The Hoya: October 4, 2024

Nikki Haley Discusses Her Campaign, Emphasizes Trust Amid Polarization

Aamir Jamil

Senior News Editor

Nikki Haley recounted her presidential campaign experiences and urged politicians to actively listen to voters and work to gain their trust during an Oct. 3 event at Georgetown University.

Haley, who served as governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017 and United States ambassador to the United Nations from 2017 to 2018, ran for president in the 2024 Republican primaries arguing that she would appeal to moderates better than former President Donald Trump. During the event, hosted by the Georgetown Institute for Politics and Public Service (GU Politics) and titled “Reflections on Running,” Haley discussed the election and partisan polarization with Mo Elleithee (SFS ’94), executive director of GU Politics, and Rick Wiley, a former advisor to her campaign, moderating the discussion.

Haley discussed what it was like to campaign, saying candidates are always depending on support from the people.

“If you ever run for office, it’s just begging,” Haley said at the event. “You’re begging all the time. You’re begging for money, you’re begging for them to put yard signs up. You’re begging for votes. You’re just begging.”

“But it is the most humbling thing you can ever do, because if you really want to serve, shouldn’t you have to really put yourself out there and ask for everything and tell everything?”

Haley added.

When considering whether to enter the race, given that Trump had chosen to run again, Haley said she focused on her own preparedness and belief in herself.

“It didn’t matter if he was going to run,” Haley said. “I knew that I was the right person at that time to go forward. And the See HALEY, A7

Hoya Basketball Star Mutombo Dies

Caroline Rareshide, Oliver Ni and Evie Steele

Contributing Editor, Compensation Director, Editor in Chief

Dikembe Mutombo (SLL ’91, H ’10), a Georgetown University men’s basketball icon who became a basketball Hall of Famer for his rebounding and blocking prowess with the NBA’s Denver Nuggets and Atlanta Hawks, died Sept. 30 after a two-year battle with brain cancer. He was 58.

Mutombo, a center from the Democratic Republic of Congo, became one of Georgetown’s greatestever players, dominating in the paint

GU RA Union, University Engage In Second Round of Bargaining

Maren Fagan and Aamir

Jamil

Senior News Editors

The Georgetown Resident Assistant Coalition (GRAC), the organization that represents Georgetown University resident assistants (RAs) in collective bargaining negotiations, finished its second round of negotiations with university officials Sept. 26. During the negotiations, the university and approximately 20 RAs present agreed on five articles, including sections on arbitrating grievances and creating a labormanagement committee, a joint committee of union and university officials who would discuss the contract’s enforcement and

interpretation. These negotiations are the second meeting between GRAC and the university after the RAs formally voted to unionize April 16, accepting representation from Local 153 of the Office of Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU). With the completion of two bargaining rounds, RAs and the university have tentatively agreed on seven of their proposed contract’s 23 total articles while discussing, but not agreeing to, an additional four.

Ulises Olea Tapia (SFS ’25), an RA in Village A and GRAC’s interim bargaining lead, said he expects the university and GRAC to finish negotiations on contractual terms unrelated to payment in

upcoming negotiations.

“We have an expectation that the upcoming sessions finish all noneconomic matters, so we can dive right into economic matters, but we’re appreciative of the work that was done today,” Olea Tapia said. “I think that we did good work, and I think that they came prepared, and we appreciate that.”

Sam Lovell (CAS ’25), an RA in Copley Hall and GRAC’s interim chairman, said the agreement on the grievance and arbitration article was particularly important for RAs, who saw unfair discipline processes as a primary motivation for unionization.

“If we had this contract in

See GRAC, A7

and defensively before achieving stardom in an 18-year NBA career.

Throughout, Mutombo was known for his philanthropy, funding and supporting humanitarian efforts, particularly in Central Africa.

“My dad will forever be my hero,” Ryan Mutombo (CAS ’24), Mutombo’s son, wrote on Instagram. “Not because of his success — not because of the millions who, over the last four decades, have come to know and love him. My dad is my hero because he simply cared. He remains the purest heart I have ever known.”

Mutombo played for Georgetown’s basketball team from 1988 to 1991, racking up 947 points, 354 blocked

shots and a whopping 823 rebounds over his three-year college career.

“Basketball fans remember him for his defense, rebounding and that trademark finger wag, but to those of us that knew him well, we will miss the father, teammate, mentor and friend,” Georgetown athletic director Lee Reed wrote in a press release.

“The world lost a special person in Dikembe Mutombo, but he will live on through his humanitarian work and commitment to family,”

Georgetown men’s basketball head coach Ed Cooley wrote on Twitter.

Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo was born June 25,

Hillary Clinton Awards Honor Former Women Heads of State

Kate Hwang Student Life Desk Editor

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton recognized female leaders’ role in building global peace at the annual Hillary Rodham Clinton Awards at Georgetown University Oct. 1.

“When women have a seat at the table, they can be very helpful advocates for de-escalating conflict and finding solutions,” Clinton said at the event. “They have laid a path out for us to follow, to show that public life is exactly where they and you belong.”

The event, hosted by the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS), gave awards to three former heads of state or government: former Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė, former Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid and former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard. The ceremony also celebrated the work of Women of the Sun, a West Bank-based nonprofit that aims to empower women in the Palestinian community, and Women Wage Peace, an Israel-based grassroots organization that advocates for the nonviolent end to the Israel-Hamas war.

Clinton, an honorary founding chair of the GIWPS, presented the awards alongside GIWPS Executive Director Melanne Verveer, the former U.S. ambassador at large for global women’s issues. Clinton said pursuing the goal of peace remains a pressing endeavor today.

See CLINTON, A7

MEGHAN HALL/THE HOYA

GU Politics hosted Nikki Haley in a talk at the Lohrfink Auditorium.

Dikembe Mutombo (SLL ’91, H ’10), a basketball Hall of Famer and Georgetown icon remembered for his rebounding and blocking prowess in college and the NBA, died Sept. 30 after battling brain cancer for two years.

MEGHAN HALL/THE HOYA Award winners Dalia Grybauskaitė, Kersti Kaljulaid and Julia Gillard were recognized for their work in promoting peace.

Improve GUSA Communication

It is today, with a heavy heart, that I proclaim the death of the Georgetown University Student Association (GUSA) biweekly newsletter, which has tragically not been biweekly, or really even existent, since Jan. 26. And what a shame that is — the newsletter was a valuable resource, listing opportunities to get involved, places to leave feedback to the school and details on ongoing GUSA initiatives.

If you are a student not engaged with the GUSA on Instagram, this change might leave you confused about the status of our student government. You no longer receive emails from GUSA that you vaguely remember seeing in your inbox. You probably don’t actively seek out this type of information either, so you’re likely not reading The Hoya’s weekly coverage of the body either.

You might Google GUSA, find its website and navigate to its “Policy Initiatives” section thinking you’ll finally learn more. Sadly, you’re greeted by a lonely promise that “This page will be updated as teams begin their work.”

In this scenario, a student might reasonably conclude that the GUSA executive, the body charged with enacting student-desired policy, has gone dormant. This issue has a simple fix. The Jaden Cobb (CAS ’25)-Sanaa Mehta (SFS ’25) administration must resume the most basic component of its job: sending emails. They must revive the executive’s biweekly newsletter.

To Cobb and Mehta’s credit, it is not as if the GUSA executive has not had initiatives worth writing about. Most recently, in conjunction with the GUSA Senate, our elected legislative body that passes non-binding resolutions, it worked with the university to find alternative locations for basketball courts after renovations in Yates Field House were delayed. It also successfully rallied student support for gender-inclusive housing in a Spring 2024 referendum; gender-inclusive housing is now available to the Class of 2028 through a pilot program. Their policy accomplishments have been substantive, genuinely improving the student experience.

To be fair, the administration has made more

HOYA HISTORY

than 20 Instagram posts and held multiple town halls since taking office. Yet not every Georgetown student will receive these communications; however, everyone has a university email. What is a more foolproof way of reaching the entire student body than through the promised biweekly newsletter, to which every undergraduate student is automatically subscribed?

In not maintaining its newsletter, the Cobb-Mehta administration has failed to fulfill its promise to communicate with the student body throughout its tenure and ensure that students are aware of their proposals.

Indeed, the senate has recognized this to be a problem. The senate passed a resolution Sept. 22 proposed by Sienna Lipton (CAS ’27) recognizing that students who are not on Instagram will miss learning about GUSA policy initiatives. In the resolution, the senate resolved to “arrange a biweekly or monthly Senate newsletter,” and as they kindly put it, “inquire on the status of the Executive Department newsletter.”

This sort of initiative is laudable. However, the senate should not have to create a replacement newsletter for one that already exists. Even so, a more communicative senate cannot serve as a replacement for a strong, energetic executive. The GUSA president is a single person elected by the entire school. Their singularity grants them a bully pulpit that no legislative body composed of distinct personalities and voices can match. The executive must resume its biweekly newsletter to ensure the entire student body engages with GUSA.

The Cobb-Mehta administration has clearly had success in bringing its big ideas to fruition. Yet part of governance is also doing the small, tedious administrative things right. It has now been 35 weeks since the last GUSA biweekly newsletter was sent. There’s no reason for that number to reach 36.

Saahil Rao is a sophomore in the School of Foreign Service. This is the second installment of his column, “Institutions and Their Ills.”

Technology Integral to Learning, O’Donovan Says

November 19, 1996

At the Faculty Convocation Saturday, University President Leo J. O’Donovan, SJ, said while “we fall far short of the mark” in information technology at Georgetown, the process of modernizing the university has picked up in the past two years and will continue in the future.

O’Donovan’s address was the highlight speech of the Faculty Convocation, an event where Georgetown honors those faculty members with 20 years of service to Georgetown. Full-time faculty were presented with gold medals, while part-time faculty were given silver medals.

O’Donovan used his speech to open a discussion on how information technology will affect Georgetown faculty and students, but did not mention any specifics of the information technologies that will be installed. He said the importance of information technology lies not in the cost or amount installed, but in its use.

He asked the audience three questions he said were central to the issue: “What do information technologies have to do with learning? What do information technologies have to do

with values?” and “Why should students still come to a community like ours [in a world of information technology]?”

Addressing the first question, O’Donovan said information technologies help students learn not only through increased “access and efficiency,” but increased learning as well.

He said technology not only lets students go in depth into their subjects, but also makes information much more public.

O’Donovan added that although these new avenues can bring information to the classroom, “the Internet can help us build a tree house or a pipe bomb.”

A true Jesuit education, O’Donovan said, is not simply the gathering of information presented by such technology, but the education of the whole person. “We want to integrate cognitive understanding with moral sensibility,” he said.

An important part of this moral education is the role of the professor, O’Donovan said. He said he believes professors should act as agents of moral guidance in helping students with information technology. He added that they not only

“must be ready to criticize new knowledge,” but should also help students ask questions in the creative process.

O’Donovan said he was not fully computer literate — “still happily making use of pen and ink and dictating.”

However, O’Donovan said students should attend Georgetown in this world of information technology because he believes the university combines “the best of what local and virtual communities have to offer.”

He added that since Georgetown will stay competitive in the world of information technology, students could come to Georgetown to participate in long-distance classes and other recent advancements.

“We are undergoing the beginnings of a transformation,” O’Donovan said, adding that there is “no single, centralized approach or solution” to the technology dilemma. But as “The impact of information technologies is ecological,” O’Donovan said, “[Georgetown] will bring the best of the world of information technology to campus.”

Jeff DeMartino

Founded January 14,

Our real lives are dependent on the digital world, and it is no longer possible to envision university life without it. We are all immersed in this ecosystem and must learn how to use our tools effectively.”

Christina Pan (CAS ’27) “Rethink the Myth of Unplugging” thehoya.com

The Georgetown University Student Association (GUSA) biweekly newsletter educated students on initiatives and opportunities. However, the newsletter has not been published since Jan. 26. In his column “Revive GUSA Communication,” Saahil Rao (SFS ‘27) argues that GUSA must use this newsletter to effectively communicate with students.

Evie Steele, Editor in Chief

Jasmine Criqui and Lori Jang, Executive Editors

Caroline Brown, Managing Editor

Maren Fagan, News Editor

Aamir Jamil, News Editor

Paulina Inglima, Features Editor

Erin Saunders, Features Editor

Peter Sloniewsky, Opinion Editor

Elizabethe Bogrette, Guide Editor

Amber Cherry, Guide Editor

Sophia Lu, Sports Editor

Allen Tovmasyan, Sports Editor

Sahana Arumani, Science Editor

Camille Vandeveer, Science Editor

Rohini Kudva, Design Editor

Heather Wang, Design Editor

Patrick Clapsaddle, Copy Chief

Madeline Grabow, Copy Chief

Emily Blackstone, Social Media Editor

Toni Marz, Social Media Editor

Alan Chen, Blog Editor

Nikhil Nelson, Blog Editor

Alexis Lien, Multimedia Editor

Hayley Young, Multimedia Editor

Meghan Hall, Photo Editor

Board of Directors

Mary Clare Marshall, Chair

Andre Albrecht, Emily Han, Cate Meyer, Oliver

Shiva Ranganathan, William Yu

EDITORIAL CARTOON by Rachael Gross

The Hoya conducted a poll in order to gauge students’ awareness about GUSA’s activities and policy initiatives. Of the 57 respondents, 80.7% said they do not feel informed about GUSA’s activities and policy initiatives, while 19.3% said

Rethink Myth of Unplugging

Read any number of articles or talk to any professor and there’s a good chance they’ll tell you the solution to all your problems is to stay off your electronic devices, take some good old handwritten notes and sit outside and enjoy nature.

The main idea of this perspective is to disconnect from the digital world when you’re feeling discontent with real life. The common sentiment is that the pervading problem is modernization: our computers and the “evils” of ChatGPT. The solutions are, seemingly, extra time in nature, unplugging, relaxing and disconnecting.

The ideal of living such a life reflects a romanticized worldview, which is impossible to achieve in practice. While you can choose to emulate the simplicity of a bygone lifestyle, it is impossible to live it past cliche aesthetics. I, for one, love my analog devices and antiques: I am an avid collector of vinyl, vintage clothes and antique books. However, I wouldn’t be able to source them without tools like eBay, Pinterest, Vinted, Yelp and more. My passion for antiques is also merely a simple fascination rather than a genuine desire to exit the digitized lifestyle.

I am not ashamed to admit my screen time comprises a sizable amount of my day, from the three to four hours I spend in class each day and the two or three hours I spend studying after to the extra two hours I spend just enjoying myself.

Georgetown University expects all its students to study around 30 hours per week outside of class or at least six hours per three-credit course. In addition to time spent on devices during class or for personal enjoyment, this time adds up to around 40 or more hours spent on a computer per week.

There’s a common hook on social media used to encourage people to get off their devices as they are scrolling: “Imagine spending 20 years of your life staring at a computer or phone.”

Actually, I can imagine that, and I’m perfectly fine with it.

There’s a vast world online which has benefited my life in ways I never would have expected. I started writing for

a London-based publication because I emailed a writer who was published in the same journal. I’ve found summer opportunities and jobs through my friends’ Instagram stories, shows by underground artists through TikTok, Louboutins for an insanely low price on Facebook Marketplace and so much more.

We spend so much time staring at screens, but they are not just screens — they are portals that transfer us to rich databases of information and opportunities. While they can certainly detract from our reality, they can enhance it just as well. I wouldn’t have been able to meet so many people or learn from so many opportunities if I hadn’t trusted the digital life.

Sure, too much technology can start to rot your brain. Dependence on technology is inevitable today, but you can choose how to depend on it. Put your phone in a different language. Listen to new artists in different countries and time periods. Learn new ways to improve your life by using technology.

Our real lives are dependent on the digital world, and it is no longer possible to envision university life without it. We are all immersed in this ecosystem and must learn how to use our tools effectively. The solution is not to do away with technology;. Rather, it is to embrace and trust in the digital life to enhance your real one.

Blanket statements about modernization making everyone less social or more robotic aren’t particularly helpful. This is an all-or-nothing mentality, which does not progress nor have to apply to your life. You can be immersed in technology for a significant portion of your waking hours and remain a healthy, social and functioning person. Technology, used intentionally, has the unique ability to make people sharper, more connected and more imaginative about how interconnected and advanced life can be.

Christina Pan is a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences.

