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GU Academic Community Hosts Vigil for Palestinian Colleagues Killed in Gaza

COURTESY OF BADREDDINE RACHIDI

Georgetown University Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine hosted a vigil to honor the lives of academics killed in Gaza.

Jack Willis

Executive Editor

The Georgetown University Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine (GUFSJP) led attendees in a Jan. 18 vigil that honored the lives of Gazan academics whom Israeli forces have killed.

Participants gathered for a procession from the university front gates to the front steps of Healy Hall. Lining the Healy Hall stairway, professors clad in multicolored faculty gowns read aloud the names of their late Gazan colleagues to an audience of students, some donning keffiyeh, scarves symbolizing Palestinian pride.

Over the course of an hour and a half, those present at the vigil remembered two dozen academics killed in Gaza as faculty held up signage with their faces and names.

GUFSJP, whose members include professors, staff and graduate students, calls for a divestment of U.S. tax dollars from Israel, the right of Palestinians to return to their

homeland and the recognition of the full rights of Palestinians.

Fida Adely, the director of the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, said the purpose of the event was to share in grief over the deaths of thousands of students and academics killed in Gaza.

“We gather to mourn the death of our colleagues — educators, researchers, teachers — who have worked tirelessly under oppression, a stifling blockade, and more than half a century of military occupation to educate, innovate, mentor and guide young people in Gaza,” Adely wrote to The Hoya. “Their murders represent an attack on Palestinian history, culture and futures.”

Israeli attacks have killed several of the most prominent Gazan academics, including Sofyan Taya, physicist and president of the Islamic University of Gaza.

Citing statistics that indicate immense damage to educational See VIGIL, A6

COURTESY OF THE SACHMAN FAMILY

Matteo Sachman, a first year in the College of Arts and Sciences known for his spontaneity, humor and energy, died Jan. 1 in an accident, aged 19. Sachman's friends and family remembered his warmth, constant positivity and cheerful spirit.

Georgetown Remembers Matteo Sachman Evie Steele

Executive Editor

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atthew “Matteo” Sachman, a first-year in Georgetown University’s College of Arts and Sciences who impressed his friends with his good humor and cheerful energy, died Jan. 1 in his hometown of New York City. He was 19.

Sachman came from a family of Hoyas. His mother graduated from Georgetown in 1989, his sister graduated in 2022 and his brother is a third-year student.

“Matteo was so proud to be a Hoya,” the family wrote to The Hoya.

“He loved eating at Call Your Mother and Whisk and hanging out with the many great friends that he made both inside and outside of class.”

“Our hearts are broken, but we are grateful he experienced the Hilltop and made the most of his amazing first semester at Georgetown,” his family added.

Sachman’s family said the cause of death was a Jan. 1 accident in the New York City subway system.

Born July 19, 2004 in New York City, Sachman attended the Collegiate School, an independent boys’ school

in Manhattan, graduating in 2023.

During his summers, he spent time in Nantucket, Mass., working in a plant nursery and furniture showroom.

Sachman was a member of the Georgetown Marketing Association (GMA), a volunteer with the Center for Social Justice’s (CSJ) HOME (Homelessness Outreach, Meals, Education) program — which provides services to Washington, D.C.’s homeless population — and a bartender at the Hilltop Tap Room, an on-campus bar.

Sachman, a resident of New South Hall, was very close to his roommate Ansel Scholl (CAS ’27), who described Sachman as a steady

presence and a light in his life.

“As a rock, Matteo anchored me in what would otherwise be a rather turbulent point in all our lives,” Scholl wrote to The Hoya. “Despite all the daunting change that is inherent in the first weeks at college, Matteo’s warmth and generosity gave the dorm a permanent feeling of home.”

Scholl said Sachman’s energy lifted his friends.

“Someone like Matteo lives on a little bit in everyone who he meets,” Scholl wrote. “We are all better for it.”

See SACHMAN, A6

Georgetown Raises Undergrad Snowstorm Cancels GU Classes, Tuition for Third Straight Year Spurs Student Snowball Fights Evie Steele

Executive Editor

Georgetown University students took to campus outdoor spaces to sled and hold midnight snowball fights following a rare snowstorm Jan. 15.

The storm saw 3.4 inches fall at Reagan National Airport, the official measuring site for Washington, D.C., making it the largest snowstorm in two years and the first time over an inch had fallen in the District since Jan. 16, 2022.

As a result, the university moved in-person classes held Jan. 16 be-

fore 12 p.m. and Jan. 17 before 10 a.m. to an online format.

As the snowstorm hit D.C. on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a university and federal holiday, students were able to enjoy the snow on Georgetown’s campus — using makeshift sleds to slide down Leavey Esplanade, hosting snowball fights on Healy and Copley Lawns and making snow angels outside Dahlgren Chapel.

Sophia Copeland (SFS ’24) said she enjoyed going with a roommate to a late-night snowball fight on Healy Lawn.

“We pelted snowballs at each oth-

er, at our friends, at strangers,” Copeland told The Hoya. “At one point we were by the cannons and someone was yelling ‘cannonball!’ as they threw snowballs into the crowd. I had the time of my life, and it may have been the most fun I’ve ever had in college.”

Reesa Bhowmik (SFS ’26), a native of Singapore, said the snowstorm was only the second time she had ever seen snow and the first time she had ever experienced significant snowfall after only flurries fell during the winter of 2022-2023.

See SNOW, A6

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

Georgetown University announced a 4.5% increase in undergraduate tuition for the 2024-25 academic year, bringing the undergraduate tuition up to $67,824.

Maren Fagan

Academics Desk Editor

GeorgetownUniversityannounceda 4.5% increase in undergraduate tuition for the 2024-25 academic year, the third increase in the past three years.

With the 4.5% increase, tuition for the upcoming academic year will be $67,824, a figure that does not account for room and board. This increase comes after the university announced a 3.5% tuition increase in 2022 and a 4.9% increase in 2023 for the current academic year.

A university spokesperson said the university considers several factors when setting the tuition price, including educational costs, faculty and staff salaries and national price inflation, while also seeking to

support students with financial aid.

“Georgetown is deeply committed to ensuring that all students and families can afford the cost of a Georgetown education,” a university spokesperson wrote to The Hoya. “Georgetown plans to continue our commitment to our ‘meet full need’ policy and provide financial aid for all eligible new and continuing undergraduate students across our campuses.

The University will increase its institutional support for financial aid in the face of these tuition, room and board increases.”

In a Jan. 12 email to undergraduate students, Provost Robert M. Groves said the university allocated $257 million in financial aid for undergraduate and graduate students

in the current academic year. Groves said the additional tuition cost will go to providing students with resources such as academic programming and account for rising costs.

“The tuition rate reflects a balanced approach to managing rising costs, as well as providing the resources needed for academic and student priorities, new programs and initiatives and our commitment to minimizing addon fees,” Groves wrote.

Private universities like Georgetown saw a 4% increase on average in tuition for this current academic year. While this average tuition increase is less than the inflation rate of 4.5%, the cost of tuition will remain increasing with See TUITION, A6

MICHELLE VASSILEV/THE HOYA

A Jan. 15 snowstorm moved Georgetown University classes online and sent students outside to build snowmen, start snowball fights and make snow angels on frosty lawns.

NEWS

OPINION

GUIDE

SPORTS

Remembering a Professor Students, faculty and alumni gathered to celebrate the life of late English professor John C. Hirsh on Jan. 16.

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Rangila Reflections

Wrestling with the Patriarchy

Women's Basketball Triumphs

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The Hoyas pulled out a gutsy 73-71 win over Providence with a last-second jump shot from senior guard Kelsey Ransom.

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Reproductive Rights

Celebrate Women's Art

A Sweet Watch

New Virginia Neighbors

H*yas for Choice and the Georgetown University College Democrats hosted a discussion on reproductive healthcare.

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Sanaa Mehta (SFS '25) and Saar Shah (MSB '24) recall running Rangila, Georgetown's philanthropic South Asian dance show.

Grace Rivers (CAS '24) calls on Hoyas to value and celebrate female artists' contributions in film, music and art.

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Zac Efron shines in the emotional "The Iron Claw," which poignantly tackles issues of masculinity and abuse.

"Wonka," starring Timothée Chalamet, casts viewers back to childhood into a magical world tinged with nostalgia and chocolate.

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Published Fridays

The Capitals and Wizards are discussing potentially relocating away from Capital One Arena — will the Hoyas follow suit?

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Send story ideas and tips to news@thehoya.com

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OPINION EDITORIAL

IN THIS WEEK’S ISSUE

Stop One-Sided Discourse Georgetown University’s campus will host two panel discussions about abortion and reproductive healthcare this week.

One event, the Cardinal O’Connor Conference on Life (OCC), the nation’s largest student-run anti-abortion conference, is advertised on a massive poster affixed to the Intercultural Center (ICC) walls. Held in Gaston Hall, the university’s flagship auditorium, on Jan. 20, the event will feature four panelists discussing the sanctity of life and anti-abortion policy.

The second event, a panel discussion which the Georgetown University College Democrats (GUCD) and H*yas for Choice (HFC), a reproductive rights student organization, held Jan. 17, included five panelists who discussed reproductive rights and the state of abortion-rights policy.

As GUCD and HFC organized their abortion rights event, the university consistently displayed favoritism toward the anti-choice event. The university forced GUCD and HFC to change venues at the last minute, incurring late fees for GUCD. In communications with the clubs, the university emphasized the security concerns surrounding hosting a pro-reproductive justice event; the university also increased Georgetown University Police Department (GUPD) presence at the GUCD event.

The Editorial Board condemns the university’s handling of the GUCD and HFC event: by indicating that a pro-reproductive justice event posed security concerns, Georgetown suggested that the GUCD’s panelists and their ideas are not as safe on campus as the anti-abortion ideas that OCC promotes.

GUCD began planning their event in early December with the intention of hosting it in Gaston Hall. Georgetown Event Management Services (GEMS) notified the organizers Dec. 12 that Gaston was open and available for booking.

GUCD said the Center for Student Engagement (CSE) reached out to them Jan. 11 with concerns about the “sensitivity” of an event focused on reproductive justice. The next day at 11:30 a.m., GEMS informed GUCD that they had moved the event’s location to Lohrfink Auditorium.

A university spokesperson said that GEMS decided the event would take place in Lohrfink Auditorium after it consulted with CSE and GUPD. “The decision was made to locate the event in Lohrfink Auditorium in the Rafik B. Hariri Building, a space that optimizes GUPD security options for events, especially ones open to the general public without pre-registration,” a university spokesperson wrote to The Hoya.

GUCD said that due to the last-minute nature of the venue change, they and HFC organizers were subject to a $700 late fee and other losses in resources, as they had to change their audio-visual provider at the last minute.

“We had worked diligently for months to plan this event, and many people already believed it would be held in Gaston Hall,” GUCD wrote to The Hoya. “We not only had to design new graphics & social media posts, update all of our outreach materials, and create new logistical plans–we also had to devote time and resources to notifying people of the location change.”

In failing to give speakers with a diversity of opinions on reproductive justice an equal platform, Georgetown denies its students the chance to openly, equally discuss their perspectives on abortion and reproductive rights. The Editorial Board calls on Georgetown to better commit to fostering welcoming, serious and sustained discourse among students of different faiths and beliefs on this complex issue.

This year’s OCC features several panelists unit-

ed under anti-abortion beliefs including Emily Geiger — the director of education and outreach at Equal Rights Institute, an organization that trains anti-abortion advocates to be better communicators on the subject — and Sr. Mariae Agnus Dei, S.V., a registered nurse who is a member of the Sisters of Life, a religious order who strive to protect the lives of the unborn. The event will also feature Peggy Hartshorn, chair of the board of Heartbeat International, a network of anti-abortion resource centers, and Kristen Day, executive director of Democrats for Life of America, which is an organization that promotes anti-abortion legislation within the Democratic Party.

The OCC’s keynote speaker this year is Cardinal Seán Patrick O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap., the archbishop of Boston and a strong anti-abortion advocate within the Catholic Church.

The GUCD and HFC event, meanwhile, featured Christina X. Marea (SFS ’02), a certified nurse midwife and assistant professor in the department of advanced nursing practice in the School of Nursing at Georgetown; Gillian Branstetter, a communications strategists at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Women’s Rights Project, a branch of the ACLU that seeks to empower marginalized women; Kayla Edwards Friedland (SFS ’22), a community organizer with Planned Parenthood; Erin Matson (COL ’02), co-founder and president of Reproaction, an organization that seeks to advance reproductive justice; and Angela Maske (NHS ’19, GRD ’20), a former HFC president who is now a reproductive justice activist.

Georgetown University prides itself on promoting discourse, according to its mission statement.

“Established in 1789 in the spirit of the new republic, the university was founded on the principle that serious and sustained discourse among people of different faiths, cultures, and beliefs promotes intellectual, ethical and spiritual understanding,” the university’s mission statement reads.

Yet the university’s different treatment of the two abortion and reproductive healthcare events limited the opportunity for anti-abortion and pro-abortion community members to have meaningful dialogue. Even though both events cover the same topic, the university explicitly emphasized security threats for the pro-reproductive justice panel.

The university’s consistent promotion of anti-abortion rhetoric and simultaneous deplatforming of pro-abortion voices on campus fails to represent a diversity of opinions.

If the university is truly committed to promoting meaningful discourse and diversity, it must take people of all faiths, and their events, seriously. GUCD is a university-funded student organization, and it should have access to the spaces and resources available to other university-funded organizations.

The Editorial Board calls on Georgetown University to work with student groups to permit respectful discourse on all sides of the reproductive rights issue. In order to uphold the school’s ideal of serious discourse, Georgetown must give equal platforms to a diverse range of speakers, facilitating a collaborative conversation that brings multiple perspectives to the table.

The Hoya’s Editorial Board is composed of six students and is chaired by the opinion editors.

Editorials reflect only the beliefs of a majority of the board and are not representative of The Hoya or any individual member of the board.

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“In failing to give speakers with a diversity of opinions on reproductive justice an equal platform, Georgetown denies its students the change to openly, equally discuss their perspectives on abortion and reproductive rights. The Editorial Board calls on Georgetown to better commit to fostering welcoming, serious and sustained discourse among students of different faiths and beliefs on this complex issue.”

The Editorial Board

“Stop One-Sided Discourse” thehoya.com

EDITORIAL CARTOON by Heather Wang

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“While many have perceived this as a step toward inclusion of LGBTQ+ in the church, it does not represent increased acceptance of queer people. There is a need for clarity on the Catholic Church’s stance on homosexuality and same-sex marriage as well as the role of individuals and Georgetown students amid these developments. “ Maddie Naisbitt (SFS ‘25)

“Contextualize LGBTQ+ Advocacy” thehoya.com

HOYA HISTORY

HFC Encourages Balanced Dialogue March 19, 2013 For the sixth consecutive year, H*yas for Choice is holding Choice Week to promote dialogue about sexual choice on campus. However, this year the event has stronger significance — it is also the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

“Even though Roe v. Wade helped to secure the right to a safe and legal abortion, 40 years later there are still those out there who are working extremely hard to restrict this right, especially for the most marginalized women in the U.S.,” HFC Vice President Haylie Jacobson (SFS ’15) said.

“Choice Week is a reminder that there is always work to be done in protecting a woman’s right to choose.

In years past, Choice Week was HFC’s only visible time of year, but the organization has increased its year-round campus visibility in recent

years, growing from six members in 2010 to a listserv of 400 this semester.

According to Jacobson, Choice Week still has a role to play in educating the student body about the complexity of the pro-choice movement.

“We’re trying to show that there’s a diversity of opinions and beliefs within the choice movement,” Jacobson said.

HFC is not recognized by the university, which can make logistical coordination for the weeklong event challenging because the group does not have access to official funding and cannot table or advertise in spaces on campus beyond Red Square, which is designated a free-speech zone. However, board members say they have grown used to these roadblocks.

“We actually love not being a [Student Activities Commission]-recog-

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nized group because if we were we would be so limited in the things that we could do,” Warrick said.

“While it’s hard to navigate the red tape, we don’t really feel like it’s detracting from our mission at all.”

In the discussion about reproductive justice, students on both sides of the issue have been active on campus. In January, Georgetown students organized the Cardinal O’Connor Conference on Life. Conference co-director and Right to Life Treasurer Kevin Sullivan (SFS ’14) said that he respected HFC members’ right to express their opinions.

“We honestly disagree on a lot of issues, but we’re happy to engage in dialogue at all times,” Sullivan said.

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OPINION VIEWPOINT • RIVERS

Uplift Female Voices, Artistry in Media

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t the 81st Golden Globes, stand-up comedian and host Jo Koy delivered a contentious, unamusing and rather sexist monologue about Greta Gerwig’s feminist feature film, “Barbie,” a box office favorite released on July 21, 2023, which was nominated for nine total awards.

Koy’s infamous joke, which amassed little more than pitiful, uncomfortable laughs, reduced Barbie to a doll renowned merely for her breasts, and ironically underscored the very message Gerwig’s film purports.

Koy’s stunt is emblematic of a deep-seated patriarchal tradition of reducing female artistry. Rather than being perceived as intentional, art produced by women is seen as frivolous, lackluster or anything but deliberate. Thus, as Georgetown University students and emerging scholars, it is imperative we reform the narrative on women’s artistry and forge new viewing practices that credit female artists for their ingenuity.

During the introduction of the awards show, Koy compared the film inspired by Mattel’s dolls to another film with multiple nominations, “Oppenheimer,” which was also releasedonJuly21thispastsummer.Koy jokes, “Oppenheimer is based on a 721page Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Manhattan Project, and Barbie is on a plastic doll with big boobies.” Not only did Koy’s commentary exalt male producer Christopher Nolan for his “Oppenheimer”, but it also demeaned the mastery of Greta Gerwig, one of the most celebrated female directors in Hollywood renowned for her work on previous films “Lady Bird” and “Little Women”.

