Print Edition for The Observer for Monday, Feb. 24, 2025
Trump proposes NIH funding cutbacks
Notre Dame risks losing $7 million in annual research funding from federal grant program
By HENRY JAGODZINSKI Staff Writer
The Trump administration has announced a plan that would significantly cut funding to projects awarded grants through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which funds biomedical research in laboratories across the country. The proposed change would cap facilities and administration costs, also known as indirect costs, at a rate of 15%.
Much of the $35 billion in funding that the NIH awards in grants each year goes to universities and medical schools.
If enacted, the policy could
strip over $7 million in federal funds from Notre Dame each year, according to an analysis by The Observer. In fiscal year 2024, Notre Dame was awarded 75 grants through the NIH, totaling $27,727,153.
Federally, the changes would cut spending by an estimated $4 billion.
NIH grants include funding for both direct project costs and indirect costs. Direct project costs include salaries for researchers and project-specific materials costs. Indirect project costs fund expenses such as research building maintenance and operation, equipment shared by multiple
Hoops tourney unites ROTC
By JULIET MULLALLY News Writer
This weekend marked the University of Notre Dame Air Force’s 39th annual Flyin’ Irish Invitational Basketball Tournament. Over 600 players from over 50 schools with ROTC programs all over the country traveled to compete against their future joint colleagues and comrades-in-arms.
“We love coming out here. It’s a great environment. The
sportsmanship is unlike any other place we’ve been,” said a senior from Virginia Tech, Sidney Fredericks.
The tournament ran from 5 p.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Sunday, with 14 hours of playing time on Saturday. Each team was guaranteed three regular games. These games ran six at a time, round-robin style, until Saturday night when the top teams began battling it out in
laboratories at an institution, administrative, janitorial and compliance staff salaries, data storage and processing, hazardous waste disposal, safety training and utilities.
According to data from the University’s controller, Notre Dame currently has an indirect cost rate of 56.5%, a number which has gradually increased from 48.5% in 2000, the earliest year for which data is available. Indirect costs are not a percentage of the total project budget but are “added on” to the direct costs of a project. A project with direct costs of
Female engineers live in specific dorms for support
By SOPHIE HANAWALT Associate News Editor
Notre Dame’s engineering programs have historically seen a much lower retention rate for female engineering students than for male students, according to Kerry Meyers, associate dean for student development in the College of Engineering and director of Notre Dame Women in Engineering. Now, however, the retention rates for female and male students are within 1% of each other, both around 90%.
A large contributor to this change has been an effort to cluster female engineering students in certain dorms, Meyers shared in an email to The Observer.
Residential Life works with the Center for University Advising to ensure female students who have identified engineering as their intended major are placed in specific dorms, Karen Kennedy, associate vice president for residential life, shared in another email to The Observer.
Bianca Batista, senior and
vice president of operations for Notre Dame’s Society of Women Engineers, spoke on her experience living in Cavanaugh Hall, which she identified as a dorm with a high concentration of women studying engineering.
“One of the first things I noticed when I got here was that there were so many engineers in my hallway and my section,” Batista said.
“As a first-year, there were always upperclassmen in my major or engineering in general that had already taken the classes,” she continued. She noted this immediately created a STEM community and support system for her, which she otherwise would not have had when she first came to Notre Dame.
Neither Kennedy nor Meyers disclosed which women’s dorms the engineers are clustered in, but Batista noted Cavanaugh alongside Welsh Family Hall and Flaherty Hall had high concentrations. She added that she believes each quad has at least one STEM-heavy female dorm.
“I’ve really loved living in Welsh Fam and connecting with so many other girls in engineering, especially in my major of mechanical engineering. Especially when academics get tough, it’s motivating to be surrounded by others going through the same thing,” Miller said.
“When you ask women engineering students about their experience, they talk about how critical it is to have a community of peers in their dorm to study with (and upperclassmen who have gone before them),” Meyers wrote.
Batista expanded upon the importance of being surrounded by other engineering students, sharing that her experience would have been different had she gone through engineering without other students to look to for support.
“Providing communities for women in engineering is super important, and I do
Lily Miller, a sophomore mechanical engineering major in Welsh Family Hall, echoed Batista’s enthusiasm for the community.
JULIET MULLALLY | The Observer
Washington University’s Army team lifts the men’s bracket trophy after beating Virginia Tech in the Flyin’ Irish Invitational Tournament.
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Monday
Tours of our Past!
Riedinger House
3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Tours of Saint Mary’s Riedinger house tour and old yearbooks.
Bangel Bouts Tournament
Dahnke Ballroom
7 p.m.
95th annual Boxing Club tournment.
Tuesday
Sherman College
Chiropractic Visit
Science Hall 105
8 p.m.
Chiropractic school presents at SMC.
Oscar Nominated Animated Shorts
DPAC
7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.
DPAC will present 2024 nominated films.
Wednesday
Donor Challenge Kick-Off Party
Rice Commons
6 p.m.
Lip sync contest and treats at SMC.
“Heart On Fire,”
Notre
MARIELLA TADDONIO
think that without the community, a lot of people would fall through the cracks or not feel like they had the support system around them to push through the barriers to being in STEM as a woman,” Batista said.
According to Kennedy, this community enables “female engineering students to easily find study groups, lab partners and other women who understand the intense focus required to succeed in engineering, while also living in community with a diversely talented group of students studying the wide variety of academic disciplines.”
Miller noted she believes the Welsh Family Hall STEM community has “given [her] access to a lot more academic and professional support than I think I would have had otherwise.”
A large factor behind the effectiveness of the cluster housing is the opportunity for upperclassmen to serve as mentors, Kennedy noted. She explained the proximity creates relationships between upperclassmen female engineering students and freshmen that enable them to provide insights into courses, internships and study abroad experiences.
On her opportunities to shift into a mentorship role while building relationships with the younger female engineering students in her dorm, Batista shared, “I’ve talked them through certain classes, helped them with homework and provided them with mentorship when they’re overcoming some of the challenges with engineering alone and being a woman in engineering.”
As of 2024, women made
up 38% of students in the College of Engineering.
Batista added that the gender breakdown varies greatly within the college by major, contributing to the need for mentorship in particularly male-dominated majors.
“I feel so lucky to be surrounded by so many talented female engineers in my dorm,“ Flaherty Hall freshman Lilly Nadler, who majors in mechanical engineering, said.
“Engineering in general is such a male-dominated field, but knowing that there are a multitude of supportive women engineers just down the hall that I can talk to at any point for advice or extra help allows me persevere and helps to push aside doubts that arise for me as a woman in STEM,” she added.
“The greater community is strong because it starts in the dorms and then echoes throughout classes, organizations and the college as a whole,” Batista said.
She elaborated upon the strength of the engineering program.
“It’s a very supportive program, not only due to the student-run groups, but also by the college. I’ve always felt recognized, supported and helped by these entities throughout my time here,” Batista said.
Meyers emphasized that while women in engineering are clustered in certain dorms, placements within the halls and roommates remain random, as all freshmen are required to live with a random roommate.
She also noted that women in engineering continue to make up a minority of the hall population in the cluster dorms.
Contact Sophie Hanawalt at shanawal@nd.edu
Mr. Aerospace wins first Mr. Engineering pageant
By ISABELLA PONCIROLI News Writer
On Thursday night, the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) hosted the first Mr. Engineering Pageant in the Carey Auditorium to raise money for Girls Who Code and Black Girls Code, two charities SWE supports.
The auditorium was full of laughter and roaring applause as students, both engineers and non-engineers alike, came to support their friends and participate in the rambunctious show.
A week before the pageant, Notre Dame’s male engineers were encouraged to sign up for the competition to represent their engineering discipline.
“Everyone who applied was allowed to compete, but not everyone who submitted a form took up the opportunity to bear this heavy responsibility of competing to be The Mr. Engineer of 2025,” Genevieve Cicchiello, SWE social director, said.
Six men representing six different engineering disciplines took part in the pageant: Ryan Patterson (Mr. Aerospace), Sean Teyengua (Mr. Mechanical), Joshua Johnson (Mr. Civil), Rogelio Diaz (Mr. Computer Science), Luke Scholler (Mr. Electrical) and Harlan Radford (Mr. Chemical).
Before and after the pageant, viewers could donate to different charities via a PayPal QR code projected on the auditorium screen. Contestants chose which charity they wanted their efforts to support, and viewers could accordingly donate money to support the cause of their favorite contestant and add to
their overall score.
Contestants competed in three different categories: the pageant walk, a classic Q&A session and a talent segment. Allison Fleming, president of SWE, was emcee for the pageant while Maggie Howard, SWE social director, helped with the technology for the show.
The competition was judged by associate teaching professor Todd Taylor, SWE vice president of operations Bianca Batista and SWE executive vice president Madeleine Williams. Contestants were judges based on judges’ scores, audience choice and donations accumulated.
For the first segment — the pageant walk — contestants walked the stage as they, and their majors and extracurriculars, were introduced.
The Q&A session followed, where contestants drew a random question from a bucket. Questions included: If you were to pick another engineering major than the one you are currently in, what would you pick, and why? At what age did you decide you wanted to be an engineer, and why?
