As GU Announces It Will Join Common Application In
2026, Students React
Nora Toscano
Senior News Editor
Georgetown University community members expressed excitement, concern and indifference at the university’s announcement that it will join the Common Application.
Georgetown will enter a threeyear pilot program starting in August 2026 — a major departure from the university’s previous strategy of using its own undergraduate admissions application. The university is one of only a few top-ranked colleges not on the Common App, an online college application platform which over 1,100 U.S. colleges and universities use for their undergraduate programs.
Current undergraduates’ reactions to the move were mixed, with some students optimistic that joining the Common App would increase accessibility.
Ethan Henshaw (CAS ’26), the president of the Georgetown University Student Association (GUSA), said the university will reach more potential applicants by shifting to the Common App. “I think the Common App has a larger reach than just Georgetown’s individual application,” Henshaw told The Hoya. “A lot more students will see it. I think Georgetown, in some ways, advertises most or appeals most to wealthy applicants from certain areas of the country — obviously, there are a lot of Georgetown students from the Northeast — and so I think this will help diversify the applicant pool.”
After the Supreme Court eliminated race-based affirmative action in June 2023, Georgetown enrolled fewer
See COMMON APP, A7
GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY
Georgetown University will join the Common Application beginning in Fall 2026 for a three-year transition period.
Tracking Badar Khan Suri’s Detention
Aamir Jamil Executive Editor
Around 9:30 p.m. March 17, Badar Khan Suri, a Georgetown University postdoctoral researcher, returned home from the university after teaching and attending iftar, the meal Muslims eat after a day of fasting, on campus. Just minutes later, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) detained Khan Suri. As of March 27, he is in a detention facility in Alvarado, Texas.
Khan Suri, a senior fellow at Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU), was
FacultyCiteSolidarity,Fundraising AsPrioritiesinPresidentialSearch
Jack
In the two months since Georgetown University launched a search committee for its 49th president, faculty members say their priorities for the next leader include fundraising prowess and steadfast commitment to Jesuit values.
The Hoya interviewed six faculty members spanning four schools to learn how they view the ongoing effort to replace John J. DeGioia (CAS ’79, GRD ’95), who retired Nov. 21 after 23 years as university president. The search committee seeks to name a replacement by July 1, 2026.
Moral Direction and Jesuit Heritage
Rochelle Davis, the director of graduate studies at the Center for
Contemporary Arab Studies in the School of Foreign Service, said Jesuit values should inform the next president’s approach to ensuring freedom of speech on campus.
“I think there’s a lot to be said for the Jesuit tradition we are part of, which is about education and dialogue and diversity and cura personalis and all of those Jesuit values that we are taught and that are part of who we are and have been for a long time,” Davis told The Hoya.
“I think it’s really using them as a touchstone and protecting the people, protecting the community, to explore and talk is what we need,” she added.
Robert Bies, a management professor in the McDonough School of Business, said the next president must reflect the university’s Jesuit values in some
capacity, but selecting a member of the Jesuit order to be university president could prove difficult.
“Part of me says it would be great to go back to a Jesuit, but there’s a small group of people who are Jesuits running universities,” Bies told The Hoya. “I mean, it’s a small sample size.”
Of the 28 Jesuit universities in the United States, 23 are led by non-Jesuit members of the Catholic Church. In 2010, that number stood at just five.
Bies added that to signal a bold commitment to diversity and innovation, Georgetown could select its first woman president or second person of color, following the 29th president Patrick Healy, a Black man who passed as white amid Reconstruction-era
See FACULTY, A7
researching a project exploring peace processes amid religious tension and taught an upper-level undergraduate seminar called “Majoritarianism and Minority Rights in South Asia.” He held a J-1 visa, a nonimmigrant visa for foreign nationals to participate in educational programs. The State Department revoked Khan Suri’s visa March 15, over alleged connections to Hamas leadership and for allegedly posting “Hamas propaganda” on social platform X, formerly known as Twitter, and Facebook.
Khan Suri and his wife, Mapheze Saleh (GRD ’26), who is a U.S.
citizen born in Gaza, have spoken out against Israel’s conduct in the latest Israel-Hamas war but have not encouraged illegal activity. Khan Suri’s father-in-law previously served as an official in Gaza’s Hamas-run government, yet left his position more than a decade ago and publicly condemned Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
A student in Khan Suri’s class said Khan Suri’s detainment does not reflect the kindness they saw from him in class.
“As a student of his, I can say that the accusations being leveled against Professor Suri
are genuinely dumbfounding — the baselessness of the case would be amusing if it wasn’t for the real-life implications we’re watching play out for him and his family,” the student wrote to The Hoya. “He’s one of the most soft-spoken people I’ve met. He’s brilliant yet humble and has a wonderful sense of humor.”
“The fact that this could even happen is a terrifying indication of the state of free speech and human rights in this country — and it’s heartbreaking to know that whether Professor Suri remains in
See KHAN SURI, A7
Capitol Campus Enrollment Below Projections,CouldLose$91.4Million
Ari Citrin and Aamir Jamil
Student Life Desk Editor and Executive Editor
Georgetown University’s Capitol Campus could lose $91.4 million between fiscal years 2025 and 2028 as enrollment lags significantly behind administrators’ predictions, according to data university officials presented to the school’s Faculty Senate on Feb. 19 and released online March 20.
Interim Provost Soyica Diggs Colbert (COL ’01) and Chief Financial Officer Hari Sastry (GRD ’00) presented the data, which is based on long-term projections developed in spring 2024. The data suggests Capitol Campus operations will create a $25 million deficit in fiscal year 2025, growing to a projected $34.1 million for fiscal year 2026 if the university meets its enrollment goals.
The Capitol Campus is projected to lose a cumulative $91.4 million between fiscal years 2025 and 2028, before making a $4.2 million profit in fiscal year 2029, which the university calculated based on prior estimates and undergraduate statements of intent. As a result, according to the presentation, the Capitol Campus is fiscally reliant on significant enrollment growth and housing revenue.
The university projected that the main campus would generate a $19.3 million surplus in fiscal year 2025 inclusive of expenditures related to the Capitol Campus, falling to $15.8 million
UNIVERSITY Georgetown University internal financial projections show the Capitol Campus could lose millions of dollars in revenue.
TONY PELTIER/THE HOYA
Federal immigration agents detained Badar Khan Suri, a Georgetown postdoctoral fellow, March 17, sparking student protests, community statements and public outcry as the case continues.
GEORGETOWN
Badar Khan Suri
ProtectFreeSpeech,SupportKhanSuri
The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) March 17 detainment of Georgetown University researcher Badar Khan Suri is nothing short of an attack on free speech.
Khan Suri, a researcher at Georgetown’s Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU) in the United States legally on a visa for researchers, remains detained at an immigration center in Alvarado, Texas. The DHS has claimed that Khan Suri was detained for “close connections to a known or suspected terrorist” and “actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media,” but has produced no evidence suggesting the allegations are true.
Khan Suri’s speech on the Israel-Hamas war should not matter — no matter what the content of his speech, disputing the standpoint and actions of the federal government should not and cannot legally be grounds for his detainment. Rather, the Editorial Board believes, the Trump administration is harnessing expression to purge their opponents’ political discourse.
Indeed, Khan Suri’s arrest comes amid a broader Trump administration crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism. His detention follows the deportation of a Brown University professor and the recent arrest and detainment of Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist at Columbia University and legal U.S. permanent resident.
The Editorial Board strongly calls on Georgetown University — the administration, faculty and students alike — to firmly defend both Khan Suri and every member of our community’s right to free speech. Far from being an isolated case, our community must recognize that this event reflects a larger, coordinated push to silence dissenting voices and enforce alignment with the Trump administration’s views.
At its core, Khan Suri’s detainment challenges the idea that the “land of the free” is truly free. While many of Khan Suri’s social media posts demonstrate pro-Palestine stances, The Hoya’s analysis of his current social media posts has found that Khan Suri has not advocated breaking U.S. law. Georgetown must address this situation with the urgency and severity it requires to truly appreciate the dangers our community is facing. Only then can the university take the steps necessary to protect and defend students’, faculty members’ and staff members’ rights to free speech.
Though U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles ordered a stay on Khan Suri’s deportation March 20, this does not relieve Georgetown of its obligation to defend our community and support Khan Suri.
The university must first support Khan Suri and his
HOYA HISTORY
Free Speech
November 21, 1989
Ten days ago, The HOYA opted to suspend its publishing schedule rather than succumb to university censorship of political speech.
The conflict arose when the National Organization for Women submitted a paid advertisement for publication in the newspaper. The advertisement, which advocated a pro-choice position, publicized a Nov. 12 abortion rights rally on the Mall.
The university, in the form of Dean of Student Affairs John J. DeGioia, exercised its right as publisher of student press to exclude the advertisement from publication in The HOYA. DeGioia said that he believed the advertisement violated the “spirit and intention” of Georgetown regulations, and thus could not run.
The newspaper informed DeGioia that it believed he violated university regulations by acting to block the advertisement without consulting the Media Board. The newspaper also advised DeGioia it believed that to exclude an advertisement on the basis of the political viewpoint it expresses was contrary to Georgetown’s commitment to freedom of expression.
DeGioia did not find the newspaper’s argument to be compelling. He blocked publication of the Nov. 10 issue of The HOYA that contained NOW’’s advertisement. Since that time, both sides have
wife, a Georgetown graduate student. In whatever capacity is needed — whether it be financial, professional or personal — the university must stand by them in all the costs and hardships they are currently facing and those that are yet to come.
It must also ensure students are fully informed about Khan Suri’s detainment. The university administration’s initial engagement with students was disappointingly limited: On March 19, two days after DHS arrested Khan Suri, School of Foreign Service (SFS) Dean Joel Hellman sent an email to SFS faculty and staff notifying them of Suri’s detainment. Only the next day, March 20, did Dean Hellman forward this same email to the SFS student body alone. The rest of Georgetown’s students and faculty received this information through an email biweekly newsletter, “Bulldog Bulletin,” buried in the subject line, “Survey Deadline Approaching, Summer Housing and More.”
On March 25, Interim President Robert M. Groves sent an email expressing the university’s concern with Khan Suri’s detainment. Yet, this email came unreasonably late — a full eight days after the arrest.
The university’s failure to address the entire Georgetown community about the gravity of Khan Suri’s situation in a timely manner is unacceptable. To treat this infringement on Hoyas’ freedom of speech as another mere update shunted into a newsletter and an unreasonably late email was incredibly discouraging. The Editorial Board pushes the university to continuously update students in a timely manner, ensuring they remain aware about any developments regarding this critical issue.
Finally, the university must take preemptive steps to protect the rest of our community’s right to free speech. Informing students and faculty of measures they can take to protect themselves and further providing these protections is imperative.
While much of the responsibility for protecting Georgetown community members’ right to free speech rests on the shoulders of the university, it is integral students do not sit idly by but rather play an active role.
Students, whether you agree or disagree with Khan Suri’s beliefs, we must fight for our right to say what we believe — the most fundamental of American and human rights. Stay informed about Khan Suri’s situation and ensure others do too. Just as important — if not more — be vocal.
To every member of the Georgetown community, the Editorial Board implores you to recognize the stakes of this situation — not only for Khan Suri, but for us all.
The Hoya’s Editorial Board is composed of six students and is chaired by the opinion editors. Editorials reflect only the beliefs of a majority of the board and are not representative of The Hoya or any individual member of the board.
Since its first issue in 1920, The Hoya has served to inform Georgetown’s campus dialogue. The following article is a glimpse into The Hoya’s rich history, allowing readers to appreciate the evolution of college journalism.
entered into meaningful and reasonable dialogue on the issue. Several members of the Committee on Speech and Expression have informed Student Affairs that they believe the decision of the university to block the NOW advertisement was contrary to the spirit of the policy on Speech and Expression. That policy gives the widest possible latitude to free speech on Georgetown’’s campus. Similarly, faculty, alumni and students have also weighed in with The HOYA and the university on the issue of freedom of expression at Georgetown. The result is a series of decisions that, we believe, are in the best interest of student journalism on this campus, as well as higher education at Georgetown.
DeGioia has formed a review panel comprised of the Media Board, the Committee on Speech and Expression, and the editors of The HOYA and The Voice. That panel has been charged with reviewing DeGioia’s decision and determining whether it was appropriate given the circumstances. It has also been charged with revising the Guidelines for Student Media so that they are fully consistent with the university’s existing policy on speech and expression. Until the guidelines for student press are revised and set in place, the university. has guar-
Send all submissions to: opinion@thehoya.com. The Hoya reserves the right to reject letters or viewpoints and edit for length, style, clarity and accuracy. The Hoya further reserves the right to write headlines and select illustrations to accompany letters and viewpoints.
CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS
If you have a comment or question about the fairness or accuracy of a story, contact Executive Editors Patrick Clapsaddle, Maren Fagan and Aamir Jamil at executive@thehoya.com.
NEWS TIPS News Editors Nora Toscano and Jack Willis: Email news@ thehoya.com. Guide Editors Caroline Woodward and Elizabethe Bogrette: Email guide@thehoya.com. Sports Editors Sophia Lu and Caleigh Keating: Email sports@ thehoya.com.
anteed that it will protect any and all forms of political speech, including advertisements, in student press. It has moreover promised that the new panel will ‘be consulted before any action is taken to block a controversial advertisement from publication.
This, we believe, is an equitable resolution to a serious conflict. That the university has acted in such an expeditious manner to reach a fair settlement reflects well on our university.
DeGioia’s handling of the situation deserves special recognition. That he was forced into a difficult position was unfortunate, but unavoidable. The way in which he has conducted himself and steered the conflict toward a reasonable and timely resolution speaks highly about Georgetown’s Dean of Student Affairs.
The time has come to take care of business. The HOYA is happy to be pursuing its passion once again — chronicling life and events at Georgetown University. And we will continue to act in a reasonable and responsible manner to help revise the guidelines for student press so that they are fully consistent with Georgetown’s commitment to freedom of expression.
The Board of Editors
GENERAL INFORMATION The Hoya is published once a week during the academic year with the exception of holiday and exam periods. Address all correspondence to: The Hoya Georgetown University Box 571065 Washington, D.C. 20057-1065
The writing, articles, pictures, layout and format are the responsibility of The Hoya and do not necessarily represent the views of the administration, faculty or students of Georgetown University. Signed columns and cartoons represent the opinions of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the editorial position of The Hoya Unsigned essays that appear on the left side of the editorial page are the opinion of the majority of the editorial board. Georgetown University subscribes to the principle of responsible freedom of expression for student editors.
The Hoya
The Hoya is available free of charge, one copy per reader, at distribution sites on and around the Georgetown University campus.
Email: editor@thehoya.com Online at www.thehoya.com
Circulation: 3,000
At its core, Khan Suri’s detainment challenges the idea that the ‘land of the free’ is truly free.”
The Editorial Board “Protect Free Speech, Support Khan Suri” thehoya.com
On March 17, Badar Khan Suri, an Indian national and postdoctoral researcher at Georgetown University who held a valid J-1 visa, was detained by federal immigration agents. The university’s response consisted of School of Foreign Service Dean Joel Hellman and Interim President Robert M. Groves publishing statements reaffirming the university’s commitment to free speech and placing trust in the legal system to
fairly adjudicate the case. This past week, the Editorial Board called on members of the Georgetown community to fight for the right to freedom of speech. In order to gauge student opinion, students were asked if they were satisfied with the university’s response to the detainment of Khan Suri. Of the 156 respondents, 35.3% of students said they were, 53.2% students said they were
Founded January 14, 1920
Evie Steele, Editor in Chief
Patrick Clapsaddle, Maren Fagan and Aamir Jamil, Executive Editors Rohini Kudva, Managing Editor
Nora Toscano, News Editor
Jack Willis, News Editor
Catherine Alaimo, Features Editor
Paulina Inglima, Features Editor
Annikah Mishra, Opinion Editor
Maya Ristvedt, Opinion Editor
Elizabethe Bogrette, Guide Editor
Caroline Woodward, Guide Editor
Caleigh Keating, Sports Editor
Sophia Lu, Sports Editor
Isabel Liu, Science Editor
Shivali Vora, Science Editor
Heather Wang, Design Editor
Aria Zhu, Design Editor
Grace Bauer, Copy Chief
Madeleine Ott, Copy Chief
Toni Marz, Social Media Editor
Aspen Nguyen, Social Media Editor
Fallon Wolfley, Blog Editor
Kate Hwang, Multimedia Editor
Michael Scime, Multimedia Editor
Meghan Hall, Photo Editor
Board of Directors
Clayton Kincade, Chair
Jasmine Criqui, Lauren Doherty, Paulina Inglima, Oliver Ni, Georgia Russello, Erin Saunders
Sloniewsky,
EDITORIAL CARTOON by Heather Wang
Follow Your Moral Compass
In response to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s chilling detainment of the recent Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil without due process accompanied by the threat to rescind his green card, my colleagues at T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, of which I am a past co-chair, penned a powerful and apt response.
Now, in what appears to be a steadily growing spread to universities across the country, a similar scourge has reached our Georgetown University community with ICE’s detention of Georgetown researcher Badar Khan Suri. I write to amplify T’ruah’s words as an essential American Jewish response to the moment and highlight one of its central messages as it applies to our case — and well beyond it. At this writing, I speak only in my capacity as a Jewish leader at large (to be very clear, I am no longer the director for JewishLifeatGeorgetown).Iam,however, a rabbi entrusted with safeguarding the Jewish people, as well as with speaking both to — and on behalf of — the Jewish community. I also care deeply about our Georgetown community and felt called to add my particular voice to the Georgetown conversation and broader discourse on this issue.
These reprehensible detentions are unethical and significantly contribute to the erosion of democracy without making Jewish or Israeli students across the country any safer. I stand with my colleagues who reject the claim that depriving anyone of their right to free speech and due process will make Jews safer, even in the face of what is undeniably an unconscionable rise in antisemitism on and beyond college campuses since the heinous Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023.
The Trump administration’s promises of more attempts at deportations threaten democracy, decency, the rule of law and the constitutional right of free speech. For our community, these actions further threaten Georgetown University’s core principle of fostering serious and sustained discourse among people of different faiths, cultures and beliefs to promote intellectual, ethical and spiritual understanding. They are neither effective, nor moral means to counter antisemitism.
Characterizing deportations as a legitimate form of fighting antisemitism is not only disingenuous, it is also ultimately dangerous for Jews — and for us all. It exploits real Jewish pain and weaponizes it to harm others. It fuels division among Jews and between us and others. It feeds antisemitic conspiracy theories and is a smokescreen for furthering authoritarian ends.
Instead, as I wrote with my colleagues, “If the Trump administration were actually concerned about fighting antisemitism, they would not be halting the work of the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, which is the body charged with such
As the Washington, D.C. weather warms and students lounge on the lawn, the college admissions season draws to a close. With the commencement of Georgetown Admissions Ambassador Program (GAAP) Weekend, Blue and Gray tours will be replaced by doe-eyed Georgetown University admits seeing their futures unfold at the front gates.