Far from merely a sexualized Mattel toy,formanywomenBarbierepresents the epitome of womanhood: she is acutely aware of her cellulite and flat feet, relies immensely on the intimate bonds of female friendship, resists the patriarchal rule that infiltrates Barbieland and even schedules her first gynecologist appointment. Yet, Koy’s commentary flattens Barbie into a singularly sexual being, a phenomenon the film actively resists.

Koy’s bit is archetypal of a general trend of disparaging art produced by women for women. Much like Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” Taylor Swift’s music has been trivialized on account of its emphasis on romantic relationships.

To paint Taylor Swift as simply a heartbroken girl, when in reality, she is a masterful lyricist and businesswoman, does her — and us — a disservice.

Indeed, Swift has often fallen victim to claims that her music solely centers her frivolous romantic pursuits, an accusation that seems to be exclusively reserved for female artists.

In 2014 on Australia’s 2Day FM radio, Swift explicitly addressed recurrent rumors that she only writes about her ex-boyfriends. The then 24-year-old artist pointed out the double standard for female and male artists in the industry, powerfully stating, “No one says that about Ed Sheeran. No one says that about Bruno Mars. They’re all writing songs about their exes, their current girlfriends, their love life, and no one raises the red flag there.”

In 2023 alone, Swift increased her net worth to over a billion dollars, commenced her Eras Tour, which is set to become the highest-grossing tour of all time, released a concert film of the tour and re-recorded both her “Speak Now” and “1989” albums. Despite the sheer brilliance that has earned Swift such significant success, her art and ingenuity are misogynistically belittled as too male-centric, again a testament to the trivialization of female art.

Recent discourse over the term “chick flick” as a movie genre is another example of how art created for women is not taken seriously. Incredibly influential movies that attract predominantly female audiences, like “Mean Girls,” have received the title “chick flick” as a way of diminishing the film’s mastery and credibility. In essence, it suggests these films are frivolous and trivial merely because they are often produced by women for women. In this way, the term “chick flick” has almost become a derogatory shorthand for female-centric media.

As Georgetown students, we comprise the next generation of burgeoning scholars, which confers an immense responsibility: reforming this narrative. We are active participants in the classroom and the world, and thus, are presented with the opportunity to forge new perceptions of female mastery, perceptions that actively celebrate women’s artful brilliance.

Grace Rivers is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences.

ILLUSTRATION BY: HEATHER WANG/THE HOYA

VIEWPOINT • PRICE-FUDGE

Transform Student Ambitions Into Reality

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alking by the Leavey Center, students encounter an interesting sight — students immersed in bright yellow headgear, navigating the floor with an infectious blend of laughter and focus.

What may seem like mere amusement are, in fact, student demos of groundbreaking work transpiring from former Georgetown University students, Steven Pang and Colton El-Habr’s newest advances in neurostimulation technology. Their startup, Orbit Technologies, aims at creating a much more immersive experience with video games by targeting the Vestibular System, or the motion center, in your brain.

According to El-Habr, CTO and co-founder of Orbit, the technology works by sending electrical signals to the motion center of the brain, stimulating it in the right way to make the user feel as if they are experiencing movements even when they are just sitting still.

Pang, one of the co-founders of Orbit, and El-Habr are pioneering the world of noninvasive neurotech in a way that is revolutionizing modern gaming. What started as dorm room ambitions has quickly become a company that has the capability to make magic and help improve the lives of millions.

Everyday, the evolution of this bright yellow headgear serves as a reminder to Georgetown students that having the title “student” does not equate to inexperience or the inability to make real change.

When thinking about what attending university means,

VIEWPOINT • NAISBITT

it often seems the case that a narrative emerges. You wake up, go to class, hope to find a booth in the Healey Family Student Center (HFSC) (spoiler, there are none), trudge up to Lauinger Library, struggle through work and wait until Thursday night comes. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Just because we are students does not mean we must maintain this status quo. I urge students to break this cycle. It can be daunting to think about adding another event to our GCal, but startups such as Orbit Technologies are showcasing the true potential of university students who test the limit of their own abilities and education.

According to Monty Singer, senior analyst of Orbit, there is a disconnect between the experience of virtual reality (VR) and its audience. Similar to watching a movie with no sound, there is a missing element that the viewer can sense. Orbit brings this sound, or the missing element.

Orbit’s recent triumph was highlighted in a pitch at Demo Day, which is an event hosted by Georgetown Ventures, an on-campus student-run entrepreneurial club, and designed to highlight the achievements of student startups like Orbit. Ventures has been working alongside Pang and El-Habr in their journey to pioneer the VR landscape.

From its early days in Georgetown Venture’s Launch Pad, a division that prides itself on working with early-stage entrepreneurs to translate their ideas into functional minimum viable products (MVP),

to this semester’s involvement in Venture Accelerator, a division that works with start-ups in their following stages to growth, Orbit has been heavily involved in entrepreneurship on campus. Their company is one of the many other startups hosted at Demo Day, which has brought to light conversations about how students can be involved in entrepreneurship on campus.

As an English major who has wandered her way into the landscape of student startups, I can tell you it does not take a major in the McDonough School of Business (MSB) to love entrepreneurship. It is easy to feel like an imposter in areas of student life that you feel challenge your capabilities, but that is exactly where one discovers that the limits you set for yourself do not exist. If you are a creative who would like to help a brand take their vision to the next level or a computer science student looking to build their resume by providing technical support to startups, then organizations like Ventures can help to support your goals.

According to William Hansen (MSB ‘25) Ventures’ former director of community and the chief organizer of Demo Day, the day is an opportunity for startups to connect with potential future investors and mentors. It is also a way for other students and members of the Georgetown community to learn more about student entrepreneurship.

I urge all Georgetown students to attend the next Demo Day in order to support their peers

in their ventures as well as expose themselves to potential opportunities.

As a result of their dedication, Pang and El-Habr have raised $750,000 in pre-seed funding this past semester, which appears to be only the beginning for the company. Orbit is not merely a startup success story; it represents a paradigm shift in how students engage with and contribute to the entrepreneurial landscape. Orbit is an ode to the hard work and dedication these young entrepreneurs put in daily for a brighter future. Pang and El-Habr, both tireless workers, are prime examples of how work ethic and perseverance directly relate to success.

More than that, however, Orbit is showcasing how we as Georgetown students have the unique opportunity to leverage our intellectual curiosity to take on meaningful projects. College is not only a time of surviving finals, it is a time for realizing that there is a potential for real-life application of the lessons we learn in class.

In the future, Orbit hopes to move from the world of immersive video gaming and into using their tech to cure neurological diseases, and Pang and El-Habr plan on expanding their work with the goal of expanding technology’s ability to interact with the brain.

They are just getting started, and with the help of groups like Georgetown Ventures, all students have the capacity to transform their ambitions into a reality.

VIEWPOINT • SHAH AND MEHTA

Contextualize LGBTQ+ Advocacy Find Magic in Rangila Royale

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n Nov. 6, 2023, Fr. James Martin, S.J., a priest known for his advocacy and a member of Georgetown University’s Board of Directors, spoke at Georgetown, detailing the spiritual lessons from the story of Lazarus. The event was met with protest from members of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP), a conservative Catholic organization.

They were not protesting the contents of Martin’s speech, but rather his record of LGBTQ+ advocacy within the church. Georgetown students staged a counter-protest, denouncing TFP’s hateful rhetoric. The Georgetown administration also condemned TFP’s protest, stating it did not represent Georgetown’s Jesuit values or the views of the Catholic Church.

Not even two months later, on Dec. 18, 2023, Pope Francis announced that priests were now allowed to bless samesex and unmarried couples. Although this announcement was controversial, it did not actually change the Catholic Church’s teachings regarding homosexuality and same-sex marriage.

While many have perceived this as a step towards inclusion of LGBTQ+ peopleinthechurch,itdoesnotrepresent increased acceptance of queer people.

There is a need for clarity on the Catholic Church’s stance on homosexuality and same-sex marriage as well as the role of individuals and Georgetown students amidstthesedevelopments.

As students at a Catholic university, we cannot effectively advocate policy changes or protect LGBTQ+ rights on campus without fully understanding the church’s position on homosexuality.

As Catholic teachings are often complex and built on hundreds of years of tradition and scholarship, we must first examine the church’s teachings before delving into the limited impact of blessing same-sex couples.

Homosexuality is not in itself a sin within Catholicism, but the church catechism describes it as an inclination that is “objectively disordered.” Homosexual acts are a sin within Catholicism and the church recommends that gay Catholics remain celibate. The Catholic Church does not see gay marriage as a legitimate form of marriage, as it defines

marriage as a covenant between a man and a woman — a metaphor for Jesus Christ’s relationship to his “bride,” the church. Whether or not queer Catholics choose a path of celibacy, the church’s teachings against homosexuality can cause a life of struggle as they wrestle between their religion and their innate sexual orientation.

When it comes to blessings, until this past December, same-sex couples were not allowed to receive priestly blessings because their actions are not considered in line with church teachings. The Pope altered these guidelines with the Fiducia Supplicans Declaration, allowing same-sex couples to be blessed with the reasoningthataskingforablessingsignals one’s desire to become more in line with “God’s will”. This step did not change the church’s teaching on homosexuality but ratheritsregulationsonblessings.

When performing the blessing, the Catholic Church outlines that the blessing and a marriage ceremony must be distinct to avoid “confusion with the blessing proper to the Sacrament of Marriage.” The declaration does not mandate priests to bless same-sex couples; it simply gives them the option to. Some priests and bishops have rejected this change.

Take the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) as an example. This group refuses to bless same-sex couples, citing their belief that same-sex unions do not conform to the church’s teachings on homosexuality.

The Fiducia Supplicans Declaration does not actually say that same-sex relationships are in line with God’s will or church teachings — it just removes the requirement for something to be in line with church teachings to be blessed.

What this means is that if the blessing is effective and the couple “grows in fidelity to the Gospel,” and are “freed from their imperfectionsandfrailties,”theywillend their relationship and stop committing the sin of homosexuality.

Church teachings on homosexuality remain the same and these blessings act as a spiritual encouragement for gay Catholics to turn away from their actively homosexual lifestyle and becomemoreinlinewithGod’swill.This means that rather than moving towards

accepting LGBTQ+ people, the church maintains its harmful expectation of celibacy for queer Catholics.

The church’s official teachings are not representative of all Catholic thought on homosexuality, however. There are progressive forces within the church attempting to more meaningfully shift thechurch’sposition,andFr.Martinisone of the most prominent of these activists.

He has criticized the harsh language in the catechism, acknowledging the harm of pushing gay Catholics away rather thanbringingthemclosertothechurch.

Martin welcomed the decision to allow blessings for same-sex couples and has already blessed several couples.

He argues that while the decision may not go as far as some LGBTQ+ Catholics would like, it is a key step forward in including LGBTQ+ people and samesex couples in the church community.

Many Catholics align with this more progressive view of homosexuality and gaymarriage.WhileconservativeCatholic lay groups like TFP generate attention for their anti-LGBTQ+ positions, they make up the minority view among American Catholics. As of 2020, 69% of American Catholics support gay marriage. That includes 56% of Catholics who say that religion is “very important” to them.

Much like the Georgetown students who protested against TFP’s message, the average Catholic in the United States does not fully align with the church’s officialteachingsonhomosexuality.

Through opposing TFP, the Georgetowncommunitycametogether to oppose unproductive, hateful rhetoric against LGBTQ+ people. To most effectively advocate for queer rights at Georgetown, where Catholic teachings influence our university policies, we must understand Catholic teachings on homosexuality.

At the same time, we can embrace allies within the Catholic Church who are pushing the church to more fully embrace LGBTQ+ people. Blessing same-sex marriages is a small step in the right direction, but it is insufficient to relieve the suffering millions of queer Catholics experience under the church’s current teachings.

T

he aroma of 412 pizzas mixes with that of freshly printed playbills and posters. The pitter-patter of chappals echoes through Healy Hall as board members arrange merchandise on tables. The Gaston Hall stage remains pitch black, with lighting cues still unfinished. 400 performers and a sold-out audience of 743 guests are mere hours from arriving.

Welcome to Rangila.

A 10-act student production held for two nights every November in Gaston Hall, Rangila is the largest charity dance showcase in the United States.

The commitment is intense. Dancers attend weekly three-hour practices.

Choreographers spend the summer and fall semesters developing their routines, adjusting their mixes and hosting office hours. Board members jump from designing the playbills to planning an event with the United Nations’ deputy director to hauling tables from Arrupe Hall to Healy Hall for fundraisers.

As two of this year’s three coordinators, alongside Elizabeth George (SFS ’23), we were responsible for putting together this year’s showcase and managing the Rangila Team.

And we are proud of everything that was accomplished in Rangila Royale — from doubling the number of performers in our musical set to including nine genre dances for the first time. However, as the showcase has ultimately always centered around its philanthropic mission — directing all proceeds to benefit a select South Asian nonprofit each year — the impact of our efforts is best encapsulated by the record-breaking $70,000 raised for Action Against Hunger.

But the mere description of our roles and the responsibilities that followed fail to adequately Maddie Naisbitt is a junior in the convey the labor of love that School of Foreign Service. was Rangila Royale. Looking

at the job description removes the emotional and nuanced dimension of our experiences.

This leaves us wondering how a charity dance showcase evolved into such a beloved and essential part of the Georgetown experience.

From our initial introduction to Rangila, we knew it was special.

Saar spent Rangila 27 in 2021 developing the philanthropy board’s external outreach, trying to convey the magic of Rangila in 200-word emails to corporate sponsors. Sanaa spent Rangila 27 spontaneously emceeing in an attempt to quench her homesickness for Mumbai. For both of us, Rangila 28 in 2022 featured weekly calls with our philanthropy partner, overusing the MSB printing access to market our events and doublechecking that every performer received their roses, even though it meant staying up until 7 a.m. the Friday night of the show.

But in these first dips into Rangila, we found friendship and joy in the sleep deprivation. We were hooked and immediately knew that we needed to be as involved as possible in the coming year.

In all honesty, it often felt more like a mess than the perfectly organized, meticulously planned showcase we had in mind. There were more behind-the-scenes crises than we care to admit, and more personal, socio-emotional and professional tests than we ever expected.

The decision-making demands grew, bringing unwanted worries as Rangila loomed closer.

Outlining a daunting finance spreadsheet had us worrying whether we would be able to raise any money. As we slogged through rehearsals, impostor syndrome quietly nudged and we began to doubt our team’s trust in us. When we realized one week in advance that Gaston Hall wasn’t booked for rehearsals, panic set in.

Then, when we were certain we were the wrong people for

the job, our community reeled us right back in.

While we worried our performers weren’t getting to know each other, hundreds of them stormed Crepeaway like it belonged to them and belted out the lyrics to South Asian tunes all night. When we panicked about the cheesiness of the theme Rangila Royale, choreographers wholeheartedly embodied James Bond at signups, donning all-black outfits and sunglasses. After weeks of nightmares that launching online ticket sales for the first time in Rangila history would result in an empty Gaston Hall, the tickets sold out in under four minutes — “Now it’s real,” we thought to ourselves.

All of that reminded us of the reason we obsessed over every aspect of this showcase for nine months: connection. Rangila was more than the numbers, the statistics and the pictures and songs — it was flitting between the funny and poignant on an hourly basis in what became the most meaningful experience of our lives.

Rangila is magic.

We started as shy underclassmen, suspicious of Georgetown club culture, let alone a 400-person, high-energy showcase. With a blind leap of faith, a craving for a home on the Hilltop and a desire to connect with our roots, we found ourselves amongst people who believed in the same vision as us. Passion and ambition are contagious.

As we all continue our journeys on the Hilltop, we encourage you to find your version of Rangila — a community that constantly shapes your college experience for the better — and commit yourself to it.

You will end up forever in its debt.

Saar Shah is a senior in the McDonough School of Business and Sanaa Mehta is a junior in the School of Foreign Service.

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THEHOYA.COM | FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2024

NEWS

Georgetown Admits First Early Action Class Without Affirmative Action Caroline Rareshide Managing Editor

Georgetown University accepted 10% of early action applicants in its first admissions cycle following the Supreme Court’s decision in June to end race-based affirmative action in higher education.

The university admitted 881 of 8,584 applicants, according to a university spokesperson.

The number of applications increased by 4.7% from the early action Class of 2027, while the acceptance rate dropped by 1.5%. Applicants received a notification of their application result via an online portal Dec. 15.

The McDonough School of Business (MSB) saw the lowest acceptance rate, admitting 146 of 1,559 applicants for an acceptance rate of 9.4%. Georgetown College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) admitted 469 of 4,754 applicants, an acceptance rate of 9.9%. The School of Health (SOH) admitted 55 of 491 applicants, an acceptance rate of 11.2%. The Walsh School of Foreign Service (SFS) admitted 185 of 1,578 applicants, an acceptance rate of 11.7%. The School of Nursing (SON) admitted 26 of 202 applicants, an acceptance rate of 12.9%.

Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Charles Deacon (CAS ’64, GRD ’69) said that unlike colleges that favor early decision, Georgetown tried to only admit about 10% of ap-

plicants despite having many more strong applicants.

“We have always had a policy that says we will not favor early action, because we think the pool is slightly balanced toward the more successful, more affluent students who are ready earlier,” Deacon told The Hoya.

The Class of 2028 is the first class accepted without race or ethnicity considered as a factor.

Admissions officers could not view early applicants’ races or ethnicities, and demographics of the Class of 2028 will not be available until students officially enroll, according to Deacon.

Paolo Reyes, a Filipino-American accepted early action into the SFS, said he believes the Supreme Court decision affected his application.

“For me being an Asian-American, I would say that was more of a positive factor because I did look into Georgetown’s admission statistics, and it does seem that before the Supreme Court decision, Asian-Americans seemed to have been limited to about a quarter of the applicant pool, or the admitted pool,” Reyes told The Hoya.

