Volume 105 Issue 10

The Fordham Ram

Serving The Fordham University Community Since 1918

TheFordhamRam.com

Fordham Announces

6% Tuition Increase

By SAMANTHA MINEAR FEATURES EDITOR

On March 30, the Office of the President sent an email to the Fordham community stating that there will be a “painful 6% increase in tuition and room-and-board fees” for the 2023-24 academic year.

As of March, inflation in the U.S. was at 6%. This has resulted in an increase in costs for goods and services across the country. At Fordham, this has meant a rise in costs for “supplies, health care and maintaining [Fordham’s] campuses,” according to the email. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the university lost $119 million in funds, which they “continue to recover from.”

The announcement is preceded by numerous United Student Government meetings that have cited inflation as the reason for club budget cuts. They recently held a referendum to raise the student activities fee to $95.

Bob Howe, associate vice president for communications and special adviser to the

SEE TUITION, PAGE 4

Fordham’ s Annual Senior Week Approaches for 2023 Graduates

By AVA CARREIRO DIGITAL PRODUCER

As the spring 2023 semester concludes, Fordham’s annual Senior Week approaches. Every year, the Senior Week Committee and Office of Student Involvement (OSI) puts on a variety of events leading up to commencement for Fordham’s graduating seniors.

The Senior Week Kickoff Event will be held on Tuesday, May 16

from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. under the Coffey field bleachers. Tickets are $15 each, which includes entry and food. Seniors who are above 21 years old can purchase up to four drink tickets for $5 each.

The Senior Ball will be held on Wednesday, May 16 at 7 p.m. at Cipriani 42nd Street in Manhattan. Tickets cost $100 each, which includes an openbar, full Cipriani buffet and a night of dancing. There is also a split-

Asian American Studies Program

By SAMANTHA MINEAR

On April 3, James Kim, Ph.D., of the English department announced that Fordham University is now offering an Asian American studies program, featuring a minor in Asian American studies (AAST). Led by Kim, the faculty working group on Asian American studies includes Stephen Hong Sohn, Ph.D., of English; Caitlin Meehye Beach, Ph.D., of art history; Daisy Deomampo, Ph.D., and Vivian Lu, Ph.D., of anthropology; Ki-Eun Jang, Ph.D., of theology; Grace Shen, Ph.D., of history; Tiffany Yip, Ph.D., of psychology; and Qun Wang, Ph.D., of communications.

Committee on Sexual Misconduct Hosts Week of Action

By GRACE GALBREATH ASST. NEWS EDITOR

Next week, the university's United Student Government’s (USG) Committee on Sexual Misconduct (CSM) is hosting their bi-annual Week of Action.

Running from April 24-28, the week will include several events, such as bracelet making and the construction of period poverty kits.

USG Vice President of Health and Security and Co-Chair of CSM Emily Kennedy, GSB ’24, has been planning CSM’s Week of

Action since last semester.

Kennedy said, “CSM has been planning Week of Action since the last Week of Action! CSM really focuses on creating this event through months of careful preparation and thought. We put a lot of time and effort into the events we pick, the

pay option available.

On Thursday, May 17, seniors can join President Tania Tetlow at the Always a Ram Celebration Barbeque from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., where the Class of 2023 photo will be taken. The event is free to attend, but seniors must RSVP ahead of time in order to receive their Class of 2023 memento: a custom 2023 Fordham pilsner glass.

SEE SENIOR, PAGE 5

MENA Town Hall

“This achievement marks the culmination of a half-century long struggle,” said Kim. “In the course of working on this initiative, I learned that efforts to establish Asian American Studies at Fordham date back to the early 1970s, when student activists advocated for ethnic studies at the university. Those student activists are the reason that Fordham has one of the oldest African American Studies departments in the country.”

Raises Awareness Opinion

By EMMA KIM NEWS EDITOR

On Wednesday, April 12, the United Student Government (USG) Diversity Action Coalition and the Office of Gabelli School of Business Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion presented a celebration and town hall for Arab American Heritage Month. The town hall was a chance for Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) students to discuss their experiences at Fordham.

In 2017, Arab America and the Arab America Foundation launched an initiative for National Arab American Heritage Month (NAAHM).

In 2021, the president officially recognized the month of April as National Arab American Heritage Month.

USG Senator Lucas Hjertberg, FCRH ’26, said

A 2019 NBC article stated that Asian American studies programs are “still hard to find,” even in academically elite universities such as Duke and Harvard. Anti-Asian sentiment has been on the rise since the COVID-19 pandemic, which started in Wuhan, China. It was frequently misattributed as the “China flu” or “Wuhan virus,” despite Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines banning the naming of diseases after geographic locations following the Spanish flu. This has played a role in the sharp uptick of crimes against Asian Americans, such as the Atlanta spa shooting and the death of Michelle Go, who was pushed in front of an R train at Times Square-42nd St.

SEE ASIAN, PAGE 4

in this issue

Culture

Page 14

“Destination Cosmos” at Hall des Lumières

Fordham, Show Us the Money Sports

Fordham Women’s Basketball

Introduces New Head Coach Bridgette Mitchell — and a New Era in the Process

COURTESY OF THE RAM ARCHIVES

Fordham’s annual Senior Week will kick off on May 16 with various events throughout the week.

Fordham’s USG Committee on Sexual Misconduct will take place between April 24 and 28.

PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS

April 12

McShane Campus Center

12:30 p.m.

On Wednesday, a member of Student Involvement reported damaged pool cues in the McShane Campus Center. Investigation identified that a student had intentionally damaged two pool cues.

April 12

McShane Fitness Center

4:30 p.m.

On Wednesday, a student reported the theft of their Apple AirPods from a locker in the McShane Fitness Center. Investigation of the video did not identify an offender.

April 13

Goupil Hall

7:58 a.m.

On Thursday, a fire alarm went off in Goupil Hall. The supervisor and FDNY responded. Investigation revealed that a student had burnt food, causing the alarm. The supervisor ventilated the room and reset the fire panel.

April 13

Parking Garage

10:05 p.m.

On Thursday, there was a four-car accident in the parking garage. FUEMS responded to the accident. Investigation revealed two cars exiting the garage collided, causing damage to two unoccupied parked cars. Each of the drivers suffered minor injuries.

Fordham Faculty Speaks on President Tania Tetlow’s Transition

Wednesday April 19

McShane Campus Center

12-4:30 p.m.

Come and celebrate the accomplishments of Fordham undergraduate researchers at the Undergraduate Research Symposium. The event is open to students, faculty and staff.

By MICHELA FAHY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

By ALEXANDER HOM CONTRIBUTING WRITER

In the first nine months of her tenure as Fordham’s 33rd president, Tania Tetlow has made history as the first female layperson to lead and serve alongside the university’s faculty and staff as its highestranking official.

Faculty members have generally remarked that Tetlow’s availability and presence is a considerable improvement from previous years, echoing students’ similarly lauding views.

“The Career Center has had very positive interactions with President Tetlow,” said Director Annette McLaughlin, who helms Fordham’s Career Center in JMCC. She expressed gratitude at Tetlow’s delivery of her welcoming remarks for the Center’s 2022 Global Diversity and Inclusion Banquet last fall, praising the president for her generosity.

McLaughlin also pointed to the time that Tetlow has personally devoted time to her department in supporting their operations, events and even a new hire on her first day.

“In her first few months, she would walk around the campus, and students started cheering and surrounding her. It’s great to see this level of enthusiasm that we faculty members have reflected in the students, especially at the numerous events she’s hosted for the entire Fordham community to engage with her. We definitely appreciate her support of the Career Center and look forward to working with her in the future,” said McLaughlin.

“With President Tetlow being new to Fordham and inheriting many of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council (DEI)-related plans that were already set into motion prior to her arrival, I think her current approach is moreso one of collecting information and exploring the best paths forward,” said Juan Carlos Matos, assistant vice president for student affairs for Diversity and Inclusion. “President Tetlow is committed to making Fordham more diverse and inclusive in order to better reflect the city of New York, especially the Bronx.”

According to Matos, Tetlow has frequently sought and listened to

the perspectives of students, faculty and staff, receiving regular briefings from Matos and DEI Chief Diversity Officer Rafael Zapata. Matos highlights DEI and the Office for Student Involvement’s (OSI) work with the Office of the President to unite student club leaders at events held at both Rose Hill and Lincoln Center for all to voice their perspectives. He added, “President Tetlow also intends to communicate with the University community before the end of the academic year about what she’s learned and her preliminary plans regarding DEI.”

Mary Bly, chair of English at Fordham, cites her approval due to Tetlow’s transparency and interest in the faculty community.

“In a first — in my experience — she visited a Zoom meeting of the Arts and Sciences chairs to answer questions in an informally straightforward manner. I’m very fond of Father McShane, but I did deplore the privacy surrounding his decisions. President Tetlow seems much more forthright about the exigencies facing the university.”

Bly said she feels Tetlow listens to the faculty, emphasizing how the president distributed a faculty-wide survey through her famed emails inviting suggestions regarding the budget gap, and that Tetlow’s familiarity with their feedback indicated she’d studied each one. “That’s unprecedented. In my 20 years at Fordham, I find it challenging to point to a moment when faculty opinions were not only solicited, but listened to as well.” Though she specifies the English department hasn’t asked for anything specific, Bly states the other department heads have collectively submitted various requests. “I’m hopeful the president will be responsive to them,” said Bly.

“Her letters to the university strike a refreshingly authentic note,” said Bly, speaking to Tetlow’s further accomplishments. “I’d point to her letter about domestic violence. She also recently sent one to faculty acknowledging how hard we work, suggesting a series of meetings that’ll unite different departments for interdisciplinary conversations.”

Bly emphasized students’ desires for education that transcends “academic boundaries,” using English and

Fordham faculty voice their approval and support for President Tania Tetlow. biology as a hypothetical example, and stressing the importance of a system that could combine potential courses to maximize the efficiency of the content covered. She said she commends Tetlow’s handling of the budget: “In order for Fordham University to thrive, we must operate within our budget, growing the endowment rather than leaning so heavily upon it.”

As for improvements regarding Tetlow’s term, “I think it’s the community that needs to improve,” said Bly. “She’s our first female president — and she hasn’t been here long. I’m saddened by the misogynistic, sexist graphics circulating social media, attacking her.”

Julie Gafney, executive director for the Center for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL) and assistant vice president of Strategic Mission Initiative, said she also offers her support for Tetlow. “We’ve been so excited to welcome President Tetlow to campus, and energized to see her commitments to community engagement. She has a deep awareness of the Jesuit mission — not only as a static ideal, but as a living and breathing project. She sees community public service is that mission, and is how we live that mission.”

Gafney said she found delight in Tetlow’s accompaniment of her and scores of students during Urban Plunge for a day of engagement. “She was able to

This Week at Fordham

Wednesday April 19

Keating 1st 5 p.m.

Fordham’s English department is hosting the Reid Writers of Color series featuring American novelist Angie Cruz. The event will include a reading, talk and Q & A.

Friday April 21

Keating 1st 8 p.m.

Come support Fordham’s oldest co-ed a capella group at their annual spring 2023 concert. The a capella performance is murder mystery-themed. The event’s admission is free.

Saturday April 22

Fordham Prep 8:30 p.m.

Support Fordham’s Satin Dolls at their spring 2023 concert, “Basketdolls”. The femme a capella group’s performance is one you won’t want to miss. Admission is free.

meet first-year students who attended for the first time, and this year President Tetlow has focused on ensuring the university’s structures and strategies are in place to help achieve our visions of social justice through community engagement, as an embedded priority for all.”

“We’re so thrilled to have President Tetlow with us,” said Vanessa Rotondo, associate director of Campus Engagement and senior adviser on Ignatian Leadership with CCEL. She recalls attending Tetlow’s inauguration. “Seeing a woman assume the presidency at Fordham — I’ve been here for a decade as an undergrad/grad student in addition to four years as an administrator — something like her ascendancy wasn’t something I’d expected so soon in my career. It’s really powerful to witness this firsthand.”

Rotondo reaffirms her shared duty to honor Mission/Catholic social teaching. “When President Tetlow brought our academic/ extracurricular efforts front and center, it really made our work the university’s responsibility through the Jesuit mission lens. She embraces these aims wholeheartedly, and it’s great to see her implementing that identity within her strategy moving forward. I’m so excited to see how she’ll advance all that ... with our support.”

Sunday April 23

Eddie’s Parade 7 p.m.

Kick off 2023 Spring Weekend and join CAB at their Campus Movie Fest. Spring Weekend event updates will be posted on @fordhamcab on Instagram.

COURTESY OF TWITTER

FROM MENA, PAGE 1 that this event was inspired by the fact that Arab American Heritage Month has been officially recognized by the president, but not Fordham.

“Fordham has yet to recognize NAAHM, but students on campus certainly have not forgotten the presence, value and contributions of Arab Americans at Fordham,” said Hjertberg. “The town hall comes as Muslims enter the last 10 days of Ramadan and reminds us of our diverse community here at Fordham.”

Hjertberg also explained that the federal census does not include Arab Americans.

“According to the federal census, Arab Americans are considered ‘white,’ as Arab/ Middle-Eastern and Northern African is not recognized as an ethnic minority by the United States government,” said Hjertberg. “However, it doesn’t take much to realize that Arab Americans do not share many of the same privileges as white Americans. Therefore, it is up to our generation to hold the necessary conversations that

MENA Town Hall Raises Awareness

adults refuse to have.”

Hjertberg said that the issue first came to his attention because of his friend Karam Youssef, GSB ’26, who brought up that MENA students were not included in the First-Year Diversity Scholars Program.

“After hearing about this, I immediately reached out to Briana Al-Omoush, VP of the Diversity Action Coalition of USG, and a Jordanian-American. Karam, Briana and I, along with USG Senator Nick Chipelo, got to work immediately. We put together dozens of hours of work and came up with a proposal that was presented on Thursday, April 13.”

Briana Al-Omoush, FCRH ’24, explained that the proposal expands opportunities for MENA students.

“Since February, Lucas and I have been working on a proposal to Expand Opportunities for Middle Eastern and North African Students at Fordham on USG,” said Al-Omoush. “This proposal elevated Karam’s initial concern about MENA students not being eligible for the First Year Diversity Scholars Program

within Gabelli.”

Al-Omoush added: “The proposal expands opportunities for MENA students through more scholarship opportunities targeted towards them, inclusion in programs Fordham decides the ethnic and racial filters for, like First-Year Diversity Scholars in Gabelli, and university acknowledgment of Arab American Heritage Month. We thought a good way to open up the conversation with the goals of our proposal was by doing an event to celebrate Arab American Heritage Month, as we have yet to see this done elsewhere in the university.”

Youssef, who is also involved in the proposal, explained that the town hall was a chance to elevate unheard voices on campus.

“The main goals [of the town hall] were to understand how we can work together to make Arab American students on campus feel more accommodated and welcome, as currently, we do not feel as though we are,” said Youssef.

Hjertberg added that there were many different experiences

shared at the town hall.

“Many students shared how they feel alienated by the Fordham community, especially international students who don’t feel like Fordham takes the proper steps to integrate them into the Rose Hill environment,” said Hjertberg.

Hjertberg added: “Additionally, students from the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at Lincoln Center shared their disappointment at USGRH for not spreading their concern about Fordham’s recent decision to open a new study abroad program with an Israeli university located in East Jerusalem, which is officially recognized as Palestinian land. Students also shared that they would like to see more attention paid to the holy month of Ramadan. Students suggested increasing awareness of the month on campus and ensuring professors understand that students may need to break fast during classes that take place later in the day.”

Youssef said that other grievances were how the school handled Ramadan and the lack of opportunities for Arab American students.

“With the cafeteria closing at 7 [p.m.] on weekends, it was very difficult to get a wide range of healthier foods in. With limited food options on campus, it was difficult to get in meals,” said Youssef.

“On top of this, recently there were quotes hung around the gates of Eddies with one saying ‘Deus Vult,’ which is a quote from the crusades used by Christian Nationalists. A student saw this and it made him uncomfortable, as he is a Muslim. Overall, students were mainly more hopeful for a more active Middle Eastern community, but unfortunately did not get that through what they felt was a lack of opportunities.”

Overall, Youssef said he hopes that people realize that their voices matter.

“I hope that people take away that no matter who you are, you deserve to be heard and to be seen. It is essential that we all embrace our diversity and celebrate our culture. You should also never be shy if you have any grievances with anything. You should make an effort to be the change,” said Youssef.

Committee on Sexual Misconduct Hosts Week of Action

FROM CSM, PAGE 1

t-shirts we design, the clubs we collaborate with and how to successfully share our mission with the Fordham community.”

This semester, CSM will be introducing several new events to their annual Week of Action. The lineup includes the Clothesline Project, during which Fordham students are invited to express their emotions and bring awareness to violence through the decoration of a t-shirt, and Little Words Project Bracelet Making, which includes the construction of bracelets displaying supportive messages for sexual misconduct survivors. Over the course

of the week, CSM will also be collaborating with Days for Girls NYC to assemble period poverty kits containing menstrual products.

“I’m most looking forward to our Little Words project event! This is a new event for us, but I’m very excited to see more participation and hopefully a lasting impact. By creating bracelets with little words of support, students, faculty and admin can wear these bracelets on a daily basis and show their support for survivors,” said Kennedy.

CSM Co-Chair Molly Ewing, FCRH ’25, worked in collaboration with Kennedy to plan CSM’s

Week of Action.

“I am most looking forward to our event with Days for Girls.

It is such an amazing organization and CSM is excited to be involved with this project helping girls worldwide,” said Ewing.

CSM will also recognize National Denim Day on April 26 by wearing denim to combat victim blaming and educate the Fordham community about sexual violence.

Kennedy said, “This is an important event for Fordham to participate in, because Denim Day is in honor of a woman who was forcibly raped by her driving instructor. Victim blaming is a problem in our community

and communities around the world. We participate in Denim Day to create change around this topic and spread the underlying message that it is never okay to sexually assault someone on the basis of what they were wearing.”

“I am also excited about Denim Day. It is an important event for Fordham to participate in to take a stand against victim blaming when it comes to sexual misconduct. Victim blaming is a major problem in society. No one deserves to be assaulted no matter what they are wearing, drinking or doing,” said Ewing.

CSM said they hope that the

Fordham community participates in the week’s events and educates themselves on the issue of sexual misconduct.