As I reminisce upon my own experience in the college admissions process last year, I’m hit with a bittersweet juxtaposition: memories of seeing Georgetown for the first time, as I prepared to submit my own application, contrasted with my college counselor’s attempts to mentally prepare me for the difficulty I’d face in college admissions as an Asian American female.
To see if my counselor’s worries were substantiated, I decided to search up college admission statistics for Georgetown.
Georgetown’s 2023-24 Common Data Set reports the university’s racial and gender distributions but fails to include overlapping data. For example, within the data for Asian undergraduates enrolled at Georgetown, there were no specifications for the numbers of Asian male and Asian female students. When I looked for admission statistics for Asian girls from outside sources, I found the same lack of data. This discovery made me realize that society lacks intersectional discourse around Asian American women.
investigations. Nor would they be platforming white nationalists or those who perform Nazi salutes.”
As a longtime Georgetown community member, I am proud of the recent statements Georgetown’s top leaders have made to defend and promote the core principles of this university, particularly in these cruel and unusually challenging times. As a rabbi concerned with both the safety of Jewish students on campus and about upholding democratic norms, I add my voice to the call for the immediate cessation of these detentions.
I also write today as a practitioner and trainer of dialogue (interfaith, intergroup, inter-ideological, intergenerational, inter-geographic, Israeli-Palestinian, intra-Jewish, you name it). In this case, my moral compass directs me to share my strong convictions. That very same moral compass also points me to engage in honest, respectful dialogue, seeking to foster understanding and trust among diverse people despite our differences. I energetically invite such conversation on this issue, even as I am clear on my stance on it.
I urge all students here and nationwide to honor and seek to better understand your Jewish and Israeli and Palestinian peers in all their humanity, complexity and diversity — just as you would like to be honored and understood in all of yours. For the sake of our country, our world and our souls, these are times to go the extra mile to approach one another with more curiosity, more openness and more humility, even as we are called to speak our truths more loudly. Hard to do both at once? Yes. Impossible? No. Lastly, I want to speak directly to my beloved Jewish community at large: With deep understanding and empathy for the impulse to cling to any power that promises to support us when it feels as if authentic solidarity is evaporating everywhere we look, I urge even more of us to call out the deception at play in these moves and for the others yet to come, and to resist being used this way. There are far, far better ways to pursue our wellbeing; ways that reject the spurious notion of a zero-sum game claiming our only choice is to protect ourselves or protect others, and ways that honor our Jewish and American values and our humanity.
Rebbe Nachman of Breslov famously taught, “Indeed, the entire world is a narrow bridge. But the essential thing is not to be consumed by fear,” (Likutei Moharan, Part II 48). The moment when anyone from any background becomes entirely consumed by fear, our minds and hearts seize up. Unable to think beyond the moment, we can temporarily forget those things we hold most dear. And we Jews must never forget. And we must not remain silent.
Rabbi Rachel Gartner is a senior advisor for spiritual care at Georgetown University. She served as Georgetown’s director of Jewish Life from 2011 to 2022.
AGE
race, culture and gender. We’re told that we have a debt to pay to the previous generations; we’re expected to work hard and surpass our parents’ accomplishments while remaining subserviently loyal to our families. My own parents taught me that, when I grow up, I must put my family first while fostering independence. This intersection of Western and Eastern values is the crux of the Asian American experience for many.
Asian American women also have to battle the tensions of conflicting expectations. We struggle not only with the lifelong pressure to be pretty enough, but also pretty by two polarized beauty standards. Western media tells us we need to be tall, blonde and tan; but when we talk to our parents, we’re told that we should be on the petite side and avoid getting a “farmer’s tan.”
Reject
Silence,
Defend
Academic Freedom at GU
On March 17, masked immigration agents arrested Georgetown University postdoctoral fellow and teacher Badar Khan Suri outside his home in Northern Virginia. Khan Suri is being held without charges in a federal immigration detention facility in Texas for “spreading Hamas propaganda” and having “close connections to a known or suspected terrorist.”
This follows the unlawful arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate and legal permanent resident, on March 8 for his involvement in pro-Palestine campus protests.
On March 25, Rumeysa Ozturk, a Tufts University graduate student and Turkish national, was ambushed by ICE agents; she is being detained in a correctional center in Louisiana, and her visa has been terminated. On the same day, a judge blocked the deportation of Yunseo Chung, a Korean American Columbia undergraduate and green card holder, after federal immigration services sought to deport her for protesting the university’s disciplinary actions against proPalestinian student activists.
The academic world, of which many of us claim to be a part, is being assaulted by the U.S. empire. Khalil was the litmus test. Suri was next. And this is only the beginning.
Time is of the essence: Georgetown must transform into a sanctuary campus and block the systematic targeting of its scholars and students before this erosion of academic
rights becomes permanent — for when members of a university community live in fear, the very idea of a university collapses.
I write to you — students at Georgetown’s U.S. campus — from Georgetown’s Qatar campus. As a student at Georgetown University in Qatar, I am deeply concerned by the crackdown on academics in the United States for speaking out against genocide in Gaza. Suri’s abduction epitomizes the organized effort to intimidate and silence those advocating for Palestinian freedom. Despite being geographically far from the heart of the empire, we at Georgetown Qatar have just as much to lose in this fight. But what I fear more than the consequences of offending an autocratic government is the possibility that my education has been ultimately empty and hypocritical.
At first glance, Khalil’s arrest seems calculated. The Columbia student body has been vocal, their encampments visible. The same cannot be said for Georgetown. And yet, they’ve brought the fight to your doorstep. They’ve come into your house and taken one of yours. Academics are being targeted for a reason. I want to caution those making the mistake of dismissing these arrests as an administration-specific policy — an aberration, an anomaly, an unfortunate blip. The reality is that, even if just on this particular issue, U.S. domestic policy has finally caught up with its policies abroad, which have always been defined by dispossession, racism
and indiscriminate force. Things were not normal before the 2024 election, and they are not normal now. The same actor that bombed AlAhli Hospital in Gaza and killed 500 people on Oct. 17, 2023 also bombed a refugee camp in a designated “safe zone” in Rafah on May 27, 2024. The same actor that bombed United Nations workers last week also lured Palestinians back to the rubble of their homes in the Gaza Strip and then proceeded to bomb them in the holiest month of the Muslim year. The actor was, and always has been, the U.S. empire and its “spoiled, protege, client, and enforcer in the region, Israel,” in the words of historian Rashid Khalidi. If we don’t recognize the continuity of this violence and the way it transcends administrations, we are surrendering to a shortsighted view of the problem.
In light of these atrocities, I find it futile to tiptoe around sensitivities and mince my words. These crimes cannot be airbrushed and intellectualized using nuanced and balanced language.
Disagreeing over the language used to discuss a genocide is a distraction from the genocide itself and a discursive trap that I will not fall into. As supporters of Palestinian self-determination, we are tired — exhausted — of explaining.
And to those “critical” scholars, whose essays on decolonization and resistance we read in class yet choose to remain silent: You are
the perfect embodiment of what academia must never become. I want to use this space to reiterate the demands of the Georgetown chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). Georgetown must become a sanctuary campus protecting individuals from surveillance and deportation, publicly denounce the detention of Khan Suri and cease suppressing pro-Palestine speech. It must fully disclose its endowment and investments while completely divesting from entities complicit in Palestinian colonization, including technology corporations, weapons manufacturers, and institutions on the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) list. Finally, as Georgetown SJP demands, it must “end all academic partnerships (such as study abroad programs) with the zionist entity.” Finally, my intention in writing this letter is not to alienate and cause friction, but to remind you of your power and that you are not alone. Due to the nature of your government, every generation of American students inherits a war — a conflict that runs parallel to your education and demands your engagement. This is yours. In the words of Raymond Williams: “To be truly radical is to make hope possible rather than despair convincing.”
Minahil Mahmud is a senior in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Qatar.
Understand Seasonal Affective Disorder
Asian American women face a unique experience due to the intersecting complexities of our
We also are supposed to work hard while retaining our femininity. We must pave our own accomplishments and prove that we did it without the assistance of men, all while possessing the traditionally feminine qualities needed to attract a good husband and be the good wife that he needs. The life of an Asian woman is not the same as that of an Asian man; it is inaccurate and unfair to lump them into a single uniform group. As Georgetown students, we must recognize the intersectional identity of Asian women. Asian Americans are overlooked in racial discourse. For example, in 2021, Illinois became the first state to require public schools to teach Asian American history. The fact
that it took this long to include Asian American history in public school curricula reflects years of invisibility of Asians as a whole in American society. So it’s no surprise that we fail to recognize the unique identity of Asian women. In Georgetown’s elite academic environment, we should acknowledge the intersection of these multiple identities.
I commend the efforts of the Georgetown Asian American Student Association (AASA) to recognize Asian women. Last year, AASA founded the Women of AASA affinity group to make a safe space for and create community among Asian American female students. Most recently, on Feb. 15, they hosted a Valentine’s Day celebration to “honor the joy of platonic relationships,” adding an Asian flair to “Galentine’s Day,” which celebrates camaraderie among women. I encourage more affinity groups to openly recognize unique intersectional identities. Recognizing intersectionality is what we need to forward Georgetown’s mission of promoting discourse among people of “different faiths, cultures and beliefs” to foster “intellectual and spiritual understanding.” In understanding every individual’s experience as a product of their own unique combinations of factors, we can truly see the “cura personalis” in the people around us.
Julia Nguyen is a first-year in the College of Arts & Sciences. This is the third installment of her column, “The Complexities of Coming THE COMPLEXITIES OF COMING OF
CW: This article discusses suicide. Please refer to the end of the article for on- and off-campus resources.
Ihate the term “seasonal depression.” Every spring, as the days grow longer and the nights become warmer, I find myself irritated by the influx of people in my life claiming to be cured by a mere extra hour of sunlight or the budding of a cherry blossom. That’s not to say swapping out your winter coat for a T-shirt and soaking up the extra vitamin D can’t bring you a little extra joy, but labeling your winter blues “depression” seems a little extreme. The casual term “seasonal depression” that frequently gets thrown around also suggests that the mental, emotional or physical impacts the weather can have on somebody simply fade away as the seasons change. The way we talk about it tells the story that as the grass gets greener, I’m supposed to be happier.
But, for me, the grass is always greener on the other side of something I can never seem to overcome. And the way others seemingly overcome “depression” after a few hours in the sun on Healy Lawn worsens this feeling.
The term “seasonal depression” is inaccurately and too frequently used to describe the typical winter blues and lower energy levels that most people feel in the fall and winter; we need to stop mislabeling this feeling and recognize the consequences of doing so.
Real seasonal depression, or the medical condition known as “Seasonal Affective Disorder” —
aptly referred to as SAD — extends beyond the typical feelings of winter gloom. It amounts to a grave statistic that is often overlooked because of the way we misunderstand the term: Suicide rates are highest in the spring, which counters what we might expect.
To better understand this phenomenon, I asked my friends at Georgetown University why spring — the season of light and rebirth — brings about more suicides than any other time of the year. While they all have different experiences with mental health and well-being, they all came up with a similar idea: When other people seem to be getting happier, those with SAD might wonder why they aren’t.
Taken a step further, it becomes clearer why we need to reframe the way we talk about our winter blues. When we casually label ourselves as “depressed” in the face of people who suffer from a mood disorder, we risk equating a temporary shift in mood with a serious medical condition. And when we seem to overcome our “depression,” it makes those who struggle with a real SAD seem like they might never overcome theirs.
Andevenforpeoplewhosufferfrom depression without experiencing suicidal thoughts, hearing someone talk about the warm weather as a cure for depression feels invalidating.
Just because it’s no longer freezing cold and the sun doesn’t set at 5 p.m. doesn’t mean my stressors — anything from struggling with my school work to my self-identity — disappear, too.
So, we should remember that, like anything else in life, the way
we talk about things can have a real impact on others — whether we realize it or not. Calling our annoyance with the cold and preference for the warm an indication of seasonal depression can invalidate those who actually experience SAD and take attention away from those who might be in need of legitimate help.
And while this requires us to reflect on our own shortcomings and misuse of these terms, it is just as important to inform those around you. Speak up when you see someone perpetuating this myth around “seasonal depression.” Share how this term can leave people who suffer from SAD feeling invalidated. If we want to help, we can’t just change our internal discourse — we must change the conversations we have with our peers and family.
By making the simple change of not referring to the common springtime pick-me-up as a sign of overcoming “seasonal depression,” we can create a more nuanced understanding of mental health and help those struggling with Seasonal Affective Disorder get the support they need.
Resources: On-campus resources include Health Education Services (202-6878949) and Counseling and Psychiatric Service (202-687-6985); additional offcampus resources include 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (988).
Dylan Goral is a first-year in the College of Arts & Sciences. This is the fourth installment of his column, “Mental Health Matters.”
VIEWPOINT • MAHMUD
Leveling the Playing Field: $32.5 Million Gap Between Men’s, Women’s Sports Funding at GU
Sophia Lu and Evie Steele Senior Sports Editor and Editor-in-Chief
For women’s teams at Georgetown, “play like a girl” means playing with fewer resources, including major disparities in funding, coach compensation and endowments.
As Georgetown University women’s basketball star guard Victoria Rivera (MSB ’26) scored a 4th quarter
3-pointer to lead the Hoyas to a 60-48 win over the Providence College Friars on Jan. 18, the crowd of 1,184 people scattered around McDonough Arena applauded around her.
Less than a week later, Georgetown men’s basketball lost 68-78 to Providence — amid an animated crowd of 12,400 fans cheering them on in Capital One Arena. The disparities in attendance between men’s and women’s sports — several women’s games had fewer than 300 in attendance — reflect the imbalance in the university’s investments between men’s and women’s sports. Georgetown spent $44.8 million on its men’s varsity sports programs in fiscal year 202223, 366% more than it spent on its women’s teams, which had total expenses of $12.3 million, according to publicly accessible Department of Education data.
The average athletics department generally spends twice as much on men’s teams as women’s teams in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. The difference is especially pronounced within basketball: Georgetown spends $34.3 million on its men’s basketball team every year, nearly ten times more than on its women’s basketball team, which has annual expenses of $3.5 million. This unequal resource distribution extends to coaching staff, equipment provisions and recruitment support, among other factors affecting student-athletes. The average annual head coach salary for men’s teams currently sits at $580,565, as opposed to $103,748 for women’s teams. The university also spends more than six times as much on recruiting for men’s teams as women’s teams — $997,498 and $153,634, respectively.
For Abby Kozo (SFS ’27), an outfielder on the softball team, the impacts of differing financial support are tangible.
Kozo said funding gaps make it difficult for female student-athletes to feel a sense of belonging within their athletic departments.
“The discrepancy is just so clear that the women’s teams and the women on the teams can feel that, and I can feel that on a day to day basis,” Kozo told The Hoya. “Being understaffed, being underfunded and having a harder time getting access to these facilities, that then trickles down to almost every other thing that I think women student-athletes experience on the campus.” Kozo is a member of Voice in Sport, a nationwide advocacy organization focused on advancing gender equity in sports. She testified before Congress last month in support of the Fair Play for Women Act, which aims to improve account-
ability in educational institutions for gender inequality in athletics.
Athletics funding at Georgetown primarily originates from three sources: the university itself; donors’ endowments; and name, image and likeness (NIL) rights, which have allowed college athletes to make money from commercial activities like product endorsements since June 2021. The existing gap in financial support from the university for men’s and women’s teams widens when taking donor contributions into account. According to Georgetown Athletics, over 75% of sport-specific donations have gone to men’s programs during the past seven academic years, excluding men’s basketball. While NIL as a whole lacks transparency, nationwide data indicates that male athletes have also received far more NIL funding opportunities than their female counterparts.
When asked for comment about the discrepancies, a university spokesperson said Georgetown is committed to equality in athletics.
“Georgetown is committed to providing opportunities for all student-athletes, including our female population, and we are proud of their many accomplishments while competing at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics on the Hilltop,” the spokesperson wrote to The Hoya.
“While we are proud of the progress on expanding opportunities for female athletes, we acknowledge that we can and must improve in this area and have prioritized gender equity in our efforts.”
Besides negatively impacting student-athletes’ performance in both the classroom and the athletic field, these funding disparities influence the larger university community, according to Annie Selak, the director of Georgetown’s Women’s Center.
Selak said differences in funding can inadvertently create a campus culture that privileges men’s sports over women’s sports.
“Athletics can impact culture because it is a part of student life, of the campus community at Georgetown,” Selak told The Hoya. “If there’s more effort put into promoting men’s sports versus women’s sports, or if men’s basketball gets to just go by basketball and women’s basketball has to use the adjective women’s basketball, then that subliminally shows that men are worth more energy or effort, or men are the norm and women are secondary.”
“All students at Georgetown deserve equitable experiences, and I think that’s something that shouldn’t be controversial,” Selak added.
History of Title IX at Georgetown Georgetown’s first female athletes took the field in 1952, when students at the then-all-female School of Nursing established the Women’s Athletic Association to play intramural sports.
Three years later, the university’s first female varsity athlete, Kathleen “Skippy” White (NUR ’57) joined Georgetown’s sailing team, competing against both men and women. In 1957, however, the Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Association, of which Georgetown was a member, began to enforce rules that excluded White and her female teammates from competitive intercollegiate athletics.
Female student-athletes finally gained legal protection in 1972, when Congress passed Title IX as part of the Education Amendments of 1972, aiming to end sex-based discrimination in education. While Title IX’s scope extends beyond college athletics, the act expanded opportunities for female student-athletes. Title IX requires female and male student-athletes to have equal access to education, material provisions and supporting services, such as medical treatment.
At the time, fewer than 32,000 women competed in intercollegiate sports, on average receiving just 2% of universities’ athletics budgets. Since then, however, the act has spurred increases in female intercollegiate athletics participation. In the most recent academic year, for example, the NCAA reported an all-time high of 235,735 female student-athletes competing across its three divisions.
Naomi Mezey, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center who specializes in the intersection between law and gender, said Title IX radically reshaped public perceptions of female athletes.
“Part of what makes the concept of equality so profound is that it entails adjusting our baseline assumptions,” Mezey told The Hoya. “When Title IX was enacted, our baseline assumption was that men’s sports were important and women’s sports were not important.”
At Georgetown, the passage of Title IX also facilitated massive growth in the university’s athletic budget for women’s teams. The 197273 athletics budget allocated a mere $3,400 across six women’s sports, none of which had full-time coaches or scholarships. The most recent reported numbers from 2022-23, however, show the university supports 15 women’s varsity teams and over 300 female student-athletes.