Deacon said the university is concerned about the diversity of future classes but that application items like essays, extracurricular activities and alumni interviews can help to discern a student’s background.

“We’re in kind of this interim period of going through it, seeing how the results end up,

maintaining our commitment to diversity, asking both our staff and their reviewing files and the admissions committees — on which students sit, by the way — when they review files to pay attention to this kind of information,” Deacon said.

Deacon said the university is working to build up its financial aid program and increase the Pell Grant population at Georgetown, which would help support the diversity that had been achievable with affirmative action.

“A significant part of our current student population of color, it’s not low income. It’s middle income, or even higher income, so we can address it through financial aid, both at lower income and middle income,” Deacon said. “And that will have a pretty disproportionate effect on underrepresented minority populations.”

Following the Supreme Court’s June decision on affirmative action, students and faculty at Georgetown began petitioning the university to end legacy admissions in order to increase the diversity of students. As of Jan. 18, over 1,000 community members have signed the petition.

Georgetown does not consider legacy status for early action applicants, according to Deacon.

“We’ve always said that if you’re going to get any extra attention, such as a recruited athlete or a legacy, that that would all always happen at the regular

ILLUSTRATION BY: KATHRYN SCHWEICKERT AND CLAIRE MIN/THE HOYA

The number of early action applicants to Georgetown increased by 4.7% from the Class of 2027, and the early action acceptance rate dropped by 1.5% from last year. decision so that early becomes truly an honors-on-entrance type of a pool, the top of our class, basically,” Deacon said.

Deacon said in the past two years the university has turned to increasing the geographic diversity of its accepted students, looking at whether students are from rural, small town, suburban or urban areas.

The university aims to give attention to underrepresented students from rural areas.

Students were admitted from 49 out of 50 states, Deacon added.

The mid-50% of SAT math scores of admitted students ranged from 730 to 790, while the mid-50% of SAT verbal scores ranged from 730-780.

The mid-50% of ACT scores fell between 32 and 35. Admitted students ranked in the top 4% of their high school class, according to a university spokesperson.

Reyes said he applied to

Georgetown because of its Jesuit values and appealing promotional approach.

“I felt Georgetown did give the most charisma in the tours and interacting with the school itself,” Reyes said.

“From other schools I’ve looked at, I did get a lot more of a dry or corporate response from them, especially in the tours. But from what I’ve seen during my tour back in August, it did seem a bit more human.”

THE HOYA | A5

FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2024 | THEHOYA.COM

SCIENCE SPOTLIGHT: DC Region Faces Emergency Blood Shortage Camille Vandeveer Deputy Science Editor

The American Red Cross, headquartered in Washington, D.C., declared a nationwide emergency blood shortage on Jan. 7, urging all eligible people to donate.

In the D.C. area, the nationwide shortage has spurred local health organizations to amplify the Red Cross call for blood donations.

Stephanie Babyak, spokesperson for the American Red Cross National Capital and Greater Chesapeake Region, said low donation levels have created serious challenges for local hospital systems.

“The Red Cross is experiencing a blood supply shortage as we face the lowest number of people giving blood in the past 20 years. Blood products are going out faster to hospitals than blood donations are coming in,” Babyak told The Hoya.

Health care workers use blood donations on a daily basis to support organ donor recipients, cancer patients, people with blood disorders like sickle cell anemia and trauma patients who lose blood from injuries, among others. Blood cannot be manufac-

tured, meaning that all donations must come from volunteers.

Without proper supplies of blood, life-saving procedures that require blood transfusions, such as heart and vascular surgeries, could be postponed. Babyak said that for patients depending on donated blood, the ongoing shortage poses incredible stress.

“If you’re that person who needs the blood, that’s a dramatic consequence for you and for your family,” Babyak said.

According to Dr. Ranit Mishori, vice president and chief public health officer at Georgetown University, the blood shortage also jeopardizes hospitals’ abilities to respond to public emergencies.

“You want to have enough supplies, not just for patients that come regularly and routinely, but in the event of some sort of catastrophic event: emergency situations like mass casualty events, a terrorist attack, or people being injured by car crashes,” Mishori told The Hoya.

Nicholas Lilly, senior director of Inova Blood Donor Services in the D.C. area, said that while many factors have slowed blood donations — which, according to the

Red Cross, have fallen 40% in the last 20 years — seasonal illness may also have exacerbated the current shortage. To alleviate the crisis, hospitals and blood donor organizations are encouraging all healthy, eligible donors in D.C., Maryland and Virginia to donate as soon as possible.

“Blood can only be collected from healthy volunteer donors, and we need the community’s support to sustain the needs of our patients,” Lilly wrote in an email to The Hoya.

ILLUSTRATION BY: KATHRYN SCHWEICKERT/THE HOYA Mishori explained that most The American Red Cross declared a nationwide blood shortage Jan. 7, leading local healthy adults are eligible to do- hospital systems to call for increased donations in the face of critically low supplies. nate blood, and the process of donation is brief and simple. Usual“For college students especially, In D.C., individuals can do- bers to meet the ongoing blood ly, donors can return to their daily activities shortly after making we really appreciate young donors nate blood at the Dr. Charles shortage, though regular blood because then they tend to remain Drew Red Cross Blood and donations are always needed their donation.

“It’s not a huge time invest- active and donate throughout Platelet Donation Center in Fog- across the DMV. gy Bottom or Children’s Nation“I think it’s a really important ment. The actual donation takes their lives,” Babyak said.

Babyak said that those who al Hospital in Shaw. way to give back to the commaybe 10, 15 minutes at most,” Mishori also noted that munity that is not dangerous Mishori said. “They will have cannot donate blood can supto spend some time answering port the effort by helping the Red Georgetown University’s public and has extremely little risk,” health team is in the early stag- Mishori said. “You’re just helpquestions about their health, Cross organize blood drives.

“People can volunteer with us es of organizing an on-campus ing enormously, especially now what medications they’re taking as a blood donor ambassador,” blood drive that will take place when there’s such a big shortand about travel history.” age, but also during times when According to Babyak, college Babyak said. “We have a vast array in the upcoming weeks.

According to Mishori, the next there is no shortage, the health students are a particularly im- of volunteers and we try to work portant demographic group for with folks to match their skills few months will be an especially system always, always, always and interests.” vital time for community mem- needs more blood.” blood donations.

GUMC Professor Receives Neuroscience Award Allie Stevens

Deputy Science Editor

Ella Striem-Amit, an assistant professor of neuroscience at the Georgetown University Medical Center received the Young Investigator Award from the Cognitive Neuroscience Society (CSN) earlier this month.

This award acknowledges emerging neuroscientists in the early stages of their careers who have made exceptional contributions to the field of cognitive neuroscience. Striem-Amit leads the Sensory and Motor Plasticity (SAMP) Lab, and her research includes brain plasticity and reorganization, or how the brain adapts to changes. One of her research projects focuses on how people with dysplasia, people born without their upper limbs, are able to complete tasks with their feet or other parts of their body by examining the organization of their brains.

“They can do anything that we can do with our hands,” Striem-Amit told The Hoya.

“They just do it with their feet.

In terms of brain organization, what we’re seeing is that a lot of the brain structures that are used to operate our hands are used to operate their feet.”

Flo Martinez Addiego (GRD ’25), a PhD student in Striem-Amit’s lab, is working on the neuroplasticity and reorganization project. According to Martinez Addiego, their research on individuals with dysplasia has revealed that for many motor activities, the brain

is organized by task rather than by the limb performing the task.

“You have an area of your brain that just cares that you are writing and doesn’t care if you are writing with your hand or with your foot,” Martinez Addiego told The Hoya.

According to Striem-Amit, the motivation behind her research is to use the knowledge of neuroplasticity to improve the functionality of brain-machine interfaces and prosthetic devices, such as those that make using devices more natural.

“We don’t have to open and close a prosthetic. We don’t have to think of how long we want it to be closed. We don’t have to be conscious of all those parameters,” Striem-Amit said. “The fact that current prosthesis requires such conscious control makes them harder to use.”

While Striem-Amit said the prospect of improved prosthetics is exciting, it is important to emphasize there is still a long way to go in terms of technological advancements.

“I want to always make it very clear that I can’t promise cures or prosthetics at the moment,” Striem-Amit said. “This is where we want to go, but we’re not there yet.”

In addition to her work with individuals with dysplasia, Striem-Amit is currently working on a research project on individual differences in blindness.

Martinez Addiego believes Striem-Amit’s exploration of multiple manifestations of neu-

roplasticity makes her research particularly unique.

“Ella does a lot of innovative work,” Martinez Addiego said.

“Usually when you have somebody who is a principal investigator they focus on a particular topic. Ella is kind of unique in that she’s decided to study plasticity and plasticity applies to a bunch of different cognitive realms.”

Lénia Amaral, a postdoctoral researcher in the SAMP lab, said she is motivated by working alongside Striem-Amit and is inspired by her career path.

“Dr. Striem-Amit serves as an inspiring example of a highly accomplished female researcher in academia,” Amaral wrote to The Hoya. “Her impressive track record includes numerous publications, multiple awards, and the notable achievement of establishing her own laboratory shortly after completing her postdoctoral research. Observing her success has reinforced my aspiration to follow a similar trajectory.”

According to Striem-Amit, the CSN is a community that is very important to her and this accolade plays a crucial role in her recognition as a neuroscientist.

“A lot of the past awardees are really key people in the field so it’s really an honor to receive that,” Striem-Amit said. “Some of my personal role models received the awards in past years.”

Striem-Amit spreads her gratitude for the award to all those who supported her.

“I express my thanks to the

Deputy Science Editor

Julie Blendy, professor of pharmacology at University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine, presented her research on the molecular and genetic mechanisms behind opioid use disorders in the annual Frank G. Standaert Lectureship in Pharmacology at Georgetown University Medical Center on Jan. 12.

Blendy utilizes a mouse model to investigate the functional effect of a single nucleotide substitution in the gene OPRM1, which codes for the mu opioid receptor. This receptor binds opioids and is distributed throughout the brain and spinal cord. The original nucleotide, or building block of DNA, is an adenine, corresponding to the A allele, but in some individuals, this adenine is substituted by a guanine, which corresponds to the G allele.

By inducing this substitution in mice, Blendy’s lab was able to show that possession of the G allele was associated with lower mu opioid receptor levels. However, Blendy wanted to understand what the behavioral implications of this “loss-of-function” G allele were. According to Blendy, prior research has shown that this allele affects pain tolerance.

“Human studies have actually shown that individuals with the G allele will have actually elevated pain responses. It’s also associated

with a decreased pain threshold, and individuals with the G allele require significantly more opiates or morphine to attain that analgesic effect,” Blendy said.

Blendy’s research found that G/G mice — mice that are homozygous for the G allele — did in fact have a lower pain threshold and did not undergo locomotor sensitization, which is an increase in movement upon drug exposure. Additionally, the effects of this genotype varied by sex; the G/G males exhibited higher drug-seeking behavior and preference for the rewarding stimulus of the drug, while the females did not.

Since these initial experiments focused on the acute phase of substance abuse induced by short-term exposure to the drug, Blendy wanted to apply the mouse model to understanding the chronic opioid-dependent phase, which is linked to changes in brain plasticity.

“Brain plasticity can be shown at the level of individual neurons, specifically dendritic spines, for example, which can impact how cells communicate with each other, which ultimately can impact how the whole connectivity of the brain is working,” Blendy said.

Blendy’s connectivity studies showed that males with the G/G genotype had less neuronal activity in most brain regions post-morphine exposure, an effect not seen in the

G/G females. The female G/G mice also had high clustering among brain regions, meaning that many brain regions seem to be functionally connected to each other. These findings provide insight into how much energy is required to transition from the acute state to the opioid dependent state, according to Blendy.

“In general, G/G females require a large amount of energy to convert from an acute to a dependent state and have a less stable network in this dependent state. Actually challenging to determine if this means they are more protected or more vulnerable to opioid use disorders,” Blendy wrote to The Hoya.

Dr. Rebekah Evans, an assistant professor in the department of neuroscience at Georgetown University who also studies brain connectivity, attended the talk and wondered how the mu opioid receptor mutation impacts another brain region called the striatum, which is involved in developing habits and addiction.

“The striatum has clusters of mu-opioid-receptor-positive neurons called striosomes that are important for compulsive and repetitive behaviors and I am very curious as to whether the mu-opioid-receptor mutation Dr. Blendy has identified alters the function and circuit connections of these striosomes,” Evans said.

Blendy acknowledged that the initial findings are not inclusive of other

Nonprofit Hospitals are Deceivingly Lucrative Shiva Ranganathan

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

Ella Striem-Amit, an assistant professor of neuroscience at Georgetown, received the Young Investigators Award.

CNS community - the committee, my nominators, and so many great mentors, colleagues, collaborators and participants who made our work possible,” Striem-Amit wrote to The Hoya.

Striem-Amit encourages aspiring neuroscientists to take a moment to step back and enjoy the p∑Ωrocess, while also always pushing for greater understanding of preexisting research.

“I would encourage them to not forget to have fun along the way,” Striem-Amit said. “Don’t be afraid to reopen or question consensus ideas because it’s always worthwhile.”

Pharmacology Lecture Highlights Opioid Research Sahana Arumani

THE POLICY PROGNOSIS

victims of the opioid crisis, specifically newborns. Therefore, she said she decided to use her mouse model to study the impact of morphine on pups in utero and in days immediately following birth. She found that pups with the G/G genotype did not experience failure to thrive or miss any developmental milestones, a finding that could have important clinical applications.

“Clinically, sometimes babies are sent home and then develop withdrawal. And then it’s more expensive to bring them back to the hospital to treat them,” Blendy said. “And so genotyping might perhaps give a clue as to whether or not those are key things to look for or not.”

The next steps for Blendy’s research include the co-treatment of the mice with other commonly used drugs, such as benzodiazepines, which are used to treat anxiety. Ultimately, Blendy said she hopes these studies will help inform medication development to help mitigate the opioid epidemic.

Evans said that future research into substance abuse disorders should also account for other external factors.

“Understanding how genetic differences interact with environmental differences will be incredibly important for developing preventative interventions to reduce opioid addiction and relapse,” Evans said.

revenue made from government payments. In Jan. 2023, the Community Science Columnist Health Network, a nonprofit hospital system that runs primary, specialty and emergency care institutions The term “nonprofit” has lost nationwide, stated that they were its meaning as money flows into cutting down their staff size despite health systems with little to no making profits of $12.21 billion. Since increase in charitable care. there are vague standards for what Nonprofit health systems are counts as charitable care, it is diffihospitals that use their proceeds cult for the government to evaluate toward community improvement the extent of a hospital’s charitable and are therefore excluded from care contribution, so many nonprofit paying most taxes. Yet about 86% systems like the Community Health of nonprofits end up providing Network are able to avoid criticism. significantly less charitable care While some nonprofit hospitals than their extra revenue allows may claim that their charitable for. In fact, nonprofit hospitals care justifies their tax exemption, currently have mean operating some employ another profit-maxiprofits of $58.61 million, while mizing technique: underreporting for-profit hospitals have mean the value of insurance-covered operating profits of $43.38 mil- charges. Thus, it might appear that lion. How can this discrepancy the hospital system is paying a between their charitable mission large portion of its revenue toward and financial profits be possible? funding patient services when, in While the idea of nonprofit hospi- reality, private insurance compatals is benevolent on paper, in prac- nies are covering these expenses. tice, the system fails providers, who Over a decade ago, the governhave to oblige the demands of the ment raised standards of subsidifee-for-service model, which yields zation for nonprofit hospitals, but a fixed payment for the number of considering that many nonprofit services used, and patients, who are health systems still underperform offered subpar care compared to in providing to communities, it is for-profit counterparts with better time to reevaluate the minimum technology. Furthermore, nonprofit threshold for charitable care. The Pahospitals are a heavy cost for the over- tient Protection and Affordable Care all health industry, with subsidies in Act of 2010 mandated that hospitals the form of tax exemptions amount- consider community needs and ading to billions of dollars each year. equately report their positive impact The primary issue with nonprof- on the people they serve. It’s time for it hospitals is neither their failure health policymakers to return to the to maximize charitable care nor same conversation and hold such that they make more money than systems accountable to the charifor-profit systems. However, when table benefit they claim to provide the title “nonprofit” allows health as we see health costs skyrocketing systems to take advantage of gov- higher than ever before. ernment subsidies that are deIf nonprofit hospitals dedisigned to expand access to afford- cated government subsidies to able health care without following improving technologies, such as through on the promise to give recent AI work that employs outback through better technology and dated and racially biased algohealth outcomes, taxpayer dollars rithms, patients would see better fail to provide health services to health outcomes and quality of those who need them most. care. Furthermore, public health Nonprofit hospitals receive experts recommend raising the government subsidies based on bar on the definition of commuthe number of services they pro- nity benefit, which would revide to patients with little or no quire nonprofit hospitals to have insurance. To maintain nonprofit a more visible impact on society status, the government evaluates and provide an easier way for health systems based on Medi- policymakers to evaluate them. care and Medicaid payments, In addition, integrating nonwhich are currently based on a profit hospitals in public health fee-for-service system. This prac- agencies, which set a care retice undermines the concept of quirement to give hospitals their value-based care, where payment credentials and give medical is based on patient outcomes in- and ethical training to member stead of the number of services hospitals under their umbrella, provided, incentivizing providers could limit excessive debt colto adopt a profit-centered mental- lection from patients. Nonprofit ity rather than focusing on better systems like the University of patient outcomes. When hospitals Virginia showcase this problem are too concerned with profiting — they sue an average of 6,000 off of seeing the most patients pos- patients per year for not paying sible, the effect is dehumanizing. enough of their charges.

