AND REPORT IT ACCURATELY
Sister hired by CFAM
Sister Jacinta Kioko shares theology, interfaith ministry
By BERHAN HAGEZOM News Writer
The Center for Faith, Action and Ministry (CFAM) recently appointed Sister Jacinta Kioko as assistant director for ministry and spiritual formation at Saint Mary’s College. The role is intended to guide students within their spiritual formation and integrate them further into their personal faith.
CFAM’s assistant director for justice and solidarity Sarah Neitz mentioned how Kioko’s experience in ministry and
SMC director Dan Horan renounces Holy Orders
Observer Staff Report
Dan Horan, Saint Mary's College director of the Center for the Study of Spirituality, announced Thursday he will leave the Franciscan order, effectively renouncing his Holy Orders.
“This personal transitus is reflected in my decision, in complete freedom, to leave the Franciscan order and petition the Holy See to be dispensed of the obligations of Holy Orders. This was not an easy decision, nor did I approach this discernment lightly. I have arrived at a
place of peace and joy, certain that God has been with me each step of the way and continues to guide me now,” Horan wrote in a column in the National Catholic Reporter.
Horan used the Latin word “transitus” as a reference to the passage through death to life or rebirth and a nod to the theology of Saint Francis of Assisi, the founder of his order.
Horan specifically chose to leave the Franciscan order on the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi as a testament to the saint's “subtle changes and
growth along a lifetime of spiritual journeying.”
Though Horan had been reflecting for several years, “after a substantial period of prayerful discernment,” he came to the conclusion of leaving the priesthood, citing the COVID pandemic as a “catalyst” for his discernment.
“I was wrestling with what was most important in life, where my passions rested, and where and how God was calling me to serve the church and
Students share plans for SYRs this weekend
By SOPHIE HANAWATT News Writer
Part of a longstanding tradition at Notre Dame, the first SYR dances of the year will take place Friday, Oct. 4 and Saturday, Oct. 5. SYRs, the casual counterpart to hall formals, get their acronym stood for “Screw Your Roommate,” refering to the process of a student choosing their roommate’s blind date. SYRs are now more commonly referred
to as “setting up” for the dance.
Howard Hall, Stanford Hall and Lyons Hall will hold their SYRs this weekend, in addition to Keough Hall’s toga dance. Howard Hall sophomore Molly Hennessy, a member of the hall's dance planning committee, shared that their denim and diamonds hoedownthemed SYR will be held Friday in a tent on South Quad.
Hennessy said that each year, a new theme is tacked onto the broader theme of Howard hoe-
down. Themes in the past have included a Barbie hoedown and a neon “hoedown glowdown.”
“I planned our dances in high school, so I wanted to do it here too. I’m planning the one in the spring too, and my friends are doing it together, so it’s super fun,” Hennessy said. With her friends, she decided on the theme, facilitated ticket sales and ordered decorations and food.
By SOPHIA TRAN and HENRY JAGODZINSKI News Writers
Students and faculty gathered in DeBartolo Hall Oct. 2 for a workshop titled “Using AI For Students.”
The event was led by Roberto Cásarez, academic technology and AI literacy specialist, and Ardea Russo, director of the office of academic standards, who oversees honor code and academic integrity initiatives.
Russo and Cásarez both emphasized they want students to feel confident in their use of artificial intelligence and know appropriate boundaries.
“I don't want it to only be thought of as a cheating tool. It's such a valuable resource for all of us for learning,” Russo said. “As long as you're following your professor's directions regarding use of AI for that class, we should all be embracing
By BRIGID IANNILLI News Writer
On Tuesday night, BreenPhillips Hall hosted a pet blessing Mass at the chapel for Saint Francis of Assisi week, named for the patron saint of ecology and animals.
Notre Dame students, South Bend natives and their pets participated in the blessing. Freshman Grace Kidder brought her miniature cockapoo named Mac.
Kidder said the blessing was a good opportunity to bring Mac into her Christian faith, to
protect him and “let him go to doggy heaven.”
Graduate student Emily Patterson brought her emotional support miniature goldendoodle Mr. Gingerbread Man, or “Gingy” for short. Patterson said she will gladly take any opportunity to be back in her old dorm, especially when it involves her dog.
“[Gingy is] a big part of my life and a huge reason why I’m thriving right now, so getting him blessed, getting him taken care of at this Mass inspired by
BERHAN HAGEZOM | The Observer
Students within the Center for Faith, Action and Ministry (CFAM) post for a picture with Sister Jacinta Kioko during a meeting.
Courtesy of Greg Miller
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QUESTION OF THE DAY:
Natalie Astoquilca-May sophomore Lewis Hall “Floor
Eva Wojcik sophomore Off-Campus “Blow dryer.”
Anna Ferranti freshman Lyons Hall “Teddy bear.”
Andi Lopez freshman Lyons Hall “Air purifier.”
Caleb DeLorenzo freshman Baumer Hall
“Flag of my friend.”
Kimberly Hernandez sophomore McGlinn Hall
“Makeup bag.”
| The Observer
Dana Warrington, an artist who specializes in quillwork, beadwork and metalwork, demonstrates how to create quillwork to spectators during a symposium on indigenizing museums featuring various Indigenous artists in the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art. Want your event included here?
Sports Tyler Reidy Scene Jayden Espinoza Viewpoint Kate Laricci Friday
Francis Fest SMC Sustainable Farm
4:45 p.m.
The Observer regards itself as a professional publication and strives for the highest standards of journalism at all times. We do, however, recognize that we will make mistakes. If we have made a mistake, please contact us at editor@ndsmcobserver.com so we can correct our error.
Join CFAM for Francis Fest actvities at SMC Sustainable Farm.
Friday at Noon
Concert
LaBar Recital Hall
12 p.m - 1 p.m
First concert held by the music department.
Saturday
“Missionary Diplomacy”
205-7 McKenna Hall
9 a.m - 11:30 a.m.
Author Emily ConroyKrutz discusses book.
Notre Dame vs Clemson Purcell Pavillion
1 p.m.
Volleyball faces off against Clemson.
Sunday
“The Wolves” DPAC
2:30 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Play about tensions of a high school girls’ soccer team.
Film: “How to Blow Up a Pipeline” DPAC
4 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.
Thriller explores story of climate change.
Monday
“The LGBTQ+ Center Anniversary” The SMC LGBTQ+ Center
4 p.m. - 7 p.m. Third anniversary.
Red Cross Blood Drive
7:30 p.m.
Understand the themes of Twilight.
GRAY NOCJAR
Student senate approves amendments
By AERZO KARIMI News Writer
The Notre Dame student senate met Wednesday to pass amendments to the Notre Dame constitution and approve new orders.
A resolution to amend Articles III, IX and XV of the constitution was passed to redefine off-campus residents as local off-campus residents.
Farley Hall senator Justice Walker made an argument against the amendment, citing its lack of necessity.
“Re-defining off-campus residents as local offcampus residents would not make any substantive change to the current
practice as everyone already has the correct interpretation of the word off-campus in mind,” Walker said.
The senator for off-campus students, Walker Bagley, was in favor of the change.
“Students studying abroad during the school year are not focused on here by using off-campus residents. Thus, changing it to local offcampus [residents] brings that clarification needed,” Bagley said.
Cavanaugh Hall senator Irvine Assoumou added that the issue of defining the offcampus constituency had been brought to the senate before.
“I am part of the committee
College’s general mission of helping students grow spiritually and feel like they belong through campus programs.
theology through her studies and experience make her an exceptional person for the position.
“I think one of the things that we were really excited about with Sister Jacinta was her experience with interfaith ministry,” Nietz said. “She has a doctorate in theology, and has done really impressive ministry work in Africa, as well as in the US.”
Kioko said her interest in Saint Mary’s is rooted in the
A.I.
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Cásarez agreed, promoting AI for the benefits the technology can provide, despite its reputation.
“We have to fight really hard for the good uses of AI. Because right now, the impression is really bad,” Cásarez said.
Russo cited the University's recognition for the use of AI as necessary for all graduates.
“Even if [students] don't use AI in their work every day, they should at least be comfortable and familiar with tools,” Russo stated. “The University recognizes the need to make sure our graduates can do all of those things.”
Their presentation also
Kioko also spoke about the various roles and experiences she has undertaken in her career.
“Apart from just studying about theology, I have been hands-on about different cases in ministry, pastoral ministry and working with diverse groups of people,” Kioko said. “I’ve also worked with Muslims in Tanzania, and just seeing that diversity of people working together as one, regardless of their religion and regardless
emphasized the need for students to be responsible in their use of AI by using it for coursework only when permitted, citing and acknowledging AI use as appropriate and asking professors for clarification in cases of uncertainty. The University honor code states, “representing work that you did not produce as your own, including work generated or materially modified by AI, constitutes academic dishonesty.”
