Print Edition for The Observer for Wednesday, April 19, 2023

By ISA SHEIKH and LIAM KELLY

notre dame news e ditor, news writer

in ballina, the town of his irish ancestors, president biden walked out on saturday to the notre dame game-day celtic punk favorite “i’m shipping up to boston.” his trip to ireland, marking the 25-year anniversary of the good Friday agreement, reinforced his “sense of optimism about what can be done,” he told reporters. on campus, in a panel marking the same occasion, oxford historian ian mcbride called the agreement “a political miracle.”

mcbride was one of four speakers to take part in a roundtable on Friday afternoon, cosponsored by the keoughnaughton institute for irish studies and the k roc institute for international peace studies.

The panel began with shelley deane of the keough-naughton institute, who presented on the context and legacy of the agreement signed on good Friday 1998. The agreement was reached following years of negotiations between northern ireland’s political parties and between the british and irish governments.

deane joined other panelists

“Raise Your Voice” symposium

By MEGHAN LANGE saint mary’s news e ditor

Editor’s note: This story includes mentions of sexual assault.

“ i wanted to come out publicly because i felt like, if i could just impact one other person, it’d be all worth it,” said m aggie n ichols, former usa g ymnastics ( usag ) n ational Team member.

o n m onday night, s aint

m ary’s c ollege kicked off its second annual r aise your voice s ymposium with n ichols as its keynote speaker. r aise your voice is the

Maggie Nichols delivers keynote address campus reflects on legacy of g ood Friday agreement

c ollege’s new annual sexual violence prevention symposium sponsored by p resident k atie c onboy’s c ommittee on s exual v iolence. The symposium began with n ichols’ keynote address and will end with the tricampus Take b ack the n ight event on w ednesday.

w hile introducing n ichols as the keynote speaker, c onboy took the opportunity to express her thoughts on the topic of sexual violence and how she believes s aint m ary’s c ollege should

Board votes to close Clay HS

in remembering the legacy of irish leaders involved like the nobel prize-winners John hume and david Trimble, as well as u s. envoy george mitchell, and the values of non-violence, consent and birthright that they brought to the negotiating table.

“according to [northern irish politician] John hume, an accident of birth, and as a result, our differences shouldn’t determine where our rights are, our opportunities may lie,” deane said. The agreement went to a referendum, passing on both sides of the border.

it was through the will of these leaders that the agreement was reached, deane said, remembering how mitchell, former senator for maine, and the united states forced the negotiators to find a timely compromise.

“george mitchell created an effective deadline for the negotiations by saying that he would love to be home for easter to spend it with his wife and his [baby] son,” she said.

25 years on, while it’s true that questions over brexit—the republic of ireland remains in europe, while northern ireland, as part of the united k ingdom, has left—have complicated

questions about the island’s division and raised administrative concerns over the border, the panelists agreed that the agreement’s legacy in ending decades of violent conflict in northern ireland, known as the Troubles.

Josefina echavarría a lvarez, an associate professor of the practice with the k roc institute, deemed the irish settlement “the most well-known comprehensive peace agreement.” rory rapple, a history professor raised in ireland, stressed in an interview with The observer that the good Friday agreement is unique in both irish and world history.

“in the national context, it takes the gun out of irish politics. internationally, it’s a success story that highlights that diplomacy and negotiation work and it has been held aloft as a great example of that,” rapple said.

rapple also praised the role of george mitchell in mediating the peace talks.

“it’s a great example of how the u s. government can be seen as an honest broker after the cold war in the resolution of conflict in particular

By ISA SHEIKH and PETER BREEN notre dame news editor, a ssociate news editor

on monday night, by a vote of 4-3, the board of the south bend community schools corporation ( sbcsc ) voted to “right-size” the school district and close c lay h igh school, citing the concerning number of open seats — 2,400 and projected to grow — in district-wide high school enrollment.

The board meeting largely began by the book, as kemilyn schreiber, the principal of c lay h igh school, stepped to the podium at the start of monday evening’s gathering. schreiber

announced the upcoming school musical — “Zombie p rom” — and heralded two students and their accomplishments.

The first indication of the night’s significance and tenor came as one of the students, addison nally, walked up l a salle i ntermediate academy’s ( lia) cavernous auditorium with a neon paper sign lettered with “save c lay.” a s the board and superintendent huddled behind the dais to take a picture with the students, nally held the sign at the front of the room.

a fter announcements had

PETER BREEN | The Observer

A South Bend community member denounces the board of the South Bend Community School Corporation on Monday night.

MEGHAN LANGE | The Observer

Nichols spoke at Saint Mary’s College about her experiences on the USA Gymnastics National Team and how she has a newfound love for gymnastics after competing at the University of Oklahoma.

Former USA gymnast spoke on Monday night to kick off the College’s

Claire Lyons

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regions throughout the world,” he explained

Although political tensions persist in northern Ireland with the democratic Unionist Party (dUP) boycotting the northern Ireland Assembly over the northern Ireland agreement, which essentially established a trade border for goods traveling from north Ireland to the rest of the United Kingdom, rapple insisted that the Good Friday Agreement’s legacy remains unsullied.

“It doesn’t hamper the achievement,” rapple stressed. “The fact is that there are many, many people alive today who would not be alive if the Good Friday Agreement had not existed.”

rapple argued that the dUP’s actions have made the party a “marginal group” and may actually increase support for the island’s reunification. he insisted

that for Unionists to make good on the promise of the Good Friday Agreement that the political situation in northern Ireland can be made to work, they have to run the country well.

“The dUP, by boycotting the institutions which are set up constitutionally by the Good Friday Agreement, what they’re actually doing is making northern Ireland unworkable. If they continue … what it ultimately means is making unification more plausible and maybe even immediate than it might have otherwise been” he said.

The Good Friday Agreement stipulates that reunification will occur if a referendum shows that a majority of people in both the republic of Ireland and northern Ireland favor it. There are several questions that need to be answered before this is possible, though, rapple cautioned.

“do the majority of people

represented the United s tates on the international stage.

n ichols continued to tell her story until 2015.

within the republic of Ireland, as it’s called, want reunification? The polls generally say that they do. however, there’s significant fiscal and financial burdens that can be anticipated with that; however, it also may bring significant economic booms with it as well, being able to operate an all Ireland economy. It certainly could be very productive,” he said.

While momentum may be moving towards reunification, rapple said, such a step will likely take decades to occur if it does at all.

“Is it going to happen immediately? no. Is it going to happen within the next 10 years? I don’t think so. It’s going to happen within the next 50 years,” rapple hypothesized. “I think it’s more likely to happen than not.”

rapple also described how the role of religion in politics and society, once so central has changed since the Good Friday Agreement.

“both north and south of the border, what you have is really a post-christian society. There’s a secularization that has taken place. There’s an anger at the catholic church,” rapple said.

because of this shift, rapple questioned whether or not President biden’s visit to the country was as effective as it seemed.

“It would have been very strange for many Irish people to see biden arriving in Ireland and going to Knock shrine and marian shrine in the west of Ireland, very much identifying himself as a catholic. … but the sort of Irish catholicism that biden was projecting in his Irish visit is totally at odds with the reality of political culture in Ireland,” rapple explained.

In addition to biden’s emphasis on catholicism potentially ringing hollow to Irish people, rapple theorized that it could also fall flat in America.

“This is controversial in American terms because of biden’s position … relative to the catholic church in the U.s and some of his views relative to that and the democratic Party’s views relative to that,” he said.

Ultimately, despite any challenges that persist in northern Ireland today, rapple emphasized that the peace that the Good Friday Agreement brought to Ireland should not be taken for granted.

“The Good Friday Agreement means that you don’t wake up in the morning, as we had throughout my teenage years, turn on the radio and hear that a whole load of people had been either shot or killed by an explosive. You don’t hear that anymore,” rapple said. “25 years of that is a tremendous gift.”

Contact Isa Sheikh at isheikh@nd.edu and Liam Kelly at lkelly8@nd.edu

be a leader in combatting the problem of sexual violence on college campuses.

“I truly believe that as a c atholic women’s college, we should unequivocally be the conveners of this type of event,” c onboy said, “We are the only women’s college in the state of Indiana and we should be the leader in furthering discussions about sexual violence, about its impact on survivors and on our own culture. We should be talking about how we can play a role in ending sexual violence in our community. s aint m ary’s is committed to highlighting voices and stories that are front and center in this conversation.”

c onboy went on to introduce n ichols’ background and why her story is important.

“We are welcoming m aggie n ichols to share her voice as an athlete, a survivor and an activist,” c onboy said. “[ n ichols] was the first athlete to come forward and report abuse by U s A gymnastics team doctor Larry n assar.”

n ichols is also known as Athlete A in initial documentation surrounding the investigation of n assar when she came forward to tell her story in 2018.

After the introduction, it was n ichols’ turn at the podium. s he began by recounting her early years in gymnastics and how she began her career at the age of three years old. It only took her seven short years to rise to the level of an elite gymnast. At the age of 15, n ichols made her first U. s n ational Team and

“2015 was one of the biggest years of my gymnastics career,” she said. “At the U. s . classics I placed third in all-around and went on to place second behind s imone b iles at the U. s c hampionships, I qualified to the World s election camp where I again placed second behind s imone b iles and made my first World c hampionship team”.

n ichols left the World c hampionships with both a gold medal for team all-around and a bronze medal for floor exercise.