Additionally, because governNonprofits must abandon the ment financing of nonprofit health for-profit mindset and abuse of systems is based on the number of government subsidies and inpatient visits or medical technolo- crease quality of care instead gies used, hospitals will often reduce of cramming a large number of their staff to lower their expenses and patients into a few providers’ take on more patients to increase the schedules.

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NEWS IN FOCUS

PAGE SIX

Inside Look at Housing Expansion

Your news — from every corner of The Hoya

WHAT’S NEW IN MULTIMEDIA

MONDAYS WITH MELANIE MCCOURT SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY

The university is set to expand its East-end Capitol campus on 77 H Street near Union Station and has been under contract to purchase the approximately $89-million apartment complex.

Georgetown Community Fondly Remembers Professor John Hirsh Paulina Inglima City News Editor

Georgetown University students, faculty and alumni gathered at Dahlgren ChapeltocelebratethelifeofthelateProfessor John Campion Hirsh on Jan. 16.

Hirsh, who taught in Georgetown’s English department for 53 years, died Dec. 6, 2023 at 81. The Georgetown community came together for a Memorial Catholic Mass, celebrated by Fr. Mark Bosco, S.J., the vice president for mission and ministry.

“We celebrate the God that John truly believed in, truly served, truly loved and lived in his relationships with his family, his friends and through all the deep commitments to the service of others he has shown us these 53 years,” Bosco said during his homily.

John Pfordresher, professor emeritus of English, offered words of remembrance for Hirsh in his role as an academic. He spoke of his relaxed demeanor as he juggled different disciplines and areas of study, publishing books on subjects including his community service work and medieval literature and spirituality, with a special focus on the famed medieval English writer Geoffrey Chaucer.

“He seemed to exemplify this wonderful Renaissance ideal of sprezzatura,” Pfordresher said to the congregation. “A guy or gal who has sprezzatura does difficult things, but it never looks hard because he’s so good at doing those things. And John, being a renaissance person, always exemplified sprezzatura.”

Each speaker at the mass highlighted Hirsh’s dedication to the Jesuit value of service for others. Hirsh led a literacy tutoring and mentoring program for children in Sursum Corda, a low-income housing development in Washington, D.C. Hirsh later created a community-based learning course of the same name in which Georgetown students read with a child once a week while also learning literacy and teaching strategies

in class. Although the Sursum Corda co-op shut down in 2017, the program continues today in a new location at the Golden Rule apartment complex.

Bradley Galvin (COL ’20, GRD ’21), a former student of Hirsh and teaching assistant for Sursum Cor-

“He seemed to exemplify this wonderful Renaissance ideal of sprezzatum.”

JOHN PFORDRESHER PROFESSOR EMERITUS OF ENGLISH

da, attended the service. Galvin, who will teach the course this semester, said Hirsh had a hands-off approach when working with tutors, allowing the process to unfold naturally.

“He gave everyone the tools necessary so they’d be able tutors. But beyond that, he’d let everyone have their own unique experience in the program and just let it work. And that’s what it always does. It just has this sort of magic to it that allows people to find these newfound connections that they never really would have in the first place,” Galvin told The Hoya.

Shiv Newaldass (COL ’03), grew up in the Sursum Corda co-op, where he took part in Hirsh’s tutoring program.

Newaldass spoke of the life-changing impact Hirsh’s program had on him as a 10-year-old in the country’s then “murder capital,” who later returned as a Sursum Corda tutor himself while at Georgetown.

Newaldass also spoke of Hirsh’s dedication to disrupting the neighborhood’s prevalent cycles of poverty and violence.

“He knew our stories to provide asterisks to the statistics. He understood the politics, but he saw past the numbers, the policies, the practices and just its humanity. He recognized desperation and embraced it as a shared experience. He was in it with us in all ways, always,” Newaldass said at the event.

Newaldess said that Hirsh played an essential role in advocating for the Sursum Corda housing development to be saved, even as developers and city officials pushed for its demise as a hotspot for crime and drug dealing.

“It was John who quietly raised hell of all sorts in the advancement of not a literacy program, but an option, the only option to save the homes that 163 families needed so desperately, my own included,” he added.

Officer Darrin Bates (COL ’03), another former student in the Sursum Corda program, delivered the final speech, in which he said Hirsh acted as a father figure during the formative years of his life as the son of a young single mother who was deeply disturbed by the violence around him.

“He became my emergency contact, the first to know trouble befell me at school, which exemplified the depth of his commitment. In turn, I would become his emergency contact later in his life,” Bates said.

Bates added that Hirsh provided him with personal and academic support throughout every milestone of his life.

“Our bond continued to flourish when I joined the Metropolitan Police Department as an officer. John’s pride in my accomplishments was palpable as he sat in the audience with my wife before my speech as a class speaker, smiling radiantly — the pride only a father could feel,” Bates said.

Fr. Bosco said Hirsh’s legacy aligns with the ideals presented in the Beatitudes, a list of virtues Jesus preached in the Gospels including blessings to the poor, meek and pure of heart.

“I think it’s safe to say that John strove to make these gospel virtues his own through his great love of social justice and the Catholic social teaching of the Church, his care for the poor, the meekness and humility he showed as a professor and a colleague, the purity of heart and all that he wished to accomplish.”

Mondays with Melanie Join host Melanie Elliott (CAS ’24) this Monday, Jan. 22, for her five-minute news briefing of the week’s top stories. All podcasts are available to stream on Spotify, Soundcloud and thehoya.com.

Online Dialogue Discusses Promoting Investment in Low-Income Families Michael Scime Special to The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life hosted an online dialogue exploring how members of the Catholic faith can increase their efforts to help people experiencing poverty around the world on Jan. 16.

Kim Daniels, director of the initiative and member of the Vatican Dicastery for Communication, moderated “Promoting a Consistent Ethic of Life: Investing in Low-Income Children and Families.” Patrick Brown, Kerry Robinson (CAS ‘88), Barbara Williams-Skinner and Sr. Norma Pimental, M.J., joined Daniels to discuss the issues of low-income communities and how the Church can take steps to alleviate these problems.

Daniels said members of the Catholic faith are called to advocate for and advance the common good of God among the most vulnerable, such as residents of low-income communities.

“This is a test of our faith and humanity and an inescapable challenge.

We are called to create an authentic culture of life, one that defends the inviolable dignity of all human beings, to pursue dialogue and resist ideological approaches and to stand in solidarity with the vulnerable, consistently and effectively defending human life and dignity in these violent and divisive times,” Daniels said.

The conversation occurred just hours after Congress introduced an expansion to the child tax credit, a bipartisan agreement that would provide 16 million children from struggling families with financial relief.

Brown, a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center who works with the Life and Family Initiative, said the agreement is significant since it allocates the aid package per child in a family rather than per family.

“It’s a technical difference but it actually leads to hundreds of dollars more over the course of the year,” Brown said. “That’s more money in their pocket to help deal with diapers, groceries and childcare.”

Williams-Skinner, the CEO of Skinner Leadership Institute, co-convener of the National African American Clergy Network, co-founder of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Prayer Breakfast and a leader in the Circle of Protection, said the Congressional announcement is a step in the right direction, but that continued action is needed to assist low-income families going forward.

“I am hopefully optimistic that this small group of bipartisan members will be able to impact the whole. I am hopeful, but that is not enough. We have to reach out, right now, all of us. If you have contacts on the Republican side, you should be reaching out to those people and likewise those of us who are Democrats should be doing the same with senators and others,” Williams-Skinner said.

Pimental, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, said coordination among various groups looking to help the impoverished is a key component of making a tangible impact.

“I can call the director at the port of entry and say ‘there’s a family and,’ or ‘this just happened yesterday, there was a mother who was in labor pains on the bridge and she needed to get to the other side so that we could help her correctly.’ And so I could actually call the head of the port of entry and say ‘Help us move this lady to the proper place,’” Pimental said.

Pimental emphasized the importance of joining forces with one’s peers for the common good.

“It is what we can do together collectively. Together we can respond to what we see before us every single day. It’s not just myself, not just Catholic Charities; it is everybody,” she said.

Kerry Robinson, president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, echoed Pimental’s remarks and said empathy is essential for people to regard themselves as part of a tight-knit community with the less fortunate.

“We must see people as humans, members of this human family, just like you and me, who are in need. And the only way we are going to get there is to allow ourselves, as Pope Francis enjoins us to do, to encounter and accompany others, people who are different from us,” Robinson said.

Robinson added that passively supporting initiatives that address the problems facing low-income families is not enough, and that taking action is crucial.

“Using our voices, using our

“We must see people as humans, members of this human family, just like you and me, who are in need.”

KERRY ROBINSON PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CATHOLIC CHARITIES USA

platforms, using our leaderships and using our networks to corral people to enact just, humane policies is absolutely critical so that we can create those very conditions that allow humankind to flourish,” she said. “If one is suffering, we are all suffering.”

MSB Event: Investment Manager Talks Entrepreneurship, Passion Caleigh Keating Events Desk Editor

Brian Higgins, the co-founder of King Street Capital, a global investment management company, discussed the intersection of entrepreneurship and finance and shared lessons learned throughout his career at a Jan. 17 event hosted by Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business (MSB).

The discussion was a part of the Stanton Distinguished Leadership Series, which aims to connect Georgetown students with business executives and leaders such as Higgins, who also serves as a managing partner and co-portfolio manager at King Street.

Jeff Reid, professor of the practice of entrepreneurship and founding director of the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative, moderated the conversation. Reid spoke to the importance of entrepreneurship in the world today and the mission of the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative.

“We believe entrepreneurship is one of the world’s most powerful forces for positive change. We are working to help all Georgetown students develop an entrepreneurial mindset and leverage the power of entrepreneurship

to make the world better,” Reid wrote to The Hoya.

During the event, Higgins traced his career in entrepreneurship and his longtime interest in starting businesses back to his high school and college years, when he started businesses mowing lawns and selling beer.

Higgins said his past experiences starting businesses shaped his approach to starting and growing a business, particularly relating to his philosophy about the value of hard work.

“As we go through life, all these different experiences shape us, and so, what are we getting at?

Are we looking at the long game; what is a means to an end?” Higgins said at the event. “Work at a legacy and finish what you’re doing. Because if you look around, people can sniff it. If I see someone, they’re working and they’re going through the paces, it’s like, go big or go home and put 100 percent, or move on.”

“What’s the point of going around if you’re not going to give it your all?” Higgins added.

Higgins also emphasized the importance of passion for those seeking careers in the field of entrepreneurship, as success can be elusive and discouragement can come easily.

“In order to be an entrepreneur, you have to be passionate.

Because this stuff is hard. It’s really hard. But it doesn’t feel like work to me. I mean, I am working on the start-up 30 years later. And I don’t get tired — I’m absolutely passionate. You can’t fake passion,” Higgins said.

Lakshay Narang (GRD ’23), assistant director of alumni relations at the MSB, also emphasized the importance of staying passionate, determined and committed to a career as well as the opportunities events like Higgins’ conversation can provide for students.

“Identifying one’s interests is crucial, as these events serve as a window into industry dynamics, facilitate networking with industry executives, and provide a broader perspective on management and business,” Narang wrote to The Hoya.

“While the array of campus activities can be overwhelming, finding something personally meaningful and sticking to it can lead to profound experiences and long-term fulfillment. Active engagement and perseverance in areas of genuine interest can make a significant impact on both academic and personal growth.”

In line with Reid’s mission of

teaching entrepreneurship for the common good in his classes, Higgins addressed how he incorporates his ethics and values in his entrepreneurship and finance work.

“In distressed situations, many times you’re saving the company. Because when you’re investing in a distressed company, no one else will invest in them, and without that thousands of people lose their jobs,” Higgins said.

“Because those factors can influence dramatically what the value of your company is. Because if big institutional investors want to invest then, and we’re early days, there’s got to be a bridge from where we invest to big institutional investors.”

Towards t he end of the event, Higgins said, despite the inevitability of mistakes in bot h t he past and future, he tries not to dwell on what he could have done differently, choosing instead to move forward.

“I don’t know what I could have done differently. All I know is I’ve far exceeded what I imagined I could’ve done. So, I just take that part and parcel,” Higgins said. “You’re going to make mistakes. The important thing is just how do we come

to deal with the fact that those mistakes can be learning expe-

riences, and mistakes can become learning opportunities.”

CALEIGH KEATING/THE HOYA

King Street Capital’s Brian Higgins talked about the intersection of finance and entrepreneurship.

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Vigil Attendees Gather Outside GU’s Healy Community Commemorates ‘Passionate, Hall to Mourn Palestinian Deaths Hardworking, Kind’ Matteo Sachman SACHMAN, from A1 Liam Painter (SFS ’27), another close friend of Sachman’s, remembered Sachman as a larger-than-life character who was spontaneous and always full of joy.

“Matteo left so much behind in his wake — so much happiness and positivity, so much love,” Painter wrote to The Hoya. “The size of his character and of his heart means that he’ll never truly be gone.”

Painter said he and Sachman volunteered together with the HOME program, where Sachman coordinated outreach initiatives for people facing food insecurity.

“I can remember him striking up conversations with just about everyone we met,” Painter wrote. “He had this undeniable charisma, one that would draw you in before you even knew what was happening.”

Sam Perlman (CAS ’27), another of Sachman’s close friends, said he will remember Sachman’s humor — particularly an evening when Sachman volunteered to walk back with him to Darnall Hall, and Sachman pretended to swim toward the dorm.

“It just exemplified how silly and carefree he was,” Perlman said. “He was the kind of person who, it felt like, there was never any pressure on him, which is so unique, and I feel like that was so clear in that moment.”

Sachman often attended Mass at Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred

Heart alongside Fr. Mark Bosco, S.J., Georgetown’s vice president for mission and ministry.

Bosco said Sachman was curious — both about his faith and life at Georgetown.

“In the short time that I knew him, I would say that he had a strong sense of faith in God as part of his spiritual journey here, and that he had a cheerful curiosity about everything going on at Georgetown,” Bosco wrote to The Hoya. “I am so very sad that he is not with us any longer, but I know he is in the loving arms of the God he loved.”

Sara Gharahbeigi, an associate teaching professor of mathematics who taught Sachman in “Math and Society” during Fall 2023, said she valued Sachman’s curiosity.

“I really appreciated any students, including Matteo, who gave it a very serious try and did well,” Gharahbeigi told The Hoya. “He was very polite. I could tell he cared about his work.”

GMA, in which Sachman worked on consulting and strategy projects, described him as an innovative team player.

“Our hearts ache at the loss of such a vibrant and talented member, and we extend our deepest condolences to Matteo’s family and friends,” the GMA board wrote to The Hoya.

Toni Marz (MSB ’26), GMA’s strategy director, said Sachman was a valued member of her team.

“He worked on an amazing mock consulting project for a local business

with his peers,” Marz wrote to The Hoya. “I had the privilege of witnessing his collaborative spirit and creativity firsthand during trainings and General Body Meetings.”

Full disclosure: Toni Marz is The Hoya’s Senior Social Editor.

Mariah Rosengarten, the general manager of Hilltop Tap Room, where Sachman worked, said the bar was fully staffed when Sachman arrived looking for a job, but his persistence and enthusiasm persuaded her to hire him.

“He embodied everything we strive to be at the Taproom: passionate, hardworking, and kind,” Rosengarten wrote to The Hoya. “From his smile to his silly comments, Matteo was one of a kind and will never be forgotten.”

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), which oversees transit in New York, said their thoughts are with the Sachman family.

“Our hearts go out to Mr. Sachman’s family, friends, and all who are touched by his loss,” MTA spokesperson Aaron Donovan (COL ’98) wrote to The Hoya.

The Sachman family said Sachman loved his time at Georgetown and was excited to return to campus.

“He was thrilled to return to campus for spring semester to take new classes and reunite with Georgetown friends and brother after the break,” the Sachman family wrote.

Sachman is survived by his parents, Stephen Sachman and Alexia Quadrani (SFS ’89), and siblings, Julia (COL ’22) and Nicholas (SFS ’25).

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The Georgetown Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine (GUFSJP) hosted the vigil and a procession from the university gates to the front of Healy Hall to honor academics killed in Gaza.

VIGIL, from A1 facilities in Gaza, Judith Tucker, a professor of history emerita and GUFSJP organizer, said the vigil sought to bridge Palestinian academic legacies with the immense pain mourners felt.

“They were accomplished senior professors, presidents and deans of universities, and promising young teachers and researchers who had a lifetime of service to education ahead of them,” Tucker wrote to The Hoya. “We mourn their deaths, we deplore the incalculable damage done to higher education in Gaza, and we call for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further death and destruction.”

Israeli attacks are holding all education in the Gaza Strip at a complete halt, according to a spokesperson for United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF). The UN estimates that attacks have

damaged nearly three-fourths of the educational infrastructure in Gaza and many of the remaining structures are now shelters.

A university spokesperson said events such as the faculty-organized vigil are protected under the freedoms of expression that Georgetown grants.

“Georgetown’s Speech and Expression policy provides broad latitude for the expression of ideas and opinions,” the university spokesperson wrote. “Members of the community may express their views throughout campus locations regardless of whether the space has been reserved for that purpose, as long as the actions do not violate other university policies, disrupt university business, or curtail the free speech rights of others.”

Adely said Georgetown’s position as an American university endows its faculty and staff with a responsibility to honor their colleagues who lost their lives in Gaza.

“Education is at a complete standstill, as the Israeli bombardment of Gaza has left no place safe, Adely wrote. “As faculty and staff at an American university, we have a moral obligation to honor these colleagues, to remember them, and to speak against the policies of the US government that have been complicit in their murders.”

Alongside calls for a ceasefire, Tucker said the human and physical toll of the Israeli attacks has included the deaths of over four hundred undergraduate students, at least two dozen faculty members and immense damage to university buildings.

“The wanton attacks on academic institutions in Gaza are attacks on educators everywhere,” Tucker wrote. “Just as we admire the contributions of our Palestinian colleagues as researchers, teachers and administrators, we now grieve their loss, and demand a ceasefire.”

