The Hoya: Year in Review: April 21, 2017

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Year in Brief: News That Made Headlines in 2016-2017 Alredo Carrillo Hoya Staff Writer

Nov. 11, 2016 – 22 Total Georgetown Alumni Serving In 115th Congress Seven Georgetown alumni were elected to the 115th Congress in 2016 election. Rep/ Stephanie Murphy (DFla., GRD ’04), Francis Rooney (R-Fla., CAS ’75, GRD ’78), Rep. Trey Hollingsworth (R-Ind., GRD ’14), Rep.John Faso (R-N.Y., GRD ’79), Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wisc., GRD ’12, GRD ’13) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Was., CAS ’86) joined an additional 15 incumbent alumni at the House of Representatives, while Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-M.d., GRD ’90) became JESUS RODRIGUEZ/THE HOYA one of seven Georgetown alumni in the senate.

In total, 29 members of the 115th Congress have Georgetown degrees, including 19 Democrats and 10 Republicans.

Nov. 23, 2016 – University Appoints New Coordinator For Students Without Documentation The university hired Arelis Palacios as part-time coordinator for students without documentation on Nov. 23, three weeks after student advocacy group UndocuHoyas launched an online petition for a full-time coordinator, which garnered 776 signatures.

The move provided students without documentation with their first liaison to the administration since December 2015, on the heels of President John J. DeARELIS PALACIOS Gioia’s signing of the Statement in Support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program and Our Undocumented Immigrant Students.

This letter, signed by 250 universities and led by Pomona College, affirmed support for President Obama’s DACA initiative.

“As a university located in our nation’s capital and animated by our Catholic and Jesuit identity, we are called to support all of our students, including our undocumented students,” DeGioia wrote in a Facebook post. “These young women and men demonstrate an extraordinary passion to make America, and our increasingly interconnected world, a better place.”

Sept. 23, 2016 – Casa Latina Created After years of advocating for a safe space for Latinx students to build and empower their community, Casa Latina opened its doors September 2016.

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Nov. 18, 2016 – Facilities Workers Negotiate Increased Wages in University Contract Georgetown facilities workers, organized under the 1199 Service Employees International Union, rejected the university’s proposal to extend their contract Nov. 18. The university proposed a 2 percent increase on wages, well short of the workers’ demand for a 6 percent increase. Workers said the university’s proposal failed to account for the rising costs of living in Washington, D.C.

Dec. 6, 2016 – 20-Year Campus Plan Approved The Washington, D.C. Zoning Commission unanimously approved the university’s 20-year campus plan, which outlines renovations to student housing, construction of new academic spaces and the revitalization of student life oncampus at a public hearing Dec. 1.

The plan, which spans from January 2017 through 2036, seeks to heighten the main campus’ role as a student life hub with the conkarla leyja/THE HOYA struction of a student life corridor extending from O’Donovan Hall to the Leavey Center. The planned corridor would also include renovations to residential spaces at Village A, Henle Village and Alumni Square, and the creation of a green space between Darnall Hall and the MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.

The zoning commission’s approval of the plan ended a four-year process led by the Georgetown Community Partnership, a group created to integrate students, administrators and neighborhood residents into the drafting of the plan.

Jan. 20, 2017 – GUSA Referendum Results Invalidated The Georgetown University Student Association Constitutional Council invalidated the results of a 2016 referendum on restructuring the GUSA Senate Jan. 20. The Council ruled the Senate violated GUSA bylaws by failing to release full details on the referendum at least 14 days prior to voting, though critics of the measures also alleged GUSA leaders attempted to influence students to vote in favor of the referendum by displaying promotional material and offering free food at polling stations.

Feb. 24, 2017– Mack, Andino Elected to GUSA Executive Kamar Mack (COL ’19) and Jessica Andino (COL ’18) won the 2017 Georgetown University Student Association executive elections, defeating Garet Williams (COL ’18) and Habon Ali (COL ’18) by a narrow 34-vote margin. Mack previously served as secretary of local education affairs for the GUSA Federal Relations Committee, while Andino was the chair of the UnANNA KOVACEVICH/THE HOYA documented Student Policy Team.

March 21, 2017 – Hate Crimes on Campus At least six bias-related incidents have been reported to the Georgetown University Police Department since President Donald Trump’s election, including a swastika outlined on the wall of an elevator in Village C West and a series of posters promoting a neo-Nazi organization posted on a variety of locations. University authorities have repeatedly stressed the value of diversity and the university’s zero tolerance for such crimes.

March 24, 2017 – University Endowment Decreases by 3 Percent A report of U.S. and Canadian university endowments conducted by the National Association of College and University Business Officers found the university’s endowment decreased by 3 percent, from approximately $1.53 billion to $1.48 billion between fiscal years 2015 and 2016. The average change of all endowment funds during this period was a decrease of 2.9 percent.

Georgetown was ranked 20th, having the smallest endowment of the top 20 universities listed in U.S. News & World Report’s 2017 Best National Universities. The average endowment of these institutions, excluding the University of California system, is $10.07 billion, approximately $8.59 billion more than Georgetown’s.

According to NACUBO, Georgetown’s endowment is now ranked 61st for endowment funds of peer universities, below the likes of Harvard University and Stanford University, The George Washington University, Emory University and Washington University in St. Louis.

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Dec. 8, 2016 – GSC Nike Sit-In After a series of protests on negotiations for renovation of the university’s licensing agreement with Nike, which included going barefoot for a day and protesting in Red Square, members of the workers’ rights advocacy student group Georgetown Solidarity Committee staged a sit-in in President John DeGioia’s suite of offices, lasting about 35 hours between Dec. 8 and 9.

GSC demanded that the university refuse to renew its licensing contract with Nike until the company agreed to sign Georgetown’s Code of Conduct for University Licensees, which all other licensees signed, and allow inspections of its production facilities where workers’ rights violations had allegedly taken place. The sit-in concluded with the protesters claiming victory after DeGioia’s Chief of Staff Joseph Ferrara announced the university would not renew the licensing contract until Nike agreed to permit plant inspections. Members of GSC noted, however, that they would continue pressing the university to have Nike sign the Code of Conduct as well.

Following the sit-in, the Student Activities Commission sanctioned GSC for ignoring requests to vacate university premises. At a public hearing February, SAC announced GSC would lose control over its budget as part of a restoration process that will continue until spring 2018, though the group can file an appeal for the sanctions to be lifted by December 2017.

March 2, 2017 – New College Dean Appointed Christopher S. Celenza, vice provost for faculty affairs at John Hopkins University, will serve as the next dean of Georgetown College starting July 1, President John J. DeGioia announced Celenza’s appointment March 2, nearly a year after Dean Chester Gillis announced he would step down from the position following the conclusion of the 2016-17 academic year.

DeGioia highlighted Celenza’s vast experience GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY in scholarship, having served as chair in JHU’s classics department, founding director in the Charles Singleton Center for the Study of Premodern Europe, and as vice dean for humanities and social science. Gillis’ tenure saw the expansion of academic programs offered by the College, with new majors in AfricanAmerican studies, justice and peace, biological physics and environmental biology, along with numerous minors.

March 24, 2017 – JTIII Fired After 13 Seasons, Patrick Ewing Selected Following a season that saw the Hoyas go 14-16 and 5-12 in Big East play, men’s basketball Head Coach John Thompson III was relieved of his duties March 24 after 13 seasons with the Hoyas. Patrick Ewing (COL ’85), who led Georgetown to its first and only national championship in 1984, was named head coach April 3.

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March 31, 2017 – Acceptance Rate Hits AllTime Low

The university’s acceptance rate hit a record low with only 15.4 percent of students granted a spot in the class of 2021. Total applicants increased by 12.4 percent between 2016 and 2017, from 19,097 to 21,459. The acceptance rate represents a 1-percent drop from last year’s 16.6 percent. Nine hundred and thirty-one of the 3,313 accepted applicants were admitted in the early round, which also posted an alltime low admittance rate of 11.9 percent, also down a full percentage point from last year’s 13 percent.