During the session, Russo and Cásarez listed examples that would constitute violations of the honor code, such as prompting AI tools to write thesis statements, solve math problems, write outlines, draft papers and edit essays. However, students were encouraged, when not prohibited by an instructor, to
of the constitution so I was already aware of the change and voted for it,” Assoumou said. “It makes sense considering a previous case that was brought forth [to] judicial council a few years ago about abroad students running for election, so it makes sense to add that change.”
Following the resolution change to local off-campus residents, an order was approved that mandates the hall presidents council (HPC) to compile a list of dorm restaurants. The list will include the name of the restaurant, the associated dorm, its hours of operation
of their backgrounds, is something that I think has really helped me grow and it prepared me for my position here.”
One of her responsibilities as assistant director is to work closely with students through organizing retreats, one-onone sessions, assisting those of different spiritual backgrounds and helping students in their faith.
“Since I began, some of the students who have come here just talk about how they are doing in their academic work, and I encourage them, and how important the academic work is to their spirituality also. How
ask AI tools questions such as “Can you help me understand this math concept, and give me some examples?” and “I’m writing a paper on ‘this topic.’ Can we talk through [how] I might structure it?”
Cásarez and Russo also made sure to clearly draw a line between using AI for personal studying and using it for an assignment.
“You can use [AI] for personal learning if you don't know what a certain topic is,” Cásarez explained. “It becomes different when you have to submit an assignment for a certain class.”
Asking AI tools to create study guides, flashcards or practice questions for studying outside of class were provided as examples of personal learning use. However, students were also warned not to
and information on food and pricing.
Nominees for peer advocates were voted on and approved by the senators. Emma Vales, former president of Ryan Hall, was elected to serve as junior council vice president.
New announcements from dorm representatives around campus included the Flaherty Hall 5K color run to raise funds for breast cancer research on Oct. 6, a biweekly Spanish Mass by Howard Hall and the Student Union Board’s fall concert featuring The 502s on Friday.
Molly Swartz, the president of the junior council, also noted the closing of
it’s important to integrate the two, and not to forget to do so as those two aspects are important in their lives,” Kioko said.
She is hoping to use small student-led groups to help students share about themselves and listen to each other’s faith journeys through a receptive environment.
Kioko not only looks forward to working with students, but also collaborating further with faculty members across a variety of divisions within CFAM.
“Here, in CFAM, we work as a team, so there are different ways of interacting and
become overly reliant on AI.
“Combine it with your own critical thinking and knowledge,”
Cásarez said. “AI is meant to be a supplement to you and to your learning and to your journeys, not as a replacement.”
Graduate student Guangyu Meng said he found the presentation valuable.
“I learned some stuff today … how to write some prompts, or how to use ChatGPT more efficiently,” Meng said.
Even after the presentation, both Cásarez and Russo stated there was much more work to be done, referring to Notre Dame as “middle of the pack" when it comes to speed of adopting and integrating AI tools and resources when compared with peer universities.
ticket sales for the Junior Formal tonight, reminding juniors to buy their tickets for the event.
Student body president Dawson Kiser announced several upcoming events supported by student council, including Pray and Eat Like St. Francis at World Peace Plaza in front of Saint Mary’s Lake tomorrow from 7 to 8:30 p.m. He also mentioned Disability Awareness Month tabling on Friday which aims to provide information about campus resources advocating for individuals with disabilities.
Contact Aerzo Karimi at akarimi2@nd.edu
collaborating with them. We work together to prepare for their services, including the St. Francis Fest this Friday,” Kioko said.
At Saint Mary’s College, she wants students to feel like they are part of a community larger than themselves and that they can find a home.
“Since I stepped my foot here, I never felt like I didn’t belong at Saint Mary’s. I hope that is what I’m going to do. To help the students also feel that they belong,” Kioko said.
Contact Berhan Hagezom at bhagezom01@saintmarys.edu
However, the University is now taking concrete steps to further develop AI strategies. One of those, Russo said, is the creation of a new advisory body called the “AI Innovation Council." The council will meet for the first time on Oct. 10.
Howard Hall celebrates Howard Week before their SYR each year, with community building activities each night, including a Hannah Montana movie night this past Wednesday.
Lyons Hall will host their SYR in the same tent as Howard Hall the following night.
the animal-themed costumes at the dance.
“My roommate and I are wearing matching onesies with our dates, and I can’t wait to see the overall vibe of the dance,” Sullivan said.
Reflecting on the tradition of setting up your roommate, Hennessy thought most students did not participate, but has seen upperclassmen especially try it out.
before the dance on Friday.
Sophomores Ava Boyle and Ceara Murphy, roommates in Welsh Family Hall, also decided to honor the tradition for their dorm’s SYR, happening next Friday.
she decided to choose a closer acquaintance.
Boyle and her roommate will reveal their dates by having them come to the door of their quad before the dance.
Because they won’t be communicating with their dates beforehand, they’ve each passed along a costume for their date to the other.
Contact Sophie Hanawalt at shanawalt@nd.edu it.”
“This group of people, administrators, faculty [and] students from across campus will meet regularly to assess what is needed on campus,” Russo said.
“This is very murky and rough, and we're still trying to figure it out … but we need to figure it out with faculty and students and staff,” Cásarez said.
Contact Sophia Tran at stran2@ nd.edu and Henry Jagodzinski at hjagodzi@nd.edu
Aubrey Naffis ‘98 reflected on her memories of SYRs with her friends in Knott Hall, a women’s hall at the time.
Lyons freshman Kinsey Sullivan shared that the dance will have a “Noah’s Arch” theme, a tribute to the Lyons Hall arch. Sullivan stated was excited for
This year, Hennessy and a group of 10 of her friends decided to set each other up for the dance. They revealed the date’s names earlier this week and will meet them
“I just know we’ll look back and be like ‘that was so funny,’” said Boyle. “We wanted to set each other up last year, but we didn’t know too many people. With a year under our belts, we decided to go for it.”
To find a date for Murphy, Boyle initially decided to go for “super random” people, messaging three on Instagram. Eventually,
Sullivan elected to go with friends and said “I wouldn’t say it was a ‘screw-your-roommate’ situation, more like a ‘I’ll go to yours and you can go to mine’ kind of situation with my roommate’s friends in Keough.”
“By the time we were at Notre Dame, I don’t think anyone was setting up people blindly. If people were setting each other up, it was typically as friends,” Naffis said. Naffis and her friends usually went in groups, and her fondest memories are from everyone spending time together in the dorms beforehand.
Pet Blessing
St. Francis means a lot to me,” Patterson said.
Fr. Chase Pepper, BreenPhillips’ priest-in-residence, presided over the Mass and led the blessing. He noted in his homily that pets, like humans, can glorify God through their existence and serve as great companions.
Breen-Phillips residents agreed that their pets are important parts of their lives.
Breen-Phillips hall council
president Bella Dillhoff emphasized her love for the Mass. She viewed the blessings as a sort of therapy amid a stressful week.
“This is just such a nice event. It very much brings me peace and re-centers me a lot of times, especially when I’m stressed,” Dillhoff said.
St. Francis week is a part of the worldwide Season of Creation, which spans from Sept. 1 to Oct. 4 and focuses on caring for the Earth and creation at large.
Notre Dame encourages its students to participate in
service activities and make sustainable choices, such as biking to class and picking up trash. It also holds events such as the annual Sustainability Cup challenge, which allows students to earn points for their dorm by attending sustainability events around campus.
Sr. Damien Marie Savino is a Franciscan sister of the Eucharist who is on two fellowships at Notre Dame while also writing a book about integral ecology. She thought it was wonderful that Notre Dame, established not by
Franciscans but by Holy Cross priests, would take the time to celebrate and honor St. Francis’ legacy.
“Because he’s the patron saint of ecology, I think he can really speak to contemporary issues,” Savino said.
Savino’s favorite event of the week is the Notre Dame Linked Experimental Ecosystem Facility’s (ND-LEEF) Science Sunday. It gives local residents a chance to explore the facility and learn about the environmental research faculty and graduate students conduct at
Notre Dame. It helps to “translate [science] into the language that everyone can understand so that we can all learn to care better for the Earth,” Savino said.
Like many of the BreenPhillips residents, she loves the idea of a pet blessing being part of St. Francis week.
“Because we believe that creation is a reflection of the creator, we can bless all aspects of creation,” Savino said.
Contact Brigid Iannilli at biannell@nd.edu
SDB holds latin dance workshop for students
By BERHAN HAGEZOM News Writer
Diversity Board (SDB) held their “Despierta El Ritmo: Wake Up The Rhythm” event on Wednesday, Oct. 2 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Dalloway’s Clubhouse.
This workshop provided an opportunity for students to celebrate and learn about a variety of Latin dance through video tutorials and enjoy Latin treats such as conchas.