Tuiton Cost Rises 4.5%, Student Weary Of Increasing Attendance Price TUITION, from A1 Kyndall Jackson (CAS ’27), a member of the Georgetown Scholars Program (GSP), an organization that supports first-generation and low-income students (FGLI), said she expected the increase in tuition based on inflation.

“Because of how the economy is going with inflation, I knew that they were going to raise tuition,” Jackson told The Hoya. “I knew that for at least by the time I graduate. I just didn’t know that it would happen this soon.”

The prices of colleges and universities have generally increased due to the rising expenses schools face and the impacts of inflation. During the 2022-23 academic year, Boston College increased its tuition by 3.86%.

The University of Pennsylvania enacted a 4% tuition increase for the 2023-24 academic year.

Jackson said the university’s increase in tuition without yet knowing her cost of attendance after aid means she and other

low-income students fear they will be unable to attend Georgetown next semester.

“I’m honestly scared,” Jackson said. “With tuition increasing, I’m questioning if my aid will increase. The only reason I go here is because of my aid.”

Barbara Brousseau (CAS ’94) studied economics and French at Georgetown and has a highschool senior daughter who is considering attending Georgetown. Brousseau said she believes that despite the tuition increase, Georgetown still aims to promote the opportunity for all potential students to attend through need-based aid and programs like GSP. “Georgetown wants to be engaged in a lot of different socioeconomic communities,” Brousseau told The Hoya. “I do think that is not lost, even if there is a tuition hike. There are other ways that Georgetown is trying to ensure there is diversity in the makeup of the student body in a really significant and real way.”

To promote socioeconomic diversity on campus, Georgetown supports FLGI students through the GSP, servicing over 2,000 graduates since the inaugural class in 2009.

Brousseau said seeing Georgetown provide both need-based aid and increasingly strong programs represents Georgetown’s investment in students.

“When I visit Georgetown, I ask, ‘What do the buildings look like? What do the programs look like? What does the food on campus look like?’” Brousseau said. “Every time I go back, it’s always better. Yes, it is an investment, but the money is going to the right things.”

Brousseau added that an institution’s tuition may be a deciding factor for some students, but Georgetown’s opportunities and community represent a substantial investment in education.

“At 30 years out, I wouldn’t trade my Georgetown experience,” Brousseau said. “It’s priceless to me.

COURTESY OF THE SACHMAN FAMILY

Matteo Sachman (CAS ’27) was a volunteer for the Center for Social Justice’s (CSJ) HOME (Homelessness Outreach, Meals, Education) program, a member of the Georgetown Marketing Association (GMA) and a bartender at the Hilltop Tap Room.

Students Enjoy Monday’s Snowfall: Sledding, Snowballs, Snowmen SNOW, from A1 “I remember just the first time even seeing flurries at Georgetown was such an incredible experience for me, because I’ve spent my whole life in the tropics,” Bhowmik told The Hoya. “That for the second time ever for me to really see snow to again be at Georgetown, and just be an experience that I could share with a lot of my friends for whom it’s such a common happening, but for me, it’s so novel — I think it’s just an incredible experience.”

During the snowfall, Bhowmik built her first snowman, made her first snow angel and went for a walk to Heyden Observatory to look out over campus. Bhowmik said the snow gave Georgetown an air of happiness.

“It gave me a little bit more faith in the Georgetown community, because everyone was out there,” Bhowmik said.

“People were having snowball fights and building snowmen and just enjoying it with each other. I think it was just so lovely to see how the community came together.”

Renée Clark (CAS ’24) said she was excited that a major snowstorm finally hit the District during her senior spring, allowing her to fully experience snow at Georgetown with her friends.

“I have never really seen the campus in snow, Healy in snow, with everybody, my friends, going outside and having a good time and sledding,” Clark told The Hoya. “It’s been so much fun.”

Students used cardboard boxes, mattresses and trash bags to sled down campus hills.

Clark said she particularly enjoyed seeing the carefree, joyous atmosphere around campus.

“Genuinely, I can’t even describe the feeling of joy that the past couple of days on campus have had,” Clark said. “It’s amazing.”

Felix Rice (CAS ’26) also participated in the snowball fight and said he enjoyed seeing Georgetown community members take time for themselves instead of stressing or working late.

“It was nice that everybody was outside late and just having fun,” Rice told The Hoya. “We don’t do enough genuinely fun stuff, just for the fun of it, enough.”

Still, Rice, who grew up in the suburbs of Dallas, said the snow was unfamiliar and too cold for him.

“As a Texan, I’m not built for this,” Rice said. “I guess I’m just not a winter guy. I didn’t grow up with winter.”

“I’m ready for it to be spring again,” Rice added.

National Weather Service forecasts predict an additional two to three inches will fall in D.C. on Jan. 19 into the morning of Jan. 20.

Copeland said she is excited for campus to see another snowstorm so soon after the Jan. 15 storm.

“Even just the thought of it brings a smile to my face, and a childlike joy just from very deep inside of me just wants to burst forth and have a couple more snowball fights,” Copeland said.

Bhowmik said she looks forward to experiencing her third ever snowstorm with her close friends.

“I’m very excited,” Bhowmik said. “I have all my snow gear ready to go, my boots that I bought at the start of freshman year that I was waiting for a chance to break them out. I think it’s just so cool that I get to experience this with other people.”

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GU’s Let Freedom Ring Celebration Honors Martin Luther King Jr. Caleigh Keating Events Desk Editor

Reginald L. Douglas (COL ’09), artistic director at Mosaic Theater Company in D.C., received the John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award, given to a local figure exemplifying Thompson’s and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s spirit, at the 20th annual Let Freedom Ring Celebration hosted by Georgetown University and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Jan. 15.

The annual celebration seeks to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy through a tribute concert, community events and the Legacy of a Dream Award. The award, named after former Georgetown men’s basketball coach John Thompson Jr., honors a local community leader who exemplifies Thompson’s and King’s devotion to equity, racial justice and the Jesuit value of being a “person for others.”

Actress and playwright Anna Deavere Smith emceed the event, which featured performances by

event producer and composer Nolan Williams Jr. and singers Cécile McLorin Salvant and Jordin Sparks.

University President John J. DeGioia (CAS ’79, GRD ’95) paid homage to Dr. King in remarks at the event.

“70 years ago, in the early years of the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. King stood before a congregation in the Second Baptist Church in Detroit and laid forth an important challenge inviting us, in his words, ‘to be a people who will stand for right and goodness, who will know the simple disciplines of being honest, and loving and just for all of humanity.’” DeGioia said at the event, quoting King.

“We’ve come back to this stage to remember and reaffirm our commitment to Dr. King’s urgent work, work that remains unfinished,” DeGioia added.

Douglas, the recipient of this year’s Legacy of a Dream Award, is the artistic director of Mosaic Theater Company in D.C., a community-oriented theater dedicated to elevating untold stories and pressing societal issues, providing opportunities and cre-

ating change in its plays.

Douglas highlighted the mission of Mosaic in a video tribute at the event.

“I really think that theater at its best is a catalyst for more conversation, for more community building, and for connections,” Douglas said. “And for us at Mosaic, we do that with a desire to reflect the diversity of our world, to move people who are often in the margins into the spotlight, and I believe our work as artists is to curate the culture, and I want to curate a culture that reflects the diversity of what we are and what we could be.”

Cathy Soloman, board chair and president of Mosaic Theater Company, said Mosaic was impressed from the start by Douglas’ passion for theater, communication skills and vision.

“Reg immediately impressed us with his passion and his joy and his ability to communicate what theater can do to bring people together. That’s what Mosaic is all about, to be able to tell stories that help people understand their shared humani-

CALEIGH KEATING/THE HOYA

The Jan. 15 Let Freedom Ring Celebration was the event’s 20th annual rendition. Reginald L. Douglas (COL ’09) recieved the John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award. ty,” Solomon said in the video.

Douglas also reflected on the impact his Georgetown experiences had on his future career as he sought to combine his twin passions of politics and theater.

“I really believed that every voice mattered, and that I could be on the front lines of making change. That was always palpable and possible for me,” Douglas said. “I took a political theater course at Georgetown, and it was the ‘aha moment,’ you

can combine your love of civic engagement and community engagement with your love for theater and performance.”

The event finished with a performance by Grammy-nominated artist Jordin Sparks, who sang hits such as “One Step at a Time,” “No Air” and “Call My Name” before ending with a cover of Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.”

Sparks paid tribute to Dr. King at the event, highlighting his

quality of perseverance.

“His life was really inspiring.

I think for me, my favorite thing about him was his perseverance.

He kept going. He kept trying.

He kept knocking. He kept giving speeches. He kept watching people marching. He kept believing. He kept reading,” Sparks said at the event. “And I think for me, that’s something that is very prominent in my life, to persevere, to keep trying, to keep believing in yourself.”

School of Continuing Studies Jesuit Prison Education Hosts Talk on Women’s Network, PJI Discuss Sports Journalism, Writing Humanity, Education Maren Fagan

Academic Desk Editor

The Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies (SCS) hosted a talk with four women journalists in the field of sportswriting Jan. 17.

Bobby Goldwater, a faculty member in Georgetown’s sports industry management master’s program, moderated the conversation between Ruth Bonapace, Sally Jenkins, Raichele Privette (GRD ’20) and Kayla Key (GRD ’20) to discuss the presence of women as sports journalists throughout their careers and into the modern day. The discussion highlighted women’s progression and experiences in sports journalism.

Bonapace began her career in the 1980s, covering the New York Giants as part of the Associated Press, one of the few women in the field. Jenkins is a current sports columnist for the Washington Post, having previously written for Sports Illustrated magazine. Privette, an audio producer for SB Na-

“I felt like it could be very intimidating early on when you see that you’re the only woman in your newsroom or environment.”

RAICHELE PRIVETTE (GRD ’20) SB NATION AUDIO PRODUCER

tion’s “Bleeding Green Nation” podcast, reports on the Philadelphia Eagles. She also hosts and produces “Above the Nest with Raichele.” Key is a current video producer, working with the Washington Commanders.

Beginning the event, Carole Feldman, the faculty director for the SCS’s master’s degree in journalism, said that she wanted to work in sports journalism early in her career, but the newspapers to which she applied did not hire women in writing.

“I was a huge baseball fan growing up, and I had a journalism degree. I figured this would be a terrific way to get into sports and become a sports writer,” Feldman said at the event.

“I was told when I applied for a job that they weren’t accepting women into the communications department. I could be in hospitality, I could be on the secretarial staff, but I could not be in communications. There went my sports writing dreams.”

Key said she had played and watched sports her entire life,

eventually choosing to work in sports media — yet the concern of being a sports journalist in a male-dominated field made her nervous.

“I’ve always wanted to cover sports, but I think there was a little fear in the back of my head,” Key said at the event.

Key said that, while trainings to promote an inclusive newsroom have improved over time, they still largely fail to address the deeper problems underlying women’s treatment in the work environment.

To combat such structural inequities, Privette said that including female perspectives on sports through media like her podcast and Jenkins’ column engages more women to tune into sports media.

“I felt like it could be very intimidating early on when you see that you’re the only woman in your newsroom or environment,” Privette said. “I’m able to tap into an audience and gain an audience and be exposed to an audience or expose our podcast to an audience that they probably might not have been able to reach.”

“I’ve had to be proud of that and confidently share my perspective because it’s different,” she added.

“When we talk about things in these trainings, I’m listening and I’m thinking, ‘This sounds like just common courtesy. This sounds like we’re asking for the bare minimum,’” Key said. “I could not imagine prior to the minimum, I could not imagine what you all had gone through.”

Bonapace said that she was aware that she was a trailblazer for women in her field in the 1980s, but she was initially focused on submitting her stories. However, she eventually realized the inequities women faced in the field, such as not having the same opportunities as their male counterparts to interview players.

“I was aware of the very few women in sports and dealing with the issue. But basically, I was trying to get through my day and get my stories filed,” Bonapace said.

“As I was hit with some of these issues, I thought, ‘Well, how do we solve this, how do we solve this?

What am I going to do?’”

Jenkins said that she learned to be authentic in her writing to defeat the notion that women sports journalists fail to write within the male-centered sphere of sports journalism. Jenkins said this method was how she made a voice in sports journalism.

“I wanted to be unapologetically female,” Jenkins said. “I think women do have different perceptions and a lot of things.

I think that we have different eyes; we have different experiences. And so I think the female perspective means taking responsibility for yourself and building your own voice.”

Aamir Jamil

GUSA Desk Editor

Two experts on prison education discussed the injustices of incarceration in the United States and the importance of education at a Jan. 16 presentation.

Fr. Thomas Curran, S.J., the founder and coordinator of the Jesuit Prison Education Network (JPEN), which coordinates prison education programs for Jesuit universities, and Arlando Jones III, a program associate at the Georgetown University Prisons and Justice Initiative (PJI), which provides education and reentry programs to Washington, D.C.-area inmates along with wrongful convictions aid, spoke at the event.

Curran and Jones discussed the importance of receiving an education in prison, drawing on Jones’ experience of taking college courses while serving 37 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted.

Curran said the current prison system is failing, leading to mass incarceration and limited success in rehabilitating convicted individuals.

“It’s just absolutely staggering.

And because we have moved more and more people, we went from some, a couple hundred thousand people in prison to over two million people,” Curran said. “We just started to warehouse people and I say warehousing because it’s really a question about whether we are rehabilitating individuals.”

Curran presented several statistics related to mass incarceration that

sparked JPEN’s creation. While the United States makes up about 5% of the world’s population, it holds nearly 25% of the world’s incarcerated population. Almost 700,000 people are released from prison each year, but 75% are still unemployed one year later.

Curran said that college education in prisonreducesrecidivism—newcriminal offenses committed by formerly incarcerated individuals — by 43%.

“Just some college education, perhaps a couple of courses, can reduce recidivism. So just a little bit of investment can literally reduce and be an antidote to this.”

JPEN now connects prison education programs similar to PJI at nine colleges: St. Louis University, Regis University, Rockhurst University, Marquette University, Loyola University in Louisiana, University of Scranton, John Carroll University, St. John’s College in Belize and Georgetown University.

Curran shared the story of a women’s correctional facility in Missouri, where Rockhurst University sponsored college courses for inmates and correctional officers. The first cohort is expected to graduate in December 2024 with associate degrees.

Curran said the program creates new understandings as the joint program forces prison staff and inmates to work on homework assignments together.

“In some cases in Missouri, I had prison staff saying ‘I had challenges with this person or that person and now I needed to work with them

KATIE SCHWEICKERT/THE HOYA

Experts on prison education discussed the injustices of incarceration in the U.S. at a Jan. 16 presentation. because we had the same homework assignment.’ Education is transformative. Education brings forth a conversion in all of us about understanding how we all share that humanity. Prison education is about our call to a shared humanity,” Curran said at the event.

Jones, who took part in the PJI education program before his 2022 release, spent years in jail for a crime he did not commit. Police officers shot his father in 1970 when Jones was just two years old. At 16 years old, Jones was sentenced to the Metropolitan Transition Center for a crime he did not commit.

Jones said not having the skill sets and education prevented him from sufficiently advocating for his innocence and escaping the cycle of violence.

“I had no words to define my life.

I’m consigned to a life of poverty, of low expectations,” Jones said. “So I go off to the penitentiary for a crime that I didn’t have any way of defending myself because I had no education.”

Jones added that the Jesuit education from Rockhurst courses instilled him with a sense of hope and a desire to better the lives of those around him, leading him to work in hospice care while imprisoned.

“I was bold enough to try new

things. I worked in hospice care, dealing with people and I learned from dealing with a member of the Aryan Brotherhood who hated everything that I was. He taught me love and to be compassionate,” Jones said.

Jones said his passion is working with PJI students to help others who are wrongfully convicted through the “Making An Exoneree” course, where students investigate wrongful convictions.

“They examine the case, study the case, do a documentary and make the person a human again.

And that’s what an education does. It gives a person a voice and a chance to create a narrative of their own life as opposed to being the subject of other folks,” Jones said.

Curran said he hopes to increase connection between the schools participating in JPEN so prison education can humanize convicted individuals across the country.

“Let’s not have these island operations, but let’s start bringing the schools together so that we have best practices,” Curran said. “That’s my work because it is a call to our shared humanity. In every one of the facilities I’ve been in, repeatedly over and over and over, the same refrain that I hear from the students is ‘I feel human again.’”

Johns Hopkins Professor Discusses U.S.-China Rivalry Neha Jampala and Aamir Jamil

Special to The Hoya, GUSA Desk Edtior

Professor Ho-fung Hung of Johns Hopkins University delved into the intricacies of the U.S.-China rivalry in a recent online seminar hosted by Georgetown University.

Hung, an acclaimed author and expert in political economy, posited that the ongoing tensions between the United States and China stem more from global capitalism’s evolving dynamics rather than ideological differences. Hung’s scholarly interests include East Asian development and nation-state formation.

Hung began his research during the latter half of the Trump presidency, saying he was interested in how structural and political forces have shaped the U.S.-China relationship.

“I have been giving this talk since the late Trump era. In the beginning, people were in doubt because in the late Trump era, people were asking whether this U.S.-China rivalry was just caused by one person, Trump,” Hung said at the event. “But I was skeptical of whether it would change under a Democratic administration. I believed that it was beyond the control of one particular president and I felt it was very hard to convince people that these are actually structural forces.”

Hung traced the origins of U.S.-Chi-

na rivalry back to the 1990s, highlighting how Wall Street and U.S. corporations integrated Chinese firms into their global financial and supply chain systems. This integration facilitated a U.S.-China policy that emphasized economic engagement, overlooking ideological rifts post-1989.

However, the scenario shifted post-2010. China’s aggressive economic stance began to challenge U.S. and foreign capital within its sphere of influence, marking a departure from the earlier boom years.