“We hope to foster, promote, and create a culture of affirmative consent throughout our campus. Week of Action takes us one step closer to inspiring this change on a cultural level,” said Ewing.

“Sexual misconduct/assault can be a silent issue and also very difficult to talk about and address. CSM’s Week of Action is supporting survivors and giving them a voice,” added Kennedy. Follow their Instagram, which is @csm_fordhamusg.

USG Discusses Public Concerns and New Proposals

By SOFIA SEMPER STAFF WRITER

On Thursday, April 13, the Fordham Rose Hill Student Government (USG) met to discuss public concerns and the proposal to expand opportunities for Middle Eastern and North African students, known as the MENA proposal.

Senator Maya Dominguez, FCRH ’23, brought up the public concern about Walsh Library closing hours. She explained that she has heard many complaints that the library has been closing much sooner than it is supposed to be. Online it says that the library closes at 12 a.m. but students have complained that it has recently been closing at around 9 p.m.

Executive President Santiago Vidal, FCRH ’24, said that he will reach out to Public Safety or Facilities to figure out why this has been happening. He also explained that he thinks the issue might be that there are not

enough security guards to work the night shift so they have had to close early, but he will still try to confirm what the issue is.

Vice President of Finance and Budget Eron Maltzman, GSB ’25, presented a budget request to purchase food for the Budget Committee’s Easy Cuts Day and Budget Day. He said that the Budget Committee really does not use their budget very much, and he wants to treat his committee members.

Next on the agenda, Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion Brianna Al-Omoush, FCRH ’24, and Senator Lucas Hjertberg, FCRH ’26, presented the MENA proposal. Hjertberg said that they are trying to reach out to Representative Richie Torres about why the MENA community is not considered an ethnic minority when it seems like they should be. He explained that the overall purpose of this proposal is to expand opportunities for Middle Eastern and North African stu-

dents and to have their voices be heard on campus. They are hoping that with this proposal, Fordham can increase scholarship opportunities for MENA students and have events that embrace MENA culture.

Audience member Deborah Adebanjo, FCRH ’26, added that she has heard complaints from many of her Muslim friends that Easter is recognized by Fordham and students are given time off to celebrate it, but Eid, a very important holiday in Islam, is not really celebrated at all. Hjertberg explained that that is something that they are hoping to address and fix with this proposal.

Senator Keegan Roeder, FCRH ’23, stated that he has been working on a proposal to have Spanish campus tours to accommodate some of the international families, and it is finally ready to be put on the USG agenda and revised.

Vice President of Fordham College Rose Hill Emma Balint,

FCRH ’24, explained that she has heard many complaints from students who have been trying to register for study abroad classes. She said that there is nothing that she could do about that now but she is

hoping to have this fixed for the future.

Hjertberg was named as the March Senator of the Month. Fordham Backstage was named March Club of the Month.

Fordham Announces Asian American Studies Program

FROM ASIAN, PAGE 1

“This was work,” said Kim, reflecting on the years-long process. “It was work of a particularly exhausting kind, partly because it took place on top of the emotional and psychological demands of living through a period so thick with anti-Asian racism.”

Kim and his colleagues were enthused by the response from the student body. The faculty’s petition, which demanded the “immediate hiring of more tenureline faculty specializing in Asian American Studies” and the creation of “a fully supported, generously resourced Asian American Studies program” received 1,394 signatures and full support from the United Student Government of

both campuses.

“After we submitted the petition, we were fortunate to receive the strong support of the Fordham administration,” said Kim. “We were able to win funds from the Deans’ Challenge Grant and the Teaching Race Across the Curriculum (TRAC) grant, which enabled us to do a lot of work over the past two years.”

Additionally, Rafael Zapata, chief diversity officer, has been a “particularly stalwart supporter of [the] initiative.”

“We simply could not have done the work we’ve done without his support and the support of the deans,” said Kim.

Students will have the opportunity to take courses with the Asian

American studies attribute starting this summer with Kim’s course titled “Race and Contemporary Film.” In fall 2023, “Representing Asians in Journalism and Media” and “Seeing Stories: Reading Race and Graphic Narratives” will be available. The first AAST 4000 class, a requirement for the minor, will be offered in spring 2024, as well as “Contemporary Issues in Asian America” and a course on Asian American art.

“Good times are ahead,” said Kim.

The program will be run by Hong Sohn and Meehye Beach starting next fall during Kim’s research sabbatical.

Interested studies should fill out the Minor Declaration form.

Fordham Announces 6% Tuition Increase

president, stated that the tuition increase was decided at this year’s budget meeting.

For last year’s budget, Nicholas Milowski, vice president for finance and assistant treasurer, justified a 4% increase in May. “We’re giving most first-year incoming undergraduate students a 50% reduction off of their sticker price,” said Milowski at May’s spring budget forum. He stated that “students save a significant amount of money through financial aid.”

Following this drastic change, President Tetlow said that the budget for financial aid will be increased by $10 million to “help lighten this burden for as many families as [Fordham] can.” Additionally, the university has committed to easing the financial burden of rising tuition costs for families that need it the most.

“We will do our very best to increase financial aid for those of you who cannot afford to help us pay these rising costs,” said Tetlow in the aforementioned email.

In 2022, the university was ranked 32 of the 50 most ex -

pensive universities in the U.S., according to CBS News.

“Response has been muted,” said Howe on how the community has responded to these changes.

Tuition increases happen every year at private universities, typically in accordance with market rates. While 6% is larger than usual, it is likely that Fordham’s price tag will rise with rates of inflation and efforts to recoup financial loss during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I feel like the biggest complaint students have with tuition increases is the fact that there’s so little transparency as to how the money is being spent,” said Jordan Gomes, FCRH ’25.

“We all understand that all colleges do tuition increases, but when the increase is higher than that of schools with even stronger academic profiles than Fordham, such as NYU and Columbia, which raised tuition by 4.9% as opposed to 6%, you start to wonder what warrants the price hike. I can absolutely see this affecting Fordham’s enrollment and retention rate over the next couple years.”

Christina Boniello, GSB ’23, held similar concerns.

“I think the increase in tuition is absurd. Where is the money going? We see it’s in the landscaping and buildings. We have so many endowments — so much money flowing through this campus, it’s insane that they want more from these students that don’t have the money to do it.”

The sentiment of injustice was echoed amongst the student body.

“As someone who commutes, Fordham is already expensive enough,” said Michael Costello, FCRH ’25. “My family is already going through a rough time, so this is just a bummer.”

“Frankly, I think it’s ridiculous to have a 10% increase in tuition in the past two years,” said Darin McFarlane, FCRH ’25. “I understand where the president is coming from, but I think that was the wrong message to provide to us — to say that they’re hurting as well. What about the many students who cannot afford tuition or those who pay their tuition themselves?”

Fordham Hosts Seventh Annual Giving Day Event

By EMMA KIM

NEWS EDITOR

Fordham had its seventh annual Giving Day. It started on April 17 at 12 p.m. and closed on April 18 at midnight. Giving Days are fundraising events that are meant to raise money, increase engagement and bring people together. The theme for Fordham’s seventh annual Giving Day is “Ignite Change!” In 2021, the fifth annual Giving Day raised $1,325,033, and in 2022, the sixth annual Giving Day raised $1,540,483 in donations.

Neil Stevenson, Fordham Fund officer, explained that the theme is inspired by the Jesuit mission.

“As a Jesuit university, Fordham always challenges its students to live the mission and go forth and set the world aflame. Because of that, we really wanted to emphasize that making donations to Fordham can

really ignite change and spark the flames and all of that,” said Stevenson.

Stevenson said he hopes that people are able to see the power of coming together through the event.

“Our main takeaway for students for Giving Day is to see the power of combining gifts and coming together as a community,” said Stevenson. “Our goal for this Giving Day is 2,500 donors. We are emphasizing donors over dollars to really show the power of participation and having people give back to areas of the university that were most impactful for them.”

Before the event officially goes live, Stevenson explained that early donations can also be made. As of April 13, 84 people already donated to Giving Day.

In addition to directly donating, there are other ways that the people in the Fordham com-

munity can give back, including spreading awareness on social media, becoming an advocate for the campaign or sharing their Fordham story.

As another part of Giving Day, people are able to share testimonies about why they gave back to the community.

Juan Rivera, GSB ’90, said: “My experience at Fordham was important to me in that it exposed me to the idea of service to others. That idea has become a way of life for me and turned into a career.”

Kathryn Castelli, GSB ’90, also shared the reason she gave back.

“Fordham allowed me to elevate the level of my confidence and success. I didn’t know it at the time, but a better me meant better things for the generation that followed. The positive effects of my Fordham education are still being enjoyed by me and felt by all my family,” said Castelli.

Stevenson added: “Giving Days

are really just a great way to celebrate the university and come together as a collective. There are a lot of people who extend their support throughout the year, but Giving Days are really good at building community and showing the power of

all coming together at once.” Giving Day boasted $1,055,312 from 2,192 online donors as of 10 p.m. Tuesday night. Many choose to donate through checks, which means the final number will be published in coming days.

The Asian American studies program is years in the making.

Fordham's Giving Day is a way to support extracurriculars and departments.

Fordham's Annual Senior Week Approaches for 2023 Graduates

On their final night as undergraduates, seniors can join their families for the Parent Appreciation Dinner Dance (PADD) which will be held on May 19. The event will take place on Martyr’s Lawn, and go from 7:15 p.m. to 12 a.m. Tickets cost $65 each, with each student being able to purchase up to four tickets. There is also a waitlist for up to two additional tickets per person. The celebration will include a buffet, a live band and an open bar.

Seniors looking to attend any of these events can purchase tickets through University Tickets. Typically, all Senior Week events sell out.

By EMMA KARN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Each year, a group of students from their graduating class come together to form the Senior Week Committee, which is responsible for organizing activities to celebrate the senior class’s final year. This year, the co-chairs of the committee are Maya Bentovim, GSB ’23, and Jonathan Eng, FCRH ’23.

When asked what Senior Week event she is looking forward to the most, Bentovim said that she is “definitely most excited about our Parent Appreciation Dinner Dance, which will be a bittersweet event as it’s our last night together as undergraduates. Not only is it our largest event, with a massive tent on Martyrs’ Lawn and

a live band, but it is also a chance to celebrate all our hard work and achievements with our families.”

On the other hand, Eng said he is most excited for the Senior Ball. He explained that he “had the opportunity to volunteer last year and can’t wait to go back, but this time as a senior surrounded by friends. The venue, food and music combined with the tuxedos and gowns really make the event feel like the final celebration of being a senior.”

Before Senior Week begins, the Senior Week Committee is holding events for the Class of 2023 to participate in.

On Thursday, April 20, a Senior Night event will be held from

10 p.m. to 1 a.m. The theme for April’s Senior Night is “Name Game” and seniors are encouraged to come dressed up as anything that starts with the first letter of their first name. Entry is free and seniors who are above the age of 21 can purchase up to four drink tickets.

Additionally, on Wednesday, April 26, a “Moving Mental Spaces: First Year and First Career” event will be held in collaboration with Alumni Relations and the Career Center. It will take place in Bepler Commons at 6:30 p.m. and feature alumni from BGB Group, Pharos Academy, Priceline & Agoda, Hunter, KPMG and Understood.

org to answer questions and share their advice on the mental challenges of entering post-graduation life. Entry is free and seniors can enjoy food and two drink tickets each with valid proof of age. Tickets will be available on University Tickets later this week.

The Senior Week Committee is also selling Fordham Class of 2023 crewneck sweatshirts, which can be purchased online. For underclassmen looking to get involved, volunteers can sign up next fall.

Students in the Class of 2024 who want to join their graduating class’ Senior Week Committee can apply now online.

Senior Researches Sustainable Energy Sources

Madeleine Lopane, FCRH ’23, an integrative neuroscience major on the cell and molecular track, conducted neurobiological summer research with Eduardo Gallo, Ph.D. In her junior year, she began to study the neurobiology of motivated behavior, particularly in relation to reward seeking, which can have practical applications in issues such as substance abuse, ADHD and eating disorders. “I did some shadowing,” Lopane said, but eventually “I was able to develop my own project based off of my interests.”

She began the interview with some startling facts — 10% of individuals in the United States are diagnosed with eating disorders and 42% with pathological obesity. Lopane and many others believe these conditions are related to deficiencies in brain reward systems. “I wanted to look at these brain deficiencies and how they affect disorders,” she explained. Her research focused on the mesolimbic dopamine system, which is responsible

for reward seeking and motivated behavior. One of the main pathways in this system is the ventral pallidum, which Lopane said has rarely been researched. There are three different types of neurons within this region, and for this project she chose to focus on cholinergic neurons. Lopane said these neurons utilize acetylcholine, which is very similar to nicotine, a known appetite suppressor. She said her primary objective was “to investigate whether ventral pallidum cholinergic neurons are activated following feeding.”

Lopane worked with a mouse population of 18 total mice split into two groups, a control group and an experimental group. Both groups of animals were deprived of food for 18 hours so that they had a similar baseline weight. After this fasting period, the control group was not fed the next morning, but the experimental group was fed with regular chow. Lopane was interested in determining whether hunger would lead to an increase in c-Fos, a transcription factor and neuronal marker, able to label a particular population of neurons when they are activated.

“For instance,” Lopane explained, “if the mice were really hungry, and the food reward is very rewarding for that very reason, we suspected that there would be higher levels of c-Fos in this experimental group compared to the control group.” Lopane collected food consumption and bodyweight data after running the experiment. She then used a machine called a vibratome which slices brain tissue to select regions of interest. “For me, it was the ventral pallidum,” Lopane said. She then conducted immunohistochemistry (IHC) which involves primary antibodies that are able to immuno-label for certain cells. Cholineacetyltransferace (ChAT) is an enzyme responsible for the synthesis of acetylcholine, and it can act as a label for cholinergic neurons. Lopane used these primary antibodies to tag cells of interest, and then secondary antibodies to attach to the primaries, allowing them to be visualized during fluorescent microscopy. Lopane explained the next stage: “I took fluorescent microscopy images, and then went in and manually counted ChAT cells that were co-localized with c-Fos. This is an

indicator that perhaps the neuron that we’re looking at is activated following feeding.”

Lopane said that they did not find a significant difference between the experimental and control groups. “This leads into the project that I’m finishing up now,” she said. Now Lopane wanted to ask: are different types of food more rewarding than others? The standard chow fed to the mice is not very high in macronutrients, so Lopane decided to look at a high-fat diet to examine whether there is higher c-Fos activation. “If you’re really hungry, you’re going to go for that really satiating reward,” she explained.

In this second experimental procedure, the methods remained relatively the same, but the control group included mice fed with standard chow and the experimental group was fed with chow containing a high fat percentage.

Lopane found that there was an increased food intake. The mice in the experimental group “consumed more kilocalories compared to the standard chow group,” she said. Interestingly, there was a more significant difference in females. Lopane said that they are still unsure what

is behind this phenomenon. “Perhaps a different metabolism, perhaps a maternal instinct to obtain food,” she said. “It is an interesting prospective project!”

Lopane said that they still did not find a significant difference in the co-localization of ChAT and cFos, suggesting that these are not involved in food restriction. However, she is curious whether the mice are eating based on hunger or on reward, in other words, how palatable the food is. This may affect further research. Lopane will graduate shortly, but she is hopeful about future studies looking at c-Fos activation recorded live online, using fiber photometry for real time updates.

Lopane will be working in a fertility clinic for a year before applying to medical school. She found her research experience at Fordham to be very rewarding. “Dr. Gallo is very supportive,” she said. “He helps you find a topic that you are interested in, and he is there to help throughout the steps of the project.” Lopane will present her findings at the Undergraduate Research Symposium on April 19.

Controversy Rises Over Lifted Vaccine Mandate

By ANTONI ZLATANOVSKI STAFF WRITER

On March 22, Fordham College Republicans made a statement on Instagram in regards to the university’s decision to mandate the bivalent COVID-19 vaccine during the fall of 2022. In March, the university lifted the mandate starting on May 15. “We demand a public apology from President Tetlow and the rest of the Fordham administrators responsible for needlessly forcing students and staff into this distressing situation last fall,” stated the club on their Instagram. According to the old university policy supported by President Tania Tetlow, the university required all students, faculty and visitors to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Failure to do so would result in not being able to enter campus, suspension from registered classes and the deactivation of campus IDs.

Fordham announced the booster requirement in an email to the community on Sept. 26. In a statement to The Fordham Ram, Bob Howe, associate vice president for communications and special adviser to the president, explained the university’s decision to continue to mandate

the vaccine, stating that it is important to continue vaccinating against the virus. “To the extent that the pandemic’s lethality has been blunted, it is because of widespread vaccination for COVID-19.

People are still getting sick, but the percentage of those who require hospitalization or who die is much lower — this, by itself, is reason enough to require everyone on campus to be vaccinated and boosted,” said Howe.

As a result of the fall 2022 policy, some members of the Fordham community were unhappy with the mandate and protests took place urging President Tetlow to lift the mandate.

Starting May 15, 2023, members of the university community and visitors no longer have to be vaccinated against COVID-19. This policy was announced in the middle of the spring 2023 semester, when most of the Fordham community already either received the vaccine or had to file for an exemption.

Because the policy was heavily mandated, but then reversed later on in the year, Fordham College Republicans felt that the requests of the campus community were disrespected.

“The bivalent booster mandate

that needed to be complied to by November 1 was an overreach of power that caused undue distress to students,” stated the club. “The administration ignored all emails, petitions, and protests that advocated for individual freedom of choice and bodily autonomy. Students who did not wish to comply were threatened that they could be forced off of campus and out of their classes, in the middle of the semester that they and their families paid for.” The club also stated concerns with the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.

“Countless students were faced with the terrifying dilemma of either sacrificing their financial futures by losing tens of thousands of dollars, or potentially sacrificing their health if the bivalent booster adversely affected them,” stated the Fordham College Republicans in their Instagram statement.

According to the same statement, President Tetlow ignored live questions about the vaccine mandate at a school-wide Town Hall during the fall 2022 semester and that the president advocated for a vaccine policy that forced her own beliefs onto the university community.

“Students felt very uncomfortable about being forced to inject

themselves with a vaccine that had not completed human trials,” said Fordham College Republicans in an email and relayed via Instagram direct messages. “Especially with the increased findings of more risk than reward for young, healthy people taking COVID-19 vaccines, as well as findings that the vaccines have been largely ineffective at preventing transmission.”