To which, contestant Johnson answered, “I decided when I was ten years old, I wanted to be an architect, but then my mom said I couldn’t draw, so I became a civil engineer. Now, I design buildings that hopefully don’t fall.”
Other questions were quirkier like: What is your engineering hot take? Kiss, marry, kill: Stinson-Remick, Fitzpatrick and Cushing?
Contestant Radford decided he would kiss Cushing, marry Stinson-Remick and kill Fitzpatrick.
The talent session was the fan-favorite category of the event. Each contestant had the opportunity to display a talent, which ranged from musical performances to martial arts demonstrations.
Up first was Mr. Aerospace, or Patterson. Mr. Aerospace, also known as Lil’ Aero, began his segment with engineering jokes that did not disappoint according to laughter from the crowd. Then, while wearing swim trunks, he performed a rap he wrote himself.
“There is no beat. I thought it’d be funny that way. It’s just me going to the beat of my own heart,” Patterson said.
Mr. Mechanical, or Teyengua, who had the biggest cheering section, was showered with flowers as he chugged a 2-liter bottle of lemonade in two minutes and sixteen seconds.
After a brief intermission to clean the stage of lemonade and flowers, Mr. Electrical, or Scholler, played a song he dedicated to professor Andrew Bartolini, the director of the First-Year Engineering Program. The song was titled “Hey Bartolini” and was a parody of the song “Hey There Delilah” by the Plain White T’s. While he performed, the audience swayed and waved flashlights in the air.
Mr. Computer Science, or Diaz, also did a musical performance. He serenaded the audience with a traditional mariachi song while wearing a sombrero.
Following Diaz’s act, Mr. Civil Engineer, or Johnson, did a martial arts demonstration full of flying kicks, jumps and punches.
To cap off the talent section, Mr. Chemical, or Radford, juggled three oranges around the stage before finishing his performance with a backflip.
When the talent portion was over, the judges and audience deliberated.
“Audience’s choice was solely Google Form submissions. Overall winner was broken down by pageant walk, Q&A answers and talents. Three judges had equal weighting and evaluated contestants on each category,” Cicchiello said.
Mr. Mechanical, or Teyengua, received the overwhelming majority of votes for the audience’s choice award.
After careful deliberation, the winner of Mr. Engineering was announced: Mr. Aerospace, or Patterson.
The event raised over $60 for its charities.
“This is definitely a competition for people who like to have fun and see the fun in the everyday,” senior Katiebelle Thompson said.
Contact Isabella Ponciroli at iponciro@nd.edu
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Students unplug at dormsponsored retreats
By EMILY BARTLETT News Writer
Although students often struggle to find time to slow down and reflect due to hectic schedules and large workloads, many Notre Dame residence halls offer retreats every semester, giving students the opportunity to unwind and take a break from their busy calendars. These retreats also aim to help students deepen their relationship with God through discussion, prayer and Mass.
Some dorms have chosen to shift away from the model supplied by Campus Ministry, providing a unique experience tailored to specific focuses that will be better explored with a different set-up.
“Campus Ministry has a wonderful retreat model, but as a retreat planning team, we decided to do this on our own,” Duncan Hall rector Nic Schoppe said.
Students in Duncan Hall visited the Camp Manitoqua in Frankfort, Illinois, over the weekend of Jan. 31-Feb. 1. Their retreat included fellowship, Mass, talks from liturgical commissioners and bonding events such as dodgeball.
“This year, our theme was ‘genuine male friendship,’ so our talks were centered around how the men of Duncan can immerse themselves into friendships that are more meaningful, rooted in faith and have a true purpose,” Schoppe said.
This year, Breen-Phillips Hall
and Lewis Hall hosted a joint retreat over the weekend of Jan. 31.
“Our retreat with Lewis included a watch party of ‘The Chosen,’ small group discussions, yoga, Mass and so much more,” freshman Ciara Lyons said.
To plan the retreats, hall rectors, priests and student commissioners come together, formulating meaningful and insightful weekend experiences for students. These individuals connect with students to choose small group leaders and speakers for the retreat.
Students play an integral part in running the retreat, as they perform a variety of roles, including giving motivational talks or even teaching yoga classes.
“Lots of planning goes into a retreat,” Lyons said. “The student spiritual commissioners of each dorm came together with our rectors and priests for many weeks to plan a peaceful weekend away from the business of school and life itself.”
Dillion Hall rector Fr. Edward Dolphin also spoke to the impact of dorm retreats.
“Making the time to go on a retreat and be intentional about stepping away is a good habit for students to develop since they will continue to have many obligations in the future,” Dolphin said.
Keough Hall offers the “Rootreat,” named after their hall mascot, the kangaroo. This year, the retreat brought students to Camp Friedenswald
in Cassopolis, Michigan, over a weekend in January.
“The Rootreat is a faith-based weekend that focuses not only on attendees growing their relationship with each other as brothers, scholars and champions but also offers a Christian takeaway, deepening their relationship with God,” Keough Hall senior fellow Demetrios Fotopoulos said.
Schoppe lamented the fact that retreats are not very frequent throughout the year.
“One downside is that it is usually a one-time thing per academic year or semester,” Schoppe said.
Retreats offer an opportunity to unplug for a weekend, and students and rectors both are hopeful for more retreat opportunities being made available in the future. Additionally, they share hope for follow-up events to continue conversations and activities from the retreat.
“Many students have voluntarily chosen to not use their phone for the duration of the retreat as a chance to reduce distractions and allow them to be more present to the present moment and the people they are with,” Dolphin said.
Lyons said attending the retreat was beneficial to her.
“Faith and friendship go hand in hand, and retreats provide the opportunity for fruitful group reflection,” she said.
Contact Emily Bartlett at ebartlett@nd.edu
Hoops
the playoffs.
The tournament culminated in heated men’s and women’s finals Sunday morning. Washington University Army won against Virginia Tech to secure the men’s bracket champion title, and Virginia Tech beat out Notre Dame Army for the women’s title.
Notre Dame’s other teams fared well, too, with the men’s Army and Air Force teams both making it to the first round of playoffs, and the men’s Navy team making it to the semifinals, where they lost to Washington University.
“The community building—that’s why we come all the way to South Bend. Moving forward, 20 years down the road, we’re going to remember the memories we made with this team, not necessarily our win,” said senior Andrew Rudolph from Washington University.
Colonel David McCann Woods started the tournament in 1985 with this community-building purpose in mind. The tournament has grown immensely since its birth and is now the largest Cadet-run event in the United States, according to senior and University of Notre Dame Air Force ROTC member Meghan Lehane.
Colonel Woods passed away this December at 87. He had 28 years of service in the U.S. Air Force and two combat tours in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. His life and dignified character were honored with the first-ever addition of the Sportsmanship Award to
the Flyin’ Irish Tournament.
The award went to St. Louis University Detachment 207, who got mercy-ruled, or had a scoring deficit of over 30 points, for all three of their games. Despite this they had unwavering positivity on and off the court, according to junior and Flyin’ Irish Tournament Commander Collin Noon.
After applying for and securing his position in August, Noon began tackling the logistics of the tournament, reaching out to home detachments across the country. Noon’s position is the only year-long Air Force Detachment position.
While Noon juggled a lot of the planning, he said the event was essentially a team operation. Every Cadet had to have a scorekeeping shift, but many Cadets contributed further, joining the official staff. Six staff teams were in charge of scheduling, supply, concessions, website and public affairs, scorekeeping and organizing the refs.
Some highlights beyond the lively games and community of the tournament were Notre Dame men’s Navy team winning 74-11 against Indiana State, Utah Valley University Army flying all the way from Utah and 38-year-old E-7 Sergeant First Class Cadet Rasheem Watson playing for Washington University.
“This tournament is about more than just wins and losses—it’s about perseverance, teamwork and the values we carry with us as future leaders,” Noon said.
Contact Juliet Mullally at jmullally@hcc-nd.edu
$100,000 would receive a maximum of $56,500 in indirect funding under Notre Dame’s current agreement with the federal government. That means indirect costs make up 36.1% of a project’s total funding at Notre Dame.
Slashing the indirect cost rate to 15% would cut indirect cost funding to 13% of total project funding. Under the new changes, a project with direct costs of $100,000 would receive a maximum of $15,000 in indirect funding under the proposal.
22 states have filed a lawsuit against the NIH over the 15% cap. The change has been temporarily blocked by a federal judge’s order.
Elizabeth Archie is a professor at Notre Dame whose research focuses on behavioral ecology and disease ecology. Her lab received $693,032 in NIH funds for its research in 2024. She said she is concerned about the proposed changes.
“Major reductions to NIH would have wide-ranging effects, from local to national and
international scales, including hampering Notre Dame’s mission to seek truth and educate, stopping clinical trials, slowing the pace of health-related discoveries, losing jobs and making American universities less competitive,” Archie wrote in an email.
Bradley Smith, an organic chemistry professor at Notre Dame whose lab received $392,917 in funding through the NIH for a project in 2024, also expressed worry over the indirect cost cap.