“The global financial crisis in 2008 is a turning point,” Hung said. “Then, with overcapacity and all the problems that Chinese corporations were struggling with, the Chinese government responded to this by trying to help them, squeezing foreign enterprise out of domestic markets and into the barren world market.”

Hung added that the effects of declining population growth and economic stagnation in China, as studied in the past, is affecting geopolitical tensions.

“The cost of the deteriorating U.S.-China population is slowing down and even the economic crisis in China. It is not a very kind of common knowledge or obvious knowledge and people still don’t believe that China was in the economic crisis but now it is becoming more obvious.”

This shift, according to Hung, sparked an inter-capitalist compe-

tition reminiscent of the historical U.K.-Germany rivalry, though he expects a different outcome.

“The U.K. and Germany were allies in the late nineteenth century and early turn of century but in the 1910s, U.K.-German competition, corporate competition and financial competition started to spill over to become war,” Hung said.

“Back then, this corporate competition between Germany and the U.K. escalated easily, developing into this space of influence competitions and war, but now, the U.S. and China can have more arena to compete,” Hung added.

Hung’s presentation, centered around historical and economic analysis, also touched upon various phases of this evolving relationship. He noted the changing U.S. corporate interests in China and the role of policy in shaping these dynamics, as companies originally lobbied Congress in the 1990s to open China’s trade access without human rights conditions.

“The Chinese government was giving them a lot of promises and favors and in exchange for their effort to lobby the U.S. government to take out the human right condition on Chinese goods access to the U.S. market,” Hung said. “They knew that if they lobbied on behalf of China in D.C. that they would get the favor back.”

Corporate interests later came

apart, weakening U.S.-China relations.

After the global financial crisis in 2008, the Chinese government helped domestic corporations and limited foreign enterprise in Chinese markets.

Hung said diminished U.S. corporate power in China resulted in less influence in Congress and more influence for other advocates and interests that oppose the Chinese government.

“The U.S. corporations are no longer the ambassador of China’s voice and interest in the U.S. political system,” Hung said. “And so the geopolitical hawks and ideological and human right activists can have the upper hand.”

“Whenever there’s a bill that is on the U.S. side that is hostile and not so friendly with China about human rights and everything else, you can get enormous and sometimes a vast majority of support,” Hung added.

Hung ended by saying the economic conflict is likely to worsen, though the United States should take steps to prevent the tensions from escalating.

“The conflict on economic terms, in trade and investment, is not going to improve any time soon,” Hung said. “The Biden administration is still rolling out the regulations that restrained U.S. investment into Chinese stock markets and it is going to still bite. But to prevent the conflict from becoming a political and military conflict is important.”

THE HOYA | A9

FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2024 | THEHOYA.COM

NEWS

Prisons and Justice Initiative Report Georgetown Community Members Join Highlights Exoneration, Education Protestors at National March for Gaza Madison Fox-Moore Student Life Desk Editor

On Jan. 11, the Georgetown University Prisons and Justice Initiative (PJI) released its annual report, which detailed a year of exoneration, education and expansion.

Established in 2016 to provide an avenue for Georgetown University faculty and students to tackle the complexities of mass incarceration, PJI is currently the leading provider of education for both current and former incarcerated individuals.

2023 marked a year of achievement and growth for the program. PJI opened a new facility in downtown Washington, D.C. to accommodate its growing team, was highlighted in People magazine and continued its mission of involving the Georgetown community in the crisis posed by mass incarceration in America.

Marc Howard (LAW ‘12), founding director of PJI and a government and law professor at Georgetown, said the initiative has grown rapidly in the past eight years.

“We started as a very small team trying to engage the Georgetown community in criminal legal reform issues, and we’ve grown to become a real model for how universities can serve people impacted by incarceration,” Howard wrote to The Hoya.

This year, its Prison Scholars Program, in which Georgetown faculty teach classes to incarcerated individuals at the D.C. Jail, celebrated the completion of 357 credits by its 45 students.

PJI also continued its second year with its Bachelor of Liberal Arts program. This program offers incarcerated inmates in Maryland the opportunity to receive a fully accredited Bachelor of Liberal Arts from Georgetown University. The program hopes to enroll 125 students in the next five years, and in 2023, it reached the halfway point toward

this goal with 67 students enrolled.

In addition to its education opportunities for currently incarcerated individuals, the PJI provides a host of reentry services for individuals leaving the prison system, including the Georgetown Pivot Program, which seeks to provide vocational and career-oriented training for previously incarcerated individuals.

The Pivot Program provides students with classes and internship opportunities and even hosts an annual pitch competition, where participants compete for startup funding. This year, Tyronda Ferrell won the pitch competition for her startup, Pop, Lock n’ Learn, a summer dance program that also provides digital literacy instruction.

The Pivot Program announced the graduation of 16 participants in 2023, including Ferrell, who upon graduating, joined the PJI team as a full-time administrative coordinator.

Ferrell said she chose to work for PJI in order to give back to the community and help change outcomes for previously incarcerated individuals.

“I hope to have more opportunities to speak to previously incarcerated individuals and show them how the Pivot program can help break the stereotype of ‘once incarcerated, always incarcerated.’” Ferrell wrote to The Hoya. “Ultimately, I want to demonstrate to the world that the Pivot program is full of genuine people dedicated to helping returning citizens succeed.”

Katy Ryan, a former professor at West Virginia University specializing in the history of prisons in the United States, joined the initiative in August as its new director of education and said she looks forward to enriching PJI’s current education program with more arts programming.

“We also want to create a writing and arts studio at the prison and jail,” Ryan wrote to The Hoya. “We’d love to collaborate with students on a writing and art

collection of their original work.”

Aside from its expansive education program,PJIisalsodedicatedtoworking to exonerate wrongly convicted people.

The “Making an Exoneree” course and program was founded by Howard and life-long friend Marty Tankleff in 2018, after Tankleff was exonerated after spending nearly 18 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, and it seeks to involve Georgetown students in the fight to reverse wrongful convictions. Each semester, 15 students take an intensive 5-credit course where they work directly with currently incarcerated individuals seeking to terminate their wrongful convictions.

In 2023, the program celebrated the release of Kenneth Bond, Muti Ajamu-Osagboro and Terrel Barros, who served a combined 80 years after being wrongly convicted.

PJI Program Associate Arlondo “Tray” Jones III, who was exonerated in 2022 after serving 37 years in prison, expressed his pride in this year’s exonerees and hopes that the “Making an Exoneree” program continues to thrive in 2024.

“I would love to walk one of this year’s wrongfully convicted Making An Exoneree participants out of prison,” Jones wrote to The Hoya. “My dream would be to see all five walk free!”

Ryan said PJI’s programs constantly face challenges, but that a common commitment to the initiative’s mission continuously drives its team to work to surmount them.

“There is nothing easy about this work,” Ryan said. “Every day I watch coworkers confront obstacles and respond with such creativity and determination. There is a sense of shared purpose at PJI and a daily willingness to dig deeper to ensure people have access to education while in prison and meaningful support when released.”

DC Council Legislation Regulates Unliscensed Cannabis Gifting Shops

AAMIR JAMIL/THE HOYA

The National March for Gaza took place Jan. 13 in Freedom Plaza on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Aamir Jamil

GUSA Desk Editor

Several Georgetown University students and faculty members joined the National March for Gaza in Freedom Plaza on Jan. 13, gathering alongside thousands of protestors calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and an end to U.S. aid to Israel.

The Georgetown chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine (FSJP) and Zeytoun, an organization dedicated to decolonization in the Middle East and Northern Africa, helped organize groups of students and faculty to attend the march as part of the Georgetown Week of Action for Palestine, which commemorates 100 days of the war in Gaza. Speakers at the plaza called for a ceasefire and disarmament and told stories of injured and killed family members in Gaza.

After the rally, protesters marched around the White House.

Finley Heesch (CAS ’27) said she attended the march in support of a ceasefire in Gaza and to stand against the U.S. government’s response.

“I attended the National March on Washington for Gaza this weekend because I felt that there was a need to call for the United States to promote peace via a ceasefire in the midst of our government’s continued commitment to promoting violence and war in the Middle East,” Heesch wrote to The Hoya.

President Joe Biden planned to send $14.5 billion in aid to Israel, though the package has stalled in Congress due to debates over proposed aid for Ukraine. The Senate recently declined to pass a resolution calling for an investigation of Israel’s human rights record. Biden has quietly pushed the Israeli government to scale down the war, allow humanitarian aid and transition control of the Gaza Strip to Palestinian officials. The Biden administration still denied calls for a ceasefire.

The American Muslim Task Force for Palestine, an umbrella group of Muslim advocacy and human and civil rights organizations,

and the ANSWER Coalition, an anti-war and civil rights organization, organized the march as part of a global day of protests. Around 400,000 people attended the protest, according to ANSWER. ANSWER also helped to organize the previous Nov. 4 national march, which drew about 300,000 protesters, including a group of about 20 Georgetown students from SJP. Georgetown students also joined A National March for Israel at the National Mall on Nov. 14.

Heesch said the environment was positive, featuring speeches by activists and third-party presidential candidates Cornel West, a political activist and former professor, and Jill Stein, an activist and Green Party presidential candidate.

“It was a moving experience; everyone in the crowd was loving and supportive, and there were even many young children who attended the event. It was a powerfulexperience,”Heeschsaid.

Professor Nader Hashemi — the director of the Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, which studies the history of Muslim-Christian relations and promotes interfaith dialogue — said the march was a response to Israel’s continuing bombardment of Gaza and U.S. support for the war.

“The March for Gaza took place on the 100-day anniversary of the war against the backdrop of a U.S.-backed genocidal assault on the people of Gaza,” Hashemi told The Hoya. “The frustration and anger of the demonstrators toward this reality was palpable.”

Hamas killed 1,200 Israelis in its Oct. 7 attack, taking around 250 hostages, half of which remain in captivity. The Israeli response over the last 100 days has killed about 24,000 Palestinians in Gaza, along with numerous United Nations workers, journalists and health care workers.

It is estimated that 45-56% of Gaza’s buildings are damaged or destroyed.

Hashemi added that the march signified broader support for a ceasefire and peace in Gaza compared the march to anti-Vietnam War protests and the Civil Rights Movement, both

of which Hashemi said criticized the American ruling class.

“This march was comprised of people from all walks of life,” Hashemi said. “It was mostly grassroots folks who came out to protest the U.S.-backed atrocities in Gaza and the absence of any democratic accountability over U.S. Mideast policy. In this sense, a clear message was sent that most Americans — unlike the ruling elites of the Democratic and GOP parties — support equal rights for all people in Israel and Palestine.”

Iklil Bouhmouch (GRD ’24) said she attended the march to stand up against human rights abuses and injustice.

“I have been attending protests for the liberation of the Palestinian people for many years, and I have done so because I believe it is our duty to stand up to injustice anywhere,” Bouhmouch wrote to The Hoya. “I choose to attend because I currently live in a country that chooses to fund ethnic cleansing instead of providing its people with quality education, healthcare, housing or even water,” Bouhmouch wrote to The Hoya.

Bouhmouch said in addition to the loss of life, there are also other global implications of the conflict on the climate and human rights.

“Settler colonies have been used to test and develop harmful technologies and social structures,” Bouhmouch said. “We are directly implicated as American taxpayers, but also as global citizens. We should all be concerned about the loss of human lives, but also with the long term effects of Israeli carpet bombing on the climate.”

Hashemi said the movement for a ceasefire in Gaza is part of a larger movement for human rights, noting that there is a lot of potential for interfaith dialogue on the issue.

“The biggest opportunity I see is organizing a broad-based inclusive coalition of Muslims, Jews, Christians, atheists and others on the question of a just resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict,” Hashemi said. “At its core, the struggle in Israel and Palestine is about universal human rights versus those who believe in the idea of an ethnoreligious-supremacist state.”

H*yas for Choice, GUCD Organize Reproductive Rights, Justice Panel

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The D.C. Council unanimously passed emergency legislation granting the Alcohol Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) the ability to penalize unlicensed cannabis gift shops.

Anna Lim

Special to The Hoya

On Jan. 9, the Washington, D.C. Council unanimously passed emergency legislation granting the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) the ability to penalize unlicensed cannabis gifting stores that have not yet completed an application for the city’s medical cannabis program.

The Medical Cannabis Enforcement Emergency Amendment Act of 2024, which will take effect for 90 days, is aimed toward unlicensed Initiative 71 (I-71) compliant cannabis stores in D.C. that “gift” cannabis products with the purchase of a mundane item, often stickers or t-shirts. These stores operate through an I-71 loophole, as cannabis possession and gifting under two ounces to adults is legal, but its sale is only available to medical marijuana patients.

On his website, Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen said the issue of regulation and taxability caused the council to move this emergency legislation.

“Last year, the council took action to address the legal ‘gray area’ of supposed ‘I-71 compliant’ shops and create a pathway for them to join the District’s existing – and very well-run - Medical Cannabis Program,” Allen wrote.

For currently unlicensed dispensaries, this process entails submitting an application to the ABCA for a license to sell medical cannabis, made easier through the Medical Cannabis Amendment Act of 2022. The act lifted existing caps on the number of dispensaries allowed to operate and in-

creased the number of cultivation centers allowed to open.

“However, as the application period has opened in the past several weeks, it has quickly become clear we need to create a strong and unambiguous enforcement mechanism for shops that still choose to operate illegally,” Allen added.

Joe Massaua (SFS ’25) is an Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) commissioner who represents 2E04, a territory encompassing parts of the Georgetown and Foxhall neighborhoods.

Massaua said Up N’ Smoke, a dispensary on M Street close to Georgetown’s campus, is currently going through the process of applying for a license, which includes settling with the ANC. “We’re going through the protests process to get a settlement agreement because all licenses have a settlement agreement between the community neighbors and the holder of the license, which in this case was Up N’ Smoke,” Massaua told The Hoya.

“But that licensing process is going through now and as of Jan. 29, I think the process closes.”

Zack Learman, a partner and cannabis attorney at Mandija Learman Green PLLC, spoke about the unique challenges of working around the District’s cannabis laws, specifically regarding the I-71 loophole and gray market.

“I had no idea D.C. was a market at all until Up N’ Smoke came to me to apply for a legitimate license or cannabis permit in D.C., and that process is usually competitive in other states,” Learman said. “Every legal market has its own idiosyncrasies.

D.C. is insane. I’ve never seen anything like it in a good and bad way

like this gray market is nuts.”

According to Learman, the application was a straightforward process, aided by Up N’ Smoke’s status as a social equity applicant. However, he said it is still difficult to navigate the D.C. Council bureaucracy, which poses a struggle for attorneys. ​​“I don’t think there are even really administrative rules fleshed out yet, and I’m trying to get my hands on it to figure it out. If some of these ANC things go south, we’re prepared to go to the mat if we have to,” Learman said.

Learman added that varying views across generations on the legalized uses of marijuana contribute to the nuances underlying the process of receiving a permit.

“And there’s a generational divide, too. The classic that I’ve heard is like a ‘not in my backyard’ kind of a thing, and it’s a little tiresome, but also I understand it’s just a generational divide.”

Massaua said unlicensed businesses could face consequences such as warnings, fines and cease and desist orders after the Jan. 29 deadline, which he supports since he believes they will maximize customers’ safety when using marijuana.

“After that, we’re hoping that MPD and the Police Department and the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection and ABCA, which is the Alcohol Beverage and Cannabis Administration, will crack down on these unlicensed stores,” Massaua said. “Our goal is to have a Georgetown that has licensed stores that provide safe products for customers, especially since students probably use marijuana at a higher rate than the general population of Georgetown.”

Nora Toscano

Special to The Hoya

H*yasforChoiceandtheGeorgetown UniversityCollegeDemocratsco-hosted a panel discussion about the state of reproductive rights in 2024 on Jan. 17.

Attheevent,fivepanelistsdiscussed different portraits of reproductive justice in a politically heated country with a presidential election nearing.

The event took place three days prior to Georgetown hosting the 25th Annual Cardinal O’Connor Conference on Life, the largest student-run pro-life conference in the United States. The event was initially scheduled to be held in Gaston Hall before the university moved it to Lohrfink Auditorium in the McDonough School of Business three business days prior to the event.

“We are sincerely disappointed that the Administration decided to suddenly demote the event to a smaller and less significant space, especially because it seems like the decision was made, in part, because the subject matter of the event represents an opposing viewpoint to some,” GUCD wrote in a statement to The Hoya.

The university said the event was moved due to security concerns.

“Georgetown’s Speech and Expression policy provides broad latitude for the expression of ideas and opinions, even when they may be difficult, controversial or objectionable, and encourages individuals to “openly and vigorously contest” ideas they disagree with or oppose,” a university spokesperson wrote to The Hoya.

“The decision was made to locate the event in Lohrfink Auditorium in the Hariri Building, a space that optimizes GUPD security options for events, especially ones open to the general public without pre-registration.”

At the event, panelist Christina Marea, an assistant professor of midwifery and women’s health at the Georgetown School of Nursing and an external consultant to the World Health Organization (WHO), spoke

about the importance of the three pillars of reproductive justice: the right to have children, the right to not have children and the right to parent children in a safe environment.

Marea said access to reproductive care directly impacts already marginalized groups and can adversely impact trust in healthcare providers and poverty and dependency for women.

“The ripple effects are massive,” Marea said at the event. “The people who are most marginalized socially, economically, racially, historically, are the ones who are going to bear the brunt, but make no mistake, your privilege isn’t going to protect you either. Starting with the most marginalized, it trickles to everyone.”

The Supreme Court of the United StatesvotedtooverturnRoev.Wade(1973) with a 6-3 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022), effectively restricting access to abortion in many states. In states such as South Carolina and Indiana, more restrictive banshavetakeneffectpost-Dobbs.Nonetheless,sincetheoverturning,somestates like Ohio have voted on legislation protectingreproductiverights.

Panelist Angela Maske (NHS ’19), a strategic project manager for Advocates for Youth and former co-president of H*yas for Choice, highlighted the unique opportunity Georgetown students have to organize and show their support for reproductive justice.