Other students, however, believed that the vaccine mandate was certainly necessary. “I liked the fact that they had a policy to begin with to get vaccinated. I

know this is a stance that would upset people, but being a New Yorker, I understand what the pandemic did and why it is important for us to be aware of our role to play in getting past this,” said Colin Loughran, FCRH ’23.

“I understand why people would be upset but I think that the vaccine mandate is there for everybody’s safety. While I think it’s understandable that students are upset, I think that in the end, it’s in the benefit of Fordham students that vaccines are required on campus,” said Emma Vega, FCRH ’24.

On May 15, Fordham University will no longer require the COVID-19 vaccine.

R OPINION

From the Desk | Ilaina Kim

After Language, I Peel an Orange

Serving the Fordham University campus and community since 1918

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There is something about the act of peeling and sharing fruit — the sticky slowness of it, deconstruction and gentle creation happening all at once — that seems as if the plant grew with the intention of making one admire the plain face of spaces that words cannot fill.

A poem borrowed from Chaia Heller titled “After Language” reads, “When all the drowsy metaphors/ about women and fruit/ have been peeled/ and devoured/ there’s just you, me/ a bowl full of summer peaches/ two parentheses/ with nothing in between/ (just space)/ for the tongue’s imagination”

What grows within the white space between two parentheses? Within that open field I think of my grandmother’s garden in Irvine, ripe with sweet lemons that seemed bigger than my head when I was eight years old. I imagine the honeycrisp apple slices I’d arrange in a pleated circle to bring to my dad when he was working from home. I can smell the warm mangoes I’d pick off of bending trees when visiting the Buddhist temple with my grandmother in Hawai’i. I feel myself humming and puttering over the sink as I rinsed these fruits, knowing the days are still warm and there

will always be another mango, lemon or apple to slice. I remember what was simultaneously spoken and unspoken in these living moments.

“Eat the leaves too,” my grandfather would tell me during strawberry season. “Don’t bite the fruit and throw the rest away.” Our conversations, like the ones I have with most of my relatives who immigrated from Korea, exist in tension between English and my broken Korean. I can comprehend and respond to a basic conversational extent, but “thank you for the food” and “I love you” can never fully translate into “I am dreading saying goodbye at the airport” and “I’ll miss the familiar smell of your home.” I like to think that eating strawberries whole fills in the gaps that language cannot, as if that space is somehow swallowed along with them. Here is a lesson in scarcity, abundance, reclamation and gratefulness, he tells me. Taking bitter green in with the sweet red, I answer.

The narrative of communion and language barriers is one that has been “peeled and devoured” many times before, but my experience of language does not solely refer to a shared native tongue. Alain de Botton,

author of “On Love,” writes, “The more familiar two people become, the more the language they speak together departs from that of the ordinary, dictionary-defined discourse. Familiarity creates a new language, an in-house language of intimacy.” There are times that I have the words at my disposal to express myself, but some realms of familiarity are better defined by acts themselves.

I eagerly await citrus season, not in anticipation of tender clementines and satsuma oranges, but of their segments to be shared between the peak months of October through January. I mark the time with the ritual of sitting cross-legged on the floor, quietly peeling the chalky flesh and sharing

Editorial | Tuition Increase

its segments with my partner. Part of me hopes they’ll never have to peel any kind of citrus for themselves again. After all, I have convinced myself that clementines taste sweeter when I give them three-quarters worth of slices instead of just half.

Sometimes there are no metaphors to be made or words to be spoken and deciphered. After language, there exists the breath between voices, eyes wrinkled from both age and laughter, a plate of oranges like a centerpiece in the middle of the table. As the weather grows warmer, it’s so easy to become swept up in the rapid thawing of what used to be.

Peel a fruit, share it and leave some sweetness to stain the hands of someone else.

Fordham, Show Us the Money

In her email addressed to the Fordham community on March 30, President Tania Tetlow announced a 6% increase in tuition and room and board costs for the 2023-24 academic year, equaling out to $86,465. This number is a reflection of both tuition and room and board figures, but there are still additional charges that students will incur through other expenses such as buying course materials. With class sizes already increasing — meaning there are more students paying a higher tuition — what is the university doing with all this money?

Students and their families should be able to see how the university is spending their money and what their money is financing. Currently, this information is not publicized. This raises questions of why the university does not wish to disclose what the budget is being spent on.

Tetlow accredited reasons for raising tuition to inflation that has raised prices in other areas of living. This may be the case, but, without the publicized information of how Fordham spends their budget and how this may have changed over the years, it can not be conclusively reduced to only inflation ratcheting the cost of attendance.

It can be assumed that there might be more expenses that come with having a layperson president as opposed to the historical precedent of a Jesuit president. There is undeniably going to be a salary difference

between the two, but the university should be open about that. Looking at similar universities, Georgetown has been very transparent with their students about their president’s salary.

As of 2020, John DeGioia, president of Georgetown University, received a compensation of $1.1 million.

Questions of how Fordham is allocating resources have arisen as well. The university received close to $150 million in loans to fund the new McShane Campus Center in 2020 meaning this funding, at the time of construction, was not coming directly out of Fordham’s resources. Maybe launching a construction project creating a multi-million dollar debt that the university now needs to pay back during a global pandemic was not the best use of resources. Students and families are now expected to help alleviate that debt without being able to see exactly where their money is going. Before taking the drastic step of raising the tuition and room and board to be close to $90,000 per year, why doesn’t the university look to cut back on current spending?

The real issue with the 6% tuition increase is the lack of transparency from the university about spending. This figure is a big ask for students and families who are willing to spend their life savings for a Fordham education and to do so without any insight into where those savings are going. A historic raise in price, as most tuition increases have been in the 3-4% range,

requires a historic amount of transparency from the university in how they are spending their students’ money.

Furthermore, this raise in price, bringing an already elite tuition even higher, is a direct contradiction to the university’s value of increasing diversity within the Fordham community. Studies have shown that when private institutions, such as Fordham, raise their tuition, it drives students to more affordable, nearby public universities. Higher tuitions create an exclusionary environment, especially for middle-to-lower-class students and their families, a majority of whom are foreign-born and students of color. Excluding these groups from Fordham’s campus through this raise in tuition will foster a more homogenous, closed-minded culture which would be a disservice to creating the welcoming and multicultural community Fordham is hoping to have.

In the face of other costs being raised for students, such as the USG activities fee, Fordham’s desire to accrue more revenue may

actually deter that goal by driving students to a less expensive university. $86,465 for tuition and room and board is unarguably far too high a cost and is far too high a price to pay without the return of transparency on Fordham’s part. Transparency on what that increase will be put towards and what current spending is at now. Raising tuition by 6% seems far too drastic of a first step if other cost-cutting efforts have not been exhausted yet. There are more students, and therefore more tuition payments, than in past years, the price to attend is higher, and yet the university still needs to raise tuition to a drastically high number in order to cover operational costs. The cause for this may simply be inflation, but without the university being transparent with students and their families about spending, The Fordham Ram remains skeptical.

If you have any questions, concerns or inquiries, please email therameditorialdirector@ gmail.com

The Environmental Terrorists in Your Home? Cats.

By KARI WHITE CULTURE EDITOR

You’ve probably seen them on TikTok, Instagram or wandering around the city: people walking their cats on leashes. Crazy, I know, but walking cats on leashes can serve as a great compromise between letting cats explore outdoors and responsible ownership. If your cat is interested in exploring outside, allowing them to roam freely without restraint or supervision makes you complicit in the environmental degradation that they cause. The dead mouse your cat dropped off in front of you is not just gross, but indicative of the fact that they are playing an active part in the destruction of local biodiversity — biodiversity that, as the climate crisis begins visibly impacting our world, is becoming increasingly important.

According to a government document published by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), “scientific studies estimate that freeranging and feral cats kill 1.3 to 4.0 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually in the United States.” Most of these animals, as the paper later explains, are native species. The vast majority of these animals are also not killed for dietary purposes, as many victims are abandoned at the site of the attack. That same paper explains that cats bring 23% of their kill home, eat 28% at the kill site and abandon the remaining 49%. So,

for every dead or dying mouse your cat brings home, it left two others dead and unconsumed. It is for these reasons that the USDA has classified cats as an invasive species, and one of the most individually destructive ones.

Now, that is not to say cats are awful creatures. While I have the unfortunate luck to be allergic to them, I love cats. They’re cute, fun and curious. That last attribute makes many cats uninterested in spending a lifetime fully indoors, which prompts their owners to allow them to free-roam outside. Free-roaming, however, is irresponsible animal ownership. Besides the destruction of native species, it threatens the health of both humans and cats. A cat roaming freely is much more likely to come into contact with another cat, free-roaming or feral, who might have a variety of harmful diseases, such as Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). More pressing, however, is the threat that they can pose to human health.

The first disease most often associated with free-roaming cats is rabies, a fatal disease that humans contract from interacting with wild animals. While rabies is very serious (and why you should never try to pet wild animals), very few people contract rabies from free-roaming cats. The much more serious disease that cats are almost solely responsible for is taxoplasmosis. 6% of all U.S. citizens six years or older have the

disease, although many might not know. Lots of people who contract the disease might not have any symptoms, but for the immunocompromised it can cause “behavioral changes, blindness and even death.” For example, pregnant women who contract the disease will pass it onto their unborn babies, which can result in diseases of the nervous system and eyes that will impact the entirety of a newborn victim’s life.

The blame for this disease falls primarily on cats because the bacteria that causes toxoplasmosis, Toxoplasmosis Gondii, can only reproduce in the digestive tracts of felines. While there, the bacteria will create oocysts, a stage in the bacteria’s reproductive cycle. Kittens and cats, when infected, will shed oocysts for up to three weeks in their fecal matter. These oocysts then spread through the ground and water, posing dangers to the animals that eat plants grown in infected soil and drinking infected water. Most cases of toxoplasmosis come from humans ingesting infected vegetables (sometimes from their own backyard gardens) and infected meat. Allowing your cat to freeroam increases the likelihood of their being infected by this bacterium, which then puts you and your neighbor’s health at risk.

Letting your cat outside endangers the environment, their safety and human health. Should all cats be doomed to spend their entire life indoors? Absolutely not.

On TikTok, Instagram and other social media sites, a handful of individuals have gone viral for showing how they “walk” their cats. John Yoshihara Jr. posts videos of his cat accompanying him on hikes, trotting down mountain paths on his little paws. The account @surfercatmarv posts pictures, tips and links on Instagram for people interested in leashtraining their cats. Leash-walking cats is gaining popularity online, as more and more people try it.

Even Jackson Galaxy, the Cat Daddy himself, recommends attempting it. In a blog post from June 2021, Galaxy responds positively to a young woman asking whether or not she should continue taking her cat on walks (and dump the boyfriend mocking her for it). Galaxy referred positively to both, offering tips for people

to keep in mind if they are interested in walking their cats. His most important tip: walking a cat is very different from walking a dog. “The cat controls where you go and what you do,” wrote Galaxy. “Ultimately, it’s supervised outdoor playtime.”

The word “supervised” is crucial. The dangers of free-roaming cats come from the irresponsibility of cat owners, who, often because letting cats free-roam is such a common practice, neglect to realize the greater implications of their cats’ actions. Cats need to be supervised when they are outdoors, and a great way of doing so is by walking them on a leash.

Cross-Cultural Food Exchanges? That’s Amore.

By NICOLE BRAUN OPINION EDITOR

It’s hard not to get wrapped up in the magic of Italian cuisine when you’re living in this part of the city, as we are a mere few blocks from Arthur Ave, home to some of the best Italian American restaurants and delis in the country. With my Italian American roots and general enthusiasm for food, I have to admit it is a significant reason why I chose to attend Fordham.

But Alberto Grandi, a food history professor, will tell you that Enzo’s, Casa Della Mozzarella and every other beloved Arthur Ave institution are a detriment to Italian cuisine rather than a purveyor of it.

In a recent interview, Grandi said that “Italian cuisine really is more American than it is Italian,” and that the uniqueness of Italian cuisine has been corrupted by American influence. I don’t think that his general claim that American tastes have completely killed the country’s distinct and beloved cuisine is fair, as he is neglecting to recognize the nuance between Italian food and Italian American food. Sure, some Italian American staples like fettuccine alfredo and garlic bread might have seeped back into the Old World, but that does not mean that authentic food no longer exists in Italy. It is also an

oversimplification on Grandi’s part to assume that all of Italy is even serving the same food, anyway, as the different regions have different takes on the same dishes.

Since Italians first started immigrating to the United States en masse in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, there is no doubt that the culture, traditions and techniques they brought with them have undergone some changes. That is inevitable. Nothing stays the same, especially not something as fickle as cuisine with its reliance on unvaried repetition, availability and affordability of grocery products and stagnant tastes. In their hopes to assimilate, Italians must have amalgamated some of their practices with those of their fellow immigrants and incorporated new North American products into their culinary world, thus creating a whole new subculture of Italian American food.

The best example of this is chicken parmigiana. This dish of a breaded and fried chicken cutlet smothered with mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce is a staple of Italian American cuisine, and it is a representation of traditional practices meshing with the different products available in American markets. Food writers argue that “newly minted Italian-American homecooks not

only devised unique dishes based on what was available, but also adhered existing recipes to the new world’s meat-centric menu — altering many classics into newfound creations.” The beloved chicken parm was adopted from a nearly identical southern Italian meal, except with eggplant standing in for the protein because chicken was far more expensive and less available in Italy than it was in the U.S. It was not only just the availability of meat that caused the recipe to change, but also perhaps the melding of cultures. The integral fried chicken cutlet of the parmigiana is identical to that of schnitzel, which was popular among German immigrants. Chicken parm, and immigrant cuisine as a whole, is not just about what was newly available in foreign markets, but also about the blending and borrowing of cultures.

I don’t think anybody should believe that the Italian restaurants we go to on Arthur Avenue are making the same dishes in the same exact way as one would find if they stumbled into a holein-the-wall somewhere along the Amalfi coast. However, just because the cuisine is not authentic does not make it any less valuable, as it still tells the story of a community trying to reconcile the culture of their home country with that of their new one.

To prevent further corruption of their cuisine across the ocean, Italians are taking tremendous steps to ensure its sanctity. The Italian ministers of Culture and Agriculture nominated Italian cuisine for UNESCO World Heritage Site status, which I think is a bit of a lofty goal — their application for the 2023 UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity seems more likely. Newly-elected right-wing prime minister Giorgia Meloni and her Health Minister Orazio Schillaci also want to take federal steps to “safeguard our nation’s heritage and our agriculture based on the Mediterranean diet.” At the moment, their main adversary seems to be synthetic meat.

Considering Meloni’s disdain for immigrants and “Italy first”

platform, I wouldn’t be surprised if their legislation took a more exclusionary turn on other cultures.

Food nourishes both body and spirit, and the transformation and sharing of cuisine across physical and temporal borders is a beautiful thing. Cuisine changes over time, and while there should always be an appreciation for authenticity, people should not diminish the wonderful creations that come out of circumstance and cultural interactions.

I recommend that Grandi find the nearest Italian American restaurant, order the chicken parm and enjoy it.

Kari White, FCRH ’24, is an English major from Wilmington, Del.

Nicole Braun, FCRH ’24, is an English major from Saddle River, N.J.

COURTESY OF TWITTER

If your cat wants to be outside, put it on a leash to prevent spreading disease.

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Italian American cuisine is a wonderful representation of blending cultures.

Young People Are Conservatives’ Newest Target

By ALEXANDRA RAPP CONTRIBUTING WRITER

I will put this simply: any attempt to restrict access to voting is an attempt to usurp democracy. It is a blatant attack on the rights of citizens — regardless of their economic, social or political status. On the flip side, any attempt to expand voting rights is an act of upholding democracy. There was and will never be an exception — old, rich, young, poor, imprisoned, non-English speaking, disabled, Democrat, Republican and everything in between. No matter how you identify or what beliefs you hold or your status in society, you are imbued with the power of the vote as an American citizen.

Now I could go on for years about how everyone, including current and formerly incarcerated persons, should maintain the right to vote. I could also write a dissertation on the importance of rich and variable thought and expression in the democratic process. But for now, I will address the simple truth that the Republican party’s attack on the voting rights of young people is an active threat to our democracy and demonstrates the deterioration of a once meaningful part of American society for all people.

The only reason anything has ever gotten done in this country

is because of young people, not parties and certainly not conservatives. That is, after all, the idea of conservatism: to conserve the current state of affairs or repeal policies which have disrupted an often false idea of the past. Since the 2020 election, attempts to restrict the voting rights of young people have become a part of the public consciousness. Voting restrictions began long before this, however. Practically the second the Voting Rights Amendment of 1965 was passed (bipartisanly) people began to try to find ways to keep certain groups from the vote. The most blatant attack on the rights of the vote came in 2013 when the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in Shelby County v. Holder. Their decision allowed states and jurisdictions with a history of voter suppression to enact restrictive voter identification laws. Now, roughly a decade after this, our Supreme Court is remarkably more conservative and our political landscape is far more hostile.

The newest target by conservatives is young people. The mission of conservatives is to make sure as few people have the ability to vote as possible (how patriotic). Republicans saw what happens when young people vote, and now they’re doing everything they can to make it harder. Every generation has been more liberal than their parents because that’s

how social progress works. Idaho Republicans used their congressional monopoly to ban student ID cards as a form of voter identification. Texas Republican Rep. Carrie Isaac introduced a House bill to prohibit Texas counties from placing voting locations on college campuses. We should be worried that Isaac will give Florida Governor Ron DeSantis more ideas. The GOP has had little federal success, but they have been frighteningly effective at running local campaigns to roll back voting rights. And as any high school history teacher will tell you, the real power lies in the local and state governments. These pushes are not because college campus voting or IDs pose any real threat; it’s because college-educated students are deeply frightening to Republicans. Critical thought is deeply frightening. Fear mongering is a favorite tactic of conservatives, and if it works, we may have to fight even more just to submit a ballot that they may just throw out anyway.