“Money for indirect costs is absolutely vital for the effective operation of research activities, and without it, there will undoubtedly be a large decrease in the return on investment,” Smith wrote in an email. “To use a simple football analogy, it is foolish to pay professional football players enormous salaries, and not pay for adequate practice facilities.”
Data from the National Science Foundation shows that the share of research funds at universities provided by the federal government has fallen from 67% in 1980 to 55% in 2023 while the share of funds provided by institutions themselves have risen from 14% to
25% in the same time period.
The majority of research at Notre Dame is funded through grants and awards. Notre Dame received $223 million in research awards in 2023, including nearly $120 million from federal agencies. In the same year, the University spent $331 million on research and development.
The share of research covered by grants and awards has at Notre Dame has fluctuated. In 2021, 91% of research at Notre Dame was funded by grants and awards. In 2023, 67% was funded by grants and awards.
Notre Dame’s indirect cost rate is in line with many other similarly ranked institutions. Georgetown University’s rate is 56%, Northwestern University’s rate is 60% and University of Michigan’s rate is 56%. Some universities have notably higher rates, including Harvard (69%) and Yale (67.5%).
Hsueh-Chia Chang, a chemical engineering professor at Notre Dame, received $234,750 in NIH funding for his lab in 2024. In a written statement, he said the ongoing upheaval at NIH causes considerable
uncertainty as to how labs at Notre Dame will be able to support current postdoctoral researchers and PhD students.
He added research requires “prolonged and well-planned studies” that can “ill-afford” such interruptions.
“It makes it difficult for us to recruit top students/postdocs if we do not know how much funds we have,” Chang wrote.
He also cautioned that international students may choose to study in other countries and that Notre Dame could lose faculty as a result of the cuts.
Notre Dame vice president for research Jeffrey Rhoads, who multiple sources confirmed is working on the response to the proposal, was unavailable for comment.
A written statement provided by the University said, “We are actively monitoring the situation in Washington and working nonstop to document the impacts thus far. We are also coordinating with key partners, such as the Association of American Universities (AAU), the Science Coalition and our partners across Indiana, to underscore the clear value proposition of cutting-edge scientific research, biomedical,
global affairs and otherwise. The research that Notre Dame and our partners in higher education do is of critical importance to the nation and the world, and we are working diligently to ensure that it continues uninterrupted.”
Still, the cuts do not pose as great a risk to Notre Dame as they do to some other institutions. Universities with medical schools and those that conduct more medical research are more reliant on NIH funding. Notre Dame ranks 97th in research and development expenditures among US academic institutions, though it has gradually climbed in the rankings over the last several years. Its endowment, by contrast, is the eighth largest among American universities, as of the end of fiscal year 2022.
Editor’s Note: This is the first story in a two-part series about proposed NIH funding cuts. The second story, which will be published later this week, will focus on individual voices and laboratories here at Notre Dame.
Contact Henry Jagodzinski at hjagodzi@nd.edu
Connor Marrott Lefty with a Laugh
Topple the oligarchy
Americans are waking up to a country that is rigged against them. Eggs cost $5 a carton. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment exceeds $1,700. Household debt has surged to an average of $105,000. Despite working harder than ever, we find ourselves stuck in a cycle of labor with little reward — and no eggs to show for it. The reality we must face is stark: we are living in an oligarchy.
Today, America is enduring what can only be described as a “Second Gilded Age,” where wealth inequality mirrors the extremes of the first, when Rockefeller built empires on the backs of immigrants. Back then, industrial magnates wielded their vast wealth to control the political system, preventing reform efforts. Today, nearly the same socioeconomic circumstances persist. The top 10% of Americans control 67% of the nation’s wealth, while the bottom 50% hold a mere 2.5%.
This growing wealth divide entrenches America’s class-based caste system. Jeff Bezos, a modern-day industrial magnate rebranded as a tech mogul, sustains this hierarchy by keeping his workers impoverished while indulging in lavish luxuries like yachts and caviar. Meanwhile, his employees, who earn a mere $20 per hour, are more than twice as likely to be injured on the job as workers at other companies. Bezos’ fortune, built on this exploitation, epitomizes the essence of oligarchy.
For wealth inequality to breed oligarchy, the wealthy elite must control federal policy. It’s easy to say, “But wait, Connor, we vote! We have the power!” But how can that be true when Elon Musk sits next to Donald Trump in the Oval Office, dismantling the federal bureaucracy and firing thousands of American workers? Notice who Trump turns to for policy advice: it’s not my uncle, who was laid off from the GM plant. It’s not my aunt, a nurse in inner-city Cleveland. It’s not me, a broke college student. It’s Musk, the world’s richest man, who spent $270 million on Trump’s campaign. Meanwhile, we can barely afford groceries, let alone a campaign donation.
The oligarchy is not confined to one party. Each election offers the illusion of choice, but, regardless of who is in office, American life remains difficult. The Democrats point to queer rights or reproductive freedom as proof of their progressivism, but remember when George Floyd died? They knelt for eight minutes. Heroes!!!! Just kidding, we still have no police reform, no ban on qualified immunity. Kamala Harris, who championed the “worker,” raised more corporate donations than Trump, collecting nearly $700 million from corporate donors. The same tech giants shaping Trump’s policies funded Harris’ campaign to ensure their interests were safeguarded, regardless of which party held power.
Let’s be clear: the Democratic Party is not unaware of the oligarchy it helps perpetuate. Their failure to connect with the working-class communities they claim to champion has been a key factor in their electoral defeats. As a Democratic voter, I spoke with the College
Democrats of Notre Dame about this disconnect. They acknowledged that “the influence of big money in American politics is a hindrance to our democracy.” Some politicians — those who, by not being racist, fall under the Democratic umbrella — have signed the No Corporate PAC pledge to distance themselves from this system. Yet, at the institutional level, the Democratic Party remains largely driven by the money it can raise from donors.
Now, we have to live with the consequences. But, this isn’t to say we’re totally screwed. After the first Gilded Age, we had the Progressive Era — a time defined by regulating corporations in the interests of workers and introducing reforms that sought to restore balance to the economy. History offers a blueprint. We need a new era of progressivism, one that fights for a more equitable distribution of wealth, dismantles the corporate stronghold on politics and pushes for policies that protect the most vulnerable in society.
The oligarchy may seem insurmountable, but it’s been toppled before — and with collective action, political courage and a shift in priorities, it can be toppled again.
Connor Marrott is a senior from Cleveland. His writing has appeared in the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Cincinnati Enquirer. He serves on the board of SolidarityND and is always eager to discuss any and all ideas. You can contact Connor at cmarrott@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Deleting TikTok made me a misandrist
all-consuming. Instead, practicing cognitive behavioral therapy techniques such as working on reducing your bad habit in moderation is proven to be much more effective (and healthier) in the long-term.
January 18, 2025. 10-something-p.m. Muscle memory guides my fingers to my favorite app. “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now,” the screen read. While I knew this was going to happen, I thought that I had at least two more hours before the app would shut down for good.
My name is Zora Rodgers, and I am an addict: to short-form, brain-rotting content. Despite my frustration with the government, I knew that this would ultimately be a great thing for me. It meant that I could finally regain a normal attention span and perhaps spend my days more productively. For example, reading a book or spending more time outside. I went to bed before 3 a.m. that night, with nothing to doomscroll. To my surprise, I felt great the next morning. I woke up before noon, got breakfast with a friend and then found myself at the bookstore in hopes of replacing my scrolling with more intellectual activities.
Although the app is back on, I made the conscious decision to stay off TikTok for good. I had been meaning to “dopamine detox” my brain for a while, but as addictions tend to be, it was just too hard to quit. I probably should’ve done my research beforehand. According to the Cleveland Clinic, adopting an “all or nothing” mindset, or quitting anything cold turkey is actually counterproductive and can backfire. Such drastic change is unsustainable, as it becomes
I am ashamed to say that quitting cold-turkey was indeed ineffective. Instead, I sought dopamine from other apps, such as YouTube video essays or incessantly scrolling through old photos and text conversations between friends. But, I ended up finding a hard landing spot on Instagram Reels. This is where things went severely south.
First of all, Instagram Reels is behind its time. Their memes are distasteful and repetitive, and I don’t find myself laughing at my phone nearly as much as I was when I was on TikTok. TikTok also had official news networks and political commentary, so not all time spent there was wasted. Reels are like your mom saying, “we’ve got McDonald’s at home.” It’s not an adequate replacement, nor does it satisfy my insatiable craving.
Arguably the worst feature of the Instagram app is when it shows you who likes which posts. There are few things more humiliating than watching the most toxic video on the Internet, and below it reads, “liked by (your man) and 465,000 others.”
Since going abroad, I have recently fallen back into old habits with a man who probably wouldn’t care if I lived or died. He was abroad last semester, I’m abroad now, and we keep missing each other. He came at a time when I really needed somebody in my corner. While he’s far from perfect (perhaps even far from good), up until a few days ago I found myself smiling
at my phone whenever his contact illuminated my screen. Unfortunately, Instagram Reels changed all of that.