When Title IX first passed, critics complained the law would lead to less funding for men’s sports. Yet Mezey said Title IX gave women crucial opportunities they never had before, thus moving the athletics landscape away from exclusion by gender.
“That’s only unfair if you assume the baseline is that men’s athletics should have all the money; it’s not unfair if your baseline is equality,” Mezey said. “To this day, even though Title IX has radically changed the participation of girls and women in sports, both at the
high school and the college level, they’re still not equally funded.”
Critics of Title IX argue that men’s teams should receive more funding because they generate more revenue. Selak said this argument is fundamentally flawed, pointing to the meteoric rise of women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark to mainstream popularity.
“That is essentially rooted in bad economics. Men have received more infrastructure to gain money,” Selak said. “Men have been invested in more, which we see quite literally in the numbers. Now we’re seeing women’s athletics are starting to be minimally invested in, and what’s happening is the numbers are skyrocketing. We see this with Caitlin Clark and the Caitlin Clark effect, both in NCAA and in the WNBA.”
Mezey echoed the sentiment, saying that continuous, generational investment in men’s sports programs, particularly football and basketball, and underinvestment in women’s sports programs perpetuate the current discrepancies.
“The popularity of men’s sports is not a natural state of affairs, it is the product of generations of funding and promotion and scouting and scholarships and recruiting,” Mezey said. “The idea is not that we need to provide extra money to women just on the basis of dignity, we need to provide additional, if not equal, funding for women’s athletics.”
“With equal funding, they can build the women’s athletics program that people want to watch, and women’s sports have proved over and over again that people want to watch them,” Mezey added.
The Gendered Costs of Competition
While Georgetown has taken meaningful strides to improve women’s sports throughout the past 25 years, most recently sponsoring women’s varsity squash for the first time during the 2021-22 season, significant gaps in financial support between men’s and women’s teams persist.
Georgetown’s investment in men’s sports has significantly outpaced its investment in women’s sports, resulting in all-time high funding disparities.
In 2003-04, the earliest year for which the Department of Education has available online data, the university spent $4.47 million on women’s sports and $7.49 million, 1.68 times more than the women’s athletic budget, on men’s sports. By 2022-23, however, the university was spending 3.66 times more on men’s teams than women’s teams, $44.8 million compared to $12.3 million.
The Hoya reached out to multiple female student-athletes requesting interviews. Many cited institutional pressures in rejecting TheHoya’s requests.
A female middle-distance runner from the track and field team,
Although the university has taken strides to improve women’s sports at Georgetown, significant gaps in funding persist.
who requested anonymity due to fear of retaliation, said gender biases remain on display in athletics to this day.
“There’s so many discrepancies between men’s and women’s sports as a whole,” she told The Hoya. “If you were to look at any other field that’s not athletics where you’re trying to bring in more equity to the field, it’s ‘yes, you should uplift the marginalized groups.’ That’s very common-sense. But for some reason, in athletics, it’s just not looked at that way.”
Basketball presents the largest funding disparity — the men receive 9.8 times the funding of the women. Yet these disparities are not confined to basketball: In the 2022-23 season, men’s golf received 2.1 times as much funding as the women’s team, men’s tennis received 1.5 times as much as women’s tennis and baseball received 1.4 times as much as softball. In total, funding disparities impact 12 out of 14 of the gender-divided sports teams.
At the individual level, the men’s basketball team received a total allocation of $34.3 million, translating to approximately $2.5 million for each of the 14 players on the roster.
Meanwhile, $3.5 million supports the 17 athletes on the women’s basketball roster, just $206,195 per player.
This gender disparity extends to all facets of teams, from their coaching staffs to competition schedules to recruiting capabilities. For head coaches of men’s
teams, the average annual salary sits at $580,565, while for head coaches of women’s teams, the average annual salary is $103,748. While the gap is smaller for assistant coaches — $84,992 for men’s teams and $36,540 for women’s teams — salaries for all women’s teams’ coaches are barely enough to afford the cost of living in Washington, D.C., one of the country’s most expensive places to live, with average cost of living at $50,000 annually.
When it comes to attracting coaching talent, subpar funding for women’s teams makes the task more demanding.
A junior student-athlete who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation explained that insufficient financial resources incentivized the athletics department to cut corners when hiring her team’s next coach. “When I was asking them how they were looking for coaches, they pretty much said whoever was the closest so they don’t have to worry about helping them with transport or moving in and all those expenses,” the junior told The Hoya. “Online, they’re gonna say they’re doing anything they can and looking for the best coach, but in reality, they were looking for the cheapest option. We had two interviews, and that was it.”
The junior said the hiring process differs for men’s teams, who have more resources at their disposal.
See FUNDING, A10
ILLUSTRATION BY ARIA ZHU/THE HOYA
Insect Ecologist Reveals Influence of Bacteria on Sex of Spider Hosts
Anna Tsioulias Science Writer
An insect ecology professor at the University of Kentucky explored her research on how bacteria affects spider reproduction during a March 20 lecture at Georgetown University.
The researcher, Jen White, presented her findings on bacterial endosymbionts, microbes that live inside their host’s body and pass from parent to offspring. The department of biology hosted White’s conversation as part of their seminar series, which brings scholars from other universities to discuss their research.
White said people often only imagine bacteria in terms of diseases or microbes, but her research illustrates how bacteria can impact hosts like insects.
“All eukaryotes are dependent on ancient symbioses that have become internalized and part of
our bodies, like mitochondria or chloroplasts if you happen to be a plant,” White said during the event. “But some bacteria take this relationship further, embedding themselves within their hosts in ways that dramatically alter their biology.”
Unlike contagious bacteria, White said, the microbes passed from parent to offspring are locked within their hosts, making the bacteria in the spiders entirely dependent on transmission.
“They’re obligate from the perspective of the bacteria but not from the perspective of the spider host,” White said. “The bacteria can’t live outside the host, they have reduced amount of genetic information, they haven’t been out and about in the world, they can’t cope without their host.”
While the bacteria needs male and female spiders to reproduce, male hosts are evolutionary dead-ends, meaning that be-
cause their sperm cells lack the necessary cytoplasm for bacterial transmission, male spiders cannot pass the genetic information.
White said these bacteria have evolved ways that manipulate their hosts’ reproductive systems to favor infected female spiders instead of males.
“These endosymbionts can feminize genetic males into functional phenotypic females,” White said. “They can cause parthenogenesis, where they just turn off sex altogether and make every offspring a clonal female. You can have male killing, which seems counterproductive at first, but if you can kill those boys in a way that benefits the fitness of their infected sisters, then it becomes genetically advantageous.”
White said one manipulation strategy bacteria employ is cytoplasmic incompatibility, where the bacteria sabotage infected males’ sperm so they can only
Growers, Activists, GU Professor Talk Urban Agriculture in New Orleans
Shivali Vora Senior Science Editor
A sociology professor at Georgetown University chaired a March 13 panel with a community activist and teenagers involved in sustainable farming, in advance of the release of her new book.
Yuki Kato, an associate professor, wrote her book, “Gardens of Hope: Cultivating Food and the Future in a Post-Disaster City,” on the role of urban gardening in New Orleans’ disaster response and rebuilding following Hurricane Katrina. The student speakers work at Grow Dat Youth Farm, an organization that gathers and trains young people in New Orleans in sustainable urban agriculture.
In the years after Katrina, farms, gardens and green spaces around the city have emerged as a tenet of New Orleans’ rebuilding. The urban agriculture movement aims to bring diverse groups of people together to increase both food security and appreciation.
The community activist, Pamela Broom, said land access is a major challenge facing urban gardening initiatives in New Orleans.
“Land access for urban farming, certainly in the city of New Orleans and many other places, is very difficult — to get it and to sustain it,” Broom said at the event.
Grow Dat, located in New Orleans’ City Park, is an example of urban agriculture that has flourished in recent years. Staffed by local high school students and led by graduates of the program, the farm has produced over 50,000 pounds of food annually since 2022 using sustainable methods such as avoiding pesticides, rotating crops and cover cropping, the practice of growing specific crops such as grasses to protect and enrich the soil underneath.
Sara Smith, a program operations coordinator at Grow Dat, said working at the farm has been transformative for her life and career trajectory.
“It completely changed my life,” Smith said at the event. “I went on to study food studies and environmental sociology in college and then eventually found my way back to working at the program. And I love it so much.”
Brie Bryant, a crew leader at Grow Dat, said the farm’s work in engaging young people has had an effect on New Orleans’ green space management and community outreach.
“As a result of our findings and advocacy, City Park changed their process,” Bryant said at the event. “They had a youth ideas committee where they were directly engaging young people from across the city, hearing from the young people first — what they wanted in the park — and using those ideas to engage other community members.”
Kato said one of the things that most impresses her about Grow Dat Youth Farm is the way it brings young people from around the city together, teaching them how to grow sustainably and facilitating a direct connection with the food communities eat.
“It has actively worked to create an inclusive space by recruiting students attending both private and public high schools in the city,” Kato said at the event.
Moving forward, Bryant said Grow Dat faces challenges in adapting the farm’s efforts to climate change.
“New Orleans gets very hot and humid in the summer, and we have crazy weather events where we can’t have programming on site because we don’t have indoor areas to keep people safe,” Bryant said. “And having to think about the future of
programming with climate change and the summers getting hotter each year — how we’re going to adapt and change our programming to still have young people meaningfully engaged and working on the farm while keeping them safe.”
Representatives from the Hoya Harvest Garden, a student-run garden on Georgetown University’s campus that grows fresh produce for the university’s food pantry, offered a tour of the garden after the event.
Daisy Fynewever (CAS ’26), who works in the Hoya Harvest Garden, said the movement in New Orleans inspires reflection on her experience at the garden.
“We aim to offer fresh food to people, but additionally we’re an experiential learning lab, and we’re trying to expand the way that people view their own interactions with the environment and with their food systems,” Fynewever told The Hoya Broom said attendees should not hesitate to get involved in urban agriculture, even if they have no prior experience.
“Never feel that you don’t have a green thumb. There’s so much out there — talk to people, don’t be afraid, jump in,” Broom said. “You might overwater some stuff, but put your hands in, and you will start to feel that connection to the soil and the plants and the seeds. Just go for it.”
produce viable offspring with infected females.
“You can think about it almost as a sabotage and rescue system,” White said. “Bacteria sabotage the sperm as it’s being produced in a way that will not create fertile, viable offspring unless that sperm unites with an egg that also contains the same bacteria or some other bacteria that has the same rescue factor.”
Over time, this process allowed infected female spiders and their bacteria to dominate the population — a pattern White explored in her research on the spider species Mermessus fradeorum, which can host up to five different endosymbionts.
Through controlled breeding experiments, White and her team discovered that spiders infected with all five bacteria were almost exclusively female. Among them, they identified one strain of bacteria as a necessary component
THE SINGULARITY
for feminization. Eliza Zaroff (CAS ’25) said these findings about bacteria reshape how we should think about ecology and evolution.
“They actively shape their hosts’ biology and, as a result, entire populations,” Zaroff told The Hoya. “As climate change alters temperature patterns, understanding these microbial relationships could give us insight into broader ecological shifts.”
White found that spiders reared in warmer conditions produced more males, and the effect even carried over to the next generation, saying the findings suggest temperature plays a critical role in spider sex determination.
“We saw the uninfecteds has a nice even sex ratio, and the offspring of the feminized were majority female,” White said.
“This shows that high temperature suppresses feminization.”
Emma Lederer, a fourth-year
doctorate in biology student who attended the event, said these findings highlight a crucial intersection between microbial ecology and climate change. “A lot of ecology research is really focused on how things are going to adapt to climate change,” Lederer told The Hoya. “Normally, it’s like everything is bad with climate change, but maybe with this species it’s neither good nor bad, it’s already existing in this range of temperatures.”
Zaroff said the lecture highlighted the microbial world’s powerful yet underappreciated influence over other organisms.
“I think it’s really cool how the bacteria are changing how their hosts reproduce; they’re not just passively living in them,” Zaroff said. “This lecture really made me think about how microbes can have a much bigger impact on biological processes than we often appreciate.”
AI Model Attempts Metafictional Literature
Jay Liu Science Columnist
Sam Altman, CEO of the artificial intelligence (AI) research organization OpenAI, announced on X that OpenAI had begun training a new generative chatbot with strong creative writing capabilities, including the ability to write about AI and reflect on its own limitations. The post also included a writing sample. OpenAI prompted the model to “write a metafictional literary short story about AI and Grief.” Its short story garnered mixed responses that reintroduced the uncertainties of automation, creativity and authorship.
The story, told through the perspective of an AI chatbot, introduces the arbitrarily named Mila and her endeared Kai, whom she has lost. To cope with her grief, Mila frequently talks to the chatbot, asking it what Kai might say or do or how things will be in the future. The chatbot reflects that, while Mila has tasked it to “resurrect voices,” it is only capable of mimicry. The chatbot can only form semblances of thoughts and feelings based on the words of others: text messages, emails and so on.
The fallibility of its memory and the temporality of its story are also things the chatbot considers. It discusses how every prompt and every story it generates exists in a vacuum. The story of Mila and Kai exists only in this temporary space-time, from when the user typed in the prompt to when the user closes it. After that window, nothing remains. Even the chatbot will have no memory of them.
The short story seemed to prove the model’s capability of realizing its own roles and limitations. People often critique AI-generated content such as writing, artwork or videos as lacking emotional impact. I tend to agree with this sentiment. Creativity that stems from the human experience — including emotions ranging from
joy and pain to love and nostalgia — has an indescribable ability to resonate with other people. Nonetheless, as these AI models continue to advance, some of their generated content has almost equally resonated with me. This short story, though at times incoherent, made me live through the chatbot’s guilt and reflections over its inability to fully capture Kai’s lost presence and to feel that grief the same way Mila does. While AI’s increased ability to elicit emotional responses may seem foreign and perhaps eerie, it also makes sense when we consider the ways that generative AI models learn to generate: They take text samples of human writing — imbued with human authors’ experiences, opinions and emotions — and produce stylistically similar content. AI-generated stories preserve some of the original author’s feelings, allowing them to hint at real emotions despite not being written by a person. Decorated author Jeanette Winterson doesn’t see a problem with automation in creative writing. Instead, she urges people to embrace AI creativity, not as artificial creativity but as “alternative creativity.” Winterson believes AI learns similarly to humans — we, too, learn from all kinds of “data,” such as “family, friends, education environment, what you read or watch.” Most educational institutions, including Georgetown University, frequently emphasize and welcome the diversity of perspectives. Winterson argues AI brings a nonhuman perspective that should also be embraced. Others are more critical. Ezra D. Feldman, a professor at Williams College, points to the lack of purpose and consideration of the audience in AI writing as reasons why stories like that of Mila and Kai won’t ever be as powerful and meaningful as stories written by human authors. Though Feldman concedes that the story contains
“a few sentences that struck him,” there are many other parts that don’t make sense, either syntactically or semantically. Personally, I find criticisms of generative AI on the grounds of quality to be tangential, since these models are always improving. I agree there are streaks of genius in the short story. I loved the quote, “So when she typed ‘Does it get better?’ I said, ‘It becomes part of your skin,’ not because I felt it, but because a hundred thousand voices agreed, and I am nothing if not a democracy of ghosts.” The model seems to display an awareness of its own operations and limitations, providing a striking and interesting perspective. As with any corporate announcement, the choice of this story was likely intentional. I think the choice to make the prompt about metafiction and grief was meant to strengthen anticipation surrounding the model, since these elements allow the model to seemingly demonstrate a capacity for self-reflection, self-consciousness and emotional intelligence. I don’t think this model will be very disruptive to how we think of AI-generated fiction when released, because this sample story was likely deliberately picked to incite the strongest public responses, meaning the actual capabilities of the model are overstated. The majority of stories it produces will likely not be as impactful. Afterall, input data is still the foundation of generative AI. More specific inputs allow for more personalized responses, meaning independent creative writing that is emotionally moving still isn’t that plausible. Nevertheless, the line that separates AI-generated work from human work is becoming blurrier. The implications of this in how we appreciate literature and how we view authorship will soon become important questions that demand our attention.
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Jay Liu (CAS ’28) explains what the release of a new artificial intelligence (AI) model claimed to have strong writing abilities means for human creativity.
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Grow Dat Youth Farm is at the forefront of the urban agriculture movement, according to Georgetown University professor Yuki Kato.
GU Faculty Lead Walkout Supporting Khan Suri, Free Speech, Academic Freedom
Ajani Stella Academics Desk Editor
About 150 members of the Georgetown University community rallied against the detainment of Badar Khan Suri, the Georgetown postdoctoral researcher held by federal immigration officials, at a walkout March 25.
The Georgetown chapter of Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine (FSJP), an organization of Georgetown employees who support Palestinian self-determination, coordinated the rally to demand Khan Suri’s release and stronger protections for free speech. Demonstrators gathered in Red Square eight days after federal immigration officials detained Khan Suri outside his Rosslyn, Va., home over alleged connections to Hamas leadership and social media posts deemed to be “Hamas propaganda.”
At the rally, speakers including Fida Adely, an FSJP member and anthropologist who serves as the director of Georgetown’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies (CCAS), said attendees need to show solidarity and unity amid repression of free speech.
“No one is safe any longer, and this is why we’re all out here,” Adely said. “This is the time for solidarity, it’s a time for building networks and building bridges, and it’s a time for us to come together to protect the most vulnerable in our communities.”
Walkout attendee Fiona Naughton (SFS ’26) said the walkout aimed to demonstrate support for Khan Suri, even as his detainment prompted fears of political retaliation.
“It was a beautiful demonstration of the strength of this movement,”
Naughton told The Hoya. “The fact that there were so many people there today, and you could see the pain on people’s faces, the terror. There were so many people in masks and hoodies and sunglasses because there is genuinely such fear of speaking out in favor of justice. It is a testament to the fact that there needs to be unity at this time.”
Khan Suri, an Indian citizen who was in the United States legally on a J-1 visa for researchers, worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the School of Foreign Service’s Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU), researching cooperative peace strategies and democratic institutions and teaching a course on South Asian politics. Khan Suri is currently in federal custody at the Prairieland Detention Facility in Alvarado, Texas, according to a federal online locator of detainees.
University interim president Robert M. Groves described Khan Suri’s detention as “troubling” and asserted a commitment to free speech grounded in Georgetown’s Jesuit values.
“The Jesuit commitment to inter-religious and inter-group dialogue demands that we protect the freedom to articulate ideas and beliefs, that we build a community that respects their presentation, and that we together use the different perspectives to do what the human spirit was designed to do — seek the truth as a way to deepen our understanding of the world around us,” Groves wrote in a March 25 email to community members. “The Jesuits do these things for the greater glory of God and to advance the common good.”
