still hear the booming of thousands of feet running through Notre Dame Stadium when the football team beat Michigan at my first home game, and I remember feeling at home, finally, at the North Quad vs. South Quad snowball fight after the first snow. I remember how homesick I felt when I came back from w inter break and how when I was lonely I’d buy more posters online, filling up my walls w ith reminders of who I am. The first warm day of spring has felt the same ever since that year when I walked across campus w ithout a

coat as my friend borrowed her sister’s car for us to see Les Mis dow ntow n.

Sophomore year, things were no longer new, but I noticed just as much. I’ll always remember my roommate and me talking from our beds even after we turned the lights out, and how another friend always had her dorm room w indow open. I ran from meeting to meeting, filling my days w ith events and responsibilities and people. I remember the taste of the Starbucks Iced Blueberr y Black Tea (which they have tragically discontinued) that I drank nonstop that year, and the feel of the card that a new friend gave me at the end of the semester. W hen I left for D.C. I remember feeling lonelier and smaller than ever in that cit y, working long days and walking 20 minutes w ith my groceries.

My junior year was a blur, filled mostly w ith masked walks to class and “Tw ilight” marathons w ith my new roommates in my new apartment. I remember missing my friends a lot and suffering through dining hall meals in the freezing, socially-distanced tent just so I could see them. I had an 8 a.m. that I dreaded each morning but became my favorite class I ever took at Notre Dame, and some days I even enjoyed how the morning light quietly spread through campus. I spent lots of nights fending off the mental pain I was going through, and remember how freeing it felt the first time I got to spend a night w ith my friends again. I almost felt reborn at the end of that year, excited to enjoy my senior year w ith people I knew I loved.

And, I have loved my senior year a lot. I’ve noticed how the house always smells like coffee, even at 9 p.m. and how I’m able to see the lights shine under the doors to ever yone’s rooms when they’re home. I love how my world feels contained again, w ith ever yone I love here w ithin reach. I’ve noticed, perhaps more intensely than other years, the length of the cold, dark South Bend w inter and the way that the shortest days of the year drag on. I love how it feels to come home after a night out, drink water and eat mozzarella sticks w ith my best friends, even if we’re all some different level of angr y w ith each other. I hope I’ll always remember what my life looks like here - settled and comfortable, but still un-permanent.

I feel nostalgic and warm-hearted ref lecting back on all of this, but many of my hardest moments still feel fresh. And maybe I haven’t loved ever y second, but I do feel like I’ve really lived here.

And don’t you think maybe they’re the same thing?

Ellie Konfrst is a senior studying political science with a minor in the Hesburgh Program for Public Service. Originally from Des Moines, Iowa, she’s excited people will once again be forced to listen to her extremely good takes. You can find her off campus trying to decide whether or not she’ll go to law school or bragging that Taylor Swift follows her on Tumblr.

She can be reached at egloverk@nd.edu or @elliekonfrst13 on Twitter.

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Interested in Viewpoint?

Contact us at viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com

The observer | Wednesday, April 6, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

7

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

The dining hall dilemma It a ll seemed to start w ith the trays being repurposed to carr y food waste on the conveyer belt. The steady, rapid decline of the dining ha lls. It’s a lmost sy mbolic, isn’t it? We didn’t just lose trays, an item that allowed for more food options to be brought to the table, we lost the options entirely. As a junior, I have eaten si x semesters worth of food from the dining halls.

I could understand the lack of options and the dip in qua lit y due to the COV ID era last year.

But this year is simply unacceptable. I refuse to continue to a llow for rubber chicken and reheated frozen beef strips to dominate the Domer diet. I want to ca ll attention to how things have changed and suggest solutions the Universit y should ta ke to improve the qualit y of food in the dining halls.

My complaints about the dining hall really began when I noticed the lack of beef early last semester. We have truly lacked any substantia l beef option ever y week. It seems most meals centered around beef simply consist of reheated frozen beef strips covered in some sauce and rebranded week ly. Think beef bulgogi, “Bra zilian stea k,” or even the beef in the quesadillas. Without fail, another beef meal

featuring the leftover beef strips pops up a night or t wo later. Noticing this opened my eyes to the other shortcomings of the dining halls. The apples are washed intermittently. The peanut butter and Nutella change consistency nearly daily; it could be so soupy you need a ladle to ser ve or be prepackaged. Did you know the soy sauce does not contain soy as an ingredient?

W hy do we run out of blue Powerade and Hi-C biweek ly? Remember when we had a different t y pe of French fr y ever y day? I could truly go on for pages, but you get the gist.

Here’s the thing. If we were not relegated to the dining halls, these grievances would be invalid.

But we don’t have any other option. To claim we can eat at an on-campus restaurant is not tenable when we have a limited budget to spend as part of our meal plan. Keep in mind, we pay over $3,400 for that meal plan — that’s what an offcampus senior would pay for a block-230 plan w ithout f lex points. I really can’t say one meal at South Dining Hall is worth $14.78, yet I’m forced to spend the cost of my state’s in-state tuition price to eat there for a semester. At the ver y least, it’s enough to pay for things like all-beef burgers, not beef-mushroom substitutes.

It is no secret Notre Dame is short-staffed across campus, but it is most ev ident in dining ser v ices. The stir fr y stations have sat dormant for months. Entire stations remain unmanned.

Ice cream machines are broken more often than McDona ld’s due to a lack of maintenance workers. We need more workers, plain and simple, and we can start by offering a more competitive wage to our employees. Notre Dame Campus Dining currently has an opening for a full-time Demi Sous Chef, pay ing $19-21.50 an hour.

According to Sa lar y.com, that’s w ithin the bottom 25th percentile. We can certainly do better, especia lly considering that Notre Dame netted nearly seven billion dollars w ith the endow ment last year a lone.

I’m not sure who it is that can ma ke the changes we so desperately need and deser ve, but if you happen to be reading this, k now the student body is unhappy. Please ma ke changes to encourage fresher food, more options and better pay for employees.

Jack Davies junior March 23

You don’t know what you don’t know Patrick Condon BridgeND

I am not sure how it came up, but late last Friday night, my friend and I got into a heated discussion about the complex geopolitical issue of Israel and Palestine. Now, believe me, I w ill not tr y to tack le that issue in this article. I am by no means informed enough to come up w ith a solution (and if I were, someone a lot smarter than me would have come up w ith it a long time ago). But that is the point of this article. After I slept on it, I realized that I should have had that self-awareness the night before. There was no point in hav ing that discussion; we were both set in our opinions. In realit y, neither of us had the requisite knowledge to make a coherent argument, let alone conv ince the other of what we were thinking. As I ref lected on the interaction, I was reminded of something I had forgotten: it is v ital to recognize that you don’t know ever ything and admit to yourself that this is the case.

There are two main reasons why I think this t y pe of self-awareness is v ital. First, it gives you credibilit y. If you are someone who w ill fight to the death over ever y triv ial issue, people w ill be less inclined to believe what you have to say.

Instead, others w ill think you want to sound smart or cannot admit when you lose an argument. I have a friend like this, let’s call him John.

And although I love John to death, I can sometimes find myself avoiding confrontation w ith him. This is because when it comes to John, I sometimes know there is no point in discussing the issue, whether it be something personal like

Notre Dame’s quarterback competition (John is a big Tyler Buchner fan) or something serious like Israel and Palestine. Instead, if someone can admit when they don’t know something or were w rong, other people w ill take what they have to say more seriously and w ill be more w illing to engage w ith them. Again, this is because others w ill understand that when they say something, they mean it and believe they have the credibilit y to share it.

Second, admitting that you don’t know ever ything allows you to stay open to new ideas. If someone is always busy tr y ing to come up w ith how they plan to counter someone else’s point and defend their ow n argument, it means that they are not truly listening to what the other person has to say. They are depriv ing themself of the chance to hear and consider someone else’s insight. Instead, they should be w illing to consider what other people have to say. That way, they may actually learn something or at least further clarif y what they believe.

To be clear, I am not tr y ing to argue that you should refrain from hav ing an opinion.

Conversely, ever yone must think critically about issues to determine what they believe. I am saying, however, that part of hav ing an opinion is recognizing that it might be w rong or that you may not have all the relevant information, especially if the subject is something you are not particularly well-versed in.