Students accepted into the class of 2021 come from all 50 U.S. states. Of the admitted students, 12 percent identified as black, 19 percent as Asian, and 16 percent as Latino. In addition, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Charles Deacon (CAS ’64, GRD ’69) estimated that about 12 percent of the pool is composed of first-generation students.

April 11, 2017 – Georgetown Dining Renovations Begin O’Donovan Hall, Hoya Court and the Leavey Center will renovate this summer to provide new dining options, including a Chick-fil-A and Crop Chop, for students with meal plans beginning fall 2017.

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University Looks to Address History of Slavery Ian Scoville Hoya Staff Writer

On Sept. 2, University President John J. DeGioia announced a series of efforts to reconcile the benefit Georgetown received from the 1838 sale of 272 slaves.

The statement marked the conclusion of a yearlong endeavor to respond to the university’s dealings in slavery and the beginning of another with hopes to reconcile its past with its present.

DeGioia announced a series of measures in September after the Working Group on Slavery, Memory and Reconciliation released a series of recommendations, including granting an advantage in admissions applications to the descendants of the 272 slaves whose sale in 1838 benefited the university.

DeGioia charged the

working group in September 2015. The working group was disbanded in September 2016 after the report was released.

The university also held a liturgy ceremony last Tuesday to offer a formal apology for the university’s historical relationship with slavery and to dedicate Isaac Hawkins Hall, named after the first enslaved person listed in records of the 1838 sale, and Anne Marie Becraft Hall, recognizing a free black woman and educator in the Georgetown area.

The halls were previously named after former University Presidents Fr. Thomas Mulledy, S.J., who authorized the sale of the 272 slaves to a Louisiana plantation in 1838, and Fr. William McSherry, S.J., who served as Mulledy’s lawyer in the sale. Within 24 hours of a student-led demonstration last No-

vember, DeGioia approved the working group’s recommendation to change the names of Mulledy and McSherry Halls to Freedom and Remembrance Halls, respectively.

As part of efforts to involve the community and raise awareness, the university will also establish an Institute for the Study of Slavery and Its Legacies to research and teach about slavery and engage with descendants of the 272 slaves.

Other measures announced by DeGioia in September included developing formal memorials on campus recognizing the 272 slaves, expanding engagement with descendants of the 272 and increasing diversity at the university.

Adjoa Aiyetoro, a professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Wil-

liam H. Bowen School of Law and one of the six lawyers working pro bono to aid the Legacy of GU 272 Alliance, said the 272 require greater representation in the process of reconciliation.

“What has happened to date is that Georgetown is making decisions about what to do, and they aren’t really reaching out to descendants, as a whole, to ask what is it you would like us to do,” Aiyetoro said in a March interview with The Hoya. “In talking with Georgetown, they felt that it was important that they get people who are skilled in negotiations and discussions with institutions such as Georgetown. They felt they would be heard better that way.”

Descendants who spoke with The Hoya in September were also concerned that they were not adequately included in the reconciliation

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GU 272 descendant Karran Harper Royal addressed the need for Georgetown to acknowledge, reconcile and atone for its participation in the institution of slavery and the sale of 272 slaves in 1838.

process. Six descendants presented a declaration at the Gaston Hall event in September with the signatures of over 350 descendants, expressing their desire to work with the Georgetown community to reconcile Georgetown’s history with slavery.

Joe Stewart, a descendant of the 272 who presented the declaration at the event, emphasized the necessity for collaboration between the university and descendants in order to make sure its efforts are effective.

“This is perhaps one of the greatest needs in this nation, at Georgetown, among the Jesuits and throughout the human family,” Stewart said. “And this university has the gravitas to do that, but you got to listen. And one of the things that has not happened, the reason we rushed to Washington today to participate here, is because we want you to hear.”

History professor Marcia Chatelain, who served on the working group, said that while the university has worked successfully to engage descendants of the 272 in the reconciliation process, it must clarify its future relationship with descendants.

“I think, moving forward, what we need to do is to create a process that has clarity in how people engage with each other, but I think at the fundamental root of all of it is there is a desire for relationship and being patient with that and cultivating that relationship and being open to all the different places it can take us as an institution is also important,” Chatelain said in an interview with The Hoya.

Some descendants stressed the need for reparations rather than an edge in admissions. Karran Harper Royal, a lead organizer for GU272 and a descendant of the 272, stressed that the foundation sees offering scholarships to descendants as a necessary expansion of the university’s current plan to offer legacy status.

“There’s value in that but still, schooling has to

be paid for,” Harper Royal said in a September interview. “And we really want to, through the foundation, provide for the educational aspirations of descendants, regardless of whether they choose Georgetown or any other institution that might better fit their needs.”

The university, for its part, has stated that its need-blind financial aid programs make scholarships or other forms of financial support for descendants of the 272 unnecessary.

DeGioia said in an interview with The Hoya in September that the university’s decision to provide descendants of the slaves sold by Georgetown with an admissions boost, rather than special financial support, is rooted in the university’s existing admission policies.

“We give care and attention to members of the Georgetown community, faculty, staff, alumni. We have an enduring engagement with the university,” DeGioia said. “We will give that same care and attention to the children of descendants, but our policies on scholarships are guided by the university commitment to need-blind admission and meeting full need.”

Some descendants, however, see a need for the university to do more. Ari Merretazon, another descendant of the 272, said the university must go beyond recognizing and apologizing for its past connections to slavery.

“I think they should not be afraid to use the ‘r’ word, that after apology and regret, you try to repair the damage you done. I haven’t heard anything about repairing the damage that’s being done,” Merretazon said in an interview with The Hoya. “Right now, they’re just talking about acknowledging their involvement, but they’ve got to also repair it.”

Hoya Staff Writers Alex Mooney and Lily Steinberg contributed reporting.

Students Advocate Progress On- and Off-Campus Tara Subramaniam Hoya Staff Writer

In a year marked by protests in Washington, D.C., following President Donald Trump’s election and his new policies, Georgetown students advocated for progress in areas ranging from workers’ rights to protections for LGBTQ individuals.

Workers’ Rights Seventeen members of the Georgetown Solidarity Committee staged a 35-hour sit-in at University President John J. DeGioia’s suite of offices starting Dec. 8 to protest the licensing contract with Nike. Eight members stayed overnight, which led to disciplinary sanctions. The contract GSC was pushing for the university to cut is separate from the agreement the athletics department and several university sports teams has with Nike.

As a result, the university committed not to renew its licensing contract with Nike unless the company allows the Worker Rights Consortium independent access and reporting of complaints regarding factory conditions Dec. 9.

At the time of the sit-in, Nike was the only university vendor that had not signed the Code of Conduct for University Licensees, which contains clauses related to standards of labor, wages, benefits and abuse of workers. Nike has come under criticism, including a strike at Hansae, Vietnam in November 2015, for violating human rights in its factories.

During the sit-in, nine students left the office when Vice President for Student Affairs Todd Olson and Chief of Staff Joseph Ferrara threatened sanctions for staying in the offices overnight.

The Student Activities Commission voted Feb. 7 to sanction the GSC by admitting the group into a resto-

ration process that removes GSC control over its budget until spring 2018. The eight students who remained in the suite overnight were put on disciplinary probation until the fall 2017 semester, were required to pay a $50 fine, serve five work sanction hours and send a formal letter of apology to Ferrara.

Although the agreement reached by GSC and the administration does not stipulate that Nike sign Georgetown’s Code of Conduct, GSC member Lily Ryan (COL ’18), who participated in the full duration of the sit-in, said she hopes the university will have Nike agree to a stricter code of conduct than it currently follows.

“There will also be negotiations on the code of conduct and, if Nike doesn’t sign our code of conduct, they have to have one that is equal to or better than ours,” Ryan said in a December interview with The Hoya.

In a December email to The Hoya, Nike spokesperson Sabrina Oei said the company intends to continuing contract negotiations with Georgetown.