Latin dances, such as salsa, bachata and merengue were enjoyed by students through an open-floor setting, allowing peers to interact and connect with each other through a diverse amount of group, individual and pairdancing activities.
The title of the event, “Despierta El Ritmo,” was inspired by junior Anastacia Galicia, SDB treasurer, who saw it as a way for students to feel excited and lively about Latino culture.
“It’s just a way of celebrating the roots within Hispanic culture.
For me, dance is a main
Dan Horan
world,” Horan wrote.
No longer a Catholic priest or Franciscan friar, Horan mourns the loss of no longer serving the Catholic Church in this manner. However, he wrote he has internally reached “a place of peace and understanding” about his decision.
Horan affirms this decision was not out of lack of faith, but of renewed belief and a testimony to the “surprising direction” of the Holy Spirit.
“I know that some people will want to know more about my discernment and the reasons why I have come to this decision, and I do plan to share more about my experience and vocational journey later,” Horan wrote. “For now, it is important for me to convey that this is a good thing for me personally and spiritually.”
focus in the culture. For ‘Despierta El Ritmo’, basically, I just thought of it as waking up and dance, like let’s wake up and dance today,” Galicia said.
The title reinforces a way for students to directly engage with the culture as well as be perceptive to how events such as this should be seen and celebrated.
Senior Angelina Wright, SDB vice president, mentioned this was the club’s first event celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.
“We always like to do something that uplifts people. So I feel like dancing is one thing that will definitely get you there. I feel like a lot more people need to be more aware and introduced to topics in spanish if we’re talking about the culture and everything of the sort.”
This workshop was not only a way for students to interact with Latino traditions outside of a typical lecture or classroom environment, but also a form of being aware of the complexity and diversity of the cultures itself.
Junior Giselle Martinez,
SDB’s secretary, emphasized how the purpose of these events creates a spotlight on often underrepresented cultures with important overlooked aspects and how it enriches people’s understanding of it through education.
“This is kind of an educational and fun event.
We get to show people the different music and dance styles, and it allows for people to come in and try the foods we’re having, like conchas.
So, by highlighting and empowering these cultures, it’s a way to diversify the voices that we have on campus, even the smaller voices and the bigger voices,” Martinez said.
SDB works towards making the College’s campus and student experience inclusive and open for all students, including those from different backgrounds, especially for commuter students.
“I wanted to make a change, and make it more inclusive for commuters, making sure that some events are maintainable for commuters
to stay on campus and attend these events,” Galicia said. “I also just want to see more cultural events happening here at Saint Mary’s since now there is more diversity with students.”
For Martinez, she wanted to get involved with SDB as a first-generation Latina student to highlight voices from different identities and experiences.
She believes it’s important to ensure “future prospective students understand that Saint Mary’s is committed to making your voice heard here, making sure you feel [like you] belong.”
This sense of belonging was felt through SDB’s latin dance workshop, with attendees being entertained while being taught new moves.
“It was so fun. I danced, and I learned new stuff I haven’t even tried to do before.
It was a great event to come and just have fun with people that you know, and I love the songs,” junior Ariane Urayeneza-Akimana said.
Junior Alyson Aguilar
Morales has been attending SDB events since her freshman year and has always found new things to look forward to.
“I really like the different music they played, and I actually learned salsa today. Once more people started coming, I feel like it just started to become even more fun than it was,” Aguilar said.
For the remainder of Hispanic Heritage Month, SDB will be hosting Hispanic trivia night “¿Sabes o Nah?” from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10, for students to have fun in testing their knowledge on Hispanic cultures and communities.
President Chinaza Ezechikamnayo emphasized for anyone that feels a lack of belonging in the community, “know that SDB is a space that they can be, and they don’t have to be anything. They don’t have to be any type of person to belong here, as they already belong.”
Contact Berhan Hagezom at bhagezom01@saintmarys.edu
Why won’t Notre Dame drop protest charges?
Last semester, a group of around 40 Notre Dame students gathered on God Quad to stand in solidarity with Palestinians. It was raining; we mulled around quietly, hoping for good news from a small group who were meeting with the administration, pleading the case that we are morally obligated to divest from the ongoing genocide. Provost John McGreevy and former Dean Scott Appleby were dismissive of us and after a mere 15 minutes, walked away. The police encircled us five minutes later and arrested 17 students, throwing two to the ground — one even chipped a tooth. I was among the arrested.
And what were we charged with? Trespassing. On our own campus. We are students and teaching assistants and instructors, and we were arrested as trespassers. Earlier in the day, the police came and tore down our small canopy — the same you would see at any common tailgate. And although permits are only required for tents greater than 10 x 20 sq. ft, we were explicitly told by the police we were not allowed to put them up again. Throughout the course of the evening, we never defaced property, nor did we
OBSERVER EDITORIAL
ever make hateful remarks. We didn’t even start chanting until the police gathered around us. It was clear that the issue wasn’t tents or chants. It was what they pointed to — a growing student movement for justice in Palestine. It didn’t have to be this way. Many universities did not make even a single arrest despite prolonged encampments. Students at Cornell University erected an encampment for 18 days and, in response, Cornell’s administration negotiated and listened to them. Taking it a step further was San Francisco State University who agreed to divest from weapons manufacturers after students maintained an encampment for two weeks. And other schools, like Michigan State University, responded similarly.
And even for those universities that did arrest students, many have already dropped the charges primarily due to lack of probable cause. Students have a right to gather on their own campus, after all. Columbia University, where the largest student encampment occurred, dropped the charges back in June. Other universities like Dartmouth, Indiana University, Arizona State University and Stony Brook University
have followed a similar pattern, potentially implying that the arrests were a pretext for dispersing the crowds. Meanwhile, at the University of Virginia, their campus policy previously stated that tents did not require a permit. Yet, the administration redacted that statement hours before arresting 27 students. Later, the charges were dropped given the underhanded way the policy had been changed. Whether dropping charges later or refusing to arrest students in the first place, these approaches contrast sharply with that of Notre Dame. Currently, all 17 arrested students are facing up to a year in prison and have waited for months for the charges to be dropped, to no avail. We have had to find lawyers and communal support as the University has made it clear where they stand — against free speech and against students who disagree with them. Our University has chosen to criminalize dissent rather than promote discourse. This treatment of anti-war students at Notre Dame betrays the basic tenets of Catholic Social Teaching of solidarity that this institution claims to uphold. Our University fails to meet the moral task even with
the lowest bar imaginable; when a Catholic mother and daughter, Nahida and Samar Anton, were murdered in Gaza, Notre Dame remained silent. So, where do we go from here? This summer, Notre Dame welcomed new leadership, with President Dowd emphasizing the need for respectful dialogue. It’s an additional step, but it’s not enough. The 17 students arrested that night have so much more to offer this campus without the weight of unjust charges hanging over our heads. We have continued to nurture constructive conversations by participating in guest lectures, writing academic articles and hosting communal campus events. If Notre Dame truly believes in the power of respectful dialogue, the first step is meeting each other where we are — at the same table, with open hearts. This is how we begin to move forward, together.
Seham S. Kafafi Sept. 23 Occupation Free ND
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Why don’t fliers fly with administration?
The tri-campus has a poster problem.
At other universities — the very “peer institutions” our administration strives to emulate — the advertising situation is essentially laissez-faire. If you want to hang a poster or a flier or anything of the sort, you print it, you hang it, and that’s that.
The result? Vibrant bulletin boards on which departmental lectures and freelance dog walkers are promoted side-by-side, lamp posts on which posters for faith groups and punk music house shows coexist. Walking around these campuses, the vitality of after-school life is visually apparent.
Notre Dame’s bulletin boards, however, are tame; our lamp posts are empty. Visiting highschoolers probably notice the relative sterility.
The iconic scene from “Rudy” in which the titular character grabs a flier off the wall at Holy Cross College for a “room to rent” — ultimately kickstarting his football career — is unimaginable today. On today’s tricampus, you’re simply not allowed to post a flier to promote a yard sale or sell a used car or (like in “Rudy”) to rent a room.
What’s to blame? The unique grip the Student Activities Office (SAO) holds over advertising on campus. The linchpin of the Student Life policy, which SAO enforces, is that use of university bulletin boards is restricted to departments and “recognized student groups.” The policies at Saint Mary’s are nearly identical and are managed through its Office of Student Involvement, while Holy Cross
requires approval by their Office of Student Activities.
Small stakeholders (e.g. freelance workers or artists and bands) are removed from the picture entirely. Furthermore, the sheer bureaucratic effort required to apply for SAO recognition in the first place — completing annual registration, finding a faculty or staff advisor, potentially submitting a financial evaluation — is a high bar which precludes many groups from advertisement on campus.