This perspective is especially crucial in a time when many people get their news from sources that are clearly one-sided. W hen one intakes selective information, it is easy to think that their side is infallible. And, if they believe their

opinion is infallible, then there is no point in them discussing it; when someone disagrees w ith them, that person’s opinion was discounted before the conversation even started.

In a scenario like this, it’s easy to imagine the conversation proceeding w ith one side simply regurgitating that opinion piece they read in the New York Times and the other coming back w ith the talking points they heard on Fox News. In this case, nothing is getting through to the other person, and the conversation is not productive.

And so, again, it is crucial to understand that you don’t know what you don’t know. It is hard to admit sometimes, but no one can know ever ything. And so, after w riting all this, I know what I have to do… To my friend who I got into that heated discussion w ith: I’m sorr y, I didn’t really know what I was talking about.

Patrick Condon is a sophomore studying electrical engineering and living in Sieg fried Hall. He serves as the director of marketing for BridgeND. BridgeND is a student-led discussion club that is committed to bridging polarization in politics and educating on how to engage in respectful and productive discourse. BridgeND welcomes students of all backgrounds, viewpoints and experiences who want to strengthen their knowledge of current issues or educate others on an issue that is important to them. The club meets weekly on Mondays at 7 p.m. in the McNeill Room of LaFortune. Want to learn more? Contact bridgend@nd.edu or @bridge_ ND on Twitter and Instagram.

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Submit a Letter to the Editor: viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com

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The observer | Wednesday, April 6, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

An Eastern outlook Pablo Lacayo My Two Cordobas Worth

The Western consensus with regard to how a country’s government should run places great emphasis on the value of representative democracy. In their eyes, some semblance of a democratic republic is the best way for a country to organize its governance. Monarchy is permissible, if and only if it is constitutional and the powers of the Sovereign are constrained to a purely ceremonial role. For several decades, Western powers have made exporting democracy a foreign policy priority, structuring the governments of their former colonies in the image and likeness of their own and going as far as militarily intervening in other nations in an attempt to install like-minded democratic regimes. This mentality, despite having been prevalent throughout the most part of the twentieth century, was perhaps the most prevalent toward the end of the Cold War and the turn of the Millennium during the beginning of the Global War on Terror. This mentality was perfectly encapsulated by President George W. Bush in his second inaugural address when he affirmed that “the survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands.”

This statement laid the groundwork for what became known as the Freedom Agenda, a cornerstone of the Bush administration’s foreign policy that sought to assist other nations in attempts to transform into more stable, democratic states.

The Western zeal with regard to exporting Democracy has generated great successes in the past, as the Allied Powers managed to transform West Germany and Japan into model democratic states after their defeat in the Second World War. However, it has brought about an equal if not greater amount of failures. Western interventions in other countries with the hopes of turning authoritarian regimes into civic-oriented democracies have failed spectacularly, and a quick gloss at the current state of Libya and Iraq will suffice. Afghanistan is perhaps

the mother of all Western endeavors, as twenty years of fighting only resulted in a return of the status quo antebellum. Afghanistan is once again ruled by the Taliban, and NATO’s multi-trillion dollar attempt at nation-building failed spectacularly.

Why does democracy tend to fail when installed in states with little to no experience in it? If people in the West managed to figure it out, then it is certain that people in other parts of the world will eventually come to decipher its inner workings in due course as well. Nowadays, as the West reaps the benefits of well-established democratic coexistence, it might be easy to overlook the painful path it took for these countries to get there. The road to the West’s current stability is paved with the remnants of coups and civil wars, and when the news tells stories of coups and civil wars throughout the world, it is because other countries did not have the luxury of paving their own path a century ago, and now must do so today.

I believe that democracy can only work when there is a collective understanding of the rules we all ought to play by. Any breakdown of communication can and will result in a less than desirable outcome.

A healthy democracy is not a starting point, but the endgame societies ought to work towards.

My favorite class this semester is arguably Chinese Civilization and Culture, a requirement for my minor that is for all intents and purposes, a Chinese history class. Throughout the semester, Professor Yang has guided us through the story of the world’s oldest living civilization, exploring different currents of Chinese philosophy and political thought. As we learned about the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in the early twentieth century and the turbulent decades that followed, the arguments of Dr. Sun Yatsen, considered to be the “Father of the Nation” by Taiwan and the “Forerunner of the Revolution’’ by Mainland China, provide insight into how democracies can be built in states with a weak democratic tradition.

Dr. Sun Yat-sen believed that immediately transforming China’s form of government from an

absolute monarchy into a Western-styled democracy would be disastrous, as millions of his compatriots did not have the slightest clue on how to live in one.

In his “Fundamentals of National Reconstruction,” he outlined the Three Stages of Revolution, stating that China needed to go through a period of military rule, followed by one of political tutelage before reaching the constitutional period. Although these principles were unable to be applied in Mainland China as the country fell victim to a series of unfortunate events, the Nationalist Government in Taiwan built the country on the foundations of Dr. Sun Yatsen’s thoughts surrounding how to establish a well functioning democracy. Taiwan was effectively a one-party state as it navigated the first two stages of revolution, eventually transitioning into a constitutional democracy in the late 1980s. In 2021, the EIU ranked Taiwan as Asia’s top democracy, and the eighth strongest democracy in the world. Evidently, the Three Stages of Revolution worked marvels for Taiwan. In the span of a lifetime, they were able to transform two millennia of absolute monarchy into a democracy the United States ought to envy.

The Western world’s push to expand democracy to all corners of the world is an admirable effort based on good intentions. However, an overreliance on military aggression and direct nation-building have rendered many of its efforts futile. Democracy cannot be turned on with the flick of a switch. Like a delicate orchid, it must be cultivated and cared for until it can mature. As the twenty-first century barrels on and democratic challenges linger, a change in approach is long overdue, better tailored to suit the realities of the nations of the world, and not the expectations of suited-up bureaucrats with a bad case of tunnel vision.

Pablo Lacayo is a junior majoring in finance with a minor in Chinese. Originally from Nicaragua, he is now a happy resident of Stanford Hall. Reach him at placayo@nd.edu over email.

The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

What we can learn from the Oscars slap Caitlin Brannigan Pop Culture Apologist

To be honest, I had no idea the 94th annual Academy Awards took place last Sunday (embarrassingly enough, I fully believed that the Grammys were scheduled for that night). However, when I heard that actor Will Smith had slapped comedian Chris Rock on national television at the Oscars, I was baffled. Essentially, Chris Rock made a tasteless G.I. Jane joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s beautiful, shaved hair. The joke was inappropriate because Pinkett Smith struggles with a medical condition known as alopecia areata, which causes hair loss.

Out of anger, Will Smith took to the stage to slap Rock in the middle of his act.

Let me be clear that I do not intend to declare that either Rock or Smith’s actions were justified. The purpose of this article is not to take a side. Rather, this is a discussion of alopecia and the harassment people with the condition have faced.

This autoimmune disorder is treatable, but incurable, and causes hair loss over time. Though there are many forms of alopecia, three of the most common are alopecia areata patchy, which causes people to lose small patches of hair on the scalp; alopecia totalis, which causes complete hair loss on the scalp; and alopecia universalis, which causes total hair loss on the face, body, and scalp.

The condition can be mentally and socially difficult. It is natural for people to take pride in their hair. Losing it can be hard to come to terms with. It

is especially difficult for women, considering that shaved hair is unfortunately not as socially acceptable for women as it is for men. Many people struggling with alopecia face social criticism in their daily lives for a condition they cannot control, from strangers staring on the street to ridicule about their hair loss. According to the charity Alopecia UK, “dealing with unwelcome remarks and being the butt of jokes is sadly an all too real part of having alopecia.”

Of her own struggle with alopecia, in 2018, Pinkett Smith told fans: “Taking care of my hair has been a beautiful ritual and having the choice to have hair or not. And then one day to be like, ‘Oh my God, I might not have that choice anymore.”

Since then, Pinkett Smith has completely shaved her head, sporting a gorgeous bald look. Of her new look, she has said, “It was such a beautiful experience and such a freedom. I feel more connected to myself…in a very special way. I was just like, ‘I’m over it.’ It was that moment. I was just like, ‘I’m done. I’m just done with the worry. I’m done with the care. I’m just done.”