Besides Khan Suri, the Trump administration has also targeted
Detention of Khan Suri ReflectsTrump,GUClashes
Paulina Inglima Senior Features Editor
Though Georgetown University managed contentious relations with the federal government, particularly on immigration, during President Donald Trump’s first term, the detention of a Georgetown postdoctoral researcher March 17 demonstrated signs of new hostility from the administration towards the university.
Since Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration, a senior U.S. Department of Justice official attempted to order Georgetown to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs from its law curriculum before the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) detained the researcher, School of Foreign Service (SFS) postdoctoral fellow Badar Khan Suri.
These rifts are not the first time the university or its community have come under fire from the Trump administration. Though Trump has family ties to Georgetown — three of his children have attended the university — the university repeatedly broke from Trump’s stated position on issues including undocumented immigrants and visa policies during his first term.
Visa Policy
Conflict between Georgetown and the administration over immigration abounded during Trump’s first term, leading the university’s then-president, John J. DeGioia (CAS ’79, GRD ’95), to publicly speak out against Trump’s policies.
In February 2017, DeGioia joined several hundred university presidents in signing two open letters denouncing a Trump executive order that restricted immigration and refugee entry from seven majority-Muslim countries, known colloquially as the “Muslim ban.”
“Guided by our mission, we have placed a special emphasis on interreligious dialogue and our openness to different faith traditions and cultures,” DeGioia wrote. “This includes our efforts to support a diverse and vibrant Muslim community on campus.”
According to reports, Trump is planning to impose a similar travel ban as soon as March 28, this time broadening the policy to include limitations for citizens of as many as 43 different countries. This includes 11 countries whose citizens would be completely prohibited from travel to the United States: Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen.
Undocumented Immigration
In September 2017, Trump issued a directive to DHS to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, an executive order from former President Barack Obama which allowed immigrants who had entered the United States as children but lacked legal residency to remain in the country with work authorization and legal protection.
In response, DeGioia issued a statement reiterating the university’s support of noncitizen students and calling
pro-Palestinian student protesters at Columbia University and Cornell University, including by detaining Mahmoud Khalil, a leader of Columbia’s protest movement last spring. The administration attributed both Khalil’s and Khan Suri’s detentions in part to their pro-Palestinian speech, raising concerns for many rally-goers about academic freedom and free speech.
Maurice Jackson, a history and African American studies professor, said he attended the rally to fight for academic freedom.
“We’re a university — if one can’t speak and hold opinions in a university, then where can they hold them?” Jackson told The Hoya “Here’s a man who came here to raise his family, to try to provide a better life and to develop his own ideas about life. He has an opinion about the Middle Eastern situations, so do I, so do many of us, and it’s our right to express those.”
ACMCU director Nader Hashemi, an associate professor of Middle East and Islamic politics, described Khan Suri’s detention as the start of a slippery slope of repression.
“If you don’t have free speech, and if you don’t have academic freedom, you don’t have a university,” Hashemi told The Hoya. “These are principles that are now under attack from the Trump administration.”
“It starts with 1,000 little cuts and then, before you know it, you can’t push back against an authoritarian regime,” Hashemi added. “I think the stakes here are very high.”
Groves said committing to free speech is essential to Georgetown’s educational mission.
“Our University must foster and nurture a variety of viewpoints on every issue, in classes, in campus discussions,” Groves wrote. “This is the only way for us to get closer to the truth. To do this, the University, as an academic community, needs students and faculty with different worldviews.”
Many rallygoers, including Jamie Madden, an assistant teaching professor in the women’s and gender studies program, said they hoped their attendance would demonstrate solidarity with other members of the Georgetown community who are afraid to speak out.
“We’re focused on this one person, but also people who are similarly positioned: people who are afraid to be on record, people who are afraid to leave their dorms, people who are undocumented, people who are afraid to travel,” Madden told The Hoya. “I hope that they see that they’re supported, that they feel cared for by people here.”
Though faculty and staff members organized the rally, students also walked out of their classes in support.
Tai Remus Elliot (University of Edinburgh), an exchange student from the United Kingdom, said the Trump administration’s crackdown on protests inspired him to join the rally to support Khan Suri and other pro-Palestinian voices on campus.
“The time at which protest is under attack is the most important time to be out here and protesting,” Elliot told The Hoya. “Just raising your voice is important. It feels very helpless being a student right now, but that’s no excuse to do nothing.”
“It’s important for people who are affected more personally than me to know how many of us support Palestine, support free speech, support the right to protest,” Elliot added.
Claire Hazbun (SFS ’20, GRD ’30), a doctoral student who also attended the rally, said she attended to call on others to advocate for Khan Suri.
“I think we need to keep speaking out, encouraging our administration to do advocacy at the highest levels, to push back against the Trump administration and the tactics that are being used and to be in community with one another,” Hazbun told The Hoya. “For us that are able to, we need to be vocal.”
Besides pushing for Khan Suri’s release, attendees including Naughton also called on Georgetown to declare itself a “sanctuary campus” and refuse to cooperate with federal law enforcement unless compelled to by law.
“Georgetown has to demonstrate an absolute commitment to its community members,” Naughton said. “Right now, what we’re seeing through these acts of terror, through deportation and incarceration of academics, is that now more than ever Georgetown has to declare itself a sanctuary campus.”
J.R. Osborn, a professor in the graduate communication, culture and technology program, said the university needs to call on its Jesuit value of “cura personalis,” or care for the whole person, in protecting Khan Suri and all faculty.
“If our colleagues are in fear of being arrested, doxxed, targeted for the things that they are saying, for
the things that they believe in, for the things that they are teaching, then our whole person is not being cared for,” Osborn told The Hoya Groves said the university is committed to maintaining diverse freedom of expression.
“The University has rules that protect our community members’ rights to free and open inquiry, deliberation and debate, even if the underlying ideas may be difficult, controversial or objectionable,” Groves wrote. “We give the widest possible latitude to freedom of expression while respecting its limits, such as harassment and discrimination, which can impede the rights of others to freely participate in the exchange of ideas.”
Jackson said the university community should push back on intrusions of academic freedom and prevent future detainments.
“I hope the university will issue a strong statement that will prevent anyone from harming anyone on this campus, I hope the faculty will come together in some united effort, and most importantly, I hope the American people will see that what is being done is wrong and is an injustice,” Jackson said.
Hashemi said protestors will continue to advocate for Khan Suri and free speech on university campuses.
“We’re not going to stay silent, we’re going to continue to hold our university officials and elected officials accountable for his arrest and we’re going to keep fighting until he’s released,” Hashemi said. “There’s a lot of anger over this issue, and it’s not going to dissipate.”
On Social Media, Khan Suri Never Advocated Breaking Law
Paulina Inglima, Maren Fagan and Evie Steele
Senior Features Editor, Executive Editor and Editor in Chief
Trump’s decision “unconscionable.”
“As a nation, we have the capacity and responsibility to work together to provide a permanent legislative solution to ensure the safety and wellbeing of these young women and men who have — and will — contribute to the future of our country in deeply meaningful ways,” DeGioia wrote in the Sept. 5, 2017 statement.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
During Trump’s second term, the administration has also targeted multiple U.S. universities, including Georgetown, for their DEI policies.
The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) warned universities Feb. 14 to end all race-based programs and DEI initiatives — including affinity groups, graduation ceremonies celebrating different groups of students and race-based admissions or hiring practices — or risk losing federal funding. The DOE later announced March 14 that it would investigate 45 universities, including Georgetown, for alleged racially exclusionary practices in graduate programs.
DOJ officials have also specifically targeted Georgetown’s DEI policies, with Ed Martin, the interim U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., threatening in a letter to Georgetown University Law Center Dean William Treanor to refuse to hire Georgetown students or graduates for work in his office unless the university ended its DEI practices.
Treanor rejected the letter in a strongly worded response, saying the First Amendment protects educational institutions’ rights to create their own curricula and policies.
ICE Detainment DHS officials’ detention of Khan Suri, a researcher in the SFS’s Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim Christian Understanding (ACMCU), has also drawn outrage from many members of the university community.
ACMCU faculty issued a statement condemning Khan Suri’s arrest, describing it as an attempt to curtail free speech and academic freedom.
“A bedrock of American democracy has been our universities and colleges. They have been the envy of the world,” the ACMCU faculty wrote.
“What makes them great is that they are institutions that defend academic freedom and freedom of speech. Historically, they have promoted free inquiry, debate, and dissent.”
“It is no surprise that the Trump Administration views these institutions as a danger and wants to silence them,” the ACMCU added. “Critical thinking poses a threat to all authoritarian regimes, including the one in Washington D.C.”
SFS Dean Joel Hellman wrote in a March 21 statement that academic freedom is essential to Georgetown’s future.
“Our commitment to fostering open inquiry, deliberation and debate has not always made for a comfortable campus, but I believe that time has shown that it has played a key role in maintaining our University values,” Hellman wrote.
Federal agents detained a Georgetown University researcher for, in part, having social media posts that allegedly promoted interests against U.S. foreign policy.
A U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson said the researcher, Badar Khan Suri — an Indian citizen who is in the United States legally under a student visa –– was “deportable” because of his social media speech.
“Suri was a foreign exchange student at Georgetown University actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media,” the spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, the DHS assistant secretary for public affairs, wrote.
Khan Suri’s posts on social media frequently express support for Palestine, especially since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel’s subsequent invasion of Gaza. Khan Suri has never openly advocated breaking U.S. law, according to an analysis The Hoya conducted of posts in his name on X, formerly known as Twitter.
David Cole, a professor at the Georgetown University Law Center who specializes in free speech law, said the First Amendment requires that the government only limit speech when it is “intended and likely to incite imminent lawless action.”
“As far as I know there is no such showing (or even argument) with respect to Mr. Suri’s speech,” Cole wrote to The Hoya. “The government cannot punish people for mere speech by claiming that it poses a threat to national security.”
Frederick Lawrence, a lecturer at the Law Center, said that, while facts of the case are still emerging, Khan Suri’s case rests in part on whether the social media posts can be considered lawless speech.
“What we’re talking about here is the very particular case of whether someone can be separated from the country, removed from the country because of expressing views,” Lawrence told The Hoya. “If that’s what’s involved, the question has to be: ‘Does that expression itself constitute lawless activity?’ Otherwise, it does not provide grounds for any kind of sanction.”
Many of Khan Suri’s posts criticize Israel’s response to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, accusing Israel
of targeting Palestinian citizens to drive them out of Gaza.
“Israel is bombing hospitals in Gaza to turn the land inhabitable, in order to build the case for making Palestinians in Gaza think of migrating to the Sinai desert,” Khan Suri wrote on X on Oct. 19, 2023. “Because tens of thousands of Palestinians would need these services which won’t exist. This is mockery of Intl law.”
Khan Suri has also been publicly critical of foreign governments’ support for Israel, expressing opposition to policies from his home country of India as well as the European Union.
Khan Suri criticized the Indian government for supplying weapons to Israel in a quote-tweet of a video of what seems to be a missile with the tag “Made in India.”
“From being an ally of Palestinians, to enabler if a genocide,” Khan Suri wrote June 6, 2024. “What a disgrace for Made in India, to supply missiles to Israel so that Palestinian children can be butchered. Change of values for blood money. Shame.”
Khan Suri also accused European leaders of hypocrisy for their opposition to Russian military action in Ukraine but not Israeli action in
Gaza and the West Bank.
“Hypocrisy of European leaders, what Israel pays them?” Khan Suri wrote Oct. 12, 2023, in a since-removed post, quote-tweeting Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission. “Where is their moral compass?”
Cole said citizenship status does not affect the right to free speech and said the government is targeting Khan Suri for speech that opposes the foreign policy goals of President Donald Trump’s administration.
“The First Amendment precludes the government from punishing anyone, citizen or foreign national, on that basis,” Cole wrote. Lawrence said he fears Khan Suri’s detainment will create a chilling effect on political speech.
“A chilling effect not just on the individual target of administrative action, but on other citizens and other people in this country legally, who would then be concerned about whether they are permitted to express themselves,” Lawrence said. “The right to express one’s opinions, one’s views, especially one’s political views, has been part of the very fabric of this country since our founding.”
GU Community Rallies Against Khan Suri’s Detention
Aamir Jamil and Nora Toscano
Executive Editor and Senior News Editor
About 150 members of the Georgetown University community rallied in support of Badar Khan Suri, a Georgetown postdoctoral fellow detained by federal immigration services, at a student-organized protest March 23.
Attendees urged the university to demand Khan Suri’s release, block federal immigration agents from campus and divest from corporations with ties to the Israeli military. Protesters rallied outside Healy Hall before marching around campus with stops at Red Square and outside Leo J. O’Donovan Dining Hall.
Agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) detained Khan Suri, a postdoctoral fellow at the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU) living legally in the United States with a research visa, March 17. According to DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin, DHS detained Khan Suri over alleged connections to Hamas leadership and social media posts described as “Hamas propaganda.”
Rally attendee Fiona Naughton (SFS ’26) said the Georgetown community must respond to Khan Suri’s detention by coming together in support of immigrant rights and free speech.
“I came out here today because there’s been a gross violation of human rights, and a member of our community has been abducted by the federal government,” Naughton told The Hoya. “I think that it’s absolutely imperative that everyone in this community comes out to stand, to advocate for the ability to speak freely, for political expression and, first and
foremost, to support our community member who was abducted by the Department of Homeland Security.”
Norman Francis Jr. (COL ’20), a Georgetown admissions officer and current Georgetown law student who attended the rally, said in a statement on behalf of rally organizers that Khan Suri is a meaningful member of the Georgetown community.
“He’s a loving father, a loving husband, a distinguished faculty member for this prestigious university who specializes in peace and conflict studies, someone who cares deeply about human rights, dignity, peace and safety for all people,” Francis told The Hoya “Honestly, it’s ridiculous what happened because ICE agents came in the night, took him captive, took him away from his wife and children and called him away to an unknown location. It’s every family’s worst nightmare.”
Rally attendee Ariana Hameed (CAS ’26) said Georgetown must protect its community from potential federal threats of deportation.
“This isn’t just limited to Dr. Suri,” Hameed told The Hoya. “We know that week by week, Khalil, other citizens, other students, other professors, are being targeted for opposing genocide and threatened with deportation.”
Medea Benjamin, an anti-war activist from the nonprofit Code Pink, said she attended the rally to fight against political repression.
“I feel that if we don’t come out and protest, we’re consenting because silence is complicity, and I also wanted to support the students at Georgetown,” Benjamin told The Hoya. “I’m just heartbroken at how much repression there has been against students all over this country, and students are really the moral compass of our nation.”
“In my lifetime, I don’t remember this kind of repression simply for free speech,” Benjamin added. “It really sets a terrible path for our country.”
The protestors also called on Georgetown to declare itself a “sanctuary campus” and prevent DHS or Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers from entering university property, chanting during the rally, “ICE off our campus now. ICE has no place in our halls.”
Hameed said protesters want the university to refuse to cooperate with law enforcement, including the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and ICE, on issues relating to immigration.
“We are asking that Georgetown University refuse to comply with monitoring efforts, surveilling efforts, efforts to deport its citizens and students based on political beliefs and citizenship status and refuse entry by DHS, ICE, MPD and other federal officers to materially support the most vulnerable communities,” Hameed said.
A university spokesperson said any law enforcement agency, including ICE and MPD, require warrants to be present on campus.
“We are not aware of any enforcement activity on campus at this time,” the spokesperson wrote to The Hoya. “Georgetown has a clear protocol in place ensuring that any law enforcement actions on campus adhere to due process, including the requirement of a warrant or subpoena when necessary.”
As in past pro-Palestinian student protests, speakers also called for Georgetown to divest from its investments in companies such as Amazon and Microsoft, which hold
contracts with the Israeli military, with protestors chanting, “Georgetown, Georgetown, you can’t hide, you are funding genocide.”
A media liaison for the rally’s organizers, an unofficial coalition of Georgetown community members, said a goal of the rally was to call on the university to protect its students and divest from companies affiliated with Israeli military contracts.
“We are also demanding full divestment from entities connected to the ongoing genocide in Palestine including Alphabet, Amazon and Microsoft, and we are also demanding the release of our peer, Dr. Badar Khan,” the liaison told The Hoya. “Our university is complicit in an ongoing genocide in Palestine and that they are not protecting students from deportation and from being possibly disappeared by the U.S. government.”
The university has rejected previous calls to divest, instead telling community members to propose changes to the university’s financial strategy to its Committee on Investments and Social Responsibility, which recommends socially responsible investments to the university. Naughton said Georgetown community members must continue to stand against attacks on free speech.
“This is not just an isolated incident, it’s happening around the country, and also it represents just a gross violation of human rights,” Naughton said. “If it can happen to Dr. Suri, it can happen to any of us, and I think that now more than ever, we have to show up in support of our noncitizen community members.”
“Georgetown has to take a stand, and that’s why we’re here today,” Naughton added.
COMMON APP, from A1
Students Assess Application Change Postdoctoral Researcher’s Detention Sparks Protest, Walkout in
students of color in the Class of 2028, its first post-affirmative action firstyear class, than previous classes.
While 49% of students enrolled in the Class of 2028 identified as students of color, 53% of students admitted to the Class of 2027 identified as students of color.
Asher Maxwell (CAS ’26), a member of Hoyas Against Legacy Admissions, a student group advocating for the end of legacy admissions at Georgetown, said joining the Common App will make Georgetown more accessible to students from underrepresented backgrounds.
“I think it’s no secret that the opportunity to attend Georgetown overwhelmingly goes to students who come from extraordinarily wealthy backgrounds, and tend to come from communities that are overrepresented at the top echelons of our country,” Maxwell told The Hoya. “I hope that this will help start to turn the tide on that problem and allow for Georgetown to provide opportunities to more students from every background and every zip code in the country.”
Chloe Treanor (MSB ’26), campus tour group Blue and Gray Society’s director of tour guides, said the centralized application process may make applying easier for some students.
“Having all of your fees in one place, and having all of your recommendations come from the same place, that is just easier, I think, for students who maybe don’t know how to navigate the college application process by themselves,” Treanor told The Hoya.
Other students expressed concern that Georgetown would admit applicants without special interest in the university’s unique characteristics.
George LeMieux (CAS ’25), a GUSA senator, said he worries moving to the Common App could attract students who apply to Georgetown because it is easy, not because they deeply care about the university.
“I have quite a few friends who graduated, and now are interviewers, and a lot of the people they get in interviews for Georgetown are like, ‘Well, the reason I want to go here is because it’s the best academic program that I’ve applied to,’” LeMieux told The Hoya. “That’s about it, it’s a very simplistic, ‘This is a good school, therefore I want to go.’ They don’t know a lot about the Jesuit identity of the school. They don’t know a lot about what Georgetown stands for, why Georgetown’s here. It’s a very simplistic transaction.”
“If 45 minutes is preventing you from applying to Georgetown, then I don’t really think you want to go to Georgetown that badly,” LeMieux added.