THE FAIRY TALES WE TELL

Reignite the Search for Your Own Wonderland

For my birthday last weekend, I received something unusual from one of my closest childhood friends: a picture of us, dated February 2011, posing onstage with a man in a large hat, a woman wearing a giant playing card and someone dressed as a purple cat. Worried I was forgetting an important memory, I made a quick Google search to remind myself who these strange characters were. It turns out they were characters from Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” a story that, upon asking a few of my friends, seemed to be a classic in everyone’s childhood — except for mine. After a brief search for a PDF of the book, I was quickly reminded of the story’s plot and central theme of the value of wonder. However, even though I now knew where the characters were from, I was still left wondering what this picture meant or if it was even supposed to mean anything in the first place. My friend, though, had imbued the photograph with meaning through the text accompanying it: “Hey, I know it’s been forever, but I was going through my mom’s old digital and found this absolute gem. I just thought it was super funny and wanted to send it to you. Also,

Recognize Legitimate Backlash

It’s all too easy to doze off and imagine that ideological debates take place in a realm disconnected from our everyday lives, a social universe characterized by engagement without burdensome emotional investment and speech without serious social consequences. But we need to realize that the real world of political discourse is far less comfortable for its participants, especially those who have a personal stake in the outcome. When people label strong public challenges to their opinions as censorship or overreaction, the conversation of “free speech” veers into a conversation of “speech free of social consequence.” Popular stances on public dialogue too often prioritize not just allowing the speaker to express their opinion but also protecting them from cultural backlash. The notion that we should encourage a public forum wherein minority opinions are protected from intense backlash is not entirely unfounded. However, when “anti-cancel culture” rhetoric has been employed in the past, it has too often been in defense of opinions that aren’t affirming an anti-status-quo opinion that needs to be heard — instead, it’s been used in delegitimizing the validity of someone’s identity. Statements such as “transgender people shouldn’t exist” or “millions of criminal immigrants are coming to destroy our country” are not abstracted policy proposals — they’re insults that undermine the humanity of real people. Those who use reactionary labels like “cancel culture” to dismiss legitimate reactions to insensitive or controversial comments are not improving the quality of campus debates, nor are they fortifying

the institution of free speech. It is critical that the Georgetown University community avoids this sort of dismissive rhetoric, particularly given that political discourse on campus is certain to increase in intensity as the election approaches. In a book criticizing the perceived social phenomenon of cancel culture, author Jimmy Failla dismissed outrage at racially insensitive mascots or transphobic remarks as “a war on fun… That’s cancel culture in a nutshell. A group of grievance hunters who police traditional sources of joy for potential offenses that will allow them to weaponize your outrage into their clout.” Such rhetoric extends beyond a defense of entertainment and “sources of joy”; it’s not uncommon for those who make overtly offensive comments in the context of serious political dialogue to be characterized as “victims of cancel culture.”

Thankfully, I have found that Georgetown students typically refrain from the sort of distasteful comments that would cause serious social outcry. And, when these sorts of comments have been made in classrooms or casual social settings, members of our student body often avoid taking an overly dismissive posture in defense of their remarks. For example, I’ve witnessed multiple moments of debate surrounding immigration policy at Georgetown; in one instance, a student was hurt by a particularly stereotypeladen remark and asserted that a boundary had been crossed. Other students nearby also voiced disapproval. Rather than respond defensively, the other student simply apologized.

However, as debate becomes more emotionally charged, social backlash at controversial statements becomes more

intense, and so too does the dismissal of that backlash as hysterical or otherwise invalid.

For example, when Tucker Carlson provided a platform for “Darryl Cooper, an amateur historian who put forward a revisionist account of World War II and the Holocaust,” he became the subject of intense backlash. For many, broadcasting Cooper’s conspiratorial views represents a dangerous and deeply offensive political statement. In response, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), the Republican vice presidential nominee, dismissively characterized the widespread negative response as “guilt-byassociation cancel culture.”

The upcoming election season, filled with charged dialogue, therefore represents a test for our student body. Can we continue to treat those who feel personally offended in moments of political discourse with respect and validation? It’s important we insistently reject attempts to dismiss legitimate backlash, criticism and emotional responses as symptoms of, as Failla characterizes the perceived cultural phenomenon, “weaponized outrage.” I encourage our community to view such defensive strategies with skepticism. There should be some emphasis on ensuring a diverse array of voices are permitted within the realm of political discourse, but we should be — at minimum — just as concerned with ensuring that members of a historically marginalized, oppressed or victimized minority aren’t regarded with a dismissive and patronizing attitude when expressing their disapproval of upsetting statements.

Chase Dobson is a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences.

happy birthday, of course! Not to be overly sentimental or anything, but I know the type of serious person you are and serious place you’re at for school, so I hope you can always remember a bit of Wonderland.”

Just like my memory of that picture, I had forgotten something along the way to growing up: my sense of wonder. I guess my friend already knew that. I had convinced myself there was no place for whimsy or wonder in my life because, in my mind, it wouldn’t get me anywhere. Only the facts and formulas that would help me succeed in school and beyond were worth remembering. Unlike Alice, I couldn’t simply dream things into existence and go on a fantastical journey of self-discovery because that’s not how the world works.

I was particularly defensive of this notion as I arrived at Georgetown University. Well aware of the reputation Georgetown carries, with its low acceptance rate, highly ranked programs and accomplished graduates, I felt like I had to treat this place with utmost seriousness. After all, I had spent my entire high school career pursuing good grades and resume-building activities just to get in. Not making the most of

my opportunities at Georgetown almost seemed to discredit all the sacrifices I made to be here. I feel especially compelled to take this place seriously because, at times, I doubt whether I truly deserve to be here at all. I’m no longer the captain of “this” or the president of “that” like I was in high school; now, I’m just another first-year living in Darnall Hall. In this vast institution, with its own seemingly impenetrable rules and paradigms, I feel small — like a kid who stumbled into the stories of far more important characters. Reflecting on my first few weeks here — and my friend’s call for me to remember a bit of Wonderland — I realize that I’ve always been in Wonderland, as long as I’m willing to seek it out. To get to Georgetown in the first place, I had to chase a rabbit down a rabbit hole. I left the safety of my “riverside picnic” to follow something elusive, took a chance and tumbled into the unknown.

My story wouldn’t be worth telling if I hadn’t at least attempted this journey and embraced its absurdity. I had to wonder what I could be first, to even try — and perhaps, even with my doubts and serious attitude, I’ve had this sense of wonder all along. It’s this same sense of wonder that has inspired my recent personal challenge to take fewer things so seriously.

Of course, my grades still matter, and I take a lot of pride in calling myself a Georgetown student, but I now view my experience here differently. My professor isn’t merely an extension of the red pen that marks my essays, determining my success or failure; he’s someone I’ve played basketball with on the courts at Yates. Healy Hall isn’t just some grand symbol of tradition and serious academia — it’s the backdrop of my first kiss on campus. We can all uncover these lighter aspects of our lives and create our own Wonderland while we’re here. Your parents might become your Cheshire Cat: the seemingly omnipotent presence that appears in the moments when you find yourself in need of guidance or wisdom. And the guy next door can be your Mad Hatter: Even though you have no idea why he’s yelling at 2 a.m., you put up with him anyway. You have the people and the place, now go write your fairy tale — just don’t get stuck down a rabbit hole. Dylan Goral is a first-year student in the College of Arts & Sciences. This is the second installment of his column, “The Fairy Tales We Tell.”

Search for Your Jazz Club Moment

Despite its dreadful midtown traffic and sweat-scented subway cars, I love New York City for its gritty, adrenaline-inducing character. When I recently traveled there for the weekend, I was hoping to reconnect with old friends and discover more hidden gems among the many hole-in-the-wall eateries the city offers. Little did I know a small jazz bar would inspire me to look at city life in a different light.

After spending Friday night in a cozy Columbia University dorm with some high school friends, I craved some alone time. After brunch tacos at Tacombi, a Citi Bike along the Empire State Trail, a new book at the Book Club Bar and a performance of “Hell’s Kitchen” at Shubert Theater, I ended the night with a walk around the city. Walking around aimlessly with my headphones, barely noticing the bustling life around me, I stumbled into the Blue Note Jazz Club.

The jazz bar was intimate and dimly lit with warm golden light, the leather seats and high-top wooden tables tightly packed around the small stage. The room hummed with conversation, and the crowd was close enough to the musicians that the barrier between the guests and the performers blurred. Finding a corner seat to the left of the stage, I paused to absorb my surroundings. As flocks of New Yorkers drifted in and took their seats, shifting their attention from their conversations as the headlining musician took the stage, a realization hit me that I was finally tuning

in to the rhythm of life I had been rushing past all day. That night, musician Sid Sriram performed with special guests Theo Croker and Weedie Braimah, as well as instrumental accompaniments from Julius Rodriguez and Austin Williamson. Drawing from South Indian Carnatic music, Sriram played tracks from his new album “Sidharth,” a soulful and emotional collection. In the middle of his set, Sriram slowed things down with “Dear Sahana,” an R&Band Indian classical-inspired gospel melody about longing for connection. The lyrics seemed to resonate with everyone in the room, as the soft, plaintive tones of Sriram’s voice wove together an intimate desire to belong, to be understood and to find comfort in the presence of another. As the room grew quiet, I looked around. A woman who was sitting alone just a few seats down caught my eye and smiled. Another man sitting next to me, who had been quietly listening the entire night, shed a tear. He made no attempt to wipe it away; it seemed his vulnerability wasn’t something to hide here — it was an intentional reflection of the raw emotions of the music. I gently placed my napkin next to him and we exchanged a brief yet powerful nod. As the room swelled with the emotion of the song, I felt an ache in my chest reminiscent of loneliness and longing — but in that small room, surrounded by strangers, it provided a quiet comfort.

I had experienced one of those rare moments in a vast city where I realized how close we all are — how, despite

the crowds, we can still find moments of intimacy in the most unexpected settings. Growing up in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, I had always thought of urban life as a crowded train where no one meets another’s eyes: We all move past each other, absorbed in our own universes. But this moment showed me how awe-inspiring city life can be — its magic lies not in its grandeur or scale but in tiny moments where, at least for a few minutes, I believe that I belong to something greater than myself. Whether you’re navigating Washington, D.C. or even just our campus, there are many opportunities to slow down, let yourself be lost, engage with those you meet and feel part of something rather than be a lone traveler through the world. These moments don’t have to be rare — they can be found anywhere if we seek them out. For me, it happened in a jazz club, but you can find them in Midnight MUG, at a bench on the National Mall, in line at Call Your Mother or just about any other place. So, I encourage you to find your own “jazz club moment.” Look around you: You might not know people’s names or their stories, but you’ll feel a connection with them through the rhythm of life you share. Wherever you find yourself, take the time to be present and let yourself be in community with others.

Nhan Phan is a first-year in the College of Arts & Sciences. This is the second installment of his column, “Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost.”

‘This is Why We’re Here’:

As Election Approaches, GU Students Mobilize for Candidates, Parties

From crisscrossing the Northeast canvassing to traveling across Washington, D.C., to report results to storming first-year dorms, Hoyas have been active in politics before this year’s election.

Paulina Inglima Senior Features Editor

It’s 6 p.m. on a Tuesday night and Luke Hughes (SFS ’27) is ready to lock in. He has a single earbud in blaring Zach Bryan, a slice of pizza on a paper plate and one finger refreshing a database page for Ohio congressional districts as he updates the latest primary election results for Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ), a reporting site that collates election results from every U.S. county for nationwide news outlets.

With people across the United States already beginning to vote in this year’s election, Georgetown University students are ramping up their involvement in the 2024 presidential and congressional elections — whether it’s working with DDHQ — which announced its partnership with Georgetown’s McCourt School of Public Policy earlier this year — organizing voter registration drives on campus or riding daily on the Georgetown University Transportation Shuttle (GUTS) bus to coveted internships with the campaigns or national committees.

Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris will be facing off against former Republican President Donald Trump for the presidency Nov. 5, with hotly contested issues such as reproductive rights, immigration and the ongoing Israel-Hamas war on the line. On the congressional side, both the House of Representatives and Senate are also up for grabs, with forecasters describing the races for overall control of both chambers as tossups.

One month out, Hughes and roughly 100 other DDHQ volunteers have worked to report primary results in the hope of repeating the site’s success in the last general election: In 2020, DDHQ was the first outlet to call current President Joe Biden’s victory.

“It was just a group of kids who are passionate about it, and that’s just what you needed for this job,” Hughes said. “It’s a room full of passionate individuals who can work fast and can stay up for a few hours past their bedtime.”

Partisan groups on campus have gotten similar traction, with groups like Georgetown University College Democrats (GUCD) and Georgetown University College Republicans (GUCR) amping up election-related programming.

Braedon Troy (CAS ’27), GUCD board member and director of speakers, said the possibility of being involved in campaign work for the 2024 election was a driving force behind their decision to attend Georgetown.

“This is why we’re here. I came to Georgetown specifically to be a part of this election cycle,” Troy told The Hoya. “I was like, ‘Oh, I’m in Washington, D.C., in 2024.’ I was thinking about that when I was a senior in high school.” Partisan Campaigns

Student groups like GUCD and GUCR provide opportunities for students to get involved in campaigning on and off campus, whether through speaker events, debate watch parties or door knocking.

Asher Maxwell (CAS ’26), one of GUCD’s co-chairs, said he’s seen increased participation in club-sponsored events and activities since the start of the election season. Maxwell said students have been energized by Harris’s campaign, with three times more students than expected attending the club’s first debate watch party and attendance at their phone

“I was like, ‘Oh, I’m in Washington, D.C., in 2024.’ I was thinking about that when I was a senior in high school.”

BRAEDON TROY (CAS ’27) GUCD BOARD MEMBER

banks consistently high.

“We have been overwhelmed by the amount of energy and excitement, the amount of people who are interested in getting involved,” Maxwell told The Hoya Both groups have been engaging heavily in voter outreach through phone banking and canvassing.

GUCR has made trips to Alexandria, Va., and Fredericksburg, Va., to campaign for Republican Senate candidate Hung Cao and congressional candidate Derrick Anderson.

GUCR Secretary Michael Korvyakov (MSB, SFS ’27) said these canvasses have brought volunteers new perspectives on engaging in political discourse.

“Door knocking is already not a very glorious activity. Most students want to avoid it,” Korvyakov told The Hoya. “We get a solid group going out there, and everyone who does it, they find it to be kind of transformational in that you’re not used to going up to a door, knocking on it and asking to talk about politics.”

“You get out of your head a little bit when you do it,” Korvyakov added. “And I think they really enjoyed it in the end.”

GUCD has made phone calls and texts to voters in North Carolina and Pennsylvania and canvassed in Virginia and Maryland for Senate candidates Tim Kaine and Angela Alsobrooks. Club members have also independently traveled to rural Chambersburg, Pa., weekly on Saturdays to knock doors for the Harris campaign.

Troy said that their work with GUCD helps them to feel confident they are doing every-

thing in their power to help get Harris elected.

“The biggest thing that I’ve kind of come back to throughout this election cycle is on Nov. 6, the day after the election, I want to make sure that I wake up and feel, no matter what the result is, that I did whatever I could to help Kamala Harris get elected,” Troy said. “And if that means giving up my Saturday and going out and knocking on someone’s door and maybe kind of annoying them while they’re trying to watch college football, that’s what that means.”

GUCR President Ian Cruz (SFS ’25, GRD ’26) said he has found it particularly gratifying to meet people who are following the campaign closely.

“You can really feel that it’s a very contested race, and that feeling that people are paying attention,” Cruz told The Hoya. “I think that’s been one of the greatest things, is just when you knock on somebody’s door and they’re actually paying attention to what’s going on, and that makes your job easier as a canvasser, because they know what the race is. They know what’s at stake,” Cruz added.

Beyond on-campus activities, many students work off the Hilltop for the Harris and Trump campaigns.

Maxwell is involved directly in the race, serving as a communications intern for the Harris campaign.

“Being part of the campaign behind Vice President Harris when she is experiencing all this momentum and enthusiasm is a really fun way to take part in it,” Maxwell said.

Korvyakov, who is an intern for the Republican National Committee (RNC), said that he feels the impact of his work when he sees the political figures he is advocating for visit his office.

“You know you’re not doing crazy work, like you’re not running the RNC right now, but I know that what I’m doing is making the office more efficient, and what if that has some kind of impact on something?” Korvyakov said.

Nonpartisan Work

The 2024 election will be the first presidential election that most current Georgetown undergraduates will vote in — meaning students may be registering to vote in their home states for the first time. GU Votes, a nonpartisan student organization dedicated to reducing barriers for students in the registration process, aims to guide students through the process in advance of Nov. 5.

Sam Lovell (CAS ’25), co-president of GU Votes, said despite the common view that only votes in swing states matter, voting is essential for students to directly make their opinions and voices heard.

“The voice of young people is so important, and even if your vote isn’t likely to be pivotal in an election, it’s still a marker of your voice and the most direct way that you can contribute to expressing a desire for change or not,” Lovell told The Hoya.

GU Votes tables throughout the year, registering students online or providing them envelopes, printed forms or notarization services, which some states require voters to have in order to register to vote absentee. However, their biggest tabling effort annually is during the week of National Voter Registration Day, Sept. 17. More than 50 volunteers flooded Lauinger Library, the Leavey Center and first-year dorms to register students to vote in the organization’s Storm the Dorms event Sept. 17.

In 2022, 87% of Hoyas were registered to vote, according to Lovell. He says GU Votes aims to raise that number this year.