I have caught this man, along with others I used to talk to, in the likes of the most heinous Reels to ever curse the app. Liking memes about cheating, “twomans,” getting back together with their exes, more cheating, racist dating preferences and the occasional sports highlight to cleanse their palate. These men are not Future. They’re 5’7” and broke. Why are they acting like pimps, and publicly, for all of their followers to see? Are people not concerned about their digital footprint?
Sometimes ignorance really is bliss. Part of me wishes I hadn’t been slapped awake by Reels, since now I have to lace up my shoes, go to the gym and become the best version of myself all over again to compensate for what I’ve lost.
Reels have turned me evil. They make me contemplate misandry. I view most men my age as vile human beings with a concerning lack of empathy. It makes me want to embody the female rappers I listen to, and never take a man seriously until I’m 30.
Zora Rodgers is a junior studying film, television, and theatre. She’s from Falls Church, VA and has the pajama pants to prove it. When not watching the TODAY Show or writing, she can be found wearing too much perfume and spending her NBC paychecks on SKIMS. You can reach out to her at zrodgers@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Zora Rodgers
The Quiet Part Out Loud
Declan Burke American DOMEland
The value of diverse perspectives
Since Donald Trump’s reelection to the presidency in January, there have been steady and consistent headlines surrounding his recent executive orders. From renaming the Gulf of Mexico to bringing independent federal agencies under the executive branch’s control, Trump has made a consistent effort to expand the power of the presidency. However, the power and strength of the presidency never stemmed from its absolute power but rather from a shared and balanced system of governmental order. Already in his first few weeks, it seems that Trump has readopted the policy of his first term: sign and ask questions later. Trump no longer concerns himself with his actions’ legality, morality or ethical nature. Instead, he signs and delays the consequences.
On February 14, the Department of Education distributed a memo reflecting the Trump administration’s desire to end DEI policies nationwide. The memo, sent to schools ranging from primary to the collegiate level across the country, warned that schools have 14 days to comply with the elimination of DEI initiatives or face the removal of government-funded programs like Title IV, student loans and free or reduced lunch programs.
In doing so, the government has sent a clear message to educators nationwide: you are regulated and controlled by the government. For an administration that claims to be defending central tenants of the GOP, including that of small
government, this seems inherently contradictory. How is it that a Trump administration can appear to support the idea of less government restriction and interference yet continually roll out policies that increase the extent of government oversight?
Furthermore, the limited timespan given for schools to comply with the order causes chaos for people who rely on those policies. It forces educators to fundamentally reevaluate their principles and programs in the span of 14 days or face the consequences of non-compliance. It also threatens millions of dollars in funding for the training of teachers and impacts students’ ability to understand the state of their financial aid.
The Trump administration’s opposition to DEI initiatives is not only a moral injustice, but it also damages the very fabric of American education. Diversity of perspectives, beliefs and experiences is a critical part of creating a complex and successful learning environment. The removal of programs that support diversity has ramifications on all people, even those not directly impacted by the policy.
Everyone loses when exclusionary policies work to inhibit the ability of people to communicate and grow as a learning community. A core tenet of the Notre Dame mission involves providing a forum where students can engage with each other in free inquiry and open discussion. DEI initiatives are a critical part of allowing for the creation of this forum.
In more recent news, Trump has also moved to consolidate power under the executive branch.
In an executive order, Trump designated that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) are no longer shielded from the control of the White House. These agencies will now have to regularly communicate and engage in conversation with the White House regarding policy and future actions. This serves as a clear message from Trump that loyalty to him is more important than loyalty to governance and the nation itself. Without objective and unbiased regulatory agencies, the executive branch is free to become more and more unchecked.
Ultimately, for an administration that claims to be producing ”American values”, these recent executive orders and directives seem to be eliminating central aspects of the American identity. The United States is meant to be a complex melting pot of different cultures, identities and perspectives.
Thus, the elimination of programs that stand and support those values must be inherently anti-American. Furthermore, Trump’s continued increase of executive powers reflect a stark change in the image of the nation, moving from a country known for checks and balances, to a place where the power of an individual trumps all else.
Declan is a surviving biochemistry major at the University of Notre Dame. He is usually trying to figure out how to work the printer. Contact at dburke7@nd.edu. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
What we deserve, what we can give
Hope College is located in Holland, Michigan, a small city just west of Grand Rapids. Originally opened by Dutch immigrants in 1851, the university is now home to a little over 3,000 undergraduates and offers 90+ majors across various disciplines.
It isn’t the city’s quaint Tulips or Dutch practicality that makes Hope College special, though. Rather, there is a certain mentality of humility that guides their university mission, a mentality in short supply today. The school’s current president, Matt Scogin, summed it up well in a podcast interview:
“[T]here’s this crazy sense in higher education … in which it must be the case that ultimately those who do get access to a great education somehow deserve it, like this meritocracy. If we really got what we deserved, we’d all be screwed… Everything we have is this unmerited gift, and then we’re just going to radically give it to the world so that we can be a blessing with the ways we’ve been blessed.”
He’s explaining the philosophy behind the school’s “Hope Forward” program. It’s a radical “pay-itforward” funding model, where students receive a tuition-free education in return for making a commitment to give a donation, of any amount, to Hope every year after graduation. In short, they are crowdsourcing college education. It’s a risky financial model for a university, but a reflection of their belief that attending college should not be dependent on a family’s net worth or zip code.
Scogin’s interview got me thinking about what I
deserve. My mind wandered to my acceptance to Notre Dame, to the “so well deserved!!” comments on my Linkedin, to the semester of travel I’ve been enjoying abroad. Did I really “deserve” any of these things? Although I worked hard to get to where I am, lots of people work hard. Most of the time I feel more insanely lucky (and privileged), than anything.
One solution is to take it all in moderation. There are times when recognizing your self-worth is powerful. You can be proud of your accomplishments without these feelings teetering into a sense of arrogance and entitlement.
The other solution — the one that Scogin suggests — is to completely revamp your mindset and consider that you deserve nothing.
This isn’t a new idea. Many religions, including Catholicism and Islam, center around the idea that life is a gift from the divine and that life’s blessings are a result of God’s mercy, rather than personal merit. Yet, I don’t think you have to be religious to believe that we are not entitled to anything in this life. Losing a loved one, getting a job offer revoked, having your house burned down by wildfires — these are all universal, human experiences. The reality is that bad things happen to good people. To me, this is just life’s harsh way of reminding us that we’re lucky to be alive, and anything on top of that is just an added bonus. Instead of sending us wallowing in the self-nothingness of our existence, I personally find that this anti-meritocracy attitude can be extremely transformative. You gain a healthy dose of perspective and gratitude when it comes to your own personal problems, suddenly equipped with the ability to zoom out from the situation until you conclude that most
things are not an existential crisis. You’re just thankful to be here. Your capacity for giving also expands tenfold: having received unmerited blessings, it’s now your duty to share them. Service is not something you do out of the goodness of your heart, but as a debt you are repaying for the gift of life.
However, modern society makes it difficult to cultivate and maintain this disposition. Our culture encourages people to view themselves as the center of the universe: TV cameras linger on professional athletes doing victory dances after a literal two-yard gain, social media gives everyone their own platform to say “look at me!” and politicians and billionaires are given free reign to throw tantrums online.
How different our world would look if we revamped our outlook on life to the point of utter humility. Institutionally, Notre Dame might find Hope College as a source of inspiration to ensure all students and staff are looked after, even amidst the flurry of this past month’s executive orders. Personally, we might look outward and more readily embrace our role as our “brother’s keeper,” willing to protect our neighbor’s livelihoods and place in this country. We may be challenged to accept what a humble place we occupy in this universe, but stronger collectively because of it.
Allison Elshoff is a junior studying business analytics with minors in the Hesburgh Program of Public Service and impact consulting. Originally from Valencia, CA and currently living in Badin Hall, you can find her unsubscribing from email lists or hammocking by the lakes. You can contact Allison at aelshoff@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Allison Elshoff Asking for a Friend
By CHRISTOPHER COPE Scene Copyeditor
I watched “Heart on Fire,” written by Olivia Seymour, at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center last Friday with a friend. I haven’t been to many musicals in the past and didn’t know what to expect. However, I ended up being incredibly happy that I attended this one — it was a truly captivating and well-executed production.
The play is set in the 1960s at the height of the hippie movement and American involvement in the Vietnam War. It centers around the relationship between two sisters: Lisa (Lucy Bullock), an uptight and pragmatic diner owner, and her younger sister Cassie (Isabel Seymour), a vivacious teenage girl eager to leave small-town life behind and chase her dreams in Los Angeles with her friends. Cassie ultimately leaves home and meets Loretta (Brigid O’Driscoll), a passionate anti-war protester, and her brother Johnny (Caleb DeLorenzo), a charismatic and popular hippie singer. Their interactions introduce Cassie to a world vastly different from the one she left behind.
The pacing of the musical was flawless. No scene dragged, and no moment felt rushed — each plot point had enough time to breathe, making the story feel organic and immersive. I was never bored or antsy to get
up and walk around; every second on stage felt purposeful and engaging.