“I would encourage you all to take advantage of those opportunities to organize your peers,” Maske said at the event. “And also to ask for more, or demand more, from the administration that is supposed to be supporting your health and growth and development as young people and as students.”

Panelist Erin Matson (COL ’02), a feminist writer and organizer, has built her career around fighting for women’s rights and reproductive justice. First inspired by a women’s studies course she took as a student at Georgetown, Matson said she believes that a life dedicated to advocacy can propel individu-

als to make a meaningful social impact.

Matson added that the fight for reproductive justice and women’s rights does not end on campus but is an ongoing battle.

“You can make a life out of this, and it doesn’t have to stop once you leave campus,” Matson said. “So, really, my trick is I have simply kept going, and I refuse to stop until we win.”

Kayla Edwards Friedland (SFS ’22), a Washington, D.C. community organizer at Planned Parenthood, said demanding justice from school administration is essential. While at Georgetown, they led a movement that improved campus resources for survivors of sexual violence, especially Black survivors.

“These systems aren’t actually always built for us,” Edwards Friedland said at the event. “It’s about making sure that we’re working to create systems that actually will be.”

Panelist Gillian Branstetter, a communications strategist at the ACLU Women’s Rights Project and LGBTQ & HIV Project, spoke about the linkage between legislation restricting abortion access and legislation restricting transgender people’s access to gender-affirming health care.

“It’s the same legal groups, the same politicians, who are attempting to restrict transgender rights across a broad array of areas, especially gender-affirming medical care, who have also paved the way to overturning Roe,” Branstetter said at the event.

Maske, who helped pilot the H*yas for Choice program that provides free Plan B to Georgetown students, highlighted her understanding of the difficulties of organizing on a college campus. She reminded the audience that student action is the reason we have seen advancements in reproductive rights on campus, such as H*yas for Choice being able to provide condoms and emergency contraception to the student body.

“Just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean you shouldn’t demand more,” Maske said.

A10 | THE HOYA

THEHOYA.COM | FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2024

SPORTS MEN’S TENNIS

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

GU Survives Sharpshooting Friars, Hoyas Locate Success, Community Secures Clutch Win in Final Seconds At Maccabi Games in Buenos Aires Daniel Greilsheimer

Oliver Ni

Senior Sports Editor

Senior Sports Editor

With both teams entering the game on losing skids, the Wednesday, Jan. 17 matchup between Georgetown University and Providence provided each team with a crucial opportunity to regain momentum in a tough Big East conference.

Ultimately, the physical, high-scoring game ended with the Hoyas (13-4, 3-3 Big East) eking out a 73-71 win over the Providence Friars (8-11, 2-4 Big East). Georgetown, powered by strong offensive performances throughout the lineup, broke the back-and-forth deadlock with a contested make by senior guard Kelsey Ransom with just 3.8 seconds left on the clock.

Head Coach Darnell Haney attributed the victory to a strong all-around effort by the team against an unusually sharpshooting Providence offense.

“We are the team that has to win as a team,” Haney told Georgetown Athletics. “We don’t have just one good player, we need everyone to show up.

We just need to continue to grow, play Georgetown defense and we’ll be fine.”

The Hoyas entered the game needing a strong offensive performance. After a blowout loss to No. 9 University of Connecticut (15-3, 7-0 Big East) and a heartbreaking overtime loss against Villanova (12-5, 5-1 Big East), Georgetown hoped its then-No. 8 scoring defense would continue to capitalize on Providence’s season-long efficiency struggles.

Yet, the start of the game quickly suggested otherwise.

With junior forward Brianna Scott not available again, the Hoyas lacked the size to match the Friars’ forward duo of Olivia Olsen and Sarah Bandoma. Both teams scored without much trouble — Georgetowndistributeditsscoringrelativelyevenly, while Providence relied on hot-handed guardsGraceEfosaandBrynnFarrell.

However, a hard fall temporarily sidelined Efosa, who missed 12 games earlier this season due to an injury.

The game’s physicality continued as the Friars employed a three-quarters court press against the Hoyas to dis-

GUHOYAS

Georgetown sealed the win in the last 3.8 seconds of the game. rupt their offensive rhythm. Efosa made her way back on to the court and helpedProvidenceclosethequarteron an 8-2 scoring run to take a 20-15 lead.

Both teams picked off from where they left off to start the second period. Providence’s shooting spree continued, widening the lead to as much as 9 points in the quarter.

Yet graduate forward Graceann Bennett’s nifty footwork helped her counter the Friars’ size, as she netted 10 points in the quarter. Improved scoring from Ransom and sophomore guard Victoria Rivera, along with an adjusted defense, helped pull Georgetown back to a 38-35 lead to close out the half.

Both teams slowed down to open up the second half. Although the Friars struggled to land their shots on open looks, Olsen proved to be a defensive nuisance for providence, notching 3 blocks in the quarter to push her game total to 6. The two teams continued to trade points, with the lead changing hands four times to a 50-49 nailbiter by the end of the quarter.

Looking to spark the Georgetown offense,sophomoreguardModestiMcConnell stole the show toward the start of the fourthquarter.Despitehavingonlyplayed 13 minutes on the season prior to the game, McConnell made three straight 3-pointers within a four minute span to supplymuchoftheteam’sscoring.

Haney said McConnell’s success was a testament to her consistent hard work during practices.

“We’ve been hiding her in the bunker, man,” Haney told the Big East Digital Network. “She’s been doing a great

job in practice, Modesti has been great.”

“Wealwaystellouryoungwomen,and I told them before the game. I said, ‘You neverknowwhenit’sgonnabeyourtime, andyougottastayready,’”Haneyadded.

Providence matched its opponent’s scoring, as Olsen dominated the paint to tie the game at 59 with 6:08 left on the clock. Even as the Hoyas were doing well to cut through the defense with quick breakaway play and solid ball movement, the Friars seemed like they simply could not miss.

Asthefinalminutetickedaway,Georgetown found itself up 4 points behind 4 made free throws. Before the Hoyas could celebrate, however, Friar guard Marta Morales Romero sunk a majestic 3-pointer to tiethegameat71with13.7secondsleft.

It took a heroic effort by Ransom to officially end the game, as she dribbled past her assigned defender from outside the arc, launched a jumper with two Friars guarding her shot and still managed to land it with 3.8 seconds left.

Ransom was the engine for the Hoyas’ offense, playing 39 minutes and accruing 25 points on 9-for-13 shooting to go with 4 steals. Both Rivera and Bennett had solid games as well, each earning 16 points and grabbing 7 and 6 boards, respectively. Although the Hoyas have some cleaning up to do on the defensive end, the eventual return of Scott will hopefully provide them with additional depth against their other Big East rivals.

Georgetown returns home Saturday to face Xavier (1-14, 0-6 Big East), hoping to break above .500 in conference play on the season.

Making for an eventful winter break, two Georgetown University students graced the tennis courts at the 2023 Pan American Maccabi Games, the fifteenth iteration of the Jewish athletic competition.

Held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from Dec. 27 to Jan. 5, the event brought together thousands of Jewish athletes from dozens of countries. Athletes participated in sports ranging from the traditional basketball, soccer and swimming to the less typical pickleball, futsal and the Maccabi Man/Woman competition — a combination of several ultra-endurance events.

Within each sport, there are four tiers: U16, U18, open and masters.

The open tennis team was composed of 11 members, including two students from Georgetown: Jacob Callahan (SFS ’26) and Akira Morgenstern (CAS ’25).

Callahan plays on the Georgetown club tennis team on campus and was thrilled to play in this year’s games.

“It was something I was really, really excited to do because I had heard it was amazing from people who had gone and played other sports at the Maccabi Games,” Callahan told The Hoya.

Morgenstern, a member of Georgetown’s varsity team, has competed in the Maccabiah Games in the past — the 2022 games in Israel — and was motivated to return.

“I played in the open division, and it was genuinely like one of the best experiences of my life, being in Israel surrounded by a bunch of Jews and

having the chance to play tennis,” Morgenstern told The Hoya.

The competition was played on red clay courts, which are fairly uncommon in the United States and proved to be an exciting challenge for Callahan.

“The clay was a big adjustment for me, and I think for the rest of the U.S.A. team as well,” Callahan said. “There’s not a lot of clay courts, especially red clay courts in America, so just getting used to how the ball bounces, how to move was a new experience.”

It was also Morgenstern’s first time playing on red clay.

Despite the novelty of the courts, both Morgenstern and Callahan put together excellents runs. Morgenstern took home the silver medal in doubles in an electric final.

“It was really cool getting to play in the finals, had a big crowd, live streamed to everyone who was playing in the Maccabi Games across all sports, so a little bit of pressure,” Morgenstern said. “It was just like an incredible experience, and I just tried to savor it as much as possible.”

In the singles draw, Callahan advanced to the second round before falling to eventual gold medalist Arturo Kam of Mexico.

Aside from an opening ceremony speech by Argentine President Javier Milei, who reiterated his support for the Maccabi Games, a highlight of the competition for Callahan was a joint Shabbat service among all delegations.

“It was super cool to see all the different — like everyone’s Jewish, but from all these different countries, there’s all these slightly different tra-

ditions,” Callahan said. “And the service was led by an Argentine rabbi, so got a lot of insight into Argentine Judaism and how it’s similar and different from what I’m used to.”

Despite only spending one day together prior to the tournament start, Callahan said team camaraderie quickly swelled among the American players.

“By the second day — so we had one day of practice and then, the second day of competition started — it felt like we had already known each other forever. And by the end of the week, we had really just bonded a lot and become very close,” Callahan said.

Many even had mutual connections via the tennis world.

“Jewish geography and tennis geography, so everyone did have some mutual acquaintances or friends with everyone since tennis and Judaism are both kind of small worlds,” Callahan added.

In total, the American delegation of about 700 athletes finished second in the medal race with 124 total, falling behind only that of the host Argentina squad.

In the future, Morgenstern said he would love the opportunity to travel to and play in another Maccabi Games.

“Every time I play, it’s just such an awesome experience,” Morgenstern said. “It’s just like being around that community and then also being in a foreign country, whether it’s Israel or a South American or Central American country. It’s just such a unique experience.

“I would recommend it to anyone who’s Jewish and can somewhat play a sport.”

BETWEEN THE LINES

Premier League Midseason Update: Awards, Predictions, Storylines Owen Reid

Hoya Sports Columnist

Although Manchester City’s three consecutive titles in England’s top football league left many thinking the 2023-24 Premier League (PL) campaign would be less competitive than years prior, the first half of the season has told a different tale. First place has changed hands four times, 10 different clubs have been in the top five at some point and five clubs sit within just six points of each other atop the Premier League table. Here are my awards to recognize the PL’s outstanding midseason performers, and my predictions for the second half of the 23-24 campaign.

Midseason Awards Player of the Midseason: Mohamed Salah Mo Salah leads the league in goal contributions with 22 — 14 scored himself and 8 assisted — four more than last year’s PFA Player of the Year Erling Haaland. Involved in over 50% of Liverpool’s goals this season, Salah has been indispensable to the team’s league-leading attack. What defines Salah is his consistent greatness.

He’s appeared in 19 of Liverpool’s 20 games and has accrued a league-best seven man of the match awards.

Other players, including Tottenham’s James Maddison or Manchester City’s Rodrigo and Haaland, have played just as well at times, but haven’t stayed as healthy or performed as consistently as the Egyptian has thus far.

Manager of the Midseason: Unai Emery After taking over the reins of Aston Villa in October 2022, Unai Emery has moved the Midlands side from a relegation position to joint second at the midseason point. With nine wins and one draw in 10 home games, Emery has turned Villa Park into the most formidable away ground in the PL. Villa’s squad hasn’t really changed since Emery took over; rather, he’s

been able to harness the upside of his forwards in his trademark fast, counter-attacking style of football. Emery punctuated his brilliant start to the 23-24 campaign with a dominant rout of reigning champion Manchester City in December, outshooting City 22 to 1 in a statement 1-0 win. Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola also deserves credit, as he has taken the club from 19th to 12th after gaining 22 of a possible 30 points in an eight-week span from late October to midseason.

“A fourth consecutive win will earn Guardiola manager of the season and plant him squarely in the greatest-of-all-time PL manager debates.”

OWEN REID Columnist

Disappointment of the Midseason: Chelsea Since Chelsea’s acquisition by AmericanbusinessmanToddBoehlyin 2022, the club has spent over $1 billion in signings, twice as much as any other club. However, they currently sit ninth in the league table. Recent signings Enzo Fernández, Moisés Caicedo and Mykhailo Mudryk are simply not performing up to the standard that their $100+ million price tags warrant. Tactically, Chelsea resembles a leaderless hodgepodge of randomly assembled players. Don’t be surprised if manager Mauricio Pochettino gets the sack before the season ends.

Predictions Top Four: 1. Manchester City 2. Liverpool 3. Arsenal 4. Tottenham

Manchester City will win a fourth consecutive league title. Last season, Guardiola’s men trailed the top spot at the midway point of the PL, so I expect the club to overcome the current three-point gap to claim the 23-24 title. City is a considerably deeper squad compared to Liverpool and Arsenal. With the return of Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne imminent, City likely hasn’t peaked yet this year. A fourth consecutive PL win will earn Guardiola manager of the season and plant him squarely in the greatest-ofall-time PL manager debates.

The rest of the top four is less clear to me. Liverpool does not have the depth to compete seriously in the Champions League, FA Cup and PL, and with Mo Salah leaving for the African Cup of Nations, Liverpool may struggle in the first weeks of the second half, leaving room for Arsenal and Tottenham to gain ground. The London clubs’ lack of European football will allow them to concentratetheireffortsonthedomestic league. Expect Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka to challenge for a consecutive Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Young Player of the Year award. Aston Villa won’t challenge for a top four position — I expect that injuries and European football will lead to struggles away from home in the PL. Clubs currently outside thetopfivewillnotmakelateclimbsinto the Champions League spots.

PFA Player of the Season: Rodri If Erling Haaland didn’t produce a record-breaking 2023, Rodri would’ve likely been City’s player of the year. The Spaniard’s consistency and quality has been unparalleled in the midfield position so far this season. With 4 goals and 3 assists, Rodri’s superior passing completion percentage and high game I.Q. has yielded him the highest average match rating of any PL player according to FotMob. When Rodri has played this season, Manchester City has not lost a game in all competitions in the 23-24 season. As other elite City players struggle with injuries, Rodri will emerge as City’s most important player and the PFA

MACCABI GAMES

Jacob Callahan (SFS ’26) and Akira Morgenstern (CAS ’25) (pictured serving) participated in the U.S. tennis delegation to the 2023 Pan American Maccabi Games.

TRACK AND FIELD

Georgetown Kicks Off 2024 Indoor Track Season with Strong Showing Oliver Ni

Senior Sports Editor

Six weeks after their last race, the Hoyas wasted no time dusting off their cleats, hitting the ground running in the Nittany Lion Challenge to begin the indoor track season.

The Georgetown men’s and women’s track and field teams raced against 15 other schools on Saturday, Jan. 13 in State College, Penn., earning 19 individual top-10 finishes and three team top-10 finishes in total. The Hoyas were particularly impressive in middle-distance events, powered both by team veterans and exciting young talent.

The men’s team dominated the 600-meter, taking four of the top eight spots in the event.

First-year and 2023 USA Track and Field U20 800-meter national champion Tinoda Matsatsa added a second consecutive win to his young resume with a time of 1:16.68. Graduate Tim McInerney, first-year Ryan Mulrooney and junior Matthew Griffin followed in close succession in fifth, seventh and eighth place, respectively. Graduate Kaira Brown and junior Renee Newton earned eighth and ninth place in the women’s 600.

In the women’s 400, All-American graduate Maya Drayton and Big East champion junior KC Ashiogwu topped the competition in first and second with times of 55.74 and 56.13, respectively. Se-

nior Grace Smiechowski also had a strong showing, earning eighth place with a time of 57.98. Sophomore Nicholas Givan placed sixth on the men’s side, finishing in 49.11.

Senior Joshua Paige starred in the men’s sprint events, winning the 200 and earning sixth place in a crowded 60 field. The seven-time Big East champion dashed out to a 21.30 time in the 200 and slightly improved upon his prelim performance for a 6.85 finish in the 60. Senior Rebecca Ochan and sophomore Jadah Fitzgerald finished fifth and tenth in the women’s 200 in 24.76 and 25.27.

All-American and three-time Big East champion graduate Matthew Payamps won the 3000 with a time of 8:06.20. Graduate Peter Herold and sophomore Caleb Lakeman placed fourth and seventh in the mile and 1000, respectively, adding to the Hoyas’ list of stellar performances in middle-distance races.

Although Georgetown had fewer athletes competing in the jumping events, senior Christopher Pitt and junior Alexis Emery logged strong results. Pitt came in fifth in the men’s long jump with a distance of 21’ 9.5”, while Emery was tenth in the women’s triple jump with a leap of 36’ 10.5”.

In the 4x400 relay event, both the women’s and men’s teams had solid showings. Both women’s teams finished in the top 10; the A team of Brown, Ochan, Newton and Ashiogwu was fifth with a time of 3:50.46, and the B team

of Fitzgerald, Drayton and firstyears Piper Rodgers and Victoria Vidolova was eighth in 3:57:03.

The men’s 4x400 A team of senior Sean Hewitt, Givan, McInerney and Matsatsa were third in the field at 3:16.57, while the B team finished just seven seconds behind in twelfth place.

Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Alton McKenzie told Georgetown Athletics the team aims to use the Nittany Lion Challenge as a springboard into the rest of the track season.

“Returning from holiday break and getting back into competition is always a challenge, with regular training routines interrupted,” McKenzie said. “With that considered, the priority is for everyone who competed to use this meet to build for the rest of the season.

We look forward to continuing the work and progress towards a successful indoor season.”