Many people with alopecia have stated that Pinkett Smith attending high-profile events like the Oscars has helped them feel empowered. Celebrities like Pinkett Smith have a massive influence on their fans. Additionally, they have a big impact on fashion trends. Because of this, Pinkett Smith owning her absolutely stunning new look at high-profile events discourages some people from harassing others with the same or similar look, thus fighting the stigma against shaved hair.

However, Rock’s tasteless joke at the Oscars, regardless of whether he was aware that Pinkett Smith has alopecia, goes to show that this stigma is still alive and well. It potentially could have set a dangerous precedent, normalizing offensive jokes towards people who rock the shaved look, had there not been so much controversy. That would have been a complete reversal of the positive effect Pinkett Smith’s choice to show off her beautiful look has on society.

The one good thing to come out of this is the pushback against Rock’s joke. It has helped to raise awareness of alopecia for the nearly 147 million people living with the condition worldwide. The outpouring of support for the alopecia community has been tremendous.

People have the freedom of expression to dress and style their hair the way they choose, so long as they are not hurting anyone in the process.

Bullying or harassing people for looking different is never okay. This is not to say Chris Rock intended to harass Pinkett Smith in any way—it was simply a distasteful joke—but the fact of the matter is that people still are harassed for their looks. This must come to an end.

Caitlin Brannigan is a first-year from New Jersey studying psychology and pre-health studies. She will forever defend her favorite young adult novels and is overjoyed to have a platform to rant. She can be reached for comment at cbrannig@nd.edu or @CaitlinBrannig on Twitter.

The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

The observer | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

By MATHEUS HERNDL Scene Writer

Weezer. A name that inspires debate every time that it is uttered, with responses ranging from nostalgic adoration to vitriolic ridicule. Any respectable alt/indie rock fan on the planet has heard of Weezer and no doubt has strong opinions about the group, be they negative or positive. But regardless of their reputation, anyone familiar with the band's career can agree on is that even at their lowest, Weezer is never boring.

2021 might have been Weezer's most prolific year to date. The band released two albums in the span of six months, one being the baroque pop-influenced “Ok Human” and the other an 80s hard rocker called “Van Weezer." Unsurprisingly, these two albums couldn’t possibly sound more different from one another. This year seems to be off to an equally ambitious start for the group. Frontman Rivers Cuomo has announced that he intends to produce four EPs in 2022, each inspired by one of the seasons. The first of these four, “SZNZ: Spring,” was released March 20. But does the ambition of the project match its quality?

No. No, it doesn’t.

Unfortunately, “SZNZ: Spring” starts off on the wrong foot. The opener, aptly titled “Opening Night,” begins innocuously enough with a warm and flowery guitar line; but then, Cuomo comes in, and... oh lord. With no warning whatsoever, Rivers sings the line “Shakespeare makes me Happy! So happy!” to the melody of Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons.” This melodic appropriation from a popular piece of classical music is a move so corny that not

By AMY LENKIEWICZ Scene Writer

The production company Platform brings “Eleven Months of Nuclear Summer” to life with naturalistic acting, successfully giving apocalyptic stakes to the tensions, crushes and resentments of young adulthood.

When a nuclear bomb hits the United States, six female counselors at Camp Astor hunker down. As the social order outside falls apart, riots and rapists outside the camp’s fence turn a summer job into a self-sufficient haven, and time freezes the seasonal into the yearlong.

Emerging playwright Sophie McIntosh camps her play in this wild territory to explore how female power is constructed using reputation, challenging the idealization of “found families.” The dialogue strolls through a forest of teenage girl-doms — like emoji Band-Aids — only to stumble upon the wild beasts of suicide, mistrust and murder, which it handily (and horrifyingly) slays.

The six camp counselors are caricatures, but the play is self-aware of this. “Of course,” the girls joke, the nerd of the group has a father who is a French professor, since that is how the “nerd” stereotype fleshes out. The plot, set in post-apocalyptic isolation, is a character-driven power struggle that leans on stereotype to fill in the gaps, implying each character’s tragic flaw and ultimate downfall.

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even Bright Eyes got away with it 17 years ago with “Road to Joy” (which takes, of course, from “Ode to Joy”). Now, I am aware that Cuomo has often cited his love for classical music, and that Weezer is known for being tongue in cheek, but this is too much, even for a band that already enjoys “meme” status. Thankfully, the chorus plays to Weezer’s strengths with fuzzy distorted guitars, pounding drums and catchy vocal hooks reminiscent of their first albums.

Throughout most of the record, this is the formula that the band tries to follow. Cuomo's songwriting contrasts Renaissance-inspired verses featuring bright acoustic guitars, flutes and even organs with the classic pop-punk choruses that first made them famous. The problem here is that it is all too formulaic and predictable. By the third song, I felt that I had already listened pretty much to all the ideas the group had to offer in this record, as the song structure of every song follows the tired quiet/loud dynamics of Weezer’s early albums.

Similarly, the classical, spring-inspired aesthetics of the verses and openings often meshed poorly with the rock sections and made some of the songs feel jumbled and all over the place. And even with this (arguably failed) experimentation, many of the instrumental sections feel painfully generic and unimaginative.

But probably the greatest detriment to this EP is Cuomo himself, who tries to replicate the same innocent childish vibe that has characterized his singing since the 90s. Now, of course, he is 51 years old. Because of that, the vocals range from grating to insufferable, a fact only compounded by the fact that his voice is mixed in way

too loudly for my ears’ sake.

Cuomo doesn't fare much better in the lyrics department. While I know that making fun of his lyrics is picking at low-hanging fruit, this record is corny even for Weezer’s standards, the Shakespeare line from earlier probably being the best example. Other notable lines include “Love is a drug, let’s medicate” and “Air I am, fire I am, water earth and spirit I am.” (Is spirit an element? I don't think so.)

While in more ways than one, “SZNS: Spring” feels like Weezer embracing their “meme” status, it is also an undeniable step backward for the band, especially considering the success of their last two albums. Thankfully, Weezer has infinitely more terrible releases in their discography (looking at you, “Raditude”), so “SZNS: Spring” hardly stands out as one of their worst.

Despite the fact that the characters can be neatly slotted into roles like “the horse girl” or “the anime girl,” a naturalistic performance by the Platform production company lends the characters authenticity and dimension. The actresses’ varied delivery moves the play from the stage to the high-stakes: the rebellious Roz (Theresa Thomas) talks over the other characters, while the naïve Kristin (Lyric Medeiros) whispers her sorrows. The expert blocking skillfully shored-up character through implication. The performance — dependent upon believable interpersonal relationships — succeeded in building them.

In a bone-chilling scene, the characters steal a radio from camp owner Dawn (Sarah Myers) to listen to news of the outside world, and they hear that “All is death.” After this, denial becomes a religion and discussing the outside world is sacrilege. Intimacy forms when these rules are broken.

The play shines in moments like the one in which Kristin begs Simone (Honora Whitmore) to tell her “something real,” just to escape from the elaborate game of pretend.

The play shines when it punctures camp activities like fishing and mushroom foraging with hushed references to the apocalyptic reality. The women, desperate for connection and glimpses of sincerity, are also aware that their deepest loves and friendships are hyper-circumstantial. “Settle for me,” Kristin pleads with Simone, while steadfast Leigh denies that she only likes the others “because she has to.”

Relationships, romantic and otherwise, are substitutes, and the lack of authentic sentiment behind them is what the play ultimately condemns. A good leader, it suggests, is not one who can gather the most food, but the one who cares the most. Traditionally feminine methods for social playnice like mindfulness, breathing techniques and yoga are tested by crisis. The play deems them worthy. A phrase like, “You can feel your feelings,” which might have seemed like an empty platitude at the beginning of the play, is repeated at the end in a life-or-death context, taking on new gravity and proving itself sound.

This is a young women’s apocalypse, and it tests how “girl power” and feminine platitudes like it take on a new meaning when they are practiced in crisis. The characters learned marksmanship from Skyrim — they debate whether Shrek or Paul Bunyan would make a better lover.

However, among the maps, lanterns and kitschy cabin art, nixing therapy circles and deeming femininity frivolous (“I guess we don’t need flowers anymore”) is exactly what dooms this group of survivors. Though the characters can stand in their winter coats and pretend that the summer is frozen, the emotional shelter is as fenced-in as the camp itself. Platform sets up camp in wild territory and makes it out alive.