In 2016, n ichols endured yet another injury when she tore her meniscus and had to undergo surgery just months before the o lympic trials. b y her own volition, n ichols says she returned to the mat too soon, but she competed in the o lympic trials in pursuit of her biggest goal: to compete in the o lympics.

At this point in the address, n ichols switched gears and began to discuss her status as Athlete A.

“If you don’t know I’m also known as Athlete A in the case against Larry n assar the ‘doctor’ for U s AG who sexually abused me and hundreds of other girls and young women he supposedly was treating for sports injuries at the U s AG ranch as well as at m ichigan s tate University,” n ichols said.

n ichols continued by describing her personal experience with n assar, who is currently serving 60 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges of child pornography and tampering with evidence in a federal

case. h e is also serving a minimum of 80 years to a maximum of 300 years in a m ichigan s tate prison for pleading guilty to additional counts of sexual assault. The judge in his case ordered that his prison sentences are to run concurrently ensuring a de facto sentence of life in prison without parole.

“The abuse occurred multiple times while he was ‘treating’ me for a back injury,” n ichols said. “ h e had closed the blinds in the treatment room saying that he didn’t want to distract the other girls from their training outside. What he did was not a treatment for my back pain. It was an abuse of my body and an abuse of my trust in him as a physician approved by U s AG, and clearly an abuse of his medical license.”

n ichols continued describing what her alias as Athlete A meant. “For those who don’t know, being Athlete A means I was the first at the training camp to come forward about my abuse.”

“

m y coach overheard me asking another athlete if anything like what happened to me had ever happened to her or anyone else. m y coach s arah Jantzi asked me more about what occurred, and I told her. We made a formal complaint, and the rest is history,” n ichols said.

“I’m grateful to [ c oach Jantzi] for not just being a bystander but for being an upstander because I knew I had done the right thing about speaking up against Larry n assar, I chose not to dwell on the disappointment,” she added.

After the o lympic trials, n ichols retired from elite

gymnastics and began a new chapter at the University of o klahoma. It was at this point that n ichols began her nc AA collegiate gymnastics career where she would go on to win multiple nc AA c hampionships and earn several “perfect 10s”.

b efore the keynote address, The o bserver sat down with n icholas and asked her a few questions, specifically about how she has been able to find happiness in gymnastics again at The University of o klahoma ( o U).

n icholas responded that, “It was the most incredible experience I’ve ever been a part of. I mean, it was right after the o lympic trials and kind of right when all that stuff was happening. s o going there was kind of a blessing in disguise. And if I would have made the o lympic team, I think that I probably wouldn’t have gone to o U so ultimately everything worked out how it’s supposed to and it really kind of changed my life in a positive way and helped me overcome everything that I faced.”

It wouldn’t be until her freshman year when n ichols would officially reveal herself as Athlete A. s he calls this one of her most important accomplishments.

“That was a difficult decision to make, I debated it for sure, but I knew it was the right thing to do. I’d always prided myself on leading by example,” n ichols said.

“If revealing my identity gave just one other person the courage to come forward and seek justice and help for abuse that happened to them, I knew it would be worth it,” n ichols said in closing her keynote address.

After n ichols’ address, the audience was

invited to take part in the question-and-answer portion of the event. Audience members were asked to text in their questions for n ichols and the director of the office of student involvement and advocacy Liz b aumann would facilitate the questions.

The audience wanted to know why n ichols decided to speak out, to which she responded, “I felt like if I told my story, it would inspire someone else to either speak up or you know, help them through their healing process.”

When n ichols was asked how she dealt with continuing in the same environment where her abuse had occurred, she responded, “Gymnastics has always kind of been an outlet for me through everything.... Going into the gym was kind of my safe space and my outlet.”

n ichols has had to balance sharing her story publicly while not feeling like her experience has defined her. s he said that she has developed a balance between “being m aggie and then Athlete A.”

For other survivors of sexual abuse, n ichols said it is important to know that they are not alone and to rely on their support system and people they can trust.

“There’s a lot of things I want people to take away but probably just knowing that you’re not alone, if you have been in a situation similar to mine, but also I think if you haven’t just learning about sexual abuse and how much it happens on a daily basis and what you can do to help,” she said.

Contact Meghan Lange at mlange03@saintmarys.edu

concluded, community members came to the podium to offer public comment — three minutes for each speaker — on the proposed right-sizing of the district, with hours of overwhelmingly pro- c lay comments. students and families mentioned concerns over going to rival schools and losing the bonds they have with their peers, teammates and teachers. They alleged that the passage of a referendum for more funding to the district meant that their school would be protected, and not become the fourth school closed by the sbcsc since World War ii one woman, followed in two rounds of comment by both her mother and son, walked up with introductory music blaring on her smartphone, first c oolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise,” and then Taylor swift’s “a nti-hero.”

“i have a 3.7-grade point average student at c lay h igh s chool. i won’t send her to the e mpowerment Zone if you pay me to,” she said, referring to schools on the west side of the city set aside by the state in 2019 for targeted reform.

audrey s chlueter, a senior at s aint mary’s c ollege and student teacher at John adams

h igh s chool, offered her comment in defense of c lay.

“Last fall, i had my first observation placement at c lay h igh s chool for around three months. a nd in those three months, c lay h igh s chool solidified my decision to become a teacher,” she said.

“From everything that i know, going into teaching, students need stability… s o i think closing c lay would be an incredible disadvantage for the entire s outh bend community,” she said at the close of her comments.

For all the public comments, only one speaker arose in support of the proposal to close c lay, dubbing the other commenters members of a “vocal and boisterous” minority.

notre dame e nglish professor emeritus and sbcsc

board trustee stuart Greene said the facilities master plan, which recommended closing both c lay h igh s chool and Warren e lementary s chool, was a roadmap for the future that lacked implementation steps to address sbcsc’s root problems. Greene represents d istrict 5, which encompasses c lay Township and c lay h igh s chool.

“a mong the many assumptions made about the plan is the belief that changing boundaries and consolidation among other potential decisions will

ensure that children will flourish,” Greene said.

Greene wondered what differences right sizing would have on student learning and quality instruction. he added that sbcsc should implement a more thorough approach to monitoring changes within the district so that a new board or administration would have sufficient guidance to make decisions in the future.

The three board members who ultimately voted against the successful measure tried a number of last-ditch efforts to avoid passing the plan. board member Jeanette mc cullough unsuccessfully sought to table the motion.

Then, in a 42-minute speech, trustee mark c ostello called for an alternative he said he has been working on, which is dubbed “the people’s plan” or “Plan P.”

“i received information that the facility consultants would present for a recommendation to the board at the march 20 meeting, a recommendation to close c lay h igh s chool. i was shocked and confused because the superintendent did not say a word to the board publicly or privately to me that he was in favor of this decision to come,”

c ostello alleged.

stephanie ball, board vice president, defended the outside consultants sbcsc hired

to draft the facilities master plan and the board prior to casting her vote in favor of the resolution about the plan.

“it was a practical business perspective that leads me to have confidence in the findings of our third-party outside contractors,” ball said. “The seven-member board itself has attempted to work and understand, holding many sessions and learning the concerns of our constituents.”

sitting in the L ia’s auditorium — what used to be La s alle h igh s chool’s auditorium — ball, a La s alle h igh s chool graduate, spoke about the inevitability of change while sporting an old La s alle h igh s chool sweatshirt.

“We all sustain different types of changes throughout our lifetime,” ball said. “c learly, i’m sitting here demonstrating that La s alle h igh s chool is no longer a high school. s o change does happen. c hange does not stop.”

ball acknowledged the ties teachers, students, professionals, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, superintendents and board members might have to the specific buildings where they have conducted their live’s work.

“it’s not buildings that hold a school system together. it’s people with purpose in the

buildings,” ball said. “The heart of the matter is academics. a s long as you’re providing quality education, i don’t care about the building.”

a s the vote was finally taken, accusations were hurled throughout the room as c lay community members heckled the board. When the board moved to adjourn, the crowd had already left.

c ostello tearfully greeted families in the foyer, emotionally pleading “i tried.” a number of others also cried as they thanked the board member.

i n his presentation of the resolution some hours earlier, superintendent Todd cummings shared a message of optimism.

“i’m optimistic about s outh bend schools, and i realize having conversations about closing schools is difficult for our students, staff and community,” he said. “Tomorrow, we’ll move forward planning continued investment in preK programs, in our teachers and leaders, expanding career opportunities for our students and providing equitable resources to achieve gains in literacy and increase graduation rates.”

Contact Isa Sheikh at isheikh@nd.edu and Peter Breen at pbreen2@nd.edu

Paid a dverT isemen T

The way you spend your days

Emma Duffy social media e ditor

“The way you spend your days is the way you spend your life.”

I have not stopped thinking about this quote since I first saw it. There is obviously truth in the quote, but something about the meaning challenges me to disagree.

There is an obvious implication in this quote that you should not spend your days (and consequently your life) on trivial things. If you take a nap every day, go on your phone for hours or just sit around and twiddle your thumbs, this quote is implying that you are wasting your life.

o ne of my high school teachers had the same ideology. he had us all pull out our phones, check our daily screen time and do the math to see how many full days out of the year that amounted to. s ome people did the calculations to realize they spent 20 or more full days of their year on their phone.