“We remain hopeful of reaching an agreement on Georgetown’s licensing contract,” the statement reads.

LGBTQ Activism Student activism also led the university to take a stance contrary to the Trump administration’s platform.

In March, the university announced it would make single-stall restrooms in public buildings on campus both gender-inclusive and Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant by the end of the semester after working with the Georgetown University Student Association LGBTQ Inclusivity policy team.

The Office of Planning and Facilities Management is supplying the funding

for the new signs, while funding for the completion of the feasibility study is coming from the Office of Student Affairs’ budget.

The initiative comes as Trump announced a rollback in federal protections for transgender students who attend public schools Feb. 23, reversing former President Barack Obama’s memos protecting the rights of transgender students in public schools.

Henry Callander (COL ’18), a former GUSA senator who is also a member of the LGBTQ Inclusivity team and GUPride, said today’s political climate has paved the way for the university to support transgender students.

“The number one phase right now is just changing the ones that are already single-stall restrooms into signage that says all-gender,” Callander said. “No matter what side of the aisle you’re on, you’re at a school where everyone is loved and included. You have to be there for people, especially during turbulent times.”

Environmental Activism About 200 students took to the streets Nov. 18 to protest Trump’s appointment of climate change contrarian Myron Ebell to head the transition team for the Environmental Protection Agency.

Trump appointed Ebell to head his EPA transition team in September. Ebell currently heads environmental and energy policy at Competitive Enterprise Institute, a libertarian think tank funded in part by the coal industry, according to The New York Times.

Georgetown students, spearheaded by climate advocacy group Students for Climate Security, organized additional protests in the weeks leading up to the Senate vote to confirm Trump’s nomination for head of the EPA, Oklahoma

Attorney General Scott Pruitt, on Feb 17.

Additionally, Students for Climate Security sent packets with former White House environmental studies and articles highlighting Pruitt’s environmental record to multiple senators.

Justin McCartney (SFS ’19), director of senate outreach strategy for Students for Climate Security, said climate change deniers cannot be in government.

“Climate change isn’t something you can put off.

It’s something that has to be taken seriously,” McCartney said. “It’s something that you can’t overlook in favor of fossil fuel industry benefits.”

In April, the Lecture Fund hosted Ebell and Jeremy Symons, associate vice president of Climate Political Affairs at advocacy group Environment Defense Fund. Ebell said the EPA is no longer fulfilling its duties and climate change regulations are not required.

According to Ebell, who helped appoint senior staff and develop environmental policy as head of the transition team, the EPA has become oversized.

“The agency has largely accomplished its mission for clean air and clean water,” Ebell said. “This is an agency that has gotten fat and lazy, and that there is room to cut, particularly

when you look at the freelancing that the agency has started to do beyond its statutory responsibilities.

There is a lot of room to cut the budget.”

Symons said Trump’s March 28 executive order eliminating climate change policies established during former President Barack Obama’s administration, including the Clean Power Plan that would have closed hundreds of coal power plants, is detrimental to the EPA’s work.

“This is a demolition plan. They went right for the throat,” Symons said.

“This administration has an agenda that’s extreme, that’s­ — I think — out of touch with the public.”

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Members of the Georgetown Solidarity Committee staged a sit-in in President John DeGioia’s office to protest the university’s relationship with Nike.

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2016 Election and Policies Spark DC Demonstrations Jeff Cirillo and Marina Pitofsky Hoya Staff Writers

“This is what democracy looks like!”

Groups of demonstrators, most of them young and many of them Hoyas, chanted in unison as they marched down the streets of Washington, D.C., ardent in their protest.

On election night, the first in a series of demonstrations changed the landscape of politics in the nation’s capital. As the expectation of triumph for Hillary Clinton slowly crumbled and gave way to President Donald Trump’s victory, students gathered in the Healey Family Student Center for an Institute of Politics and Public Service watch party and expressed contrasting emotions of anger and excitement.

“I’ve wanted to vote for Hillary Clinton since I was 10, and then this happened,” Claire Smith (COL ’19) said, huddled with friends by the HFSC fireplace as results from swing states began to tip the scales toward a Trump victory.

Even before news media officially projected Trump’s victory, Georgetown students flocked to the White House, joined by hundreds of D.C. college students, some gathering in protest and others in celebration.

“Stop targeting the undocumented community.

Stop targeting my black brothers and sisters. Stop targeting my Muslim brothers and sisters. Stop targeting the LGBT community,” one protester shouted through a megaphone, a “Donald Trump is a Racist” banner serving as her backdrop.

Maggie Cirrulo (COL ’17) also headed to the White House, but with a different intention.

“Why we are here tonight is we are celebrating democracy and we are celebrating the Republican Party,” Cirrulo said. “We are very excited about tonight. People think that young people don’t vote for Trump. Well, we did.”

Protests continued that weekend. Georgetown University Law Center student Julie Rheinstrom (GRD ’17) organized an anti-Trump candlelight vigil outside the White House, an hourlong event that was attended by a crowd of over 2,000 people.

Rheinstrom said she was driven to take action by her dismay at Trump’s campaign rhetoric targeting Muslims and Mexicans. Invoking a quote popularized

by Eleanor Roosevelt, she wrote in an email to The Hoya, “it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”

Rheinstrom’s vigil would

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be the first in a series of demonstrations opposing Trump’s presidency.

Resistance continued with the same intensity in the months that followed.

The newly formed group Students for Climate Security, organized by government professor Andrew Bennett and a group of students, marched from Red Square to L Street on Nov. 18, joined by about 200 members of the community, to fight the rumored nomination of climate change contrarian Myron Ebell to lead the Environmental Protection Agency.

Trump’s cabinet nominations continued to draw ire.

In January, seven current and former Georgetown University Law Center faculty wrote an open letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee urging them to reject the nomination of then-Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) for the position of attorney general. In a matter of days, the letter was signed by more than 1,400 law school faculty from 180 institutions, and drew the attention of Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.), who later opposed Sessions’ nomination.

The scale of anti-Trump

protests reached new heights in late January, as the Women’s March on Washington — which occurred the day after Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration — drew more than 500,000 demonstrators into the streets of downtown D.C. The march was the largest of over 600 “sister marches” across the United States and the world, including notable marches in New York, Chicago, London, Paris and Sydney.

Demonstrators said the purpose and energy of the march was as much pro-women as it was antiTrump. High-profile speakers at the march projected anger and defiance, but also empowerment.

“Today we are here to deliver a message. We will not take this lying down,” Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards said from the protest’s stage.

“You need to call your Senator and say we cannot go back. Together we are a movement and we are unstoppable.”

Concurrently, the city filled with support for Trump. A Trump supporter who flew in from California for the inauguration, Myram Croel, was one of numerous attendees who

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were older than 60, a contrast to many of the young women marching.

Croel said he did not understand the reason why women were marching, although he said he respected their right to do so.

“I actually don’t know what they’re marching about. We recognize women, and if they need to be more recognized, that’s fine, I don’t see where women are trod on or beaten down, or anything else.

I think they’ve pretty well got equal rights now,” Croel said. “A lot of them used to be princesses, and now they’re our level.”

The historically large march ended with zero arrests, according to D.C. police, after a small number of protesters were arrested after the inauguration a day earlier for vandalism and destruction of property.

D.C. Councilmember Robert White (D-At large) was just one of the politicians and leaders who joined the march after refusing to attend Trump’s inauguration the day before. The snub of Trump by 10 of D.C.’s 13 local lawmakers at the inauguration epitomized the incoming president’s tense welcome to a diverse and overwhelmingly Democratic city.

On the first Thursday of the new administration, Greenpeace activists hung a banner reading “Resist” from the top of a crane just blocks from the White House. Five days later, after Trump signed an executive order temporarily banning citizens of seven Muslimmajority nations from entering the United States, demonstrators converged on the White House to rally against the order.

In addition to the Women’s March, the District saw continued debate on abortion and women’s reproductive rights in 2017.