Contact Matheus Herndl at mherndl@nd.edu

“SZNZ: Spring” Artist: Weezer Label: Atlantic Records Favorite tracks: “Angels on Vacation,” “A Little Bit Of Love” If you like: Bright Eyes, Sunny Day Real Estate, Green Day, Vivaldi I guess?

Contact Amy Lenkiewicz at alenkiew@nd.edu

MAKAYLA HERNANDEZ | The Observer | stubhub, the upcoming, broadway world, online web fonts

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The observer | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

By AYDEN KOWALSKI Scene Writer

"An epic battle where evil and the will to evolve is what I’m involved in,” our narrator declares over chugging drums and a dirty bass while sublime, liquid keys drip through the right side of the stereo. This moment exemplifies the experience of Denzel Curry’s new album “Melt My Eyez See Your Future,” a confident and distinct work blending nostalgic and futuristic production elements into a surreal soundscape over which Curry performs his own exorcisms in verse. Or, as he says it at the album’s conclusion, “I'm seein’ illusions in the pockets of my brain / I use it, then find a way to illustrate my pain.”

The beats that compose Curry’s album all possess richness and beauty, whether in the boom-bap drums punctuating the ambience of sweeping female vocals that start the standout track “Walkin” or in the horn that sounds like a warning for a Tusken raider attack that precedes the beat drop on “Sanjuro.” The best tracks on the album suspend listeners in the production, pulling them into the green ether on the album’s cover. The human voice is a constant presence within the instrumentals, usually whirling in the soundscape and lifting the listeners up to this ether. Yet the voices do not subtract from the lonely, interior journeys on which Curry embarks in

By JP SPOONMORE Scene Writer

HBO’s newest comedy “Our Flag Means Death” parodies the absurd life of gentleman pirate Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) and his antics that impress the terrifying legend of the seven seas, Blackbeard (Taika Waititi). With a merry crew of comedians in front and behind the camera, the show’s comedy is packed tighter than a powder keg set to blow. What starts as a few 30-minute episodes of fun and jokes slowly reveals a deep emotional core rising up from the horizon.

Using the lure of pirates in romantic fiction, the show looks at the crippling regret of the dreadful midlife crisis in unique ways. Sick of his landlocked home and wife, Stede heads out to the sea to find his freedom. Just in time, too, as he crosses paths with Blackbeard, who is bored of the terror his notoriety inflicts. They bond over their desires for a different life, with episodes of one showing the other how to exist on their opposite side of society — involving great gags of Francophilia and treasure hunting. Their dynamic grows into an unexpected twist on sailor fiction that I think is really clever and adorable, but how the rest of the show tries to connect to the audience muddies its final product.

“Our Flag Means Death” expertly recreates every aspect of piracy with a pinch of modern seasoning. From women secretly dressed as men to orange shortages leading to a scurvy fright, the golden age of pirates never felt so fun. But what becomes the central core of the show is where I think the

his verses.

Curry’s extraordinary rapping abilities are undoubtedly the main draw of the album. Handling both boombap and trap beats with ease, most of the album uses narrative voice to reflect on himself and the trauma that shaped him, launching at his demons from various compelling angles. He has the candor and humility to confess “I spent my whole life lookin’ for validation / In today's age, it would’ve led to my cancellation” on “Angelz” and the mastery of metaphor to cast himself as “Strung out on love addiction and groupies when souls collide” while expressing his guilt for his treatment of women on the fantastic opening track “Melt Session #1.” His admissions and contempt for the eternal judgment of cancel culture converge at the true thesis of the album: “I'm killin’ off my demons ‘cause my soul's worth redeemin’.”

By listening to his story, the listener can believe this for themselves too.

It is to this end of salvation that Curry’s narrator grapples with the generations-old chains of racism in America, the poverty from which he rose and the specter of mortality surrounding him from memories of violence and the tragic deaths of performers he notes throughout the album. There is audible pain in his voice as he lists a few great rappers who died young on “X-Wing.”

“Melt My Eyez” is a personal exodus for the narrator

as he progresses from darkness towards some unclear light. Curry’s genius is that he focuses on the travails of the desert of life, recognizing that this will lead to peace somehow. When he uses a burning bush to symbolize the spark of the divine inside of his mind — and also to boast about his evidently superb MC abilities — he highlights that this album is his expression of that human quest for true completeness. The production melts us so we can dwell with him in his pain, and as we process the suffering of the world, we can progress to something better, whatever that may be.

modern interpretation of history crosses the line. What Walt Whitman would call a “romantic friendship,” best expressed between Ishmael and Queequeg in Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick,” is most likely not equivalent to our modern version of homosexual relationships. Waititi approaches this problem with two different couples: a cute, giggly pairing between Black Pete and Lucius, and the gradual, more sensitive relationship between Stede Bonnet and Blackbeard. The former is where I think the show fails in authenticity, whereas the latter shines.

The hiccup of Black Pete, a self-declared cold-blooded killer, saying “babe” to Lucius does not clash with the modern retrospective of the show’s craft, as Fleetwood Mac and other classic rock songs sprinkle throughout the score. Most of these modern additions, though, are non-diegetic — as in a source external to the context of the story, only seen by the audience and not the characters — whereas this relationship is squarely in the story world clashing against the reality surrounding it. I’m not saying it’s wrong or should be cut out. I just want it to have a deeper purpose in future seasons rather than acting like fan-favorite characters being shipped together.

In contrast, Stede and Blackbeard’s connection grows organically. It is a surprise to both the characters and the audience. So much so that Stede and Blackbeard retreat to their past selves in fear of misreading the other’s affections (a heartbreaking conflict that will be the driving force of season two). Watching the opening episodes, you might find it

lighthearted and simple, but I see the potential hidden under the floorboards. This show’s future looks bright on emotionally turbulent tides, and I can’t wait to sail with it.

Like all Taika Waititi productions, the quick humor hides a wholesome aftertaste. In the lawless world of piracy, slavery and rigid sexuality are the enemies. An escaped black servant can spend his days singing shanties in the sun while his fellow sailors choose their partners over love instead of land. This romanticized image of piracy is what Waititi encapsulates in its truest form. The jokes and bad CGI waves may not present the themes realistically, but the soul and characters are far more authentic than Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean.” “Our Flag Means Death” revives the endless search for freedom and proves that love and happiness are life’s greatest treasures.

Contact Ayden Kowalski at akowals2@nd.edu

“Melt My Eyez See Your Future” Artist: Denzel Curry Label: PH Recordings Favorite tracks: “Melt Session #1,” “Walkin” If you like: Underground hip-hop

Contact JP Spoonmore at jspoonmo@nd.edu

“Our Flag Means Death” Starring: Rhys Darby, Taika Waititi Director: David Jenkins Where to watch: HBO Max If you like: “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Avenue 5”

EMMMA KIRNER | The Observer | Image sources: FINE art america, favpng.com

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ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022 | The Observer

Crossword | Will Shortz

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Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Put more thought into the changes you want to make before you proceed. Question your motives to ensure your emotions aren’t propelling you instead of practicality and common sense. Channel your energy where it will benefit you most and help bring in more cash, peace of mind and opportunities. When dealing with personal and professional relationships, trust facts, not hearsay. Your numbers are 8, 13, 20, 24, 32, 38, 46.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You’ll advance if you shift your thoughts to what’s important to you and use your intelligence to fast-track what you want to accomplish. Change requires action and finishing what you start.

Physical fitness and sharing with someone you love will bring good results.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Concentrate on getting ahead professionally and putting your energy into showing others how efficient and eager you are to use your skills diversely and navigate your way into a better position. An unusual encounter will lead to an emotional decision.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Distance yourself from people who nag or criticize you. Trust your ability to get things done your way and on time. Use your intelligence and finesse to choose the direction you want to pursue. A romantic gesture will enhance your life.

CANCER ( June 21-July 22): You’ll gain insight if you listen and observe. Don’t trust anyone with personal information or someone handling financial or contractual matters for you. Take control, and bring about the changes you want to happen. Avoid joint ventures and high-risk investments.

LEO ( July 23-Aug. 22): Resurrect old ideas and reconnect with people who have something to offer that will help you put your plans into play. A reunion will encourage you to partner with someone who shares your enthusiasm.