Even if an organization is capable of bearing this onus, recognition — and consequently the right to post its material — is ultimately contingent on whether or not SAO deems it “consistent with the University’s mission, whether it be spiritual, moral, intellectual, cultural, social, athletic or recreational.” Regardless of whether this standard should govern the recognition of clubs, it is questionable whether such lofty ideals should govern something as quotidian as our right to post.
Saint Mary’s has seen controversy over which organizations are granted recognition — and thereby have the right to express themselves — and which are not. The rejection of the Smicks for Choice club in April 2023 is one such instance. Whether or not the College should recognize this club officially, these students are precluded from even seeking approval to posting a flier anywhere on campus.
On the other side of the political spectrum, a poster for the College Republicans of Saint Mary’s was initially rejected on a bureaucratic
technicality. Though the students’ poster was denied because it was not submitted by the (recognized) club itself, Saint Mary’s policy allowed submissions from “individuals” as well as clubs and departments.
The poster was ultimately approved, but not without a fair deal of confusion about the policies and their enforcement. In an email to the students in question, Saint Mary’s dean of students and campus life informed them that: “Only sanctioned student organizations can post flyers on campus. Further, our process promotes the interest of Saint Mary’s College in guarding against violations of copyright laws, inappropriate content and or instances of the destruction of the positive campus atmosphere, campus property or campus appeara nce.” What is the “destruction of the positive campus atmosphere” but a vague phrase that can be applied to anything according to the bureaucrats’ whims.
How much paperwork must an organization fill out to hang a flier? Must it prove itself “consistent” with the “mission” to declare when and where it meets? And if an institution — such as The Observer — is intentionally independent from the University, what then? Why is that sufficient reason to erase that institution from this campus’s bulletin boards?
Keep in mind that while these policies make posters an impossibility for individuals and unrecognized groups, they do not make it a cakewalk for recognized ones either. Promotional material to be posted must first be
submitted online to the SAO360 system, a process which often takes several days. Then, an in-person visit must be paid to the SAO office to complete a form, have a copy of the material scanned and filed and have the material itself stamped.
Funnily enough, University departments — who employ administrative staff for this sort of busywork — are exempt from this requirement. It is only the extracurricular organizations, often run by busy students, whom the process burdens.
Perhaps the poster policy can be said to prevent the encroachment of corporate advertising. Is a policy which treats an undergraduate calculus tutor and a massive real estate firm like Irish Gold Management as equal threats really the best way of doing this, though? Perhaps the poster policy can be said to prevent unsightly clutter. Is sterility not unsightly in its own way, too?
A poignant counterexample to this system is found in the residence halls, where these directives are less rigorously enforced. Some rectors are stricter than others, of course, but there is generally more freedom to post flyers in residence halls than in other campus spaces. Consequently, their walls are typically more vivid. The hall newspapers taped up in the toilet stalls, the hall election ads hung in the elevators, the hall event posters lining the hallways, the memes posted above the urinals — these are not just clutter, they are a visual reflection of the campus culture our administration talks so much about cultivating.
Immigration: How Trump can win
On Tuesday, Oct. 1, Ohio Senator JD Vance and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz faced off in a mostly cordial vice presidential debate. Early on, moderators Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan pressed Vance on the specifics of Trump’s immigration policy. To their credit, the two recognized that the border crisis is one of the top issues for American voters; however, its significance was deliberately understated.
Similarly, Vance’s response was somewhat underwhelming. Unsurprisingly, the senator blamed the ongoing crisis on the Biden-Harris Administration. It is obviously true that Biden’s undoing of Trump era policies have worsened the immigration problem, almost certainly on purpose. Vance claimed that there are at least twenty to twenty five million illegal aliens in the country, and he proposed beginning mass deportations with violent criminals. In his own words, “you’ve got to stop the bleeding.”
Walz responded with the recently common retort of the “James Lankford Bill.” According to Democrats and the mainstream media, this bill would have magically solved illegal immigration, and Trump only killed the bill to score political points! Of course, it’s only a coincidence that the left falls back on this during an election year.
The bill grants the president new emergency powers to handle illegal immigration. What they don’t tell you is that these powers only become available to use when there is a weekly average of 5,000 border encounters each day. Further, the president is only required to use these powers when it’s up to 8,500. Both of these numbers are far higher than the averages of the last twenty years. Indisputably, this bill would only worsen the immigration problem. Why didn’t Senator Vance mention this?
Despite Vance’s missed opportunities on immigration, he did win the debate. If Republicans want to win in 2024, they need to capitalize on the crisis more effectively. Never stop talking about immigration. Immigration. Immigration. Immigration.
President Trump understands this. In his September 11th debate with Vice President Harris, he famously and hilariously said “In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs. The people that came in, they’re eating the cats. They’re eating — they’re eating the pets of the people that live there.”
Two days later in Las Vegas, Trump remarked “I am angry about young American girls being raped and murdered by savage criminal aliens that come into our country very easily, but very illegally.” The president’s controversies on immigration won him the September media cycle, and he regained momentum against Kamala Harris.
Trump’s bombastic language on immigration has always been one of his strong suits; everyone remembers his announcement speech from June 2015. On Mexican illegal immigrants, then candidate Trump stated, “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists, and some, I assume, are good people.” Can anyone think of a more provocative or genius way to begin a revolutionary campaign?
Despite Trump’s rhetoric on illegal immigration, his 2024 campaign has unfortunately softened its stance on legal immigration. On multiple occasions, Trump has proposed stapling green cards to the diplomas of every noncitizen graduate of American colleges and universities.This would be disastrous for many Americans whose families have been here for generations. For too long, politicians from both parties have sold us out for cheap labor and other incentives. Trump’s green card plan would effectively swap out American elites with people who come from places extremely foreign to American tradition.
Not only is this plan an ethical disaster, but it’s also a massive strategic failure. For the first time in almost twenty years, a majority of Americans want to limit legal immigration. Who is President Trump trying to win over with this policy? Republican voters obviously wouldn’t disqualify Trump if he came out against legal immigration; many would be more excited to vote for him. It seems like the president’s campaign advisors have forgotten how to win an election. Trump will win if he gets his base out to vote for him; winning over the most radical democrats is an obvious pipe dream.
Throughout the 2016 campaign, Trump did not promote legal immigration like this. His rhetoric on the difference between legal and illegal immigration was notably more ambiguous. He proposed significant limitations on H-1B visas and recognized that American jobs were being taken by foreigners. President Trump’s original, nativist position from 2016 is clearly the winning strategy. While in office, Trump certainly tried to solve the immigration problem. Predictably, the cowardly Republicans in Congress refused to give the president the money for the wall. Originally, the Trump Wall was supposed to be a thirty feet high, concrete goliath. After Trump’s emergency usage of the national defense budget, we got 458 miles of an eighteen feet high steel fence.
In many ways, Trump did solve the tragedies of illegal immigration. Child and sex trafficking along the border went down, but overall encounters continued to go up, with notable inflection points. The famous chart that saved Trump’s life on July 13th, titled “Illegal Immigration into the U.S.”, shows that illegal immigration numbers rose until Spring 2020. According to the chart, that’s because of a combination of a Trump tariff threat on Mexico and new DHS tools. Does anyone remember anything else that happened in Spring 2020? An easy argument could be made that illegal immigration only declined
in a significant way under Trump because of the COVID-19 Worldwide Pandemic. Once Biden got in, illegals got the green light to invade our country, and that’s what ended up happening.
There are serious concerns from likely Trump voters that his second term will not be tough enough on immigration. The line of “stapling green cards to diplomas” is not new. Mitt Romney ran with it in 2012. How did that work out for him?
Trump 2024’s rhetoric of “Mass Deportations Now!” is certainly a step in the right direction, but how will the mass deportations actually happen? Vance said to prioritize the violent illegal aliens, but it’s not entirely clear what happens after that. Will the generally peaceful but still criminal immigrants be deported next? The mainstream media will undoubtedly lambaste Trump if he ever tries to deport twenty, even fifteen million illegal immigrants.
There is some good news, though. On Sept. 15, Trump posted a coherent immigration policy on Truth Social. He wrote “We will stop all migrant flights, end all illegal entries, terminate the Kamala phone app for smuggling illegals (CBP One App), revoke deportation immunity, suspend refugee resettlement and return Kamala’s illegal migrants to their home countries (also known as remigration).” These are tangible, realistic goals from a second Trump Administration.
As of right now, Trump 2024 on immigration is a mixed bag. Increased legal immigration threatens American jobs and our traditional way of life. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, illegal immigration is worse than ever. President Trump will inevitably reduce illegal immigration, but the question is, by how much?
As immigration continues to rise, it will become increasingly impossible for Republicans to win national elections without compromising on their values. A majority of immigrants will vote for Democrats, no matter what. It’s simply the way it is. With only a month left until the election, Trump needs to make it a referendum on immigration. Hopefully, he will win and return to his 2016 roots. The existential problem of immigration to the United States must be solved quickly by a leader with an iron will. Republicans need to say “Sorry, we’re full.” They have to go back.