The 44th Annual March for Life drew thousands of antiabortion advocates in January, including Vice President Mike Pence in the first appearance of a vice president at the march.

Addressing the march’s attendants, Pence said Trump’s election marked a new wave of support for anti-abortion rights causes in the United States.

“It is no more evident in any way than in the historic election of a president who stands for a stronger America, a more prosperous America, and a president who I proudly say stands for the right to life,” Pence said as reported by CNN. “I believe a society can be judged by how it deals with its most vulnerable. The aged.

The infirm. The disabled.

And the unborn.”

Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway

also addressed crowds at the march, stating that, under the Trump administration, the scientific and religious communities can join together for anti-abortion rights efforts.

“This is a new day, a new dawn for life,” Conway said.

“This dismissive notion of out of sight, out of mind is over. Science and medicine have joined religion and morality in causing many Americans to rethink just how fragile and how triumphant human life truly is.”

Co-President of Georgetown University Right to Life Mylan Metzger (COL ’19) attended the March for Life for the third year in a row, and said this march had more energy than did past marches due to Trump’s recent inauguration. She also said she was encouraged to see children and young adults at the march, signaling a future for the “pro-life” movement.

“There were a lot of young people there, so for me that’s always a big encouragement, just knowing that in the next generation there is still very much a strong pro-life motivation,” Metzger said. “That was really great to see a strong motivation in the next generation.”

According to Metzger, Pence’s speech indicates growing support for future marches and “pro-life” activism over the next four years and in future generations.

“It was interesting to have Vice President Pence come and talk about issues related to abortion because this is the first time a president or vice president has ever addressed the March for Life, and I don’t think that has to do with party,” Metzger said. “Neither Democrats nor Republicans have ever really addressed it, so I think that was really interesting and encouraging. It suggests that there could be more pro-life legislation to pass under this administration.”

Throughout the past year, the District also saw support for pro-abortion rights efforts. At the Women’s March on Washington, thousands of attendants voiced their support for birth control services nationwide, with abortion rights serving as a major theme. Richards spoke at the event, encouraging attendants to contact their representatives about abortion rights and access to women’s health services.

“Women’s rights are human rights. You need to know that, starting this week, Congress is going to be moving quickly to try to pass restrictions on reproductive access and we cannot let them,” Richards said. “You need to call your member of Congress, call

your senator and say ‘we will not go back.’ One of us can be dismissed, two of us can be ignored, but together we are a movement, and we are unstoppable.”

H*yas for Choice Co-President Emily Stephens (SFS ’17) said she was pleased to see reproductive rights represented at the march on signs and among the speeches during the rally preceding the march.

“I was really enthused by the variety of creative signs representing the whole spectrum of reproductive rights, including abortion, and the march’s organizers were extremely deliberate in including abortion rights advocates in the speaking lineup,” Stephens said. “Overall, I was quite pleased to see such an unabashedly pro-choice, probirth control, and pro-abortion rights stance at such a huge event.”

In the weeks following the election and inauguration, word of new protests spread across campus so often there seemed to be more weekends with protests than without them.

But for longtime activists and organizers, there are concerns about if a moment like this can last. Sarah Clements (COL ’18), who advocates for gun control, said that a long period of sustained protest can “burn out” first-time or even longterm participants.

However, Clements said activist groups are increasingly finding innovative ways to keep protesters involved.

“There have been a lot of independent organizations or activists who have created new mechanisms to re-engage those people,” Clements said. “For example, I was home a few days ago and people I was friends with in high school who wouldn’t have called themselves activists a few months ago are using various tools to continue speaking out.”

Clements said social media groups and “textbots,” which alert activists of advocacy opportunities, have kept budding activists involved by informing them about rallies, legislative efforts or other opportunities to take action. These new modes of engagement, she added, may be the key to sustaining this culture of dissent.

“I think one cool thing that has happened, especially in D.C., is the creation of this larger culture of protest. You see a lot of cultural elements like music, artwork, street art, even phrases like ‘resist’ and ‘the resistance,’” Clements said.

“Even if the protest culture isn’t as vibrant a year from now, I hope people continue to find innovative ways to resist.”

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TOP: ALYSSA VOLIVAR/THE HOYA, LEFT: ANNA KOVACEVICH/THE HOYA, RIGHT: COMEDY CENTRAL

Artists and comedians were especially vocal in expressing their views on the inauguration this year, using their mediums as forms of political protest. In response to the divisive cultural climate, many Georgetown theater groups produced performances and concerts to empower and unify the student body.

Artists Take A Stand: Politics in Art and Culture Dani Guerrero And Meena Raman Hoya Staff Writers

Art, as a form of public speech, is inherently political and engages with existing thoughts and ideologies.

After a remarkably eventful year in the political and social spheres, art and culture have naturally adopted similar themes. From restaurants to comedy clubs to movie theaters, artists and public figures have been making their voices heard, contributing to an ongoing societal dialogue.

After the Inauguration The Art of the Protest The Hoya, Jan. 20, 2017, B2 Members of the creative community were among the most vocal in expressing their feelings toward the inauguration of President Donald Trump this January. This election season witnessed sharp criticism of President Trump from Hollywood icons like Meryl Streep and Robert DeNiro. Local performers also took the opportunity to spark conversation about the election, with many participating in My America Artsfest: D.C. Creates - Innovates - Unites, a showcase that featured diverse poetic and musical performances. Washington, D.C., was also one of more than 34 cities that hosted shows for What a Joke: A National Comedy Festival. Benefitting the American Civil Liberties Union, the shows packaged their message of protest in humor and dialogue.

Feature: All in Service The Hoya, Jan. 20, 2017, B4 Inauguration weekend is one of the busiest times of year for D.C.’s service industry, drawing tens of thousands of visitors from across the globe. This year, two service industry veterans, Amanda Carpenter and Alaina Dyne, decided to use the occasion as a positive social platform. The two women launched All in Service D.C., a volunteer-led initiative committed to creating an inclusive environment for all of D.C.’s visitors. More than 105 local businesses in the Washington metropolitan area agreed to donate a significant portion of their inauguration weekend profits

to an organization of their choosing. Notable organization included Planned Parenthood; Kids in Need of Defense, which advocates for the rights of immigrant and refugee children, and Ayuda, which works to provide social services to low-income immigrants. All in Service D.C.’s founders described it as a nonpartisan movement focused on compassion, and it succeeded in its mission of promoting empathy and diversity different venues across the city during inauguration weekend.

In Theaters Movie Review: ‘Get Out’ The Hoya, Feb. 24, 2017, B6 Comedic writer Jordan Peele’s directorial debut sparked a powerful conversation about race in America. A hybrid of piercing satire and gruesome horror, “Get Out” rapidly became one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful movies this year.

Its racially charged commentary allowed for multiple interpretations as audiences across the country were shocked and stirred by its bold exploration of racial and socio-economic dynamics in American society. By employing direct allusions to slavery with a contemporary parallel of hypnotized black servants, Peele made a forceful statement that captured the American social zeitgeist and reminded viewers about the continuing existence of racism in American society.

“Get Out” places bigoted discourses at extreme heights, emphasizing the continuation of violence based on racial prejudice. Alongside veteran actors Catherine Keener and Bradley Whitford, stars Daniel Kaluuya and Allison Williams craft an unforgettable and visceral depiction of black experiences in America.