Love and romance are favored.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Take nothing for granted. If you want something done correctly, do it yourself. Choose your path, and follow through with your plans. Letting someone lead the way won’t bring you the satisfaction or happiness you desire.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You are sitting in a good position, so don’t let an emotional incident sabotage your plans. Put serious thought into how you live, what you want to accomplish and where you stand on issues that affect others. Mindful action is encouraged.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Live within your budget. Pay attention to the cost of living and where you can cut corners. Do what you can yourself instead of paying someone. A change will encourage you to rethink the way and where you choose to live.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Pay more attention to the way you look, the services you can offer and exploring new ways to use your skills, knowledge and attributes. A partnership with someone who is just as dedicated to a common cause will blossom. Romance is favored.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Don’t share personal or financial information.

Put more into the way you present yourself physically instead of sharing opinions. You’ll get more in return if the people you deal with feel comfortable around you. Be a good listener.

AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Look at the logistics of a situation you face, then make decisions based on facts, not emotions. A disciplined approach to money, health and rules will spare you being put in an awkward position.

Make fitness and romance priorities.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Get everything in order before you share your intentions with others. Expect someone jealous to rival you. Know your boundaries and put your energy into finishing what you start. A romantic gesture will take you by surprise.

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The observer | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Sports Authority

Zwiller: NFL win totals get them to the over, but I doubt he will do the Browns any favors considering he wants out.

Thomas Zwiller Sports Writer

Now that the NFL free agency dust has settled, Caesars Sportsbook released its annual NFL win totals for the 32 teams. To clarify (as I do with any gambling columns I write), I am only 20 and do not bet. However, this is a fun exercise that gives me a chance to compare my evaluations of teams to that of the sports betting world.

AFC North The Ravens (9.5) are one of the two teams in the division that I would take the over on. They did finish last in the division last season, but Baltimore was one of the most injured teams in the league.

They also have the 23rd most difficult schedule in the NFL. Last season they had the second most difficult.

The Bengals are the second of the two teams I would take the over on. I know I was a little low on them a few weeks ago, but they should be able to clear 9.5 wins. Thanks to their offensive line free agency acquisitions, the team should be pretty good this year. I am taking the Browns (9.5) and Steelers (7.5) on the under; Mitchell Trubisky is just not a starting caliber QB option.

The Browns may fall short because Deshaun Watson will likely face a 6-8 week suspension. If Baker plays, he could potentially

AFC South

lot to help Tua. I also like the Patriots’ moves this off-season, specifically signing Malcolm Butler, Jabrill Peppers, Devin McCourty, and trading for DeVante Parker. The Jets (5.5) are the only team in the AFC East that I expect to hit the under. As much as I think Robert Saleh can help with the Jets’ defense, I do not believe in Zach Wilson.

I can see both the Titans (9.5) and the Colts (9.5) hitting the over. Both teams have a bottom 24 strength of schedule (SOS), and the Colts improved dramatically at QB. If I had to pick one of the two as a lock to hit the over, it would be the Colts. Thanks to acquiring Ryan, they have the better defense between the two teams and now the better offense.

The two other teams, the Texans (4.5) and Jaguars (6.5) feel more likely to hit the under. Considering the Jaguars’ timeline, 6.5 is too high a mark. Maybe they get to five, but nothing higher. And while I can see the Texans certainly getting over 4.5, I think they are going to be a rebuilding team that maxes at four wins.

This division feels hard to pick. I like the Chiefs to hit the over at 10.5, but I have mixed feelings after that.

The Raiders (8.5) feel like they are the most likely to hit the under, as they did the least to improve.

Based on their free agency moves, I think that the Chargers are likely to hit the over.

I can certainly see the Broncos hitting the over, but given how hard their division is, I think they will be a push.

AFC East

NFC North

The Bills (11.5) feel like a team that could hit the over this season.

I like what the team has done this year, and, like last year, they are my team to come out of the AFC. My only hesitation is that they have a more demanding schedule (12th), up from 23rd.

The Patriots and Dolphins are both set at 8.5, and I like both teams to hit the over (I honestly would have put it at 9). As much as the Dolphins are going to miss Brian Flores, Mike McDaniels will do a

At 11.5, I think the Packers can hit the over. Since the arrival of Matt LeFleur has consistently gotten the Packers to 13 wins. With Davante Adams gone and a lack of talent at the WR position, I could see the Packers falling short of 13, but still getting to 12.

At 8.5 wins, I can see the Vikings getting to nine wins. The defense should improve somewhat this season, and under Kevin O’Connell, I expect the Vikings’ offense to be incredible. As for

AFC West

the Bears and Lions (6.5), I expect them to hit the under. This is the first year Jared Goffs’ cap number will impact the cap, and I expect it to hamstring the Lions a bit. The Bears are in full rebuild mode; do not expect a lot from them.

NFC South The Buccaneers (11.5) should hit the over with the return of Tom Brady.

I think the Saints are the biggest bargain of the 32 teams at 7.5. Large sources of doubt are both new head coach Dennis Allen and Jameis Winston’s recovery. When Winston was healthy, the Saints looked like a playoff-caliber team and I expect them to be such again.

Even with the free agency moves that the Panthers have made, I doubt they clear six wins. If anything, they will be a push and try to acquire a QB next year. The Falcons finally took my advice (from last season) and dealt Matt Ryan, beginning a rebuild. I expect Atlanta to hit the under (5.5) as their offense will struggle mightily without Matt Ryan and Calvin Ridley (serving a one-year gambling suspension).

NFC East I expect the Dallas Cowboys (10.5) to hit the over, but it will be a lot closer to 10.5 than Cowboys fans would like. The roster has gotten a lot worse this offseason and seems to be feeling the consequences of Dak Prescott. I think the Eagles can get to the over, as they currently

have the 30th easiest schedule in the NFL. I like the direction the Eagles are moving in, (though their trade with the Saints may move the timeline back).

The Commanders (7.5) can hit the over, but it will depend on their defense improving dramatically from this season. The Giants (seven) will hit the under.

NFC West The Rams (10.5) are both my favorite to win the division, and to come out of the NFC playoffs.

They do have the most challenging schedule in the NFL, and as with last year, health is a problem, but they should clear 10 wins.

The 49ers (10) are interesting because I have no idea what their starting QB situation will be like.

However, if we get the 49ers of the back half of last season, the 49ers should clear 10 wins.

Arizona feels like a push at nine.

They may have started at 7-0, but they finished at 4-6. I do think that the limitations of the air raid offense showed themselves down the stretch.

The Seahawks (six) are likely to be under. With QB Drew Lock starting and DK Metcalf on the trading block, the Seahawks are beginning a rebuild.

Contact Thomas Zwiller at tzwiller@hcc-nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Sports Authority

Rally Jameel: A beautiful race in madness Olivia Schatz Associate Sports Editor

On Sept. 26, 2017, King Salman of Saudi Arabia issued a law that would give women the right to drive. A little over a year later, over 70,000 Saudi women were issued a driver’s license. By June 24, 2018, women were on the road. At this point of the article, you might be wondering if you are actually reading the sports section. I assure you, you are. In the same year women were allowed to drive, the Rally Jameel was created. Now, five years later, the Rally Jameel marked the beginning of female motorsports in the kingdom.

What is the Rally Jameel The Rally Jameel (translating to ‘beautiful’ in Arabic) is a car rally that travels over 687 miles, including about 212 off-road. In the first all-women’s race in Saudi, two women and a Stella III EVO rally computer made up each team.

Each team mounted the Stella on their dashboard, and it tracked each team’s speed and location.

The rally took place over three days (March 16-19), and each day marked a new stage. When a racer approached a waypoint, the Stella would open, but the only way to secure the points was if the car were

closer than 100 yards from the bullseye.

The race kicks off in the city of Hail with Prince Abdulaziz bin Saad bin Abdulaziz waving the green flag.

From there, the women — many of whom have never driven off-road before — were off! The rally took the racers through central Saudi, passing through Al-Qassi. The finish line lay in the kingdom’s capital, Riyadh.

Unlike most rallies, the Rally Jameel imposed a speed limit of 70 kph (around 45 mph) off-road. As the inaugural race, and one which had a majority of women who were just learning to drive, the creators knew that safety would be on the utmost of priorities. In addition, if these women were racing at a higher speed, they’d need to introduce race cars. However, with a mission of empowering women and increasing accessibility, the Rally Jameel allowed racers to only use unmodified SUVs.

The Racers 34 teams from 15 different countries participated in the rally. 24 teams had at least one member from Saudi and 18 teams were fully Saudi. Some of the other countries that participated were the U.S., the U.K., Germany, Sweden and Poland.