On top of the threat of young people as a monolith, the racial aspect cannot be ignored. Gen Z is the most diverse generation in history. Roughly 71% of white voters casted ballots in 2020, compared to less than 59% of voters of color — a disparity that will only worsen with more restrictive voting laws. Further

evidence of racially charged voter suppression on the part of republicans: a much larger portion of white voters account for the Republican and Republicanleaning votes than of Democratic and Democratic-leaning vote (81% vs. 59% as of 2019). Young people are the easiest group to dissuade from voting, and the easiest to suppress. That is only exacerbated when it comes to young minority voters. Unfortunately, the power of an “I voted” sticker only goes so far.

Conservatives have never been interested in the rights of minorities, or really anyone. They have never piloted programs to expand the vote or provide better care for the large number of nonwhite American citizens — they haven’t even been good at faking it, like liberals. As a result and to no surprise, they are not popular with Gen Z. Especially given the last 20 years of becoming increasingly more conservative. As a result, they are desperately trying to lower voter turnout so as to not face this grim reality. Just to make matters worse, the GOP has never been all that tactful, and young people are able to see and identify the ways in which their voices are being silenced. The most clever voter suppression scheme were the policies guiding the acceptance or rejection of mail-in ballots — a particularly sneaky way of shadow-banning

young people from the ballot box. Too bad social media lets us talk and discern on a much larger scale than ever before. In Florida in 2018, one in 20 mailin ballots were thrown out from the 18-35 age group — compared to just 200 in the entire state for the 65+ group. New Hampshire Republicans proposed a slew of voting restrictions following 2020, directly targeting the 12% of the population made up of college students.

The evidence is tangible. Republicans are subverting the will of the people, undermining the power of the largest voting bloc and not doing a very good job at hiding it. I hope for the GOP’s sake that they realize that the subversion of democracy is an attack on everyone, not just their “enemies.” But I don’t think it was ever about upholding democracy, but that’s a conservation for another day.

Today, Gen Z needs to know the fight ahead, and who is being attacked. Making change will require advocacy from all sides and it will mean running for local elections and voting in local elections. It will mean refusing to be dissuaded when barriers are put in front of us.

Alexandra Rapp, FCRH ’24, is a history and international studies major from Hershey, Pa.

Policy Changes Are the Key to Raising U.S. Life Expectancy

longer than life expectancy for Americans in 2021.

in childhood suicide by gun.

By ALLISON SCHNEIDER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

In 2022, officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new figures regarding life expectancy at birth in the United States, stating that the average life expectancy had dropped for the second consecutive year, resulting in the lowest life expectancy since 1996. Life expectancy at birth predicts the number of years that a newborn can expect to live based on current adult death rates. Average life expectancy at birth dropped globally in 2020 due to the amount of COVID-19-related deaths, but many countries bounced back in 2021. The United States, however, reported a 1.8 year decrease in 2020 and a 0.6 year decrease in 2021, resulting in a sharp decline of almost two and a half years since 2019. This is the steepest decrease in U.S. life expectancy in nearly a century. Researchers attribute about 60% of the 2021 decrease to COVID-19 deaths, despite the introduction of the COVID-19

vaccine. Data also indicates that the growing opioid crisis has played a role in the steep life expectancy decrease. In 2021 alone, over 100,000 people died as a result of drug overdose, a 15% increase since 2020. Many people suffering from drug addiction cannot afford quality healthcare or rehabilitation services, which contributes to the ongoing drug abuse crisis America is facing.

There has also been a sharp increase in childhood mortality rates. Between 2019 and 2021, childhood mortality increased by 20% with firearm-related deaths as the leading cause of death between the ages of one and 19. Gun violence also disproportionately affects minority groups and people suffering from poverty, as researchers estimate that Black children and teens are 17 times more likely to die by gun homicide than their white peers.

Minority groups face higher mortality rates across the board. The average life expectancy for Black Americans is 70.8 years, compared to the

average of 76.4 years for white Americans. In addition, Native Americans have fared far worse with an average life expectancy of a whopping 65.2 years in 2021, and poor socioeconomic status and subsequent lack of access to healthcare seems to be the root cause. In 2021, data indicates that only 6% of Asian Americans and 7% of white Americans did not have health insurance compared to 19% of Hispanic Americans and 21% of Native Americans.

While minority groups were impacted more heavily, life expectancy decreased significantly in all U.S. racial and ethnic groups from 2019 to 2021. The nearly 2.5 year decrease has raised alarm among many Americans, but a comparatively low life expectancy is not a new issue in the United States. Since 1980, American life expectancy has been significantly lower than comparable countries such as Japan, which had an average life expectancy of 78.53 years in 1985-1990, almost four years longer than America’s 74.9 for the same period and two years

An increase in childhood deaths, rising gun violence and COVID-19 cannot account for a comparatively lower life expectancy in the ’80s. Lack of adequate health care seriously diminishes life expectancy, especially among low-income individuals. Additionally, the typical American diet and lifestyle contributes to premature deaths due to heart disease. Also, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also come under fire in recent years for approving foods and chemicals which have been banned in other countries. Scientists have found that some of these chemicals, called obesogens, have been linked to adult obesity and may increase an individual’s likelihood to get heart disease, type 2 diabetes or grow cancer. The combination of poor food options and an expensive, and often exclusive, healthcare system has historically had a major impact on American life expectancy, but many of these problems have been amplified in recent years as the healthcare gap between upper and lower class citizens continues to grow.

Increasing American mortality rates are caused by a myriad of factors. So what can we do to counter these concerning trends? Changing the pro-gun culture and eating habits of many Americans is a daunting task. Legislators, especially state and local politicians, need to fight for the health of their constituents. In some states, this may mean an increase in firearm control and regulation. States should consider implementing laws that require all stored guns to be locked when not in use in order to keep them out of the hands of children. Massachusetts already has a law to this effect, and since its implementation has had a decrease

The healthcare side of the issue is even more critical to improving the life expectancy and quality of life of Americans. In 2021, there were 27.5 million non-elderly adults that don’t receive health insurance. Privatized health insurance has caused medical prices to rise drastically for uninsured individuals, as inflated medical prices help to fund the health insurance industry. Paying out of pocket for medication or medical care is not an option for many of these 27.5 million people. Revamping the American healthcare system is the biggest obstacle to increasing the nations life expectancy. While socialized medicine may never be positively received by the American citizens, particularly conservative citizens and legislators, even a small increase in access for low-income individuals could vastly improve the quality and longevity of American life.

In this case, policy change is critical to American progress. It is important for legislators should consider the life expectancy of countries with similar economies to the United States and take into account what those countries do to protect the health of their citizens. Legislators should look for inspiration from policy changes in other nations and work to adapt these laws for American needs and ideals which could make all the difference for the millions of Americans that are fighting heart disease, cancer, gun violence and mental illness on their own.

Eco-Anxiety Can Take a Heavy Mental Toll

By SAISHA ISLAM STAFF WRITER

Eco-anxiety is a term used to describe a branch of anxiety that is specifically caused by worries related to climate change. This anxiety has become more common as additional numbers of people struggle to fully understand and deal with the implications of climate change. A 2020 poll conducted by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) has shown “more than half of respondents were somewhat or extremely anxious about the effects of climate change on their own mental health.” Individuals feel helpless in tackling the enormous problem of climate change which brings about anxiety when thinking about the topic. Therapists and other mental health professionals are beginning to recognize the importance of the conversation around eco-anxiety and are looking into more ways to treat it.

The complexity of anxiety regarding climate change lies in how it is a reasonable and natural response to a threatening issue. Although eco-anxiety might be rational, “there’s no clear, standard definition as to when eco-anxiety is unhealthy, if it ever is.” Due to these blurred lines and the lack of regulations regarding treatment of eco-anxiety, therapists can struggle with how to treat clients with eco-anxiety which can cause them to “pathologize their clients’ anxiety, or treat it as an unhealthy response.” Oftentimes, this is due to a therapist’s overlooking of their own eco-anxiety rather than out of a lack of concern or empathy for climate change.

Worry and anxiety about the climate crisis is on the rise. A 2020 survey from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, from 2009 and 2020, stated the “Americans who said they had personally experienced effects related to global warming increased from

32% to 42%.” Although we might limit climate change, it’ll still take some time for those effects to fully show, revealing a need for more focus on eco-anxiety and treatment for it. Current treatments to ease the symptoms of eco-anxiety range from mindfulness-based techniques to cognitive behavior therapy or more time spent with nature and with activism. It is also important to focus on positive stories about the environment. Understanding the full extent of the effects of climate change is necessary, solely focusing on the damage all the time can make people depressed and lose hope in their efforts to reduce climate change.

Some positive stories to look forward to include the repair of the Earth’s ozone layer. Due to international effort, a U.N assessment has found that the ozone layer “is set to be completely healed over most of the world within two decades following decisive action taken by governments to phase

out ozone-depleting substances.”

The report states that the ozone layer will be healed by 2040 with the polar regions taking until 2045 for the Arctic and 2066 for the Antarctic. Progress towards repairing the ozone layer hasn’t been completely linear in the past and other approaches to fixing it like solar geoengineering are still being evaluated, but news of its repair has given people hope that beneficial environmental changes can be effective.

When reporting climate change, it is important to be accurate, but the media should also “show that there is hope” and combat “climate doom.” A lot of anxiety about the climate crisis comes from a detachment to it, a thought that it is almost impossible to overcome it. By hearing positive stories about fighting climate change, people can better understand that their efforts can make a difference and that climate change is not an impossible problem to eliminate.

Anxiety is a natural response to the environmental crises that we are having right now, but it is important to make it easier for people to not further that worry into something more debilitating.

I’ve experienced anxiety about the environment before, but I always make sure to occasionally take a break from news on climate change that might make me anxious. It has also been helpful for me to focus on positive news stories about different approaches and efforts being taken by people to combat climate change. It can be very stressful to think about climate change and how large of a problem it is, but it is important to step back from time to time so you don’t burn yourself out.

The United States life expectancy has been declining due to multiple factors.

COURTESY OFTWITTER

Allison Schneider, FCRH ‘26, is an English and political science major from Indianapolis, Ind.

Saisha Islam, FCRH ‘25, is a biology major from New York, N.Y.

How Can We Actually Stand Stans?

used in that way today. We see the colloquial use of the word “stan” as a less intense version of the original “Stan” and more so a bit of an unreasonable obsession, like every inch of 12 year-old me’s walls being covered in Justin Bieber posters. 12-year-old me clearly didn’t have an issue with this type of fan behavior, it’s just the danger the origins of the word “stan” imply which worries me.

before they became so engaged in celebrity worship.” This goes to show the danger of using the stan community as an unhealthy way of coping or redirecting concerns from oneself onto someone else.

By NICOLE RIOS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Most people claim themselves to be “stans” of certain celebrities, but what they often don’t know is that the original “Stan,” fictionalized in Eminem’s song of the same name, idolized the rapper’s Slim Shady persona so much that he drove himself and his pregnant girlfriend off of a bridge because Slim didn’t write him back. Now would you really want to call yourself a stan? I think the common answer would be no.

Can stan culture become dangerous? Well, Merriam-Webster defines stan as “an extremely or excessively enthusiastic and devoted fan.” The word excessive often implies potential to be dangerous and stan culture has proven it so. Stan culture has become

a toxic niche, but there is hope to reestablish it ourselves.

You may be wondering, “Who is Stan?” In pop culture today, we’ve noticed a rise in the use of the word “stan”— lowercase “s.” Being a stan, a blend of the words “stalker” and “fan,” is more than being just a regular fan of a celebrity — it’s more like a total obsession, in a similar vein as having a parasocial relationship with that person. We see this in popular rapper Eminem’s 2000 “Stan” music video, from which the term also originates.

This concept of stan is nothing new; it has just been redefined in many online communities today. If it were up to me, I’d redefine the term used for “stan” today, and I think that many who have watched the “Stan” music video would agree. The term comes from a place so dark and isn’t

Now I’m not saying that stan culture needs to be eradicated, but we don’t want a bunch of actual Stans, capital “S,” running around the world, for obvious reasons. Stan culture allows for celebrities to use their platforms for good toward a specific audience, which is what should be promoted. Sometimes being a stan can involve just a slight obsession, whereas other times it’s more negative and intense.

But why are we seeing such a rise in stan culture, and what makes stan culture so dangerous?

With such readily available information on the internet about anyone at any time, there is no surprise that we see this rise of the stan culture phenomenon. This trend of idolization can become difficult and unhealthy for both content creators/celebrities and their self-proclaimed stans. Researchers believe that being an extreme stan is tied to mental illness. Gayle S. Stever, Ph.D., states that “most persons who engage in celebrity worship at the borderline pathological level were probably already suffering from some sort of mental illness

Research has further shown that some stans may “harbor concerns about body image…, be more prone to cosmetic surgery … [and] narcissistic features, dissociation, addictive tendencies, stalking behavior and compulsive buying.” There is also danger in becoming emotionally dependent on one’s idol, especially because the image of people we see on social media is highly inaccurate. Social media allows us to portray the best version of ourselves and this unhealthy relationship between stan and creator is formed on minimal information and is completely onesided.

Stan culture is just as dangerous for celebrities. As stans claim their obsession with certain celebrities, they often switch to targeted hatred quite easily. This may be due to the fact that the relationship is not a real-life social interaction, so the switch from love to hate seems more feasible.

Phoebe Bridgers stans are a recent example of this. Days after announcing her father’s death in January, Bridgers was at LAX on her way to the funeral. Photos were taken of her there with Bo Burnham, who is classified as one of today’s controversial men. Bridgers claims that her online stans “f***ing bullied” her over the photos — and that she

“saw people who claim to love me f***ing dehumanize me and shame me and f***ing bully me on the way to my dad’s wake.” Bridgers said it best — “If you’re a kid and the internet somehow taught you that that’s an okay thing to do, then of course I hate capitalism and everything that led you to believe that it’s okay to do that.” Celebrities are stripped of their privacy and boundaries are often crossed. There should be expectations and limitations for the actions of stans out there.

Stan culture is not the most horrible phenomenon on the planet, as it allows for some sense of community and also appreciation for entertainment discourse. However, as “screenagers” make their way toward being the change that we all hope for, we should work toward emphasizing the opportunities stan culture provides, reflecting on the potentially harmful actions of stans and monitor how our current stan culture may be affecting younger people while they are in their development stage.

Oh, and one last thing: let’s all just be mindful that there is a time and a place for everything. I mean, come on — Bridgers’ dad had just passed away and she couldn’t even be allowed to grieve that in her own peace. Aside from that, safe stanning to all!

Without Action, Millions Will Lose Medicaid

By LINDSEY OSIT CONTRIBUTING WRITER

State officials haven’t doublechecked Medicaid enrollee’s eligibility in over three years. Evaluations were halted as part of an emergency pandemic measure, but that policy is about to end. Millions of Americans are now at risk of losing their health benefits because the states aren’t doing anything to assist those who will lose coverage. In fact, many states have decided to take the opposite action.

While Congress has given states a year to complete re-evaluations, many officials are purposefully speeding up the process. The opportunity for governments to decrease spending on healthcare is a financial incentive for states to tear down the pandemic measure as fast as possible. Those who no longer qualify for Medicaid will have lost that coverage by the end of the year, and rushing the process increases the possibility of mistakes.

According to some projections, most people who end up losing benefits could still be eligible for Medicaid but slip through the system’s cracks due to careless procedures. Relocating to a new home or missing the email notices are two simple ways officials could fail to confirm an enrollee’s eligibility. There are over 90 million people

currently on Medicaid who must be re-checked, and many state offices are too understaffed to carry out the process thoroughly. So, if people are skipped over and still qualify, they will lose coverage — even when it isn’t their mistake.

The pandemic measure was an emergency policy; it wasn’t designed to last forever, and holding re-evaluations at some point were always part of the plan. That being said, many states’ ways of carrying out the policy change will negatively impact Americans. For example, in Florida, officials have failed to provide any mechanisms for directing people to other coverage options. Some states have opted out of policies that would make automatic checks possible.

These policies, known as ex parte renewals, would use existing data to verify peoples Medicaid qualifications without having to contact the enrollee directly. By rejecting these measures, these states increase their chances of letting more eligible people fall through the cracks.

People who fail to qualify for Medicaid upon re-evaluation also face the risk of not finding any other viable insurance options. Florida isn’t alone in its failure to provide Americans with other coverage options. Individuals in states that have decided to refuse expanding the Medicaid program

under the Affordable Care Act, including Georgia, Kansas and Wyoming, could find themselves out of luck. Known as the coverage gap, people will be forced into the unfortunate position of being ineligible for Medicaid or subsidies to buy marketplace insurance, yet lacking the adequate income to purchase it themselves.

Healthcare prices in the United States are much higher than in other developed nations, which makes it difficult to afford private options.

The reasons for the increased expenses range from the consolidation of hospitals to inefficiencies that come from the complexities of the healthcare system. The OECD’s 2022 Health Statistics found that the United States spends $1,000 per person on administrative costs alone, which is five times more than the average of other wealthy nations. This means that the higher price doesn’t correlate with higher quality care: the U.S. performs worse in common health metrics like infant mortality, life expectancy and unmanaged diabetes in comparison with most other wealthy countries.

Proponents of removing people from Medicaid want to reduce the amount of state funding dedicated to expensive coverage. But the public healthcare program works differently than marketplace insurance options. The administrative

costs of Mediciad are significantly lower than private providers. In fact, studies show that Medicaid expansion generally generates enough savings to offset a state’s share of the cost — even without imposing additional taxes. So, if states’ rationale for speeding up reevaluations is to lessen the burden on state funds, rapidly shrinking public health coverage isn’t going to help them achieve that outcome.

Still, so long as private insurance options dominate the healthcare market, Medicaid enrollees must meet qualifications in order to receive those benefits — and those qualifications have to be structured and confirmed periodically. But that doesn’t mean states should do

everything in their power to lessen the number of people who meet those requirements.

The whole point of affordable, state-funded healthcare is to help provide all individuals with the health and security services they need to stay alive. Rushing through re-evaluations minimizes the importance of the lives we are meant to be prioritizing. On top of that, states that aren’t establishing programs to help individuals purchase alternative coverage options contribute to that disregard.

Lindsey Osit, FCRH ’24, is a journalism major from South Windsor, Conn.

The toxicity of stan culture may pose a risk to younger generat ions.

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Nicole Rios, FCRH ’25, is an English and biological sciences major from Westbury, N.Y.

Explore the Upper East Side’s Class and Coziness

By CALEB STINE COLUMNIST

The Upper East Side is iconic.