Jack Docherty
The College Republicans of Notre Dame have agreed, along with the College Democrats of Notre Dame, to write a bi-weekly debate column in The Observer’s Viewpoint section in the name of free, civil discourse in the 2024 election cycle. You can reach out to the College Republicans at creps@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
You won’t believe what I heard
As a journalist, it would be a lie to say I don’t love some good gossip. I crave the feeling of gathering morsels of information, sharing stories with my friends and eavesdropping on conversations to add to my notes app list titled “Overheard.”
Gossip is intertwined with my female friendships. It’s Shannon and I whispering in the dark until we fall asleep in our twin XL beds, Libby and I rehashing the same stories from high school over and over again, ranting to my Mom during our weekly Facetimes, bathroom confessions as the Uber is pulling up outside and Sundays at The Observer office recapping the newest installment of Emma’s life story.
Gossip is a critical part of our lives. It’s how we update each other on the weekend’s events, find people that share similar values and learn who can be trusted. However, gossip is less about the information being conveyed and more about the intimate connection formed with someone through gossiping. Everyone knows that the best way
to make a new friend is to find a mutual source of frustration and nothing brings people closer together than a shared experience to talk about.
This foundational role of gossip in building connections is rooted in its origin. The original version of the word gossip is “god-sibbe,” which literally means to be an intimate friend of a family, which conveys this sense of connection. It wasn’t until the sixteenth century that gossip came to be associated with idle, backbiting talk, which is actually the opposite of the solidarity that female friendship implies and fosters. In her book “Witches, Witch-Hunting and Women,” Silvia Federici writes that the earliest forms of gossip appeared during the Middle Ages when lower class women engaged in communal work, thus forming tightknit communities. However, in 1549, a proclamation was issued “forbidding women to meet together to babble and talk,” and husbands were ordered to keep their wives in the house. Not only was the demonization of gossip a way to limit the freedoms of women, but it also served to reinforce capitalism and ensure that women weren’t wasting time socializing when they could be working.
These influences persist today, shaping attitudes that regard gossip as sinful and malicious. However, if we revisit
the origins of gossip—not as a means of spreading false rumors, but as a way to share information and wisdom to nurture friendships—we can see it as an act of solidarity and love, particularly for those on the margins of society. Gossip produces knowledge from the margins that is valuable only to those in the margins. It’s a way to build cultural networks and form communities, especially for those that feel their voices and identity are not represented, like women and queer people. In this way, gossip is a form of social currency that brings people together. I owe my closest friendships to the bonds I’ve formed while gossiping. From freshman year watching “Euphoria” on the floor of Shannon’s common room, to sophomore year putting on purple sparkly eyeshadow with Vanshika, to junior year eating popcorn and debriefing in the 7B lounge to now senior year gathered around the kitchen island making dinner with my roommates. Gossip is girlhood and love and friendship and I won’t accept any slander.
Contact Caroline Collins at ccolli23@nd.edu. The
Caroline Collins
Managing Editor
THE ARTISTRY OF MOVIE TIE-IN MUSIC
By ANDY OTTONE Scene Writer
There is nothing funnier to me than an inappropriate soundtrack to a film. For example, did you know that Aerosmith’s “Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” was written for a Michael Bay movie? Or Seal’s “Kiss from a Rose” was written for “The NeverEnding Story III,” and used in the “Batman Forever” soundtrack the next year as well? What’s even funnier to me is the notion of an artist going, “Writing a single song for this isn’t enough … I need to write a whole album for this movie.” Now, typically these were just studio albums that coincidentally were inspiring movies with their source material. Prince’s “Purple Rain” and Whitney Houston’s “The Bodyguard” albums are examples of this phenomenon; even the Beatles did it with “Help!”, “Hard Day’s Night” and “Yellow Submarine” all serve as tie-ins to their film releases instead. But not every film album follows this trajectory: there’s the Baz Luhrmann approach, slapping an “inspired by the music of the film” on an album with different artists featured in the film’s real soundtrack. His biggest offender is the TWO albums of “Moulin Rouge” music he did
besides the real soundtrack, featuring artists such as Pink, David Bowie and Bono of U2 on one and leaving the actual actors from the film to be on the second. His “Elvis” soundtrack is a fantastic practice of bizarre crossovers: Eminem, Doja Cat and Maneskin remixing old Presley hits into new tracks, with the film itself (and the deluxe digital edition of the soundtrack) simply featuring “Toxic” by Britney Spears and something called the “Backstreet Boys Bossa Nova.”
However, sometimes when you get a big musician on a project, things might change. That’s how we got “Garth Brooks in the life of Chris Gaines,” a soundtrack for an alleged film starring Garth Brooks as the character Chris Gaines, a songwriter operating in completely different genres than Brooks’ normal country skillset. That was a soundtrack for a musical biopic for a musician that never existed, and the movie never even started production. That is hilarious, if not deeply confusing.
Every moment is a result of all events that came before; if it weren’t for all of these deeply odd musical side-projects to blockbuster films, we wouldn’t have the hottest new album out on the market this week: Lady Gaga’s “Joker: Folie a Deux” promo album “Harlequin,” released Sept.
27. Now, don’t get it twisted; this is NOT the film’s soundtrack. There is an actual soundtrack album scheduled for release Friday. “Harlequin” is simply an album featuring mostly songs already on the soundtrack sung solely by Gaga as opposed to the film’s full cast, alongside two original songs. I’ve come to report on the album, not review it. I honestly like Gaga’s music, and I appreciate her as an actress. Shadow-dropping — a surprise release of a work without any prior announcement — an album to promote the “Joker” sequel is one of the funniest things an artist can do, especially when the soundtrack is scheduled for release a week after the album’s debut.
Now, “Joker 2” is not the most ridiculous film to receive a tie-in album; a major artist plays a primary role, co-star Joaquin Phoenix is no stranger to singing either and no matter how hard the film tries to deny it, it’s a musical. However, an album that is entirely a copy of the soundtrack feels odd. Though, credit where credit’s due; this announcement made me chuckle, and is that not what the Joker is all about?
Contact Andy Ottone at aottone@nd.edu
By ROSIE MAESE Scene Writer
This Wednesday evening, I was delighted to see FTT’s production of “The Wolves”! The production had great lighting from the get-go, which truly underscored the mood throughout the play. The red, intense lighting at the start was an artistically insightful method of foreshadowing the issues that would be alluded to and the tragedy at the show’s end. The sets, props and costumes were simple yet effective — the audience was able to easily distinguish the setting, which allowed viewers to hone in on the subtle, smaller references made throughout the show. I also loved the soccer ball props — they helped evoke a soccer field on stage. The show started with a humorous opening, with the girls on the team making light-hearted jokes with each other, though the tone shifted by quickly alluding to social and mental health issues such as sexual assault, eating disorders and anxiety. Over the course of the show, these heavier topics brought tension between the girls, and this tension was later resolved only
after the tragedy of losing a teammate. The play did a phenomenal job in showing the audience a key theme: you never know what someone is going through. I think this speaks to Notre Dame’s Catholic values about extending kindness to others and loving your neighbor as yourself. The performance portrayed the harsh realities of teenagers who have to hide parts of themselves to fit into society. The team captain originally hides that she’s lesbian out of fear that her teammates will judge her, and one of the girls aggressively eats orange slices when no one is looking because she hasn’t eaten all day. Each girl on the team is actively fighting a battle that they don’t reveal to the teammates they’ve known for years — only the audience knows the intensity of their lives and their active fight. I enjoyed feeling like I had an “inside scoop” on each character, and the girls’ privacy about their battles resonated with the audience; we almost never reveal our full truths to ourselves, so realistically we cannot have that pure, complete vulnerability with others. Yet, when they all shared one vulnerable, tragic moment together, they were able to
truly be vulnerable with each other, and thus the team was unified. “The Wolves” showed the audience this unity in a poignant way. At the end, the team continuously chants “We are the Wolves!” This chant gets increasingly louder, the lighting intensifies and, suddenly, the lights go out. This was a necessary, bold exit to a bold, thought-provoking play.
The team’s overall vulnerability was shared in somber, passionate moments. For instance, the mother’s regrets over arguing with her daughter before her death, or her best friend regretting the cruel words exchanged the last time they saw each other. These moments of regret highlight how people do not seem to appreciate what they have until it’s gone, which gives the audience a chance to reflect on their own lives and express gratitude. The show demonstrates how you truly never know what will happen and when. That’s the reason I always tell my mother “I love you” before ending our calls, and why I occasionally journal — to remind myself of all the positives my life nevertheless has to offer.