“That’s really an opportunity for us to make an impact and ensure that students like that don’t fall through the cracks and get to exercise their right to vote as they navigate campus,” Lovell said.

“There’s lots of changes that happen for first-years, and I think it’s easy for voting to fall behind.”

Michael Bailey, a professor of government who focuses on political data and statistics, said GU Votes’ efforts are important, but student activists should also focus on expanding voter drives for young people outside private universities.

“Student involvement in campaigns in Georgetown, sometimes they’re focused on their fellow Georgetown students, and that’s not where the problem is,” Bailey told The Hoya. “The problem is the community college students or kids who don’t go to college or big state schools — there’s just a lot of different experiences in the places where the falloff in turnout is the most dramatic.”

Sarah Sisto (CAS ’25), who volunteered for Storm the Dorms, said that the prospect of voting for the first time has energized students to register.

Full disclosure: Sarah Sisto previously served as The Hoya’s Senior Social Editor in the Spring 2023 and Fall 2023 semesters.

“Lots of people are just excited to vote,” Sisto told The Hoya. “I think, too, for many of us, it’s our first presidential election. I know for me it is, so I think there’s just a level of excitement in the air.”

Sisto is also working with DDHQ as a reporter on the general election night to track six districts throughout the night as results come in.

“I’m really excited to kind of impact the election in that way,” Sisto said. “Obviously, it’s not affecting the vote in any way. It’s

more like being a part of the electoral process.”

Hughes said that taking part in the behind-the-scenes work gave him a new appreciation for the county election clerks counting the votes and the people across the country reporting results.

“It’s fun, it’s non-political, it’s nonpartisan,” Hughes said. “I’m just reporting the election results. It’s cool to get behind the scenes to see who does that: 19-year-old college students.”

Lovell said that campus organizations like GU Votes provide opportunities for students with different political beliefs to come together over their shared passion for politics.

“I just think that in such a polarized society, and even in some ways a polarized campus, that institutions and clubs and organizations like ours are really some of the rare moments where people can come together to one of our events, where they can volunteer at a table with us, regardless of whether they’re Democrat or Republican or something else, and know that they’re making a difference and contribute to a cause that I hope we all share,” Lovell said.

Reaching Across the Aisle

Besides his work with DDHQ, Hughes is a student strategy team (SST) leader for the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service (GU Politics), which is housed within the McCourt School of Public Policy and studies regional and national politics.

Each year, GU Politics chooses politicians, journalists and activists as fellows who lead discussion groups and educate students based on their firsthand experience in Washington, D.C.

Hughes, who works on the team for former Trump advisor Ashley Gunn and last year worked with Machalagh Carr, who served as chief of staff to former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, said that both experiences have taught him about the importance of open-mindedness in politics.

“It was something that was tough for me when I was first put on Machalagh’s SST. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, she’s conservative. What am I gonna do?’ And then I’m like, ‘You’re gonna have a great time. You’re gonna learn a lot, ask a lot of questions and learn the gist of it.’”

“I’ve just learned not to villainize,” Hughes added. Hughes said that this message of bipartisanship is important to remember across Georgetown and D.C.

“D.C. doesn’t have to be so partisan and Republican versus Democrat,” Hughes said. “And I think that’s the goal of all the

fellows who are here this semester with GU Politics, and that’s always the goal.”

Troy said that since most students are voting at home rather than in D.C., and because D.C. political races are not tightly contested, tension between parties on campus has been less noticeable than at other universities.

“We’re in Washington, D.C., most people are going to be voting absentee back in their home state and that is so very different for everyone,” Troy said. “If we were at the University of Michigan, I think things might be a little more toxic, because you’re seeing all the ads, you’re seeing all the campaigning signs directly.”

Sisto said that as an inherently bipartisan city, District residents and university students are very engaged in the election but also respectful of differing opinions.

“The District itself does not really have any impact on the election, with one electoral vote and no Congressmembers,” Sisto said. “We don’t get the big rallies happening and things like that, but this is the home base for everything, and depending on the administration, things change in the city. People move in, move out, and I think that you can’t help but feel that energy in the city.” Shirley Omari-Kwarteng (CAS ’25), who worked for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee this summer, said Georgetown’s political discourse seems much calmer than that represented in the media.

“I truly think that at least on Georgetown’s campus, it’s not as bad as we’re seeing on the news,” Omari-Kwarteng told The Hoya. “I think people have their opinions. The way they’re aligned isn’t detrimentally affecting how students interact with each other on campus, to my knowledge.”

As the election approaches, students’ political involvement is becoming still more intense: GUCD is organizing a phone bank for Alsobrooks and a weekend-long canvassing trip to Allentown, Pa., while the Georgetown Bipartisan Coalition — a student organization made up of Democrats, Republicans and Independents that aims to promote civil dialogue — will be hosting a debate between GUCD and GUCR members. Lovell said, given the tension and violence that has occurred throughout campaign season, nonpartisan collaboration like Georgetown students have demonstrated is all the more essential.

“I think it’s important to emphasize our shared ground, that we resolve our differences at the ballot box, that this is the principal way that we can see the humanity in one another, rise to the challenge, beat our differences and come together,” Lovell said.

ILLUSTRATION BY KATIE CHUNG/THE HOYA

The Nov. 5 election will be most Georgetown University students’ first time voting in a U.S. election, and student engagement with politics this year has been high.

First Patient Without Previous Animal Exposure Tests Positive for Avian Flu

Eva Siminiceanu

Special to the Hoya

A Missouri patient hospitalized with flu-like symptoms tested positive for the avian flu in the first known human case with no previous exposure to animals, as confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Sept. 6. Avian influenza A (H5N1), commonly known as the avian flu, is a strain of the influenza A virus that has infected poultry, dairy cows and 14 exposed farm workers since 2022 in the United States. In humans, symptoms include fever, fatigue, cough, muscle aches, sore throat, nausea and vomiting. There have been several reported cases of H5N1 globally since 1997, with approximately 50% of cases resulting in severe pneumonia or death, according to the CDC. However, the CDC labels H5N1 as “low risk” for causing a pandemic.

On Sept. 27, the CDC reported that the infected Missouri patient had recovered and remains the sole confirmed case of H5N1 in the local community. However, blood samples from a total of six health care workers who showed mild respiratory symptoms were collected and

sent to the CDC, where they will be tested for the presence of H5N1 antibodies, which indicates if an individual contracted avian flu. These tests will be critical in determining if the virus can spread between humans, which would be unprecedented for this particular strain and raise questions about a potential pandemic.

Several public health experts have begun spreading awareness about the possible dangers posed by avian flu, including Dr. Jesse Goodman, professor in the Georgetown University School of Medicine and director of the Center on Medical Product Access, Safety and Stewardship (COMPASS), an interdisciplinary committee that aims to address and find solutions to global health issues. The JAMA Network, an open-access medical journal published by the American Medical Association, published an article by Goodman and several colleagues Sept. 4 detailing preparatory measures against a potential H5N1 pandemic.

“While you can say the current risk is low, to me, this is much more concerning than it was a year ago,” Goodman told The Hoya. “That risk could change very rapidly and that assessment is not a reason for not taking this seriously and preparing for the possibility that [H5N1]

could sustain human-to-human transmission.”

Given the evolving H5N1 case, Goodman also expressed the need for outbreak preparation, as diseases can evolve quickly and cause unpredictable consequences.

“There should be much more surveillance, the CDC should have the ability to investigate these outbreaks and the will to do it. We have a vaccine that is still being tested, but if it turns out to offer potential protection against these latest strains, it could be offered to exposed people to reduce some of the risk,” Goodman said.

Lawrence Gostin, distinguished university professor at Georgetown University Law Center and faculty director of the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law, said global collaboration and investment is crucial in enacting these policies. Currently, Gostin is negotiating and drafting a pandemic treaty at the World Health Organization (WHO) that calls for global unity in pandemic responses and the international sharing of information regarding potential outbreaks.

“We need global norms and funding to prevent viral spillovers from animals to humans,” Gostin wrote to The Hoya. “Prevention is essential, including regulating

farms and wet markets, regulating the sale of wild animals and more action to prevent deforestation that brings animals and humans into closer contact.”

Meanwhile, individuals can take steps to protect their communities from avian flu and other influenza strains. Leo Shih (SOH ’26) said receiving seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccinations remains an important preventative measure.

“While the seasonal flu shot will not protect against H5N1 avian flu, it will reduce the risk that coinfections (which promote the mutations that could make H5N1 dangerous) will occur,” Shih wrote to The Hoya. “Additionally, if we do find ourselves in the worst case scenario of a highly pathogenic avian flu with sustained human-to-human transmission, seasonal flu and COVID-19 will still be circulating, and reducing the burden on our health care system will save lives.”

DC’s Carnegie Institute Honors Nanoscience Pioneer

Aya

Fawaz Special to The Hoya

Robert Langer, a 2024 Kavli Prize laureate in nanoscience and Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor in the departments of chemical and biological engineering, presented his groundbreaking work in biomedical technology at an event hosted by the Carnegie Institution for Science in collaboration with The Kavli Foundation and the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 25.

Langer, recognized for his pioneering work in the development of nanostructured materials for drug delivery systems, has made a significant impact on the pharmaceutical industry. His contributions to the development of mRNA vaccines, including those used to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, were a key focus of the talk.

“The work we did with nanoparticles helped deliver large molecules like mRNA, which allowed the development of vaccines that have saved millions of lives,” Langer said at the event.

Langer described how he and his team overcame numerous challenges to develop lipid nanoparticles — microscopic fat-composed sacs that are capable of protecting the non-stable mRNA molecules and delivering them to target cells. In fact, he emphasized that this breakthrough was pivotal in creating the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines. These vaccines utilize the nanoparticles to introduce mRNA into cells, instructing the body to produce a protein that

triggers an immune response.

“This technology not only revolutionized how vaccines are made but could also pave the way for future treatments, including personalized cancer vaccines,” Langer said.

He also emphasized that the speed at which the mRNA vaccines were developed — months instead of years — was made possible by decades of foundational research in nanomedicine and drug delivery systems.

Cynthia Friend, president of The Kavli Foundation, lauded Langer’s lifelong dedication to science and his research accomplishments.

“Professor Langer’s research on nanomaterials for medical purposes has revolutionized the pharmaceutical industry and saved countless lives,” Friend said at the event. “He is not only a brilliant scientist but also a role model for new generations of researchers.” Friend further emphasized the broader importance of fundamental science and research endeavors.

“Science is the cornerstone of progress, and it’s crucial that we continue to invest in it. The breakthroughs we see today — like those from Professor Langer — were unimaginable just a few decades ago,” Friend said. “This is the power of curiosity-driven research.”

Langer’s impact extends beyond his scientific contributions and encompasses the success of the students he has mentored along the way. According to Langer, more than 400 of his former students have gone to become leaders in medicine, academia and business.

“What I’m most proud of is how well my students have done,” Langer said. “They’ve won numerous awards, started groundbreaking companies and continue to push the boundaries of science.”

Eric Isaacs, president of Carnegie Science, also acknowledged Langer’s role in transforming theoretical nanoscience into life-saving biomedical applications.

“He’s not only published 1,600 scientific papers and holds 1,400 patents but has also founded companies that have taken his discoveries directly to the public, impacting millions,” Isaacs said.

Langer sa that, despite his success, he had experienced numerous rejections throughout his journey from studying chemical engineering to nanotechnology.

“My first nine grant applications were all rejected,” Langer said. “But persistence paid off, and I never gave up on the idea that nanotechnology could be used to improve

drug delivery and save lives.”

Apart from celebrating Langer’s past achievements, the event also discussed the potential future impact of nanoscience.

“There’s so much more to be done. From cancer treatments to personalized medicine, nanotechnology has the potential to change the way we approach healthcare in the coming decades,” Langer said. Isaacs also said there is a need for continued investment in fundamental science and that Langer’s work is an example of a powerful intersection of science and innovation.

“It’s essential that we continue to support scientists like Langer who are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and transforming those discoveries into real-world solutions,” Isaacs said.

Georgetown Talk Spotlights Forever Chemical Pollution

Amanda Lowe Special to the Hoya

Ian Bourg, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Princeton University, presented his new research on how common environmental pollutants, known as per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), contaminate water, air and other biological substances at an ECoTalk at Georgetown University on Sept 27. Despite the specialized chemistry and physics of Bourg’s research, his work has many practical and interdisciplinary applications. Bourg said students should care about this research because water contamination can have many undesirable health impacts.

“We are trying to figure out how pollution moves around in the environment and what are the pathways through which we might get exposed to it,” Bourg told The Hoya Bourg researches the affinity of harmful PFAS chemicals for different locations and chemical phases within a molecular system. This distribution of chemicals is called partitioning. Through state-of-the-art computer science, Bourg analyzes the behavior of water, clay, air and pollutant particles when they interact with one another.

Bourg’s team was specifically interested in how PFAS chemicals

interact with water interfaces, where water meets with another substance like clay or air. Understanding these crucial interfaces will illuminate how these contaminants move through the environment.

“Water near surfaces is acting in certain strange ways and is poorly understood,” Bourg said at the event.

“Water in Antarctica is frozen, right? If you put a little grain of sand on your glacier, right at the boundary between your grain of sand and your block of ice, there will be a thin layer of water that actually remains liquid even at temperatures where it’s supposed to freeze.”

Bourg’s research found a correlation between PFAS location, specific contaminants’ chemical structure and other charged chemicals in the system. Specifically, Bourg found that water tends to “spit out” certain PFAS contaminants due to their nonpolar structure.

“So I can put an organic molecule in a system, and I can define some free energy that tells me the likelihood of finding the molecule at some location in the system,” Bourg said. PFAS chemicals commonly make their way into the environment from manufacturing or chemical production facilities, household products and personal care items. Approximately 2,000 new chemicals, including some new PFAS compounds, are introduced to the U.S. market for

purchase annually, according to the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC). Dr. Laura Shaheen, an endocrinologist and health blogger, said these chemicals can have a variety of health impacts on humans, including fertility problems.

“We know that these chemicals, largely untested on humans, affect the quality and production of eggs and sperm,” Shaheen told The Hoya “Our country tends to release things and deal with the impacts later.”

This research is relevant not only to water contamination and its impact on our health but also to global warming. According to the European Union (EU), soil is Earth’s second largest carbon sink following our oceans. Bourg’s research also seeks to explore the correlation between organic chemicals in soil and the ability of soil to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

“If we know what the mechanisms are, then we could figure out how to change our land management practices to make our soils accumulate more carbon,” Bourg said.

A variety of undergraduate and graduate students attended the talk to discover more about current research in the field. Sneh Patel (GRD ’25), a master’s student in environmental and sustainability management, said the talk improved his understanding of organic contamination after he learned while working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that this was

an issue of great urgency.

“During my time working with the EPA, I realized how important this issue is. This was more technical than the talks we usually hear, but due to my background in engineering, I was able to understand,” Patel told The Hoya Emanuela Del Gado, a professor in the physics department, also researches water and clay particles. Del Gado invited Bourg after discussing possible collaborations over the past few years and said Bourg’s research is pushing the boundaries of science knowledge itself.

“The behavior of these materials are interesting to us because they touch questions at the frontier of current knowledge in physics—how does water behave when confined at the nanoscale and ions or various other molecules are dispersed in it?”

Del Gado told The Hoya

Bourg said he is excited to share his work with students and hopes they get involved with organizations that advocate for chemical transparency for consumers. He hopes his research will create an impact to promote sustainability.

“It’s awesome to be a faculty in the U.S. who works on environmental issues, because when you talk with students about all these things, you can feel their minds clicking; ‘Wow, this is not just depressing. We should do something.’” Bourg said.

THE SINGULARITY

Uncharted Territory: How Generative AI Will Change Creativity, Academic Work

Jay Liu Science Columnist

Like it or not, generative artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere. With just a few keystrokes, anyone can generate text, images or videos of any niche scenario they can imagine. While the sheer computing power of generative AI enables previously impossible research, such developments have also fostered fear in academia.

Many U.S. states have enacted legislation concerning AI; however, no laws contain specific guidelines about generative AI and intellectual property. Instead, such cases are reviewed by the U.S. Copyright Office, which has only stated that humans cannot claim copyright over AI-generated content.

This precedent was set by its rulings on cases concerning “Zarya of the Dawn,” a graphic novel, and Creativity Machine, an AI model. Both works incorporated AI-generated images and were, therefore, denied full copyright requests. However, the Copyright Office has not safeguarded against the non-consensual use of copyrighted materials in the training of AI models. These training datasets are utilized to create models capable of producing content similar to the data on which they were trained, sparking strong backlash from writers, artists and publishers.

The way that generative AI is trained creates fundamental issues for its use in academia.

The data that is fed to AI models are of such scale and variety that AI-generated information cannot be traced back to its sources. This poses a problem to researchers, as they are not credited for their contributions when used by AI. Furthermore, researchers may become less incentivized to continue their intellectual pursuits as society receives increasingly more of its information from AI.