It’s one of the few Manhattan neighborhoods that the average American has reliably heard of and even knows a few things about. As college students, our generation most notably knows the famously-affluent area stretching from 59th to 96th between Fifth Ave. and the Hudson River courtesy of Blake Lively, Penn Badgley and others. That is, of course, through “Gossip Girl.”

New York City’s wealthiest neighborhood does what its western counterpart also does so well in fewer blocks: it contains pockets of buzz and crowded streets while still having quaint, stroll-friendly blocks that can be perfectly accompanied by background noise in your headphones.

The Upper East Side is a different flavor of uptown Manhattan than the neighborhood that was the feature of this inaugural column, however. The Upper East Side is uniquely polished in an established, urban way that is quintessentially New York, and is a quick Metro North to Harlem before a transfer to the 4, 5 or 6, or a 4 train from Fordham Road down, both to 86th Street, in the heart of the Upper East.

Mostly undeveloped until the middle of the 19th century, the Upper East Side was mostly farmland until the building of the Park Avenue Tunnel in 1910.

Wanting to escape the noise and congestion of the project, wealthy families moved north from what is now Midtown East to the Upper East Side just as America entered the Gilded Age with prominent residents Henry Clay Frick and Andrew Carnegie arriving at the turn of the 20th century.

The top tourist attraction in the neighborhood is the Metropolitan Museum of Art. A hallowed hall that can take hours out the day of visitors even mildly interested in art, the 2.2 million square foot mecca is pay-what-you-wish for Fordham students at the ticket booths inside.

Their website invites you to “bring some culture to your inbox” by signing up for their newsletter, which is a valid comment given the western side of Fifth Ave. from 80th to 84th holds art from 5,000 years ago up until 2023, with household names Van Gogh, Degas, Pollock and Monet on display in spades.

From the sunny Egyptian wing of the museum that overlooks Central Park, to the American permanent collection that rivals (frankly, bests) the Smithsonian,

the Met never fails to inspire me to take a painting class, that I never take, whenever I go back.

Art can be found up and down Fifth Avenue, with the Guggenheim on 88th housing modern art, with the very design of the museum serving as a mini-exhibit, to Henry Clay Frick’s Collection of European art in his former home on 70th. Madison Avenue, mainly between 66th and 80th is a top destination for upscale shopping and classy coffee shops, including the iconic Ralph’s on 72nd.

While certainly not the first thing one would think of when planning a trip to the Upper East Side, the dining options do not disappoint. What’s perhaps most appealing about them is that most restaurants are small yet rarely too crowded, and while the art and shopping scene encompassing Fifth and Madison may be too swanky for some, the restaurants populating Second and Third Avenues are surprisingly unassuming.

San Matteo on 90th and 2nd is a cozy spot for a Neapolitan pie in a quaint, yet casual environment. The Regina Margherita pizza is a favorite of mine.

The wings “Kerry’s Way” with a mix of hot sauce and honey

BBQ make me want to commute down there right now.

The Upper East Side is full of so many diverse pockets.

From the wide streets of Park

Avenue lined with penthouses to the bustling commutes that pulsate the 70’s and second and third, Manhattan’s arguably most iconic neighborhood is much more than meets the eye in all the best ways.

Plug Uglies is a top-tier sports bar on 78th and 1st and a favorite of Mike Greenberg and Jon Rothstein, two sports reporters famous for their knowledge of sports, New York and food. The

Millions Around the Globe Celebrate Orthodox Easter

By ANTONI ZLATANOVSKI STAFF WRITER

On April 16, 2023, over 300 million members of the Eastern Orthodox Church celebrated Easter. Typically, it is common for those within the Western world to celebrate Easter under the Catholic Gregorian calendar on April 9.

However, because the Eastern Orthodox Church uses the Julian calendar, various holidays are celebrated on different dates.

The reason for this dates back to the year 1582, when Pope Gregory XIII instituted the Gregorian calendar. His motive was to correct the alleged inaccuracies of the Julian calendar

by adding “leap years to correct an 11-minute miscalculation that caused seasons to become out of sync with the calendar.”

With this, the Gregorian calendar pushed Easter away from the spring equinox. Western churches then, following the new calendar, established Easter to be held on the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or after the spring equinox. Although much of the world came to officially recognize the Gregorian calendar, Orthodox countries such as Russia, Serbia, Greece, Cyprus, Macedonia, Romania and Russia continue to use the Julian calendar.

In celebration of the event, Orthodox churches all over New York City were packed with parishioners. On Fordham’s campus, the Orthodox Christian Studies Center sent an email to commemorate the holiday. Various other on-campus organizations, such as the Fordham Orthodox Christian Foundation, even hosted an Easter dinner. In addition to this, Orthodox students also took the day to reflect, attend mass and connect with family.

With this holiday comes various traditions. Amongst the most popular is the tapping of eggs, where two people take turns cracking each other’s Easter eggs. Another is the dying of hard boiled eggs to create a red color, which is meant to symbolize the blood of Christ. Moreover,

during this same day, Orthodox Christians greet each other by saying, “Christ is risen.” In return, the person being greeted says, “Indeed He is risen.”

Although most Easter practices and traditions remain the same all over the world — and typically consist of spending time with family, coloring eggs, eating food and attending mass — some nationalities incorporate their own ethnic customs into the celebrations. For instance, Serbians dance the Kolo, a traditional folk dance that is common within various Balkan countries. On the other hand, the Greeks utilize a popular folk dance known as the kalamatianos, which is somewhat similar to the Serbian Kolo. Different Orthodox individuals from different cultures also cook their own food. For instance, the Greeks, Serbians and Macedonians indulge in smoked meats, cheese, boiled eggs and red wine. It is also common for churches to hold a Paschal Vigil on Holy Saturday, which is before Easter, in addition to a candlelight procession. Typically, followers gather within churches hours before midnight and begin the celebration once the clock reaches midnight.

This year was also a very special Easter for New York City’s Serbian Orthodox community, as they were able to celebrate Easter within their own cathedral for the first time in seven

years. Previously, it was very difficult for large numbers of the Serbian Orthodox community to gather within a single place of worship due to a tragic fire that destroyed the historic Saint Sava Cathedral of Manhattan, which acted as a sacred historic, cultural and religious center for the Serbian community. However, with the reopening of the cathedral in February of this past year, this year’s Easter was an especially important event.

Since there are approximately only one to six million members of the Orthodox Church within North America, it is common for many to not know about such traditions, differences in church calendar or even of the existence of the Orthodox Church itself. Because Protestants and Catholics make up the largest Christian denominations within the United States, the Orthodox Church is commonly ranked in last place behind the Catholic Church in terms of practicing religious followers. However, with various resources around New York City, in addition to the Fordham Orthodox Christian Studies Center, the Fordham Orthodox Christian Foundation and the Hellenic Student Organization, ordinary individuals are able to learn more about this important cultural and religious observance, which holds a special place within the hearts of millions of people worldwide.

Who’s That Kid? | Emma Kitchen, FCRH ’26

Freshman Prides Herself on Pageant Successes

By CLAIRE KRIEGER DIGITAL PRODUCER

When walking through Rose Hill, you may catch a glimpse of Emma Kitchen, FCRH ’26, hanging around campus. It might be a rare sighting, seeing how she balances academics, the Fordham Varsity Dance Team and a social life all in her first year of college. However, she also balances the duties and responsibilities that came with winning Miss West Virginia Teen USA 2022. Since she was 14 years old, Kitchen has participated in pageants in West Virginia and has been a trailblazer ever since. “I wanted to be a strong figure in my community,” she said when asked why she started down this path. She came from a small town in West Virginia where everyone knew each other, and wanted to have a positive impact on the people surrounding her. With the title, she knew she could have a platform where she could vocalize her passions and spread awareness about local causes.

For example, one of Kitchen’s proudest moments involves the West Virginia Fairs and Festivals Organization. Kitchen said that this organization is a huge part of her community and that by participating, “I was able to talk to a lot of younger girls, which I really enjoyed because that’s where my passion is.”

All of the 80 different festivals

have a pageant winner associated with the cause that the festival is being held for. They all come together and compete for the title of Miss Association of Fairs and Festivals. She attended as Miss West Virginia Teen USA to spread positive messages. “I just try to be as relatable and positive as possible and try to encourage them in whatever they want to do.”

A big part of the message she emulates is to not fall victim to what she calls the “comparison trap.” “It’s very much a skill to see your individuality and what makes you different as a strength rather than a weakness,” she said in regards to the competitive nature of the pageant world. She explained that it took her many years to be able to walk into a room of talented girls and be able to see her own worth. “There is always going to be someone better than you,” she admitted, “and the goal is to do it for you and the joy of the activity.”

She also said she tries to break common stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding the pageant industry. Many people view pageants as superficial and solely based on looks. However, she highly stressed the importance of social work and community engagement. She explained that, “A pageant is very much a job … you have many responsibilities you need to fill.” There are numerous community service engagement opportunities

and a social media presence that come along with winning a pageant title. “They set up opportunities to speak at different events, fun runs, fundraisers … you get to meet people and talk to political figures about issues that you think are affecting your state or even your generation.”

She said being in these competitions has been very beneficial and “they’ve prepared me for job interviews, they’ve taught me how to be comfortable onstage in front of large groups of people and talk under pressure, and they just taught me to hold myself with confidence.” The interview portion of the pageant holds the most value for Kitchen. She says that’s where the judges really get to know the girls and see how they interact with their community. Since the title has commitments outside of just winning, they need to be sure the winner is able to continue their work past the pageant weekend.

Kitchen most recently won the title of Miss Teen Universe USA for the pageant this summer in Peru. She was chosen out of a plethora of pageant winners from the states to be a representative of America. One of the main reasons she was picked was due to her YouTube channel where she posts vlogs and updates about her life. “Being a representative who is well-spoken and has a lot of different ambitions

and drives is important.” Her composure and genuine character displayed through her YouTube showed the judges how much she truly cares about the causes she supports through her pageantry.

Kitchen is very grateful for the skills pageants have given

her and knows they will support her in any future endeavors. She plans on passing the torch to the next generation of pageant girls. Although she has already accomplished so much, Kitchen has a bright future ahead of her and many people to inspire.

Twitter’s Transformation: Exploring Elon Musk’s Changes

By RORY DONAHUE SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

Twitter has planned to phase out its old verification program starting in April, with the infamous blue check mark only being applied to certain accounts. They have launched “Twitter Blue,” a paid subscription service that offers access to the blue check and early access to select features.

Beyond the blue check mark, the service offers subscribers a way to enhance and customize their Twitter experience. One of the highly requested features is the “edit tweet” addition, where users will be able to have a 30-minute window after posting a tweet to make updates, tag someone, reorder media and other additions to the platform. The cost of this service is $8/month or $84/year on the web.

In launching this service, Twitter has reworked the criteria to achieve the blue checkmark and, in the process, has stripped the legitimacy of having it. Musk claims that the old system was corrupt and that too many accounts had it. Previously there were over 420,000 accounts with

the check mark. After Musk took over the company, he changed the wording on verified accounts to say “may or may not be verified.” As he proposed this new service, he stripped the blue check mark from notable accounts like The New York Times, contradicting his initial plan to maintain the verification status of the 10,000 most followed accounts, regardless of what they paid.

Outlets like The New York Times have stated that they will not pay a monthly fee to achieve the status on Twitter.

This move highlights the tension between Musk and U.S. journalists, who have been known to criticize him. Numerous other news media companies, such as The Washington Post, have felt similar tensions.

Now the wording on verified accounts says the following message: “verified because it’s subscribed to Twitter Blue or is a legacy verified account.”

Celebrities like LeBron James have tweeted back at this new service, claiming they will not pay for the verification. If currently verified accounts do not opt into the service, on April 20, 2023 legacy check marks

will be officially removed from all accounts that currently possess them.

Twitter has named NPR on the platform as a “U.S.-stateaffiliated media,” yet they do not meet Twitter’s own definition of a state-affiliated account. As a result, NPR has announced that they will no longer be posting to their 52 official Twitter feeds, becoming the first major organization to boycott the platform by going silent.

Going forward, Twitter’s changes to the platform project a new era for the app under Elon Musk. He is changing the experience and wants the app to become a platform for everything including potential options to complete payments, read news and order food. It has been six months since he bought the platform and he remains extremely ambitious.

Right now, there are a lot of bold ideas for a company known as a social media outlet. Many users could leave the app in fear of the changes he will make, but there would be an extreme loss within social media without a strong presence on the platform. There are a lot of unknowns

about what will happen, but if anything, Elon Musk will do

as much as he can to transform his new app.

COURTESY OF CLAIRE KRIEGER / THE FORDHAM RAM Kitchen’s background in pageantry has taught her many valuable skills.

As Twitter’s new owner, Musk has ushered in many changes.

The Dueling of Loyalty and Greed in “John Wick: Chapter 4”

By LAUREN LOMBARDI ASST. CULTURE EDITOR

Keanu Reeves is back for another go around in the lively “John Wick: Chapter 4.” The 2010s-born series of action flicks surrounds John Wick, a legendary assassin first pulled out of retirement to seek revenge on a crime boss’ son for killing his dog, and is now unable to find peace again. His continued killings and predicaments over the past three movies have made him incapable of leading his way out of a world with which he has re-familiarize himself.

Though the installment has a nearly three-hour runtime, I didn’t mind so much. It is a quality action film and terribly entertaining. As per usual, the film begins with a bounty being put on John’s head, this time by the Marquis Vincent de Gramont (Bill Skarsgård) who is attempting to carry out the consequences of John murdering the Elder, a figure held above even the High Table (the council running the organization of assassins).

“John Wick: Chapter 4” bops around countries, possibly more than any other film in the franchise. There are plenty of sights to see, whether that be Paris at dawn or the Berlin club boxed in by waterfall architecture (where I can imagine the intricate stunt work, in a crowd of impressively

high energy dancing extras, was a pain). The seamless transitions from location to location done by establishing shots and music alone were welcomed, rather than the ever-tacky technique of plastering the name of the city across the screen every ten minutes, à la last summer’s Netflix assassin film “The Gray Man.”

The film begins in Osaka, where John is seeking shelter from his old friend Shimazu (Hiroyuki Sanada), unknowing that his other pal Caine (Donnie Yen) has been promised freedom by de Gramont in exchange for John’s life. A lot of what makes the Osaka sequences great are the set pieces, which include the modernized (even futuristic) Osaka Continental Hotel lobby and a museum of LED lit stained glass windows featuring Japanese art, a beautiful room ruined by the circumstances of violence. In this way, it’s a lot like the relationships throughout the “John Wick” franchise.

What I was most excited about during this portion of the film was the feature acting debut of indie pop singer Rina Sawayama portraying Akira, the daughter of Shimazu. Sawayama happened to be on director Chad Stahelski’s radar with her music videos and, as he told NME Magazine, she was called “24 hours after I’d seen her video,” a testament to the very vitality Sawayama brings to the

big screen and Stahelski’s give and take with his actors. I only wish Akira hadn’t been left behind in the story as soon as Osaka was.

A new character who thankfully remains throughout the film is the mysteriously coined Mr. Nobody (Shamier Anderson), and his faithful dog, which may explain Wick’s soft spot for the man who takes multiple shots on his life. The balance of vengeance (often hand in hand with loyalty) and greed in the “John Wick” films is evident in the character of Mr. Nobody. He constantly asks for a raise on John’s bounty, a skilled enough assassin that he could surely get the job done, but is wary of going through with it. He masks his respect with the intent of greed, but his character still comes across as good-natured. The subtle performance and characterization of Anderson is a sure win for the fourth film. As is the case with the villainous performance by Skarsgård, though that is to be expected from the actor at this point.

One can always bet on John Wick’s old friends showing up; the man has history with everyone, everywhere in the world. But the friendship between Caine and John sneakily slips in a true bond, more so than any of the frivolous paths crossed in the franchise. In a scene where the pair climb an almost painful amount of stairs together, watching each other’s

back but knowing they are being pit against each other, the chemistry between Reeves and Yen shows in all its glory. Loyalty and greed, I’m telling you.

Reeves’ depiction of Wick in this film is of a genuinely tired man, aided by the very minimal dialogue for his character. His performance fits with the earnest tone of the

film to a tee. In all of Wick’s ruthlessness, we sympathize with him. Whether that is because of the likability of Reeves, an understanding of John’s vengeance or simply because he’s the protagonist, I do not know. The only thing I am sure of is I could watch Reeves and Stahelski collaborations for a lifetime more.

Ari Aster Selects: The Surreal, Absurd and Unsettling

By KALINA KOTZEV CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Through April 14-20, Film at Lincoln Center presents Ari Aster Selects, a diverse series of film showings selected by the mind behind celebrated contemporary horror films “Hereditary” (2018) and “Midsommar” (2019), Ari Aster, in the lead-up to the release of his new film “Beau is Afraid.” Tickets are $12 for students and $17 for the general public and can be purchased online or at the theatre. The film series includes “The Birds” by director Alfred Hitchcock, the Canadian film “Cowards Bend the Knee,” the Australian new-wave film “Wake in Fright” by Ted Kotcheff, the Czechoslovakian film “Invention for Destruction” and the Chilean-German stop motion film “The Wolf House.” They are being shown in the spacious Walter Reade theater, situated across the street from Film at Lincoln Center.

With his two previous films, Ari Aster forged a new path in the horror genre, displaying incredible story-telling in his depiction of suffering through the lens of family and community to reach the core of existential fears and the human dilemma. In his debut film, “Hereditary,” he takes the nuclear family and the reality of inheritance. Thinly veiled in what seems to be a story of grief and loss, he uses the familiarity and the supposed

comfort of family to explore the curse of inheritance — of being chosen and not being allowed to choose, constricted by the genetic binds of family, in a word, fate. Similarly, “Midsommar” deals with grief, family, community and the cruel paradox of fate. There is a distinct emotional brutality shared among Aster’s own pieces and his selected films, which allows audiences to look even deeper into and gain a greater appreciation of the complex character dynamics he creates and explores.