The Sweden Challenge, a team composedoftwoSwedes,AnnieSeel and Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinskey,

clutched first place with 2166.590 total points. They were followed by team Galaxy, an American and a member of the United Arab Emirates. MIN ARD ALSAHRAA, composed of a Spaniard and the top Saudi competitor, Maha Al Hamly, finished third. Although in general, the Saudi women did worse in the competition, it is important to remember that a majority of these women were learning how to drive using their son’s video games prior to 2017. Most of the Saudi women drove off-road and in a rally for the first time at the Rally Al-Jameel.

Moving Onward Yes, this was a big step for women in Saudi Arabia and I do believe we

should cheer it on. However, with a freedom score of seven out of 100, this small step does not look excellent on a grander scale. Women’s rights activists were inhumanely tortured and arrested. In addition, the guardianship system is still in place. The guardianship program ensures that a woman at birth is property of her father until she is married. Then she becomes the property of her husband.

The rally’s About Us page claims that “it is concerned with the need for a successful and civilized society to encourage and empower all members of society, especially women. Therefore, empowering women is among the most important objectives of the

vision.” So yes, the Rally Jameel is one huge step for women, and I do not doubt that this is true. However, only months after women could get their licenses, journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed by the Saudi government.

The Rally is one major step for women in a country where so many are not free, but a sporting event blessed by the Prince can not be the reason we turn our eyes on the other human rights atrocities across the kingdom.

Contact Olivia Schatz at oschatz@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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Sports

The observer | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

BASEBALL

Irish use bullpen, baserunning to prevail over Butler

By ANDREW McGUINNESS Associate Spor ts Editor

It’s been an up-and-dow n season for No. 6 Notre Dame baseball (17-5, 5-4 ACC) so far. The Irish rose to as high as No. 1 in some polls earlier in the year but fell after a four-game losing streak near the end of March. But after knocking off Butler 5-2 Tuesday evening, the Irish are hopeful they’re firmly on the up-and-up.

“We played sound. It’s a solid w in,” said Irish head coach Link Jarrett about the v ictor y, the team’s fourth straight. “You’re glad that you can continue to put tallies in the w in column, and I was proud of the way the guys executed and played today. It wasn’t a loud, dy namic t y pe game, but they’re not all gonna be that way, and you take ever y w in that you can get.”

For the second straight game, an Irish starter failed to make it through the first inning, as freshman right-handed pitcher Radek Burk holz lasted just 0.2 innings, surrendering two runs on three hits. But the Irish bullpen locked it dow n from there. Graduate student right y Ryan McLinskey, freshman left y Jack Findlay, sophomore right y Jackson Dennies and graduate student right y Austin Temple dominated on the mound the rest of the way. The quartet combined for ten strikeouts and just one hit allowed in 8.1 shutout innings.

“Radek needs to throw for us. He’ll figure it out,” said Jarrett before he was asked if he thought the bullpen had “figured it out.” Jarrett responded, “We’ve taken a step in the right direction, no doubt. Do I feel like we have specific roles locked dow n? I do not feel like that.

And there may not be many college programs that do.

But we have some pieces. It’s the pitch execution — when (that) is on point, the stuff is plent y good enough to get anybody out.”

The Irish wasted little time responding to the early deficit, launching a firstinning homer for the second straight day. This time, it came courtesy of a t wo-out blast by junior third baseman Jack Brannigan.

After leading off the bottom of the second w ith a double, graduate student outfielder Ryan Cole came around to score on an RBI single by redshirt sophomore Nick Juaire, who delivered a solid performance in just his second start of the season.

“He’s a tough, competitive at-bat from both sides of the plate,” said Jarrett about Juaire, who finished 2-4 w ith an RBI, a run scored and a f ly ball that Jarrett thought would’ve been a home run on a normal day, as w ind whipped around the f lags at Frank Eck Stadium for most of the game. “(He) kind of solved t wo problems as a sw itch hitter.

So we weren’t worried about

match-ups as much because he’s competitive from both sides, and he moves the ball around, doesn’t punch out a ton. He’s just a competitive, good kid,” before concluding not once, but t w ice, “He always has hit.”

The game remained tied heading into the bottom of the sixth. The Irish pitching staff was largely locking dow n the Bulldogs. But the offense wasn’t able to come up w ith a clutch hit in the fourth and fifth innings when they got a runner to second base w ith t wo outs.

However, the Irish put the pressure on by getting runners to second and third w ith one out.

Senior shortstop Zach Pra zjner put the ball in play, w ith Cole beating the throw home from third base, and Juaire aggressively scoring as the ball kicked away from Bulldogs catcher Kolly n A ll.

Pra zjner also advanced to second on that play, then scored t wo batters later on an RBI sacrifice bunt by graduate student outfielder Spencer Myers.

“You want these games to not… come dow n to that,” said Jarrett when asked about the sixth inning small ball that propelled Notre Dame to v ictor y, “But we talk out w ith our team all the time — ever y one of these games is a little different. You don’t ever know what piece becomes the piece that allows you to w in. see BASEBALL PAGE 15

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DANIEL IELUSIC |The Observer

Graduate student catcher David LaManna throws his bat down and sprints to first base during the Butler game, which the Irish won 5-2.

HOCKEY

Three Irish players sign pro contracts

By ANDREW McGUINNESS Associate Spor ts Editor

Not re Da me’s hockey season of f icia l ly ended last Saturday w it h a 1-0 loss to Minnesota State in t he NCAA Tourna ment Reg iona l Fina ls. For some of t he g raduat ing players

on Not re Da me’s roster, it may be t he end of t heir play ing ca reers. But t hree skaters — senior defensema n Spencer Stast ney, g raduate student defensema n Ada m Ka rashi k, a nd senior for wa rd Gra ha m Slagger t — k now t hat won’t be t he case.

Of t he t hree Irish players to sig n professiona l cont racts, Stast ney is t he lone player to in k a n NHL cont ract. Stast ney, a 2017 sevent h-round dra f t pick by t he Nashv i l le Predators, sig ned his ent r y-level cont ract w it h Nashv i l le on Thursday.

The cont ract is a t woyea r dea l, ex piring a f ter t he 2022-23 season (w it h Stast ney becoming a rest ricted f ree agent), a nd ca rries a $ 925,000 cap hit, per CapFriend ly.

Stast ney was a workhorse for t he Irish t hroughout his col leg iate ca reer.

He is a mobi le t wo-way defensema n who ca n defend wel l, jump up in t he r ush, a nd qua r terback a power play.

It’s ha rd to f ind a better place for a young defender to develop t ha n Nashv i l le, as t he Predators see HOCKEY PAGE 15

sports

ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022 | The Observer

15

ND Mens tennis 4-1, 4-3

Irish fall against ACC opponents Wake Forest, NC State

By MATTHEW CROW Sports Writer

No. 26 Not re Da me men’s ten n is d ropped a pa i r of matches at home over t he weekend, losi ng 4-1 to No. 7 Wa ke Forest on Fr iday a nd 4-3 to No. 23 NC State on Su nday. The matches were a cont i nuat ion of t he tea m’s cha l leng i ng ACC slate, as t he Ir ish (14-10, 4-6) entered t he weekend com i ng of f a toug h road t r ip, du r ing wh ich t hey were defeated by ra n ked opponents Du ke a nd Nor t h Ca rol ina.

On Fr iday, Not re Da me faced of f aga i nst Wa ke Forest for t he second t i me t h is yea r, hav i ng been defeated by t he Demon Deacons 4-1 on t he road i n Ja nua r y. The Ir ish entered t he match shor t ha nded, w it h g raduate st udent Peter Con k li n a nd sen ior A xel Nef ve, ra n ked No. 53 nat iona l ly i n si ng les a nd pa r t of t he No. 41 doubles pa i r, out w it h i nju r ies. T h is gave Wa ke Forest a n edge in doubles on paper, a nd t hey took

f u l l adva ntage of it.