Contact Rosie Maese at rmaese@nd.edu
ND WOMEN’S SOCCER
Irish look to continue dominance of Syracuse
By TYLER REIDY Sports Editor
It’s been a minute since the Notre Dame women’s soccer team last traveled to Syracuse for a match. The Irish haven’t visited the Orange since October 2018 and haven’t opposed them in any venue since 2021.
This weekend, Notre Dame will make the trip out to central New York to begin the regular season’s final month. The Irish enter Saturday’s upcoming match ranked 17th in the United Soccer Coaches poll with an overall record of 7-1-2 and a mark of 1-0-2 within Atlantic Coast Conference play.
Freshman forward Izzy Engle still leads Notre Dame and ranks second in the ACC with 10 goals on the season. In terms of goals per game, she rates inside the nation’s top five. Freshman midfielder Grace Restovich, who tops the Irish with seven assists on the year, also sits within the country’s top seven players with 0.7 assists per match. Sophomore goalkeeper Atlee Olofson, who started last week’s draw against NC State, currently leads all qualified goalkeepers in Division I women’s soccer with a .929 save percentage.
Syracuse comes into the weekend off to a rough start in ACC play. The Orange
Notre Dame last played one week ago in a Thursday night contest against NC State. Despite dominating possession time and the overall flow of the match at home, the Irish ended up in a 1-1 draw with the Wolfpack. They head to Syracuse still unbeaten in road games having most recently defeated Virginia by a 1-0 score on Sept. 22.
possess a 6-6-1 overall record but are winless at 0-5-0 within league action. Now, Syracuse has faced one of the toughest conference schedules among ACC teams to start, with all five losses coming to opponents rated inside the top 50 in RPI.
Over the last two weeks, the Orange have dropped back-to-back home matches against No. 3 North Carolina and No. 4 Wake Forest. With Notre Dame currently ranked as well, the road ahead isn’t getting much easier for Syracuse. Since the pandemic, Syracuse has traveled a rocky road and a program.
The Orange went 4-12-1 in 2021, going without a win or draw in ACC play. They made decent improvement in 2022, going 1-6-3 in the ACC and 8-7-3 overall for their most wins since the 2016 season. However, as
injuries and personnel shifts piled up last year, Syracuse fell back down to the bottom of the ACC standings, going 0-9-1 with an overall record of 2-14-2. The Orange have not qualified for the NCAA Tournament since 2001.
Syracuse began this season with one of its primary strengths returning in goal.
Junior Shea Vanderbosch played in 34 games and made 195 saves in her first two seasons, posting strong save percentages of .815 as a freshman and .729 as a sophomore. This season’s numbers lie right in between her previous totals, as Vanderbosch owns a .773 save percentage and a 1.62 goals against average.
Erin Flurey, last year’s leading Orange goal scorer, is also back and contributing to this season’s Syracuse squad. The redshirt junior has three goals and a
team-high 30 shot attempts but has not registered a point in over three weeks as Syracuse has scored just once in its last four matches. Experienced redshirt junior Ashley Rauch has taken on a larger offensive role, leading the Orange with four goals and nine points. In three years coming into this season, Rauch had posted only four total goals and 11 total points.
Notre Dame has never lost to Syracuse, carrying an alltime record of 17-0-1 against the Orange. Since head coach Nate Norman’s arrival, the Irish are a perfect 4-0-0 with a goal differential of 14-1 in the series.
Notre Dame and Syracuse will collide inside SU Soccer Stadium at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu
JONATHAN KARR | The Observer
Freshman forward Annabelle Chukwu steps over the ball during Notre Dame’s 1-1 draw against NC State at Alumni Stadium on Sept. 26, 2024. Chukwu has two goals and an assist in just four games to start the season and returned to the Irish two weeks ago after a stint at the U20 World Cup with Team Canada. She ranks third on the Irish in points per match.
Happy Birthday: Take a fresh look at the past, present, and future, and it will become clear what you want to pursue next. Address what’s standing in your way. Refuse to let outside influences deter you from implementing the lifestyle and prospects that make you feel vibrant. It’s your responsibility to tend to self-care and manifest dreams that enhance your happiness and peace of mind. Your numbers are 4, 17, 25, 29, 34, 42, 48.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): View what’s unfolding differently before forging ahead with your plans. Refrain from getting sucked into someone’s pie-in-the-sky ideas when you have plans to manifest. Speak up, and you’ll be surprised by the input you receive. Turn your thoughts into a reality.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You may crave change, but be realistic if your options suggest a financial loss. Be ready to raise your profile, update your qualifications, and put your energy into presentation, networking, and marketing who you are and your skills to conjunct with what’s trending. Personal and professional partnerships look promising.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Embrace every chance to expand your interests, friendships, and skills. Participation is the name of the game when dealing with expansion and drumming up business. Put your energy into making yourself stand out and differentiating yourself from any competition. Financial and personal gains are apparent.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Think twice before you do or say something you may live to regret. Avoid emotional turmoil and being taken advantage of by manipulative people. Pay attention to detail, look, and do your best. Own the spotlight instead of letting someone dim your light.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Physical activity will help you turn angst and frustration into selfawareness and achievement. Use your intelligence to sort through information and find experts who offer insight into what’s possible. Refuse to let temptation lead you down the wrong path. Stick to facts and do what’s right.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Take care of money matters first, followed by reputation, position, and prospects you want to pursue. Set the stage for success and refuse to revert to an unfamiliar path. Follow your dream, and wish others well in following theirs. A financial gain is within reach.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Put your heart and soul into what makes you happy and share your plans with someone who can be instrumental in achieving your goal. Trust your instincts, remain calm, and make the most of every situation to ensure you come out on top. Personal gain is within reach.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Start thinking about what makes you happy and donate more time and energy to making it part of your daily routine. Use your imagination to devise a unique plan combining learning, teaching, and sharing with like-minded people. The best is yet to come.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Stand your ground, trust your instincts, not someone else’s judgment. Finish what you start and leave no room for outside interference or criticism. Embark on a challenge that promotes personal growth and the desire to participate in something that concerns you or makes you feel passionate.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Learn from past mistakes, observations, and educational pursuits. Listen and dissect information carefully before implementing it into your plans. A partnership requires equality to work. Put a schedule in place that divides responsibilities evenly to avoid discontentment. Make love, romance, and happiness a priority.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Invest time and effort in sorting through investments and how your money will bring the highest returns. Consider options, agreements, and how to offset something standing in your way. Attend seminars or TED talks that offer insight into what’s trending and fruitful. Make health and fitness a priority.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Don’t overdo it or let temptation take over. Look inward and consider how to better care for your health and well-being. A fitness regime or dedicating more time to raising your awareness regarding money, funding, and how to lower your overhead will ease your mind and give you hope.
Birthday Baby: You are opportunistic, innovative, and responsive. You are disciplined and intentional.
ND MEN’S SOCCER
Irish carry four-game win streak into Syracuse
By TYLER REIDY Sports Editor
The regular season’s final month has arrived for Notre Dame men’s soccer. At 5-1-3 but unranked in the United Soccer Coaches Poll, the Irish have played well, but apparently not well enough to capture national attention. Beginning with this Saturday’s trip to Syracuse, they would like to hit the accelerator and make a move down the stretch.
Syracuse surely hopes to do the same. The Orange have experienced a downturn since claiming a national championship in 2022 and enter Saturday’s contest at 4-4-3 overall and 0-2-2 in ACC play. You might be thinking it simply isn’t their year, but the Orange began this season with expectations higher than where they’re headed.
They opened the year ranked 25th nationally having reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament a year ago. At their current rate, the Orange would miss the tournament entirely.
Notre Dame has won each of its last four matches, unlocking its offense with the help of a lighter schedule.
The Irish last defeated Trine by a 7-1 score on Tuesday after upsetting No. 12 Clemson by a 2-1 margin Friday night. During the win streak, Notre Dame has outscored its opponents 18-4.
Unsurprisingly, senior forward Matthew Roou has remained an integral part of Notre Dame’s recent success. The Irish talisman has scored in four consecutive games, following up backto-back hat tricks with a game-winning goal against Clemson and a brace against
Trine. Roou has already reached 10 goals on the season, equaling the career high he set in 2023. He leads the ACC in scoring by two goals and is tied with Jesus Barea (Missouri State) and Alec Hughes (Massachusetts) for the national lead. Senior midfielder and captain Bryce Boneau also leads the conference in assists after registering two against Trine.
Syracuse, on the other hand, has struggled at times to find the back of the net, ranking 11th in the ACC with 1.55 goals per game. The Orange lost 11 of their top 12 scorers from last year’s team, returning only Preseason All-ACC selection Nicholas Kaloukian, their leading point-getter in 2023. Daniel Burko, a transfer from Lincoln Memorial University, currently leads Syracuse with three goals
after scoring 20 as the South Atlantic Conference Offensive Player of the Year last season. Graduate student Gabe Threadgold has come over from Washington to match him with six points on the year. Michael Acquah has emerged as another impact transfer, leading the Orange with three assists after sliding up from Lindsey Wilson College.