This exercise was a brutal wake-up call and this quote seems to be inciting the same reaction. however, I would like to argue that it is not all bad.

Yes, it is undeniable that the way you spend your days amounts to the way that you end up spending your life, but that’s the thing: It’s your life.

If I want to spend my summer days spending hours rereading my favorite books, that is my choice. If I want to unwind after a long day of classes by watching an episode of Gilmore Girls, I earned that. If I want to go on TikTok for 30 minutes before bed, I can make that decision.

It is really hard for me to allow myself to have time away from work. When my friends want to do something, I sometimes feel the need to turn it down because I think it would take time away from the things I need to get done. If it is not something that will help me be productive, it feels useless. In the end, I always end up accepting the invitation and I never regret it.

These activities can easily be seen as a waste of time. In fact, a lot of the time I recognize I am wasting my own time on these endeavors. b ut can anything really be a waste of time if it brings us joy?

b y no means am I saying people should spend 20 hours a day on a meaningless app.

It is important that we still work hard and set ourselves up for a good future and people should clearly spend time with those that they care about. There are certain activities that are vital to a meaningful life.

That being said, everyone deserves to live their life in a way that makes them happy. If you would like to spend 20 days of your year on your phone, who am I to judge?

Life truly is what you make of it.

That being said, make it what you want.

You can contact Emma Duffy at eduffy5@nd.edu

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

Kate Casper o utsider Instincts

My semester of shame and embarrassment

sunglasses back.

I remember reading my poems at d omestock and feeling that I really truly belonged.

I remember almost missing my flight back to s outh b end at the end of Winter b reak. I was still in line for T s A 10 minutes before the plane took off, and by the grace of God, I made it (I really shouldn’t have made it).

I remember that plane ride back to campus — I usually feel so cool traveling, but that day, I was just hungry and sad. s o when we landed, I immediately booked it to the c hicago o’ h are Airport bathroom so I could power-cry for like 30 minutes. Then I wiped my tears, bought a sandwich from hudson news and met Andrea at the b us s huttle s tation. We giggled the whole way home.

I remember that first night back when I got rejected from a much-coveted s outh b end establishment, which was pretty embarrassing but also kind of needed. b ecause truly, I promise, I had more fun running around e ast Wayne s treet with my friends blasting “d ecember 1963 ( o h What a n ight)” by Frankie valli & The Four s easons than I would’ve in that muchcoveted s outh b end establishment (or at least that’s what I tell myself).

I remember some ex-Zahm boys teaching me silly dance moves in Gabe, e J and r ick’s kitchen.

I remember sitting in LaFun for hours, until 1:59 a.m., which is (allegedly) my cue to leave … If I had it my way, I would simply live there.

I remember crying in the snow for a while until my tears literally froze onto my eyelashes like icicles (which was, like, super poetic, but totally unnecessary for a Thursday night during sylly week).

I remember tons of Frank o’ h ara poems and annotating them to oblivion.

I remember drinking some really good tea in the s orin A r’s room.

I remember seeing one of my friends for the first time since last spring and knowing things had changed and being sad about it.

I remember walking to holy c ross in the middle of the night with e mily, then running five miles with Abby the next morning, then showering, then walking 6 miles with Aedan, then catching the sunset, then munching on peanut butter pretzels. I didn’t do any homework that day, and I don’t regret a thing.

I remember Glee house. I love Glee house.

I remember bumping into my ex-situationship and talking to him for five minutes at a formal, which was weird and awkward and I don’t want him back.

I remember throwing up. It was amazing.

I remember taking a bite out of a piece of bread at natio’s and trying to convince my friends it looked like the state of v irginia. It did indeed look like the state of v irginia.

I remember chubby squirrels and all my friends wanting to pet them.

I remember going to that estate sale in e lkhart and buying a framed picture of James d ean (I still wish I bought the matching James d ean purse, but it is what it is).

I remember meeting Grace c linton’s dogs.

I remember that particularly feral night in b reenPhillips h all when I bowed down to helen in the hallway, while my d r. Praeger’s b roccoli-cheddar animal bites were being microwaved.

I remember sharing a vegetarian enchilada with c lare at monts (and it slapped). Then I went back to m adeleine and Aoife’s room to watch o uter b anks season three (which totally didn’t slap, but we got some laughs out of it).

I remember sprawling out on the quad last week when it was hot and sunny and now it’s, well, not.

I remember stealing a townie’s sunglasses last weekend. I removed them from his face and said “mine,” with a winning smile, which I’m pretty sure he found endearing because he didn’t try to get his

I remember the one lacrosse game I went to when it was super rainy and windy and cold, and we were playing U vA, and I really wanted us to win (we didn’t win).

I remember dining hall naan bread and lots of tahini hummus.

I remember knocking on the door to Keenan for 15 minutes straight with m atthew because we just wanted to go to Za Land … that bad.

I remember listening to nothing but “c hicago” by s ufjan s tevens for days on end.

I remember the sunset outside of o ’s hag on the last day of January when the snow was covering the ground, and the sky was so bright (so blue, so orange, so yellow).

I remember dancing to “ s quid Game & d o It To It” Zedd e dit after e aster mass with Katie because the Lord had risen, which also meant it was time to party (and by party, I mean dance to “ s quid Game & d o it To It” 17 times in one day).

I remember telling a boy who cut me in line that “cutting is a very unattractive quality.”

I remember Finn’s birthday cake.

I remember the drive to v iz’s older sister’s wedding.

I remember running that 5k and then celebrating s t. Paddy’s d ay.

I remember the time I woke up at two in the afternoon and missed my favorite class.

I remember eating r ohr’s and eating chocolate cake.

I remember my mom falling out of my lofted bed during mom’s weekend.

I remember being pissed when I saw the first s tarship r obot on campus.

I remember mariachi bands performing in d uncan s tudent c enter during valentine’s week to serenade cute couples (which notre d ame is absolutely positively crawling with, by the way).

I remember eating a fantastic s iggies dinner with my holy c ross friends.

I remember pulling an all-nighter in the architecture building, even though I’m not an architecture major.

I remember seeing d addy J in the flesh for the first time, while I was laying out on Katie’s pink-and-white striped towel.

I remember helping my favorite loose acquaintance from morrissey m anor get a fishing line out of a tree (and ultimately being unsuccessful).

I remember the tornado warning in s tepan c enter and my friend telling me to stand next to him, so that if we die “they find our bodies next to each other.”

I remember crying over a boy and then going to the Grotto and the Grotto making it all better.

I remember lighting candles for people I was mad at and for people I love and for future versions of myself like the version that’s going to finish this semester in two weeks, go home for the summer and then go to r ome and maybe not see a lot of people for over a year. That’s scary.

I remember never ever wanting to leave notre d ame, Indiana, but knowing I’m going to have to at some point because I need to grow.

I remember knowing in my soul that this wasn’t my semester of shame and embarrassment because really, truly, all my losses were secretly wins. e very failure, every rejection (from a much-coveted s outh b end establishment or otherwise) was a blessing, I swear, and I’m so so glad you’re reading this right now.

Kate Casper (aka, Casper, Underdog or Jasmine) is from Northern Virginia, currently residing in Breen-Phillips Hall. She strives to be the best waste of your time. You can contact her at kcasper@nd.edu.

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

Integral human development

Ashley Poppe bridge nd

borrowing words from confucius: “If your plan is for one year, plant rice. If your plan is for ten years, plant trees. If your plan is for one hundred years, educate children.”

As I asserted in my previous op-ed, accessible and quality education is essential in closing the technological and knowledge gaps within societies. In fact, educational investments can be measured through long-term human capital gains. however, such measures of economic efficiency can be problematic in lower-income countries where huge variations in education quality exist.

It is indisputable that economic improvement, institutional modernization and technological efficiency are critical in our modern world, but education is not solely a tool for economic growth. education acts as a safeguard for human dignity. education promotes equity, social cohesion and agency — key elements recognized by an integral human development approach to sustainable development.

In the Keough school of Global Affairs, we embrace complexity. We consider development goals as a coupled system — the ultimate objective being the development of the whole person and the development of each person. This is integral human development at work, and when it comes to education, it has a lot to do with it.

Integral human development highlights the importance of social cohesion and agency where other approaches fail.

social cohesion is the glue that binds societies together. Additionally, increased social

mobility and inclusion can result in increased educational opportunities for the poor — creating a mutually beneficial relationship between poverty, education and social progress. education can ameliorate social inequalities not just by establishing an equal playing field, but also by changing the rules of the game. schools across the globe must be organized to promote human development, establishing a common goal: to ensure every child’s access to basic human needs and to protect every child’s basic freedoms.

equity stems from an equal system, not from equal competition. An individual’s ability to choose from many options to shape their own future is a basic human need. Given accessible and quality education, people gain agency over their lives with the promise of both monetary gains and social mobility. According to our very own Keough school Professor clemens sedmak, an integral human development approach to education grants individuals the choice between simply being and having.