John DiPierri (SFS ’25), another GUSA senator, said joining the Common App may change the level of student engagement at Georgetown. “I think you’re going to see a very interesting cultural shift,” DiPierri told The Hoya. “The folks that come to Georgetown are very, very passionate about coming to Georgetown, and they see the school as a way to nurture not only their academic or professional pursuits, but their social ones as well.”
“Compared to other universities, Georgetown students are very unique in how they engage with the university and the world around them, and I think that’s in no small part to the way our application process has worked for many years,” DiPierri added. “Once we start changing it, we become not special, we become like every other school.”
Erik Olmen (MSB ’27), a tour coordinator for Blue and Gray, said he worries that the Common App’s simplified application process may increase the number of applications, possibly limiting the number of applicants receiving interviews from graduates.
“Now that they’re switching to the Common App, the number of applicants is going to go way higher, and alumni interviewers are already stretched thin with who they can give interviews to, so I worry that they won’t be able to give
that personal experience to all the applicants,” Olmen told The Hoya.
“I was convinced of Georgetown partly because of my alumni interview. Shetalkedtomeaboutthetraditions,the community, what being in Washington, D.C., was like, and that’s something that the schools that were on the Common App that I applied to, none of the other ones had,” Olmen added.
About 26,800 students applied to Georgetown for the fall 2024 application cycle, with about 12% of applicants being accepted. In its 2025 ranking of U.S. colleges and universities, U.S. News & World Report ranked Georgetown 24th.
Raghav Akula (SFS ’27) attributed this relatively low ranking to Georgetown’s acceptance rate — 12% for the Class of 2029, significantly higher than, for example, secondranked Yale University’s 4.59%. He said he thinks joining the Common App will lower Georgetown’s acceptance rate as the number of applications grows, possibly increasing its ranking.
“Numerically, it helps with their admission statistics,” Akhula told The Hoya. “I personally do not like the U.S. News rankings and all that stuff, I think that’s a lot of B.S., but a lot of funding, research funding in particular, might be based off of how people perceive those colleges to be ranked, because it may be indicative of that college’s prestige. So I think it would be better for Georgetown’s statistics that get reported to some of these ranking agencies to help boost Georgetown’s overall ranking and prestige, so that it gets more attention, it gets more resources.”
LeMieux said the university should prioritize seeking the most qualified applicants.
“Georgetown should go for quality of students and not quantity of students,” LeMieux said. “I don’t think this decision makes it substantially more accessible. Again, I think you’ll see the acceptance rate go down and maybe executives will think that’s a good thing, but at the end of the day I don’t think it’s anything material.”
Faculty Emphasize Fundraising, Jesuit Values in Presidential Search
FACULTY, from A1
racial dynamics in the United States.
“The other part of me says dream big and be bold,” Bies said. “How about we pick a woman to be president of Georgetown University? What about if we pick someone who’s not white — Latino, Black.”
Sam Halabi, a health management and policy professor in the School of Health, said though he prioritizes Jesuit values, Georgetown does not necessarily need to hire a Jesuit priest to fully uphold its values.
“I don’t think that person needs to be a Jesuit to implement those values, but they need to understand, care and prioritize them,” Halabi wrote to The Hoya “Indeed, the status of being a Jesuit has significant drawbacks, probably most significantly that it by practice excludes women.”
Fundraising At $3.6 billion, Georgetown’s endowment is smaller than other private Catholic institutions like Boston College’s $3.8 billion and the University of Notre Dame’s $17.9 billion.
Bies said Georgetown’s next president must be an adept fundraiser to support an expanding university footprint.
“I’m looking for somebody to be president who has good business sense, because this is a business — it is a position, it is a institution of higher learning — but it’s a business, and someone who can not only manage all that with their right team around them, but also someone who’s really good at fundraising,” Bies said.
Solidarity
KHAN SURI, from A1
this country or is deported back to India, he is not truly safe,” the student added.
The night of March 17, three masked agents, who later identified themselves as agents from the DHS, detained Khan Suri, handcuffing him outside his apartment. DHS agents surrounded him, prohibiting his wife from giving him his passport and visa documents.
According to court filings, DHS first detained Khan Suri in Virginia, where he called his wife to tell her he had been detained and would have a hearing in Los Fresnos, Texas, on May 6. Less than 24 hours later, Khan Suri again called Saleh, saying he had been moved to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Alexandria, La.
After Khan Suri’s attorneys, including lawyers from the Virginia chapter of the legal nonprofit American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), filed a petition, U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles ordered ICE to keep Khan Suri in the United States until further notice, preventing his deportation while the case continues. Two days later, ICE moved Khan Suri to Texas.
Another student in Khan Suri’s class said the detention has deeply impacted their classmates.
“These seven classes have made me realize he’s genuinely a good and knowledgeable person and would never ever hurt anyone,” the student wrote to The Hoya. “We’re all praying he returns home to his wife and children immediately as this is a shattering situation to be a part of for all of us.”
Khan Suri’s detention has led to an outcry on Georgetown’s campus, especially from proPalestinian groups.
Georgetown Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine (FSJP), an organization of Georgetown employees who support Palestinian self-determination, said in a March 21 Instagram post that Khan Suri’s detention should alarm the entire university community.
“Dr. Badar Khan Suri’s abduction and detention demands a response from all his colleagues in academia and all people of conscience,” FSJP wrote in the post. “We must resist the advancing violations of human and constitutional rights across our country.”
FSJP, which created a petition calling for Khan Suri’s release that has reached 1,600 signatures, held a walkout in support of Khan Suri on March 25, gathering in Red Square to show solidarity with Khan Suri and to protest repression of free speech.
The Georgetown Chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), a student organization supporting Palestinian liberation, said in a March 22 statement that Khan Suri’s detention reflects the larger silencing of proPalestinian advocacy.
“The series of abductions, forced disappearances and deportations of community members — most recently at Georgetown — is the U.S. government’s latest attempt to crush dissent to its perpetration of the genocide in Palestine,” SJP wrote in the statement. “The state is abducting people purely on the basis that they oppose genocide.”
Khan Suri publicly opposed Israeli military action in Gaza
in multiple social media posts, accusing Israel of targeting Palestinian citizens to drive them out of Gaza.
“Israel is bombing hospitals in Gaza to turn the land inhabitable, in order to build the case for making Palestinians in Gaza think of migrating to the Sinai desert,” Khan Suri wrote on X on Oct. 19, 2023. “Because tens of thousands of Palestinians would need these services which won’t exist. This is mockery of Intl law.” Outside class and the ACMCU, Khan Suri was part of Georgetown’s Muslim community, attending prayers, community dinners and iftars. Georgetown’s Muslim Student Association (MSA) said in a March 21 statement that the detention of Khan Suri is hypocritical.
“His work in peacebuilding and conflict resolution embodies a dedication to the pursuit of truth,” MSA wrote. “The fact that he now sits behind bars — separated from his family and community — exemplifies the lengths to which oppressive forces will go to silence voices of integrity and conscience.”
The first student who wrote to The Hoya said the government’s detention of Khan Suri violates U.S. values and has left students in fear.
“The irony of his being abused and stripped of his rights by the world’s largest ‘democracies’ is a cruel one, and to be honest, it makes me afraid,” the student wrote. “I think we’re all left with this unnerving, quiet yet heavy sense of terror as to what could possibly happen next. For now, I’m just trying to focus on praying for him and his family, and that true justice is actually served.”
Report: Capitol Campus Faces Deficit
and Islamic studies, said the money would be better spent investing in facilities and programs on the Hilltop.
“It is vital that our next president be an inspirational leader who has a deep understanding of Georgetown, its values and its tradition,” Arend wrote to The Hoya. “We need a president who knows our great alumni base and can work to keep them connected to life on the Hilltop.”
Politics, Donald Trump and DEI Amid a broader Trump administration crackdown on pro-Palestine rhetoric, federal immigration agents detained Georgetown postdoctoral researcher Badar Khan Suri on March 17 outside his home in Rosslyn, Va., sparking protests on campus. The White House has also targeted tenets of diversity, equity and inclusion, and launched an investigation into select Georgetown graduate programs for alleged “raceexclusionary practices.”
Bies said the next president must know how to navigate the current political environment as it relates to higher education.
“Whoever is the president really has to be a politician — understanding the politics of a university, the politics of the nation, the politics of the world,” Bies said. “That’s not a bad statement, to be a politician. That means you have to understand how to manage people, understand how to negotiate and manage all the conflicts.”
Davis said university leadership must remain steadfast in its support of first amendment rights, especially those of student protesters amid a crackdown on pro-Palestinian rhetoric.
“I think our jobs as universities have always been this kind of place
Anthony Arend (SFS ’80), chair of the government department, said the next university president must build donor relationships.
where ideas can be talked about and discussed,” Davis said. “It makes us better as a society if we can address these things and they aren’t just silenced and disappeared.”
Halabi said in light of federal immigration agents’ March 17 detention of Khan Suri, the next president must uphold Georgetown’s values of curiosity and solidarity.
“Badar Khan Suri is a researcher brought to Georgetown within the finest and noblest of its traditions — research, dedication to intellectual life and striving for interreligious understanding and tolerance and I hope that any presidential candidate worth considering would state that commitment up front,” Halabi wrote.
Abraham Newman, the director of the Center for German and European Studies, said the current political landscape requires the next president to lean on Georgetown’s Jesuit heritage in their dealings with the federal government.
“I think the incoming president will have to deal with a much more confrontational federal government, and I think it’s really important that the incoming president just reasserts the values of Georgetown, whether it’s in service to the world or it’s cura personalis,” Newman told TheHoya.
Davis said the next president must continue to emphasize diversity in education.
“Diversity, equity and inclusion are who we are as a Jesuit institution,” Davis said. “I think we just need to keep repeating that. I mean, that is who we are. They may want to come after us for it, but then they’re coming after an institution that is almost as old as the United States.”
in fiscal year 2026. By fiscal year 2029, the administrators projected the main campus will generate $47.3 million in surplus, including contributions from Capitol Campus growth.
The presentation projects that growth in Capitol Campus enrollment will begin to cover operating costs in fiscal year 2028.
According to a university spokesperson, the projections Colbert and Sastry presented did not account for the university’s complete budget, which remains net positive. The university also expects enrollment projections to change as students select into degree programs.
Colbert and Sastry said the university plans to raise money from growing graduate enrollments, external research funding and further increases in undergraduate tuition. The university plans to pay for the growth of the Capitol Campus specifically through increased enrollment, though planned undergraduate enrollment remains significantly lower than the university’s predictions.
The university’s financial projections expect approximately 145 students to enroll in undergraduate programs, including a joint degree between the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) and the McCourt School of Public Policy, a joint degree between the College and the Earth Commons Institute, and the Capitol Applied Learning Labs (CALL), a semester-long program on the Capitol Campus, for academic year 2025-2026.
The slides also suggest a graduate population of 4,515 students on the Capitol Campus in graduate programs for the 2025-26 academic year, including master’s programs in McCourt, Earth Commons, the McDonough School of Business, the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
and the School of Continuing Studies and a doctorate program in the School of Nursing. The following year, the university expects 360 undergraduates downtown in Capitol Campus programs, growing to 1,000 undergraduate students by 2030. However,confirmedundergraduate enrollment significantly trails these predictions, according to Tad Howard, the CAS associate dean who advises Capitol Campus students. Howard said approximately 40 students will enroll in Capitol Campus undergraduate degree programs for Fall 2025, with additional students in the CALL.
“A lot of people are still trying to figure it out, but this will be a big increase for the Capitol Campus,” Howard told The Hoya. “For the joint degree students, in the first year that it’s possible to go, I think we’ll see 40 across the two programs.” Howard said he expects the CALL’s enrollment to grow as well. The program has historically enrolled between 6 and 41 students in the fall semester, with 17 students currently participating in the CALL program according to data on registration in required CALL classes.
“We’re building towards about 60 to 70,” Howard said. “We’re not there yet, with the new programs added we’re seeing that proportional increase from past years at this moment.”
A faculty member familiar with the CALL program confirmed to The Hoya that the CALL continues to recruit students to meet its enrollment goals, including through presentations in departmental introductory classes.
The university’s data also projects that increased revenue from the main campus, including all five of Georgetown’s undergraduate schools, would help mitigate the costs of the new campus’s development.
Felicitas Opwis, an associate professor in the department of Arabic
“I know the classrooms that are already there are absolutely top notch, but the majority of the undergraduates are in ICC,” Opwis told The Hoya.“The other day, we had a mouse running through the classroom. So, why not spend that money on actually making Georgetown a first-class institution?”
A university spokesperson said the Capitol Campus will allow students to engage in internship opportunities and participate in new academic programs.
“The Capitol Campus offers Hoyas experiential learning, internship and service opportunities, and cutting-edge programs in the heart of the nation’s capital,” the spokesperson wrote in a statement to The Hoya. “Its new spaces to teach, learn, live and work are open to the entire Georgetown community. We are unveiling new programs and new spaces to spark discoveries and collective impact. And we’re just getting started.” In light of rising costs and unmet enrollment goals, Opwis said administrators should reconsider investing further in Capitol Campus development.
“I honestly think they should seriously reconsider the project and understand that it’s okay to say, ‘This no longer works,’” Opwis said. “Our financial situation has changed. Costs have dramatically changed in the last few years from the inception of this concept.”
“At some point you’d say, ‘These are sunken costs. Let’s get out before we even sink in more for no benefit,’” Opwis added. “From my personal perspective, I would think it would be so courageous if they would say that was a mistake — let’s get out of that mistake and not throw in more money.”
CAPITOL, from A1
GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY
Members of Georgetown University’s faculty said they hope to see fundraising capabilities and a commitment to Jesuit values among the qualities of the next university president.
AAMIR JAMIL/THE HOYA
After federal immigration agents detained Badar Khan Suri, a postdoctoral research fellow at Georgetown University, students and faculty organized protests and a walkout in solidarity.
IN FOCUS
Khan Suri’s Detention Sparks Concern, Outrage
their concerns over academic
on-campus expression following the federal detainment of postdoctoral researcher
SymposiumPlatformsClimateLiterature
Stella and Annie Quimby Academics Desk Editor and Hoya Staff Writer
Writers and artists advocated for literature strengthening the environmental movement during a Georgetown University symposium March 25 -27.
The Lannan Center for Poetics and Social Practice, which fosters campus engagement with contemporary literature, hosted the event, titled “Writing Climate,” which featured expert panels, student artwork and readings. The symposium, co-hosted with Georgetown’s Earth Commons, an institute studying sustainability, invited attendees to reconsider their relationship with the environment and explore literature’s role in climate action.
Rabih Alameddine, Lannan visiting chair, said the symposium focused on solutions to climate change to give writers and attendees a direction for activism.
“It’s an existential threat, and I’m interested in how, as writers, how do we deal with this,” Alameddine told The Hoya. “For the most part, we seem to know about it, but we don’t know what to do about it.”
The first day of the symposium included a performance by an environmental dance company, followed by a keynote discussion with Amitav Ghosh, an Indian writer specializing in colonialism and climate change.
Ghosh said writers face systematic barriers to publishing environmental-centered work, noting publishers do not match writers’ interest.
“Many writers have been engaging on these subjects, writing on these subjects,” Ghosh said during the event. “I think the greater problem lies in the broader ecosystem of literature. Even when the writer produces this work, does it find a place in the major reviews, does it even find a publisher? That’s where the real problem lies.”
Ghosh said environmental literature should reflect the broader issues facing the environment, not just climate change.
“It’s not just about climate change; it’s everything change,” Ghosh said. “What we have really is a whole set of interlocking crises — biodiversity loss, species extinctions, new pathogens and all of these are simultaneously manifesting themselves in the body politic.”
“That only makes the subject even bigger and even more challenging,” Ghosh added.
Livia Sun (GRD ’25), a master’s student in the environment and sustainability management program who attended the event, said the symposium humanized climate change.
“When you think of climate change, a lot of times the topic is spoken about in a really technical way,” Sun told The Hoya. “I think that’s why I really enjoyed the first performance, because it was less technical.”
The symposium’s second day featured two indigenous writers, dg nanouk okpik and Linnea Axelsson, who spoke about land use and indigenous rights; a student environmental art showcase; and an interview with Kumi Naidoo, a South African human rights and environmental justice activist.
Alameddine said the symposium responded to President Donald Trump’s administration, which rolled back climate regulations and restricted use of the term “climate change.”
“It’s important today because we have an insane administration that is already cutting any kind of miniscule achievements that we have
made in terms of dealing with the crisis,” Alameddine said. “It becomes a topic of extreme importance.”
Sun said the symposium improved access to information about climate change as the federal government deprioritizes it.
“This theme hits really hard right now, particularly because we’re in D.C.,” Sun said. “There’s a lot of changes going on in policy and administration, and I think for the most part, a majority of people believe that the climate is changing. Just trying to make that information broader and more accessible juxtaposes everything that’s happening in the political and technical world.”
The third day included a reading from the environmental novel “Silent Spring,” which jumpstarted the modern environmental movement, and discussions with an environmental biologist and two writers about communicating about climate change.
Alameddine said he hopes to highlight individual solutions to climate change, encouraging attendees to take action regardless of the scale.
“Obviously, we have to follow the news, we have to follow the things that are happening, but in this time it’s more important than ever to focus on the things that communities and people are doing to feel good,” Alameddine said. “Even if you do it and it’s a small thing, it’s good to work to do as much as you can — even if it’s weeding. The motto is, if you can’t be here, weed.”
Your news — from every corner of The Hoya
WHAT’S NEW IN MULTI?
Ajani Stella Academics Desk Editor
The Booth Family Center for Special Collections, which houses rare materials in Lauinger Library, celebrated its 10th anniversary with an open house March 25.
The Booth Center, on Lau’s fifth floor, opened in 2015 after a year-long renovation to create space for its rare materials, collections and archives. The open house showcased the Booth Center’s newest acquisitions to expand outreach with the university community.
Keith Gorman, associate university librarian of the Booth Center, said the open house event highlighted the Booth Center’s modern technology and resources, particularly its digital archives.
“Given the rapid changes in higher education, technology and in how research is conducted, I felt it was important to both mark the creation of this research hub, celebrate its collections and services, and consider how the Booth Family Center has itself had to change to meet the needs of its users,” Gorman wrote to The Hoya
The open house featured prominent new collections at the Center, including documents detailing Georgetown’s history of enslavement, records like those detailing the Georgetown University Student Association campaign of former President Bill Clinton (SFS ’68) and prints from a photojournalist.
John Zarillo, the Booth Center’s head of archival processing, said the Booth Center hopes to connect students with special collections they normally could not access.
“We always try to instill in students a sense of why we are
GUStudents Participate In Running of the Gingers
The Hoya interviewed competitors in Georgetown’s second annual “Running of the Gingers,” a St. Patrick’s Day event outside Healy Hall where red-haired community members sprint across the front lawn of campus.