As for the performances, both lead actresses showcased remarkable vocal range and delivered breathtaking solo performances. They truly shined when harmonizing together, though, particularly in their penultimate number (“Compass”), which was the standout emotional moment of the show. Other notable performances included Christian Dunne as Stephen, a police officer and Lisa’s husband, with Dunne delivering an exceptionally raw and moving performance. Loretta, played by O’Driscoll, was a powerhouse soloist. Additionally, Cassie’s three friends — Red (Harry Larson), Diana (Madeline Bendzick) and Russell (Jack Duncan) — brought fantastic energy and chemistry to the stage, making their group feel authentic and endearing.
The songwriting was another major highlight. Not only was each song well-composed and lyrically compelling, but the sheer volume of musical numbers was impressive, with no two songs feeling repetitive or overly similar. Every new number felt fresh, enhancing the story rather than just filling time.
Some particular songs that stood out were:
“It’s All A-Comin’”
This number cleverly recapped the first act while
subtly foreshadowing key moments in the second. It snapped the audience out of their intermission-induced trance and seamlessly pulled them back into the story. The melody was also incredibly catchy.
“Up in Smoke”
This was a visually and musically striking number. The choreography, paired with dramatic stage effects, made it a spectacle, while the seamless integration of music and dialogue effectively drove the plot forward.
“Follow Your Fire”
This song (Cassie’s opening solo) set the tone for the entire musical. Isabel Seymour’s performance was filled with enthusiasm and vigor, instantly hooking the audience and immersing them in Cassie’s world.
Overall, “Heart on Fire” was a phenomenal production that I would highly recommend. It balanced strong storytelling, impressive musical numbers and heartfelt performances to create an unforgettable experience. If you have the chance to see it, don’t miss it! Future performances run from Feb. 26 to March 2 at 7:30 p.m. at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center.
Contact Christopher Cope at ccope@nd.edu
By AMELIA BELTRAN Scene Writer
Cold, calculating and bloody — very bloody. Those are the adjectives that I would use to describe the beautifully grim character of Patrick Bateman from the infamous film “American Psycho,” which the Browning Cinema screened on Saturday. I mean, haven’t we all been shown a clip from this movie at least once, somehow keeping it relevant over the years?
Whether it’s the extensive morning skin care regimen with the iconic blank stare into the clear mirror as Bateman’s blasé voice drones in boredom and his hands peel off what seems like skin from his face (but is actually a perfectly intact face mask) or the modelesque power walk in his Armani suit and tie — hair gelled and styled back — with his thin black headphones, for some reason, “American Psycho” has become something of a cultural phenomenon. I feel like Halloween would be incomplete without at least one guy dressed in a full suit and a clear raincoat. It’s a matter of the beautiful and the gory.
Maybe the reason for this movie’s constant relevance is that seeing someone so unfeeling and blood-thirsty not hunched over with maggots
worming their way into open flesh wounds all over their skin (like “Nosferatu”) but instead as a portrait of perfection is confusing. Yes, we’ve all heard that the worst monsters are the ones with pretty smiles and drippingly sweet words, but in the cinematic world, monsters tend to look pretty vile. “American Psycho” even explicitly addresses this picture, with Bateman spastically doing crunches in front of his TV while the tall, uncouth, chainsaw-wielding man runs from “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” runs after the screaming Sally loudly in the background — the spitting image of total opposites in looks, but a copypaste in character.
What caught my attention in the opening of the film was the way director Mary Harron made it seem as if someone was cutting and spilling the blood of a creature in the most nefarious way possible, and then, next thing you know, it was an artwork of meat and garnishes on a porcelain white plate and ready to eat. I mean, what!? Two thoughts came to my mind when I saw this.
First, it eerily reminded me of the intro to the TV show “Dexter.” In a similar fashion, the opening credits include an elaborate, mind-turning scene of blood and slicing only for it to end up as food. What is it with food that pulls directors to do cooking scenes
in thriller movies and TV shows — could it be a sly reference to their vegetarianism?
Second, what came to my mind was the doctor of madness, Hannibal Lecter. The cooking in the introductory scene and later the sweaty, crazed phone call that Patrick Bateman has with his lawyer as well as his confession of trying to eat the brains of his victims screamed of “Silence of the Lambs” to me. Throughout the movie, Patrick plays the part of a human with as few flaws as possible. In other words, he is obsessed with perfection. It wouldn’t be a wonder if he wanted to perfect the gruesome “art” of killing a person by stealing a page from literature’s most classy killer and cannibal.
Maybe this movie shows that falling for perfection to the point of not comprehending whether you are even you is a one way trip to being Patrick Bateman–style “utterly insane.” So take that chocolate chip cookie that’s eyeing you in the dining hall, return some videotapes, book a table at Dorsia (if you can) and don’t forget the duct tape — for taping, obviously! In the end, if you feel that your “mask of sanity is about to slip,” make sure to wear a pressed Armani suit, a clear raincoat and maybe a killer smile.
Contact Amelia Beltran at abeltra4@nd.edu MEG HAMMOND | The Observer
Irish bid for perfect ACC record ends at NC State
By TYLER REIDY Sports Editor
In a league like the ACC, all it takes is one Sunday afternoon to change the picture. To kill a winning streak that had spanned months. To deny a push for perfection.
To dethrone the vanguard of women’s college basketball.
All of that went down this weekend at the Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, and so did Notre Dame. The Irish dropped their first game on American soil since March 29, 2024, outlasted 104-95 in two overtimes by No. 13 NC State.
“We have to get better, learn from it and move forward,” Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey said after the game.
The loss was Notre Dame’s first overall since the 0-2 excursion to the Cayman Islands Classic in late November. It snapped both a 19-game winning streak and a 15-0 start to the 18game ACC schedule for the Irish, who will likely lose their recently bestowed No. 1 national ranking come Monday.
NC State entered Sunday’s game with both the upset possibility and the revenge factor fueling its fire. Notre Dame, after suffering an ugly home loss to the Wolfpack in February of last season, overcame NC State to win the ACC Tournament title in March.
The Pack’s start, which included a 12-3 run to take a 12-5 lead out of the gate, signaled their readiness to clap back at the Irish. Notre Dame kept the pace as it has all season, though, going to the first quarter in a 23-20 deficit on an 11-point start from sophomore guard Hannah Hidalgo. Aziaha James paced the high-scoring Wolfpack with 8 points in the opening 10 minutes.
The frenetic pace slowed down a wee bit in quarter two, as Notre Dame briefly captured the lead on a Hidalgo 3-pointer less than two minutes in. Lorena Awou provided strong bench minutes for the Pack, collecting three offensive rebounds, while Saniya Rivers snatched up six on the opposite end of the floor. All told, NC State held the Irish scoreless across the final 1:50 of the first half, entering the locker room in a 4036 lead.
The Wolfpack made an effort to pull away early in the second half, repeatedly building 6-point leads, only for the Irish to reel them back in. Eventually, Notre Dame’s ability to stick around was rewarded, as
the Irish embarked on a 9-0 run to pull ahead midway through the third quarter.
Senior guard Sonia Citron, whose bucket in transition put the Irish in front, awakened in quarter three, tallying 10 points after producing only 2 in the first half. With a go-ahead and-1 by Hidalgo in the final 34 seconds, Notre Dame transitioned to the fourth quarter with a 5857 edge.
In an electrifying, 53-point fourth, Zoe Brooks took over, giving the Wolfpack slim lead after slim lead.
Despite her 14-point outburst, the Irish never trailed by more than 3, responding time and time again. First, it was the interior work of graduate forwards Maddy Westbeld and Liatu King tying the score at the under-5 media timeout. Then, it was graduate guard Olivia Miles burying a triple to put the Irish ahead 71-70 with three minutes to play. Moments later, it was Citron on a steal and score to make it 75-74 with 1:40 remaining.
The exchanging of 1-point leads continued until the final 50 seconds, when Hidalgo turned the ball over with the Irish down 78-77.
NC State, an awful freethrow shooting team at 66% coming into Sunday, began its parade to the foul stripe there and somehow could not miss. The Wolfpack were 24 for 26 from the line overall, making all 12 shots they attempted in the fourth quarter. Because of that, the best Notre Dame could do was pour in driving layups to remain within a point.
However, with four seconds left, the game reached do-or-die mode for Notre Dame. The Irish, down 84-81 at the time, had to find a way to score 3 points on their final possession. Inbounding from the frontcourt, they got the rock to Citron, who battled through air-tight defense to hoist a triple from the inner right wing. As the game clock ran down to 0.6 seconds, the shot splashed home, breathing life back into Notre Dame’s stab at ACC perfection.
Even the stoic Citron let out a few bursts of emotion, underscoring the highlight of her season-high 23-point day.
“Sonia was fantastic for us,” Ivey said. “That 3-point shot she hit to tie it was one of the best shots I’ve seen in a long time.”
Citron’s heroics continued into overtime, as she delivered three of Notre Dame’s four made baskets during the first five-minute period.
Miles followed her second with a second-chance lay-in
of her own, giving the Irish a 90-88 lead they would return to the offensive end with in the final 1:20. However, Miles made a critical error on that next trip, committing a double-dribble violation that wiped away Notre Dame’s chance at a two-possession lead.