Syracuse has benefited from strong performances in goal from Tomas Hut this season. Hut, a former transfer from Army, did not play a single minute in his first season with the Orange last year, but he’s the full-time starter now. The senior keeper ranks third in the ACC with a .738 save percentage and second in the conference with 31 saves. He has been especially busy as of late, making 14 stops in his last three matches.
Looking ahead at their schedule, the Orange could really use a big result against Notre Dame. After hosting the Irish, they will finish their ACC schedule at Virginia before facing top 25 programs in No. 24 Clemson and No. 1 Pittsburgh. If Syracuse is to make a run toward the NCAA Tournament, it likely has to start Saturday or very soon after.
Notre Dame, meanwhile, has a huge week upcoming. The Irish will host a Michigan team receiving votes and a North Carolina squad ranked third in the country in the six days after facing Syracuse. Saturday’s match between Notre Dame and Syracuse is set to kick off at 7 p.m. inside SU Soccer Stadium.
Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu
DECLAN HUGGINS | The Observer
Senior midfielder Bryce Boneau battles for possession during Notre Dame’s 7-1 defeat of Trine at Alumni Stadium on Oct. 1, 2024. Boneau posted two assists in Tuesday’s victory, increasing his team lead and moving into an outright Atlantic Coast Conference lead with seven helpers on the season. Boneau has registered an assist in four consecutive matches.
Irish begin another weekend with difficult test
By TYLER REIDY Sports Editor
Another intriguing litmus test awaits Notre Dame volleyball this weekend at Purcell Pavilion. Last weekend, the Irish started ACC play in the lion’s den with No. 3 Stanford and responded quite well, claiming a set and holding their own in a 3-1 loss. Notre Dame then followed up by taking care of business in a 3-1 defeat of Cal.
This week, the first two games of October again pit Notre Dame against a top-tier ACC squad and a beatable opponent. No. 19 Georgia Tech, ranked inside the American Volleyball Coaches Association top 25 for the 76th consecutive week, visits South Bend on Friday. Clemson arrives on Sunday after slotting in as the 14th-best team in the ACC preseason coaches poll, one spot behind Notre Dame. The Irish continue to follow the lead of senior setter Phyona Schrader, who resides in a tie with Coastal Carolina’s Jalyn Stout for the most triple-doubles in America. Schrader manufactured her sixth in Sunday’s defeat of Cal. The former ACC Setter of the Week leads the Irish in kills (133) and service aces (17) alongside
HCC SOCCER
junior outside hitter Sydney Palazzolo while pacing the team outright in assists (203) in scoring (163 points).
Having faced a more difficult schedule, Georgia Tech is off to an 8-3 start after falling to Nebraska in last year’s NCAA Tournament second round. The Yellow Jackets bounced back from an early upset loss to UCLA by rattling off two top-15 wins in five days against BYU and Florida. Georgia Tech, however, looked completely overmatched by ranked opponents in last weekend’s introduction to ACC play, suffering sweep losses at home to SMU and Pittsburgh. Friday’s match arrives as a slight competitive break for the Yellow Jackets before they head to Louisville on Sunday, but the Irish would like to cause some trouble.
A trio of players leads Georgia Tech’s offense, which ranks 24th in the nation with a .274 hitting percentage, on a regular basis. Tamara Otene leads the team with 141 kills and 160 points. Fellow senior Bianca Bertolino follows her with 124 kills and an elite jump serve that positions her 10th in the country with 0.62 aces per set. Only a sophomore, Larissa Mendes has been the trio’s most efficient swinger
with 107 kills at a .336 hitting percentage.
Rounding out the Georgia Tech starters, UT-Rio Grande Valley transfer Luanna Emiliano handles the setting. She broke just about every program record related to her position in Texas and has brought a reliable option to what was an unstable setter position for Georgia Tech last year. Liv Mogridge, who is back this year after missing significant time due to a knee injury in 2023, and DeAndra Pierce will contest Notre Dame at the net. The two have combined for 60 total blocks this season.
Clemson, meanwhile, carries an 8-5 overall record into October having also lost to Pitt and SMU in three sets each last weekend. The Tigers will face Notre Dame
on Sunday after going into Louisville on Friday, so they will likely be even hungrier for their first ACC win upon arriving in South Bend. Last year, Clemson played in the NIVC Tournament, making its deepest postseason run since 2018 by reaching the Great Eight. Azyah Dailey entered the season as Clemson’s top returning offensive weapon. However, after leading the team with 248 kills last year, she has taken a slight step back this season, ranking third on the squad in that category. Junior Mia McGrath paces the Tigers with 140 kills and 3.04 kills per set, while Finnish freshman Neea-Maria Joki slots in right behind her with 131 kills and 2.73 per set. The two have also provided Clemson’s
WRITE SPORTS.
best service, combining for 34 aces through 13 games. Joki has also factored into Clemson’s strong block, leading the team with 44 total rejections. Indigo Young, a graduate transfer from Charleston Southern, has 43 blocks to her name to go with 67 kills. Sophomore Texas Tech transfer Kate Hansen has contributed as well with 38 stops after leading all Power Five freshmen with 1.27 blocks per set in 2023.
Clemson has split its setting duties between Audrey Armbruster and Katherine Sandt thus far.
Notre Dame will host Georgia Tech at 6:30 p.m. on Friday before contesting Clemson at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu
Saints win and tie against Indiana Northwest
By CLAIRE WATSON Sports Writer
This past Monday and Tuesday, the men’s and women’s Holy Cross soccer teams faced the Indiana Northwest RedHawks. Now 4-6 on the season, the women’s team won 2-0 over Indiana Northwest, and now 3-5-3, the men’s team tied 1-1 against the RedHawks.
In the women’s game, the
SMC SOCCER
Saints started out strong, making their first goal in the first half at the 8:54 time mark with sophomore midfielder Erika Perez making the score 1-0.
The Saints kept the momentum going as they made their second goal in the second half of the game at the 49:08 time mark thanks to junior midfielder Neyda Macias and the assists from sophomore forward Arianna Barreras and
freshman forward Emma Vono.
Overall, Holy Cross outshot the RedHawks 10-6, but Indiana Northwest had more shots on goal, having an overall total of four while Holy Cross had three.
The Holy Cross women’s team now gets ready to travel to La Crosse, Wisconsin to face off against Viterbo at 1 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 5.
The Holy Cross men’s game
looked different, as the Saints tied against the RedHawks. As neither team scored in the first half of the game, both teams scored in the second half to tie the match.
The Saints scored first in the second half in the 52nd minute thanks to senior forward Juan Perez and an assist from senior forward Issac Filippo. The RedHawks quickly followed eight minutes later to make a
goal of their own at the 59:33 time mark.
Holy Cross outshot the RedHawks 17-11 and had more shots on goal with a total of 8-6. The Saints now prepare to hit the road as they get ready to also face Viterbo in La Crosse at 3:30 p.m. this Saturday following the women’s soccer game.
Contact Claire Watson at cwatson01@saintmarys.edu
Belles knock off Kalamazoo to start MIAA play
By CLAIRE WATSON Sports Writer
In the annual Morgan’s Message game, the Saint Mary’s soccer team took a close, 1-0 win over the Kalamazoo Hornets on Wednesday. As the Belles improved to 6-3 on the season so far and 1-0 in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, this game tallied the fourth game that the Belles have shut out another team and the first
game in 11 years that the Belles beat Kalamazoo.
The first half looked in favor for the Belles as they scored their first goal just 2 minutes and 35 seconds in thanks to the help of senior midfielder Grace Barresi and an assist from freshman forward Taylor London.
Throughout the first half, the Belles took four shots towards the Hornets while only allowing the Hornets to take one.
Kalamazoo came out
during the second half as it started to apply pressure to Saint Mary’s, but the Belles did not let that rattle them. The duo on the back line of junior Izzy Sherman and sophomore Brooke Baumann kept the Belles on top as they pushed back against the Hornets.
Sophomore Claire Keely and freshman Danielle Escobedo held down the fort on the left and right back spots while freshman Isabella Kreydich defended
the middle. Barresi, senior midfielder Mary Kaczynski and sophomore midfielder Aubrey Brown led the team in shots, as the Belles outshot Kalamazoo 8-6.
Although Kalamazoo outshot the Belles in shots on goal 4-3, senior goalkeeper Riley Lindsey tallied a season-high four saves on the evening.
The Belles look to keep their win streak going as they travel to face off
against Calvin University this Saturday starting at 4:30 p.m.