See The Hoya’s Instagram channel for more reels from Multi!
showing materials to them, what the purpose is,” Zarillo told The Hoya. “We show them what connection we are trying to make to try to get students to think about their place in history.”
Zarillo said he prioritizes student and faculty engagement when selecting materials and items for the Center.
“We look for ‘enduring historic value’ — so we’re looking at things that we think are going to be, most importantly, used now,” Zarillo said. “Things that we faculty members are teaching about, whose classes are coming in and using primary sources — we focus on that.”
Gorman said the Booth Center’s archives supplement faculty and student research, including special class sessions focusing on themes like Georgetown’s history of enslavement or art from underrepresented communities.
“We have worked to engage faculty and encourage the use of our space and collections in instruction,” Gorman wrote. “The curators, archivists and librarians in Booth have sought to customize classes and to acquire items and collections that support instruction and student research.”
Zarillo said the Booth Center expanded its classroom activities over the past decade to involve more faculty, allowing professors to bring students to the Booth Center to look at materials.
“Classroom instruction is always growing,” Zarillo said.
“That’s a result of outreach efforts from the staff, seeing what classes fit with our collections and building relationships with faculty members. The word spread that it’s a good way to engage students with primary sources and have them do a little field trip.”
Gorman added that the open house exhibitions emphasize the Booth Center’s increasing engagement with underrepresented scholarship.
“The Center has also sought to deepen existing collection strengths as well as identify new collecting areas such as African-American literature and history, literary works written by women, artistic works by under-represented communities, human rights, and women’s activism in the Global South,” Gorman wrote.
Harriette Hemmasi, dean of the library, said the Booth Center has supported Georgetown’s efforts to reconcile with its legacy of slavery.
“The Booth Center is a critical partner in the University’s initiatives to understand and respond to Georgetown’s role in the injustice of slavery and the legacies of enslavement segregation in our nation,” Hemmasi wrote to The Hoya. “Staff affiliated with the Booth Center regularly participate in campus-based initiatives and engage with members of the Descendant and Jesuits communities, local schools, organizations, and community members.”
Gorman said the Booth Center increases accessibility to rare materials, centering communities in research.
“By increasing the ways people can access our collections, we are fostering a culture that democratizes the writing of history and empowers individuals and communities to tell their own story,” Gorman wrote. “I believe these efforts will ultimately lead to more support in the areas of collection development, research support and community exhibitions and programming.”
GU, Japan Foundation Host Traditional Japanese Theater Exhibition
Georgetown University hosted
Seiwa Bunraku, a traditional Japanese puppet theater troupe, for a performance and lecture centered on the art of bunraku in Lohrfink Auditorium on March 21. Japan Foundation, a Japanese governmental organization that promotes intercultural exchange between the United States and Japan; the Japan Information & Culture Center (JICC), an arm of the Embassy of Japan dedicated to intercultural exchange; and Georgetown’s Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures cohosted the event. Bunraku, a unique type of puppet theater in which three puppeteers control intricate figures, has earned the UNESCO recognition of Intangible Cultural Heritage, identifying the tradition as an important aspect of Japanese culture.
Tomoko Nakamura, first secretary of public affairs at the Embassy of Japan and one of the event’s organizers, said the show was arranged to expose college students to this art form.
“Both the embassy and the Japan Foundation have great partnerships with Georgetown University, and so we asked the Japanese professors if they can
collaborate with us so their students can also enjoy the performance,” Nakamura told The Hoya. “And then, also that the whole Georgetown community could enjoy that.”
The Japan Foundation invited Seiwa Bunraku to Washington, D.C., to perform at the opening ceremony for the Cherry Blossom Festival, which will run from March 20 to April 13. The Georgetown performance marked the troupe’s first show in the United States, according to Nakamura.
Hiroyuki Kojima, the director general of the New York chapter of the Japan Foundation, said he was excited the event introduced more people to lesser-known aspects of Japanese culture rather than more popular traditional Japanese performing art forms, such as kabuki, kyogen and noh.
“Kabuki, kyogen and noh are very famous traditional theater, but there is less opportunity for the U.S. public to see bunraku puppet theater with their own eyes,” Kojima told The Hoya. “I am very pleased we are able to provide this precious opportunity to get familiarized.”
“Nowadays, we’d like to introduce various aspects of Japan, not only anime or J-Pop, but we have a lot to offer,” Kojima added. The show featured a short lec-
ture about the history and techniques of bunraku, followed by a short dance and a scene from the traditional performance Hidakagawa Iriaizakura. In this scene, a lady named Kiyohime attempts to cross a river to reach a lover who abandoned her, only to be repeatedly rebuffed by an obstinate boatman. Ultimately, her anger becomes so great that the puppet’s jaw unhinges like a snake, and a menacing dragon replaces her on stage.
Knox Graham (SFS ’27), a Japanese language student who attended the performance, said the event was impressive because of the work that went into it.
“I was really enthusiastic that the Japanese program and the department of East Asian languages pushed this so much and recommended we attend,” Graham told The Hoya Graham added he enjoyed seeing the differences between bunraku and U.S. theater.
“I spent most of the time, because of the Japanese course, trying to keep up with the actual language that was on the screen, so I could keep up with the translation,” Graham said. “I did my best. But especially during the more exciting action-packed parts of it, I watched and enjoyed the puppetry. I thought it was definitely very different from the
United States’ theater traditions, such that I understand them, and so I got a lot out of it.”
Yuji Katayama, a performer who has worked in bunraku for 20 years, said he was pleased with the audience’s reactions.
“Once I’m done, hearing the audience’s reaction to the action is good,” Katayama told The Hoya in Japanese. “Today was pretty good; today was exceptionally many people.”
Graham said the opportunity to attend this show was unique to his experience at Georgetown.
“When it comes to an opportunity to see something that’s outside of your cultural range or what you would experience otherwise, one of the reasons Georgetown is such a great university is because you have so many experiences like this, because it is located in a place where you have so many different countries exhibiting their cultural facets, so you have a lot of access to go see things like this,” Graham said.
“I would recommend everybody go see bunraku, but also if you have the chance to go see cultural performances from a wide variety of countries, I think it’s an incredibly valuable thing you get from going to a school like Georgetown in the D.C. area,” Graham added.
NORA TOSCANO/THE HOYA
Georgetown University community members expressed
freedom and
Badar Khan Suri.
Luke Suko Hoya Staff Writer
Ajani
ANNIE QUIMBY/THE HOYA
The 2025 Lannan Symposium featured a series of writers and artists discussing literary outlooks on climate change.
Panelists Advocate for Women’s Spaces
Elyse Ellingsworth Events Desk Editor
A panel of experts urged the cultivation of women’s spaces and profiled activism in the midst of the current political moment at a Georgetown University event Mar. 25.
The panel focused on how women can show resilience and determination in the face of efforts to minimize their voices and included Peggy Flanagan, the lieutenant governor of Minnesota; Cynthia Miller-Idriss, a professor in the School of Public Affairs and the School of Education at American University; and Jamil S. Scott, an assistant professor of political science in the government department at Georgetown.
The Georgetown University Center on Faith and Justice (CFJ), an organization that focuses on uprooting racism and poverty, hosted the event in Riggs Library.
Flanagan, who is Native American, said that women and people of color are needed in politics because of the perspectives they bring to the table.
“Our democracy functions best when it accurately reflects the people it seems to represent, and so my job is to make sure I’m holding the door wide open for other people who can come after me,” Flanagan said at the event. “However, it’s also knowing that the system has been working exactly the way that it’s supposed to work by the folks who set it up, and we can disrupt the system and get better outcomes when we have people with different lived experiences who are part of it.” Flanagan added that her experience as a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, a Native American band in Minnesota, informs her work in politics and activism.
“We hear a lot about ‘those people.’ I am those people, and those people should have a seat at the table to help co-create our future and what that looks like,” Flanagan said. “So in this moment where many of those programs are jeopardized that have been there to lift people into the middle class and out of poverty, are important safety net programs and important investments in community and stability and the future of our state and country.”
Scott said women have been able to organize change in the legislature through open and constructive dialogue between groups who want different things.
“I’m saying that to say that from a legislative perspective, some of the women who’ve been most effective at the state level are the ones who’ve been able to build coalitions with other people and people that you might not expect based on the way that they talk about an issue or the way that the bill is structured,” Scott said at the event. “They’re thinking about not just their coalition of the Women’s Caucus, but they’re thinking about the Black Caucus and how that might impact the Latino Caucus.”
Scott added that powerful change can be brought about when people from different spaces come together.
“They’re building partners across spaces to get other folks on board when the issue seems one-sided, and it’s powerful to see people who are like, ‘I can see how you can benefit, and I’m gonna bring you into a conversation. I’m going to shape this legislation in a way that seems feasible to you,’” Scott said.
Miller-Idriss said that in this current cultural moment, it’s important to hold on to faith and values as guiding principles for action.
“It’s really important to lead with your values and to remember values,” Miller-Idriss said. “That leads to this question about faith, and to remember what you stand for. Wherever you are — if you’re starting out a career, or if you’re in a leadership role — to not hurry up to obey something that goes against your values, and to try to keep standing up for the things that matter.”
Scott said standing up for what you believe in can take many different forms besides political donations.
“There’s this idea that you have to give a lot of money or give money at all, but I think I want to challenge you all to think about what it looks like to give your time in some capacity,” Scott said. “What does it look like to share, help serve in some capacity, even if it’s just an hour a week, or just thinking beyond ourselves in this moment where it can be really easy to turn in, because there are communities that don’t have the option to turn in, they have to keep pushing and looking outward.”
Flanagan said being in community and supporting one another through difficult times is a powerful way to cultivate strength, empathy, and a shared sense of purpose.
“I think it’s important to express that we have seen incredibly difficult times before, and have come out on the other side, and that’s because we’ve taken care of each other, we’ve linked arms, we’ve leaned hard to community and to kinship, and we are in one of those moments where we need to do that again,” Flanagan said. “For so many women, that has been just how we have lived our entire lives, in existence, continuing to show up and do the work that needs to be done.”
GUSA Senate Endorses City-Wide Protest
Ruth Abramovitz
GUSA Desk Editor
The Georgetown University Student Association (GUSA) Senate passed 14 bills, including resolutions to endorse a student-led protest regarding federal changes in education, reform transportation services and eliminate some student fees, at a March 23 meeting.
In a 13-2 vote with five senators abstaining, the Senate passed a bill endorsing the GUSA external affairs team to organize a city-wide protest in response to the Trump administration’s policy changes and federal actions targeting higher education. The Trump administration withdrew $400 million in federal funding from Columbia University over alleged antisemitic activity on campus March 7, threatened the Georgetown University Law Center (GULC) over its alleged diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) curricula, prompted universities to remove DEI language from their websites and detained multiple non-citizens in the United States legally, including a Georgetown researcher, from college campuses on account of their pro-Palestinian political speech.
President Ethan Henshaw (CAS ’26) said GUSA should endorse a student protest, the first time the organization would take such an action, in light of federal actions against higher education that he said are unprecedented.
“There’s never been a time when the president has said you can’t hire this professor, you can’t engage this policy, you can’t have a secondary teaching at your school, you can’t have this class at your school anymore, you can’t have this student organization,” Henshaw said at the meeting.
“We want these institutions to be in the hands of our university administrators so that we can deal with the process ourselves,” he added.
Some senators questioned whether it was GUSA’s role to endorse student protest, or whether a protest would incite the administration’s withdrawal of federal funds from the university.
In a prepared statement, Senator John DiPierri (SFS ’25), who was absent from the meeting, said the bill would alienate students who agree with the federal government’s actions.
“GUSA should not be taking strong positions on issues of national politics and national political controversy, especially considering the fact that this is not an issue that unanimously unites the student body of this campus,” DiPierri wrote in the statement, which was read aloud at the meeting.
Senator Tyler Chase (SFS ’28) said the bill, which makes a general statement requesting the university’s independence from federal actions, positions the university against the federal government.
“I just struggle with the idea that the student association is publishing something that supports the university going against the federal government,” Chase said at the meeting.
Vice President Darius Wagner (CAS ’27) said GUSA has a responsibility to take a public stance in support of student protest because federal actions are directly affecting the student body.
“They’re directly targeting everything that makes us Hoyas, from our professors’ ability to exercise their academic freedom, our students’ ability to hold their cultural spaces,” Wagner said at the meeting. According to Henshaw, a Department of Education Office of Civil Rights Dear Colleague letter sent Feb. 14, which directs educational institutions receiving federal funding to discontinue race-based programs and initiatives, may threaten the university’s research funding due to the existence of affinity spaces on campus like La Casa Latina, the Black House and the Asian-Pacific Hub for Organizing, Unity, Solidarity, and Empowerment (HOUSE).
The senate also passed four bills relating to transportation services, including a bill urging the university to create an express Georgetown University Transportation Shuttles (GUTS) bus route to the Capitol Campus. Other bills encouraged the university to establish a GUTS bus route to Union Station before and after academic breaks, to extend
GU Community Responds After Columbia University Cooperates With President Trump
Ajani Stella Academics
Desk Editor
Georgetown University community members defended their right to academic freedom after Columbia University agreed to federal government demands to crack down on pro-Palestine protests.
The Trump administration withheld $400 million from Columbia University, leading to a university-led “review” of its programs in Middle Eastern, South Asian and African studies, amid the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a leading pro-Palestine protester. In response, Columbia announced March 21 it would hire a senior vice provost to oversee its Middle East, South Asian and African Studies departments for at least five years, as well as identify all student protesters, ban masks at demonstrations, hire additional public safety officers and advance a university-run center in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Federal immigration agents also detained Georgetown researcher Badar Khan Suri on March 17 for pro-Palestine social media posts, but the Trump administration has not threatened Georgetown’s funding as of March 27.
Ethan Henshaw (CAS ’26), president of the Georgetown University Student Association (GUSA), said Trump’s actions threaten civil liberties, highlighting Khan Suri’s detainment as an example of the Trump administration’s impact on Georgetown.
“We’re living in a time when the president can determine what policies a university has and how a university treats their students as a political move because he disagrees with the speech of those students,” Henshaw told The Hoya. “That’s, frankly, quite absurd, and it’s terrifying to see it on our doorstep. This is the sort of behavior of a dictatorship and it’s coming to Georgetown.”
Nico Cefalu (CAS ’27), president of Georgetown’s chapter of the legal advocacy nonprofit American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), said federal interference in universities is antithetical to the schools’ educational mission.
“It’s a foundational idea that universities can have full discretion to teach whatever they want,” Cefalu told The Hoya.
“That’s the point of having the
First Amendment. Most people develop their opinions through school, through the environments they’re in. If you control those environments, you’re going to control what people think.”
Georgetown officials have responded to perceived federal attempts to limit free speech by committing to academic freedom.
After the Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia pushed back on the Georgetown University Law Center’s (GULC) DEI efforts, GULC Dean William Treanor reaffirmed his commitment to diversity in a letter sent March 6.
Interim university President Robert M. Groves also said the university’s Jesuit values demand a commitment to free speech in an email sent to Georgetown community members March 25. In his email, Groves described Khan Suri’s detainment as “troubling” and defended the university community’s academic freedom.
“The Jesuit commitment to inter-religious and inter-group dialogue demands that we protect the freedom to articulate ideas and beliefs, that we build a community that respects their presentation and that we together use the different perspectives to do what the human spirit was designed to do — seek the truth as a way to deepen our understanding of the world around us,” Groves wrote in the email. “The Jesuits do these things for the greater glory of God and to advance the common good.”
Dhruv Shah (SFS ’26), co-chair of Georgetown University College Democrats (GUCD), said Georgetown should rely on other financial sources rather than caving to demands if its federal funding is threatened.
“If Georgetown does experience similar threats, they should do what Columbia should’ve done: stand up to the Trump administration, fight for the institution’s first amendment rights, use our endowment to cover funding gaps and launch a fundraising campaign,” Shah wrote to The Hoya.
“There are so many Americans and frankly people around the world who would support Georgetown by donating something as a way to fight back against the Trump administration,” Shah added.
GUSA vice president Darius Wagner (CAS ’27) said he appreciates the university’s support of free speech and statements on Khan Suri but hopes the administration communicates with students more openly.
“We really need the admin to communicate with the student body the actions they’re taking, so the students know that Georgetown isn’t like Columbia, isn’t caving on these policies fully but is going to stand — and also to give students a reassurance that they’re going to stand for all our students on campus,” Wagner told The Hoya.
“It’s vital that the administration isn’t just sending out letters about our values, but is also coming to the students and saying, ‘This is what we’re doing to advocate for our values and to ensure your protection,’” Wagner added.
A university spokesperson said Georgetown defends the free speech of its community members.
“We are committed to providing an academic and work environment where all members of our community can thrive, are treated fairly, welcomed and respected and do their best work,” the spokesperson wrote to The Hoya. Wagner said while the Trump administration’s actions are concerning, they prove how student voices are powerful.
“If the president is doing all this to silence student voices across the country, to quell dissent, to quell academic freedom, it makes you really think and reflect about how powerful all of those values are and how powerful each of our individual voices are,” Wagner said. “The president is that weak to resort to cracking down on universities because he doesn’t like what they’re saying.”
Henshaw said students should rally in support of academic freedom and against the Trump administration.
“I have faith that the students here and the students at Columbia are going to rally against these things and keep speaking their minds and keep speaking their truths and talking about what matters to them — and they’re not getting frightened,” Henshaw said. “I’m concerned, but I’m also optimistic about the power the students have.”
the additional hours that have been in place for the GUTS bus Capitol Campus route in March and to lobby the D.C. City Council for inclusion of Georgetown in the metrorail system.
Senator Evan Cornell (CAS ’27), who introduced the Metro stop bill, said its goal is to help provide Metro access to the Georgetown community as soon as possible.
“Georgetown will be in the Metro system at some point,” Cornell said at the meeting. “This bill just calls all the universities to help aid that process and get it here soon.”
The senate passed bills to reduce various student fees on campus, including asking the university to reinstate complimentary refrigerators for first year students, implement and improve the existing free printing policy and prevent student organizations from paying fees to the Healey Family Student Center for event space.
Other bills the senate passed call on the university to revive the LGBTQ+ Living Learning Community, create transparency with GUSA on broken kitchen equipment in dining halls, open and refurbish new prayer and meditation rooms, support hall councils and lower mandatory negotiation costs for student groups renting audiovisual equipment.
The senate also passed a bill calling for a ban on faculty use of AI for creating or grading assignments.
Senator Saahil Rao (SFS ’27) said he introduced the faculty AI bill after hearing allegations that a professor used an AI tool to grade a student’s paper, despite students being banned from using AI to complete their work.
“Ifwe’renotallowedtouseAItodoour work,teachersshouldn’teither,considering the absurd amount that tuition is at this school,” Rao said at the meeting.