Later, with the game tied at 92, Notre Dame had the last handle of overtime.
Miles threw up a prayer of a 3-pointer with three seconds left, missing everything from the right corner. Westbeld caught it, though, drawing a shooting foul right as the buzzer sounded. As the Irish celebrated her opportunity to make a walk-off free throw, the officials went straight to the replay monitor, correctly ruling that the foul occurred after the horn and sending both teams to a second overtime.
As it turned out, Notre Dame needed that foul to avoid what was a 10-0 NC State run to start overtime number two. James headlined it with a driving, behind-the-back move on Miles that set up an easy lay-in and
lifted the lid off the building.
The crowd would only grow more intense as Hidalgo and Miles each fouled out in the final minute.
Brooks fittingly drew the curtains for NC State with a pair of free throws, marking the final 2 of her career-high 33 points.
“We didn’t do a great job with our 1-on-1 defense. I also thought that our shot selection could have been a lot better at times today,”
Ivey said “... But this was great for the women’s game and great for the ACC to have a game like this.”
Brooks double-doubled along with Rivers (14 points and 13 rebounds) for NC State. Freshman Tilda Trygger just missed one of her own with 19 points and nine rebounds, while Madison Hayes contributed 13 points.
For Notre Dame, Hidalgo led the charge with 26 points, while Citron added 23 and Miles 22. King was dominant on the interior as usual, totaling 16 points, 14 rebounds and four steals.
Now only a game up on NC State (15-1 record to 14-2 record) in the ACC standings, the Irish cannot clinch an ACC regular season title until Thursday at the earliest. For that to happen, they would need to beat Florida State and have the Wolfpack lose to Wake Forest at home, a highly improbable outcome. The more likely scenario is that Notre Dame wins its final two home games against Florida State and Louisville while NC State goes 2-0 against Wake Forest and at SMU, pushing Notre Dame’s clinching day to Sunday, March 2.
The Irish will host the Seminoles at 8 p.m. inside Purcell Pavilion on Thursday before welcoming in Louisville for a noon tip on Sunday.
The Irish, outside of Citron’s monstrous make, didn’t have their usual effectiveness from distance, making only seven of their 27 attempted 3-point shots. Both teams combined to score only 7 bench points.
Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu
MARIELLA TADDONIO | The Observer
Graduate guard Olivia Miles handles the basketball on the perimeter during Notre Dame’s 64-49 defeat of Duke at Purcell Pavilion on Feb. 17, 2025. Miles recorded 22 points in Sunday’s 104-95 loss at NC State.
and
Your methodical outlook and creative imagination will offer the balance you require to ensure you make the most of every adventure you encounter. Your numbers are 6, 13, 20, 28, 34, 43, 46.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): An open discussion will help ward off misunderstandings. Speak from the heart, offer alternatives, and be willing to compromise. Be the force behind positive decisions and outcomes. Embrace change that encourages better relationships with those you work, live, or play with and have something to look forward to and achieve peace.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Keep your plans and thoughts to yourself until you can finish what you start. Put your time and energy into getting ahead at home and work. Refuse to let anger slow you down or hold you back. Choose progress over discord, and you’ll surpass your expectations.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Set boundaries and limit your spending, intake, and promises. A reasonable pace alongside well-thought-out plans will help you bypass temptation and say no to demands that benefit others more than yourself. Put your effort where it will do you some good, learn something new, and you’ll thrive.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Put your energy into something worthwhile. Upgrade your skills, qualifications, and anything that will help you head in a direction that will get you involved in something that shows promise or brings you joy. However, say no to conflict, spontaneous spending, or anything else that may jeopardize reaching your goal.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Pay attention, and you’ll be privy to information that can help you advance. Learning something new will encourage opportunities that have been off-limits to you in the past. Look for moderate moves that offer longevity, not short-term offers. Put your energy where it brings the highest returns.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Time is on your side. Plan and execute your actions with precision, confidence, and the intent to bring about positive lifestyle changes and marketability. Set the stage for a better future and network with people who have the potential to encourage and introduce you to the right people.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Set aside time for the people and pastimes you enjoy. Refuse to let anger cost you. If you don’t agree with someone, put your emotions aside and give others the same opportunity you’d like in return. Do what works best for you and allow others the same privilege. Learn from experience.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Set your sights on what you want to achieve and get started. Partnerships, educational pursuits, travel, and communication are your passage forward. Incorporate positive change into your life, establish what you want, and proceed in a direction that meets your expectations. Take control and make your dreams come true.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Keep track of your spending, investments, and livelihood. Someone will interfere if you aren’t astute and constantly pursuing what’s changing around you. Keeping up with the times and engaging in discussions with those who can make or break your plans will be crucial in maintaining what you’ve worked hard to build.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A change to your surroundings will be uplifting. Make your space more affordable, efficient, and comfortable. Pay attention to the needs of those you care about, and you’ll gain the trust, respect, and support you require to get things done. Discipline, hard work, and finishing what you start will pay handsomely.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Look for the best way to upgrade your current situation at home or work and secure your happiness. Updating your mindset, appearance, or skills will help you stay ahead of any competition. If you snooze, you lose; don’t lose sight of your goal. Choose self-improvement over criticizing others.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Keep your life simple and moderate by using reason and sticking to a budget you can handle. Put more muscle behind what you want to achieve, embrace challenges that offer stability, and take care of your needs. Smart living, wise choices, and kindness and consideration are your ticket to success.
Birthday Baby: You are insightful, clever, and industrious. You are helpful and proactive.
HOCKEY
Irish ride six-goal outburst to split at Wisconsin
By TYLER REIDY Sports Editor
The Notre Dame hockey team played its final regular-season road series of the Jeff Jackson era this weekend, facing the Wisconsin Badgers at the Kohl Center. Dropping Friday night’s game 7-3 and snatching Saturday’s contest 6-1, the Irish moved to 10-21-1 overall and 4-17-1 within Big Ten play. Wisconsin’s disappointing season continued with a shellacking on Senior Night, as the Badgers finished their regular season at 12-19-3 overall and 7-16-1 in conference games.
Friday: Notre Dame 3, Wisconsin 7
Both teams entered the series in Madison winless since the fourth weekend of January. The Irish had lost four consecutive games, two to Ohio State at home and two more at Penn State, to seal their first last-place finish in 20 years. Wisconsin, meanwhile, had tanked its bid for an at-large spot in the NCAA Tournament with a six-game skid, averaging only 1.33 goals per game during the tailspin.
One team had to get off the schneid on Friday, and that team was Wisconsin. The Badgers blitzed Notre Dame early, putting four first-period goals on an Irish team that had given up a combined 8 openingframe tallies in its last two Friday road games at Minnesota and Penn State. Though Notre Dame played even hockey with Wisconsin across the game’s final 40 minutes, the Badgers still won comfortably.
Wisconsin opened the scoring at 8:10 of the first, as leading Badger scorer Quinn Finley made a strong drive to the netfront and sent a spinning pass through the low slot. It found Michigan Tech transfer Ryland Mosley on the back door, where he went skate to stick and stuffed the puck over junior goaltender Owen Say for his 15th goal of the season.
The Badgers later scored three goals in 2 minutes and 25 seconds. At 12:05 of the first, Notre Dame began a power play at the end of a 4-on-4 sequence, only to turn the puck over at the Wisconsin blue line.
Captain Owen Lindmark outletted for extra skater Jack Horbach, who beat Say glove-side on a breakaway for his third goal of the year. Ninety seconds later, poor netfront coverage resulted in a one-time stuff-in by Owen Mehlenbacher for his third. Coach Jackson made
a goaltending change, calling upon freshman Nicholas Kempf after Say saw only 11 shots, but the Badgers struck again. At 14:30 of the first, defenseman Zach Schulz walked down from the blue line and roofed his 2nd goal of the season.
Just as they did two Fridays ago in State College, the Irish absorbed the first-period frenzy and made a push to start the second. They struck 27 seconds into the new frame, cutting the Wisconsin lead to 4-1 on sophomore forward Cole Knuble’s 10th goal, a rush-finishing backhander between the circles. Notre Dame’s power play would light the lamp again at 2:50 of the second, as a netside scramble forced the puck out to the hash marks, where sophomore center Danny Nelson snapped his 12th goal through traffic and upstairs.
Wisconsin would eventually send the Irish back to square one, though, scoring twice in 30 seconds midway through period two. First, Adam Pietila recorded his first collegiate goal on a 2-on-1 rush that started with
a puck hopping over junior defenseman Axel Kumlin’s stick in the Badger zone. Simon Tassy then made the Irish pay for a behind-thenet turnover, backhanding home a Mehlenbacher centering feed for his fifth goal. Wisconsin would carry a 6-2 advantage into the second intermission.
Early in period three, Notre Dame’s power play, which received seven opportunities at the expense of Wisconsin head coach Mike Hastings’ morale, capitalized for a second time. In this case, a Nelson one-timer hit a shot-blocker and careened straight up, coming down at the edge of the crease, where senior winger Justin Janicke skillfully batted the puck home for his 12th goal.