“Cowards Bend the Knee,” the 2003 film by Canadian director Guy Maddin, is a surrealistic and disorienting biography-fiction fusion that involves the family in a similarly unsettling way. It is one of the films chosen by Ari Aster for the series. The film is preceded by a short, surrealist silent film, “Stump the Guesser” (2003), about a troupe of carnival mindreaders with a supernatural ability to guess and predict. We watch as the main character Stump’s mind deteriorates and his sense of identity crumbles. Meanwhile, the audience is simultaneously bombarded with abrasive audio, shooting red graphics and surreal Soviet-inspired superimpositions that make the production humorous and confusing while remaining visually stimulating and surprisingly emotional.

“Cowards Bend the Knee” is a consecutive collection of 10 six-minute short films. It follows

Winnipeg hockey player Guy Madden through a short series of events involving death and abandonment, in which grief and suffering are twisted into romance and sexual desire, that is at times disturbing and, on a whole, reeks of Freud. The film was originally commissioned by a Toronto Gallery and made to be seen through a peephole. The shots are dynamic and swirling as the film exists in a dreamy yet escaping past that hints at an ever-present threat, building gradually just under the surface. This underlying threat and suspense is a defining characteristic in Ari Aster’s films as well as his moves in subverting the American ideal of the nuclear family. The films he has selected all touch on the role of family and on mortality in human societies and do so in their own unconventional ways. Aster is clear in his intention to approach the tragedies of family through exploring destiny and life through death — transcending the horror genre, reaching towards the darkest parts of the human psyche and challenging dearly held contemporary societal values. The selected masterworks reinforce his intentions, are a captivating exploration into human psychology and society and shed light into the process of this celebrated filmmaker. If you’d like to see more, these films are a must-watch for Ari Aster and horror fans alike.

“The Wolf House” is an unrated Chilean-German stopmotion horror film.

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Reeves returns to the big screen in the action packed “John Wick: Chapter 4.”

“Destination Cosmos” at Hall des Lumières

By REBECCA TEJIRAM CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Located in Lower Manhattan, Hall des Lumières is known for its “immersive art experiences,” which are intended to engage audiences through projections, soundtracks and light displays. Through June 4, Hall des Lumières is transforming its exhibition spaces into the vast expanse of space in its production of “Destination Cosmos: The Immersive Space Experience.” Created in collaboration with NASA and France’s CNES, the exhibition features footage from satellites, space missions and telescopes that are dynamically projected across the entire hall. The two-floor exhibition takes viewers on a virtual journey from Earth, through the solar system and beyond the Milky Way.

Entering the exhibit area, visitors have the option to view “Destination Cosmos” from the historical floor or the immersive floor. The historical floor, with its high ceiling and multiple pillars, is larger than the immersive floor and offers many different viewing areas. The immersive floor, though smaller, offers a truly remarkable experience as viewers will not miss any of the scenes or images with the room’s multiple mirror projections across the walls and floor.

Before completely transporting viewers into the realm of space, “Destination Cosmos” begins in the ancient world with the origins of space exploration

and astronomical advancements. The hall becomes the night sky, and visitors are surrounded by numerous constellations that are traced simultaneously before their eyes. This is followed by images of pyramids and ancient telescopes representing the hallmarks of ancient achievement. Next, every inch of the exhibition room is covered in ’60s-style television sets that show footage of early space missions, including the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon.

After witnessing the assembly of modern equipment and machinery at the NASA Kennedy Space Center, viewers become a part of

the launch of Artemis One, which marks the “Door to the Stars.” After the excitement, intensity and speed of takeoff, all becomes still and quiet as awe-inspiring satellite views of Earth appear across the hall. Such scenes serve as a reminder of just how remarkably wonderful Earth truly is. After exploring the International Space Station and the work of the astronauts onboard, the journey then takes visitors to the Sun, one of the most memorable and sensational parts of the experience. The hall becomes engulfed in solar flares on all sides, and viewers watch as the flares slowly spread

across the hall’s floor. The exhibition then travels to the planets of the solar system. This part of the production highlights the various technologies and probes that contribute to the modern exploration of these planets. Particularly memorable, the projections on the floor create the effect of standing on the rings of Saturn and Jupiter.

The most beautiful and breathtaking part of the exhibition is its finale: the Milky Way. Images from probes and telescopes, such as the James Webb telescope, display the brilliant and vivid colors of the stars and the galaxy. The

experience ends with footage of an astronaut traveling back to Earth with only the sound of her labored breaths. This scene is a powerful reminder of the perilous journey that astronauts and those in the field undertake in the exploration of space.

Though the footage and projections form the essence of the exhibition, the production would certainly be incomplete without its entrancing sounds. From Dvorak’s “New World Symphony” to David Bowie’s “Life on Mars,” “Destination Cosmos” masterfully combines music and soundtracks from all different genres and periods. The sound effects, ranging from heavenly sounds during views of the Milky Way and stars to thundering tracks for the solar flares, set the tone for each part and are characteristic of the exhibition’s immersive experience. Additionally, various technological and visual techniques enhance the experience and create a sense of constant motion. For example, the slow fading and zooming in and out of images create seamless transitions that have the effect of moving viewers further and further out into the universe.

Overall, “Destination Cosmos” truly lives up to its name in portraying a realistic and immersive journey through space. In addition to displaying the advancements and innovations in space exploration, the exhibition is a testament to modern technological achievements as a whole.

Editor’s Pick | Music

Swift’s “evermore” Shines as Her Most Underrated Album

By GRACE CAMPBELL DIGITAL PRODUCER

“evermore” is Taylor Swift’s ninth studio album, released in December 2020. Fans often affectionately refer to it as the “forgotten sister” to her preceding and Grammy-winning album “folklore,” which was released only five months before. The two albums were written and released as Swift was isolating because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and both were surprise drops. The albums’ folk-indie sound, combined with her intelligent and thought-provoking lyricism, has been regarded by fans and the general public as some of Swift’s best work. However, most of the general praise has gone to “folklore,” while in my opinion, “evermore” is the most complex, compelling and best piece of work that Swift has ever put out.

Swift’s music creates comfort for millions of people, and no album does that as much as “evermore.” The record explores contrasting and heavy emotions such as loss, heartbreak, grief and envy, yet also joy, revenge and closure. Within its deluxe edition’s 17 tracks, it experiments with different genres like folk, pop, alternative and rock, so

there’s really something for everyone. On top of the experimental sound, lyrically, “evermore” is Swift’s best work. Who else is going to write, “Now you hang from my lips, like the gardens of Babylon,” which is a lyric from the album’s 11th track, “cowboy like me.” In “evermore,” Swift is able to tell deep and relatable stories in her writing, while portraying them with beautiful Shakespearean lyricism. Every song contains lyrics that forces you to go back and listen again, as well as appreciate the metaphors and intricacy of the stories each of the songs tell.

“evermore” is a no-skip album, as most of Swift’s are, but it also happens to be my personal favorite. My favorite songs (to name just a few as it’s ever changing) are “it’s time to go,” “coney island” and the title track “evermore.” Listening to “evermore” has helped me get through so much, and there’s a song fit for every emotion. From feeling overwhelmed, heartbroken and grief-stricken to finding happiness and joy, the album has been there to articulate my feelings when I didn’t quite know how to.

In the 2020 announcement of the album Swift wrote, “I loved the escapism I found in these imaginary/not imaginary tales. I

loved the ways you welcomed the dreamscapes and tragedies and epic tales of love lost and found into your lives. So I just kept writing them.” Now, as she’s embarking on the “Eras Tour,” Swift is able to perform her hits from “evermore,” along with the rest of her discography. In the “evermore” portion of the tour,

Swift wears a beautiful flowy gown, and the stage is lit up in a glowy woodsy atmosphere. She has performed songs from the album including “tolerate it,” which is a harrowing song about an unbalanced relationship; “marjorie,” an ode to her grandmother, who has passed on; and “tis the damn season,” a

song about briefly reconnecting with an old love. The live shows bring the thematic and sonic range of this album to light. Seeing the album brought to life on tour has only proved to me over again why it is my favorite. No matter the time or place, “evermore” will always be a special and important album.

Taylor Swift’s ninth studio album, “evermore,” is filled with beautiful lyricism that explores grief and closure.

COURTESY OF TWITTER

“Destination Cosmos” transports viewers into the realm of space while displaying technological innovations.

Goose Takes Up Residence Near Martyrs’ Court Jogues

By KARI WHITE CULTURE EDITOR

Numerous reports have indicated the presence of a particularly belligerent goose on campus, specifically on the corner of Martyrs’ Lawn in between Martyrs’ Court Jogues and Collins Hall. While no students have sustained serious injuries from their encounters with the goose, there have been individuals who have suffered physical and mental abuse at the hands — rather, wings — of the creature.

Violet Marshall, FCRH ’26, first recorded the goose’s presence in a TikTok video that quickly went viral, amassing over 642,000 likes in the first four days the video was posted. “I began to hear some screaming outside my window and soon realized people were getting attacked by a goose,” said Marshall. “I knew I had to film it because it was too funny, but as it started to get more serious, I also wanted people to be aware.”

Her video, using the aptly selected “Goose On The Loose” song by Dan Bull, showed different students walking past, staring down or — in the more extreme cases — running for their lives from the feathered menace. Barstool Fordham quickly reposted the video on their TikTok and Instagram accounts. Students flocked to the latter, leaving many comments

expressing the wide range of campus perspectives: “Reminder to always stay away from martyrs,” wrote @fordhamchicks and “Just grab that stupid bird by the neck,” wrote @sonshinez. While no one knows for sure what has brought the goose to Fordham’s campus, Instagram user @elizabethworsham took a gander at it. On Barstool Fordham’s repost of Marshall’s video, she commented, “I’m sure there’s a nest somewhere nearby.” As this comment implies, this borderline violent behavior is not rare for geese, but is a part of their normal mating season behavior. Nesting season begins during the middle of March and continues through late April. During this period of time, both adults of a mating pair defend their broods, with the male acting especially aggressively. The birds, which can weigh a total of 24 pounds and live for as long as 42 years (in captivity), can pose a real threat to Fordham students unfortunate enough to attract its attention — or those foolish enough to provoke it. Canadian Goose threat displays, some of which can be seen in Marshall’s TikTok, include head pumping, hissing, honking and bill opened with tongue raised. According to All About Birds, a blog run by Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “When an intruding goose doesn’t retreat, geese may grab each other by breast

or throat and hit each other with their wings. Fighting may result in injuries.”

As Marshall can attest, some victims can sustain other types of injuries simply by being chased. She witnessed a student who, upon being chased by the goose, tripped on the stairs, sustaining a serious enough injury that she needed a wrist brace. Maia Munich, FCRH ’26, said of the incident: “At first it was honestly quite terrifying, because I was the first person to get attacked. So, it was really unexpected. Now, looking back at it, it’s funny, but at the time I was really scared that the goose was going to hurt me.” Fortunately, Munich has fully recovered from her interaction with the goose.

Mike Smallenberger, GSB ’26, another victim of the goose, had an experience similar to Munich’s: “As I walked past Martyrs I noticed the beast with hatred in its eyes. It flew after me with murderous intentions. I luckily escaped the encounter with my life, but I know not everyone lives to tell the tale.”

Besides the few students who had the unfortunate luck to be chased down by the goose, students seem to be mostly avoiding the bird. “Pretty much everyone,” said Andrew Hall, FCRH ’24, “avoided it like the plague or moved away as much as possible.” Hall attributes this

to the way that the bird stands as still as stone. Joseph Ryan, FCRH ’24, corroborated Hall’s claim: “He stares menacingly at me whenever I walk by.”

Not all students see the goose in a negative light, however. Nicole St. Jacques, FCRH ’24, is a staunch defender of the bird. “I think the goose is awesome and has every right to defend its family. I think we should consider how this land probably was filled with geese before Fordham

and he’s reclaiming the space,” said St. Jacques.

Regardless of student opinions about him, this avian avenger is here to stay. As the breeding season ends in late April, the bird might very well remain stationed at the edge of Martyrs Lawn for the rest of the month. During that time, we can all enjoy the novelty of this bird from a safe distance. Students living in Jogues, good luck. And, everyone, please don’t provoke the goose.

The infamous Canadian Goose patrols the lawn around Collins Hall.

Men’s Tennis Wins Two on the Road

By JOE MASTERS STAFF WRITER

Fordham Men’s Tennis had three matches on the slate over the last two weeks starting with a dominant victory in Worcester against the College of the Holy Cross by a score of 6-1 on April 6. Starting off strong has been a key all season for the Rams and they did just that against the Crusaders, winning all three doubles matches to grab the first point of the day.

Following the impressive start, Fordham continued their stellar play onto the singles courts where graduate student Quinn Fender took care of business against the Crusaders’ Alessandro Bizzarri coming out on top in straight sets 6-1, 6-0. Other impressive performances included freshman Dhillon Virdee-Oakley with a 7-5, 6-4 win and senior Toi Kobayashi’s comefrom-behind victory, 4-6, 6-4, 1-0(4). The Rams squad’s youth also came to play as freshmen John Mascone (6-3, 6-3) and Sampras Rakotondrainibe (6-2, 6-2), both won with ease, giving hope for not only the present but the future of Fordham Men’s Tennis.

Following their resounding win in Massachusetts, the Rams carried their momentum on the road to Lawrenceville, N.J. where they shut out Rider University 7-0.

Within the domination, VirdeeOakley’s 7-5, 6-4 victory in the #2 singles spot stood out the most. Not only was it the second consecutive singles victory for the freshman, but Virdee-Oakley was rewarded for his stellar play by being named the Atlantic 10 Men’s Tennis Rookie of the Week. In combination with his doubles play, VirdeeOakley was a flawless 4-0 and

Student Athlete Column: No Good At Goodbyes

By TAYLOR MASCETTA STAFF WRITER

played a crucial role in the Rams success over the week. VirdeeOakley joins fellow freshman Sampras Rakotondrainibe as the other Rams rookie to take home the award this season.

Moving on, the Rams were disappointed to see their match canceled against St. Joseph’s University on Saturday, April 15, but quickly hit the courts again against St. John’s University the following Sunday.

Unfortunately for Fordham, they could not make it three in a row, falling to the Red Storm 6-1. St. John’s presented a tough matchup for the Rams, posting a record of 16-5 going into the Sunday showdown. After narrowly losing the doubles point, the Rams only mustered one singles victory courtesy of Fender’s tie breaking victory, 1-6, 6-2, 10-8. Despite the loss, head coach David Slater was impressed by his Rams team and especially from the victory from Fender.

“This was one of the best teams we have played against all year and we were close to taking the doubles point,” said Slater. “On top of that Quinn had one of the best wins of the season against a St. John’s player who has been nationally ranked this year.”

The Rams will look to close out their season strong as they will head over to Cocoa, Fla. to take on Eastern Florida State College on Tuesday, April 25. Following the match against the Titans, Fordham will head immediately into the A-10 tournament which will carry on through the week and into Saturday with the Rams hoping to come back from their trip in the Sunshine State with some major hardware.

Athletes of the Week

Fordham Baseball may be struggling, but Sahler is on an absolute tear, hitting .529 with a 1.266 OPS to go with six RBI and six runs. Riding a five-game hitting streak, the sophomore outfielder has recorded multihit performances in four of his last five games, raising his season batting average by 42 points.

Well, this is it. I can’t believe I’m already writing my final student athlete column. It feels like just yesterday that I got a text from Maddie asking if I was interested in writing the column this year. Time flies when you’re having fun!

I’m excited to say my running career will be continuing a bit longer, just in a different place. I’m running for Syracuse University next year, and I’ll be pursuing a master’s degree in broadcasting on a sports media track! I’ll have the chance to continue doing both the things I love. I cannot wait to see what comes next for me and to meet Otto the Orange. But it’s all feeling very, very bittersweet.

I hate goodbyes. A lot. Even though I am really excited to go orange this summer, I’m not ready to say so long to Fordham yet. This final semester has made me realize how truly grateful I am for this place and every single person I’ve met here. Every single early morning, packed work schedule and late night was worth it. (Those 6:45 a.m. Ram Vans to Van Cortlandt however… those did take it out of me.)

I often look back on my freshman year self, bright-eyed and bushytailed when stepping into Queen’s Court for the first time. (I did in fact set off the door alarm trying to find the entrance.) Never in a million years would I have predicted what my college career would look like. I’ve had plenty of ups and downs at Fordham, as any college student does. I’ve had the best nights of my life, created stories of which I’m unbelievably proud and developed friendships for a lifetime. But I’ve struggled to reach some of my biggest goals on the track, had anxieties completely shut my brain down and had my heart broken multiple times — all that jazz. But my mantra’s always remained “everything happens for a reason.” Without everything that’s happened to me, I wouldn’t have the confidence

AWAY

to demand what’s meant for me. I know what I deserve now and that I’m capable of getting it myself.

I know I’m going to look back on my time at Fordham with a smile. There were times I crammed into a contrast pool with five or six of my teammates in the training room. Then there’s me sitting in WFUV’s Studio 3, laughing my butt off during mic checks. And there’s lounging on a picnic blanket on Eddie’s for hours at a time, unsuccessfully dodging the football my boyfriend’s tossing around. Late-night Best Deli runs, 12-hour study seshes at Prince Coffee House… I can go on and on, but I’m already nearing my word limit!

There’s so many people I want to thank for making my time here so special. There’s both my teammates and coaches, who never fail to put a smile on my face every morning at 7:30 a.m. We’ve had the time of our life surviving each progression long run, aqua jogging on our designated “Water Wednesday’s” and munching on those insane Kirkland Nuts and Dark Chocolate packs. Seriously, what is in those that makes them so good? If I kept writing about every memory we’ve shared, I’d take up this entire issue. The team believed in me when I couldn’t, and I can’t wait to see all the success in store for them. Fordham Track and Field will always remain my family, and it breaks my heart thinking about not seeing everyone every morning. But I’ll be there in spirit, cheering everyone on from afar.

I can’t talk about my time at Fordham without mentioning my time with WFUV. I will forever thank my lucky stars I decided to take the newsroom experience my junior year. I call myself the newssports hybrid, and both experiences have been absolutely incredible. I’ll miss my morning shifts and “What’s Whatsing” with the newsies so, so much. We’ve become quite the family in the newsroom. I will also forever thank my lucky stars that just so happening to be a student athlete got me involved with WFUV Sports. With them I discovered a confidence within myself I never knew I had, from starting the first women’s sports podcast at WFUV to hopping on New York’s longest running sports callin show. I entered Fordham wanting to do print journalism, now I’m leaving determined to break into the sports industry. On top of that, I’ve met some of the most incredible people in my life. Who would’ve thought the “A” group for our practice podcast would turn into some of the closest friends (#ATEAM). For all of this, I will always be eternally grateful.