Beyond obscuring recognition, intellectual property and source precision are also tied to accountability. Citations are a crucial part of research and scholarly writing. Therefore, since generative AI often prevents readers from pinpointing sources of information, works that use generative AI are incapable of abiding by current academic standards. Under the APA 7th edition citation format, generative AI can be cited by including the name of the AI model and the prompt given to it. In one of my classes where the use of AI is permitted for gathering information,

students are instructed to cite in this way. This is perhaps the most straightforward method for AI citation, but it also defeats the purpose of citing altogether. Not only are generative AI models unable to list the origins of their information, identical models can generate different responses to the same prompt. Readers cannot use the citation to recreate the original AI output or identify where the AI-generated information came from. The problem becomes even more concerning when issues like AI bias — when generative AI creates prejudiced outputs due to the nature of the training dataset — and misinformation are taken into account. Generative AI’s outputs are reflective of the inputs they were given during training, so inaccurate or biased data misguide models into outputting AI hallucinations. This fundamental incompatibility between academia’s need for truth and review and generative AI’s lack of accurate sourcing makes its academic integration more difficult than any technology that came before it. Unlike previous technological advances, including the internet, generative AI’s lack of retraceable sourcing steps presents unique obstacles to maintaining academic integrity and transparency. However, the undeniable convenience of generative AI is difficult to refute. The conversational nature of large language models enables users to quickly gather and organize new information. This increased efficiency is likely to improve productivity in research as well. Generative AI is not something that can be locked back into Pandora’s box. According to a study done by James Zou, a Stanford University professor, up to 17.5% of sentences in computer science research papers were modified by generative AI. This number has also sharply increased across other disciplines since the commercial launch of large language models and chatbots such as ChatGPT and Llama.

We currently find ourselves in a difficult transitional period where students, educators and researchers have not yet developed a consensus about how generative AI should be used and cited. How we identify, verify and cite AI-generated information — as well as how intellectual property regulation is applied to AI training — are urgent questions that need to be answered. Only then will students and scholars be able to expand the boundaries of their learning and research with generative AI while preserving the fundamental values of truth, accountability and creative dialogue in academia.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the first case of avian flu, or avian influenza A (H5N1), in a patient who has not been in contact with poultry or dairy cows Sept. 6.

MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Nanoscientist Robert Langer was honored at a Sept. 25 ceremony in Washington, D.C. for his accomplishments in mRNA vaccine

of reported incidents

Pope’s Pediatric Health Care Initiative Partners With Global Health Institute

Anish Raja Special to The Hoya

Georgetown Univerity’s Global Health Institute (GHI) announced its collaboration with Pope Francis’s Global Alliance for Children’s Health Sept. 24. Pope Francis’s initiative, called the Pope’s Global Alliance for the Health and Humanitarian Care of Children, will work with Georgetown and other partners to create a worldwide network of hospitals aimed at reaching children who would otherwise lack access to necessary medical care. The pope announced the initiative at a meeting attended by Dr. Norman J. Beauchamp Jr., the executive vice president for health sciences at Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC); Deus Bazira, the GHI director; and Michael Donnelly, chair of the GUMC department of pediatrics, on Sept. 19. Beauchamp said in a press release that GHI and Georgetown are dedicated to improving pediatric health care across the world.

“There are so many children who are suffering in silence, and many organizations who are positioned to bring hope and healing to them,” Beauchamp said in the press release. “Georgetown has a recognized expertise in building in-country capacity. It’s creating this sustainability that will ensure access to best care today and into the future.”

In the past, GHI has focused on providing sustainable health care worldwide, such as conducting research and engaging in projects to

help with maternal and child health care outcomes.

GHI is working with the Patrons of the World Children’s Hospital, a U.S. non-profit with extensive global experience in the “hub-andspoke” model, in which a central organization helps multiple smaller organizations that will be implemented in the pope’s initiative. The non-profit’s specific role would be to identify collaboration partners and “spokes” with whom the initiative could connect.

Bazira said in a press release that Georgetown’s primary role in the collaboration is providing logistical and technical support.

“We’ll share best practices for how to enhance the pediatric care delivery ecosystem so that participating hospitals from different regions of the world are best positioned to plan, receive and provide comprehensive care to children wherever they may be,” Bazira said in the press release.

“We know from experience and evidence that these types of networks are strongest and most successful when they are community-centered and communities lead in identifying their needs and how best we can support them,” Bazira added.

Anjali Lauwers (MSB ’27) said initiatives like these can serve as inspiration to students, especially to students who have not seen business or operations concepts applied outside the general context of firms and standard career paths.

“Not only does this initiative exemplify many of the core Jesuit values, it also demonstrates how the concepts learned in business can be leveraged in other domains such as medicine in order to build strong organizations with the resources to make change,” Lauwers told The Hoya “I think that seeing this practical application of core topics taught at Georgetown will be invaluable for many students and will hopefully give some individuals a new sense of what they want to do with their careers moving forward,” Lauwers added.

Oliver Johnson, the managing director for the Global Health Institute, said he hopes the GHI collaboration with the Vatican initiative will increase student involvement.

“As the program gets off the ground in the coming year we’ll be keen to explore how students can get involved,” Johnson wrote to The Hoya Lauwers said that Georgetown’s resources and Jesuit identity make it uniquely suited to initiatives like the GHI collaboration.

“As a student, I think it is very important that Georgetown engages in global healthcare efforts because the university possesses a wealth of knowledge and resources that could positively contribute to these efforts,” Lauwers said. “Additionally, our global standing as a university makes us uniquely well positioned to engage in such efforts, and our status as a Jesuit school makes it quite important to commit to serving others.”

Olivia Palker Special to The Hoya

WHAT’S NEW ONLINE?

The Georgetown neighborhood’s Art All Night event hosted artists and businesses across 19 locations along Wisconsin Avenue Sept. 29 but had several vendors cancel scheduled appearances due to rain.

U.S. News & World Report, a me-

dia company that publishes rankings and consumer advice, placed Georgetown University 24th on its 2025 national rankings, dropping two spots from its 2024 rankings. Georgetown, which tied with the University of Virginia and Emory University, continues to hover just outside the “top 20” status for the “Best National University Rankings,” which is used to indicate the prestige of a university. This year, the criteria for the rankings shifted slightly, and U.S. News placed 2.5% more weight on Pell Grant graduates and their performance while simultaneously removing the weight of first-generation graduates and their performance from the list of criteria.

A university spokesperson said Georgetown prioritizes the development of the whole student over its numerical standing and is more focused on the student experience.

“Georgetown is most focused on the student experience, both inside and outside the classroom, and the formation of graduates who act as ‘people for others,’” the spokesperson wrote to The Hoya. “Through scholarly work, our centers and institutes, and our student support and resources, we work to promote social justice and access, affordability and quality of education.”

As potential students may use the rankings to decide on their college choice, universities aim to increase in ranking to maintain prestige.

Rohin Dhaul (CAS ’28) said the rankings helped him decide where to attend school.

“I looked at everything to try to figure out which schools were the best,” Dhaul told The Hoya. “I also looked at rankings based on major, the quality of professors, all kinds of rankings.”

U.S. News publishes both overall rankings and specialized lists such as “A-Plus Schools for B Students” and program-specific rankings. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), a top U.S. newspaper, and Niche, a popular education ranking and review website, also published their own rankings, placing Georgetown in vastly different spots. In this year’s lists, the WSJ ranked Georgetown 34th, while Niche placed it in the 13th position.

Ethan Kaufmann (MSB ’28) said he has observed shifts in college rankings that have led him to question their reliability, particularly in the top ranked 25 institutions.

“Recently, I’ve realized that more public universities and more research universities are climbing, specifically in the U.S. News rankings,” Kaufmann told The Hoya. “I think that U.S. News rankings aren’t as reliable.”

Dhaul said he perceives the U.S. News’ college rankings as more of a nuanced matter, emphasizing factors beyond academic merit that influence an institution’s position among elite schools.

“I think in large part, the ranking

game is more just a marketing game. Looking at the ’24 number, some colleges just did better at marketing than others,” Dhaul said. “Once you reach that upper echelon like Georgetown has, there’s very little difference between them and the top schools.”

Alice Choe (CAS ’26) said the rankings highlight an opportunity for Georgetown to invest more in its students and enhance the overall experience.

“It is shocking, but at the same time it’s not,” Choe told The Hoya “Although Georgetown is a wellknown university, it has a lot of room for improvement.”

“Don’t get me wrong, we’re still getting a top-tier education, which I am grateful for. But at the same time, I feel like the school can invest more in its students, like bringing in new resources, renovating its buildings, offering more financial aid and making it a less stressful environment for students,” Choe added.

The spokesperson said the university believes Georgetown’s ranking is not a disappointment to the school and does not believe the rankings to be important.

“While we are proud to be ranked among the top 25 universities in the nation, we are most focused on the fundamentals of what makes our University strong,” the spokesperson wrote. Dhaul said he still felt the impact of Georgetown’s drop in the rankings.

“It stung a little bit. It’s weird to see us going down in the rankings,” Dhaul said.

Pooja Narayan

Special to The Hoya

The Georgetown University Lecture Fund, a student organization that hosts speakers on all topics, hosted Jamaica’s minister of health and wellness Oct. 2 for a discussion on public health initiatives and challenges in Jamaica, with a focus on the nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The panel, titled “Jamaica’s Path to Health Equity,” featured Jamaican Health Minister Christopher Tufton, who has served in Jamaica’s national parliament since March 2016 and was visiting the United States for the Pan American Health Organization conference. Professor of nursing Edilma Yearwood, an expert in immigrant and youth psychiatric health, moderated the discussion, which focused on the global implications of Jamaica’s health systems and the country’s future public health strategies.

Tufton said that Jamaica’s pandemic plan proved useful in combating COVID-19.

“In Jamaica’s case, we were fortunate we had a pandemic plan, which every country should have,” Tufton said at the event.

“We started to tweak it to match the features of COVID. How does the disease spread? What are the features that needed to be built in terms of management, control vetting, training of primary health care teams or contact tracing?”

Tufton said it is difficult to compare Jamaica’s COVID-19 response to that of the United States, which

he said lacks a primary health care system and operates mainly with tertiary providers.

“What you find in crisis management and leadership, whether it’s health or something else, is that uncertainty leads to panic and panic can lead to fears. What you don’t want is chaos,” Tufton said. “To respect confidentiality is very important, you know, and we have done it. I think it’s important to expose people sufficiently to understand how this system works.”

Tufton said transparency did not solve Jamaica’s logistical issues during the pandemic, such as the difficulty for Jamaican hospitals to gain access to vaccines and ventilation resources.

“The U.S., and rightfully so, in protecting their people, blocked shipments that were in transit to go to Jamaica and other countries,” Tufton said.

Tufton said that the main priority in Jamaican health care is not the acquisition of clinical equipment but rather the enhancement of mental health resources, promotion of healthy nutrition and the cultivation of healthy habits.

“What I discovered early in health and human health was that we didn’t have a clinical problem,” Tufton said. “If you examine all the variables, the solution to ill health is not more medicines and more hospital beds, as important as those are. Instead, the solution is to promote more wellness by influencing more health-seeking behavior.”

Tufton said efforts like Second

Chance Smiles, which promoted

denture use rather than tooth extraction, and Jamaica Moves, a campaign that promotes healthy lifestyles, fostered a vibrant community among health experts.

“Jamaica Moves was intended to show the culture of the Caribbean and Jamaica — the music, the dance. We’re very fun-loving people,” Tufton said. “Extracting vices from that, the alcohol, the tobacco, you know, and having these workout sessions.”

Tufton also said that mission trips and student visits to Jamaica can help improve the country’s health care system.

“For short term assignments in a range of areas, they normally come with a team. A lot of them are students actually, who are on vacation days,” Tufton said. “So dental students under the supervision of the dentist, they will care.”

Tufton said his experiences as the minister of agriculture and fisheries and minister of industry, investment and commerce informed his decisions as health minister, and he believes his position enables him to solve problems within health care and receive recognition for his work.

“For the most part, people complain when they have a problem, but they don’t mention when their problems are solved,” he said. “They move on because they assume that it’s a normal course, and that’s an expected thing. So on the occasions that you get a ‘thank you’ or you observe satisfaction, patient satisfaction would be the most rewarding.

POOJA NARAYAN/THE HOYA Georgetown University Lecture Fund hosted Jamaica’s Minister of Health and Wellness Christopher Tufton for a discussion on public health initiatives and challenges after COVID-19.

NAAZ MODAN/THE HOYA

GUPD’s annual security report showed a 22% decrease in reported crime from 2022 to 2023, with the number

of burglary, robbery and vehicle theft decreasing from 22 to 17.

Hoya

SHIRA OZ/THE HOYA

Nikki Haley Reflects on Her Campaign, Emphasizes

Political Trust, Dialogue

HALEY, from A1

lesson I will tell you is tune out that noise.”

“Make a smart decision, make sure you’re ready, make sure you know what you’re in for, make sure you have family support, you can’t do it without family support, but don’t let the naysayers tell you why you shouldn’t,” Haley added.

Haley said she decided to enter the race after considering her family, including her husband, South Carolina National Guard Maj. Michael Haley, who was deployed at the time. Haley said she knew she was ready to fight for the presidency before entering the race.

“I always knew if I was a good mom and a good wife, I’d be good at what I did,” Haley said. “If one of those was off, I was off. And so making sure that I was ready, I knew that I knew my stuff, I knew that I had the strength to do it, I knew that I was passionate about it and I knew that I was

committed to do whatever it took to get my voice out to as many people as possible.”

Haley suspended her campaign in March before endorsing Trump in July and said she gave the campaign her best effort.

“I am very proud of the fact we had 14 candidates, we defeated 13 of them,” Haley said. “I had one more I wanted to get, and I couldn’t get there. But it wasn’t because I didn’t try. When we suspended, I had complete and total gratitude.”

Haley said voters want younger candidates than 78-year-old Trump or 81-year-old President Joe Biden, who dropped out of the presidential race after Haley ended her campaign.

“At the end of the day, the people decide,” Haley said. “I knew just from town halls alone and everything, everybody wanted something newer, fresher, younger, energetic. They were worried, they wanted a worker.”

Haley also said Trump and Democratic candidate Vice

President Kamala Harris will need to appeal to the trust of undecided voters.

“Both candidates have to pay attention to that 10% that is going to decide this election, which is suburban women, independents, college-educated,” Haley said. “You can talk about the issues at the end of the day, but again when I say this goes back to trust, they want to know that you asked for their vote and they want to know that they can trust you to give you the vote.”

Haley said that though political tension and violence has been rife this year, she has hope that U.S. politics will get better.

“I have faith,” Haley said. “I think we’re going to be okay. You’ve heard me say this before: America has an amazing ability to self-correct. Sometimes we have to hit rock bottom to know where up is, we’re almost there. But we will get there, and I know that we are going to be okay.”

“It’s just messy right now, but I don’t think it’s going to last,” Haley added.

RA Union, GU Complete Second Round of Contract Negotiations

GRAC, from A1

place last year, there’s a good chance that we never would have unionized,” Lovell told The Hoya. “The reason that we’re here today is because there were people that were subject to decisions about whether or not they could retain their RA position this year and who were not given due process in that decision.”

“I think it is just a really gratifying and satisfying moment to be able to reflect that we have reached an agreement on a tool, on a procedure that will ensure that no RA has to go through that experience again,” Lovell added.

Izzy Wagener (SFS ’26), an RA in Kennedy Hall, said she was proud of what negotiations had already accomplished, despite the fact negotiators have not yet discussed financial aspects of the contract.

“I feel positive about what we’ve accomplished so far, and hopeful about future negotiations,” Wagener told The Hoya. “But I also think we haven’t really gotten to some of the more significant articles of the contracts. As you know, we’re probably not discussing compensation or anything related to financial issues until the very end of bargaining.” Lovell said that establishing a labor-management committee would ensure smooth communication between RAs and the university, which he felt has been lacking in the past.

“It’ll just be a really essential way to exchange information between

the university and the RAs, and that’s something that we currently really don’t have,” Lovell said. “This is a mechanism to ensure that that kind of communication is occurring and to implement recommendations and changes as appropriate.”

Beyond the agreements on the labor-management committee and arbitration of grievances, GRAC and the university also agreed on articles about severability, which allows contractual sections to be modified or removed without renegotiating the full contract, and nondiscrimination, which prevents Georgetown from treating RAs unequally. Bargainers also approached a tentative agreement on shop steward orientation, the process of teaching union members how to represent the union in a workplace.

During the bargaining session, the negotiators also reached tentative agreements on articles regarding union security, management rights and striking. In a clause known as “no strike, no lockout,” RAs would agree not to strike while the university would agree not to terminate or pause employment.

A university spokesperson said the university is committed to working with OPEIU, who is aiding GRAC in negotiations.