The Badgers would deliver an exclamation point with a power-play tally of their own, as Mosley tipped a Finley shot for his second goal of the night and 16th of the season. Mosley finished with a game-high 4 points, leading the Wisconsin offense in its wake-up call. Finley, who had gone without a point in each leg of the
Badgers’ six-game slide, returned to form with three assists. Nelson, his 2024 World Junior Championships teammate with Team USA, matched him with 3 points on the night for Notre Dame. In goal, everyday Wisconsin starter Tommy Scarfone claimed his 10th win of the season by stopping 22 of the 25 shots he squared up to. Kempt took the loss for the Irish, turning away 16 of 20 shots after Say denied 8 of his 11.
Saturday: Notre Dame 6, Wisconsin 1
With only five guaranteed games left in Jackson’s tenure as coach and the 20-year bench boss still two wins away from 600, Notre Dame needed a Saturday result in the worst way. And from the opening faceoff, the Irish played like it, surprising Wisconsin with their physicality and winning seemingly every puck battle.
The Badgers, despite having the emotional factor of Senior Night on their side, didn’t have an answer to the nine-win Irish pushing them around, and the scoreboard
reflected that. Notre Dame struck first at 4:50 of period one, as a perfectly placed dump-in from Kumlin ricocheted off the corner boards and found junior winger Niko Jovanovic, who blasted home his first career goal.
The Irish, who have struggled badly in the final minutes of periods this year, made it 2-0 with 5.6 seconds remaining in the first. A 110-foot pass from Say to Nelson caught the Badgers in an ill-timed change on the penalty kill, gaining the Irish offensive zone entry with numbers. Nelson, graduate winger Blake Biondi and Knuble combined for a crisp passing play through the slot, teeing up Janicke to bang home his 13th goal on the back door. Up 2-0 through 20 minutes, the Irish had shut out their opponent in period one for the first time since Jan. 25, the day of their most recent win against Lindenwood.
Notre Dame’s lead expanded to 3-0 at 7:44 of the second, as Knuble and sophomore defenseman Henry Nelson
DECLAN HUGGINS | The Observer
Junior goaltender Owen Say makes a glove save against Ohio State’s Joe Dunlap during Notre Dame’s 5-1 loss to the Buckeyes at the Compton Family Ice Arena on Feb. 8, 2025. Say started both games of this weekend’s series at Wisconsin, earning his eighth win of the season on Saturday.
see HOCKEY PAGE 11
conducted a rink-wide giveand-go play, leading to a slick, forehand-to-backhand finish by Knuble for his 11th goal. Anthony Kehrer would get the Badgers on the board with his first goal of the season, a rebound clean-up, at 16:35 of the period, only for the Irish to silence the Kohl Center with an answer nine seconds later. A quick zone entry off the post-goal faceoff put a rebound in the middle of the crease, where sophomore winger Brennan Ali duffed what would’ve been the easiest goal of his life. However, after Scarfone swept the loose puck off the goal line, Nelson swooped into the zone and replayed his Friday goal with a followup shot under the bar.
Notre Dame’s 4-1 lead carried into the middle part of the third period, when Ian Murphy sent Badger fans
MEN’S LACROSSE
parading to the exits. Left alone at the top of the crease, the graduate forward caught a tape-to-tape pass from Biondi before stickhandling once and lifting the puck into the top of the net for his fourth goal of the season. Moments later, Henry Nelson received a game misconduct for spearing the provocative Tassy after a whistle, handing Wisconsin one last chance to rally. Though Hastings got new netminder William Gramme out for a 6-on-4 power play, the Badgers couldn’t produce on account of repeated Irish blocks. Eventually, on the heels of two near misses at the empty net from distance, the Irish scored as graduate winger Grant Silianoff slid the puck home from his own blue line for his third goal of the season and first since Jan. 3.
In a chippy game that featured more penalty minutes (63) than shots on target
(56), the Irish easily prevailed by a 6-1 score. In doing so, they held a Big Ten opponent to one goal for the first time all season. Additionally, they set new season highs for goals in a road game and margin of victory.
Say captured his eighth win of the season, making 31 saves on 32 shots against. Scarfone stopped 17 of 22 shots faced before Gramme entered and made 1 save.
On offense, Knuble finished with 4 points on the weekend, moving his teamleading total to 34 points. Janicke and Nelson each went for 4 as well, with the former crossing the 30-point plateau for the first time in his four-year career and the latter surpassing his freshman-year count of 23 points.
Drama around the conference
Both the Big Ten regularseason title and the cut line
for home ice in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals will come down to the final weekend. That’s because No. 18 Penn State intensified its magical run this week in East Lansing, claiming 5 of the 6 available points at No. 1 Michigan State. Meanwhile, No. 5 Minnesota swept No. 7 Ohio State in Minneapolis, jumping the Spartans for the conference lead in the process.
After this weekend’s results, the order of Big Ten teams and their respective point totals read as follows: Minnesota (46), Michigan State (44), Ohio State (40), Michigan (32), Penn State (31), Wisconsin (27), Notre Dame (14). Wisconsin and Notre Dame are guaranteed to finish where they are now, as the Badgers have no games remaining and the Irish are too far back to catch them. Michigan and Penn State are guaranteed to face one another in
a quarterfinal, and whichever team finishes higher in the standings will host that series. It’s worth noting that Michigan owns the head-to-head tiebreaker as the Wolverines head to Ohio State and the Nittany Lions host Minnesota next weekend.
In the meantime, Notre Dame will welcome Michigan State to town for a sentimental weekend in South Bend. With Senior Night on Friday and Jeff Jackson’s final game at the Compton Family Ice Arena on Saturday, the Irish will have plenty to play for. So will the Spartans, who are now looking up at Minnesota from second place.
Next weekend’s series will begin at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 28, with a 6 p.m. puck drop to follow on Saturday, March 1.
Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu
Irish pass first test of season at Georgetown
By NOAH CAHILL Associate Sports Editor
The Georgetown Hoyas handed Notre Dame men’s lacrosse its only loss of the 2024 season in South Bend. In 2025, they represented the first test of 2025 for the No. 1 Irish. Last year’s matchup was an 11-10 defensive battle ending with a Georgetown game-winner in overtime. This year’s contest took a similar tune, but this time, the nation’s best outlasted the Hoyas 11-9 on the road en route to their first ranked win of the season.
Notre Dame set the tone in the opening frame, opening up with 6 unanswered goals, including two from senior midfielder Will Angrick
ND WOMEN’S LACROSSE
along with scores from senior attacker Chris Kavanagh, senior midfielder Fisher Finley, junior long-stick midfielder Will Donovan and senior midfielder Jalen Seymour. The Hoyas responded with a 6-0 run of their own, scoring the quarter’s final 2 goals before carrying momentum into the second where they leveled the score at 6-6. Graduate midfielder Devon McLane’s first and Kavanagh’s second of the day closed out the half, giving the Irish an 8-6 advantage after 30 minutes.
Scoring slowed down in the second half, as both teams played to a scoreless third quarter. In the first five minutes of the fourth, after Seymour struck again
followed by sophomore midfielder Jordan Faison’s first goal of the season in his first game back, it appeared the Irish might cruise to victory. However, the Hoyas fought back once again, scoring 3 straight to trim the lead to 1 with four minutes remaining. That’s when Kavanagh proved why he is on the short list of college lacrosse’s best. With under two minutes remaining, his team on the ropes, the captain went to work from the left wing, driving at the goal and converting a diving effort through contact. Junior goalkeeper Thomas Ricciardelli stuffed Georgetown’s final good look at goal to all but seal it for the Irish.
Filling the shoes of Liam
Entenmann is near impossible, but Ricciardelli gave his best impression of the legendary Notre Dame netminder on Saturday. After winning the starting job, he played his best game, starring with 16 saves on the day. His saves played a pivotal role in shutting down the Georgetown offense and helping the Irish hang on to their lead in the fourth quarter, where he made four of his 16 all in big moments.
While not the most explosive offensive output the Irish have produced, the Notre Dame midfield powered the attack facing one of the best defenses in the country, scoring 8 of the team’s 11 goals. In a game where the possession battle was
especially vital, senior FOGO Will Lynch came through at the dot, securing 15 of 22 faceoffs while scooping eight ground balls. Notre Dame extends its program-best win streak to 17 games, winning 39 of its last 42 dating back to April 2, 2022. Kavanagh’s hat trick and assist moved him to fifth on the Notre Dame career goals list and fifth on the career points list, the senior now boasting 121 and 193 respectively.
The Irish now set their sights on a battle between the nation’s best with No. 2 Maryland on March 1 in Bobby Dodd Stadium for the Atlanta Lacrosse Invitational.
Contact Noah Cahill at ncahill2@nd.edu
Irish lose ACC opener in heartbreaking fashion
By NOAH CAHILL Associate Sports Editor
In its first two years as a Division I program, the Clemson women’s lacrosse team met the Irish three times, once in 2022-23 and twice in 2023-24, the second matchup coming in the ACC Tournament quarterfinal. While the Tigers played to an 0-3 record in those games, the average margin of defeat was a mere 2 goals, with every game coming down to the wire. The 2025 edition of the matchup was no different. This time, however, the No. 11 Irish fell short in a 12-11 thriller to their No. 17-ranked ACC foes. Clemson opened up an
early 3-0 lead before freshman midfielder Madison Rassas got on the board for Notre Dame, picking up right where she left off after back-to-back 5-goal performances in the Loftus Sports Center. Sophomore midfielder Kathryn Morrissey connected with fellow sophomore midfielder Angie Conley for her second dime of the game and Conley’s first goal, making it 3-2 heading into the second quarter.