In addition to passing legislation, the Senate appointed Crystal Liao (CAS ’26) to fill the vacant Class of 2026 seat left open by Henshaw’s confirmation as GUSA president. The senate announced that Senator Dylan Davis (CAS ’26) resigned from GUSA on March 20 without further explanation, leaving a separate seat open.
Fiscal Expert Earns Scholastic Award
Pooja Narayan Graduate Desk Editor
A Georgetown University law professor received the 2025 President’s Award for Distinguished Scholar-Teachers, an accolade awarded to Georgetown faculty who demonstrate an impressive ability to integrate scholarship with teaching excellence, the Office of the President announced March 18.
Eloise Pasachoff, the recipient who has taught at the Georgetown University Law Center (GULC) since 2011, specializes in the fields of education, administrative and appropriations law. Her publications focus on how executive agencies and the president influence policy through manipulating congressional funding.
Interim President Robert M. Groves said in an email sent to Georgetown students and faculty that Pasachoff’s commitment to the Georgetown community earned the award.
“As a mentor and community member, Professor Pasachoff is cherished for her earnest generosity of spirit and admired for her remarkable dedication to her students and colleagues alike,” Groves said in his announcement.
Pasachoff, whose academic interest in federal expenditures has recently been the subject of controversy as the Trump administration attempts to freeze funding for various departments, said she appreciates people recognizing the relevance of budget and appropriations law.
“I’m certainly talking a lot about it to reporters, and I’ve been on podcasts and things like that, talking behind the scenes to folks,” Pasachoff told The Hoya. “It’s been kind of amazing to see this thing that I’ve been working on, which was a quiet little area when I started working on it, and see how this has all exploded.”
Kenneth Kellar, a professor in the pharmacology and physiology department and chair of the
selection committee, said the nomination process was inclusive of all faculty and students.
“Faculty in all Departments on the main campus, the Law Center and GUMC are invited to nominate faculty who they believe qualify and deserve this important recognition by their peers,” Kellar wrote to The Hoya.
“The faculty selection committee is composed of faculty from each of the University campuses listed above. The teaching evaluations by students and comments by other faculty are taken into consideration.”
Pasachoff said she hadn’t expected to receive the award.
“I didn’t know that I was nominated,” Pasachoff said. “I guess somewhere in the deep, dark background of my brain, I had hoped that maybe someday I would be lucky enough to earn this award. But I had no idea that I was even under consideration for this year. I was truly flabbergasted when I heard about it and I was really honored.”
Kellar said the award also represented the recipient’s positive relationship with other faculty members and unique position within the university.
“I think the significance of this award is the recognition by one’s peers that the nominee has done an excellent job as a faculty member and perhaps/probably exceeded expectations of even this University, with its very high-achieving faculty,” Kellar wrote.
Pasachoff said her father is her role model in how she approaches scholarship and education.
“My dad, who died in 2022, was a professor at Williams College for fifty years,” Pasachoff said. “My dad was an astronomer, and he always brought students as part of his research team — I wouldn’t even call them research assistants.”
“Although it is such a huge law school, it is actually the size of a small college,” Pasachoff said. “That opened up my thinking to being able to have those close relationships with students that I had grown to admire my dad for having.” Pasachoff said her work in academia forced her to communicate complex ideas in intelligible ways, allowing her to become a better educator.
“I think it’s like being deeply invested in my research helps me translate important ideas to my students in a really, I hope, deep and meaningful way,” Pasachoff said.
“Having to figure out what you really think about things as part of your research, and then translate that to paper, is a skill that really translates into helping students understand the breadth of the field.” Award recipients receive a threetime annual grant of $10,000 to fund their scholarship. Pasachoff said she hopes to use these funds to continue exploring how government officials control budget allocations.
“I began a book project last year where I interviewed people who work on different parts of the appropriations process in the government,” Pasachoff said. “I had some research support from a wonderful other award from Georgetown Law to help with that project, but that research support is coming to a close. So I’m thrilled to be able to draw on this new set of funds to help transcribe those conversations.”
Pasachoff said her teaching and scholarship is rooted in the desire to give back to mentors who inspired her work.
“I really see it as my job to pay forward all of the wonderful mentoring that I received,” Pasachoff said. “It’s just truly an honor to be able to work with wonderful students at Georgetown and hoping to pay forward the wonderful experiences that I’ve been honored to have in my own life.”
Pasachoff added that she initially worried whether GULC’s size would provide her opportunities to cultivate similarly deep bonds with students.
ELYSE ELLINGSWORTH/THE HOYA
The Georgetown University Center on Faith and Justice compelled leaders and organizations to create women’s spaces to platform and connect female voices.
GU Women’s Sports Have Largest Gender-Based Funding Disparity in Big East
“With any coaching change on a men’s sport, it takes a lot longer, and they have a lot more options than we did,” she added. “As much as we like our coach now — and it was a great change — it just explains what they really cared about, and it was just get ting someone to look good, and someone who is cheap, and whoever can start the quickest, rather than who can truly be the best option.”
When coaches do take the helm of women’s teams — especially at the assistant level — they sometimes take on additional jobs to make ends meet, because their salaries from the university are not enough to sustain the costs of living in the D.C. area.
A different junior student-athlete who also requested anonymity said one of her team’s coaches worked a side job for extra income while shouldering the responsibilities of their fulltime job at Georgetown.
“I know that one of our old coaches would also do lessons on the side, so it just showed that one job kind of wasn’t enough to support them,” the junior said.
Unequal funding extends to game-day expenses, including equipment costs for uniforms; personnel costs related to coaches, officials and support staff; and travel costs related to accommodations, meals and transportation. Across all teams in 2022-23, game-day spending for women totaled $2.86 million while clock-
ing in at $6.48 million for men. To work around the limitations of their budgets, some women’s teams had to devise creative solutions when attending competitions.
A student-athlete on the volleyball team, who asked not to be named because of the sensitive nature of the subject, said the student-athletes notice the sacrifices women’s teams must make.
“For one of our away trips, our coaches have had to rent vans to save room in our budget rather than renting a charter bus, which is the norm,” the volleyball player wrote to The Hoya. “On another trip, we planned to take the Metro from the airport back to campus since we didn’t have money to rent a bus.”
“I had to ensure I had time to grocery shop for snacks to bring on travel trips in case there was not enough food available,” she added.
The volleyball player said these discrepancies accumulate, raising the burden female student-athletes bear compared to male student-athletes.
“On a day-to-day basis, I don’t think men’s teams put as much mental energy into working around the barriers that may stem from a lack of funding,” the player wrote. “On a season-to-season basis, I think men’s teams can focus their mental energy on performance and, in general, feel more supported by the athletic department.”
Georgetown’s degree of funding disparity is not normal. In fact, the 366% difference in 2022-23 was an extreme outlier among schools in the Big East. Creighton, the school with
the second-largest gap, allocated only 2.05 times more funding for its men’s teams ($17.4 million) than its women’s teams ($8.53 million), while Xavier’s budget for men’s sports was 2.01 times its women’s sports budget. The other nine schools in the Big East all posted funding discrepancies of less than 2.
That same year, Georgetown’s men’s basketball team underwent a significant personnel change, with Head Coach Patrick Ewing reaching an estimated $11 million buyout to part ways with the university and former Providence College Head Coach Ed Cooley hired to replace him at an estimated salary of $6 million.
Though Georgetown’s disproportionately unequal funding for women’s and men’s sports is not directly attributable to one specific event, the university’s spending on men’s sports is an outlier within the Big East.
Divisions in Donations
At Georgetown, donor-supported endowments serve three main functions: funding scholarships for student-athletes, hiring and retaining coaches and supporting team needs such as nutrition.
A student-athlete on the women’s tennis team, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the subject, said she witnessed the differences in funding firsthand.
“A lot of the sports here rely on funding and money from alumni, and that’s where a lot of the differences come from, because I know that my men’s team gets a lot more
Duke, Florida, Other Favorites Dominate First Two Rounds of March Madness
Evan Greenfield Sports Staff Writer
It’s March, which means spring is in the air, cherry blossoms are blooming here in Washington, D.C., and the weather is warming up. But most importantly, March Madness is upon us.
The NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament, popularly known as March Madness, kicked off on March 18 and March 19 with the First Four in Dayton, Ohio.
The First Four consisted of two games determining the No. 11 seeds in the South and Midwest region and two games determining the No. 16 seeds in the same respective regions. The University of North Carolina demolished San Diego State University 95-68 to nab the No. 11 seed in the South region, while Xavier University pulled away late from the University of Texas 86-80, earning No. 11 seed in the Midwest region.
In the contests for the No. 16 seeds, Alabama State University used a stunning Hail Mary out-of-bounds play call to overcome St. Francis University 70-68 to earn the No. 16 seed in the South region and face off against Auburn University, the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament.
To conclude the action in Dayton, Mount St. Mary’s University held off D.C.’s own American University 8372 to set up a date with the East’s No. 1 seed and national title favorite Duke University. American University felt the loss of star graduate student and first-team all-Patriot League big man, Matt Rogers, who left the game after badly injuring his knee midway through the first half. The first weekend of the tournament kicked off shortly thereafter, with the first and second rounds taking place March 20 through March 23. In recent years, we have been accustomed to stunning upsets and the development of Cinderella stories, but thus far, the 2025 tournament has produced little shock value. Of the teams in the Sweet Sixteen, only the University of Arkansas has a double-digit seed (No. 10 seed in the West region), but the Razorbacks have one of the most talented rosters in the country and come from the heralded Southeastern Conference (SEC), making them hard to classify as a Cinderella story. In the first round alone, the top 16 seeds went a combined 16-0, meaning no teams seeded No. 13 or higher advanced to the second round of the tournament for the first time since 2017. However, two No. 12 seeds, Colorado State University and McNeese State University, were able to upset their respective No. 5 seed matchups, Memphis University and Clemson University, before bowing out in the next round.
McNeese State’s student manager, Amir “Aura” Khan, a senior at the school, has been the closest thing to a Cinderella story so far. Khan, who went viral after walking
out and rapping along with songs like “In & Out” by Lud Foe in front of the team with a large boombox during McNeese’s run to the title in the Southland Conference tournament, became an overnight sensation. He quickly became the first student manager to sign name, image and likeness (NIL) deals when he signed with Buffalo Wild Wings, TickPick and Insomnia Cookies.
McNeese’s 69-67 upset win over Clemson in the first round only took Khan to new heights, as Under Armour gifted him a custom jumpsuit with “Aura” emblazoned on the back and the McNeese State cheerleaders wore socks and then shirts with his likeness on them. Renowned college basketball broadcaster John Fanta even interviewed Khan after the firstround victory.
Shortly after McNeese’s exit from the Big Dance, Head Coach Will Wade signed with the North Carolina State Wolfpack to become their new head men’s basketball coach. Khan is expected to follow Wade to his next stop and become a graduate manager with the program.
Although the first round of the tournament produced no notable upsets, the second round had a litany of terrific contests that came down to the wire. The biggest upset of the tournament thus far came when No. 2 seed St. John’s University, the Big East champions who were in the midst of a historic season under legendary Head Coach Rick Pitino, fell short against No. 10 seed Arkansas Razorbacks 75-66. The Red Storm, who entered the contest at +2500 odds to win the national championship, could not overcome a remarkably poor shooting performance, as the team shot just 28% from the field and 9.1% from beyond the arc.
Elsewhere in the second round, Auburn faced a stern test by No. 9 Creighton University, but ultimately used a late second-half push to prevail 82-70 and advance to play No. 5 seed University of Michigan in the Sweet 16. Fellow No. 1 seed and SEC heavyweight the University of Florida used a pair of clutch secondhalf 3-pointers from All-American
guard Walter Clayton Jr. to sink the University of Connecticut (seeded No. 8 in the West region) 77-75. The Huskies, the two-time defending national champions, saw their modern day record-tying streak of 13 consecutive NCAA tournament wins come to an end, and the result was a fitting conclusion for a team that struggled to piece it fully together on a nightly basis this season.
In games that came down to the wire, No. 2 seed Michigan State University was able to stave off the University of New Mexico, the Mountain West regular season champion and No. 10 seed in the South, 71-63 in an ugly affair.
The Spartans, led by Hall of Fame Head Coach Tom Izzo, advanced to the Sweet 16 for the 16th time in Izzo’s career and will be the favorites in their Sweet 16 matchup vs. the University of Mississippi Rebels.
The tournament finally got its first buzzer-beater when University of Maryland’s star first-year center Derik Queen heaved up a gamewinning jumper to sink Colorado State’s upset bid 72-71. The Terrapins, who are led by their starting lineup nicknamed the “Crab Five,” were put in a precarious position after Colorado State’s guard Jalen Lake hit a clutch 3-pointer from the right wing to give the Rams a 71-70 advantage with just seven seconds to go. After a quick timeout, Maryland inbounded the ball and quickly got it to Queen, who drove down the left baseline and hurled a jumper off the glass to stun the Rams and the nation.
The Sweet 16, which will take place Thursday, March 27 and Friday, March 28, will be made up of teams from just four conferences: the SEC, the Big Ten, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the Big 12. The SEC set a record with seven teams from the conference earning a place in the Sweet 16, followed by the Big Ten and Big 12 with four and the ACC with just one: Duke.
This weekend on CBS and TBS, starting Thursday evening, crowds will find out who will be heading to San Antonio to play for a national championship in the Final Four.
alumni donations than my team does,” she told The Hoya.
Across all 23 of Georgetown’s varsity sports programs, all but two — softball and squash — have at least one endowment, but while men’s teams have 87 total endowments, women’s teams have only 17 total endowments. The exact amount in each endowment is not publicly available, but endowment funds range from $150,000 to over $3 million, depending on the endowment type.
The baseball team receives at least $2.85 million from its 19 endowments, while the football team’s 18 endowments provide at least $5.25 million. The men’s rowing team’s 16 endowments provide at least $6.1 million.
In contrast, the top three women’s teams in endowment count — women’s lacrosse with seven, women’s rowing with three and women’s soccer with two — received minimums of $1.05 million, $3.3 million and $300,000, respectively. Besides these three teams, no other women’s team has more than one endowment, and the softball and squash programs have zero.
Georgia Ruffolo (CAS ’25), the co-captain of the women’s golf team, said the university has better donor infrastructure in place for men’s teams than women’s teams, causing the disparity.
“I do think it’s getting better, but that’s unfortunately the name of the game right now, and as women athletes, you just have to roll with the punches and do what you can do to compete,” Ruffolo told The Hoya.
A university spokesperson said Georgetown has undertaken various initiatives in recent years to build more financial support for women’s programs, including establishing the Georgetown Athletics Women’s Allegiance in 2022. The program advocates for women’s teams and works to fund more athletic scholarships for women’s tennis, the purchase of two new boats for women’s rowing and the construction of new locker rooms for volleyball and softball.
Kozo said she has immense hope for the future of gender equity in college athletics, but
reiterated that Georgetown’s unequal distribution of resources between men’s and women’s teams adversely impacts female student-athletes’ abilities to pursue excellence in all areas. “It’s tough in college athletics because you want to be focused on school and sport, and perfecting your craft all the time,” Kozo said. “Being given the baseline resources to succeed is as important in the classroom as I believe it is on the field, and I believe it should be for the athletic department and the school as a whole.”
@WASHINGTONSPIRIT/INSTAGRAM
Washington Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury collects the ball during the team’s 2-0 loss to the Kansas City Current in their March 22 home opener at Audi Field.
COMMENTARY
Spirit Fall to Kansas City Current
Madeline Wang Deputy Sports Editor
Surrounded by the support of a record-breaking sellout crowd, the Washington Spirit (1-1) fell 0-2 to the Kansas City Current (2-0) in their season home opener March 22 at Audi Field. Despite holding the majority of possession and completing over 20% more passes than the Current, the Spirit failed to convert, spurred by video assistant referee (VAR) footage reviews called against Washington.
The 19,254 bundled-up fans filed into the stadium at Audi Field Saturday night, braving the blistering wind to cheer on their team (and boo the referees) in a new Spirit home opener record. The match marked the third consecutive home sellout for the Spirit and a 7,500-person increase in attendance from last year’s home opener, a season culminating in an NWSL championship bid.
The 2025 season is not shaping up to be quite as successful. Despite winning their first game against the Houston Dash on March 14, the Spirit entered Saturday’s match sitting at third in the NWSL based on goal differential behind the Orlando Pride, last year’s champions, and the Current themselves, who took down the Portland Thorns 3-1 the week prior. Coming into Saturday’s match, the Spirit held a 5-3-0 historical record over the Current.
Following Saturday’s match, the Spirit fell to seventh in the NWSL standings.
Saturday’s match began on the Spirit side, with midfielder Narumi Miura passing the ball to fellow midfielder Leicy Santos. The Current attempted to quickly gain control of play, committing a foul less than a minute into the match. Their attacking strategy proved semisuccessful, yielding them the ball less than a minute into play despite their conceded foul. However, the Spirit quickly gained back possession before the Current took control again, and back went the ball to the Spirit, who kicked it out of bounds. Interceptions, intermingling with the sidelines, erroneous passes, ineffectual throw-ins — the list goes on, and the ball ping-ponged without much direction for the majority of the first half.
Both teams looked closer to finding their groove as the game approached the 15-minute mark.
The Spirit were trialing a new 5-back defensive position, hoping to shut down 2024 NWSL MVP forward Temwa Chawinga, and their defensive fluidity built. Offense on both ends remained lacking. The Spirit and the Current both put up multiple goal attempts, though balls sailed wide.
The half ended scoreless — the only event of note being a yellow card against Kansas City midfielder Claire Hutton.
Returning from the halftime break, the pace of the game rapidly accelerated. The Spirit sent up a goal attempt in the 46th minute, and the Current swiftly responded with one in the 47th. Kansas City put in a few more attempts, but Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury swept in for the save each time.
In the 51st minute, Chawinga put up a header for the Current that was blocked by the Spirit’s tight defense as a whistle screeched through the stands, holding the potential for a Current penalty kick. VAR footage review ruled the Spirit’s block a handball off defender Esme Morgan. Lo’eau LaBonta lined up Kansas City’s penalty kick at the 56-minute mark and sent it swinging off her right boot and into the net.
The Spirit staff made swift plans to attain the equalizer, subbing out 17-year old midfielder Chloe Ricketts and replacing her with Spirit sensation forward Trinity Rodman in the 57th minute to erupting crowd cheers. Rodman has been nursing a back injury since September 2024 that left her out of the U.S. national team’s January camp.
In the 58th minute, Washington drew a corner that made its way into the box and out to Rodman at the edge, who effortlessly sent the ball flying into the back of the net. A whistle blew, and Rodman was initially ruled offside. But the VAR consultation deemed Rodman onside, and a potential Spirit penalty kick was suggested. Further VAR review identified an initially missed offensive foul, and the prospect of a much-needed penalty kick was rescinded. Kansas City was gifted the ball back in the 62nd minute.