Quality education is especially important for children living in developing or lower-income countries, as it has the power to reduce poverty and enhance social mobility. An integral human development approach is multidimensional — recognizing how quality education improves other aspects of development such as health, poverty and inequality. currently, an estimated 61 million primary school-age children, with a disproportionate amount coming from poor families, are not enrolled in school. In too many countries, governments do not acknowledge the payoffs of investing in early childhood education. As a result, public investment is too low to fund early childhood development programs which are already

insufficient in number and quality to compensate for the disadvantages of impoverished children.

A dangerous gap exists between the wealthy and the poor in lower-income countries.

In most countries, parents’ wealth and education attainment remain “the main determinants of their children’s education.” Quality of education has the power to deepen cleavages between favored and disadvantaged groups. The poorest and richest quintiles in most developing countries see a 32 percent gap in the chances of their children completing primary school.

excessive inequality in education undermines social cohesion, and therefore, undermines the unique goals of an integral human development approach. If the ultimate goal of sustainable development is to ensure that all children have the chance of prosperity, the philosophy of integral human development can be utilized to persuade governmental and political elites to effectively implement a holistic approach to education. After all, education is not a privilege, but a human right.

In the last month, I have had the opportunity to work at both of notre dame’s Admitted students days as an outreach and programming intern. I was especially inspired by the future Fighting Irish who decided to take a chance on the new, but quickly growing Global Affairs major at notre dame. As a Global Affairs major myself, I was eager to discuss my experience with prospective students — to validate their commitment to notre dame or to encourage them to choose notre dame as their home for the next four years. In all of these conversations, I emphasized the role of integral human development in notre dame’s approach

to global affairs. After all, it is truly what sets us apart from other prominent universities.

In the Keough school, we are problem solvers. As problem solvers, it is crucial for us to remember that the core of our work is the people whose lives we are constantly striving to make better.

A unique consideration of integral human development is how development efforts impact an individual’s perception of their own human dignity. by placing the humanity of the people you serve at the forefront of your mission, you are able to account for life satisfaction and overall well-being, rather than just quantitative measures of development. consequently, when it comes to solving problems related to education, we must work to provide all children with quality education in order to promote their growth in all dimensions and fully unlock their human capabilities.

Ashlyn Poppe is a second-year student living in Pasquerilla West Hall studying Global Affairs and Political Science. She currently serves as the Vice President for BridgeND.

BridgeND is a multi-partisan political club committed to bridging the partisan divide through respectful and productive discourse. It meets bi-weekly on Mondays at 7 p.m. in Duncan Student Center Meeting Room 1, South W106 to learn about and discuss current political issues, and can be reached at bridgend@nd.edu or on Twitter @bridge_ND.

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

stop and smell the flowers

The dozens of puddles I had to acrobatically dodge to reach my perch on the tenth floor of the library soak into my shoes and infiltrate the one tiny hole in the fabric. From my primo window spot overlooking campus, I can see the wave of green that has overtaken the land.

spring is in full swing at the University of notre dame and the early entrance of my favorite season has brought some unexpected days of bliss. With the unseasonably warm weather and the hopeful ending of the notre dame permacloud, this beginning of spring has reminded me to appreciate my surroundings.

Personally, spring at notre dame has always been reminiscent of walking around a park from some long-forgotten childhood dream. I feel like a proud mom whenever I stop to take pictures of the flowers in bloom. The monuments and buildings that we all know like the back of our hands are accented by the most colorful flowers and blooms one could imagine. The pathway to the Grotto is lined with tulips on the edge of blooming and the main building is flanked by flowers that mirror the same golden hue as the dome. however, this beauty does not always last as the pink-leaved Jane magnolia trees which cling to Lafun’s brick walls only hold their flowers for a few days.

It always amazes me how the seasons seem to perfectly match my mood and the

events of my life. As the animals awaken and leave from their winter nests of hibernation and the flowers are reborn, I feel as if my life is waking up again and beginning to start a new chapter. recently on campus, the summer-like weather has brought people outdoors and on the quad, relaxing and unwinding in the south bend sunshine. There is nothing more reassuring than to be reminded of the way that campus comes alive when it is this beautiful out. especially with the nights being so warm, it extends any plans until long after the sun goes down.

I will say, there is no feeling worse than the walk of shame to the library with a backpack full of unfinished work when all you are passing in transit is people out frolicking on the quads. This is the situation I have found myself in frequently as of late and I have felt like I was back in elementary school, stuck inside for recess because I did not do my homework. my time to play in the sun came this weekend when the Fisher regatta came crashing onto the shores of st. mary’s Lake. my fair complexion necessitated sunscreen on a day that started with a rainy outlook. however, as the clouds parted and the delightfully exciting smell of coppertone filled my room, I knew the day would be spent working out in the sunshine.

The men of Fisher hall (myself included) spent the beautiful day working in what has often been cited as the greatest event on campus. As I sold merchandise and watched the hordes of onlookers enjoy the spectacle of the boats (none of them seaworthy) puttering

across the lake, I felt that I was in the center of the action.

I was lucky to celebrate the regatta on such a beautiful day and raise funds for st. Adalbert catholic school. Yet, as I dragged my speaker back to my room, I was disappointed the fun was over. It felt like I had waited so long to have fun in the nice weather, only for the time I had to fly by.

That was until a friend of mine gave me a call and asked if I wanted to join a last-minute trip to the beach. At first, I was confused as to what beach she was referring to and then I realized that she was talking about the Indiana dunes, which was almost an hour away.

needless to say, I soon found myself with my head out the window of my friend’s Toyota corolla with the windows down and radio up like a teenage coming-of-age movie. my skin was still sticky with the latent smell of sunscreen from earlier in the day when I released the seat belt as we arrived at our destination.

As we finished lugging our gear to the determined beach campout spot, the sun was starting to hang low in the sky. dropping down my bag and towel, I quickly shed my shirt and sprinted into the icy waters of Lake michigan.

Through all this excitement and scurrying around campus to what sometimes feels like a rat race of busy work meetings, I often forget what is truly important. nearing the halfway mark of my college career here at notre dame (that is scary to put into writing), the time has flown by and what remains feels like sand slipping out of an hourglass. Feeling

this, I feel the pressure to make as many memories here while I still can. I long for those long lazy days spent out on the quad in a picture-perfect way that would be fit for an admissions brochure. What good would my college experience be without the spontaneous road trips and late-night Five-Guys feasts in formal attire?

As spring will come and go, I write with a reminder. Just as the flower petals of the Jane magnolia trees by Lafun only last a few days, so too is our time at notre dame fleeting. I urge you to take those adventures and step into two lakes on the same day. The time spent exhausted from staying up too late after doing something unexpected pales in comparison to the memories that will last a lifetime. This spring, before the flower petals fall and the leaves mark the coming summer, please stop and smell the flowers and live your life at notre dame.

Jack Sirianni is a sophomore studying political science, journalism and public policy. He is a proud Michigander who appreciates jamming to Pete Seeger, scouring eBay for vintage Notre Dame paraphernalia and collecting stickers from everywhere he goes. On campus, Jack can often be seen by the Founder’s Monument or in the line for Southwest Salad. For your favorite tidbits of knowledge or any other musings, his inbox is always open at jsirian2@nd.edu.

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

Jack Sirianni

The notre dame nitty-Gritty

separation of the sexes

Oluwatoni Akintola meditations

on the first floor of o’shaughnessy hall, the men’s and women’s bathrooms are on opposite ends of the hallway. I vividly remember the first time that I noticed this. I was a first-semester first-year, unfamiliar with the building. I remember leaving class to go to the bathroom and then seeing the women’s bathroom nearby. “The men’s bathroom has to be right across the hall then, right?” I thought to myself. but much to my frustration at the time, it was actually all the way down the hall. As I made the surprisingly long walk, I remember wondering why anyone would ever design a building that way.

In case you haven’t noticed, our school treats the dichotomy between men and women differently than many others. Firstly, in some of our buildings, the men’s bathroom is like a five-minute walk away from the women’s bathroom; secondly, we have parietals; and of course, thirdly, men and women live in separate dorms on our campus. no one really questions why we live this way. notre dame’s perpetual separation of the sexes is the natural product of tried-andtrue catholic values. It encourages chastity, endows men and women with a sense of reverence for each other and allows everyone on campus to be able to tap into a sense of fraternity/sorority in their residential halls without ever needing to go through an annoying pledge process. but what if I told you that our approach to gender creates space for ignorance, toxic attitudes and harmful “locker room talk,” at times enabling dorm cultures directly in opposition to the values of chastity and reverence that our University is trying to promote in the first place? What if I told you that our approach to gender fails to prepare students for inter-gender socialization in the real world?