The Gilded Stage The Hoya, Jan. 27, 2017, B2 After the disappointing, yet unsurprising, lack of diversity in the 2016 Academy Award nominations, associate professors Dana Luciano and Caetlin Benson-Allott offered thoughtful insights on diverse representation in Hollywood. Social and cultural powerhouse “La La Land” received 14 nominations, placing it among

classics like “Titanic” and “All About Eve,” and marking the recognition of a predominantly white cast. For a story about jazz, a genre stemming from black and African musical culture, the cast featured a minimum number of black characters, rendering it a partial tale of a richly diverse cultural phenomenon. This year, however, the Oscars were noticeably more diverse. With movies such as “Moonlight,” which claimed the coveted award for Best Picture in an unforgettable television moment, “Hidden Figures” and “Fences,” the nominees and winners highlighted black heritage and its contemporary depictions with diverse casts. Despite this improvement, Luciano cautioned against a self-congratulatory mentality. “It continues to be a reflection of how behindthe-times awards are that that small number indicates a great amount of progress,” she said. Ultimately, these deficiencies are symptomatic of changing consumer film preferences, according to Benson-Allott, and their cures begin in the theater.

“If we all went to movies by and about minorities, and those were the movies that were making the money, Hollywood would get in line,” she said.

On Campus BMDT Breaks Barriers Through Dance The Hoya, Feb. 17, 2017, B3 In celebration of their 35th anniversary in February, the Black Movements Dance Theater presented “Defiance,” a thought-provoking show about the black experience in America.

Through artistic exploration and exquisite choreograph, the concert examined complex subjects, such as racial inequality and police brutality, while boldly celebrating endurance and grace.

Following the racialized debate of the 2016 presidential election and the stellar performances of black athletes in the 2016 Rio Olympics, “Defiance” delved into the complex duality of contest and triumph that minorities across the country experience. Embodying concrete issues through the universal medium of dance, BMDT navigated themes of defiance, grit and courage,

unifying abstract meditations about the intensifying estrangement and division affecting American political and social identity. Under the guidance of artistic director Alfreda Davis, student directors presented the audiences with various forms of defiance, from contesting racial stereotypes to embracing inclusive standards of beauty.

‘An American Daughter’ The Hoya, Oct. 21, 2016, B3 In a masterful collaboration, the Black Theater Ensemble and the Mask and Bauble Dramatic Society presented “An American Daughter,” a riveting play by Wendy Wasserstein exploring the double-standards and gender biases women face in contemporary society. Through the enthralling tale of the highly publicized media scandal of Dr. Lyssa Dent Hughes, presidential nominee for Surgeon General, student director Caitlin Ouano (COL ’17) explored some of the most pressing issues surrounding gender barriers for women in America. The public image of Dr. Hughes is continuously twisted by the American electorate and sensational media coverage, clouding the nominee’s opportunity to demonstrate her credentials for the job. Instead, she is unfairly compared to societal expectations about how a woman in power should act. The play rigorously penetrated the unconscious preconceptions and prejudiced metrics under which women in America are constantly scrutinized. Due to a set of extraordinary performances and a stimulating script, the 20-year-old play struck audiences as hauntingly familiar and current.

In Music Album Review: ‘Run the Jewels 3’ The Hoya, Jan. 20, 2017, B7 Hip-hop duo Run the Jewels never fails to combine its forceful, high-energy sound with thought-provoking lyricism and a powerful message. The duo’s third album, “Run the Jewels 3,” however, is likely its boldest political statement. Members El-P and Killer Mike touch on the themes of loss, deception and corruption in the world of politics, incorporating personal anecdotes into their rap verses

to create an authentic narrative. Although RTJ warns its listeners to be wary of trusting politicians, its overarching message is not entirely pessimistic; the duo project a sense of hope for the future of country, with Killer Mike even recounting his experiences working on Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I - Vt.) presidential campaign. In fact, Sanders praised Mike’s “depth of passion, knowledge and commitment to community,” qualities listeners can instantly observe from the rapper on the opening tracks of the album. “Run the Jewels 3” has certainly earned its status as one of the most culturally resonant works of music released over the past year, rallying its listeners to resist against political oppression against all odds.

Album Review: ‘Pure Comedy’ The Hoya, April 19, 2017 Indie singer-songwriter Josh Tillman, better known by his pseudonym Father John Misty, released a pair of stellar albums since leaving band Fleet Foxes in 2012. A consummate artist, Tillman is beloved by fans and critics alike for his sarcastic lyrics, stylistic instrumentation and instantly recognizable croon. In his third studio album, which was released on April 7, Tillman aspires for even more, presenting a sprawling and scathing indictment of contemporary society and the irony of human nature. Accompanying the album’s release announcement with an extended think-piece on the symbolism and intentions behind the album, Tillman makes his ambitions clear.

In fact, the opening and eponymous track is an extensive examination of religion, gender roles and capitalism. In the music video for “Pure Comedy,” which was also the album’s lead single, imagery of President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama is intercut with clips from pop culture, reflecting the political and social commentary that has become increasingly germane in contemporary popular music.

Feature Interviews ‘Daily Show’ Correspondents Discuss Election, Comedy The Hoya, Nov. 17, 2016, B2

Comedy shows have become an increasingly relevant medium for discussing social and cultural issues.

Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” is a perfect example of this, producing some of television’s wittiest political satire. In an exclusive interview with The Hoya, “Daily Show” correspondents Hasan Minhaj and Roy Wood Jr. discussed topics of free speech, race and the role of comedy in politics, particularly within the context of the 2016 election. Minhaj reflected on how “political culture has become popular culture,” as he and Wood described the role of comedy in bridging the two. “Comedy is a safe entry point into serious discussion. By keeping it lighter, you make the conversation more palpable and more productive,” Wood said. Minhaj and Wood also discussed their roles as minorities in the entertainment industry and highlighted the importance of representation and diversity in the media.

Interview with Arlo Guthrie The Hoya, Feb 17, 2017, B5 Folk singer-songwriter Arlo Guthrie is known for making “music with a conscience” similar to that of his father, famed American musician Woody Guthrie. He first took the stage in 1967 and continues to perform today, most recently playing for fans on his Running Down the Road Tour. This February, Guthrie discussed the tour, his past musical work and the current cultural climate in an exclusive email interview with The Hoya. He reflected on the reality that social media has largely taken over as the main platform of discussion for millennials. He nevertheless found solace in the fact that young musicians continue to write and produce, using their voices for good.

Guthrie also took an interest in recent developments that showed music from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s beginning to outsell newly released music and expressed his hope that songs and ideals from past generations will reach younger audiences. On the subject of artist involvement in politics, Guthrie advocated for free political and creative expression. “Democracy seems to work best when we allow people to express themselves,” he said.

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THE HOYA

FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 2017

Advocacy on Stage: Activists and Politicos

CHRISTIAN PAZ Hoya Staff Writer

T

he 2016-17 school year saw Georgetown in the heat of a time of change — both in America and on campus. Activists highlighted injustice and oppression, and politicians urged action and resistance against the status quo as the nation digested the 2016 presidential election. Politicians made their mark: Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton addressed the role of the United States in advancing gender equity as a part of its foreign policy last month, while former Vice President Joe Biden highlighted the economic achievements of former President Barack Obama’s administration in December. Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) called out President Donald Trump’s January ban on immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries and Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) affirmed the need to increase economic and racial diversity in the District. The Lecture Fund hosted former National Security Agency employee and whistleblower Edward Snowden and former white nationalist Derek Black in his first ever public appearance, both of whom explained how their circumstances forced them to make life-changing decisions. Social justice activists, like writer Shaun King and novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, explained how to further racial and gender equality through solidarity, unity, compassion and respect.

Here, the year in soundbites:

SPENCER COOK/THE HOYA

KARLA LEYJA/THE HOYA

“Economic growth for everybody, not just millionaires and billionaires, and a country that has a place for everyone.

There you go. There’s a sentence that says what we are for as a party.”

CHRIS MURPHY SENATOR (D-CONN.) JAN. 31

JESUS RODRIGUEZ/THE HOYA

“Maybe America is changing for the worse and they’re not saying racist things, but that’s the difference between white nationalism and political discourse — that they don’t say ‘white.’”

“Feminism is just that simple idea that women are fully equal, and there’s a sense in which religion has been used to justify oppressions based upon the idea that women are not fully equal human beings.”

CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE AUTHOR AND FEMINIST ACTIVIST MARCH 16

DEREK BLACK FORMER WHITE NATIONALIST FEB. 26

SPENCER COOK/THE HOYA

LAUREN SEIBEL/THE HOYA

“If we’re going to be a city like the one that I grew up with and was richly diverse, the government has to be intentional and focused on how we can maintain our diversity.”

“Standing up for the rights and opportunities of women and girls must be a cornerstone of American global leadership.”

HILLARY CLINTON FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE MARCH 31

MURIEL BOWSER WASHINGTON, D.C. MAYOR (D) MARCH 26

JESUS RODRIGUEZ/THE HOYA

“We could go two routes here in 2017: We could keep doing what we’ve always been doing, which I think has been proven not to work that well, which is to stay isolated, or we could find fresh new ways to unify.”

COURTESY BHAVYA JHA

“When you are talking about a liberal society, a modern society — our society, our government — was founded on one bedrock principle, and that is the consent of government. Consent is only meaningful if it’s in a form.”

EDWARD SNOWDEN FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY EMPLOYEE OCT. 5

SHAUN KING SOCIAL JUSTICE ACTIVIST AND WRITER NOV. 15

STEPHANIE YUAN/THE HOYA

“On almost every measure, Americans are better off today than they were years ago, but there are still a lot of people being left behind.”

JOE BIDEN FORMER VICE PRESIDENT DEC. 5

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friDAY, April 21, 2017

FILE PHOTO: CHRISTIN DRISCOLL/THE HOYA, FILE PHOTO: PAOLO SANTAMARIA/THE HOYA

Twelve days after the dismissal of John Thompson III, Patrick Ewing was named the next head coach of the Georgetown men’s basketball team. As a player, Ewing led the Hoyas in three trips to the Final Four and a National Championship in 1984. Ewing played 17 seasons in the NBA and has served as an NBA assistant coach for 15 years.

A Season of Change Brings Ewing Back Home Paolo Santamaria Hoya Staff Writer

Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015, at Madison Square Garden was mostly unremarkable, save for the 7-foot-1 Patrick Ewing (COL ’85) on the sidelines. Donning his plaid suit, the Garden’s titan had returned home. Unlike during his 15 years playing in the Big Apple, the Hall-ofFame center was doing everything he could to defeat his former team.

He sat on the bench advising the Charlotte Hornets, whispering game observations to Kemba Walker, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and a host of other players.

His gaze spanned the court, looking up and down for imperfections 82 games a season, searching for head coaching positions in the offseason.

Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016, was remarkable for all the wrong reasons. The Georgetown men’s basketball team dropped an oncampus game at home to small conference opponent Arkansas State, 78-72. Falling to a 1-2 record at the game’s end, this loss — the second in a row for the team — was the beginning of a downward spiral.

The spiral was steep, a curvature of disappointment and underachievement, all under the furrowed brow and discontented gaze of a fan base far

too maligned.

Head Coach John Thompson III was under the microscope.

Ewing, though, was in no such spiral. He followed a simple routine. Waking up for the team’s shootarounds and walkthroughs as early as 8 a.m., the former Hoya advised the Hornets’ trek toward the playoffs.

He imparted his knowledge of post play and tips to centers Cody Zeller and Frank Kaminsky, consulted with Head Coach Steve Clifford and bided his time — waiting for a head coaching vacancy.

Just months earlier, Ewing wanted to go home to New York. The Knicks were in need of a head coach after firing Derek Fisher and employing the services of interim coach Kurt Rambis.

The fit was too good for Ewing to pass up.

“I still live in the area. If I get an opportunity for an interview, I’d be happy,” Ewing said in an interview with the New York Daily News in April 2016. “I’ve been doing this, what, 13 years now? I see people who don’t have the same amount on their resume as I do and still have gotten opportunities.”

The coaching journey had been a marathon for Ewing. He began his assistant coaching career with the Washington Wizards

in 2002 and Houston Rockets in 2003, mentoring the likes of Yao Ming and Dwight Howard, before getting a chance as an associate head coach with the Hornets.

Candidates with far less experience than Ewing have been awarded NBA head coaching positions; David Fizdale had 12 years as an assistant — zero as an NBA player — before taking over the Memphis Grizzlies and leading them to a 43-39 record in his first year. The aforementioned Fisher had zero years of head coaching experience. Jason Kidd, head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, had an equally storied career as Ewing but possessed no formal coaching background. Luke Walton, head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, spent five years as an assistant after 10 seasons as a serviceable rotation player.

None matched Ewing’s storied NBA career, experience on the 1992 U.S. Olympic Dream Team and 13-year tenure as an assistant with two Hall-of-Fame centers on his mentee list.

Ewing was passed over for the Knicks job and again in the summer for the Sacramento Kings’ and Memphis Grizzlies’ vacancies. At least he came close in Sacramento, where he would have been hired if not for Dave Joerger’s availability, according to a

March 23 tweet by Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.

California’s capital was as close as Ewing would get.

As committed as the big man was to coaching in the NBA, the Georgetown fan base was equally dedicated to a changing of the guard.

The Hoyas finished the season 14-18 with a 5-13 record in the Big East, the Blue and Gray’s second straight losing season. The team lost six games in a row to close the 2016-17 campaign and missed the NCAA Tournament for the third time in four years.

That brisk November night gave way to a spiteful McDonough Gymnasium, with “Fire Thompson” chants erupting from a disgruntled crowd dressed in Hawaiian garb, complete with leis and patterned shirts.

The chants surfaced several more times this season, but at the Verizon Center, salsa music was blasted several decibels louder to drain out the displeased fans.

Articles in The Hoya, as well as several discussions on ESPN and CBS, pushed the narrative of Thompson’s fading future at Georgetown.

On a Thursday months after the Arkansas state game, junior forward Akoy Agau took a call during an English class. He stepped out of the room in a hurry.

The buzzing of phones in the room could have saved him the scene.

Thompson’s time at Georgetown was done.

“It is with profound regret and deep appreciation that I informed John Thompson III this morning that the University will no longer be retaining his services as our head men’s basketball coach,” University President John J. DeGioia said in a statement to the media on March 23, 2017.

“We will work immediately to begin a national search for a new head men’s basketball coach.”

In an interview with The Hoya on April 11, DeGioia illuminated end-of-season conversations he had with Thompson, the decision he faced and the direction the spiral would end.

“He and I began conversations at the end of the season to try to determine whether the conditions were in place, where he would be able to take the program and ensure the level of competitiveness that he and we would all expect,” DeGioia said. “It was ultimately my judgment. I determined the conditions weren’t in place here, given what had unfolded. It was with great appreciation and profound regret that we needed to make the change, but we made the change.”

Just hours after the

change, Wojnarowski reported that Ewing was likely set on working toward an NBA coaching job.

“In past, Charlotte associate HC Patrick Ewing held no interest in NCAA jobs. Perhaps G’town gives him pause, but he’s been committed to NBA,” Wojnarowksi tweeted.

The pause that came was greater than even Wojnarowski, the NBA’s leading reporter, expected.

It was Wednesday, April 5, 2017, and Patrick Ewing stood at a podium in Nolan Hall at the front of the John R. Thompson Jr. Intercollegiate Athletic Center’s long rectangular meeting room.

The crowd was seated shoulder-to-shoulder, gray shirts emblazoned with “HOME SW33T HOME” resting on their laps. Ewing smiled as his gaze spanned the room.

“Thirty-three years after winning the NCAA National Championship, No. 33 is coming home,” DeGioia opened the press conference.

There were no banners hanging in rafters of the room, no one to post up, no mentee to whom to whisper observations. There was only a line of cameras and a crowded room of reporters and students on the edge of their seats for the first time in recent memory, staring at a man whose plaid suit was ready to stand on the sideline.

Hoyas Earn 2nd-Straight Postseason Appearance Allie Babyak Hoya Staff Writer

After receiving a bid to the National Invitational Tournament for the second straight season, the Georgetown women’s basketball team again finished the year with an exit in the first round to Fordham at home 60-49.