On cou r t No. 2, Not re Da me ju n iors Matt hew Che a nd Con nor Fu fel l 6-2, a nd Wa ke Forest clinched t he doubles poi nt w it h a 6-3 v ictor y on cou r t No. 3 aga inst t he Ir ish’s Ad it ya Vash ist ha a nd Ja meson Corsi l lo. Not re Da me’s Matt hew Ha lpi n a nd Jea n-Ma rc Ma l kowsk i put i n a st rong ef for t on cou r t No. 1 aga inst Wa ke Forest’s top pa i r i ng, g raduate st udents Edua rdo Nava a nd Ben Draper, as t hey led 5-3 before t he match was ha lted due to t he Demon Deacons sea ling t he point.

Sh if t ing into sing les, a ta lented Wa ke Forest tea m cont inued to show why t hey a re so h ig h ly ra n ked.

T hey st retched t heir adva ntage to 2-0 a f ter Not re Da me f resh ma n Corsi l lo fel l 6-2, 6-3 on cou r t No. 6 i n h is f i rst ACC appea ra nce i n si ng les. T he Ir ish ea r ned t hei r lone w i n of t he match w it h Fu’s 6-3, 6-3 v ictor y on cou r t No. 3, but Wa ke Forest stayed in com ma nd as Nava, ra n ked No. 34 in

t he nat ion in sing les, defeated Vash ist ha, who was f i l ling in for t he inju red Nef ve, 6-3, 7-6 on cou r t No. 1. Wa ke Forest t hen ea r ned t he decisive fou r t h point, as t he Ir ish’s Braeden Ho d ropped a ha rd-foug ht match by a score of 6-1, 1-6, 7-6 on cou r t No. 5. Wit h t he Demon Deacons lead ing 4-1 a nd t he outcome decided, t he rema in ing t wo sing les matches went u n f in ished.

On Su nday, t he Ir ish met NC State for t he f irst t ime t h is season in a tense batt le t hat wou ld last over t h ree hou rs a nd come dow n to t he f ina l points. Not re Da me bega n t he match w it h a much-improved doubles show ing. On cou r t No. 2, Con k lin, hav ing ret u r ned f rom inju r y, pa ired w it h Fu in a dom ina nt 6-2 w in. Soon a f ter, t he Ir ish pa ir of Che a nd Vash ist ha fel l 6-3 on cou r t No. 3 to even t he doubles score at 1-1. On cou r t No. 1, Not re Da me’s Ha lpin a nd Ma l kowsk i faced a d iff icu lt test aga inst NC State’s Robin Cat r y a nd Luca

ND WOMEN’S TENNIS 4-3, 4-3

Irish sweep BC and Syracuse

By OLIVIA SCHATZ Associate Sports Editor

The Notre Dame women’s tennis team traveled to the Northeast this past weekend, where they notched two 4-3 wins against Boston College and Syracuse on Apr. 1 and 3, respectively.

The Irish opened up their weekend in Chestnut Hill, MA with doubles. Sophomores Julia Andreach and Yashna Yellay finished first with second doubles, beating their opponents 6-3. This was followed by another Notre Dame victory, this time with freshmen Carrie Beckman and Nebedita Ghosh, who also beat their opponent 6-3. First doubles was unfinished.

Singles opened up with an Eagles win against junior Page Freeman (6-3, 6-3).

Fourth singles finished next, with another Eagles’ victory against freshman​​ Maria Olivia Castedo (6-2, 6-1). Six singles was the last win for BC (6-3, 6-2) before Notre

Dame started notching singles wins. Yellayi defeated her opponent 6-4, 6-4, before Ghosh, who defeated hers 6-3, 6-3. The final singles match of the day that secured the Irish win was by Andreach, who defeated her opponent 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.

On Sunday, the Irish started off the day by losing the doubles point, as the teams of Freeman and Castedo and Yellay and Andreach both lost 6-3, 6-4 respectively.

However, with singles Castedo and sophomore Meghan Coleman both won by default. In addition, Freeman won the first official match for the Irish (6-2, 6-2).

This was followed by a win from Andreach (6-2, 6-2) in second singles and then a loss

by Yellayi (5-7, 6-3, 1-0 (10-5)) in third singles.

Finally, Ghosh lost 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 )10-5) to her opponent, but at that point, the Irish had already secured the victory 4-3.

These two matches gave the Irish an 11-8 record on the season

and 4-5 in the ACC. The Irish are ranked No. 49 and hope to increase their standing as they head into the latter portion of their season. With only five regular games before the ACC tournament, the Irish schedule does not appear to be any easier with four out of five ranked higher than Notre Dame. They start off their tough schedule on Apr. 8 at home against No. 6 Miami, followed by No. 40 Florida State, unranked Oakland, No. 26 Wake Forest and finish with No. 2 NC State away on Apr. 16. The Irish roster is not weak, and with No. 90 singles player Freeman and No. 31 doubles team Freeman and Castedo, the Irish are confident in their ability to pull through the rest of the season strong.

Notre Dame returns home to host No. 6 Miami on Apr. 8 at Eck Tennis Pavilion starting at 3:30 p.m.

Contact Olivia Schatz at oschatz@nd.edu

Staeheli, t he No. 19 ra n ked doubles pa ir in t he nat ion.

The Ir ish duo passed w it h f ly ing colors, ea r n ing a cr ucia l 6-4 w in to ha nd Not re Da me t he doubles point a nd a 1-0 lead.

That lead was qu ick ly su r rendered as NC State cla imed t he f irst t h ree sing les matches. T he Wolf pack picked up w ins aga inst Not re Da me’s Ho (6-2, 6-3) on cou r t No. 6, Con k l in (7-6, 6-4) on cou r t No. 4, a nd Fu (6-3, 3-6, 6-3) on cou r t No. 3 to ta ke a 3-1 adva ntage a nd pu l l w it h in one v ictor y of w in n ing t he match.

Wit h t he Ir ish dow n to t heir last breat h, a pa ir of clutch per for ma nces kept t hem a l ive. On cou r t No. 5, Ma l kowsk i, f resh of f h is st rong doubles per forma nce, foug ht for t h ree sets to ea r n a 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 w in.

Vash ist ha, play ing on cou r t No. 1 aga in, defeated t he nat ion’s No. 82 ra n ked sing les player, Ra fa Izqu ierdo Luque, by a score of 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 to level t he score at 3-3.

In what wou ld be t he

Hockey Continued from page 14

have d ra f ted a nd developed severa l outsta nd i ng defensemen i n recent yea rs.

T he road to t he NHL for Ka ra sh i k a nd Slag ger t, who were bot h na med to t he A lba ny A l l-Reg iona l Tea m for t hei r except iona l work i n t he f ina l ga mes of t hei r col leg iate ca reers, will l i kely be a l it t le bit longer.

Bot h players sig ned cont ract s w it h A HL tea ms (t he leag ue below t he NHL) over t he la st week .

Slag ger t sig ned w it h t he Toronto Ma rl ies,

Baseball Continued from page 14

We work on t hat st u f f a l l t he t i me. It’s n ice to have it act ua l ly come up.”

T he l it t le t h i ngs were no doubt a key to Not re Da me’s v ictor y. T he Ir ish d ropped dow n t h ree successf u l bu nt s (t wo sacr if ices, one for a ba se h it) a nd a lso went t wo-for-t wo i n stolen ba se at tempt s.

A f ter ta k i ng t he lead i n t he si x t h, t he Ir ish la rgely locked

decisive match, Not re Da me’s Che took on NC State’s Luca Staeheli on cou r t No. 2. A f ter Staehel i took t he f irst set by a na r row 7-5 ma rg in, Che foug ht back to keep t he Ir ish a live w it h a 6-4 w in of h is ow n, mea n ing t hat t he match’s outcome wou ld be deter m ined by t he f ina l set. In a wel l-played set by bot h sides, Staehel i wou ld emerge w it h a 6-3 v ictor y, g iv ing NC State a 4-3 w in in t he match.

T he toug h defeat at t he ha nds of NC State made it fou r losses in a row for Not re Da me, a nd t he Ir ish w i l l look to t u r n t h ings a rou nd as t hey play t heir last t wo con ference matches of t he season a nd ma ke t heir f ina l prepa rat ions for t he upcom i ng ACC Tou r na ment.

Not re Da me w i l l ta ke on Lou isv i l le in a m idweek home match on Wed nesday at 4 p.m. before t ravel ing to Chest nut Hi l l to face Boston Col lege on Fr iday at 3 p.m.

Contact Matthew Crow at mcrow@nd.edu

t he a f f i l iate of t he Toronto Maple L ea fs.

He’l l be reu n ited w it h h is for mer Not re Da me tea mmate A lex Steeves.