For instance, think back to the “Zahm house” situation that went down a few years ago. If you were here during that time, I’m sure you remember what that was like, and if you weren’t here, you’ve almost certainly heard stories about it by now. since I’m in Alumni hall, I’ve been living in Zahm this year and I know that acts of vandalism and brazen disregard for University policy were commonplace. but I didn’t bring up Zahm to lament the fact that they carved Zs into anything imaginable (though in fact, there is one carved into the door of my room and many of my neighbors’ doors as well). I’m mentioning them because another one of their crimes was perpetuating a toxic culture of disrespecting and dehumanizing women. each year

this culture was imposed upon a new generation of malleable firstyears. As a byproduct, venomous attitudes toward women, statements about women and traditions carried out at the expense of women began to infuse themselves into the lifeblood of their dorm and by extension the lifeblood of our school. Ask yourself: would something like this have happened if there were women living in Zahm hall?

don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we need to integrate o’neill or baumer or anything. The shift we need isn’t so much changing anything tangible (though I would be in favor of doing away with parietals). It’s more so trying to reshape intangible attitudes and ways of thinking that have, over the last five decades that women have been at notre dame, firmly embedded themselves into the fabric of our school. For instance, ask yourself why so many friend groups (at least in your first year) are so homogenous in terms of gender. I’m sure most of us have friends of the opposite gender, but how many people can say that they have a close friend (or even a best friend) of the opposite gender? The answer is probably not many, and that’s because our campus culture/environment doesn’t exactly encourage people to have best friends that aren’t the same gender as them. A large number of students here are already coming from single-gender education. being open to developing meaningful platonic relationships with people of the opposite gender is a huge part of becoming more mature socially and emotionally. Plus, I know at least a few guys here whose style and decorum would probably benefit from having a good female friend. In all seriousness though, close relationships with the opposite gender are also a crucial means of preparing ourselves for the world outside of notre dame, where we will likely be working closely with both men and women.

notre dame’s attitude toward gender may need some progression forward. This framework of separation between men and women permeates countless aspects of campus life and I think it does a disservice to the social experience here and the social development of our students. more importantly, sometimes it enables the harmful culture and attitude that it’s been engineered to prevent.

Oluwatoni (Toni) is a freshman majoring in Business Analytics at the University of Notre Dame. He can be reached at oakintol@nd.edu.

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

A theology of hate

dear students and alumni that have signed “Losing catholic Identity on smc campus,”

This is a synopsis of a letter written in response to Friday’s letter to the editor.

We, the student members of saint mary’s sexuality and Gender equity club (sAGe) and smicks for choice, felt it was important to respond to the recent letter about your concerns with saint mary’s college and its catholic identity.

ourselves, along with nearly 250 students, alumni and faculty members, were very appalled with the content of your letter, as your argument is highly exclusionary and not sound regarding catholic teaching. To be pro-choice does not mean to be pro-abortion, and you fail to acknowledge this. rather, you falsely accuse us all to be “pro-abortion” and do not take our multi-faceted perspectives into account.

This response is out of a deep concern for your misrepresentation of the college, catholic teaching, our theology classes and our faculty members’ beliefs. The exclusion your letter demands will never take place at saint mary’s college. We – the students of saint mary’s college – stand with and support the following professors, faculty and staff that you speak falsely against: Fr. dan horan, President conboy, Julianne Wallace, redgina hill, Lori Johnson, barb may and Liz baumann.

We also want to raise awareness towards students on campus that have been targeted and belittled by your letter. If readers felt this way from “Losing catholic Identity on smc campus,” please know that you are welcome here, and loved and supported by many.

Ashley Kraker, please know this letter is not an attempt to diminish your standpoint, but rather an invitation for you to consider another viewpoint on this matter. Furthermore, this letter is to raise awareness of your false accusations and your misrepresentation of catholicism. We will not allow your false accusations and your disturbing usage of our God — a God of love and inclusivity — to be used against us or to erase us.

We, along with many other saint mary’s students, strongly believe we should not abandon our catholic viewpoint. rather, we should embrace true catholic teachings and theological perspectives that uphold equality and diversity, not ones that exclude and cause pain for others. In embracing our catholic identity, we should embrace the diversity of God. We should love one another for every aspect that God placed in their innate human design, as love is at the core of our being. As the catechism of the catholic church (458) states, “the Word became flesh so that thus we might know God’s love.”

Love is what makes us, what provides community to us and what sustains us. Jesus welcomed and loved all, and so will we.

In nostra Aetate, Pope Paul v I writes: “The church, therefore, exhorts her sons, that through dialogue and collaboration with the followers of other religions, carried out with prudence and love and in witness to the christian faith and life, they recognize, preserve and promote the good things, spiritual and moral, as well as the sociocultural values found among these men.”

The catholic church points towards the diverse beauty of all religions, respectful dialogue and collaboration with persons who are members of other religions. Focusing solely on catholic students and excluding students from other religions is directly against nostra Aetate. rather, we must have equal and non-judgemental dialogue, discovering similar religious values amongst one another and using these values to move forward.

Pro-Choice Does Not Equal Pro-Abortion

There are high risks of teaching abortion as an “evil” and this ideology is not supported by catholics.

You are not setting an example of the theology of love as christ intended, but rather a theology of hate, something that christ condemned.

The root of the issue is helping women, not forcing them to do what you believe is best. catholicism is not a religion of force, and you cannot force love.

Furthermore, your perspectives on minority communities and speaking on their behalf has caused immense pain to saint mary’s students.

“As I was reading your letter I was appalled many times. I was even more upset when you decided that it would be a good idea to add race to your conversation. As a White, straight, cisgender woman with an abundant amount of privilege, you do not get to speak for my community. You do not get to use the struggles of my community to affirm your confirmation bias and fuel your agenda. As an actual black woman, I am going to respond to you and anyone else who agreed with what you had to say by taking back the voice you thought you gave us,” voiced Jayla mongomery (‘24) in her response.

This is a much more nuanced and complex issue. It is not an all-or-nothing issue as you make it seem.

For example, about seven-in-ten catholics say abortion should be legal if the pregnant woman’s life or health is threatened (69%), and two-thirds say it should be legal if the pregnancy is the result of rape (66%). This is just a glimpse of the many diverse statistics that the Pew research center wrote on this issue, showcasing that this is not only a complex issue but also that to be prochoice does not mean to be pro-abortion. Pro-choice in the sense that people who have the ability to be pregnant are given the free will to decide what to do with their body and make the choice that is best for them. Whether that choice is abortion, adoption or anything else, it is ultimately their choice. it is not inherently a radicalized idea that abortion will always be the answer, but rather, there is a radical idea of free will and bodily autonomy.

Saint

Mary’s

Accepts Students of All Religions

For saint mary’s, 38.8% of saint mary’s current student body identifies with a religion other than catholicism. To put this into perspective, out of the 1,381 undergraduate students enrolled in the institution, approximately 536 of our classmates, friends, neighbors, tutors, mentors and people, have been impacted by the hateful and hurtful language of this letter. There are no statistics in the saint mary’s Factbook that cover pro-choice catholics, but I would assume that this statistic would cause this number to rise.

We beg of you, as a reader, to remind yourself that regardless of what religion you are affiliated with or not affiliated with, as a person at your core, you are held to the standard of empathy and compassion. even though your ideals, morals and ethics are held so close to your heart, there are 536 more sets of beliefs that make up the sacred community that is saint mary’s college.

We encourage you all to join us in a conversation about a catholicism that is diverse, inclusionary, and loving. one that everyone will feel welcome at, one where there is no hate speech, one where we can all feel comfortable enough to be ourselves.

Francesca Giuliano

senior April 18

LEttER to thE EDItoR

By ARI DENNING

s cene Writer

I do mean bloody. s eriously, there was a truly impressive amount of gore in this movie: A man gets his arms ripped off and those severed arms are used to kill multiple men-level of gore. There’s also disembowelment, faces ripped off, severed heads, body cavity explosions and bloodsucking(duh). however, it’s so utterly cartoonish that it works to inspire laughs and gasps in equal measure. “renfield” pulls off a twisted comedy thriller that highlights great performances by nicholas hoult and nicholas c age even when the plot admittedly stretches thin as the movie goes on.

“renfield” sheds new light on the typical d racula story that highlights the relationship between d racula and his underling renfield. however, in this retelling, the main character is the harried assistant of d racula as he labors to provide his master with fresh victims every day to bring d racula back to full power. he joins a 12-step self-help group for people in codependent relationships and starts to regain his independence. Along the way, he gets caught up in trouble with a mob family that controls the city, starts a budding

romance with a no-nonsense police officer and engages in many supernaturally-powered fight scenes. nicholas hoult stars as renfield and brings this terribly charming awkward energy to the role that is juxtaposed whenever he is called to fight in a truly vicious manner against the bad guys. Awkwafina plays rebecca, a good cop in a corrupt city who’s trying to avenge her father’s death. While she’s got great chemistry with hoult, her backstory and subplot are rather thin and boring when compared to the zany gothic fun of renfield and d racula. b en s chwartz’s role as Teddy Lobo, the great and spoiled mob son of a cartel boss, is similarly underdeveloped.

now, most of the reason I went to see this movie was to see nicolas c age as the Prince of darkness. suffice it to say, he did not disappoint. he brought exactly the over-the-top energy you want from nicholas c age. The whole time, he’s either in various stages of slimy decay as he’s growing his strength or a very 50s and 60s style b ela Lugosi-esque vampire complete with a high collar and slicked-back hair. I must mention the practical effects team on the very impressive transformation of d racula to full health as well as the various injuries that occur during the film. o nce he’s in true debonair style, nicholas c age really sank his

teeth into this role (pun intended). switching back and forth from reveling in his bloodlust to being the charming and manipulative d racula we know and love, he is so gleefully vicious and consistently entertaining throughout the whole film. he also plays with many meta moments of poking fun at vampire lore set in a modern world. I loved moments where he appears in renfield’s apartment because of a poorly phrased welcome mat that says “c ome on in.”