Although early season results are often unrepresentative of postseason success due to adjustments to a rigorous training and competition schedule, the Nittany Lion Challenge saw impressive performances from several first-year runners. Matsatsa was the clear standout with his 600 performance, and Mulrooney, Rodgers, Vidolova and Barrett Justema also displayed their potential with encouraging results.

Georgetown will look to build upon its momentum at the Hokie Invitational at Blacksburg, Va., on Jan. 19 and 20.

THE HOYA | A11

FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2024 | THEHOYA.COM

SPORTS OUT OF LEFT FIELD

MEN’S LACROSSE

From the Hilltop to the Hall, a Star is Born SWEENEY, from A12

GUHOYAS

MLB’s payroll disparity is hurting the integrity of the game.

Install a Salary Floor In the Major Leagues Right now, nothing compels teams like the A’s to increase and maintain their payroll. They have shown no desire to win baseball games, and MLB has shown no desire to make them try.

The league’s playoff format illustrates just how ridiculous this is.

Following the 2022 season, MLB increased the postseason bracket from 10 to 12 teams.

Now more than ever, a barelyabove-average team can sneak into the playoffs and take down a juggernaut. This is especially true due to the nature of the sport — even the best MLB teams lose 40% of their games.

In contrast, the top football and basketball teams are overwhelmingly likely to win against an inferior opponent.

The Dodgers have illustrated this perfectly. In 2023, despite winning a whopping 100 games they lost in the first round of the playoffs. In 2022, they won 111 games and still lost in the first round of the playoffs. In 2021, they won 106 games and lost in the second round of the playoffs.

Each time, a weaker team on a hot streak beat their talented but slumping roster.

So if the A’s spent a little more — enough to have a chance at making the playoffs — they could plausibly edge out a powerhouse like the Dodgers.

But a $44 million team will never come close to the postseason.

I know. I’m a Yankees fan griping about salary parity in MLB. But as you play me a symphony on the world’s tiniest violin, know that this is about more than just the Yankees.

MLB must intervene — and a salary floor is the only solution that would force an apathetic team to spend.

HERMAN, from A12

Ohtani and Yamamoto will remain in L.A. for 10 and 12 years, respectively.

You already know where this is going.

I don’t think I’ll ever hate a baseball team more than I hate the Los Angeles Dodgers.

But the rational part of me knows that I shouldn’t be mad at the Dodgers. It isn’t the Dodgers’ fault that Major League Baseball (MLB) doesn’t have a salary cap.

It isn’t the Dodgers’ fault that no MLB rule restricts them from deferring almost all of Ohtani’s record-breaking contract to minimize their luxury tax hit.

And it isn’t the Dodgers’ fault that they figured out how to beat the system and that no other team is willing to follow in their footsteps.

If I were a Dodgers fan, I’d be cackling. But I’m not a Dodgers fan, so instead I’m devising a plan to reinstitute parity in MLB: a salary floor.

Of course, we cannot expect every team to spend as much as the Dodgers do. Not every team has that capability, and last year’s $353 million New York Mets have shown that all the money in the world does not guarantee a playoff berth.

But when the median leaguewide payroll is nearly $175 million, it is unacceptable for a team like the Oakland Athletics to spend a comically low $44 million.

Perhaps I should direct my hatred toward the league that lets the Athletics get away with it.

Although MLB does not have a traditional salary cap, it does institute minor penalties on teams that exceed the Competitive Balance Tax threshold, which will stand at $237 million for the 2024 season.

But while MLB has attempted to implement an upper limit on spending, no such penalties exist for teams that spend too little.

That is a disservice to fans of teams who refuse to spend.

and they had no issues with the success I was having,” Sweeney said. “They embraced it, they appreciated it, they loved me and I love them back.”

Sweeney continued to dominate within the collegiate circuit, earning three all-ECAC First Team nominations and two conference-wide defensive player of the year awards to go along with his All-American selections. Despite breaking his ankle toward the end of his senior year, Sweeney had shown enough to be drafted by the Bridgeport Barrage and the Philadelphia Wings in MLL and the NLL, respectively.

“I did it because I loved the game,” Sweeney said. “I really loved it. I was and still am a relentless competitor.”

Sweeney rotated between playing professional lacrosse and working in financial services to supplement his income, and yet he continued to flourish at the highest level. He won three Steinfield Cups with the now-Philadelphia Barrage across four years and picked up more silverware with the Boston Cannons.

Sweeney also became a crucial presence within the U.S. men’s national team. Although he did not make the first team in 2002, Sweeney landed a spot in the 2006 squad that lost to

COURTESY OF KYLE SWEENEY

Sweeney earned three All-American nominations and 10 MLL/PLL all-star awards in his career.

Canada in the world championship match. In 2010, Sweeney was one of the five returners on the team and eventually got his revenge against Canada, winning the world championships.

“It was a huge relief, and it was a great experience,” Sweeney said. “I loved it; it’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

Sweeney retired after 15 professional seasons and continues to be involved in lacrosse, whether through lacrosse-adjacent business ventures or coaching young players around him. Sweeney, now 42, sees his current role as an ambassador of the game, helping grow lacrosse in his former stomping grounds as well as under-resourced com-

munities across the country.

“It’s my job as a father, as a leader in the community to continue to coach and support and teach the players of the next generation,” Sweeney said. “I just hope I’m considered a generous person and I’m someone who gives back to the sport.”

“I just hope people think of me as somewhat of a game changer.”

SPORTS

Wizards, Caps Pack Up for Virginia Move

Eilat Herman is a sophomore in the College. Out of Left Field appears online and in print every other week.

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Georgetown has not made any specific plans as to whether the school will remain at Capital One Arena.

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Alec Hill (CAS ’26), a Hoya Blue member, acknowledges the benefits of Capital One Arena, which would be lost with a potential move.

“Aside from the actual arena, the location of Capital One really encourages students to come out, from the beautiful holiday market this winter to the restaurants and bars that upper schoolers take advantage of before and after the game,” Hill wrote to The Hoya.

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“I think that it would be a real shame to lose the lovely location in Chinatown that we have.”

Remaining at Capital One Arena will likely be an option as well.

In his email to fans, Leonsis said he plans to continue to invest in the building and would like to explore a Mystics move into the stadium, as WNBA viewership continues to rise.

No matter the path, the university plans to continue its fruitful relationship with Monumental.

“Georgetown University, the Dis-

trict of Columbia and Monumental Sports and Entertainment have celebrated a successful partnership for many years,” a university spokesperson wrote to The Hoya.

“We will continue to work with both the District and Monumental to ensure the best home for Georgetown men’s basketball.”

Speculatively, an unlikely but possible next step for Georgetown men’s hoops could be a return to campus at McDonough Arena, where the Hoyas played from 1951 to 1981

FLICKR

(then McDonough Gymnasium).

McDonough also serves as the home of the university’s women’s basketball team.

Although likely requiring some sort of expansion to accommodate television equipment and a larger fan base, students would likely appreciate the convenience.

As Georgetown’s men’s basketball continues to grow in its ongoing rebuild, the future location of its home games will be something to watch.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

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Cook Leads Hoya Effort Against UConn UCONN, from A12

and sank two free throws in quick succession as the Huskies increased their lead. Epps hit three free throws to close the gap, but the Hoyas ended the half down 40-31.

The second half opened with more back-and-forth scoring, as Styles hit four early free throws to counter Karaban’s pinpoint shooting. But a 3-pointer from Spencer, followed by a huge dunk from Karaban, put the Huskies back up by 10 with 15 minutes remaining in the game.

But the Hoyas responded well.

A jumper from senior guard Jay Heath and two straight buckets

from Epps brought the Hoyas within sight of their first lead since tip-off. However, Georgetown could not turn its newfound momentum into a lead due to defensive struggles on the perimeter, giving up another big 3 to Spencer.

Despite the gap, the Hoyas offense continued to perform at a high level. Heath contributed another 3-pointer, and a jumper from Epps kept the game within striking distance with 10 minutes to play.

Over the next 10 minutes, despite a solid offensive performance, Georgetown was unable to keep pace with UConn. In particular, Karaban and Spen-

cer proved too good for the Hoya defense, as the Huskies pulled away late. In the final few minutes, clutch baskets from UConn sealed the game, and the Huskies left their home matchup with an 80-67 victory.

Despite fouling out with 6 minutes remaining, Cook was instrumental in keeping the Hoyas competitive throughout the game with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Cooley praised Cook’s aggressiveness on the court and his improved play throughout the season.

“Supreme is a warrior,” Cooley said. “He’s gotten better every single game.”

Cooley also complimented Karaban, who finished his stel-

lar offensive showing with 26 points, including 6-for-8 shooting from 3, calling his play worthy of a first-round pick.

Cooley said while the Hoyas have trended in the right direction, the team still needs considerable work to reach a competitive place within the conference.

“Obviously, we haven’t won the way we’re going to win,” Cooley said. “So you have to be patient with the process and development of an organization.”

The Hoyas will look to bounce back with another big conference matchup against Xavier University (9-8, 3-3 Big East) on Jan. 19 in Cincinnati.

Sports

WBB

Georgetown (13-4) vs. Xavier Saturday, 2 p.m.

McDonough Arena

FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 19 , 2024 TALKING POINTS

TRACK AND FIELD Georgetown’s track and field kicks off 2024 with 22 top-10 finishes at the Nittany Lion Challenge.

I just hope I’m considered a generous person and I’m someone who gives back to the sport.”

See A10

NUMBERS GAME

Lacrosse Hall-of-Famer Kyle Sweeney

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Senior forward Supreme Cook logged a double-double against now-No. 1 UConn with 18 points and 13 rebounds.

OUT OF LEFT FIELD

On the Oakland Apathetics: MLB Needs to Fix its Payroll Gap Eilat Herman

Hoya Sports Columnist

I was born in 2004, eight months before the Boston Red Sox did the unthinkable. After falling behind 3-0 in the best-of-seven American League Championship Series (ALCS) against my beloved New York Yankees, the Red Sox came back to win the series.

I never thought I would hate a baseball team more than I hate the Boston Red Sox. In 2020, news broke that the 2017 Houston Astros had orchestrated an elaborate cheating scandal with the fitting assistance of garbage cans.

That same year, they had defeated the Yankees in the ALCS en route to winning the World Series.

After that, I never thought I would hate a baseball team more than I hate the Houston Astros.

That changed in a one-billion-dollar flash this offseason.

The Yankees’ 2023 season ended abruptly, with the team falling far short of the playoffs. In free agency, I hoped they would sign rising Japanese star pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto to bolster their middling rotation. I also had my eyes on twoway phenom and reigning American League MVP Shohei Ohtani, who could single-handedly fix the Yankees’ pitching and hitting woes. I didn’t expect the Yankees to acquire both, but a girl can dream, right?

Apparently not.

One team will begin the 2024 season with both Ohtani and Yamamoto, and it won’t be the Yankees.

Instead, the already-spectacular Los Angeles Dodgers shelled out over a billion dollars for the two superstars.

See HERMAN, A11

FLICKR

CEO and chairman of Monumental Sports and Entertainment Ted Leonsis (CAS ’77) announced plans to move the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals to an entertainment complex in Alexandria, Va., leaving the future home of Georgetown men’s basketball in question.

SPORTS

Capital One Arena Faces Uncertain Future Daniel Greilsheimer Senior Sports Editor

The Georgetown University men’s basketball team may be on the move, jumping state lines and joining the Wizards and Capitals in Virginia.

On Dec. 12, it was reported that Ted Leonsis (CAS ’77), the CEO and chairman of Monumental Sports and Entertainment and former member of Georgetown University’s Board of Directors, planned to relocate the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL) to an entertainment

complex in Alexandria, Va. The following day, Leonsis confirmed the proposed move in an email to fans and supporters.

“Our vision for the Entertainment District is to create a dynamic campus where our Washington Capitals and Wizards play in a stateof-the-art arena, complemented by a performing arts venue, new retail outlets, restaurants and community spaces — easily accessible by metro and a variety of other transportation options,” Leonsis wrote.

In addition to providing a reimagined, modern home for the Wizards and Capitals, the complex would include a production facility and the headquarters

for Monumental. The company manages several Washington, D.C. franchises, including the Wizards, Capitals and the Washington Mystics of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA); owns and operates Capital One Arena; and exclusively streams the events on television.

The project is set to begin in 2025, with hopes of completion by 2028. In the meantime, the Wizards and Capitals will continue to play at Capital One Arena, their home since 1997.

Prior to the announcement, Leonsis and D.C. officials had been discussing the city’s potential contributions toward stadium

MEN’S LACROSSE

renovations. Leonsis requested $600 million in public funds if the Wizards and Capitals were to remain in their current downtown arena.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser immediately countered the news with the launch of a new bill offering $500 million to Monumental to cover construction work on Capital One Arena.

The potential move to Alexandria raises major questions about the future of Capital One Arena, which holds major implications for the future home of Georgetown hoops.

Although no conversations with university officials have taken place, a study by the office of Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin

Although no conversations with university officials have taken place, a study by the office of Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin found that the new stadium would need to host 221 events per year — 88 Capitals and Wizards games, 17 Georgetown men’s basketball games, 64 concerts, 30 family shows and 22 other events — to be financially viable.

Already a three-mile commute from the university to Capital One Arena, a shift out of the city that requires additional travel time could further deplete Georgetown’s weak school spirit.

See STADIUM, A11

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Kyle Sweeney Inducted into Hall of Fame Hoyas Show Progress Oliver Ni

Senior Sports Editor

Kyle Sweeney (MSB ’03) remembers the very first lacrosse game he watched: 1992, Springfield Cougars vs. Episcopal Academy Churchmen, Pennsylvania high school state championship.

“I had never seen the game with my own two eyes, and it was wild,” Sweeney smiled.

Then a sixth grader, Sweeney had no idea that he would one day pick up the lacrosse stick, head into the field and play his way into one of the most illustrious careers in the sport.

Sweeney was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in recognition of his accomplishments at both the collegiate and professional level on Jan. 6.

Across four years at Georgetown and 15 years between Major League Lacrosse (MLL) and the National Lacrosse League (NLL), Sweeney won three All-American nominations, nine MLL AllStar selections, four Steinfield Cups, awarded to the winners of the MLL championship, and one World Lacrosse Men’s Championship gold medal.

“To see all the other wonderful people, men and women that I’m in the same group with, it’s just wild,” Sweeney told The Hoya.

“It’s the most honorable, and the level of gratitude I have for it and See SWEENEY, A11

the people in it is so immense.”

Sweeney is best remembered for helping innovate the longstick midfielder position with his tenacious defense and offensive versatility. By generating dangerous offensive chances in transition through his shutdown play and on-ball skills, Sweeney netted 16 points in 55 career games to go along with his thenschool record of 229 ground balls.

For Sweeney, those skills began with his high school career at Springfield, where Head Coach Jon Heisman encouraged his defensemen to stay nimble and aggressive as opposed to the traditional bulky, brutish defender.

“Our program was really about being the most athletic and agile we can be,” Sweeney said. “Let’s have that strength and quickness because we think that is more transferable throughout the game as opposed to someone who’s just a big strong guy who can’t move very well.”

Sweeney’s play received attention as he rocketed his way through prospect rankings, eventually catching the eye of Georgetown Head Coach and fellow Hall of Famer David Urick.

Despite his unorthodox style of play, Urick encouraged him to maintain his flexibility and gave him ample leeway to develop in both phases of the game.

“He allowed me to do things that no other coaches were allowing people who played my position to do at that time — work

Against Huskies

Nate Sullivan

Hoya Sports Writer

COURTESY OF KYLE SWEENEY

Former Georgetown men’s lacrosse standout Kyle Sweeney was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in recognition of his illustrious playing career. out with the offense, take shots, things of that nature — and that really honed my on-field skills,” Sweeney said. “That’s why I owe so much of my on-field career to Coach, because he just let me spread my wings and go.”

Sweeney saw immediate time

on the field, earning Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) rookie of the year honors his first year. He credited his teammates for helping him find his place within the program early on.

“These were people who really embraced me as the new guy,

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Coming off of a tight victory against DePaul (3-13, 0-5 Big East) and an impressively close loss to Seton Hall (13-5, 6-1 Big East), the Georgetown University men’s basketball team entered their Wednesday matchup with the University of Connecticut hoping to earn a big upset over the thenNo. 4 team in the nation. However, the Hoyas were unable to maintain consistent defense, and the Huskies’ strong 3-point shooting eventually decided the game.

The Hoyas (8-9, 1-5 Big East) fell to the UConn Huskies (162, 6-1 Big East), 80-67, in a game that showcased decent potential from a Georgetown team that has struggled with level form this season.

First-year Head Coach Ed Cooley said he was proud of the team’s effort against a tough opponent.

“They are the best team we’ve played up to this point,” Cooley said in a postgame press conference. “So we gotta keep our guys positive. We gotta keep moving forward and, hopefully, trying to put some wins on the board.”

The Hoyas came out well, with senior forward Supreme

Cook earning 2 offensive rebounds and producing an emphatic dunk to open the scoring. But the Huskies responded quickly with a 3-pointer from guard Cam Spencer, followed by an impressive transition 3 from forward Alex Karaban.

The Huskies continued to add to their lead in the early stages of the first half, with stellar shooting all around.

However, without starting UConn center Donovan Clingan, who was out with a foot injury, to defend him, Cook was able to put up strong numbers early on — both in scoring and on the glass. Cook scored the first 10 Georgetown points, including a physical and-one that drew Georgetown close to UConn, 14-10, with 11 minutes to play in the first half.

Although the Huskies continued their lights-out shooting, sophomore guard Jayden Epps and junior guard Dontrez Styles kept Georgetown within striking distance. With five minutes to play in the half, the Hoyas only trailed the Huskies 24-18.

As the first half ticked down, UConn started to pull away, sparked by Karaban’s shooting.

The forward hit two 3-pointers See UCONN, A11