“For the most part, obviously everybody wanted to win that game, and it didn’t turn out the way that we wanted it to. But, it was a game that we got in the mode of we wanted to win but we weren’t sure what it took to win in the postseason, because we lost the year previously in the first game,” senior forward Faith Woodard said.

Despite the loss, Georgetown still improved from the previous year, earning one more win than the 16 of the 2015-16 campaign. In the 2014-2015 season, the Hoyas finished 4-27.

“I just think that probably there is a certain mindset and expectation for our team. It is something that our coaches just continue to foster with each team that we have to step it up every year and raise the bar and expectations. I think that that is something that we’ve tried to do every single year, and I know it is something that they will continue to do,” Woodward said when asked about the team’s improvement this season.

Georgetown struggled at the beginning of the season, starting out Big East confer-

ence play in a rut with a record of 0-4. However, the Hoyas hit their stride, going on a five-game conference win streak immediately following the losing skid.

The turn-around game for the Hoyas was the home game against Seton Hall on Jan. 15. Senior guard Mykia Jones and Woodard led the team with 20 and 19 points respectively. The Georgetown defense forced 25 Seton Hall turnovers and made 15 steals.

When asked about the role of the team’s mindset in its defensive performance, Woodard credits her team’s consistent efforts.

“We bought into the team that was going to do anything that it took to get the win. Even if it took diving on the floor for loose balls, and just giving all your energy. I think that is something that we’ve done, and it has definitely showed up on the defensive end,” said Woodard.

Georgetown made its strong defensive presence a staple of the season. The Hoyas ranked first in the conference with 9.7 steals per game and ranked third in the Big East with 4.5 blocks per game.

The aggressive defense helped the Hoyas edge out close competitors in tight game scenarios. Over the course of the season, the Hoyas were put to the test in three different overtime situations. Georgetown lost to Creighton 70-68 on Jan. 8 for the first overtime of the season. Then, Georgetown went

on to win 69-64 in overtime against Xavier on Jan. 20.

On Feb. 3 against Providence, Woodard tied the game 70-70 with 1:35 left, helping the Hoyas secure a 72-70 win with a jumper by senior guard Tyshell King.

“The highlight would probably be when I hit the game winning shot against Providence. For me, just the chance for me to do that for my team was something I was proud about,” Woodard said.

Along with stringing together a five-game winning streak over the course of the season, Georgetown improved its performances against several teams during rematches. An important win for Georgetown was its victory over Villanova. When the teams met for the first time on Jan. 4 at Villanova, Georgetown lost 71-50, allowing sophomore guard Adrianna Hahn to put up 23 points. On Jan. 28, sophomore guard Dionna White helped the Hoyas edge out the Wildcats by contributing 21 points, leading the Blue and Gray to a 54-49 win.

Considering the team’s improvement over the course of the season, Woodard has high hopes for its future while watching as an alum.

“We did something really good, and [with] last year’s team and then our improvement this year, I’m really hopeful that the next team will be able to push past what we did this year,” Woodard said. “I know they can do it.”

FILE PHOTO: DERRICK ARTHUR/THE HOYA

The Georgetown women’s basketball team finished with a 17-13 record on the way to its second-straight Women’s National Invitational Tournament bid.

YEAR IN REVIEW

friDAY, April 21, 2017

THE HOYA

B9

Team of the Year: Women’s Soccer Reaches Final Four Chris Balthazard Hoya Staff Writer

In a season of remarkable firsts for the Georgetown women’s soccer team, one moment stands out, etched in players’ memories: the final whistle on a sunny early November afternoon at Shaw Field, marking the end of a 2-0 victory over Marquette and the team’s first ever Big East Tournament championship.

“That was for sure our number one goal,” junior midfielder Rachel Corboz said. “It’s something that no other team has ever done, and it’s been our goal since my freshman year, and I’m sure even before that. To finally actually do it, and to hear that final whistle blow and everyone celebrating was really great.”

The Big East Championship victory preceded an unexpected and historic run to the program’s first Final Four, culminating in a trip to San Jose, Calif., where the Hoyas took their place among the sport’s other elite programs; Georgetown largely outplayed eventual national champions University of Southern California in the national semifinal, falling 1-0.

Head Coach Dave Nolan knew the season might be a special one after a win in September over a No. 12 Rutgers team that had reached the Fi-

nal Four just a year prior.

“I thought we did it convincingly,” Nolan said of his team’s victory over Rutgers. “If any team were to win it, it would be us. Rachel scored a great goal … That was the first sign, and I was like, ‘Maybe we have something here.’”

Georgetown followed up the Rutgers win with a shocking comeback win over No. 3 Virginia, digging out of an early 2-0 hole; one week later, senior forward Grace Damaska scored the double overtime winner at No. 1 West Virginia, cementing Georgetown’s position at the top of the rankings for the remainder of the season.

The Big East Tournament still loomed large on the horizon, as the team had seemed cursed in previous years, falling short not because of a lack of talent but because of late goals, untimely injuries and missed opportunities. However, after squeaking past DePaul in the semifinal, Georgetown took care of Marquette to claim their long-awaited trophy.

“The final whistle after beating Marquette in the Big East final was a great moment, because it was our first Big East Tournament win, and to do it at home in front of our home fans, I thought that was pretty special,” Nolan said.

Georgetown’s prolific attack featured Corboz, who led

the team in assists with 16, as well as Damaska, sophomore forward Amanda Carolan, and graduate student forward Crystal Thomas, both of whom tallied double digits in goals. The Hoyas finished second in the country in goals scored.

In net, sophomore goalkeeper Arielle Schechtman controlled the air effectively, earning the second-most shutouts in the country and the most in Georgetown history.

Captain and graduate student midfielder Marina Paul anchored the defense in her return from injury, alongside junior defenders Elizabeth Wenger and Drew Topor and graduate student forward Corey Delaney; apart from an eight-minute spell against Stanford and a rough first half against DePaul, the back line conceded just eight goals all season. “[Paul] learned and grew a lot as a player and as a person as the season went on,” Nolan said. “Coming back off her injury, she put so much pressure on herself to come back at the top of her game, and it was always going to take time.

But to come back from two ACLs was pretty inspiring to the kids on our team, and she led from the front.”

Nolan contested that in addition to the experience of the junior- and senior-laden

squad, the commitment from players lower on the depth chart propelled the team’s success.

“It was just a sense that everybody was bought in,” Nolan said. “We’ve had talented teams in the past, and, to some extent, you could argue we’ve had more talented teams in the past, but I don’t think we’ve ever had a team that was as 100% bought into the group and the group dynamic.”

Junior midfielder Chloe Knott and junior defender Taylor Pak fueled that commitment in stopping attacks in defensive midfield and translating defense into quick offense, playing balls for Damaska and sophomore forward Caitlin Farrell to run onto.

As much as the team was on the same page on the field, the players certainly came together off the field as well.

“My three years here, this was definitely the closest team I’ve been on,” Corboz said. “Our relationships off the field really translated to on the field and allowed us to play good soccer and get those wins.”

Nolan also said the group dynamic of the team seemed different this year.

“It’s a pretty laid-back group,” Nolan said. “In the past we’ve always had dominant personalities, where

FILE PHOTO: ELIZA MINEAUX/THE HOYA

The Georgetown women’s soccer team ended the 2016 season with a 20-3-3 record and a Big East Championship. the team’s personality was shaped by one player … This group enjoyed each other’s company, and we enjoyed their company, and I definitely feel that was a big reason for our success.”

The 2016 season proved to be a breakthrough for Georgetown women’s soccer, and now the team looks to ensure the program remains in the upper echelon

of teams in the sport.

“After making the Final Four this year, everyone knows and sees that Georgetown women’s soccer isn’t just a little school anymore,” Corboz said. “We’re capable of playing against the best teams and getting good results, and making it this far this past season is definitely motivating us for next season.”