“We deeply value the contributions of Resident Assistants (RAs) to our living and learning community,” a university spokesperson wrote to The Hoya. “Georgetown continues to work in good faith with OPEIU to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement.” Looking to the next bargaining

Dikembe Mutombo, GU Basketball’s Legendary Center, Dies of Cancer at 58

MUTOMBO, from A1 classes after I got out from my English class,” Mutombo told The Hoya in 2021. “Then I had to go to basketball practice, then I had to lift weights, then I had to go eat, then I had to go study. I used to get back to my dorm at 8 p.m., after leaving at 8 in the morning.”

A virtual unknown outside Georgetown’s gates, Mutombo began playing for the men’s basketball team in the 198889 season as a sophomore. His performance on the court instantly spoke to his defensive prowess: During his rookie season, Mutombo blocked 12 shots in a single game against St. John’s University — an NCAA single-game record — setting the stage for a formidable frontcourt partnership with Alonzo Mourning (COL ’92) known as “Rejection Row” and helping his team to an Elite Eight finish.

During his junior season, Mutombo began to play more, averaging a double-double — 10 points and 10 rebounds — in the 24 games he started. Though the Hoyas were knocked out early in the NCAA tournament, Mutombo was named Big East defensive player of the year and second-team all-Big East.

With Mourning injured, Mutombo became the Hoya offense’s focal point as a senior, leading the team in scoring and repeatedly leading the team in rebounds — tallying 27 in the Big East Tournament quarterfinal matchup against the University of Connecticut.

After graduating from Georgetown with degrees in linguistics and diplomacy, Mutombo was the No. 4 overall pick in the 1991 NBA draft, going to the Denver Nuggets.

“I like to sit back and listen to how people say how great some of these are now because, in a few

years, Dikembe’s going to surpass them all,” Thompson said of the 1991 draft picks.

Mutombo wasted no time propelling to stardom, ending his rookie season as an All-Star and runner-up in rookie of the year sweepstakes. Mutombo became known for wagging his right index finger at opponents, teasing them after blocking their shots.

Over his long NBA career, including stretches with the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks and Houston Rockets, Mutombo racked up four defensive player of the year awards to go with over 11,000 points, 12,000 rebounds and 3,000 blocks.

“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver wrote in a press release. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA.

Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.”

Throughout his career and after, Mutombo was a tireless advocate for his home country, spearheading multiple charity initiatives to support education and healthcare in the Congo.

Mutombo founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997 and helped fund the construction of a general hospital in Kinshasa, established a primary school focused on science and entrepreneurship and championed children’s issues with UNICEF and Special Olympics International, serving on the boards of both organizations. Mutombo founded Mutombo Coffee in 2021, which aims to work mostly with female farmers in the Congo and other African countries to close the gender gap in the coffee industry.

“The health and the

development of a country are closely linked to the health of its people,” Mutombo said in a speech at Georgetown in 2001.

“Education is so important to good health.”

The NBA named Mutombo its first global ambassador in 2009. Mutombo worked with the NBA on international outreach efforts including Basketball Without Borders, a program that provides basketball instruction in 33 countries.

“Dikembe truly embodied what it means to be a global ambassador - he brought the sport of basketball to so many corners of the world and while doing so, also shed light on issues that he held near and dear to his heart,” Cooley wrote on Twitter. Mutombo was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 2015 for his average of 9.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game in his career. Beyond his basketball stardom, Mutombo served on the university’s board of directors, an advisory body that helps to govern Georgetown, from 2017 to 2023, serving on two of its committees, according to a university press release.

“Dikembe Mutombo was the embodiment of the spirit of Georgetown,” Joseph Ferrara, a university vice president and chief of staff to university president John J. DeGioia (CAS ’79, GRD ’95), wrote in the release. “From his prolific college and professional basketball careers to his tireless work in retirement to improve the lives of those in need of better health and opportunity, he lived Georgetown’s values in a way we always will hold with great esteem and pride.” Mutombo is survived by his wife, Rose; his children, Carrie (COL ’19, LAW ’22), Jean Jacques and Ryan, who played three seasons on Georgetown’s men’s basketball team; and four nieces and nephews he and his wife adopted.

Annual Clinton Awards Honor Former Women Heads of State

session, Lovell said he hopes to discuss the university’s process for placing RAs in different buildings, which he sees as an unfair process.

“The way that such decisions have been made in the past has been strictly a function of how well one knows a particular community director overseeing that area,”

Lovell said. “It has not previously taken much consideration of an RA’s individual performance or their seniority, and I think that’s wrong and my colleagues think that’s wrong.”

“We’ve developed what I think is a very articulate, sensible, reasonable provision that ensures RAs have a bigger say in that process, as they should, and that rewards RAs who stick it through, who have been RAs for a couple years and who have done their duty,” Lovell added.

A university spokesperson said the university disputes the perception of the RA placement process.

“Georgetown makes housing assignments that best meet the needs of each of its residential living communities,” a university spokesperson wrote.

Olea Tapia said GRAC is eager to negotiate the rest of the articles, adding that union negotiators are ready to adapt to the university’s pace.

“We are ready to negotiate everything,” Olea-Tapia said. “If the university called us tomorrow and said let’s meet all day, we would be happy to meet all day and run a marathon together. It would appear that they like sprints more than marathons, but that is okay, we will adapt.” GRAC and the university will resume negotiations Oct. 30.

CLINTON, from A1

“I keep waiting for the year when that mission feels less urgent, but that is not this year,” Clinton said.

“There are so many problems in the world, so much conflict, and we have to keep doing all that we can in order to move forward because we can’t allow the forces of war and darkness and conflict to discourage us and to overwhelm our will — because we have made progress.”

Clinton said each honoree was selected for their efforts to protect democracy and combat the threat of tyranny.

“There is a common thread that goes through what each of them has said: the defense of human rights, the defense of democracy, bringing people together, trying to cross divides, standing up against autocracy and extremism wherever it might be,” Clinton said.

Grybauskaitė, known as the Baltic “Iron Lady,” was honored for her commitment to fighting against Russian aggression and leading Lithuanian involvement in the European Union (EU).

Grybauskaitė said leaders must understand that democracy underpins a peaceful global order.

“A leader needs to understand that democratic values and democracy is a guarantor of peace and freedoms for everybody, for people, for families, for human rights, for women,” Grybauskaitė said at the event.

“We need to fight every day, showing example, showing our commitment and proving every day that it is a guarantor of our freedoms.”

Kaljulaid was commended for her efforts to advance Estonia’s techno-

logical capabilities, her continued fight for gender equality and her work to oppose Russian aggression.

Kaljulaid said it is important to keep the protection of human rights as a top priority when shifting to a more technological society.

“We have always to remember that the rules which apply in the analog world, the human rights respect of each other, etcetera — this always also applies in similar ways in the digital world and also in the future, the new AI-enhanced world,” Kaljulaid said at the event. “It is very important that as we move from one level to the other of technological development, we keep our basic value structure, value frame, in place.”

Gillard was honored for fighting for educational freedom and spreading awareness about ongoing misogyny.

She said certain young men view women in leadership roles as a threat and aim to restrict women’s workplace mobility.

“I think we need to recognize now, we can see in the data of the youngest generation, there is a backlash,” Gillard said at the event. “They think that the project of gender equality has discriminated against them.”

Clinton said future generations of women will be able to learn from the challenges these female leaders faced.

“This generation of young women, particularly, has the benefit of seeing a lot that has gone on and understanding how challenging the work is, whether it’s in politics and government or peacebuilding,” Clinton said.

During the event, Reem Hajajreh, the founder and director of Women of the Sun, and Angela Scharf, foreign relations coordinator of Women

Wage Peace, spoke on behalf of their organizations, which have worked together since 2022 to coordinate marches and rallies and create a joint mission statement, Mothers’ Call, that demands an end to bloodshed in the Middle East. Scharf said that creating Mothers’ Call allowed Women of the Sun and Women Wage Peace to create a common language through shared dialogue.

“We wanted to write down a common view, a statement of our common vision, of our shared mission, of our desires, of our dreams, of our common language,” Scharf said at the event. “We built a common language without shaming and blaming — to say that it was easy, it wasn’t easy. Every single word had to be negotiated because every word had a different meaning in our different societies.”

Hajajreh said Women of the Sun aims to facilitate women’s political empowerment, drawing on the idea of motherhood as a uniting factor.

“It was very important for women to have that awareness that can help them protect children from being pulled into political conflicts,” Hajajreh said at the event. “These are women that refuse to be victims, who say no stop is enough. We want to protect our children from the cycle of bloodshed and live in equality and freedom.” Clinton said each of the honorees has demonstrated determination as leaders, which continues to show their support for the spread of global peace.

“Hope is a muscle. Resilience is learned behavior,” Clinton said. “You have to be prepared to keep going no matter what stands in the way to go through that wall.”

MEGHAN HALL/THE HOYA

At the annual Hillary Rodham Clinton Awards Oct. 1, Clinton recognized three women former heads of state or government and two organizations for their roles in global peacebuilding.

MEGHAN HALL/THE HOYA

Nikki Haley, former Ambassador to the United Nations and South Carolina governor, reflected on her time campaigning for president this year at a Oct. 3 GU Politics event.

The Corp Celebrates 30 Years of Uncommon Grounds Coffee Service

Vilda Westh Blanc Special to The Hoya

Students of Georgetown, Inc. (The Corp), a student-run non-profit organization operating seven services on campus, celebrated 30 years of student-run coffee services at Georgetown University, marked by the 1994 opening of Uncommon Grounds (UG) in the Leavey Center.

The Corp originally began as an organization to protect students from violent protests in the Washington, D.C. area during the heat of the Vietnam War, funding its initiatives through selling Coca-Cola and yogurt on Healy Lawn. In 1973, The Corp expanded its operations by opening up its first permanent location, a convenience store called Vital Vittles, and in 1994, The Corp established UG, its second major location and first coffee shop.

Ned Segal (CAS ’96), then-president of the Georgetown University Student Association (GUSA), played a pivotal role in UG’s establishment. He said GUSA unanimously endorsed the idea of a coffee shop as the optimal use for the available space, and The Corp agreed to begin the project.

“We started with a blank slate in thinking about how to use the space,” Segal told The Hoya. “Everybody agreed that having a coffee shop would be a great way to bring more students to the Leavey Center.”

“The hardest part about developing The Corp was getting opinions from all the different stakeholders and coming to decisions so everyone felt good about the use of

the space for many years to come, necessitating a collaborative and thoughtful process,” Segal added.

To choose a name for the new coffee shop, Segal said The Corp and GUSA decided to host a contest open to all students.

“We felt strongly that a student-run coffee shop should be named by students,” Segal said.

“There were many submissions, but there was a clear consensus that ‘Uncommon Grounds’ was the best way to name it, and I’m so happy to see that it’s still used 30 years later.”

Segal said the opening of UG attracted undergraduate students to a part of campus that had ample seating space but had been mainly used by medical students.

“Uncommon Grounds brought more undergraduates into Leavey and as a result, they spent more time there,” Segal said.

“Whether studying or meeting friends, it changed the way people enjoyed the Leavey Center.”

Angela Lee (CAS ’26), a regular UG customer, said that despite the array of resources available at the Leavey Center, the student-run coffee shop remains its primary draw for the Georgetown community.

“I just love being able to sit and do work with my coffee and friends accompanied by the music that they play there,” Lee told The Hoya. “I have met so many of my friends just by sitting there all day surrounded by happy Georgetown students.”

To celebrate the anniversary, The Corp hosted an exhibition in collaboration with the Booth Family Center for Special Collections in Lauinger Library, displaying photographs, articles

Law Professor Testifies On Impact of SCOTUS’

Trump Immunity Case

Ajani Stella Special to The Hoya

A Georgetown University Law Center professor testified before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, which manages the federal judiciary and law enforcement, about the impact of Trump v. United States, a 2024 Supreme Court ruling that granted sweeping presidential immunity, Sept. 24. Professor Mary McCord, executive director of the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection (ICAP), a nonpartisan organization that focuses on defending constitutional protections and civil rights, and visiting professor of law at the Law Center, testified to the committee about the potential consequences of the Supreme Court’s July decision that upended centuries of jurisprudence on presidential immunity. McCord discussed the Supreme Court’s broad definition of the president’s “core constitutional powers,” which it identified as absolutely immune from prosecution, arguing the decision leaves open alarming possibilities for abuses of official power. During the hearing, McCord delivered a five-minute opening statement, followed by questions from senators. She said she aimed to explain how Trump v. United States could endanger future government operations and undermine the constitutional separation of powers.

“One thing that’s important about this is whether Mr. Trump will ever be accountable for things that, I think, are in violation of law,” McCord told The Hoya. “Second is the impact on the presidency as an office going forward because this really does elevate the presidency over the other supposedly co-equal branches of government.”

Jacob Glick, senior policy counsel for ICAP who assisted McCord in preparing her testimony, said the presentation aimed to highlight how the ruling could dramatically reshape the nature of presidential power.

“The lack of limiting principles that would govern the majority opinion is alarming,” Glick told The Hoya. “You have, essentially, guardrails being bulldozed around the traditional conception of presidential power and of the rule of law generally, and the majority doesn’t really take any steps to address that.” McCord said she wanted to focus on this case because it was unilaterally transformative in U.S. law.

“This opinion, to put it in its starkest terms, is almost like a license to be corrupt and abuse official power,” McCord said. McCord said her goal was to inform both the committee and the

and merchandise featuring the history of The Corp coffee establishments. The Corp also hosted an open house and coffee tasting for graduates in collaboration with Compass Coffee, its coffee distributor.

Matt Shin (CAS ’25), president and CEO of The Corp, said this anniversary has been the perfect occasion to recognize The Corp’s achievements.

“Outside of all these events, this anniversary has been a great time for us to take a critical look at our coffee operations and the direction we want to head in the future,” Shin wrote to The Hoya. “We know that Georgetown students love (and need) their caffeine and we are committed to ensuring that The Corp continues to meet those needs for another 30 years.”

Letu Tiruneh (CAS ’25), an employee at the Hilltoss Cafe in the Healey Family Student Center, said Corp locations remain a hub of student engagement.

“I have found my home within The Corp,” Tiruneh told The Hoya.

“This is the most interesting job I have ever had; it is more than just a club, it has even helped me obtain my post-grad job.”

Segal said that looking back 30 years later, The Corp and its coffee services remain a crucial part of Georgetown tradition.

“Student-run businesses have long been an essential part of the experience at Georgetown both for the students benefiting from the services but also those working and in leadership positions delivering the services,” Segal said. “It is a unique aspect of Georgetown that we should all be proud of.”

C-SPAN

US History Program Broadcasts GU English Professor’s

Lecture on Truman Capote’s ‘In Cold Blood’

general public about the decision’s far-reaching impacts and its potential to fundamentally alter the nature of the presidency.

“The idea is to provide information in a format that people can understand that this could have real consequences for people in this country,” McCord said.

“This is something that I think the American people should have a strong interest in, Congress should have a strong interest in, and the judiciary should have a strong interest in.”

Glick said he worked on predicting hostile questions from senators by drafting potential responses, which McCord then rehearsed in a moot hearing where staff members acted as committee members.

“Helping to think through potential responses to questions she might get about the decision was really important because we want to make sure that Mary goes before the committee and is able to — as she did — speak clearly and convincingly about the content of her testimony about the importance of the topic overall,” Glick said.

Sophie Gelber (LAW ’25), a member of McCord’s constitutional litigation practicum, contributed to the preparation team. She said she collected scholarly opinions and commentary about the case to help inform the written and spoken statements.

“I was making sure that she had a sense of the general landscape of different commentators and scholars across the ideological and legal theoretical spectrum — all of what was being said about this opinion because it’s important to know what people are talking about,” Gelber told The Hoya. “I was making sure she had materials near her or in front of her when she needed.”

Gelber said ICAP’s integration of the theoretical study of the law with practical applications has given her a unique perspective on constitutional advocacy.

“These are the smartest people I’ve ever had in my life,” Gelber said. “It’s an opportunity to work with people who do the kind of work that motivates me and is the reason I went to law school.”

Glick said the Trump v. United States ruling cannot be remedied by congressional statute, so public opinion is even more important.

“I think it’s really important to have the facts out there, even if there’s no immediate action Congress can take because ultimately it’s up to the public to decide how they want to react to this opinion,” Glick said. “Hopefully Mary’s testimony is some small part of the effort to make the public more aware of the dangers of this decision.”

Ajani Stella Special to The Hoya

A Georgetown University English professor’s lecture on the cultural and literary significance of Truman Capote’s novel “In Cold Blood” was featured on Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network (C-SPAN), a nonprofit public service network, Sept. 28.

C-SPAN’s “American History TV” program, which publishes academic discussions of U.S. history, recorded Professor Christopher Shinn’s lecture from his Summer 2024 class, “Pulp Fiction.” Shinn’s class focused on reading and studying popular novels, and C-SPAN contacted him expressing their interest in filming an English professor for the program.