The film is strongest in its humor, especially in its somewhat boring modernization of supernatural figures. The film opens up with a self-help meeting with renfield explaining that he’s trying to get away from his narcissistic boss. Later on, he uses one of his personal empowerment books titled “how to d eal with a narcissist” to try to resist d racula’s thrall. The film does create some conversation around codependency and actual self-improvement, but it’s not enough to pad out the plot line for the movie. All in all, “renfield” was a really entertaining and humorous movie. While it does suffer from a weakness in plot, nicholas c age was too fun to watch for me not to recommend a nocturnal viewing.

Contact Ari Denning at adenning@nd.edu

By MAGGIE EASTLAND e ditor-in- c hief

m ichael m eyer, a professor in the m endoza c ollege of b usiness and author of “The o dyssey of Winnie: o ur Two-Year Adventure of o wning an rv,” admits that he often does things just to prove that he can. That might very well be the case for writing this book. d espite the author’s candid intentions, or perhaps because of them, readers will likely enjoy the humor and real-world knowledge this informative story provides.

The reader may at first question “Why am I reading this?” b ut the light-hearted, laughable adventures of m eyer and his family quickly win over any skeptics. The tale follows the crew and their driver ( m eyer) across the country as they learn a myriad of lessons about their rv and about life — usually the hard way and with plenty of self-deprecation and colorful language. As readers question why they are so engrossed by the story, m eyer questions why he thought buying an rv would be a good idea, creating a kind of synergistic absurdity between author and reader.

Aside from the humor — which is reminiscent of something out of the c lark Griswold family vacation universe — the book also features quite a

few learning moments for reader and author alike. Tragic tales of family vacation mingle with how-torv-for-dummies-esque tips and tricks. In the end, the reader comes to understand how owning an rv is both more difficult and more expensive than one might initially speculate.

s till, the book ends on a positive note. m eyer says it best: “ m oney is not everything when compared to what we got from the trip.” e ven so, ever the accounting professor at heart, he includes plenty of budgeting and financial info. Again, that knowledge may be helpful for the potential rv owner.

In terms of author style, m eyer writes with refreshing honesty and humor about his own mistakes and often perpetual shortcomings. The narrative is just detailed enough to make the reader feel like they’re on two family road trip vacations without relaying unnecessary information. The 193 pages written in a travel journal tone make the perfect read for a plane ride. The book could easily be finished in a single sitting by anyone looking to distract themselves with a story that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

“The o dyssey of Winnie” also stands as an egalitarian example of how the art of language and storytelling should be inclusive to all. o n the surface, m eyer fills a whole book with informal stories

about an rv and his family’s adventures. b ut when digging a little deeper, the book poses a serious question: Why do people think a family vacation isn’t novel-worthy? o ur lives are full of stories, and there’s no one who can say how we’re allowed to tell them. While a humorous hodgepodge storyline about two rv trips across the U. s ., countless rv mistakes, family photos and advice for owning an rv might not be the most likely to make a bestsellers list, its lack of fame doesn’t make it any less worthwhile.

If you decide to pick up this book, you just might learn a thing or two about rvs and enjoy a good number of chuckles. Those who read somewhat carefully could even end up taking home a 54 million fish fossil.

Contact Maggie Eastland at meastlan@nd.edu

“The Odyssey of Winnie”

Author: Michael Meyer

Publisher: Fulton Books

If you like: RVs, roadtrips

By ANNA FALK s cene e ditor

The not-so-royal shakespeare company’s production of “much Ado About nothing” begs the question: “how do you build trust in a relationship, and what happens when it is broken?”

director nandini sadagopan fell in love with this play at first read, admiring the presence of strong female characters beatrice and hero that she could look up to in life and in love — a change from many of the bard’s young heroines who are in the midst of discovering what love is. In her production, sadagopan wants to emphasize the contrasting nature of beatrice and hero’s respective romances in relation to the play’s themes of love and trust.

The show, set in messina, sicily, follows the development of romantic relationships between the iron-willed and quickwitted beatrice (natalie Allton) and benedick (dominic Keene) and between the kind hero (Grace Gasper) and the passionate claudio (christina randazzo). Allton and Keene play their characters with expert talent, balancing scenes of emotional complexity and depth with those of a more lighthearted and comedic nature. The development of their romance in the show is natural and well-executed. Gasper’s portrayal of the somewhat tragic hero is gut-wrenching, and her pain is palpable in the more emotional moments of the production. randazzo’s claudio is a delight. While the audience is made to villainize her in parts due to the nature of the plot, she handles it with grace and believability.

Ultimately, the cast as a whole is perfect. every person’s performance is a standout. Isabel olesinski plays Leonato

with unmatched ferocity and deftness, Josh Lehman’s don Pedro is commanding and skillful and the combined forces of Andrew Arcidiacono (dogberry), noah sim (verges) and Alyssa miulli (seacoal) shine throughout their shenanigans. mariko Jurcsak’s villainous don John reeks of excellence as she delivers her lines with charm and artful malice. marven corrielus (borachio) and sammy Kacius (conrade) assist her nefarious deeds with playful humor and amusing banter.

The production as a whole is charming — the stage is adorned with flowering vines, candles, golden dishes and cushy furniture. An archway in the background covered in lights and vines serves many purposes as an entryway and an altar. The lighting shifts with the tone of the scenes well, highlighting moments of humor and tragedy beautifully. music and dance enhance the performance, with specially crafted classical musical compositions by Laurynas Zavistanavicius and rumba and swing pieces created by cece schwartz and megan sherry. by building the environment around the actors through these production and design elements, sadagopan believes they can focus their energy solely on developing their characters.

since January, the cast and crew have been working collaboratively to deliver this performance with the greatest efficiency and efficacy. They’ve fully dived into the text and prepared themselves to assume the roles they’ve been cast. Their hard work and skill are evident from the beginning, and it remains strong to the end. Their audience interaction and movement around the set draw you into the scene, keeping you invested and leaving you wanting more.

sadagopan’s vision for this production was to bring the text

to life in the way it was intended. People throughout the years have altered the bard’s material to fit more modern contexts or to have a “take,” but sadagopan believes the text is modern enough without adding anything extra.

After the conclusion of the show, she encourages the audience to look for the epilogue, the “What next?” of the narrative. Interpersonal conflicts may seem to be resolved by the end, but where do the characters go from there? how do they carry out their lives now that they’ve found their partners, and how does their love and trust for each other change with the events that had occurred?

Ultimately, “much Ado About nothing” is a reflection of our contemporary reality. It’s real, it’s touching and it’s absolutely hilarious. You’ll find yourself “accidentally in love” with this production.

Performances of “much Ado About nothing” on April 1921 at 7:30 p.m. and on April 22 at 3:30 p.m. will be held in the Washington hall Lab Theatre. Tickets are available to purchase for $5 at the LaFortune box office or at the door for $7 while supplies last.

Contact Anna at afalk@nd.edu

“Much Ado About Nothing”

Director: Nandini Sadagopan

Produced by: Not-So-Royal Shakespeare Company

Starring: Natalie Allton, Dominic Keene, Grace Gasper, Christina Randazzo

By ROSE ANDROWICH

s cene Writer

Transpose dance collective is a no-cut group on campus known for welcoming dancers of all experience levels. In the past, they have performed a variety of styles. c horeographers of the group utilize styles like lyrical, contemporary, line dancing, jazz and hip-hop. creative director Patrice serianni (class of ‘25) discusses why she believes Transpose being no-cut is important, explaining that, “It allows people who may not have had the experience or opportunity to dance in the past to be able to participate in that kind of community and club now in college, which is really exciting.” serianni continued, “We do have a lot of beginner dancers, and it really allows people to engage with an art form that they may not have been able to participate in in the past. It’s just so exciting.”

Transpose co-President Ana sofia Gonzalez (class of ‘23) also emphasized the importance of no-cuts by saying, “We just wanted to make sure that anybody that did want or had the passion to dance or an interest in dancing could go ahead and you know dance for fun. most of the club is doing dance for fun.”

Julia echemendia, a graduate student in the master of science in Accountancy program, joined Transpose

while researching various dance groups at notre dame.

she described the process of joining Transpose, “I joined Transpose after researching different dance groups at notre dame and learning that all experience levels were accepted since they didn’t cut people during their audition process, so I went to audition, gave my preferences for different dance styles, said I’d be interested in performing, and now I get to perform three numbers of different genres at the Transpose show this Thursday.”

In describing her experience with Transpose and the opportunities she has been given since joining, echemendia said “The close-knit atmosphere with the girls as well as the willingness of the choreographers to teach us and give all of us the opportunity to express ourselves through dance is something that doesn’t happen all the time if you’re not trained to dance… That’s what makes Transpose stand out — anyone can dance if they want to work hard enough at it, and Transpose gives all dancers, new and experienced alike, the chance to feel talented through practice and performance.”

v ice President v ictoria Lyczak (class of ‘24) is also a choreographer for the group who joined the community her first year. she believes that Transpose is a place

for dancers to come together.

“I think we are able to really come together regardless of whether you were a trained dancer or just someone who’s looking to have some fun and move and groove,” she said. “I think we’re all able to come together and share that time and it is about the dance for creating together but it’s also just about the time that we spend together.”

For this year’s show, she is choreographing a jazz number, the senior piece, the officer piece duet and a solo piece. The process of choreography for v ictoria is something that comes naturally to her.