Just 33 seconds in, however, the Tigers answered back to go up 4-2. Morrissey’s free-position shot brought the deficit back to one before Clemson rattled off two more for a 6-3 advantage. The two
went back and forth to finish the half, with Conley setting up junior attacker Emma Murphy’s first goal, followed by Clemson’s last goal of the half with 2:28 remaining. The Irish would grab the final goal of the first 30 with 10 seconds remaining after sophomore attacker Kate Timarky scooped and scored off a save rebound.
The Irish came out the gates firing in the third, extending their streak to 4 unanswered goals. Tallies from Rassas, Timarky and Shanahan gave them their first lead of the game at 8-7. Clemson stopped the bleeding with a free-position shot before Rassas responded right back to secure her hat
trick and retake a 9-8 Notre Dame lead. The back-andforth continued as the Tigers managed to tie the game heading into the fourth. The deciding final frame was filled with drama, as both teams continued to trade blows. Timarky’s hat-trick goal in transition made it 10-9 before back-to-back free-position goals helped Clemson retake a 1-goal advantage.
Shanahan fired in her second goal of the night at 3:58 to tie it back up, setting up a finale full of fireworks. The Tigers scored the would-be game-winner with 1:04 on the clock and regained possession after an Irish turnover. But with eight seconds
left, a swarm of Irish defenders forced a Clemson turnover leading to a transition opportunity for Morrissey. The sophomore found the back of the net with four seconds left, seeming to send the game into overtime. However, the referees called the goal back due to offsides.
The dramatic defeat opened the Irish up 0-1 in ACC play and 2-2 on the season. They will look to bounce back as they begin a two-game road stint against conference opponent Duke on Friday, Feb. 28, before facing Elon two days later.
Contact Noah Cahill at ncahill2@nd.edu
ND MEN’S BASKETBALL
Irish bounce back, defeat Pitt on home court
By TYLER REIDY Sports Editor
Coming off its most lopsided home loss in more than six years, Notre Dame men’s basketball returned to the Purcell Pavilion floor and the win column on Saturday afternoon. The Irish, answering the bell after Wednesday’s 97-73 SMU beatdown, toppled NCAA Tournament hopeful Pittsburgh by a 76-62 score, improving to 12-15 overall and 6-10 in ACC play.
Head coach Micah Shrewsberry, who began the week with a fiery press conference after Sunday’s loss to Louisville, finished it with praise for his players during a mentally challenging stretch.
“[I’m] just proud of our guys for fighting, scratching, clawing [and] kind of doing whatever was needed,” he said after Saturday’s game. “They made a commitment to each other on Thursday, and they were disappointed, and they just said, ‘We want to do whatever it takes, whatever possible to stay together — to scratch, claw, and get the job done.”
They did without two of their starting guards, too. Not only did graduate student Matt Allocco miss his sixth consecutive game (wrist), but sophomore sharpshooter Braeden Shrewsberry joined him on the shelf with an abdomen strain. As a result, freshman Sir Mohammed and senior J.R. Konieczny, two players with a combined five starts on the year entering Saturday, joined prolific sophomore Markus Burton in the backcourt.
Despite the personnel change, Notre Dame had no problem staying with the Panthers early. The Irish, thanks to 21 combined firsthalf points from Burton and junior Tae Davis, never trailed by more than 5 in the opening 20 minutes and went into halftime in a 30-30 tie.
“This game, we just kind of came out with some more fire,” Konieczny said. “We were able to maintain, we were able to play some defense, get stops when we needed to, and I think that helped us get the win.”
“It’s kind of just who we are, honestly,” Burton said. “I feel like the coaches all believe in us. Our teammates all believe in us. So I feel like today was kind of a showing day for both of us, but it was a team effort, and we got the job done today.”
Davis tied Pittsburgh guard Ishmael Leggett for the game high with 21 points. He was more efficient than his counterpart, though, making eight of his 11 field goal attempts.
“He’s one guy that, like, you never question like how hard he’s gonna play,” Shrewsberry said of Davis. “That’s pretty consistent with him.”
Notre Dame, which got 10 players into Saturday’s game even without Allocco and Braeden Shrewsberry, benefitted from new blood in the rotation as well. Freshman guard Cole Certa had a coming-out party, hitting a trio of 3-pointers to post a careerhigh 12 points.
For the head coach, the top100 recruit’s breakout game came as no surprise.
“Thursday morning at probably 9 a.m., I get to the office and Cole’s down there on the court working. He’s shooting,” Shrewsberry recalled. “He’s constantly down there.”
“That dude has unwavering confidence,” he said. “... He believes the next shot’s going in, no matter if it goes in or not, and that’s what you kind of need.”
Certa, who has been looking for more ways to see minutes and impact the game, did that and more on Saturday. He produced all 12 of his points in the second half, draining three consecutive triples to turn a 42-41 Irish deficit into a 50-46 Irish lead with 10:27 to play. The Certa surge sparked the Purcell Pavilion crowd and added to the already high confidence level surrounding him.
“Every time I check in, the other four dudes on the court always just instill confidence with me,” Certa said. “Same thing with the coaches, and them telling me, ‘Shoot that whenever you’re open,’ and that just builds everything up … They contribute a lot to my success.”
Burton, who acted like a kid at Disney World with the chance to chauffeur Certa around his first postgame presser, had something to say as the freshman concluded
Davis and Burton were as reliable as could be throughout Saturday’s game, steadying an Irish offense that had taken its lumps in recent weeks. Burton tallied 20 points, six rebounds and three assists, drilling a critical 3-pointer to give the Irish a 5-point lead with under seven minutes remaining in regulation. Inside the arc, Burton found renewed success getting to the cup with Davis.
his answer.
“Hey, side note — he be in the gym early as sh*t,” he announced. “He’d be in the gym before the coaches, [and] I’m like, ‘Okay, Cole Certa.’” Konieczny also interjected to point out how Certa’s hard work is paying off, and the same was true for the South Bend native on Saturday. In the starting lineup for the first time all season, Koniecnzy provided 10 points and 5 rebounds, tailing Certa by posting all of those numbers in the second half.
The Irish, who have struggled badly to finish close games under Micah Shrewsberry, leaned on Konieczny to take them home on Saturday. He delivered in the final 37 seconds, making all six of his free throws to help Notre Dame stave off a Leggett-fueled Pittsburgh rally.
“I wasn’t even really thinking about it. I was just up there,” Konieczny recalled. “I was just like, ‘Same shot every single time, and it’s gonna go in. It’s gonna see the bottom of the net.’I just kind of had that confidence going in there and I was like, ‘I wanna be the one that’s shooting the free throws at the end of the game.’”
Though Jeff Capel and the Panthers played only seven men on Saturday, their scoring broke down similarly to Notre Dame’s. Leggett led the way with 21 points, just ahead of forward Cameron Corhen’s 20. Guard Jaland Lowe contributed 13, while forward Guillermo Diaz Graham totaled 11.
With one of the program’s most tumultuous weeks in recent memory now in the books, the win should help Notre Dame regroup as the regular season’s final two weeks arrive. With Saturday’s result, the Irish remain two games clear of the ACC Tournament cut line with four to play and can still realistically finish as high as eighth in the conference.
“We had a game that we really regretted as a group,” Shrewsberry said. “And just how they all recommitted to how we should play and what we should do, and then they come out and do it. [It] just says a lot about who they are as people.”
“Things happen,” Burton added. “You’ve just gotta stay positive [and] roll with the punches. Obviously, we didn’t play well last week, and it happens, and you’ve just gotta stay
true to yourself and stay levelheaded, stay with the team, not look at negative stuff people are saying about us, stay true to ourselves, block it out and trust ourselves and our coaching staff and everyone who’s with us. I feel like we did that today, and obviously it showed a lot.”
On Wednesday, Notre Dame will visit a Clemson team destined for March Madness. The Tigers are 22-5 overall and 14-2 within ACC play, fresh off a 79-69 road win against the SMU team that shellacked the Irish in South Bend.
Expectations won’t be high for Notre Dame, so Coach Shrewsberry’s taking the simple approach to both Wednesday’s contest and the home stretch in general.
“I just want us to fight and compete. Play good basketball. That’s it, that’s it,” Shrewsberry said. “And then let the results be what the results are, but give yourself a chance. I told our guys today: make the preparation matter.”
Notre Dame and Clemson will tip off at Littlejohn Coliseum at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.
Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu
MARIELLA TADDONIO | The Observer
Junior forward Kebba Njie dunks the basketball during Notre Dame’s 76-72 defeat of Pittsburgh at Purcell Pavilion on Feb. 22, 2025. Njie totaled 8 points in the Irish victory, helping Notre Dame improve to 12-15.