Shinn said Capote encouraged readers to question the nature of violence in the United States and how cultures value “good” violence, such as the use of the death penalty, as a just response to “bad” violence.

“‘In Cold Blood’ gets at the core of our so-called beliefs in this nation that violence is necessary to regenerate society to save it from itself,” Shinn said during the lecture.

The lecture highlighted Capote’s portrayal of violence in his genre-defining nonfiction novel, which depicts the brutal and nonsensical murder of the Clutter fam-

ily of Holcomb, Kan., through the perspective of the two murderers waiting for their executions.

Shinn said that although people in the United States tend to avoid conversations about retributive violence, it remains prevalent.

“People still believe in that sense of justice,” Shinn told The Hoya. “It’s just that we recoil from hangings and public displays of murder that equate the state’s actions with that of the murders themselves.”

Shinn said “In Cold Blood” used the conventions of U.S. Western and detective stories, but inverted them by humanizing the murderers, Richard Hickock and Perry Smith.

“There’s a discord between what our expectations are in a story and the outcome,” Shinn said.

Shinn said to his students in the lecture that “In Cold Blood” remains relevant because it speaks to the continuous nature of violence in the United States by exploring the impact the murders have on a small community.

“Senseless violence is something that we face on a day-to-day basis, and it doesn’t seem that it will abate anywhere in the near future,” Shinn said during the lecture.

Shinn said Capote’s work was part of his attempt to understand and discuss the scale and tragedy of the violence.

“Capote tries to capture one study, but this tragedy is ongoing on a massive scale, day in and day out,” Shinn told The Hoya. “It’s heartbreaking to see how much violence has destroyed the fabric of our society and made it so commonplace.”

Shinn said he became interested in “In Cold Blood” because it acts as a link between popular fiction, journalism and literature, arguing that Capote was addressing the divide between journalists and creative authors by pioneering the “nonfiction novel.”

“It has these great literary ambitions to be more than just a sensational work of pulp fiction,” Shinn said during the lecture. “What Capote proposes is very controversial — not only for the public, because they haven’t seen necessarily a work of literature of this kind, but more so because in the literary establishment to bring journalism into literature is anathema.”

Amelia Shotwell (CAS ’25), who took Shinn’s “Critical Methods” class in Fall 2022, said he connected literary theory to popular texts in the class.

“This study is incredibly important because it makes academia and literary theory accessible, tangible and relevant,” Shotwell wrote to The Hoya. “The lessons Shinn taught me have

been incredibly applicable in my other courses (and hopefully in my future career in academia). He taught me to think critically.” Shinn said he hoped to integrate the study of pop culture with the studies of literature and journalism by discussing “In Cold Blood” with his “Pulp Fiction” class. “I wanted to bring this so-called ‘high’ and ‘low’ art together to see the connections and how culture has been spread widely,” Shinn told The Hoya. “My interest is how we can examine pop culture media studies as an integral part of studying literature in our society.”

Katherine Martinez (CAS ’25), who was a student in the recorded lecture, said Shinn always started class discussions by situating the book in United States history and culture. “He made me feel very welcome to ask questions and fostered a very flexible environment,” Martinez told The Hoya. “He was facilitating a very open discussion.” Shinn said he wanted students to consider the relationship between novels and social issues.

“This book is a tragedy — it’s a human tragedy all around,” Shinn said during the lecture. “There are no easy answers, but at least these force us to ask questions and perhaps to fight to stop whatever leads us to this point, so that these kinds of tragedies don’t happen.”

Law Graduate Begins Reusable Takeout Container Service

Claudia Amendoeira Special to The Hoya

This past August, a Georgetown University Law Center graduate and his brother launched To Go Green, an eco-friendly takeout service that aims to revolutionize the restaurant industry by introducing reusable containers that customers can return to restaurant partners after their meal.

Kevin Kay (LAW ’20) and Harrison Kay’s company partnered with 13 restaurants to encourage the Washington, D.C. community to build a closed-loop consumption cycle and help restaurants reduce costs associated with single-use plastics. To Go Green came to fruition after the company received a grant from the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment, the D.C. mayor’s office and the Chesapeake Bay Trust, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the watershed of the Chesapeake Bay.

Kevin Kay said inspiration struck during the pandemic when the brothers — who are vegan — became increasingly frustrated by the amount of single-use waste their takeout orders were creating.

“During the pandemic, many D.C. restaurants were closed for dining, and Harrison and I were ordering a lot of takeout. But we’re vegan so we

try to be conscious about our environmental impact, and we became very frustrated with how much single-use waste our takeout orders were creating,” Kay told The Hoya “So we’re starting to brainstorm a solution to that problem, which is a problem that we discovered many other D.C residents were facing.”

Leah Karrer, executive director of the Waste & Resources Action Programme, a global environmental action nongovernmental organization and one of To Go Green’s customers, said To Go Green is a unique solution to waste problems.

“Using To Go Green is easy and incredibly straightforward,” Karrer told The Hoya. “What I love about it is that they’re very innovative. They’re a local, real-world solution to what is a massive, global problem of overproduction, unsustainable consumption and extensive waste.”

To place a takeout order, customers visit To Go Green’s website and select a meal from a partner restaurant. The food is packaged in reusable containers that can withstand up to 1,000 uses. Customers have three weeks to return the container, either by scheduling a pickup or dropping it off at the restaurant.

Kay said To Go Green uses Uber Direct, a local delivery platform

for businesses, to connect customers with restaurants, but it hopes to involve other delivery companies such as DoorDash or GrubHub in the future.

“We have not integrated their containers into the larger online ordering platforms like Doordash or Grubhub, although that is certainly a goal for us in the future in order to offer our reusable containers to a broader audience,” Kay said

To Go Green earns a profit by charging a commission on each order and charging restaurants on a per-use basis for containers. Their containers, manufactured by G.E.T. Enterprises — the same company that manufactures containers at Leo J. O’Donovan Dining Hall at Georgetown University — are durable, microwave-safe and BPA-free.

Lela Singh, retail manager of Teaism, one of To Go Green’s restaurant partners, said the restaurant had been considering the switch to reusable containers for many years, but did not believe it was something they had the bandwidth to do until To Go Green facilitated the operations.

“I love that they could solve an issue for us,” Singh told The Hoya. “We can’t manage the inventory of reusable containers, but through their app, they can. It is a huge admin burden off a small business. And also, the To Go Green container price for us is actually less than a lot of the disposable containers we use.” Kay said “Business and Financial Basics for Lawyers,” a business course at Georgetown Law, inspired him to consider entrepreneurship as a career, instead of criminal law, which he studied originally.

“It’s

ARIA ZHU/THE HOYA

The Corp, a student nonprofit which operates seven locations on campus, celebrated the 30th anniversary of the opening of Uncommon Grounds, its first student-run coffee shop.

DC Council Launches Investigation Into Alternative Ride-Hailing Service Empower

Anna Lim Hoya Staff Writer

The Washington, D.C. Council’s Committee on Public Works and Operations, the committee responsible for government services, voted unanimously Sept. 25 to investigate Empower, a cheaper ride-hailing alternative to Uber and Lyft, for unauthorized operations.

Hoya Harvest Garden, Earth Commons Host Fall Planting Party for Community

Julia Vaughan Special to The Hoya

The Earth Commons Institute, Georgetown University’s hub for environment and sustainability studies, hosted its second Planting Party of the Fall 2024 semester at the Hoya Harvest Garden, the on-campus community garden that harvests crops year-round and provides opportunities for sustainable agriculture education, Sept. 29.

Despite the clouds and light rain, students came to the gardens to remove last season’s crops and prepare the beds for the fall, serving as an opportunity for the broader Georgetown community to get involved in the Hoya Harvest Garden’s work. Students received a free yoga class and a bagel brunch before removing the dead plants, composting plant materials and planting new crops such as arugula and spinach in the garden beds.

Participants included some Planting Party regulars — such as the Hoya Harvest Garden student gardeners and management — and students who had never interacted with the garden before.

Jonathan Riess (CAS ’25) said this Planting Party was the first he had attended and that he found it to be a rewarding experience.

“Planting something in the Georgetown garden is a great way to connect to the campus and build community since you are actively working to create the space around you,” Riess wrote to The Hoya. “Now every time I walk past

the garden, I’ll feel a little more connected to it and Georgetown’s campus, since I planted something in the garden and I can also see it grow over the coming weeks.”

Charlotte Correiro (CAS ’24), a post-baccalaureate fellow with the Earth Commons, said she became the manager of the Hoya Harvest Garden early this September and works as a student garden steward at Georgetown. She said Planting Parties are one of the many ways for the Georgetown community to interact with the Hoya Harvest Garden.

“They have been very successful ways to involve students in the garden, and we’ve found that having them at different points during the fall and spring semesters allows students to see the fruits of their labor as well as visible changes in the garden through the growing season,” Correiro wrote to The Hoya Student Garden Steward Ella Camp (CAS ’26) said her experience helping manage the garden is a good way to put the concepts she’s learned about in the classroom as an environmental biology major into practice.

“I have learned about many of the practices in class that we are implementing in the garden, so it is cool to learn hands-on what I have done in class,” Camp wrote to The Hoya. “I also had no gardening experience before this, so I was excited to learn more about gardening and farming as a whole.”

Camp is one of five undergraduate student garden stewards who work to help manage and plan the garden. Camp said this experi-

ence helps her and other gardeners connect with their work.

“Student gardeners run a lot of the garden and have a huge say in everything that happens in the garden, which makes it feel like we have more of an impact on the garden and that it is also our project and not just something we are helping our manager work on,” Camp wrote.

Correiro said her interest in farming has been met through her experience in the Hoya Harvest Garden, especially with her ability to engage Georgetown students in the planting process.

“I have always been interested in plants and once I started farming I became more interested in sustainable agriculture and the different ways we can grow food,” Correiro wrote. “I am also interested in education and the Hoya Harvest Garden provides a really exciting way to engage with students and agriculture in academic settings.”

In the future, Correiro said she plans to reach more people through the Hoya Harvest Garden by continuing to host planting parties, facilitate partnerships with faculty and offer regular volunteer opportunities.

“We hope to engage students and the broader campus community in the garden through events like Planting Parties and our fall and spring festivals, through partnerships with faculty creating hands-on academic experiences in the garden and through our regular volunteer opportunities for harvest, garden maintenance and bouquet making,” Correriro wrote.

National Symphony Orchestra Strike Ends After Management Agrees to Hike Wages

Eamon Maloney Special to The Hoya

After the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) authorized a strike Sept. 23 in protest of low wages, the musicians’ union reached an agreement with management at the Kennedy Center on Sept. 27, before the NSO’s season opener.

The musicians unanimously voted in support of a strike over their lower salaries in comparison to other major orchestras, such as the New York Philharmonic and Chicago Symphony, after remaining in a stalemate over contract negotiations since May. As a result, the Musicians Union Local 161-710, the union that represents members of the NSO, picketed at the Kennedy Center for the first time since 1978.

Ed Magala, president of Local 161-710 said the strike was predicated on new wage increases in orchestras around the country.

“As of today, the NSO musicians are making substantially less than are the musicians in the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic and San Francisco Symphony,” Magala said in a statement from Local 161-710. “That pay disparity combined with the high cost of living in the D.C. area makes it harder for the NSO to attract and retain talent commensurate with the reputation of the National Symphony Orchestra and the Kennedy Center itself as a premier performance venue.”

In 2023, the Philadelphia Orchestra agreed to a three-year, 15% wage increase for its musicians. The New York Philharmonic recently approved a 30% increase to wages

in September, and the San Francisco Symphony Choir went on strike Sept. 19 also in protest of low wages. The new agreement between the NSO and Kennedy Center administration is an 18-month contract, valued at $1.8 million, with a 4% wage increase in the first year and another 4% boost in the second year. The resolution also includes new health care options and benefits and a possibility for renewed negotiations in 2026.

This new contract falls short of the union’s original goals, a proposed 6.25% increase in wages each year over the next four years. The musicians’ desired contract aimed to make up for an estimated 15% decrease in real wages when accounting for inflation since their last negotiations in September 2019.

The musicians delayed the strike until Friday to allow for the performance of three sold-out NSO concerts featuring Grammy award-winning artist Sara Bareilles. Strikers instead stood outside the Kennedy Center and distributed leaflets and stickers about the strike before the shows.

Jennifer Mondie, a violinist and 29-year veteran of the NSO who chairs the Orchestra Committee, which helps to negotiate contracts between the musicians and managers, said the strike was a moment of unity among the musicians.

“It was really stressful,” Mondie told The Hoya. “It was pretty profound for all of us. The orchestra was incredibly unified. That was a really great feeling and we remain unified now that we know what we’re dealing with.”

“We hope to capitalize on that for the next couple years to make sure that it’ll make us even bet-

ter musicians, have even better artistry and ensemble together,” Mondie added. “The unity is going to be a saving grace in all of this.”

The musicians circled the Kennedy Center on foot during the strike, wearing red shirts reading “NSO Musicians” and carrying picket signs.

Mondie said musicians were glad the strike was over despite not achieving their full goals.

“I think everyone’s very relieved,” Mondie said. “There’s a lot of things we learned in this process, especially in the last couple of weeks. The things we learned were very valuable and we’ll definitely keep them in mind going forward, make sure we can plan.”

“In order to get some security, it was worth doing what we did,” Mondie added. “It’s not ideal, but it’s good enough for two years, and we’ll expect different dynamics in the future.”

Sara Eyob (CAS ’27), a Georgetown University student, said the NSO was an important part of her first year, and was grateful musicians could assert their rights to get a better contract.

“I’m glad that the NSO was able to exercise their rights and negotiate a better deal,” Eyob told The Hoya. “I believe that having a strong arts program, like the Kennedy Center, nearby is important for Georgetown.”

Mondie said that respect for the arts is fundamental among all musicians.

“My priorities are pretty clear: The music is what’s important,” Mondie said. “It just costs a lot to buy our instruments, to train, to be in top form, and if they don’t understand what value we bring to the community and the level of expertise that we have, then I don’t know why they’re running an arts organization.”

The committee, chaired by Councilmember Brianne Nadeau (D-Ward 1), expressed concerns with Empower regarding its millions of dollars in outstanding fines, failure to register with the D.C. Department of For-Hire Vehicles (DFHV) and rider’s harassment allegations. According to its website, Empower is 20% less expensive than Uber or Lyft, yet failure to register with DFHW means Empower is not allowed to operate in the District.

Nadeau said there are risks of riding or driving with Empower.

“We already have heard cases where people have been hurt in Empower vehicles and they have no recourse,” Nadeau said in a press release. “If a driver doesn’t have insurance and can’t afford to pay the medical bills, the rider is just out of luck. As a Councilmember, I do not find that acceptable.”

The concerns for Empower’s business practices come amid D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb’s ongoing lawsuit against Empower, which would require the app to guarantee insurance coverage and background checks for drivers after a woman reported she was sexually

assaulted by a driver in July.

The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and the Committee on Public Works and Operations will coordinate to calculate Empower’s unpaid taxes, penalties and other fees. They will also investigate reports of impaired driving, stalking, harassment and lack of vehicle insurance that have gone unreported due to Empower’s unauthorized status.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Empower claimed the OAG is lying.

“The DC Court of Appeals overturned the DFHV’s Cease & Desist order because it found that there was literally ZERO evidence of public harm resulting from Empower’s operations,” Empower wrote in the post. “AS YOU KNOW, the Court also noted that every driver that has ever used Empower has been subject to a background check.”

Empower uses a different business model in which drivers pay a monthly subscription to use Empower’s software, which allows them to set their own rates and keep all of the money they make from rides. Empower also allows for riders to favorite specific drivers and request same-gender drivers.

Eli Blumenfeld (CAS ’25) said he has had many positive experiences with Empower and that it seems drivers are also satisfied with the software.

Full disclosure: Eli Blumenfeld (CAS ’25) is a sports columnist for The Hoya.

“I remember one time when it was raining, and I was trying to get back from DCA, the Ubers and Lyfts were at least $50,” Blumenfeld told The Hoya

“Off of a whim, I checked Empower and, bam, it was about 15 bucks.”

“I took it in a heartbeat,” Blumenfeld added.

Cecilio Sandoval (CAS ’26) said that despite Empower’s legal issues, he would still be willing to use it during peak hours where rides may be price-gouged.

“I would continue to use it only because Uber and Lyft are just so expensive,” Sandoval told The Hoya. “Usually, the only time I’ll use it is once I’m leaving the airport, because comparing a $20 Empower ride to a $50 Uber, it’s better for me financially.”

“Majority of the time, I’ve had drivers who are really nice, who ask about my day or help me with my luggage. I also like the option to save them for later or thumbs up them,” Sandoval added.

Blumenfeld said he also believes drivers have had positive experiences using Empower.

“I feel for the drivers,” Blumenfeld said. “I think Empower’s business model is unique and is particularly advantageous to drivers who work often, as they make the entire amount of the ride cost.” Still, Sandoval said he has safety concerns about Empower.