Senior Spotlight: Hoyas Reflect on College Careers Victoire Saperstein Women’s Tennis

Bakie Goodman Men’s Soccer | #20

Evan Morgan

Darius Iraj

As senior Victoire Saperstein approaches the final stretch of her Georgetown tennis career, she stares down the possibility of accomplishing a litany of feats: 100 career wins, her fourth consecutive appearance on the all-Big East team and, most importantly, a Big East Championship.

Throughout her career, Saperstein has served as a model of consistency and perseverance. Despite battling nagging injuries, including collarbone issues and plantar fasciitis, Saperstein has persisted, becoming the unquestionable leader of the Hoyas.

“Everyone on the team looks to her, to see how she’s doing, and that helps their confidence as the match goes along, and that’s the role I wanted [her] to see herself being,” Georgetown Head Coach Gordie Ernst said.

Sporting a record of 13-8 this season, with impressive victories over opponents from DePaul and No. 13 UC San Diego, Saperstein credits a pair of individuals for her success at the Division 1 level: her father and Ernst, who have combined to instruct Saperstein in unique yet critical aspects of tennis.

“My dad was more technical. He’s who I am as a

The Georgetown men’s soccer team has endured its highest highs and lowest lows throughout the last four years, ranging from its first Big East Championship to its first losing season in almost a decade. However, senior co-captain and midfielder Bakie Goodman has been the one player who consistently grounded the Hoyas’ efforts through it all.

Goodman has started at least 12 games every year dating back to his freshman year in 2013, when he was named to the Big East all-Rookie Squad. He finished his career after compiling seven goals and 12 assists for 26 points while taking 75 shots throughout his four years.

Goodman played key roles in three NCAA Tournament appearances during his time with the Hoyas, most notably in their Sweet 16 loss to Boston College in 2015.

At just 5’9” and 145 pounds, Goodman does not appear imposing. However, he played bigger than his physical stature throughout his four years at Georgetown, according to Head Coach Brian Wiese.

“He’s not 6’4”,” Wiese said in an interview with The Hoya in January. “But he plays bigger than his size. While he’s not

Hoya Staff Writer

Hoya Staff Writer

FILE PHOTO: STEPHANIE YUAN/THE HOYA

tennis player. Gordie has really helped with the tactical part of tennis, just looking at the court and [giving me] a whole different perspective.

It’s really helped me grow and develop from a junior player to a college player,” Saperstein said.

Since her freshman year, Saperstein has anchored the No. 1 singles position, and, with 97 wins under her belt, the senior has used a combination of undeniable talent and poise to collect those victories.

“She thrives in big moments. She plays to win and keeps her head. She’s so levelheaded out there. She uses her experience and talent better than any player I’ve ever coached, especially when the

big moment’s on the line,” Ernst said.

Having already accomplished myriad personal achievements, Saperstein needs one more to complete her sparkling resume: a Big East Championship. With two matches left before the championship, the Blue and Gray looks to fine-tune its play.

Saperstein expressed confidence while contemplating her legacy.

“What I hope to leave behind is that we continue that direction [towards a Big East title] and that we continue that focus,” Saperstein said. “Even when my year graduates, and the next year, we can can win the Big East again. We’re going to win it this year.”

FILE PHOTO: JENNA CHEN/THE HOYA

necessarily strong, he doesn’t lose tackles. While he doesn’t have a 36-inch vertical, he wins headers. So he plays big in a small body.”

Goodman also learned how to enhance other aspects of his skillset to compensate for what he lacked in physical ability.

The captain figured out how to use not only finesse to his advantage but also his mind.

“He has an incredibly high soccer IQ,” Wiese said.

His skills were apparent to anyone who watched the game closely, especially his teammates, who benefited from his play. Goodman led by example, and that style of leadership allowed his teammates to fulfill their own potential whenever they were on the

Grace Damaska Women’s Soccer | #21

Scott Carpenter Cross-Country and Track & Field

Josh Rosson

Dan Baldwin

Hoya Staff Writer

Hoya Staff Writer

As she makes the transition from the soccer pitch to the office cubicle, Georgetown senior women’s soccer forward Grace Damaska is looking to keep the competitive spirit that has defined her time on the Hilltop both on and off the field.

“Hopefully my coworkers are competitive,” Damaska said.

Damaska led the Hoyas to their most successful season in program history, marked by a 20-3-3 record, a Big East Tournament Championship and an appearance in the NCAA College Cup Final Four.

“Reflecting on it, it was the best team we had, just how we got along with each other,” Damaska said.

The Milton, Ga., native’s individual success fueled her team’s unprecedented run.

Damaska finished second on the team and 34th in the country in points with 33, while ranking first on the team and 20th in the country in goals with 14, which is also the second-most in a single season for a Hoya. These numbers led her to be an all-Big East First Team selection. Damaska finished her career with 28 goals scored and 15 assists in 88 games.

Senior Scott Carpenter’s progression to becoming a First Team All-American was a long-term process that started his freshman year. Carpenter credits his recent crosscountry and indoor track successes to the work he put in throughout his three years on the Hilltop.

“I think it’s more the couple years of buildup at this point now,” Carpenter said.

“My outdoor track season went pretty well last spring, and I think I just carried some confidence over from that.

Summer training did go very well — I was able to run quite a bit —, but I think it’s more so a culmination of the past couple years of training that was the enabler as to why I ran so well this fall.”

Carpenter put his name on the Big East map when he captured first place overall at the Paul Short Run at Lehigh University, the first race in which he competed during the 2016 cross-country season. Carpenter ran a time of 23:37 in the men’s 8K. “I think that [race] jumpstarted the rest of the season, because that gave me a lot of confidence. I knew I was good and could run with the top

FILE PHOTO: ROBERT CORTES/THE HOYA

Rather than focus on her own accomplishments, Damaska chose to reflect on a team achievement.

“Beating Marquette at home was pretty special, because we have a big rivalry with them,” Damaska said. “I would say [that] was the best.”

In addition to her athletic prowess, Damaska exceled in the classroom. An accounting major with a 3.37 GPA, the senior was named a Second Team Scholar All-American by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and an NSCAA First Team Scholar allEast Region selection. To top it off, Damaska was a recipient of the 2016-17 Big East Institu-

tional Scholar-Athlete Scholarship.

Damaska attributed her multifaceted success at Georgetown to her competitiveness and the support of her teammates. “[It was] a combination of me wanting to do the best for my own pride and having teammates who also take school very seriously,” Damaska said.

When she’s back in her home state of Georgia this fall, Damaska said she would not forget about her team in the least.

“I’m so excited for them,” Damaska said. “I’ll be their biggest fan, that’s for sure.”

field with him.

“He played in a way that was really easy for his teammates to play with. I think that everybody was hoping that Bakie would be somewhere near them on the soccer field because he made everyone around him a little better. I think, as he got older and older with us, he got more and more dangerous in terms of how he was always unlocking the game. And I think he’s the kind of player that every one of our players appreciates just how good he is,” Wiese said.

Goodman is taking his talents to the next level. In January, the Seattle Sounders selected him with the 56th pick in the MLS SuperDraft.

COURTESY GUHOYAS

guys in the country, but that first race was really important for me,” Carpenter said.

The race Carpenter is proudest of was his top-10 performance at the NCAA Championship meet in which he finished with a time of 30:03.00 in the men’s 10K. “Then the national meet as well which was the last race of the season,” said Carpenter. “I got 10th, and I was able to get First Team All-American. I’m more proud of that national meet, but I think the meets before that were what built up to me doing so well at that national meet.”

Carpenter exhausted his

cross-country eligibility this season yet remains eligible to compete for one more indoor and outdoor track season. Looking back on his Georgetown career, Carpenter explained that he would tell himself to keep his emotions in check and trust his coaches.

“It’s a super cliche saying, but just trust the process,” Carpenter said. “A lot of runners say that all the time.

There’s going to be ups and downs, and it’s really hard to stay in an even mentality throughout. So I would say to try to get through everything, put the work in and trust that it’ll all work out in the end.”

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