“I hear the music,” she said. “The moves are within the music and it’s my responsibility to seek and find them.”

serianni choreographed a line dancing number and started the process by finding a song. “I’ll play the music several times and improv to it. Just dance around and see what moves I like.”

Transpose dance collective’s showcase “dancing Under the stars” takes place Thursday at 7 p.m in dahnke ballroom. Tickets are $5 in advance, or at the door.

Contact Rose at randrowich01@saintmarys.edu

Happy Birthday: Patience will be necessary if you want to finish things this year. There will be no shortage of good ideas, insight and creative thinking, but emotional angst will take over if you can’t settle into a routine that helps you overlook what’s happening around you and focus on your goal. Mind over matter will keep you on top of your game. your numbers are 6, 17, 20, 28, 34, 42, 47.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Determine how to improve your living conditions or arrangements. Take time to handle the matter personally and to allocate how and where your money will have the most significant impact. reconnecting with an old friend will help you let go of the past.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): you’ll do better if you act fast. Assess, define your position and adjust your life to whatever works best for you. Change is favored if you are quick to decide and follow through. Defer to an expert regarding health and money.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Align yourself with people who understand you and offer support and solutions, not criticism. Don’t let negativity get you down or hold you back. let your actions speak for you and your kindness lead the way. Self-improvement will lead to compliments.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): If something isn’t going your way, head in a direction that makes it easier to reach your destination. keep matters simple, make your words count and stay within your budget. let experience be your guide.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): refuse to let someone take over or make alterations that don’t suit your needs. A leo’s charm, insight and hands-on help will encourage others to see things your way. An emotional issue will give you the strength and courage to make a difference.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Move forward cautiously. Don’t put yourself in harm’s way or let others put unfair demands on you. The adjustments you make will send a clear message to anyone giving you a difficult time. Don’t let work cause a problem for you at home.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): you’ll have to cover a lot of ground today. Put on your running shoes and head out. Preparation will help considerably, so don’t scrimp when it comes to detail. If you love someone, share your intentions and be prepared to make reasonable adjustments.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Don’t share secrets or make changes for the wrong reason. Be creative, and you’ll devise a plan far exceeding your expectations. refuse to let an oversight at home end up costing you too much. Take on only what’s feasible.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): you are heading in the right direction but are not focused on the result. go back and rethink your motives, and you’ll figure out how to achieve your goal. Attending a social event or spending time with someone you love will ease stress.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Consider changes at home that will make your life easier. refuse to let anyone talk you into something you don’t want or spending more than your budget allows. keep your thoughts and plans to yourself until you have everything in place and are ready to go.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Take nothing for granted, but be ready to take advantage of any opportunity that comes your way. There are investments and positions available that can help you zigzag your way to the top. Personal growth, self-improvement and love are favored.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): keep an open mind, but don’t believe everything you hear. Wear your heart on your sleeve, but don’t let anyone take advantage of you. Call the shots and do what feels right to you. Avoid events that can lead to health repercussions.

Birthday Baby: you are sensitive, loving and forceful. you are helpful and possessive.

Irish prepare to face Wake Forest in ACC tournament

By J.J. POST

Associate sports e ditor

o n Thursday morning, the n otre d ame women’s tennis team will begin A cc tournament action against Wake Forest in c ary, n orth c arolina.

The matchup with the n o. 9 seed d emon d eacons could be a fortuitous one for the Irish. n otre d ame faced off against then- n o. 25 Wake Forest earlier in the year and came away with a convincing 7-0 victory. The triumph in s outh b end marked the only conference game the Irish swept all spring.

The Irish will also enter with the advantage in the momentum

department. n otre d ame picked up a pair of wins over the weekend, dispatching s yracuse and b oston c ollege at home.

Wake Forest, on the other hand, lost their last conference outing 6-1 to n o. 9 v irginia. The d eacons then picked up a win outside of A cc play against n orth c arolina A&T, however.

o ne interesting storyline to keep an eye on is how both teams play at the neutral venue in c ary. b oth Wake Forest and n otre d ame have built their strong records on excellent play at home. b ut their results away from each team’s respective standard confines have been less than

stellar.

The Irish are 3-6 away from s outh b end, as opposed to 12-3 at e ck Tennis Pavillion. The d emon d eacons are 4-8 outside of Winstons alem, which starkly contrasts a 12-4 home mark. While c ary is certainly closer to Winstons alem than s outh b end, both teams will be outside of familiar territory. Potentially of note in that department for n otre d ame is the teams’ fall performance at the ITA All-American championships. Four Irish players competed in the event which was held at c ary Tennis Park.

The winner of the n otre d ame-Wake Forest

showdown will then square off against topseeded n orth c arolina. The Tar h eels are arguably the hardest matchup in nc AA women’s tennis, currently ranked n o. 1 in the nation. n orth

c arolina is yet to lose a match all season, steamrolling through both their non-conference and A cc regular season slate without issue. s aid slate included prior matchups against both Wake Forest and n otre d ame, which the Tar h eels won 4-0 and 7-0 respectively. Those matches make up two of the squad’s nine sweeps so far in 2023. A standard bearer in the sport, n orth c arolina has advanced to four

Mike Brey to join Atlanta Hawks coaching staff

Observer Sports Staff

It’s been over a month since the final game of his n otre d ame coaching career. b ut m ike b rey has hardly been out of the spotlight since his time in s outh b end came to a close. At one point during the offseason — a much longer one than the Irish were hoping for after making their first m arch m adness trip since 2017 a year ago — the winningest coach in n otre d ame history was reported to be the next head coach of the U s F b ulls. That didn’t happen. Then, b rey said he was going to “take some time off and pursue a career in television,” according to a m arch 21 Tweet by Pete Thamel.

b ut that isn’t going to be where b rey winds up at the start of the 202223 college basketball season, either. In fact, b rey’s days in the college hoops landscape are a thing of the past, at least for the near future. Instead,

b rey is heading to the nb A for the first time in his coaching career. The 64-year-old is set to join the Atlanta h awks coaching staff, according to a report from the s outh

b end Tribune’s Tom n oie.

While b rey may not have nb A experience, he

does plenty of experience with h awks’ coach, Quin s nyder. The two both served as assistants for legendary d uke coach

m ike Krzyzewski during the 1990s. s nyder has been an nb A head coach for the last nine years, the first eight with the Utah Jazz before taking over in Atlanta midway through this season. The

h awks went 11-12 under s nyder to close the regular season. h owever, they beat the m iami h eat in the Play-In to secure the n o. 7 seed in the e astern c onference for the nb A Playoffs. They currently trail the b oston c eltics 1-0 in their first-round series.

b rey said goodbye to n otre d ame after this season, his 23rd in s outh b end. b rey turned the Irish into a perennial nc AA from 2007 to 2017. d uring that span, the Irish had as many e lite e ight appearances (two) as they did m arch m adness misses. h e finished his Irish tenure with a record of 483-280.

b rey’s announcement marks the second major piece of breaking news today for the Irish men’s basketball program. Forward v en-Allen Lubin announced his entrance to the transfer portal earlier in the day.

consecutive national final fours.

e xpect Fiona c rawley to provide the star power for the Tar h eels. The junior currently ranks as the n o. 1 singles player in the nation. s he also teams up with c arson Tanguilig to form the n o. 11 ranked doubles pairing in the nation. Individually, c rawley is a dominant 36-1 on the year. n otre d ame women’s tennis will be back in action on Thursday morning at c ary Tennis Park. Their first-round contest is slated for a 10 a.m. start.

Contact J.J. Post at jpost2@nd.edu

ND mEN’S bASkEtbALL

MAX PETROSKY | The Observer

Former Irish Men’s Basketball coach Mike Brey observes the team in a game against the Pitt Panthers on March 1 in Purcell Pavilion. Brey was the Notre Dame men’s basketball head coach for 23 years.

i rish set for acc tournament opener against Louisville

By J.J. POST a ssociate sports e ditor

This Thursday, notre dame men’s tennis will open up play with a matchup against Louisville in cary, north carolina.

The no. 7 seed cardinals should present a difficult task for the irish for multiple reasons. For one, Louisville is the higherseeded squad. They’ll enter cary having won three of their last four matches. notre dame, in contrast, has dropped their last two.

compounding matters is the fact that one of those two recent losses by the irish came at the hands of Louisville. notre dame will take the court in north carolina with their most recent action being a 4-0 sweep by the cardinals in Louisville. The sweep was one of notre dame’s worst outings in their acc slate, one of four instances in conference play where the irish failed to register a point.

a major storyline for notre dame heading into the

tournament is the availability of multiple members of their roster. Graduate student addy vashistha didn’t compete in the irish’s most recent contest. vashistha is usually a staple of the notre dame singles competition rotation. his status for the acc Tournament is uncertain.

Further hurting notre dame’s odds is uncertainty around the availability of freshman sebastian dominko. The breakout rookie didn’t compete in the team’s last matches before their season finale six days ago. he made an appearance against Louisville last Thursday, but only in doubles play. dominko’s 11-6 record in singles play is by some distance the best on the irish roster. if he competes in singles on Thursday in cary, notre dame’s chances of winning should see a significant boost.