“The main reason I stopped using Empower so much is because sometimes my friends wouldn’t feel safe,” Sandoval said. “Some of my girl friends have said that they would only use Empower if one of their guy friends was there, so it made me more cautious of the app.” “I’m spending less money, but it’s like, at what cost?” Sandoval added.

GU Student Sells Japanese Baked Goods, Builds Business on Campus

Caroline Rareshide Contributing Editor

A Georgetown University student has sold more than $1,500 in baked goods since starting a Japanese and American dessert business on campus at the beginning of the semester.

Vincent Johnson (CAS ’25) makes desserts, including mochi, banana bread, matcha chocolate chip cookies and dorayaki, or red bean pancakes, in the Pedro Arrupe, S.J. Hall kitchen. Johnson sells his goods under the name WaYō Desserts in Red Square and at the Georgetown University Farmers’ Market (GUFM) on Wednesdays.

Johnson, who is majoring in Japanese, said he was inspired to begin the business after spending his junior year abroad in Japan, living with a Japanese host family, including a host mother who operated a catering business out of her house.

“I’d always been into baking, but I kind of took inspiration from the idea of you don’t necessarily need a storefront to have people want to interact with your business or buy goods,” Johnson told The Hoya. “And there is a charm to homemade things.”

Johnson said he tries to sell items the same day he bakes them and does not follow recipes to bake his desserts, only receiving help sometimes by messaging his former host mother.

“I’d never known how to make red bean paste before,” Johnson said. “Those recipes actually came from my host mother, and then I would try it and then tweak things in whatever way I saw fit to make my own recipe out of it.”

Johnson said he buys bulk orders of flour, eggs and other ingredients weekly or biweekly and purchases specialty ingredients like organic matcha on Amazon, saying that purchasing in bulk allows him to keep prices low and sell many singular items under $2 and none above $3.50.

“There’s not a lot of those options on campus for students in general,” Johnson said. “And I appreciate that I can be that kind of source of something fun, something sweet and something that’s not gonna break the budget.”

Daisy Fynewever (CAS ’26) said WaYō Desserts’ prices and Johnson’s entrepreneurial spirit make her want to return.

“There’s not a lot of affordable sweet treats around here,” Fynewever told The Hoya. “So it’s really fun to stop by and also to know that it’s another student who’s baking these, not just The Corp.” Daniel Tomas (SFS ’26) said he has bought from WaYō Desserts five or six times.

“I think part of it is convenience,” Tomas told The Hoya. “I mean it’s right there. But I think also in terms of prices, they’re pretty good. I feel like if I wanted to get a fresh baked cookie somewhere in the Georgetown neighborhood, it definitely wouldn’t cost me $1.50.” Johnson said he also considers students’ dietary restrictions when baking, making sure to have gluten-free and vegan options and baking those items separately from others.

“In offering that, it kind of opens up the idea that students can make things for themselves almost, or the student communi-

ty can serve itself in a way, which is really nice,” Johnson said. Tomas said he bought chocolate chip cookies from WaYō Desserts and admired Johnson’s attentiveness to students’ personal tastes. “The cookies were amazing,” Tomas said. “I really like that they asked, ‘Would you like one that’s a little bit crispier, a little bit more chewy?’ I think people have preferences with cookies, and the fact that the student is very attentive of that, I think, is great. It shows very good entrepreneurship.” Johnson said he started with $1,500 for the business, and just broke even since beginning tabling the first week of September.

“I usually make around anywhere between $100 to $250 in a day tabling,” Johnson said. Johnson has added upgrades to his table in Red Square since starting in September, putting up a display case for the desserts and selling pastries in packaging with a custom WaYō Desserts sticker. Johnson switched out his “Back to School Menu” for an “October Menu” Oct. 1, adding pumpkin bread, candied sweet potatoes and strawberry mochi for fall. Johnson said he plans to continue his business until he graduates in May and hopes to do more seasonal desserts and branch out into catering. “I think it’s a great community building thing, because people stop in line, like if they’re forming a line — which is crazy, I’ve never in my life thought I would have a line — but

STEPHANIE YUAN/THE HOYA

Council’s Committee on Public Works and Operations is investigating ride-hailing service Empower over allegations of rider harassment, failure to register with the city and unpaid fines.

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

The Earth Commons Institute held its second planting party of the semester at the Hoya Harvest Garden, removing last year’s crops and preparing for new plants despite the rain.

Washington Wizards Bring

Alex Sarr Into Their Multi-Year Rebuild Plans

As the start of the 2024-25 NBA season creeps up on the Washington Wizards, fans are divided. Some can’t help but wonder how the team will perform following their worst season in franchise history, while others argue that a calculated plan has been in place all along.

General Manager Will Dawkins outlined the team’s rebuilding strategy in a press conference during the Wizards’ training camp, emphasizing the long-term nature of their plan.

“There’s the deconstruction phase. There’s the laying-the-foundation phase. There’s the building it back up, and then there’s fortifying what you build,” Dawkins said. “We’re still focused on deconstructing and laying that foundation.”

Yet, the Wizards ended the 202324 season with a franchise-breaking 15-67 record, and are expected to be just as lackluster again this year — if not worse. So, what’s their plan?

For at least the next season, the Wizards actually don’t mind being bad. While there is a long season ahead for fans and players alike, the Wizards aim to maximize their chances in the 2025 NBA draft lottery, hoping to secure a toptalent player who could lead them to a championship by decade’s end. Does this story ring a bell? It should since this is a movie all Wizards fans alike have seen before.

In 2012, the Wizards drafted Bradley Beal, the third overall NBA draft pick. Beal played in Washington, D.C., for 11 years, with a career average of 22.1 points and 4.3 assists per game.

After trading him to the Phoenix Suns in 2023 in exchange for a package — which included four first-round pick swaps, six secondround picks, Chris Paul and Landry Chamet — the Wizards entered their “deconstruction phase.” Now, at the very least, they need to draft another Beal-level player, if not better. By design, the Wizards likely lack the talent to surpass last season’s 15 wins. However, they have promising young players that can help to turn the direction of the franchise around.

The Wizards concluded their recent NBA Summer League stint in Las Vegas, Nev., with a 3-2 record, gaining valuable insights into individual players’ potential contributions for the upcoming season. With the second pick in the 2024 NBA draft, the Wizards selected Alex Sarr, a 19-yearold rookie from France. Sarr played in

@WASHWIZARDS/TWITTER

Wizards veterans Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma will serve a key role in providing guidance to younger players this season.

four of the five Summer League games and made an impressive league debut in his first game against the Atlanta Hawks — with 12 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks. However, Sarr had trouble connecting with the basket in the next three games, finishing the Summer League with a 19.1% shooting average from the field on 47 total attempts and averaging 5.5 points. Despite his offensive struggles, his defensive ability shone through an average of 7.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. Kyshawn George, a second rookie from Switzerland, scored efficiently in the Summer League, taking few but selective shots in the flow of the Wizards’ offense. Over the course of the five games, George shot 51.7% from the field and 47.6% from three.

Wizards fans found hope in Carlton “Bub” Carrington, a 19-yearold point guard from Baltimore, Md., who showcased a well-rounded game in Las Vegas, delivering impressive performances across all 5 games. Beyond the stat board, Carrington’s ball handling and competitive spirit shone on the court, positioning him

as a potential franchise-altering rookie for the Wizards.

In the upcoming season, the Wizards aim to maximize the potential of their promising rookies while leveraging the experience of veterans like Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Poole and Malcom Brogdon.

The plan to tear things down and construct something new from the ground up offers a silver lining for the Washington Wizards, though not without another season of heartache on the stat line. The 2025 NBA Draft will hope to feature big names like Duke’s Cooper Flagg and Rutgers’ Airious “Ace” Bailey.

Drafting even one top recruit has the potential to change the fortune of Wizards’ fans overnight. The lottery is a game in itself, though, as the league’s 2019 reforms left the three worst teams in each season with equal 14% chances of winning the first pick.

Nevertheless, with a season of reform on the horizon for the Washington Wizards, fans continue to wait patiently with the hopes of one day bringing home a trophy or even a winning record.

Mets Make Playoffs in Wild Final Game

Eli Blumenfeld Hoya Sports Columnist

When I first envisioned what “Rounding the Diamond” could be in the spring of my first year at Georgetown University, I thought it would be clever — albeit a bit selfindulgent — to weave my favorite team, the New York Mets, into every article I wrote. However, it wasn’t until I started occasionally walking with my hands linked behind my back, museum style, that my wisdom grew. I then ruled that this practice was misguided and ethically questionable at best. What about the pinch-full of loyal readers (hi, Mom) who follow my column? What if they caught on to my trickery and hated themselves for it?

So the years passed, my grades dipped and I somehow got younger on my driver’s license. I wrote article after article with no mention of my Mets, and my soul — unfulfilled and battered — yearned to write about the team I follow stronger than any religion.

So please, indulge me, and I will tell the tale of the best baseball game I’ve ever seen. A game of epic proportions, of triumph, of heartbreak, of cruelty and total tomfoolery, with the season — no, more than that, everything — at stake. It was also this past Monday.

In fair Cobb County, Ga., ravaged by Hurricane Helene, we lay our scene. Two teams — the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets — set to play the final two games of their series, which was postponed and morphed into a doubleheader a day after the season ended for everyone else and just a day before the playoffs. And me? I was stuck watching the most important game of the Mets’ season on a split browser during my “Game Theory” class, with my other browser being the class notes (don’t

worry, Mom). Now, I’ve only taken “Game Theory” for about a month, but let me try to explain the many scenarios, scenarios, scenarios and implications of these back-to-back games. With the San Diego Padres already having clinched the top National League wild card position, the final two wild card spots were down to three teams — the Arizona Diamondbacks (D-Backs), the Braves and, of course, the Mets. The D-Backs, who play their home games in a roofed stadium, had already completed their season on schedule. They now needed either the Mets or Braves to sweep the doubleheader to secure a playoff spot and eliminate the losing team. The Mets and Braves only needed to win one game of the doubleheader apiece as both teams held a tiebreaker against the D-Backs.

It’s fair to say that all eyes were on this doubleheader (yes, even T. J. Eckleburg’s). My eyes, however, had the difficult task of timing each pitch, living and dying with everything that happened. This game meant too much not to. And there it was, in the bottom of the third inning of the first game, just as I was maybe about to understand how to solve extensive form Nash equilibria, the Braves struck first. A 2-run Ozzie Albies home run. An absolute gut punch. But, my gut wasn’t free from its pummeling. No, Braves pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach made sure of that as he sliced through the Mets lineup like that forgotten avocado in the back of my fridge, dominating for seven innings. Mushy — that’s how I felt after Ramón Laureano’s homer in the bottom of the sixth brought the score to 3-0. I couldn’t stretch my heart for another three hours. The Mets had to win this game. This wasn’t the same Mets team that I had watched all year long. It

wasn’t the team that was once eleven games under .500, whose resilience, grit and sheer magic — Grimace or not — propelled them to hold the best record in MLB since June 1.

Just like that, the fastest “Game Theory” class I’ve ever attended ended. Without missing taking a beat, I switched the game to my phone, going full screenager until I reached Lauinger Library to print my mail-in ballot application. Some will argue that this change of scenery was the turning point in the game, but Tyrone Taylor’s double after an 11-pitch at-bat in the top of the seventh — forcing the unhittable Schwellenbach out of the game — was the real spur.

Fransico Alvarez, Starling Marte, Francisco Lindor, Jose Iglesias and Brandon Nimmo all followed with 1 clutch hit after another. And before I had reached the top of the Lau steps, the Mets suddenly held a commanding 6-3 lead with only two innings of play remaining. Phew. With lockdown closer Edwin Diaz put into the game in the eighth with a 3 run lead, I could finally try to find a working printer in Lau without … WAIT THE BRAVES JUST TOOK THE LEAD?

In the wise words of my text messages to a friend, “Kill me.”

It’s now the top of the ninth, and I’m now in the Lau 5 stairway, home of the only working printer in the building. Francisco Lindor, the team’s MVP who is playing through serious back pain, is at the plate with the tying run on first base. And he goes deep, carrying the team on his bad back. The Mets win 8-7. My dad, the reason I am a Mets fan, is quick to call me — both of us on the verge of tears because we know it’s all about the Mets. It always will be. Surprisingly, my notes during “Game Theory” turned out decent. Not great, but decent.

Buoyed By Stellar Defense, Red-Hot Hoyas Defeat Rival UConn Huskies

In a highly anticipated matchup between two historic Big East rivals, Georgetown women’s soccer handily defeated the University of Connecticut (UConn) Huskies 3-1 at Morrone Stadium in Storrs, Conn., Sept. 29. Since the start of the season, the Hoyas (7-1-4, 3-0-1 Big East) have delivered one spectacular game after another. Buttressed by solid defensive play, the team has registered 8 clean sheets over 10 matches. On the other hand, the Huskies (7-2-3, 1-1-2 Big East) entered the matchup as clear underdogs, having dropped their last two games and failing to keep clean sheets in either. Nevertheless, the Hoya defense needed to bring their A-game against UConn’s speedy attack. The Huskies also had the home team advantage and seemingly fed off the raucous energy of the crowd. In the first three minutes of the game, UConn was able to get a few opportunities at goal but were unable to score due to the impressive efforts of the Hoyas’ junior goalkeeper Cara Martin.

WOMEN’S SOCCER COMMENTARY

After the early efforts from UConn, the Hoyas soaked up the pressure and started to slowly settle into the game. With the ball at their feet, they were able to penetrate UConn’s defense: in the sixth minute of the game, the ball found first-year midfielder Lizzie Heller at the corner. She swung her left foot at the ball, seemingly intending to cross it, but instead found the corner of the goal in a bizarre moment that won Heller her first goal in college soccer.

Georgetown fans were still celebrating well into the 12th minute when the ball was laid off on the edge of the box for team captain and top scorer Maja Lardner to slot it into the bottom corner, putting the Hoyas up 2-0.

The Hoyas were cruising as they maintained possession and displayed confidence, knocking the ball around while the Huskies were struggling to keep up.

But in the 17th minute, the Hoyas earned a corner, which UConn cleared away, with a great throughball putting UConn forward Chioma Okafor one-on-one with Martin. Okafor scored, securing UConn their first goal.

At this point, the momentum shifted in UConn’s favor as they continued to press forward. This offensive pressure allowed the Huskies an opportunity to tie the game, but they fired a shot that went wide of the post. Though the energy continued for the rest of the half, the Hoyas’ defensive resolve was impossible to overcome, and they kept their lead all the way to the break. The Hoyas came out with more passion and energy at the start of the second half, once again controlling the ball. The team focused on their passing and team play, resulting in more shots at goal, including a header that hit the bar. A minute after the near miss, junior forward Natalie Means burst through the back line and slotted the ball past the keeper to solidify the Hoyas’ lead. UConn tried to nick a goal, but the Hoyas once again proved too strong for UConn’s attack and held onto their 3-1 win at full time. This win puts the Hoyas at the top of the Big East Conference with 3 wins and zero losses, showing the rest of the league that they are hungry for big rewards this season.

DC Power Join Vibrant DMV Soccer Scene as Part of USL Super League

Soccer is an integral part of Washington, D.C.’s identity. Not only does the city have a vast youth soccer infrastructure, it also boasts two established professional teams: D.C. United and the Washington Spirit. This fall, however, a new team — D.C. Power FC — decided to throw its hat into the ring, joining the local soccer landscape as part of a new professional women’s league, the USL Super League (USLS). Power FC is one of eight clubs competing in the inaugural season of the USLS, a Division 1 professional women’s soccer league organized by United Soccer League (USL). Most people are more familiar with the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), the longest-standing and premier women’s professional league in the United States. The NWSL also holds Division 1 status granted by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF). This granting of Division 1 status is something of slight controversy in the U.S. soccer landscape. Unlike most countries that use a system of promotion and relegation — where professional leagues form a pyramid with a single “Division 1” at the top — USSF follows the structure typical of other U.S. sports leagues, such as the National Football League (NFL) and the National Basketball Association (NBA). In the case of men’s soccer, Major League Soccer (MLS) is the only league with Division 1 sanctioning from USSF, while the USL Championship (USLC), has Division 2 sanctioning. Therefore, the granting of Division 1 status for the USLS marks the first time that two competing leagues have both received Division 1

sanctioning. Although USLS now theoretically has the same standing as the NWSL, it remains to be seen whether or not the new league will be able to achieve the prestige and quality of play of the NWSL. The USLS launched its 202425 season this August, notably adopting a fall-spring schedule. While most soccer leagues worldwide also operate from fall to spring, all other U.S. leagues — including the NWSL — run from spring to fall. There are several possible reasons for this departure from the norm. For one, aligning offseasons (and therefore transfer windows) with the European calendar permits greater engagement with the international transfer market and allows USLS clubs to bring in more overseas players. Additionally, it allows players to participate in full with their respective national teams without missing time with their clubs.