Like I said, I don’t like goodbyes. But hey, it’s not the end. My story isn’t over just yet! There’s still personal records to chase, jobs to pursue and new people to meet. But Fordham’s always going to be a part of me. So, instead of saying goodbye, this is just a “see you later.” I know I’ll be back in NYC in one way or another. But until then, see ya! Roll Rams forever.

Varsity Calendar

Thomas was the standout performer in a rain-shortened weekend for Fordham Track and Field. Posting a season-best time of 4:45.53 in the 1,500-meter run, Thomas claimed second place in the women’s event, which proved to be the highest Rams finish of the invitational.

Softball

Women’s Tennis

Each week, The Fordham Ram’s sports section honors two athletes for their on-field performances as their “Athletes of the Week.”

Cian Sahler Sophomore, Baseball

Alexandra Thomas

Senior, Track and Field

While I’m leaving Fordham, I will always think of the time I spent with my friends.

OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

What Does the Future Hold for Gerhard Struber?

By NICK GUZMAN SPORTS EDITOR

It’s hard to imagine the last time a Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise had a more tumultuous period than what the New York Red Bulls are currently experiencing.

On April 8, Red Bulls forward Dante Vanzeir uttered a racial slur in a match against the San Jose Earthquakes. The game was paused for 20 minutes as MLS officials sorted through the madness.

Vanzeir would later be suspended six games for his conduct, a number that many think should be higher. In protest, Red Bulls’ supporters groups walked out of the following week’s match against the Houston Dynamo at kickoff, leaving the typically lively South Ward empty and silent.

At center stage of this controversy has been Red Bulls’ manager, Gerhard Struber. Struber, who is in his third full season as Red Bulls manager, declined to immediately substitute Vanzeir after the incident. His statement following the incident was brief and to the point.

“During our match on Saturday, I made a decision that I thought was best given the information I had at that moment,” Struber said. “While there was a lot of uncertainty at the time, with the information that I now know, the right decision would have been to immediately remove Dante Vanzeir from the game.”

For Red Bulls fans, this “apology” was not enough. Many have theorized that Struber was aware of what Vanzeir said, yet he still decided to keep him on the field. In addition, his language in that statement doesn’t constitute an apology or accountability at all. Struber’s words around the incident and how it is affecting Red Bulls supporters fall more along the lines of ‘sorry you feel that way’ instead of a legitimate apology.

The fans have made it clear how they feel about Struber at this current moment. Before walking out of Saturday’s

game, chants of “Fire Struber!” echoed around the South Ward.

Beyond his shortcomings in properly dealing with the Vanzeir incident, the Red Bulls have not been winning games this season. They’ve tallied one win, five draws and two losses so far and currently sit in 12th place in the Eastern Conference. New York has struggled to score goals, tallying just six in eight games. In addition, they’ve scored more than a single goal in a game just once.

Often this season, the Red Bulls just can’t seem to put the ball in the back of the net. They don’t always look void of ideas, but the lack of finishing is a constant. Whether Vanzier, Tom Barlow, Cory Burke or Elias Manoel get the start up top, New York can’t score. Their once-thrilling style of soccer of years past is long gone. This current Red Bulls team can be an arduous watch based on the lack of attacking creativity.

I do think Struber’s shortcomings tactically are a bit over-exaggerated by those who want him fired. Yes, the Red Bulls have struggled to score this season, but the poor finishing we’ve seen shouldn’t all be put on Struber. The Red Bulls have missed a lot of chances this season, and Struber’s not the one who has to physically put the ball in the net.

Yet, it is his responsibility to make changes when things aren’t working. Struber isn’t one to take accountability if his tactical plan doesn’t work.

And it’s true that the Red Bulls are playing boring soccer. The average attendance at Red Bull Arena has been declining for years, and I think that has

something to do with the way that Red Bulls play. They don’t score goals, and, dating back to last year, they don’t win home games.

Based on the lack of results and his handling of the Vanzeir situation, it seems obvious that the Red Bulls should move on from Struber. But he has a good relationship with those at Red Bull, and it doesn’t seem like he’s going anywhere anytime soon.

I think the atmosphere inside Red Bull Arena on Saturday night made it clear that something needs to change.

The stadium was eerily quiet with the walkout. It was weird. Fans cheered when the Red Bulls entered the attacking third, but the stadium was silent in moments of possession.

Saturday should have been a sign for Red Bulls upper management. There is a clear disconnect between the club, Struber and the fans. This disconnect is not one that the Red Bulls can afford to have right now. The popularity of the club has significantly decreased in the last five years, and the Vanzeir incident and its aftermath are only going to make that worse.

The New York Red Bulls need a fresh start, and they are in no position to alienate fans that are still loyal to the club. That should make the decision to move on from Struber clear.

Yet there has been no indication that the club is considering firing Struber. For now, it is important for Struber to attempt to reconcile his relationship with the fans. That comes through understanding and accountability. Otherwise, the “Fire Struber” chants will only grow much lowder.

Women’s Track

Larry Ellis Invitational

NTS (No Team Scoring)

Men’s Track

Larry Ellis Invitational

NTS (No Team Scoring)

News & Notes

Bridgette Mitchell Named New Women’s Basketball Head Coach

On April 7, Fordham Athletics announced that Bridgette Mitchell is taking over as head coach of Fordham Women’s Basketball. After being named Collegiate Athletics Association (CAA) Coach of the Year at Northeastern University, she comes to Fordham with an extensive background in basketball. Her coaching career began as an assistant at Wagner College from 2013-14. She later moved to become an assistant coach at Siena College from 2014-16 before a stint as an assistant coach at James Madison University from 2016-19. During her tenure at James Madison, the Dukes went for a 78-26 record and won two consecutive CAA regular season titles in 2018 and 2019. Her most recent assistant position was at the University of Pittsburgh from 2019-21.

Five Football Players Receive Nod to NFF Hampshire Honor Society

The NFF & College Football Hall of Fame announced this past week the nominations to the 2023 National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society. Five Rams got the nod to the honor society. Graduate students Ryan Greenhagen, Trey Sneed and Anthony Tony-Itoyah, and seniors Fotis Kokosioulis and Trey Wilson III were all honored for their academic and athletic achievements.

Women’s Tennis Finishes Last Home Match On Top

By BRETT TULIP STAFF WRITER

A whopping five Fordham players completed their last match at Hawthorn/Rooney Tennis Courts as Fordham defeated the University of Massachusetts 4-2 on Sunday in Atlantic 10. Seniors Rachelle Yang and Avery Aude and graduate students Carlota Casasampere Escoda, Lindsay Hung and Valeriya Deminova were honored before their last match at Fordham University’s home court.

The team went out on a high note, but the match started shakily. UMass won the doubles point as they managed to defeat both teams of Hung and Fasoula 6-1 and Yang and Casasampere 6-2. However, the team shined in the singles

matches. In particular, the older students played like it was their last game as they shined. UMass only received one singles point against Yang, as the rest of the team handled business.

Deminova won in three sets, with close scores of 6-2, 3-6 and 6-4. Hung won convincingly in two with scores of 6-2 and 6-4. Aude won in the same fashion, with her victories ending in 6-2 and 6-4. Lastly, Casasampere Escoda narrowly squeezed out the win with 6-4 and 7-6 scores.

Overall, it was an extremely productive and controlling victory for Fordham as they begin to wrap up the season. With two more A-10 opponents next weekend in George Washington University and George Mason University, the team looks to close out strong as

the A-10 Championship is just weeks away. Fordham currently stands at 9-7, a record that continues their success from last year, when they finished 14-5 on their way to an A-10 Championship appearance.

As the current group will leave the team thin and incomplete, Fordham recently picked up two more signees as their total number now sits at seven new recruits.

Their most recent pickups are both graduate transfers: Rafaela Alhach from The College of William & Mary and Franny Shea from Davidson College. They are gaining much talent and should be able to reload effectively next season after most of the team finishes with their collegiate careers.

Fordham Women’s Basketball Introduces New Head Coach Bridgette Mitchell – and a New Era in the Process

By LOU ORLANDO ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

“It’s up for women’s basketball here at Fordham.”

Those were the closing remarks of newly appointed head coach Bridgette Mitchell in her introductory press conference last Tuesday. Affectionately known as “Coach Bee,” Mitchell brings a unique style and approach that should help the Fordham women’s basketball program continue and build on its previous success.

Mitchell spent four years as a player at Duke University, helping the team to back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances before making it all the way to the Elite Eight in her senior year. She made the switch to coaching in 2013, with stops at Wagner University, Siena College, James Madison University and the University of Pittsburgh as an assistant coach before getting her first head coaching position at Northeastern University in 2021.

In just two years, Mitchell reformed the Northeastern program. Predicted to finish last in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) in her first year, she led them to finish in the top half of the conference. She upped the ante in her second year, leading them to their first ever regular season title as her team advanced to the semifinals in the CAA tournament for the first time since joining the conference in 2005. As the reigning CAA Coach of the Year, Mitchell will look to carry over her success

of rebuilding to a Fordham program that will look very different from years past.

“We kinda knew no matter what, coming into this season with eight graduating seniors, it was gonna be a situation where we needed to rebuild the program,” said Fordham Director of Athletics Ed Kull. “Coach Bee understands what a strong women’s basketball program looks like. Her vision, her playbook, her strategy in terms of building a program, in terms of sustainable success of a program, was extremely clear from day one.”

Mitchell has deep ties to success. During her first year at Siena the team advanced to the championship game of the WBI. In her three years at JMU, they went 78-26, earning three WNIT berths and two CAA regular season titles.

“She wanted the job even more than we wanted her,” added Kull, who cited her approach and fit while emphasizing her affinity for recruiting as aspects that drew Fordham to her. Mitchell served as the recruiting coordinator for Pitt, bringing in fourstar recruit Tracey Hueston, Pitt’s highest rated recruit in the ACC, during her tenure.

If you were wondering what a Coach Bee-style team will look like, you need only ask. “I think it’s fair to say we’re gonna play fast. We’re gonna get the pieces in here that are gonna allow us to score in the first eight seconds

of the shot clock,” said Mitchell. “It’s all free flowing. I don’t like to put people in a box.”

Emphasizing words like “grit” and “toughness,” Mitchell looks to establish a culture from the very beginning. Taking a moment during the press conference to address the Fordham players in attendance, Mitchell delivered a promise: “I am going to lead with a relentless work ethic. I am going to ignite your competitive spirit in ways that you haven’t experienced. I’m gonna challenge you to be the best every moment, both on and off the court.”

It’s clear that for Mitchell, establishing this culture is the first step to success. “We aren’t going to promise the university or people wins. We aren’t going to promise that we can do magical things. We are going to be a group of people that compete, work and have fun. We know for a fact that

Fordham Track and Field: Larry Ellis Invitational Cut Short by Rain

By LOU ORLANDO ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Fordham Track and Field showed up to play at the Larry Ellis Invitational in Princeton, N.J. Unfortunately, so did the rain, as the two-day meet was cut short due to rain and poor conditions.

Friday went by without interruption as the Rams competed in five events. Action began with the women’s long jump, seeing graduate student Kathryn Kelly take fourth place and junior Skylar Harris posting a 10th-place finish. In the 1,500-meter run, graduate student Helen Connolly led the Ram effort with an 11thplace finish while senior Mary Kathryn Underwood and junior Marin Bogulski also posted top20 finishes. Closing out women’s events for the day with the unseeded 5,000-meter, sophomore Caroline McDonagh came in ninth and senior Nathania Tan placed in the top 20.

The men’s side only competed in the 1,500-meter and 5,000-meter on Friday. Senior Colin Flood led the Rams in the event, finishing 31st, narrowly ahead of sophomore Nathan Bezuneh in 32nd and freshman

Ben Borchers in 38th. Junior Steven Zucca ended the first day on a high note, placing 10th in the unseeded 5,000-meter.

The Rams were able to compete in seven events on Saturday before weather interfered. The women’s field events saw three top-10 finishes. Freshman Leia Ruvo finished sixth in the high jump while fellow freshman

Alexandra Manetovic had herself a day, taking sixth in the triple jump and ninth in the high jump.

The 4x100 relays saw top-10 finishes from both men’s and women’s. The unit of sophomores Kenneth Maxwell and Jonah Coleman and freshmen

Liam Volz and Christopher Weddington posted a time of 43.02 seconds, good for seventh, while Kelly, Harris and freshmen Nicole Lytle and Dilyn Green were ninth in the women’s event with a time of 47.71. Lytle also took part in the 100-meter hurdles preliminaries, coming in 14th.

The final event before play was postponed was the 1,500-meter run. As fate would have it, this would be the high point of the entire invitational thanks to strong performances

from seniors Alexandra Thomas and Taylor Mascetta. Posting season bests, Thomas’s 4:45.53 and Mascetta’s 4:45.89 earned the duo second- and thirdplace finishes in the women’s event. Freshman Darren Croke led the men’s side in the 1,500, finishing 14th while freshman Yariv Simhony squeezed in a top-20 finish.

The rain refused to relent, forcing a cancellation after a lengthy delay, but the Rams were fortunately able to end things on a high note. They’ll return to N.J. on April 21-22 as they hope for continued success and some better weather at the Rutger Relays.

wins will come in overflow once we establish our culture.”

The Rams have been a consistent force in the Atlantic 10 for the last decade. That consistent success has gone hand-in-hand with a consistent lineup. That won’t be the case this upcoming season. Graduate students Asiah Dingle, Kaitlin Downey, Jada Dapaa and Meg Jonassen have no more eligibility. Senior Anna DeWolfe has made the leap to a Power Five conference, transferring to Notre Dame for her final year, while senior Sarah Karpell has hit the transfer portal as well. Fordham currently has eight players in the transfer portal, the second most in the A-10. That list includes some of their younger athletes, meaning next year’s squad is going to look very different. That change is something Mitchell embraces.

“My time at Northeastern, we were able to do some special

things because of the type of athlete that I recruit. That can come here to the A-10. We can’t promise anything right now — our roster isn’t even full yet. But the style and the type of player that I’m looking for, we’re gonna find, and it’s gonna be an exciting year.”

She may be reluctant to promise wins, but that doesn’t mean her eyes aren’t locked in on success. “The A-10, this league is competitive, but it’s also very winnable,” Mitchell said, with a confident gleam in her eye. “I believe in myself, and when I get my staff here in line, we’re gonna get the right athletes to make some noise.”

Change can hurt. Fordham fans have to say goodbye to a roster that had a bevy of all-time greats. They have to say goodbye to players that have graced the Rose Hill Gymnasium for the last four to five years. They have to say goodbye to coach Candice Green and her staff, who helped instill a sustained culture of positivity and success. They have to say goodbye to an era of Fordham Women’s basketball. But that doesn’t mean change can’t bring new wonders and new joys, new heights and new successes.

“You have to bloom where you’ve been planted,” said Mitchell, a New Jersey native. She’ll certainly look to do just that as she ushers in a new era of Fordham Women’s Basketball.

Golf Wraps Up Regular Season in Pennsylvania

By WILL TALLANT STAFF WRITER

After a second-place finish in the Monmouth Hawk Invitational on Tuesday, April 4, Fordham Men’s Golf traveled to Easton, Pa. at Northampton Country Club for the Abarta Coca-Cola Collegiate Invitational where they would finish 11th out of the 18 school pool. This was Fordham’s final meeting before the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament.

The Rams were led by seniors P.J. O’Rourke and Andreas Aivazoglou, who both etched one-under scores and both sat in a share of 16th place at the conclusion of round one on Sunday. O’Rourke, after a rocky first hole double-bogey, tallied five birdies in an exceptional opening performance. Aivazoglou continued the birdie trend stroking three of his own and capped it all off by paring his last 14 straight holes. Sophomores Chris Konefal and Jake Mrva just missed the par mark, carding final tallies of 72 and 77 respectively.

To round out the round one action, last week’s A-10 Golfer of the Week after his second-place finish in the Monmouth Invitational, Nicholas Manning, completed his

round with a score of 81 and senior John Kryscio followed behind with an 84. The Rams slotted in 12th place in overall standing with a 9 a.m. tee time schedule for Monday.

Day two once again showed an excellent performance from O’Rourke. The senior notched a 74 in his second round to put him 15th on the leaderboard for the tournament. Mrva led the charge for the Rams on Monday shooting three-under, jumping the sophomore way up the ladder to 25th place overall. Four birdies and an impressive eagle lead the way to a career-low round for Mrva. Manning, although delivering a dominant first fourteen holes, finished his weekend in a share of 86th place with Konefal. Fordham would go on to finish 11th out of 18 programs as Lehigh University took home the title registering a team score of 270, which is good for a cumulative six-under.

The Arbata Coca-Cola Collegiate Invitational is the last outing for the Rams of the regular season as focus shifts now toward the A-10 Conference Tournament. Fordham will make the trip down to Kissimmee, Fla. at Reunion Resort on April 27 for a chance at a conference title.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Mitchell’s teams are characterized by a fast, gritty and tough style of play.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS Thomas led the Ram effort in N.J.

Fordham Rowing Continues Season at Knecht Cup

By NOAH HOFFMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Fordham Rowing crew took to the water for the second time this spring. Their first competition in the spring was at the Jesuit Invitational in Philadelphia. They brought home two top finishes with the Second Varsity 8 and the Second Varsity 4 each coming in first, along with multiple other boats coming in their group’s top three. Looking to build upon this early success, they headed to the Cooper River in Cherry Hill, N.J. for the Knecht Cup.

The team “executed the race plan as intended, made adjustments when they needed to and didn’t leave anything on the table,” said head coach Rebecca Gronsdahl. This was shown after the first day of competition with five boats going on to compete

in Sunday’s Grand Final. Those teams were Varsity 8, Second Varsity 8, Second Varsity 4, Third Varsity 4 and Freshman/Novice

4. Out of those teams, there was one first place finish, three second places and a fifth place that allowed the five to qualify for the final races on Sunday.

In the Sunday finale, the best result for the Rams came from the Freshman/Novice 4 composed of freshmen Alex Zaneski, Celeste Batres, Bailey Scherdorf, Logan Gray and junior Elizabeth Weldon, who finished in second place with a time of 8:21. The boat was only a mere 2.69 seconds behind Monmouth A but a 12-second gap ahead of third place finishers Delaware.