The Calvin Knights are 5-2-2 on the season so far as well as 1-0 in the MIAA. Offensively, Olivia Rawls leads the Knights having a total of four goals on the season so far. Sophie Mueller leads the team on offense as well with a total of 25 shots taken so far this season.
Contact Claire Watson at cwatson01@saintmarys.edu
HOCKEY SEASON PREVIEW
Endings and beginnings to shape Irish hockey
By RYAN MURPHY Sports Writer
Endings loom large over Compton Family Ice Arena.
The last two Notre Dame hockey seasons have ended virtually the same way. In 2023, Notre Dame bowed out of the Big Ten Tournament in the first round. The Irish were not selected for the NCAA Tournament. Last season, Notre Dame ended its year again in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.
These last two endings can only be described as uncharacteristically quick. The Irish had qualified for 12 of the previous 17 NCAA Tournaments, and last season marked the first time in nearly two decades they failed to do so in consecutive years. It was also Notre Dame’s first losing season since 2015.
For an Irish program that judges itself based on how it ends the season, the ending is never far out of sight, even as the team begins
HOCKEY ROSTER BREAKOWN
its season anew this weekend with an exhibition game against the United States National Team Development Program.
The end is especially in focus this season for Notre Dame. For the first time in decades, the ending that lies just over the horizon is not the end of the season but the end of an era: over the summer, Irish head coach Jeff Jackson announced he will retire after 20 seasons behind the Notre Dame bench. The man who set the standard for how Notre Dame should end its seasons, Jackson has presided over 11 of those 12 NCAA Tournament qualifications and four Frozen Four appearances.
The ultimate end -- a national championship -- has been elusive. Jackson won two while head coach at Lake Superior State University in 1992 and 1994 but has been unable to win one with the Irish despite being within an arm’s reach twice. In fact, Jackson has done everything but
win a national championship at Notre Dame.
“He’s the reason this program has gotten to where it is,” senior forward Tyler Carpenter said. “He’s left his mark on hockey in general, and he deserves another shot at the national championship.”
“There’s no better way than to embrace it,” senior forward Justin Janicke added. “It really motivated us when he announced it last [summer]. You could tell the group kind of just came together a little bit more.”
Embracing the end may also help Notre Dame to see all of the new beginnings that abound around the program. For the first time since 2022, the Irish will have new faces in goal with the graduation of Ryan Bischel last season. Freshman Nick Kempf, junior Mercyhurst transfer Owen Say and returning junior backup Jack Williams will all compete for time in an internal battle with large implications for
Notre Dame’s season. A handful of transfers looking for fresh starts arrived in South Bend over the summer, and the returning sophomore class is looking at important new roles this season. All that’s new at Compton Family Ice Arena will serve as a buildup to a new head coach next season in current associate head coach Brock Sheahan.
Amidst all the season’s endings and beginnings, Notre Dame will be challenged by a schedule that is more eventful than most: the Irish will make a highly-anticipated trip to Northern Ireland to play in the Friendship Four tournament over Thanksgiving, and shortly after the start of the New Year they will play outdoors at Wrigley Field against Penn State. That’s not to mention their Big Ten conference slate, which is, as usual, full of landmines.
How Notre Dame manages this overwhelming confluence of beginnings, endings and anticipation will be critical. Each
moment appears to be seasondefining, but at the same time, no single moment can capture the full picture.
“It’s not about me, it’s about them,” Jackson said. “You always go into the year with high anticipation, and I think the biggest thing is it has to be anticipation about what we could do collectively, and it starts on game one. It shouldn’t be about going to Ireland, it shouldn’t be about the outdoor game. It shouldn’t be about who we’re playing next. It’s got to be about the moment.”
In that way, a Notre Dame season ostensibly filled with endings and beginnings may not be about endings or beginnings after all. Perhaps just like life, this season is about the journey between the two.
Where that winding road takes the Fighting Irish remains to be seen.
Contact Ryan Murphy at rmurph22@nd.edu
Irish hockey: Position-by-position preview
By RYAN MURPHY Sports Writer
Notre Dame hockey opens its 2024-25 season Friday night with an exhibition against the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP). A number of questions surround the Irish roster, including replacing key talent at all three positions. Like the Irish will attempt to do this season, we’ll build this article from the goal out.
Goaltenders
It’s hard to underestimate the value former netminder Ryan Bischel brought to the Irish, starting every game in goal over the last two seasons and making more saves than any goalie in the country during that span. Now, the two-time Mike Richter Award semifinalist is gone, and Notre Dame has a massive hole to fill at goaltender.
For the first time since 2022, Notre Dame will have a competition in the crease. With training camp concluding this week, it’s shaping up to be a three-way fight between returning backup junior Jack Williams and two additions to the Irish roster.
Freshman Nick Kempf, a USNTDP product, is expected to be the goaltender of the future. Kempf performed well at the national junior level,
posting a .919 save percentage at the IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship in May. But the Irish also brought in junior transfer Owen Say, the only player of the three with any level of collegiate game experience. Say started all 31 games at Mercyhurst last year, and his 50-save performance against the Irish at Compton Family Ice Arena last year caught head coach Jeff Jackson’s eye. The two newcomers present different styles in addition to their varying levels of experience.
“They’re kind of two opposite types of goalies,” senior forward Tyler Carpenter said. “Nick is very positionally sound. Coming down on him you don’t see a lot of net and like I said, he’s very sound and very structured. And then Owen is just an unbelievable athlete, like he makes the craziest saves, probably one of the most flexible kids I’ve ever seen.”
With so much competition in goal, expect Notre Dame to use its netminders in tandem. The Irish are unlikely to settle on a number one goaltender in the first month of the season, and the process could take even longer.
“It’s going to be a competition back there,” Jackson said. “I’d say the two new guys right now are a little bit ahead of Jack, but that could change from day to day, from week to
week, you know. It just depends on them.”
Notre Dame fans will get an early look at the team’s allimportant prospects in goal as early as this weekend. In a team media availability on Monday, Jackson said he is likely to use all three goaltenders in the exhibition on Friday.
Defense
Notre Dame’s defense corps will have to acclimate to the goaltender rotation from the start. They will also have to acclimate to the loss of their two most important offensive play-drivers from last year, Ryan Siedem and Drew Bavaro, who both signed professional contracts.
In their stead, Notre Dame added four newcomers, including the late addition of graduate student Luke Robinson. Robinson, a two-year hockey captain and captain of captains at the Air Force Academy, was admitted on a graduate school scholarship to the Mendoza College of Business. The Irish did not find out that Robinson would be attending Notre Dame until late spring.
Former Miami (Ohio) defender Axel Kumlin, a junior, joins Robinson as Notre Dame’s defensive transfer additions. The Irish also added two long, lanky freshmen in 6-foot-5 Jimmy Jurcev and 6-foot-4 Jaedon Kerr. With
10 defensemen on the roster, Notre Dame now faces a bit of a logjam.
“We’ve carried nine defenseman in the past, but we’ve never carried 10,” Jackson said.
“That’s going to be the big question mark is, can we get these guys enough reps in practice to where they’re all benefiting and developing at the rate that we need them to after that.”
Expect sophomore Paul Fischer, junior Michael Mastrodomenico and graduate student Zach Plucinski to factor significantly on defense.
Forwards
Notre Dame’s forward group will rely on key players having breakout seasons in order to reach three goals per game for the first time since 2022. Of the 15 rostered forwards, 11 return from last year’s team which came close to clearing that threshold.
In particular, the group of six sophomore forwards will be called upon to form the framework of the Irish offense. Led by New York Islanders secondround selection Danny Nelson and Philadelphia Flyers draftee Cole Knuble, the sextet accounts for 31 of Notre Dame’s returning 49 goals scored from last season. The majority of those goals (20 of 31) were scored in the second half of the season. No longer freshmen anymore, Nelson, Knuble and
company may be able to get off to a faster start with a year of experience under their belts. Around them, a cast of more familiar faces will return -seniors Justin Janicke, Tyler Carpenter, Hunter Strand and junior Niko Jovanovic are back. So is graduate student Grant Silianoff, adding sandpaper to Notre Dame’s lineup for a fifth season.
Notre Dame also added a pair of graduate student transfers up front in former Princeton captain Ian Murphy and Minnesota Duluth’s Blake Biondi. Both have shown a knack for the net in the past and would like to get back to their scoring ways.
“Blake Biondi’s been one of our best players in camp,” Jackson said. “There’s a guy that had 17 goals as a sophomore and then had injury issues for a couple of years. So, you know, if we have three or four guys that have breakout type of years... all of a sudden we’re a much better hockey team.”
With no firmly established top scorer on its roster, Notre Dame is betting on such breakout seasons to muster more scoring. According to College Hockey News, the Irish have averaged more than three goals a game just twice in the last eight seasons.
Contact Ryan Murphy at rmurph22@nd.edu