Another possible reason? In minimizing overlap with other North American leagues, the USLS might seek to increase its engagement and attendance. Being the only league playing through the winter, the USLS has a unique opportunity to attract loyal U.S. soccer fans who might otherwise attend games in other leagues. Currently, the USLS houses teams in Charlotte, N.C.; Brooklyn, N.Y.; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Tampa, Fla.; Spokane, Wash.; Dallas, Texas; Lexington, Ky.; and D.C. Each team plays every other team four times in total, twice in the first half of the season and twice in the second. The top four teams will then proceed to a playoff tournament, the winner of which will be named the season’s champion. Currently, eight more

cities are expected to add teams for the 2025-26 season — Indianapolis, Ind.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Madison, Wisc.; and Palm Beach, Fla. So, what does D.C. Power FC look like right now? Its core ownership group consists of several prominent athletics investors in the Washington, D.C.-MarylandVirginia area, including Jordan Stuart, a minority owner of Loudoun United FC, Devin Talbott, part owner of D.C.

GUHOYAS

The Georgetown women’s soccer team battled the UConn Huskies Sept. 28, exerting strong offensive pressure along with stellar defense throughout the game to snag a 3-1 victory.

Faith Specter Deputy Sports Editor

Golnar Jalinous Special to The Hoya

Ava Hult Special to The Hoya

WOMEN’S ROWING

Hoyas Kick Off Season in Friendly Scrimmage

ROWING, from A12

grow it towards the end of the year, towards our championship race,” Chapman added.

Besides Head Coach Kendall Mulligan (GRD ’21) and lightweight Coach Abbey Wilkowski, who are entering their seventh and eighth seasons with the program respectively, the Hoyas also have second-year Assistant Coach Serra Sevenler on the openweight side. In addition, the lightweights added Assistant Coach Amelia Clute this off season, who comes to the Hilltop having captained the Cornell Big Red during her collegiate rowing career.

Mulligan said she is proud of how far the program has come along since she first arrived and sees a bright future for this season and beyond.

HERMAN, from A12

and you don’t know whether to fully trust him. And you, for whatever reason, have been platooning catchers Austin Wells and Jose Trevino even though Wells is playing better in every respect.

But teams perform best with a consistent lineup. Give the Yankees’ offense a chance to settle into a routine, and they’ll win. Stop shuffling good players out of the lineup based on halfbaked statistical indicators.

Second, please kindly remove Clay Holmes from my line of sight. Seriously, I do not want to see him on the mound. The Yankees’ ex-closer is leading Major League Baseball (MLB) in blown saves in 2024, with an embarrassing thirteen. The only reason he had the opportunity to blow so many saves, though, is because the Yankees refused to move him away from the closer spot even after he aptly demonstrated his inability to close a baseball game.

The last straw was Sept. 3, when Holmes gave up a walkoff grand slam against the Texas Rangers.

A walkoff grand slam. Really, Clay? Are you actively trying to make me miserable?

Maybe if you asked me a few weeks ago, I would have had more sympathy for the now-disgraced All-Star. I might have asked you to keep Holmes off the field in the ninth inning but tolerated an earlier appearance.

But even when the Yankees finally listened to me and booted him from the ninth, he somehow managed to blow a save in the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals.

“Mean Girls,” once again, put it best: Stop trying to make

Clay happen! It’s not going to happen! Listen to Regina, she’s usually right. And if anyone asks me if I’ve ever been personally victimized by Clay Holmes, you already know the answer.

Third and finally, pretend everybody is the Minnesota Twins. I mean it.

The Yankees’ all-time record against the Twins in the postseason is 16-2, and they are currently nursing a 13-0 post-season streak against Minnesota since 2004. I was born in 2004 and I’m a twin, so I do believe I deserve most of the credit.

I’m not sure what it is about the Twins, but something about them inspires victory in the Yankees in a way that hasn’t manifested itself since the days of legendary owner George Steinbrenner.

So if that’s what it takes — acting like every other team is wearing a not at all spooky Halloween costume representing a hapless team from the Great Lakes region — then by all means, play pretend. Whatever works; I’m not picky.

My next edition of “Out of Left Field” comes out Oct. 18. Coincidentally, Oct. 18 is also the date of Game 4 of the American League Championship Series — the same round in which the Yankees were eliminated in their last playoff appearance. It was 2022 and they had just been swept by the habitually cheating Houston A****s.

I’m telling you this because my sixth grade social studies teacher said that if you don’t talk about history, it repeats itself.

I have a vested interest in ensuring that history does not repeat itself. I want to write a World Series preview for my next column, not a eulogy.

So start spreading the news, or I’ll start spreading the boos. Your move, Yanks.

“Even when starting my career at Georgetown, the team was known to be close-knit, but the biggest change I have seen now is the standards are raised for accountability and what is needed for success,” Mulligan told The Hoya. “Today’s team is built upon the legacy of those that came before and paved the way for new opportunities. We are grateful to all that came before and led us to where we are today.”

Next weekend, the openweights travel to the Navy Day Regatta in Philadelphia, Pa., and the lightweights race at the Occoquan Chase in Fairfax Station, Va. Both teams look to impress and kick off the competitive season on a high note.

FIELD HOCKEY

Hoyas Overwhelmed By National Powerhouse UConn

FIELD HOCKEY, from A12

fouls, then Yodh recorded the aforementioned shot on goal.

UConn struck again right before the end of the half, as midfielder Sol Simone took a penalty corner, leading to an assist on a goal scored by forward Julia Bressler.

UConn midfielder Jasmijn Damman also recorded an assist on the play.

To begin the second half, UConn swapped goalkeepers, with Gabby

Raichle replacing Natalie McKenna. Both teams recorded several fouls and UConn forward Juana Garcia was awarded a green card before UConn forward Sophia Ugo sent a pass up field to Sauer, giving her a one on one with Tietz and netting her second goal of the match.

Just 55 seconds later, UConn midfielder Isabel Soeters would take a penalty corner that led to UConn back Milou Heuker scoring the Huskies’ fifth goal. That would knock Tietz out of the match, Fahey stepping in to replace her.

Neither team scored during the remainder of the match, resulting in a 5-0 tally in favor of UConn when the time expired.

UConn was a tough draw for a Hoya team looking to build on its second win of the season. The Huskies are enjoying a successful season that has them ranked fifth in NCAA Division 1 field

game and a field goal to go up 17-13. The Hoyas appeared excited on the sidelines and with five minutes remaining started their most critical drive yet. Lauter continued his ingame rhythm and completed nearly every pass to get into the red zone. On the next play, he again found Dunneman in the end zone, earning the Hoyas their first lead of the game. Though late, this lead proved decisive as Columbia was unable to mount a successful drive. This resulted in a game-sealing interception to sophomore safety Zeraun Daniel.

When asked about the impact of their defense in the win, Lauter emphasized the team’s momentum and praised individual performances. “Definitely swings the momentum in our favor and allows us to go play loose out there and play simple. Preston Murray, he made great plays on the

Lauter told The Hoya. “Everyone

out

at Lafayette College in Easton, Pa.

COURTESY OF HADLEY WINSLOW Georgetown women’s rowing will hope to build on their strong recruiting and kick off the competitive season with winning showings in Pennsylvania and Virginia next week.

GUHOYAS

The Hoyas’ defenders and goalkeeper stand ready at the goal to defend against a penalty shot from the UConn Huskies while they

WOMEN’S SOCCER

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2024

The Georgetown University women’s soccer team cruised to a 3-1 victory over UConn in a dominant showing.

OUT OF LEFT FIELD

Yankees Enter Playoffs, Hold High Hopes

All Around

Eilat Herman Hoya Sports Columnist

“On October 3rd, he asked me what day it was. ‘It’s October 3rd,’” said Lindsay Lohan in the (fantastic) movie “Mean Girls.” Close enough; it’s “October 4th.” That means the first game of the American League Division Series is tomorrow. I am stressed. I need a distraction. Just kidding. Nothing can distract me from the playoffs. Do you have any idea how many times I’ve creatively tried to convince my parents that I absolutely have to go home this weekend? And then “accidentally” end up at Yankee Stadium tomorrow night? (It worked, by the way!)

I appreciate that The Hoya publishes 750 words of my yapping every two weeks. Typically, I use that space to make broader points about baseball and society through a pinstriped lens. But this is serious. The New York Yankees are in the playoffs for the first time in an extremely long two years.

I know that all 26 members of the Yankees’ postseason roster and all of their coaching staff read my column. I know they want my help. So, future World Series champions — yes I just knocked on wood, I’m not insane — here are some tips for making it through October in one piece.

First, stop changing around the lineup. I get why you do it. Aging menace Giancarlo Stanton is a full-time designated hitter, which makes it impossible to give anyone else a halfday off. Young Martian Jasson Domínguez is still finding his footing in the major leagues,

See HERMAN, A11

TALKING POINTS

It’s all about ball, ground game and explosives. And we preach it and we practice it every day.”

Football Head Coach Rob Sgarlata

St. John’s @ Georgetown Sunday, 1:00 p.m.

Shaw Field

NUMBERS GAME

Georgetown women’s openweight rowing team returns 7 athletes to its top varsity 8 boat. 7

Georgetown women’s rowing kicked off their season, with both the openweight and lightweight teams debuting the first-year recruiting class and showing off their returning squad, on the Potomac in a friendly scrimmage against the George Washington Revolutionaries and the Navy Mids Sept. 28.

Hoyas Pick Up Speed With Deepest Roster Yet

Sophia Lu Senior Sports Editor

The Georgetown women’s rowing team opened their fall season Saturday, Sept. 28 on the Potomac River in a friendly scrimmage against the George Washington Revolutionaries and Navy Mids.

Both the openweight and lightweight women participated in the regatta, debuting new faces from the first-year recruiting class and showing off their returning squads in mixed boats rather than boats seated by time. The congenial scrimmage served as a useful warmup for testing competitive waters ahead of the racing season. In total, the Hoyas have 80 rowers on their roster this year, revealing a robust depth that the program has worked for years to build. As a result, the openweights will be able to send 5 boats — a 1V8+, 2V8+, 1V4+, 2V4+ and 3V8+ — and the lightweights 3 boats — a 1V8+, 2V8+ and 1V4+ — into the racing season. The

lightweights will likely also support a double scull and a coxless pair.

Both teams are bringing back most of their athletes in their respective top varsity 8 boats: The openweights return 7 and the lightweights return 4. However, the rest of the rosters likewise carry plenty of talent throughout. For example, the openweight 2V8+ that earned Patriot League boat of the week honors in May returns sophomore coxswain Yanna Grammas, stern pair juniors Ellie Power and Sydney Thompson, senior 6-seat Julia Ashton, sophomore 4-seat Rebecca Estevao, junior 3-seat Alex Junko and bow pair juniors Khaki Sawyer and Eva Andersen. The teams also run a walk-on program that brings in promising athletes every year.

Openweight co-captain and senior Hadley Winslow said the construction of the team generates momentum and motivation from the bottom-up.

“We say this all the time, but speed comes from the bottom, from the last boat, pushing the

next boat, pushing the next boat, pushing the next boat, all the way up till the 1V8+,” Winslow told The Hoya. “It’s super exciting this year to feel the fullness and the robustness of the roster, where we have the biggest team that we’ve had in the last four years.”

The incoming class of recruits is also well-rounded and set up to make a difference. The openweights welcomed eight new athletes from clubs around the country, ranging from Hockaday Rowing in Dallas, Texas, to Greenwich Crew in Greenwich, Conn., and the lightweights welcomed seven new athletes from a similarly diverse geography, ranging from the Los Gatos Rowing Club in Los Gatos, Calif., to the Whitemarsh Boat Club in Conshohocken, Pa.

Lightweight co-captain and junior Bella DeLeo said she thinks the first-year recruits bring an ideal blend of traits that will elevate the team all-around.

“We were looking for athletes who had a love for the sport, skill,

Hoyas’ Defense Powers Comeback Win

Ethan Herweck

Special to The Hoya

The Georgetown University football team entered their matchup against Columbia University hoping to secure their first victory over the Lions in four years. The Hoyas (3-2) did just that with a nailbiter win over the Lions (1-1). After trailing for much of the game, the Hoyas were able to pull ahead in the final minutes to win 20-17. Even with a slow offensive start and subpar kicking, the Hoyas’ defense won the turnover battle and propelled the team to win the Lou Little Trophy.

Head Coach Rob Sgarlata told The Hoya that he attributed much of the success seen in the game to the defense’s ability to cause turnovers.

“Every game that we’ve won this year, we’ve been plus in the turnover battle. So, you know, it’s one of three core tenants we have. It’s all about ball, ground game and explosives. And you know, we preach it and we practice it every day,” Sgarlata told The Hoya. “Sometimes it bounces your way, sometimes it doesn’t. So the kids did a great job attacking the ball, especially on defense.”

The Hoyas had a slow offensive start to the game as they nearly fumbled the kickoff return and punted on their first possession. However, they quickly turned it around as graduate safety Preston Murray secured an interception in the endzone, earning the possession back almost immediately.

Georgetown pushed downfield into field goal range but ultimately missed the kick, keeping the score even. Co-

ANTHONY PELTIER/THE HOYA

In a thrilling rivalry matchup, Georgetown’s football team fought back from a 14-0 deficit to beat the Columbia Lions 20-17 at Cooper Field Sept. 28, securing the Lou Little Trophy.

determination and fit into our unique culture,” DeLeo told The Hoya. “Their potential is huge and we’re confident that they’ll make an immediate impact while also growing into strong leaders for the future of this program.”

The Hoyas registered an up-anddown 2023-24 year. They excelled at the Head of the Occoquan last fall, medalling across the board, and won the team points trophy at the Dad Vail Regatta in the spring. At the same time, the openweights did not secure the 1998 Cup, a historic award given to the winning Varsity 8 boat in the annual head-to-head matchup between Georgetown and GWU.

Similarly, despite winning silver in the Varsity 8 competition at the 2022 IRA National Championships and bronze at the 2023 IRA National Championships, two all-time best performances for the program, the lightweights recorded only a 5thplace finish this past season.

Lightweight co-captain and senior Grace Wolter said it is important for the team to maintain consistency

and grit throughout the entire year to achieve its ambitious goals.

“Bella and I have been placing a significant emphasis on being intentional with every practice and stroke this season,” Wolter told The Hoya. “Focusing on the day-to-day work rather than getting too far ahead of ourselves will serve us well this year.”

“The athletes on our team are bought into our success, so I am excited to see how the season progresses,” Wolter added.

Openweight co-captain and senior Amrit Chapman said the spirit of perseverance was essential to success over the course of both the fall and the spring.

“It’s a long year of 20-hour weeks every week, which is pretty unique to the sport of rowing,” Chapman told The Hoya. “I’d say I don’t think a lot of other sports are like that. Our energy is great coming into the school year.”

“My hope for this year is that we can really keep that excitement and

Teddy Gerkin Hoya Staff Writer

Coming off a 3-2 win against the Long Island University Sharks (2-4, 0-1 NEC) that broke a four-game losing streak, the Georgetown University field hockey team (2-6, 0-2 Big East) looked to carry the momentum into their second Big East match. Unfortunately, the University of Connecticut (9-1, 2-0 Big East) took care of business on the road as they shut the Hoyas out, 5-0. The win against LIU was the Hoyas’ second of the season, doubling last year’s win total, when they hobbled to a 1-17 finish. If that was a sign of a turnaround, UConn dashed the hopes of Hoya field hockey fans in an efficient 60 minutes of play. The Husky defense held Georgetown to just one shot on goal for the entirety of the match, taken by junior midfielder/forward Sydney Yodh in the second period. The Husky offense forced senior goalkeeper Bailey Tietz, making just her third appearance and second start of the season, out of net after five goals in just over 37 minutes of play. Hoya goalkeeper Ella Fahey, building on what has been a successful sophomore campaign thus far, made three saves in a scoreless 22:23 in net.

The match began with four fouls in the first two minutes of play, two apiece by each team. Georgetown struggled to maintain possession of the ball while UConn fired off shots. UConn’s first goal was generated off a penalty corner. Tietz saved two shots before UConn forward Madi Herb tallied her fifth goal of the season on a rebound. Both teams remained quiet for the next five minutes until Georgetown’s captain and senior midfielder/forward Sophie Towne took a penalty corner, allowing sophomore midfielder/forward Elena Perez Alejandro to get a shot off. The shot was subsequently blocked, the only offense that the Hoyas would generate in the first quarter. Tietz made one more save in a quarter riddled with fouls on both sides, with the Hoyas entering the second quarter with a one goal deficit.

Tietz saved the first three shots on goal of the second quarter. The defense assisted by blocking two shots. The rebound again proved too difficult to save, as UConn forward Juul Sauer regained possession of her own saved shot and scored, her ninth of the season. Yodh received a green card, then Tietz stopped two consecutive shots. UConn committed three

COURTESY OF HADLEY WINSLOW

FIELD HOCKEY

WOMEN’S ROWING