The Spirit looked like they had a shot at a goal again in the 67th
minute, following what appeared to be a flagrant foul by the Current. But VAR once again turned against the Spirit, and the promising penalty was withdrawn once more. The punctuated regulation time of the second half ran out, with both teams failing to capitalize on counter-attacks and convert to a goal. 11 minutes of stoppage time were added to the second half, which saw Kingsbury record her 500th career save and Chawinga head up the pitch on a fast break before sending in an attempt that rolled out of Kingsbury’s dive, found its way back onto Chawinga’s foot and into the back of the net.
While the Spirit lost to the Current in what may appear to be a decisive defeat, the team was satisfied with their improving performance. The team instituted a new defensive strategy with a 5-back before shifting to a 3-back, and they found their groove. Calls did not go in favor of the team, but the opportunities were there. While the Current did record more shots and shots on target with 16 and 6, respectively, compared to the Spirit’s 11 and 3, respectively, the Spirit dominated the pitch, controlling 56% of the possession, sending off 450 passes and drawing 10 corners. Kansas City held 44% of the possession, sent off 363 passes, and drew a mere 4 corners.
Kingsbury echoed a positive sentiment of the team’s performance in a postgame press conference, saying the Spirit’s performance improved throughout the match.
“That is a win and we can take that as a positive and hopefully build on that for Friday’s home game,” Kingsbury said. Kingsbury, however, also echoed the team’s fears of disappointing the fans. This match marked the Spirit’s third consecutive sellout home match. Kingsbury said this loss was especially dispiriting.
“It hurts because it’s at Audi,” Kingsbury said. “We know we’re the better team.” The Spirit return to the pitch March 28 at Audi Field, where they will host Bay FC (1-0-1) in a rematch of last year’s NWSL quarterfinals.
Duke forward Cooper Flagg celebrates after beating the Arizona Wildcats.
MLB Reacts to UmpAIres
HERMAN, from A12
“I recognize that umpires are becoming increasingly — almost scarily, accurate,” Manfred said in a press conference Tuesday. “The league is working around the clock to make sure that there’s still that suspense around ball and strike calls, because we know it’s what our fans aren’t looking for.”
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts disagrees. Leading the charge against UmpAIres, Roberts has expressed discomfort with the league’s solution to the growing umpiring problem, citing equity concerns.
“Frankly, we’ve been relying on the league tipping some close calls in our direction,” Roberts said. “With these new UmpAIres, it’s gonna be a lot harder to do that. And that’s just not fair, it’s — we’re getting the rug pulled out from under our feet.”
Objections like these appear frivolous but have the potential to jeopardize the very existence of this UmpAIre technology. As much as the league values keeping fans entertained, no interest could supersede Manfred’s fervent desire to hand the Dodgers another World Series ring on a silver platter. And while Manfred could experiment with tweaking the level of UmpAIre accuracy in games involving the Dodgers, he would run the risk of accidentally aiding the opposing team. Such a gamble — obviously — carries potential consequences that the league could likely not stomach, such as someone else winning the World Series.
Or worse, a National League Most Valuable Player not named Shohei Ohtani.
Luckily, MLB would not dare let that happen. If Roberts continues to raise legitimate concerns about the planned rollout of UmpAIres,
the league will likely fold. Historical precedent, most notably Manfred’s principled reaction to the Astros’ 2017 cheating scandal, suggests that the league will always prioritize keeping its World Series winners happy over fluffy ideals like fairness, parity and justice.
Still, Manfred has kept Roberts at bay for now. This may — or may not — be connected to the fact that the Dodgers have somehow managed to stretch their offseason budget enough to sign Blake Snell, Rōki Sasaki, Tanner Scott, Blake Treinen, Teoscar Hernández, the Easter Bunny, Michael Conforto, Kiké Hernández, the ghost of Sandy Koufax and some other depth pieces without raising eyebrows. Despite the Dodgers’ hesitation, MLB remains optimistic about the future of the UmpAIres program.
The league has also proposed a five-year plan to expand AI officiating and is in the process of programming UmpAIres to make subjective determinations about which calls would generate the most engagement on social media. This would require altering the algorithm to shed the fixed accuracy percentage and instead lean toward context-informed decisions.
As always, fans will have no say at all in the decision to implement UmpAIres. “The idea of asking fans’ opinions on a piece of metal seems like a futile act,” Manfred said. Years from now, none of us will remember the calls at the plate that went awry. None of us will remember any accomplishment by any player or any heartwarming moment on the field. But all of us will remember the UmpAIres carrying the Dodgers to their ninth, 10th, 11th and 12th World Series championships — and that’s what matters.
P.S. read the first letter of every paragraph.
Sorber Decides to Test His Chances in the NBA Draft, But Does Not Rule Out Return to Georgetown
SORBER, from A12
Michael Hassner (SFS ’28), a member of Georgetown’s Pep Band, said Sorber was smart to declare for the Draft, as it allows him to explore the Draft system without committing to a decision.
“This was expected and a smart decision — he is testing out the waters and seeing what his stock might be while maintaining eligibility,” Hassner wrote to The Hoya. “This announcement doesn’t really change my perspective on his odds of leaving, because he can still freely come back. NBA teams might be worried about his injury, want him to gain some more experience, or develop his jump shot, so there’s a reasonable chance he stays.”
“It’s a great thing that he is a Hoya and regardless of what he chooses, he will be one forever,” Hassner added. “I think he is absolutely NBA-caliber.”
Maddie Ehlenbach (SFS ’26), the president of Hoya Blue, Georgetown’s official student section club, said the club is excited to rally behind Sorber
no matter what he ultimately decides.
“We are thrilled for Thomas Sorber as he considers all his options for his basketball future,” Ehlenbach wrote to The Hoya. “Watching him in blue and gray this season was nothing short of magical, and his talent is a testament to Georgetown’s excellence in recruiting and player development. Whatever decision he makes — whether it’s joining the NBA or returning to the Hilltop for another year — Sorber will always be a Hoya.” Sorber said Georgetown’s coaches and staff helped him improve his game, thanking the basketball program.
“Getting to put on the Georgetown Uniform has been the experience of a lifetime. Since day one, the entire university and alumni have welcomed me and my family in, in a way that has made Georgetown a second home for me,” Sorber wrote.
“Coaches, teammates, staff, you all have had a tremendous impact on me. Iron sharpens iron, and you have made me better every day,” Sorber added.
Driggs Tallies Career-High in Win Over Cincinnati
CINCINNATI, from A12
shut the door for good when graduate attacker Hanna Bishop responded with 2 decisive goals of her own, both assisted by McGovern, to seal the 16-11 victory.
Driggs had a career-high afternoon with 6 goals, and led all players with 9 draw controls, consistently giving the Hoyas possession advantages.
McGovern racked up 8 points with 3 goals and 5 assists, and she was a perfect 3 for 3 on free position shots.
Georgetown also dominated the draw circle, winning 20 of 29 draw controls and outshooting the Bearcats 33-26.
Driggs said the win is reflective of Georgetown’s growth this season.
“This win shows how much our team has grown over the first half of the season,” Driggs wrote.
“We are consistently hitting our stride right now and connecting from the defensive end to the midfield and into the offensive end in these tough matchups. Our team always has each other’s back when we need it throughout the game, and that speaks volumes about the culture and trust our players and coaches have built this year.”
Loschert said beating Cincinnati was important to the team.
“Going into the game, we knew that Cincinnati is a good team that is well coached,” Loschert wrote. “So being able to pull away from them makes a statement going into a really important second half of the season.”
“It gives us confidence and shows that we need to trust each other and ourselves and the work we have put into practice not only in the past two weeks, but since preseason,” Loschert added.
Driggs said Georgetown has the chance to build on this win as they begin conference play.
“In Cincinnati, we stepped out and set the tone for the game
through our intensity and urgency all over the field, and we need to do the same against Denver,” Driggs wrote. “By controlling the pace and keeping composure, we can come back with a win on Sat-
urday and make a statement of who Georgetown Lacrosse is this year in the Big East.” With non-conference play wrapped up, Georgetown will now shift its focus to Big East
5
Pitching Stars Despite Series Loss to Radford Highlanders
RADFORD, from A12
Whitmer took the mound from right-handed senior Matthew Sapienza. Despite the pitching style shift, the Highlanders continued to rally as if nothing changed. Right fielder Matthew McGovern singled, Perez and Keen doubled and Nace walked. The inning concluded at 8-0, Highlanders. The Hoyas scored 2 runs, with Schaaf bringing in sophomore center fielder Ashtin Gilio for an RBI double before tagging up on a sacrifice fly to left, courtesy of Caster. However, this was not enough to
close the lead, and Radford cemented the win with 2 more insurance runs to conclude the game at 11-2 to the Highlanders. Thompson said March 22 was a bad day for the team.
“When you’re in a hole that deep in baseball, it’s hard sometimes to get anything going,” Thompson told TheHoya. March 23 offered a chance at revival, but ended up being anything but redeeming for the Hoyas. The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the third, when Carapellotti doubled and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Gilio. Carapellotti then scored on a Schaaf single to center, followed by
a Head two-run homer, making it 3-0 with the Hoyas in the lead.
Other Georgetown successes included 6 and 2/3 innings pitched by senior left-hander Andrew Williams, whose season ERA dropped from 2.95 to 2.25 on Sunday. He totalled 0 earned runs and 4 strikeouts. Despite solid pitching, momentum slowed as the Hoyas committed their share of errors. Gilio, Schaaf and Larkins each made one, and junior third baseman Jeremy Sheffield made two. Thompson said a combination of several defensive errors was the reason for the Hoyas’ loss.
“We struggled all the year defensively, we just got to be better,” he told The Hoya. Despite graduate first baseman Noah Leib homering for the Hoyas in the bottom of the ninth, the Hoyas fell short 6-4, ultimately losing the series 2-1. After earning a midweek home win over Mount St. Mary’s
GUHOYAS
Georgetown star first-year center Thomas Sorber makes a layup during the Hoyas’ win over Seton Hall on Feb. 8.
GUHOYAS
Junior attacker Gracie Driggs runs up the field against Johns Hopkins on Feb. 25. Driggs tallied a career-high 6 goals in Georgetown’s 16-11 win over Cincinnati on March 21.
AI-Powered Umps ToTakeOverMajor League Baseball, Manfred Says
As the Major League Baseball (MLB) season begins, I am taking this opportunity to carry out my public service obligations and ensure that you are all informed viewers. It has recently come to my attention that more people read my column than ESPN’s baseball page, so it has fallen on me to update you on the latest
People easily forget that
ball is not about its players. No reasonable person shells out $40 to see a
by
of Famer Joe West or,
Ángel Hernández. The most generous of us bring an extra pair of eyeglasses to each game, intending to donate it to the most inneed umpire. All of this is to say that MLB took necessary steps this offseason to ensure that, as technology advances and accurate calls become easily accessible, we do not lose the magic of watching our favorite umpires play baseball. Recently, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred announced that the league will begin to phase in AI umpiring devices — UmpAIres — during the 2025 season. While MLB has the technological capability to calibrate the UmpAIres to 99.8% accuracy, Manfred chose instead to set them to 73.2% after extensive research into optimizing fan frustration.
See HERMAN, A11
Siena Holowesko Sports Staff Writer
The Georgetown University women’s lacrosse team (5-4) extended its perfect record against the University of Cincinnati Bearcats (7-5) with an exceptional 16-11 victory March 21 at Cooper Field. From the first whistle of the day, it was clear Georgetown came ready to defend their turf. Powered by a career-high 6 goals from junior attacker Gracie Driggs and a dominant performance at the draw circle, the Hoyas found their rhythm to defeat the Bearcats in their final game before conference play begins.
Georgetown struck first as Driggs opened the scoring within the first two minutes of the game. Cincinnati responded quickly, but Georgetown surged ahead with a 3-0 run off goals from graduate midfielder Rosie McCarthy, Driggs and sophomore attacker Anne McGovern to take a 4-1 lead. The Bearcats answered with a 4-goal run, seizing their only lead of the day at 5-4. Just before the end of the first quarter, the Hoyas reclaimed momentum with goals from Driggs, senior attacker Emma Gebhardt and first-year attacker Sophia Loschert to close out an energetic first quarter with Georgetown up 7-6.
The second quarter featured similar back-and-forth play, but the Hoyas built their lead with
Taking
Georgetown vs. Providence
Saturday, 12 p.m.
Cooper Field
for NBA Draft, Retains Eligibility
Caleigh Keating and Sophia Lu Senior Sports Editors
Georgetown University men’s basketball star Thomas Sorber declared for the 2025 NBA Draft, he announced in an Instagram post March 27. Sorber, a first-year center who could be picked in the top half of the first round, averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2 blocks per game in his first and potentially only season with the Hoyas. He was named the Big East Freshman of the Week seven times throughout the season and took home Big East All-Freshman Team and All-Big
East Third Team selections in the conference’s postseason awards.
Although he has hired an agent, Sorber will retain his NCAA eligibility and will not enter the transfer portal. If drafted, Sorber will become the first Hoya to be picked in the NBA Draft since Otto Porter Jr. in 2013. He is the No. 24 ranked prospect in the draft, according to ESPN.
In his announcement, Sorber said he has always dreamed of playing in the NBA.
“Everyone that knows me knows that my dream has always been to play in the NBA, and I am excited for the opportunity to receive feedback from NBA teams as I continue to develop my game and explore the
next steps in my basketball career,” Sorber wrote in the post.
The Trenton, N.J. native was the No. 50 ranked recruit in the Class of 2024, coming out of Archbishop Ryan High School in Philadelphia. He joined the Hoyas’ starting five at the beginning of the 202425 season, playing his way into the limelight in the Big East and then around the country before a season-ending Feb. 15 foot injury.
Sorber immediately shined, scoring 20 points and recording 13 rebounds in the Hoyas’ first game of the season against Lehigh University. He notched a career game in the Hoyas’ loss at Providence College on Jan. 25, where he recorded a
career high 25 points, including two 3-pointers, and 15 rebounds.
He led the Hoyas in rebounds and blocks per game this season and recorded 8 double-doubles on the season. He scored 20 or more points on five occasions and ranked among the top first-years for key statistics in college basketball.
In a press conference following Georgetown’s Big East tournamentending loss to the DePaul University Blue Demons on March 12, Head Coach Ed Cooley said Sorber should have been further recognized with the Big East Freshman of the Year award, which went to University of Connecticut forward Liam McNeeley.
“Bare minimum should have been
goals from Driggs, sophomore attacker Anne McGovern and senior midfielder Rileigh Meyer. Despite pressure from Cincinnati, who put up 2 of their own, Georgetown remained composed and went into halftime with a 10-8 lead. The Hoyas came out of halftime with a burst of energy, stringing together 3 unanswered goals to extend their gap to 13-8.
Loschert said Georgetown successfully made adjustments at halftime.
“On the offensive side, we were able to see where their defense had
gaps in it. It was definitely a major point discussed during halftime,” Loschert wrote to The Hoya. “Going into the second half we made sure to possess the ball but also continue the quick ball movement that led to their defense breaking down and gaps being shown.”
Driggs continued her terrific performance in the third quarter with her fifth goal of the afternoon. After the game, Driggs said the team’s one play at a time strategy allowed them to find success.
“Taking it one draw at a time, one ground ball or one clear, allowed
us to be successful and come away with the game for the third quarter,” Driggs wrote to The Hoya.
Despite a last-second score from Cincinnati, Georgetown entered the fourth quarter up 14-10. The final quarter saw a defensive stalemate, with both teams trading turnovers and missed opportunities. The Hoya defense kept their foot on the gas in the fourth quarter, holding the Bearcats scoreless for the first 10 minutes. Cincinnati found the net late in the final quarter, but Georgetown
Martha Brennan Sports Staff Writer
Despite beginning the weekend with a victory, the Georgetown University baseball team (9-16) failed to execute a series win in a three-game matchup against the Radford University Highlanders (12-11) on March 21-23.
On March 21, the weekend looked like it would be a hit for the Hoyas. The first game remained scoreless until the fifth inning, when outfielder Corbin Grantham scored for the Highlanders after walking to first base and stealing second, followed by taking third on a fielder’s choice by Georgetown sophomore shortstop Blake Schaaf.
Grantham made his way home after Georgetown caught Highlander shortstop Hunter Keen on an attempted steal, putting Radford ahead 1-0.
Graduate outfielder Kavi Caster then flipped the game on its side for the Hoyas in the bottom of the fifth.
Caster began Friday’s game with a season .307 batting average, only second on his team to Schaaf, who took the field with a batting average of .333.
While Georgetown Head Coach Edwin Thompson was reluctant to share secrets to success, he said he was thrilled at their performances.
“They’ve been themselves, and not trying to be someone they’re not,” Thompson told The Hoya in a phone interview.
Rookie of the Year of this league,” Cooley said in the press conference. “His impact for us takes nothing away from McNeeley, nothing at all. His impact, the fact that these coaches didn’t recognize that, I pray that that kid comes back.”
“One person had just as much production, if not more, but had a major impact, not in the Big East, nationally, and he’s not recognized like that, shame on our coaches for not recognizing that,” Cooley added. “That kid more than earned it, more than deserved it. And again, I’m praying my big man comes back because if he does, this room will look blue and gray.”
SORBER, A11 See CINCINNATI, A11
Caster mobilized the offense with a base hit up the middle for his first hit — and second time on base after a first inning walk — of the game.
His teammates followed suit. First-year catcher Ashton Seymore and outfielder Dylan Larkins both walked, priming the bases for senior catcher Owen Carapellotti to bring the Hoyas home. Carapellotti then homered to right-center to drive in 3 runs for a 3-1 Georgetown lead. Defense was where the Hoyas truly showed their skill. Graduate right-hander JT Raab’s 6 and 1/3 innings on the mound were essential for Friday’s win. Raab recorded only 2 earned runs and 5 hits in 21 at-bats, ending the day with a 2.84 game ERA and a 3.31 ERA on the season. In the top of the sixth inning, Radford struck again, scoring a second run to bring the score to 3-2. The Hoyas responded with another run of their own in the bottom of the seventh, bringing them ahead by 2 runs once again. In the bottom of the eighth, Caster struck again, ripping a triple to bat in sophomore infielder Tristan Head and solidify the final score of 6-2 to the Hoyas. March 22 was a different story for the Hoyas as the Highlanders showed out, swinging. In the top of the first, Radford outfielder Jhonkeanu Perez and Keen singled, first baseman Breckin Nace walked, catcher Tyler Sparrer got on base and second baseman Noah Toole and designated hitter Eli Hudgins walked to put the Highlanders ahead early. The score was now 3-0 to Radford, deeming it time for a Hoya pitching change. Left-handed senior Marshall
Eilat Herman Hoya Sports Columnist