Gra ha m had t remendous success play i ng w it h Steeves a nd sophomore forwa rd L a ndon Slag ger t la st sea son. Play i ng most ly w it h Steeves i n 2020-21, Gra ha m enjoyed h is best of fensive sea son w it h t he Ir ish, scor i ng 25 poi nts i n just 29 ga mes.

Ka ra sh i k, mea nwh i le, i n ked a cont ract w it h t he L eh ig h Va l ley Pha ntoms, A HL a f f i l iate of t he Ph i ladelph ia Flyers.

Ka ra sh i k joi ned t he Ir ish t h is

t h i ngs dow n i n t he f ield a nd on t he mou nd, a l low i ng just one ba se-r u n ner i n t he f i na l t h ree i nn i ngs a nd record i ng t h ree st r i keouts.

W h i le it may not have been t he pret t iest v ictor y of t he season for t he Ir ish, it’s one t hey ’l l cer ta i n ly ta ke, a s Not re Da me look s to r ide t hei r rega i ned moment u m to big ger a nd br ig hter v ictor ies.

“We need to be able to w i n ga mes l i ke t h is,” sa id Ja r ret t. “A nd t hen

sea son a s a g raduate t ra nsfer f rom UCon n. He i m med iately stepped i nto a big role on Jef f Jack son’s defense. He wa s one of just si x Ir ish players to d ress i n a l l 40 ga mes t h is sea son.

Ka ra sh i k’s physica l it y a nd st rong defensive play, bot h at 5-on-5 a nd on t he PK, made h i m i mpor ta nt for t he Ir ish.

It shou ld a lso ma ke h i m feel r ig ht at home i n a Ph i ladelph ia orga n i zat ion k now n for its physica l it y dat i ng back to t he days of t he Broad St reet Bu l l ies.

Contact A ndrew McGuinness at amcguinn @nd.edu

t he dy na m ic ones, you hope t hey come here a nd t here just to g ive you a l it t le more rela x at ion.”

T he Ir ish ret u r n home t h is weekend a s t hey host t he Clemson Tigers.

T he t h ree ga me ser ies will sta r t on Fr iday at 5 p.m i n t he Fra n k Eck Stad iu m.

T he ser ies opener will be a i red on t he ACC Net work E x t ra.

Contact Andrew McGuinness at amcguinn@nd.edu

16

The observer | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022- | ndsmcobserver.com

Softball 3-2

Irish topple No. 6 Wildcats behind Tidd’s gem

By AIDAN THOMAS Sports Editor

GRACIE LEE |The Observer

Irish senior righty Payton Tidd throws a pitch against Georgia Tech on Friday. The Irish won the game 3-2.

2022 has been a year of streaks for Notre Dame softball. And, after their most impressive victory of the season, the Irish look bent on starting another one. The Irish already ripped off a pair of nine-game winning streaks en route to a 28-7 start this season.

They boast wins over No. 8 Duke, No. 15 Texas and No. 22 LSU. After losing on Friday night, the Irish walked it off in consecutive extra-inning wins over Georgia Tech. Looking to take that momentum into their midweek clash, No. 24 Notre Dame welcomed their highest-ranked opponent of the year: No. 6 Northwestern.

Behind a gem from senior pitcher Payton Tidd and a tie-breaking RBI double from junior left-fielder Leea Hanks, the Irish toppled the Wildcats 3-2. Tidd fired a complete game, scattering five hits and giving up only two runs. She didn’t issue a walk and struck out five. She improved to 11-3 with a 2.93 ERA. Offensively, Hanks went 2-4 to improve her batting average to .374. She had the Irish’s only multi-hit effort, as the team mustered eight hits on the day.

Freshman designated hitter Jane Kronenberger and junior shortstop

Brooke Marquez also recorded RBIs.

How it happened The pitcher’s duel got off to a quick start. Tidd retired the first six she faced. Notre Dame recorded a hit in each of the first two frames but didn’t advance a runner past second base.

Northwestern put a pair on base in the second, but Tidd picked up a huge strikeout to strand the runners.

Senior right-fielder Emma Clark sparked the Irish in the third with a one-out single, advancing to second on a hit batter. A fielder’s choice cut down Clark and kept two runners on base with two outs. However, Kronenberger drilled an offering down the left-field line for a runscoring double.

Unfortunately for the Irish, their lead didn’t even last an inning.

Northwestern left fielder Angela Zedak turned on Tidd’s lone mistake of the afternoon, launching a two-run home run. That gave the Wildcats a 2-1 lead they would maintain into the sixth inning. The Irish went down in order in the fourth and stranded two runners in the fifth.

In the sixth, Tidd worked around a leadoff single, inducing two infield flies to end the inning harmlessly.

Junior second baseman Miranda

Johnson led the Irish half of the inning off with a single, moving to second on a walk. Tidd helped her own cause by laying down a beauty of a sacrifice bunt, and the Irish were back in business. Marquez then drilled a pitched toward the shortstop. It wasn’t fielded cleanly, and the runner scored. Marquez earned the RBI, but she didn’t get a hit in the official scorebook. Then, with runners on the corners and one out, Hanks provided the differencemaker. She laced a pitch to deadcenter field for an RBI double and a 3-2 Notre Dame lead.

The Irish couldn’t push any insurance runs across, but Tidd did not need them. Facing Zedak to start the inning, Tidd induced a soft ground out to third base. Then, the senior recorded strikeouts No. 4 and No. 5 on the afternoon to seal the deal. The win gives the Irish three straight and a 28-7 record.

They now embark on a seven-game road trip, starting with a pair of ACC series. They’ll face Syracuse, No. 19 Clemson and Indiana in that stretch.

They return home on April 22 to face North Carolina.

Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu

Women’s Lacrosse 27-2

Notre Dame Irish dominates Detroit Mercy Titans

By MOLLY FERAZANI Sports Writer

The Fighting Irish Women’s Lacrosse team (5-7) defeated the Detroit Mercy Titans (1-10) Tuesday at Arlotta stadium. The Irish played a phenomenal game, finishing with a score of 27-2 against the Titans. The Irish were led by junior attack Madison Ahern scoring four goals and junior midfielder Kasey Choma with three goals.

Detroit Mercy entered the game with gusto, winning the first draw control and shooting twice, one ultimately too wide and the other bouncing off the post. This prompted a ground ball pickup by graduate student goalie Bridget Deehan, followed by a goal from Ahern to kick off the competition for the Irish. Another draw control by Detroit Mercy was followed by back-toback Irish goals scored by sophomore midfielder Mary Kelly Doherty and senior midfielder Madison Mote. The Irish continued to score three more times before the Titans responded with a goal by Elise Harder, leaving the score at 6-1. The Irish maintained their fierce offensive energy, however, and scored six more times before the first quarter was over, concluding with a score of 12-1.

The second quarter began similarly to the first with a draw control taken by the Titans.

Notre Dame sophomore midfielder Kelly Denes answered quickly, causing a turnover and

obtaining a ground ball pickup. Within the first 45 seconds of the quarter, Ahern scored her 38th goal of the season in a free position attempt assisted by graduate student attack Maddie Howe. The game slowed down in the rest of the quarter as the Irish furthered their lead and sophomore goalie Lilly Callahan did not allow a single Detroit Mercy goal.

The third quarter began with a draw control by Irish freshman midfielder Ava Kristynik, followed by freshman midfielder Ciara Mazzone’s first goal of the season. The Detroit Mercy picked up their energy, but Callahan was on fire, blocking two Titans shots back to back within one minute and continuously making impressive saves, maintaining a second quarter without allowing a single Titans goal.

The Titans were able to obtain a second goal with five minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Irish responded quickly with a draw control by sophomore midfielder Keelin Schlageter and a goal by senior attack Mollie Carr, assisted by sophomore midfielder Kristen Shanahan to end the game.

Overall this was a great win for the Irish, and leaves them hungry to continue the streak as they travel to Newton this Saturday to face the No. 3 ranked Boston College Eagles, who they lost to in last year’s NCAA tournament. The game starts at 2 p.m. and will be streamed on ACCN Extra.

Contact Molly Ferazani at mferazan@nd.edu

GRACIE LEE |The Observer

Irish freshman midfielder Kelly Denes looks for a pass in Notre Dame’s opener against Central Michigan where Denes scored 3 goals.