Leading the way for the cardinals is former oklahoma state transfer ettiene donnet. The senior has been excellent in

singles play on the year, posting a 17-4 record. his 81% winning percentage leads all Louisville players who have competed in more than five matches. donnett has also been a force in doubles play, partnering primarily with either Fabien salle or sergio hernandez. The donnett-hernandez pairing has produced the best results, sporting an 8-5 record. but recently, the cardinals have opted to pair donnett with salle. The donnettsalle pairing has had less success, going 1-2 together. but it opens the door for hernandez to pair with natan rodrigues. rodrigues and hernandez are 6-0 on the year as a duo. notre dame men’s tennis will be back in action on Thursday from cary, north c arolina when they take on Louisville. The contest is set for a 6 p.m. start. The winner will face off against second-seeded d uke in the quarterfinals.

Contact J.J. Post at jpost2@nd.edu

SOFIA CRIMIVAROLI | The Observer

Irish freshman Sebastian Dominko prepares to hit the ball against his Tar Heel opponent on match day with the University of North Carolina on March 3 in the Eck Tennis Pavilion. Dominko, who has posted an 11-6 record in singles for the Irish this season, is not certain to play in the team’s matchup against No. 8 Louisville on Thursday.

Observer Sports Staff

e arly monday afternoon, notre d ame forward vena llen Lubin announced his entry into the transfer portal. The news broke via Joe Tipton, national recruiting e xpert at on3. Lubin also tweeted the news on his own account.

“To the University of notre dame, thank you for this season of growth and thank you for being a supportive community. This past year has been filled with new experiences,” Lubin wrote in a tweet. “i am ready to find a new home that will allow me to grow and prosper as a basketball player, and that will allow me to maximize my ability to strive for a winning season with my teammates and coaches.”

a four-star recruit from orlando, Florida, Lubin made the most of his opportunities during his first year. The 6-foot-8-inch big man battled injuries during acc play but played in 28 games, starting seven. i mproving as the year progressed, Lubin posted 6.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per game at a 58% shooting clip.

When notre dame’s roster thinned during the heart of conference action, the freshman stepped forward. he saw 20-plus minutes in five acc contests and scored in double-figures each time.

at this point, all three members of notre dame men’s basketball’s 2022-23 freshman class have tested the portal waters. Five-star guard JJ starling has already finalized a homecoming to syracuse,

baseball

while fellow big man dom campbell has moved on to howard.

With graduate guard cormac ryan also having declared for the portal in tandem with the nba draft, notre dame is on track to lose its top seven scorers from a season ago. For the moment, that leaves newly minted head coach m icah s hrewsberry with just four returning players. They are sophomore guard a lex Wade, junior guard Tony s anders Jr., sophomore guard J. r Konieczny, junior forward m att Zona. Freshman guard m arkus b urton could play a role on next year’s team. The four returners played a grand total of about 153 minutes, almost all of which is accounted for by Zona.

s ophomore outfielder dm Jefferson turned in the marquee knock, driving in two on a softly hit single to right-center.

b y the inning’s end,

n otre d ame led 4-1.

“The most refreshing thing is it started with our small game,” s tiffler said. “ i t’s something that i don’t know if we don’t have confidence in it, or we don’t have a good feel for when we wanna do it. a nd as exciting as it was, it was equally frustrating to make an error with two outs in the next inning and give up two right back to them.”

That fielding miscue came from freshman second baseman e stevan m oreno. i t put two runners on, bringing up a lex r yan.

h e sliced a two-run double to right-center, trimming n otre d ame’s advantage to one.

v alparaiso applied pressure again in the third, loading the bases with nobody out. s tiffler removed s pivey, who had walked two and committed a pickoff throwing error. o n came junior s ammy c ooper to face the middle of the b eacon lineup.

With two strikeouts and a pop out, he added his name to the list of i rish relievers to escape bases-loaded, nobodyout jams this season.

earned run allowed. “ i hope it builds confidence in him, but we need him,” s tiffler said of s pivey. “ s ometimes he runs into that 12-pitch stretch during his outings where he gets out of sync mechanically and it takes him about 12 pitches to get back in. This time it just happened to be at the back of his outing.”

i n the bottom of the inning, graduate catcher v inny m artinez paid off c ooper’s h oudini act. With two outs on the board, he launched a 421-foot shot high off the netting in rightcenter field.

a fter sophomore third baseman Jack Penney singled home a run in the fifth, m artinez repeated the feat.

Leading off the eighth inning, he was the first man to face c hristian h ack, v alparaiso’s final reliever of the day.

Facing a 2-2 count, he pelted another ball to the opposite field for a 405foot home run.

“[ m artinez] has simplified his approach. We’ve had some discussion about what makes him good and what makes him tick, and he’s very comfortable in this ballpark,” s tiffler said. “ h e feels like he can homer to all ends of this ballpark which keeps him very centered through the ball.”

m artinez now has six home runs on the year, good for second on the team.

RYAN VIGILANTE | The Observer

With some help from his teammates, s pivey finished his start with two innings, three hits, two walks and one

o ver his last six home games, the i rish backstop is 9-for-21 with five home runs and 12 rbi n otre d ame’s bullpen told the rest of the story Tuesday afternoon. a fter s ammy c ooper twirled three scoreless innings, graduate student c arter b osch accomplished the same feat without allowing a hit.

To secure the 7-3 win, junior southpaw r yan Lynch struck out the side in the ninth.

n ow 19-15 overall, the i rish will retake the field Wednesday against Western m ichigan. Freshman right-handed d avid Lally Jr. is n otre d ame’s projected starting pitcher.

i n 10 and a third innings (three starts), the youngster has pitched to a 6.10 era with nine walks and seven strikeouts. Tomorrow’s game, which acc n etwork e xtra will air, will begin at 6 p.m. at Frank e ck s tadium.

Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu

Paid a dverT isemen T

Irish freshman forward Ven-Allen Lubin guards Spartan forward Joey Hauser in game against Michigan State University on Nov. 30. The Irish won the game 70-52 and finished their season with an 11-21 record.

the bottom of the firsttwo of them on bunts.

Martinez mashes, Irish bullpen goes Beacon-blanking in 7-3 win

By TYLER REIDY Associate sports e ditor

n otre d ame baseball began a five-game week Tuesday afternoon, hosting and defeating the v alparaiso b eacons for the second time this year.

With n o. 8 v irginia coming to town this weekend and a slew of home games to follow, the Irish needed a productive start. b y virtue of early hitting and a magnificent bullpen, they got it.

“This is a really tough week for us,” head coach s hawn s tiffler said. “It’s gonna take every single person on this roster to make this a productive week and come out of this week with a winning record.”

Freshman right-hander c aden s pivey started the game for n otre d ame and encountered some early trouble.

In the first, Kyle s chmack lined a ball that barely cleared the left-field wall for a solo home run. h owever, s pivey dispatched the next two hitters, and his offense offered up some help soon after.

Five of the first six Irish hitters singled in

saints’ five-match winning streak snapped by st. Francis

By ANDREW McGUINNESS sports editor

With just two matches left in their regular season, the h oly c ross women’s tennis team was on a hot streak. After a 2-6 stretch from Jan. 20 to m ar. 25 had the s aints reeling, h oly c ross has stepped up their game since reaching conference play.

Their first four matches of cc A c play were all victories — and not close ones.

After winning a non-conference game on m ar. 31 against m arian University, the s aints rattled off four

straight victories. That’s impressive on its own, but even more incredible when you consider the s aints won those matches by a combined margin of 190. That’s despite not being able to rack up any points in their last contest against Judson University, when they won via forfeit on April 15.

h owever, perhaps the extra rest worked against the streaking s aints. h oly c ross was unable to extend its winning streak on Tuesday afternoon, dropping a close 4-3 match to s t. Francis. The loss drops the

s aints to 9-6 on the season and 4-1 in conference play. s t. Francis is now even in the cc A c standings with a 4-1 conference record of their own and a strong overall mark of 11-6.

Winning this match was always going to be a difficult task for the s aints, winning streak or not. s t. Francis came into this match an impressive 5-1 at home and on the heels of a 4-0 win over s t. Ambrose University. And this was an especially important game to s t. Francis, as it’s the final home match of their season — and their

final match period, in fact.

Though junior Anna b eer and freshman v ictoria

s avvides won their doubles contest, their match didn’t go final until after s t. Francis had already won the other two doubles matches, and the point. s ingles play did not go much better for h oly c ross. Though b eer and senior c laire r uediger won the first two singles matches, the other four s aints could not get the job done. Three of the final four matches were decided by less than two points, as the s aints came painstakingly close

to putting s t. Francis away but failed to deliver the finishing blow.

The loss drops h oly c ross to 0-3 on the road all-time against s t. Francis. They are 2-1 all-time against s t. Francis at home. h owever, the s aints will not return home the rest of the regular season. Their penultimate contest is Friday at 11 a.m. against the University of n orthwestern o hio. The match is the s aints’ final non-conference game on their schedule.

Contact Andrew McGuinness at amcguinn@nd.edu

SOFIA CRIMIVAROLI | The Observer

Irish sophomore right-hand pitcher Radek Birkholz hurls the ball at a Cardinal batter in their game against the University of Louisville on March 26 in Frank Eck Stadium. Notre Dame beat Louisville 5-4 that day. The Fighting Irish currently have a 19-15 record this season. see bAsebALL PAGE 15

HCC WomEN’S tENNIS