In a tight race, the Second Varsity 8 shell finished in fourth place with a time of 6:59.95. Although the team came in fourth, they were

only .47 seconds from third and 3.79 seconds behind the winner. Fordham also came away with two fifth-place finishes in the Second Varsity 4 with a time of 8:26.38 and the Third Varsity 8 with a time of 8:01.10. They closed out the weekend with a sixth-place result in the Varsity 8. Gronsdahl said she was pleased with the outcome of the regatta highlighting the progress that has been made, as seen in both the results and how each boat raced. She said she was also “very happy to see how all the boats performed under pressure at a large regatta,” mentioning the skill that was needed and fulfilled “by the exceptional group of young women.”The team will now look toward this weekend’s Spring Metropolitan Championships at Glen Island to build on the success that they saw at the Knecht Cup.

Devils Ready To Raise Hell in 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs

By JAMES BIRLE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

If you asked 100 New Jersey Devils fans in October where the team would be at the end of the 2022-23 season, not a single one would have told you that they’d fly into the playoffs with, statistically, their best season in franchise history. That’s exactly what the Devils accomplished during the regular season, however, earning a franchise record 52 wins and 112 points, easily making the playoffs as the third best team across the entire National Hockey League (NHL) and just one point behind the number one Carolina Hurricanes in the tough Metropolitan Division.

Just last year, the Devils were eliminated from playoff contention with 15 games remaining in the regular season, earning a mere 63 points in the year compared to their 112 in 2022-23. The 49-point turnaround between 2021-22 and 2022-23 is the greatest increase in points earned by any team over two seasons in NHL history. Suffice to say, it has been a surprisingly different and exciting year, headlined by none other than 2019 first overall pick Jack Hughes, whose 99 points (in 78 games) set a new Devils franchise record for points in a single season, beating out Patrik Elias’ record of 96 from the 2000-01 season.

Club Sports Continue to Dominate This Spring

By ALLIE COPPOLA STAFF WRITER

After eventful spring seasons, many of Fordham’s club sports teams are wrapping up regular season play and looking ahead to playoffs and nationals. Both lacrosse teams stayed hot after spring break, and the baseball team sits at the top of their conference entering their final few matchups. Finally, the softball team picked up a pair of wins against Rider College and played a triple header this past Sunday.

In last Friday’s doubleheader at West Point, the men’s lacrosse team pulled off two incredible upsets over top-20 ranked teams. They began the night with a 7-6 win over the Hudson Hellfire, the club team at the United States Military Academy, in what turned out to be an overtime thriller. Senior Brian Arella scored the seventh and game-winning goal for the Rams, shutting down the fifth-ranked and previously undefeated Hellfire. In the next game against Sacred Heart University, they secured another overtime win after freshman Bobby Lynch’s tally. After the low-scoring 5-4 win, the Rams look to launch into the rankings after defeating the 20th-ranked Pioneers. These two wins follow a 15-3 win against New York University in the previous weekend, proving the men’s

lacrosse team’s dominance heading into the latter part of April. They will close out the regular season with a home doubleheader on April 23 as they host a round robin event with Hofstra University and Marist College on Murphy Field.

The women’s lacrosse team had a similar dominant weekend back at the end of March, traveling to Lafayette College to play a doubleheader against the Leopards and Duquesne University. The first game against Duquesne ended as a 13-7 win, and the following matchup against previously second-ranked Lafayette ended in a 13-1 blowout win. Going into April, the Rams improved their ranking to fifth in the Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse Organization (WCLO) and just before Fordham’s Easter break, the team carried their momentum to Randall’s Island for a round robin event against both Fairfield University and NYU. They began the day against Fairfield and ultimately lost 12-9 despite a valiant effort. The Stags tied the season series at one apiece, and the rivalry will continue to brew until they meet next year. They bounced back from the loss with a 14-7 win over NYU, closing out their regular season play and finishing sixth in the rankings. This led the Rams to the first overall seed in the New England Women’s Lacrosse League

(NEWLL) regional tournament this past weekend, where they lost to Wooster Polytechnic Institute and finished one of the more successful seasons in the club’s history.

At the end of March, the club baseball team split a two game series with Adelphi University, winning the first game 8-2 and dropping the second one with a 6-2 score. They returned to form the following weekend, completing a three game sweep of Hofstra University with 9-3, 8-7 and 8-5 wins. Their winning ways have led them to the top of their division, where they stand out of reach from Stony Brook and Marist. They have the most overall wins in their division with 14 through the fall and the spring, and look to extend this number this weekend when they travel to Fairfield for a doubleheader matchup

On the women’s diamond, the Club Softball team picked up a pair of 1-0 wins against Rider College at the end of March, and hosted a tripleheader against Rutgers University last weekend.

As the club sports season begins to wind down, the teams have recorded triumphant performances to close out the year. The men’s lacrosse and baseball teams still have games remaining, so look ahead to potential big playoff matchups in the coming weeks.

reckoned with in the Stanley Cup Playoffs despite their youth and inexperience. However, in front of them in round one lies the equally impressive New York Rangers, who unlike the Devils, have the benefit of playoff experience through their handful of postseason conquests over the last five seasons. That includes an appearance in last season’s Eastern Conference Final, a series they lost in six games to Tampa Bay.

This season marks the Devils’ first playoff appearance since 2017-18, where they narrowly skidded into the postseason on Taylor Hall’s 26game point streak and Hart Trophy year before going on to lose in round one to the Tampa Bay Lighting in just five games. The Devils were serious underdogs in that series because it was clear that Hall was without much help in terms of points production and New Jersey’s goaltending situation was unsure with two imperfect choices in Keith Kinkaid and Cory Schneider.

Unlike in 2018, the Devils will enter the 2023 playoffs with a stack of scoring weapons, including the likes of Hughes, captain Nico Hischier, star defenseman Dougie Hamilton and sharpshooter Jesper Bratt, all of whom amassed at least 73 points this season. They also added scoring powerhouse Timo Meier from the San Jose Sharks at the trade deadline, and his nine goals since joining New Jersey helped him reach the 40-goal mark on the season. Often underappreciated, though, has been the Devils’ depth this season, which has improved dramatically with Dawson Mercer taking a big leap in his sophomore season, Tomas Tatar emerging as one of the best twoway forwards across the league and Ryan Graves stepping his game up on the blueline among others who made big steps on the season. Not to mention, New Jersey had consistent goaltending for the first time in years through a 33-win season from Vitek Vanecek, who has cemented his status as a stable force in net for the Devils since being acquired in the 2022 offseason.

All this and more has transformed the Devils back into a bonafide powerhouse akin to the late ’90s and early 2000s, making them a force to be

Apart from being bitter rivals both geographically and historically, the Devils’ last playoff series win came against New York in the 2012 Eastern Conference Final, in which then New Jersey rookie Adam Henrique scored the famous overtime winner in game six to send the Devils to the cup. Further back, fans will remember the 1994 playoffs and Mark Messier’s “guarantee” that the Rangers would overcome a 3-1 deficit in the Eastern Conference Finals. Of course, the Rangers would win the series in seven games and go on to win their most recent and first Stanley Cup in 54 years. In 2023, the Rangers come into the playoffs with an incredibly impressive and deep ensemble of players, one that rivals New Jersey in talent. Stars Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Adam Fox, Chris Kreider as well as trade deadline acquisitions, Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko help round out what is one of the most dangerous cores across the NHL. That doesn’t even include the members of the fabled “Kid Line,” the Blueshirts strong blueline or star goaltender Igor Shesterkin, who has kicked his netminding abilities back into overdrive in the second half of the season, making him a potentially unstoppable force in the crease for New York.

Lindy Ruff’s New Jersey team faces an incredibly important challenge in the Rangers, not only because it’s a playoff series against their rivals but because it marks a stepping stone for this youthful team. With so many improving young stars and a somehow historic and surprising season in their back pockets, the Devils can afford to lose this series and expect to be back and better next season. No other team, especially not the New York Rangers, has that luxury coming into the playoffs and in a way, that can ease some of the first timer nerves for the young Devils. Fans are expecting a wild and evenly matched series that could go all the way to seven games, as both teams are determined to make a deep playoff run after such successful regular season campaigns. Additionally, there’s no doubt that Gerard Gallant’s men want revenge on the Devils for taking three of four games against his Rangers earlier this year as much as they are chasing redemption for last year’s conference final. New York’s motivation and experience will present an incredibly difficult opponent for the Devils, but if New Jersey can capture their scoring chops consistently and overcome the obstacle that is their archrivals, then it might be enough fuel to propel them on a long postseason run towards the Stanley Cup.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Head coach Rebecca Gronsdahl had nothing but positive things to say about her team’s performance this past weekend.

Baseball Suffers Skid in Atlantic 10 Play

By MADDIE BIMONTE SPORT S EDITOR

Atlantic 10 matchups are finally underway for the Fordham baseball team as they underwent their second A-10 matchup last week against George Washington University, dropping the series 1-2. The Rams also played two out-of-conference games against Columbia University and Sacred Heart University, dropping the former and winning the latter.

Last Wednesday, the Rams faced off against the Columbia Lions for a one-game series. While Fordham stomped on the gas early in the first through third innings, pitching imploded in the fourth and fifth innings, with Rams pitchers giving up a total of 12 runs.

Things calmed down going into the rest of the game, but the Rams were shut out after the third inning. The Lions constantly rotated through their pitching staff, using a total of eight pitchers in the game.

On the Rams side, freshman Aric Berg took the loss for the Rams as he gave up six runs across one inning of work. The Rams dropped the matchup 9-16, with a big A-10 series ahead of them.

One shining light for the Rams has been graduate student Peter DeMaria, who drove in four RBIs for the game with one run and two hits. Similarly the top half of the lineup was stellar, as junior Ryan Thiesse delivered four hits, three runs and two RBIs across six at-bats.

Heading into the series between George Washington and

Fordham, both teams had comparable records thus far, so it was sure to be a tough battle between both teams as they fought to battle out of the bottom third in the A-10.

The opening matchup between George Washington and Fordham was filled with tons of runs on both sides. With a collective 29 runs and 29 hits, the matchup was surely filled with excitement for all nine innings.

George Washington struck first in the first inning as Fordham junior starting pitcher Declan Lavelle got off to a bit of a rocky start, giving up two RBI singles to Noah Levin and Robby Wacker. Red-hot DeMaria tied things up for the Rams in the bottom of the first. DeMaria, as well as the top half of the Rams lineup, consistently drove in hits and runs for the Rams in this series.

In game one, Thiesse had four hits, three runs and two RBI. Meanwhile in the two spot, freshman Daniel Bucciero produced two hits, three runs and one RBIs. Batting fourth DeMaria racked up one run, two hits and four RBIs.

Fordham pitching crumbled in the fourth after taking a threerun lead. Junior Nolan Hughes and sophomore Connor Haywood had difficulties getting the George Washington batters out, giving up six runs across the inning.

After narrowing the lead down in the fifth after a crucial two-run home run courtesy of senior Zach Selinger and a fielding error bringing home another Ram, Fordham was still hanging on to the game.

The Rams got their breakthrough opportunity in the

eighth inning, with six runs to tie the game. Thiesse started things off with a single, scoring junior Michael Taylor. Then, DeMaria with a double to bring in two Rams, followed by a sophomore Cian Sahler double to clear the bases.

After quietly struggling in the first two games of the week, it was all up to freshman Tommy McAndrews in the bottom of the ninth to walk things off for the Rams. He blasted a double to center field bringing home junior Chris Genaro to bring the final score to 14-15 Rams.

The rest of the series for the Rams lacked the same offensive momentum we saw in game one. In game two, the Rams were shut out until the fifth inning where they piled on four runs, the only runs they would accumulate over nine innings.

The routine strong hitting in the top of the lineup was missing, leaving it up to the bottom half of the lineup to pick up the slack.

Taylor, batting seventh, brought in a two-run double in the fifth, followed by an RBI single from Thiesse to continue the scoring.

The last run was driven in by a balk from pitcher Teddy Brennan, bringing Thiesse home.

The nail in the coffin for the Rams was the grand slam home run hit by Michael Kohn in the top of the sixth, letting George Washington take the lead, 6-4.

As the Rams conceded three more runs through the rest of the game, the final score resulted in a 9-4 loss for the Rams.

The final game in the series did not fare much better for the Rams as the offense diminished

even further, resulting in a 2-9 loss.

A sacrifice fly by McAndrews began the scoring for the Rams, but after that, the Rams went cold until the sixth inning.

In the sixth, an RBI single from Sahler brought the Rams up to a measly two runs in comparison to George Washington, who had piled on eight already.

Fordham graduate student pitcher Austin Sachen took the loss for the Rams, with nine hits, eight runs and three walks over 4.1 innings.

On the flip side, it was a stellar pitching performance from Chris Kahler from George Washington as he pitched a complete nine innings only conceding two runs and delivering 10 strikeouts.

On a brighter note, the Rams ended their week with a big win over Sacred Heart on the road, 9-7.

The Rams’ scoring came on efforts from across the starting lineup, as Sahler began things with an RBI double, followed by a McAndrews double to score two runners in scoring position.

Up 3-2, Sahler added another RBI, this time a single, to the Rams total.

Sacred Heart was able to make a comeback in the midinnings for the Rams capitalizing on mishaps from Rams pitching, taking the lead 7-4.

But the Rams were saved by the star of the day, Bucciero, as he lifted the Rams to the lead with a grand slam home run.

An insurance run in the ninth continued the scoring for the Rams to keep them in the lead for the 9-7 victory.

The Rams raised their record to 15-22 as the season will continue to roll on with more A-10 matchups to be had. Fordham currently sits at 3-6 in the conference at 10th place out of 12 teams.

Fordham now continues to roll through the season, facing the University of Richmond on the road for a three-game series before traveling to Poughkeepsie, N.Y. to face Marist College for a one-game series on Tuesday. The first game of the Richmond series starts on Friday at 2 p.m.

Softball Hits Tough Stretch on Road Trip

By NICK GUZMAN SPORTS EDITOR

Fordham Softball appears to have hit a bump in the road during the heart of their Atlantic 10 schedule. After an April 5 victory over Hofstra University at Bahoshy Field on the back of the spectacular pitching performance from Holly Beeman, the Rams began a nine-game road trip that started with a three-game set against the University of Rhode Island (URI) in Providence.

The Rams’ lengthy trip started on an extremely positive note, with Fordham winning game one against URI 10-0 and forcing a six-inning mercy rule to go into effect. In that one, the Rams struck

in bunches, tallying a three-run first inning, a three-run fifth inning and a four-run sixth inning.

Freshman Eva Koratsis made the headlines, totaling six RBIs in a 3-4 day at the plate. Fellow freshman Neleh Nogay was also terrific in the batter’s box, going 4-4. She was named A-10 Co-Rookie of the Week for her performance. Senior Devon Miller picked up her fourth win of the year in the circle as she tossed six scoreless innings while surrendering just three hits.

But after that, tough fortunes hit the Rams. They’ve lost six in a row since game one against URI, including the final two games in Providence, a one-off midweek game against St. John’s

University in Queens and three games against the University of St. Louis in Missouri. Apart from a five-run showing in game three against URI and a sevenrun output on Sunday in St. Louis, the Rams have largely struggled to score runs in this stretch. They’ve been shut out three times and scored just one run against St. John’s.

This losing streak began with games two and three against Rhode Island. In game two, Fordham left six runners on base as Rhode Island’s Liz Lynchard tossed a complete game shutout that included an impressive eight strikeouts en route to a 3-0 victory.

Game three saw Fordham’s offense awaken, but so did Rhode Island’s. Fordham jumped out to a 4-0 lead by the fourth inning thanks to a home run from junior Bailey Enoch, an RBI double from graduate student Sarah Taffet and a two-RBI single courtesy of senior Amanda Carey.

Rhode Island responded with a run in the bottom of the fourth before doing the rest of their damage in a five-run fifth inning, highlighted by a Kylie Bulinski two-run homer that delivered them the lead. Down 6-4, the Rams got a run back in the sixth thanks to a solo home run from Koratsis, but they

couldn’t scratch across the tying run despite getting two runners on base in the seventh.

After losing two of three to Rhode Island, the Rams fell to St. John’s last Wednesday by a score of 4-1. In that one, Fordham struggled to figure out the pitching of Lorely Francia, who delivered a complete game while surrendering one run with six strikeouts. Wells provided Fordham’s only offense with a home run to center in the fourth, but the Rams once again struggled to score Runs as Enoch did her best to keep St. John’s at bay in the circle.

Now having lost three in a row, Fordham traveled to Missouri to take on St. Louis. Their fortunes didn’t get any better though, as the Rams were swept in the threegame series by the Billikens.

Fordham didn’t score a run through the first two games of the series, falling 8-0 in game one and 1-0 in game two. The Rams actually out-hit the Billikens in game one 9-8, but Fordham left nine runners on base as they couldn’t scratch across a run. Fordham’s defense also committed three errors in big spots, making Miller’s job that much more difficult in the circle.

If game one was a tale of missed opportunities from the Fordham offense, game two was complete domination by the Billikens

pitching. The Rams managed just one hit against Kaili Hanner, who completely shut the door on Fordham on her way to a complete game shutout. Enoch pitched well for the Rams, going six innings while surrendering just one run, but Hanner was nearly perfect resulting in a Billikens win.

Game three was an entirely different kind of contest. With the game tied at four in the bottom of the fifth inning, St. Louis hit three home runs courtesy of Abby Mallo, Kelsey Etling and Chloe Rhine to open up an 8-4 advantage.

The Rams rallied furiously in the bottom of the seventh inning, with graduate student Julia Martine drilling a three-run homer to get Fordham within a run.

But the Rams couldn’t tie things up, falling to St. Louis 8-7.

Now having lost six games in a row, Fordham will look to reverse their fortunes in a crucial week ahead against A-10 foes. Fordham has a double-header against St. Joseph’s University on Wednesday to wrap up their road trip before heading home for a three-game series against the University of Massachusetts at Bahoshy Field. Fordham sit in the bottom-three in the Atlantic 10 standings and need to pick it up as their season hits the stretch run.

Fordham Baseball dropped a big home series with GW this past weekend.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

The Fordham Softball team is currently in the midst of a six-game skid.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS