Volume 104 Issue 11

The Fordham Ram Serving The Fordham University Community Since 1918 Volume 104, Issue 11

TheFordhamRam.com

April 27, 2022

Fordham and Manhattan College Host “Battle of the Bronx”

Incoming USG Executive Ticket Discuss Upcoming Year

By SAMANTHA MINEAR

By EMMA KIM

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

On April 12, 2022, Santiago Vidal Calvo, FCRH ’24, and Ava Coogan, FCRH ’25, were elected as president and vice president of Fordham’s United Student Government (USG). Their win came only a day after The Fordham Ram released details of USG sanctions against upper-level members of the organization for unseemly behavior last election cycle.

In a historic win, the ticket won on a platform of international inclusivity. Vidal, an international student from Venezuela, and Coogan, an Armenian-American, boasted what they called the “most diverse ticket in Fordham history,” with the goal of creating a new and improved campus environment.

Despite being on the younger end of executive ticket candidates, Vidal and Coogan demonstrated experience and initiative; during his work as a senator, Vidal proposed randomized surveillance COVID-19 testing on campus and expanded food options, which resulted in the inclusion of poké bowls in Urban Kitchen.

The Fordham Foundry hosted the Battle of the Bronx on April 12, which is an annual business idea competition between Fordham University and Manhattan College. Each school puts up $5,000 for a $10,000 prize split between the winners.

Three of the winners from Fordham’s business idea competition in March, the Pitch Challenge, were chosen to represent Fordham in this competition.

“We started this last year during COVID,” said Al Bartosic, director of the Foundry. “We were looking to collaborate and get more engaged with other schools in the area that were interested in entrepreneurship. Manhattan College was a natural choice, just in terms of its location in the Bronx.”

Fordham won first place with the company Amazonian. Elsie Ndema, director of Talent Acquisition at TheGuarantors, GSB ’13 and GSB M.S. ’22, created the company. Her company also won the 6th Annual Pitch Challenge.

Ndema, who is six feet tall, has struggled to find women’s clothes that were long enough since she was in sixth grade. “Most retailers do not carry tall sizes, or at least include the inseam, so I can save myself the wasted time and heartbreak in either trying on the clothes and being disappointed or ordering online and having to go through the hassle of returning them,” said Ndema.

“It’s really difficult to find any stores that cater specifically to tall women, and when they do, they really only hit the beginning of the tall spectrum so women my height and taller have to search high and low. I hit a point in my life where I had enough.

So I decided to help myself and others suffering from the same problem,” said Ndema.

SEE USG, PAGE 3

COURTESY OF THE RAM ARCHIVES

In-person spring weekend has not occurred at the Rose Hill campus since 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Spring Weekend Returns to Campus for the First Time Since 2019

By AVA CARREIRO DIGITAL PRODUCER

Fordham’s Spring Weekend 2022 will run from April 24 through May 1.

An annual Fordham tradition held by the Campus Activities Board (CAB) that consists of free programs that allow the student body to come together, Spring Weekend is the perfect way to wrap up the academic year.

Undergraduate students from both the Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses are welcome to attend every event. All Spring Weekend events are completely free to attend, and each student has the opportunity to receive complementary t-shirts, merchandise and food. Some events include a carnival, an outdoor concert, live comedians and a student film festival.

As a result of the COVID-19

pandemic, Fordham has not seen a full-scale Spring Weekend since 2019, according to the president of CAB, Kaitlin Milinic, FCRH ’22.

“This year’s Spring Weekend is special because we’ve been working to bring back a campus tradition that the majority of students have yet to experience,” said Milinic.

She also added that “it’s SEE SPRING, PAGE 4

Study Looks at Mental Health in Graduate School

By ISABEL DANZIS NEWS EDITOR

COURTESY OF THE RAM ARCHIVES

Fordham Athletics is working with an outside consulting partner to analyze and look at the department.

Fordham Athletics Participates in Inter-Collegiate Consulting

By LUCY PETERSON

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Along with the appointment of Tania Tetlow, J.D., as the new president of the university, Fordham is looking to create big changes over the 2022-23 school year. On

April 7, 2022, Fordham athletics announced in a press release that it would pursue a partnership with Inter-Collegiate Athletic Consulting (ICAC) in the coming year.

The press release stated that ICAC will “conduct a comprehensive review of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and de-

velop strategic recommendations for a shared strategic direction that ensures the athletic program’s resources are aligned with the university’s mission and goals.”

Along with the consulting, the university designated a formal SEE ATHLETICS, PAGE 5

A recent study of mental health among Fordham’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) student population categorized 71% of the student population as depressed and only 27% as satisfied with their life. The number was even higher in Ph.D. candidates with 85% scoring as depressed, 53% scored as having some sort of anxiety disorder and only 18% scoring as satisfied with their lives. It was also found that students who identify with the LGBTQ+ community or as having a disability had a higher than average rate of scoring as depressed at 84% and 85%, respectively.

Nicholas Sooy, a sixthyear Ph.D. candidate in the philosophy department SEE GRADUATE, PAGE 5

SEE BRONX, PAGE 4

in this issue

Opinion

Page 7

The Irresistibility of The Fordham Ram

Culture

Page 13

13 Miles Later: A Reflection on Manhattan

Sports

Page 17

Student Athlete Column: Final Legacy

NEWS

Page 2

PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS April 12 Campus Center 12:55 p.m.

A student reported the theft of her electric scooter from the front of the new student center between 11:15 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. A review of the video shows a male ride off with this scooter and exit campus.

April 12 Belmont Ave. 4:30 p.m.

A student reported that when she exited her building on Belmont Ave., she noticed a male across the street. She then realized he was following her. When she approached the corner of E 189 St. and Hughes Ave., the man ran up behind her and grabbed her.

She described the offender as a male in his late teens to early 20s, medium complexion, a red hoodie, black sweatpants and red sneakers.

April 13 On Campus 9:00 a.m.

A student called Public Safety to request medical assistance for her roommate.

Public Safety responded and met with the student who said her roommate took some cannabis gummies and was having an adverse reaction.

The student was transported to Saint Barnabas Hospital for treatment.

April 13 Arthur Ave. 4:30 p.m.

A student reported the theft of her bag from the Last Call Bar and Grill on Arthur Ave. at 2:20 a.m., which contained her wallet.

Follow us on Twitter! @TheFordhamRam

April 27, 2022

RHA Highlighted During Their Club Leadership Transition

By MICHELA FAHY

By GRACE GALBREATH CONTRIBUTING WRITER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The transition of power, often changing between academic years, has proven to be difficult for clubs — both big and small — at Fordham. As the executive boards change annually, the members must be certain to pass down club values, traditions, organizational techniques, new member recruitment tips and general guidelines to their successors. Some of the larger clubs on Fordham’s campus tend to struggle with member retention rates, while the smaller clubs struggle equally as much to entice new members to join.

The Fordham Residence Hall Association (RHA) weighed in on the matter, stating that leadership transitions are a constant work in progress for any organization, especially due to the unpredictability of the pandemic. RHA has worked to implement three main techniques to ensure there is a smooth transition of power from one executive board to the next.

With the first technique being hosting an early election in April, RHA ensures the newly elected individuals have time to learn the full extent of tasks they are expected to complete in their new position and shadow whoever holds their current position.

As Kate West, FCRH ’22, chief of staff of RHA explains, one of the positives of hosting an early election is giving the new board members the ability to host the “final few executive board meetings so they understand the structure.”

The date also allows incoming members to practice running general board meetings with the support of the current executive board.

Due to the early date of their executive board election, RHA is able to allow the new leaders to shadow the outgoing leaders during some of their main events, such as the Under the Tent spring dance or Fordham Dance Marathon.

This collaboration of the outgoing and incoming board members allows for them to gain a full picture and understanding of their position and what they will have to coordinate within events. RHA strongly

recommends the intermixing of both e-boards in the final weeks to other clubs, so they learn the in and outs of their individual positions and are able to quickly begin work.

RHA claims consistency is the key for a smooth transition between academic years. Guidance for newly elected individuals by both returning advisors and returning executive board members is an important factor in creating a supportive group to, as West puts it, “guide the newer e-board members and keep initiatives from previous years going.”

Additionally, according to West, RHA has found former executive board members to be extremely helpful in the transition of power process, stating that RHA has, “found that many of them are more than willing to help and support the member that currently holds their position.”

West also cites her own experiences on the matter, stating that she has consulted with the past chief of staff for advice on certain matters, and found the experience to be very helpful.

This year, to further smooth the transition, RHA is implementing position “binders.” West describes the inspiration behind the idea as having come from the result of the discovery of, “RHA binders from 2008 and before for some of the positions which were chock full of valuable information on how RHA was run.”

Instead of using physical binder copies, these “binders” will be Google Drive folders, through which current members can, “add templates of things they found useful, outline the structure of their role and also add general suggestions and tips for the position.”

The RHA team is hoping that the implementation of these “binders” will alleviate the stress and overwhelming feeling that new executive board members often feel, as well as guarantee the continuation of club initiatives from the previous year.

As for other clubs struggling with the transition process between executive boards, RHA recommends the creation of a binder policy, similar to the new one they just recently adopted. West also stresses the importance of communication

COURTESY OF FORDHAM RHA

Fordham Residence Hall Association acts as an advocate for student affairs.

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Fordham Residence Hall Association’s e-board for 2021-22.

and connection, saying clubs should, “make sure the former leadership and the incoming leadership is connected so the new leaders have someone to go to if they need guidance.”

She also recommends that each member takes the time to reflect on their experiences in the organization prior to leaving, and then implement changes accordingly.

Although the transition of power can be difficult between an outgoing and incoming executive

board, as the RHA board explains that it is manageable through the implementation of specific transition tactics.

RHA acts as an example of one of the many transitions of club leadership at the university, showcasing how the torch is passed down from one class to the next. Other organizations at Fordham, such as Campus Activities Board (CAB), have also undergone a period of transition in preparation for the upcoming Fall 2022 semester.

2022 Spring Weekend Wednesday April 27

Thursday April 28

Friday April 29

Saturday April 30

Sunday May 1

Last Comic Standing

Talk with Kelsey Kreppel

Spring Weekend Carnival

Concert with Olivia O’Brien

Campus Movie Fest

Keating 1st 9:30 p.m.

Fordham Prep Theatre 7 p.m.

Parking Lot A 7 p.m.

Martyr’s Lawn 12 p.m.

Edward’s Parade 8 p.m.

CAB is holding a stand-up comedy competition in Keating this Wednesday; the winner receives a $500 Ticketmaster giftcard. Sign-ups are required and make sure to bring your best jokes to win it all!

Vlogger and former teacher Kelsey Kreppel is coming to Fordham this Thursday and is sure to dazzle the crowd.

Stop by the Fordham Prep Theatre to learn about her experience as a YouTuber.

CAB is hosting their annual carnival, featuring food, games and prizes. The organization plans on covering the university’s biggest parking lot with the most fun possible! Make sure to visit.

Singer-songwriters Olivia O’Brien and Christian French are Fordham’s #SW22 performers. Martyrs’ Lawn will feature the “Josslyn” singer, who is going to shake up the school with her best pop hits.

After gathering submissions earlier in the semester, CAB’s Movie Fest will be featuring the best and brightest from the university’s filmmakers.

Prizes, like last year’s vlogging cameras, willl be raffled off.

NEWS

April 27, 2022

Page 3

Vidal and Coogan Reveal Presidency Goals FROM USG, PAGE 1

In an interview with the Ram, Coogan spoke on their campaign initiatives, emphasizing outreach as a vital part of their work. “I didn’t realize a lot of students genuinely didn’t know what USG meant or what student government was,” she said, referring to her time spent canvassing for ballot signatures with her running mate.

Coogan also stated that her and Vidal plan on sending an “initiatives tracker” to students at the beginning of the fall 2022 semester, which would illustrate each senator’s projects.

At the end of the academic year, an email would be sent out again “so students will know exactly what we accomplished,” said Coogan.

Vidal has even grander goals for his first semester as executive president. He wishes to hold a state of the union address, where “every senator would give a small speech” and improve overall visibility of student government. Incoming freshmen in particular may be unaware of USG’s existence, so the address would be a great way to welcome new and transfer students to the Fordham community.

Vidal and Coogan state that the current Executive President Thomas Reuter, FCRH ’22, has been very helpful during the transition, which is ongoing. Vice President Arianna Chen, FCRH ’22, “did not really want to do the transition with us,” said Vidal. “Her refusal to work with Ava was shocking. It just demonstrates that students think that the USG does not do tenable change, that this organization is a joke, that meme accounts run the university and not us. It’s just disappointing.”

In an email from Chen and

Reuter, they provided a joint statement in response to the accusation that Chen did not aid in the transition: “USG was very excited to host our transition meeting and inauguration this past week, and finish with the 2021-2022 Board. We are proud of the work USG has done this past year and very sincerely hope for the continued success of our organization. The transition process is multifaceted: It includes transferring emails and documents, sharing various resources and facilitating relationships with advisors.”

As of Tuesday night, Chen has not commented further on the matter.

As representatives of the classes of 2024 and 2025, Vidal assures that the rising senior class of 2023 will be included under his United Student Government through the president pro tempore position, which he is “pushing” to be filled by a 2023 graduate. He feels the position has a lot of potential, but explains that he “was not paid much attention to” during his run as president pro tempore this past academic year.

With the upcoming arrival of President-elect Tania Tetlow, J.D., to campus next fall, the ticket wants to make sure Tetlow has a connection with Fordham students.

Because the COVID-19 pandemic interfered with the classes of 2024 and 2025’s ability to know Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the university, the new executive leadership intends on encouraging the incoming president to interact with the student population as much as possible.

Vidal and Coogan plan on placing a new emphasis on meetings between the university president and USG in the hopes that they will foster a stronger relationship and mutual understanding.

On the topic of their personal feelings post-election, Coogan feels honored that upperclassmen “put their trust in me and voted for [her]” and is excited to be elected as vice president.

“I’m ready to show those people that voted for me that I can get it done,” said Coogan.

Vidal said the feelings after his new appointment were hard to put into words. “I come from a country where everything you have is a sense of appreciation and the small things matter a lot,” said Vidal. He feels particularly inspired by the university’s Jesuit ideology of “cura personalis” — care for the whole person — which, he says, his home country of Venezuela feels void of. “When you lack those things in your life, you understand the value of those things,” he said.

In reflecting on the ticket’s newfound responsibility, Vidal said that “a lot of people voted for us because they saw us as the candidates of change,” which motivates their barrier-breaking goals for the next year. Because he feels that many of USG’s problems stem from stagnant leadership, Vidal feels as if “a lot of fingers were being pointed at us because we were running against the whole structure [of USG].”

“People from the USG’s last administration didn’t want to see us win, and they did everything possible to make us lose,” said Vidal, “which was somewhat disappointing.”

However, the ticket feels emboldened by the student body’s obvious trust in them to transform USG. Students want “accountability” and “transparency,” and following through on these campaign promises is

their primary goal.

The two also acknowledged the short election window, which occurred just before the university’s break for Easter. Coogan states they plan on working with the vice president of communications to make changes conducive to a more engaged and reciprocal relationship between USG and students.

“Maybe having an email sent out with [the candidates'] platforms in the email would be beneficial for the students to have,” the new vice president said.

Both agree that the process is too “complicated” and “overwhelming” and Vidal would like “to revisit the possibility of in-person voting,” which he thinks would result in higher rates of participation.

Considering The Fordham Ram’s investigation into the mishandlings by the previous iteration of USG, neither Vidal nor Coogan stand for any reprobation against their huge win of over 300 votes. In their attempts to get on the ballot, they reached a thousand student signatures, which is unheard of in previous USG elections. The student support for them was clear from the beginning, and Vidal feels that they would have won even if the controversy from last year had not re-emerged. Currently, it is the policy of USG to not disclose any election sanctions. Vidal and Coogan are already making the moves to revise this, with the belief that it should be up to the election commission to “release sanctions dependent on the situation. I think we disagree with the election commission in some senses of the ruling last year,” the new executive president affirmed. “And in some senses the ruling for candidacy this year.”

Coogan feels as though the situ-

ation is very complex. “It’s important information to have, but on the other hand you don’t want to be publicly shaming people,” she said. In agreement with Vidal, “it would definitely have to be evaluated by circumstance.”

In the election code, if a candidate has committed a major infraction, i.e. “significant material impact on the Election and causes severe harm to the integrity of the election,” they could be fined “25% of the total allotment of spending” or “[suspended] from campaigning for a period of time no less than 12 hours and no more than 24 hours.”

For a major infraction, Vidal feels these sanctions are a “slap on the wrist.” Coogan agrees, saying that there is a “lack of overlap with the school’s own conduct and harassment policy.”

“You can get fined up to 50% of your budget if you go one cent over,” said Vidal. He draws a comparison to the sanctions of last year against certain USG members and how they were still permitted to run for election. He calls it a “difference in priorities.”

Finally, Vidal asks for trust. The Vidal-Coogan ticket is all about inciting change, which he insists is only possible through “moving on.” In the past USG administration, “there’s a lot of hate just for hating.”

In closing, Coogan simply asks that people “have faith in us,” with which Vidal concurs.“A lot of people’s big concern with us was that we are a younger ticket, but I know that we can make change,” said Coogan. Vidal and Coogan hope to make waves in the university’s culture starting fall 2022 and ask that the student body supports them as they make sure to vocalize all concerns and comments.

Fordham Club Hosts Annual Bronx Celebration Day

By SAMANTHA MINEAR ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

On April 23, Fordham Club hosted their annual festivity, Bronx Celebration Day — an event filled with local vendors and performers with the goal of showcasing the best of the Bronx.

Hundreds attended throughout the afternoon for premier entertainment, delicious food and small businesses touting their best products. The event had tremendous success, highlighting the beauty of a reciprocal relationship between the university and its beautiful home.

Fordham Club is described as “an honor society, a fraternity and an advisory group,” with some of the best and brightest seniors at the university. The club exists as liaison between several channels, such as the Bronx, the university’s diversity effort and the wellness of the student body. Each individual committee works to improve relations and make a lasting impact in the wake of their impending graduation.

Isabella Iazzetta, FCRH ’22, spoke fondly of her time seeing the event come to fruition.

Because it was a huge undertaking, planning began in the fall semester. The club consulted with the leaders of the Bronx Night Market, members

of the Fordham Road Business Improvement District (BID) and former Fordham Club president, Brian Daaleman, FCRH ’19. Iazzetta cites William “Bill” Colona from the Fordham Road BID as a “mentor.”

He “[ensured] we had everything all set on a legal front and [left] all the detailed coordinating and planning to the club,” said Iazzetta. Colona is also assistant vice president of Government Relations, Federal and Urban Affairs at Fordham. The entire Bronx Collaboration Committee of Fordham Club hit the ground running to make this year’s Bronx Celebration Day, an event which was last held in 2019, happen. Fordham administration lent a helping hand to find performers, while the Bronx Night Market spearheaded the food vendor search. It was truly a synergistic experience, as everyone played a part in making the event happen. Reflecting on the big day, Iazetta said that it “makes [her] heart sing.”

“After so many months of planning it was so cool to watch the tents and tables finally get set up on the plaza,” she said.

The day gives Iazzetta, as well as all the members of the Bronx Collaboration Committee, an enormous sense of pride. Seeing how the Fordham community responded and turned out for its

home borough was inspiring as they “[walked] through the plaza, [stopped] at the vendors and [watched] the performances.” It was a true testament to the university’s commitment to honoring the Bronx and its rich artistic, cultural and historical importance.

There is also an atmosphere of sadness with everything concluding.

With the spring 2022 semester on its last legs, these seniors are about to take their final bow from the university and their home for the past four years.

“That’s the one bittersweet thing about Fordham Club being a group of seniors.

Many of us spent a lot of our time working, volunteering in and enjoying the Bronx through our four years here, so in a way it was sort of like a goodbye. I guess that’s exactly what it was meant to do: celebrate every aspect of what the Bronx is,” said Iazzetta.

One thing is for sure: The legacy of the class of 2022 is not going to be forgotten.

With the world slowly getting back on its feet after a rocky two years, Bronx Celebration Day is sure to be a tradition carried on by future iteraCOURTESY OF INSTAGRAM tions of Fordham Club for years to come.

Campus groups like University Housing Program participated in the event.

NEWS

Page 4

April 27, 2022

Amazonian Wins Fordham Foundry’s “Battle of the Bronx” FROM BRONX, PAGE 1

Amazonian is specifically a tall women’s apparel line that gives women the chance to try on clothes at pop-up shops or through ordering online before actually buying them. With this new option, the women are able to ensure that they have clothes that both fit well and boost confidence.

With the prize money, Ndema now has a foundation to start putting her plan into action. “I’m going to start development and finally get my samples created with the prize money,” said Ndema.

Bartosic felt that Ndema came across as authentic and credible in her pitch. “I think she had very wonderful energy for both the Pitch Challenge and Battle of the Bronx. Her business plan was compelling in terms of how she was going to address the market,” said Bartosic.

Fordham also won second place with the company Opp4U. Opp4U was started by two freshmen in the Gabelli School of Business, Mark Katsev, GSB ’25, and Victor Schultz, GSB ’25.

“My business partner, Mark and I, are both Division I Water Polo players here at Fordham.

We saw that only the top 1% of athletes, who are top stars in sports like football and basketball, were getting any sponsorships. This is mainly because smaller athletes like ourselves don’t have a large enough following to provide value to brands as individuals,” said Schultz.

“So what we decided to do is bundle athletes as groups of micro-influencers to create value and allow all college athletes, no matter the sport or school, to get access to opportunities to monetize themselves,” said Schultz.

“They have a really clever

idea of how to package those students up and use them on Instagram and get them to be promoters of different brands,” said Bartosic. “It was really neat to see what people are thinking about, and it comes from all corners of Fordham.”

Katsev and Schultz plan to invest their money into marketing to help expand their brand and reach more people.

“Ultimately our goal is to extend this opportunity to all college athletes,” said Schultz.

“The Foundry next year is going to celebrate its 10-year anniversary. What I think we have found over the course of the years is that entrepreneurial spirit and drive and interest in starting businesses is alive and well at Fordham,” said Bartosic. “There is a lot of entrepreneurship throughout the university, and we want to be able to support that.”

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Students from Manhattan College and Fordham compete in “Battle of the Bronx.”

CAB’s Spring Weekend Returns to Campus Life FROM SPRING, PAGE 1

been really exciting and rewarding for us to give these events back to the Fordham community and restore the tradition for years to come.”

On top of that, this will be the first time in recent years that features a female headliner, Olivia O’Brien, for the Spring Weekend concert.

Other notable figures hosted at this year’s events include Kelsey Kreppel and Christian French.

On April 27, there will be a Last Comic Standing event hosted in the Keating 1st Auditorium.

On Thursday, CAB will host internet star, Kelsey Kreppel, for a Q&A event at Fordham Prep Theatre. The weekend events will kick off with a special events carnival and cultural affairs raffle from 7–11 p.m. in Parking Lot A. Saturday, April 30, will be Spring Weekend’s annual concert

featuring O’Brien, French and Fordham band Faculty.

Spring Weekend will wrap up with a campus movie fest at 8 p.m. on Edward’s Parade.

Additionally, the Fordham Residence Halls Association (RHA) will host the formal, Under the Tent, on Saturday, April 30, from 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. on Martyrs’ Lawn.

While RHA’s formal and CAB’s Spring Weekend are separate events, scheduling the concert and formal on the same day was an intentional decision. Students are able to attend both events as they do not overlap. The concert ends at 4:00 p.m. and the formal starts at 9:00 p.m.

According to the programming director of RHA, Sarah Kenny, FCRH ’24, the goal is to “see Saturday, April 30 as an all-day Fordham community celebration where you attend

PHOTO COURTESY OF SEBASTIAN DIAZ/ THE FORDHAM RAM

A stage has been set up on Martyrs’s Court for CAB’s annual concert.

CAB’s concert in the afternoon and then attend RHA’s dance at night.” This tradition dates back prior to the pandemic, so both CAB and RHA are excited to bring it back.

One way that the Under the Tent formal will differ from other Fordham dances such as the President’s Ball is dress code. Under the Tent can be compared to a prom, whereas the President’s Ball is more similar to a homecoming dance.

Typically, students attending the formal will wear floorlength dresses and suits.

This year’s theme is Garden of Versailles, so light colors and florals are encouraged.

With this being said, RHA acknowledges that students should feel comfortable in what they choose to wear, and that these are just guidelines based on past tradition.

Another key difference is that

while dances like the President’s Ball are held by the Fordham administration to kick off the school year, the Under the Tent formal is put on by the students for the students to end the year on a celebratory note. It will have music provided by student bands for the first half and a professional DJ for the second half of the dance. The formal will also have a free photo booth and a tent with a bar for those 21 and older.

Undergraduate students from both campuses and commuter students are welcome to attend.

Fordham alumni are also allowed to attend as a guest of a current student.

Non-Fordham guests are not permitted.

Tickets can be purchased through a link which is also available on the @fordhamrha Instagram. A “Student/General Admission Ticket” for $35 is all-

inclusive of food, dessert and entry to the event. For those who are above 21 years old, a “Drink Ticket” can be purchased for $45 which includes all of the amenities of a general ticket plus access to the bar.

The bar includes complimentary drinks with a limit of four drinks per guest.

The last opportunity to purchase tickets is May 1 at 1 a.m. for general admission, and 10 p.m. on April 30 for drink tickets. Tickets will not be sold at the door.

Tickets are running out fast, so buy them while you can.

Spring Weekend is already underway, and every Fordham student should experience it while they can. It’s a time to celebrate the academic year, enjoy the weather and spend time with friends. With events all week long, there is surely something for everyone.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SEBASTIAN DIAZ/ THE FORDHAM RAM

Rodrigues’ coffee shop hosted a concert in collaboration with CAB’s Spring Weekend on Tuesday.

NEWS

April 27, 2022

Page 5

Fordham Athletics Re-Evaluate Department Through Outside Consulting FROM ATHLETICS, PAGE 1

steering committee that includes senior staff, faculty, trustees and students to work with ICAC and help guide the process.

Ed Kull, appointed as director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Fordham University in February of 2021 said it’s important that Fordham “assesses how [they] are doing in terms of scholarship rewarding, operational budget spend, facilities maintenance, as well as how Fordham compares to other institutions in the Atlantic 10 and Patriot League.”

According to the press release the review process “will incorporate a complete review of the entire athletic program’s vision and mission utilizing SWOT analysis (strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats).”

The scope of ICAC’s work will be extensive ranging from conference visibility assessments to efforts on general student life and satisfaction.

Dequece Carter, GSB ’23, and wide receiver for the Fordham football team said he thinks Fordham’s decision to pursue athletic consulting is necessary.

He said he hopes to see “improvements in terms of athletic facilities and student support for Fordham athletics.” He especially hopes to see this improvement surrounding Jack Coffey field, which Carter noted is the primary space

used for multiple sports including baseball, soccer, football and a variety of club sports.

Amanda Gurth, FCRH ’23, and thrower on the track & field team shared those concerns.

“For my sport there are some things facility and apparel wise that we just don’t have. We don’t have a locker room and many of the other sports do,” said Gurth. “That has to do a lot with how much money other sports bring in.”

Kull backed many of these concerns, especially in regard to the lack of facilities cited by many student athletes.

“We’re also doing a massive facilities evaluation — so we’re looking at all of our outdoor facilities, indoor facilities, weightroom, sports medicine, locker rooms and offices,” said Kull.

“Athletics has also been named as part of the next capital campaign for the university so I’m trying to make sure I align the strategic plan, the facilities plan and the capital campaign so that we can fund the facilities that need to be funded in line with our strategic plan for those sports moving forward.”

As part of the strategic consulting, Kull also stated that Fordham athletics will take another look at Title IX concerns.

“As the population of the Fordham campus continues to see more female than male students we need to meet the strategic formula for the NCAA so we ensure we’re fund-

ing female athletics at a similar rate of growth that’s taking place in the university,” he said.

Fordham currently has 22 varsity sports and 15 club teams.

“We want to ensure that we are funding women’s sports at the right pace and the right capacity for the size of our campus and population,” said Kull.

In addition to changes in funding and focus, Gurth said she would like to see more interest placed on women’s sports.

“People in the general student body don’t consider female sports as much. There’s more emphasis on male sports in general,” she said.

Beyond the lack of interest in women’s sports, Fordham Athletics hopes that the consulting will help address the general lack of interest and engagement with sports in general at Fordham.

Michael Wright, GSB ’23, and wide receiver for the Fordham football team said he would definitely like to see more student support for Fordham athletics as a result of the consulting process. He said that increased support is necessary and would not only “bring the Fordham community together” but also “contribute to the overall morale of Fordham athletes.”

Kull reflected these concerns stating that athletics

COURTESY OF THE RAM ARCHIVES

Many Fordham athletes look forward to the chance to look at the department.

should be used to promote the university on multiple levels including elevation of the academic mission, the promotion of school pride, community engagement, increased alumni involvement and the fight against social injustice and racism.

“We’re blessed at Fordham to be a top 50 academic institution on a beautiful campus in the heart of the greatest city in the world … we need to ensure that athletics is continually being used to elevate the next priorities and goals of the university,” said Kull.

“I want athletics to play a pivotal role in excelling the student experience … It’s important to engage our student body to where they look at ath-

letics as fun, entertaining and an expression of school spirit,” said Kull.

The consulting process will take place over the next six to eight months, with changes likely to begin being implemented over the next year to 18 months.

Doing so will allow for the comprehensive review to take place, as well as time for president-elect Tetlow to settle in and adjust to the university.

Despite the length of the process, Fordham students, alumni and staff can look forward to the pivotal changes being made to Fordham athletics that will likely guide the university to new heights over the coming months.

A New Study Reveals Extreme Rate of Depression in GSAS FROM GRADUATE, PAGE 1

commissioned the study in 2020. Sooy was hired as a higher education leadership fellow, a program aimed at teaching graduate students about higher education administration, and was tasked with the job of creating wellness initiatives. According to Sooy, he proposed this study to help plan wellness events because of his background knowledge that there is a general trend of mental health struggles in graduate students across the country.

“I know there’s been growing awareness among administrators

that there is a crisis in graduate education.

The data that was out there prior to this particular study suggested that around 35% of graduate students were suffering from depression and around 41% suffered from generalized anxiety. The global population numbers at the time were around 6% for each [disorder], so it was significantly higher among graduate students,” said Sooy.

According to Sooy, the data collected from Fordham’s GSAS students reports “by far the worst numbers” of mental health issues among graduate students.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM GSE

There is a crisis in mental health in graduate level education.

However, Sooy does note that Fordham’s study was being conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, while other studies were done before.

The pandemic exacerbated mental health concerns for everyone, possibly contributing to the study’s findings.

To Sooy, and other graduate students, the result of this study was not surprising.

“I applied for the position [of higher education leadership fellow] because as a graduate student, myself, I’ve struggled with all of these things and I’ve seen many of my peers struggle with it,” said Sooy. “One of my best friends was in a Ph.D. program and had to leave because it just brought on very severe depression, and I've had a number of other friends and colleagues to have had to leave for graduate programs for similar reasons.”

For Marc Arteaga, a GSAS student, incoming president of the Graduate Student Council (GSC), previously known as the Graduate Student Association (GSA), these numbers were alarming, but not, however, very surprising.

“What’s upsetting to know about 71% is the fact that we don’t know, we don’t really have any systems in place to kind of tackle [it],” said Arteaga. “The

conversation continually feels to be as if we’re just talking about recognizing [the mental health crisis], even though I think that everybody knows everybody’s going through it.”

Arteaga notes that there have been many changes in GSAS over the last few years as well as the university as a whole.

GSAS has had three deans within the last two and a half years. Additionally, the university in the fall will be welcoming a new university president.

For Arteaga, this constant change serves as an opportunity to rethink the structures within the graduate program.

“These are all things that I think speak to a level of change that’s currently happening. But personally, I’m a little hopeful because I think that if precedents are changing and there’s a lot of changes happening within the university, [then] this is the time where foundations can be laid for something better to occur,” said Arteaga.

“I’m actually hopeful because in the change, perhaps we can throw in positive things for graduate students there.”

Both Sooy and Arteaga acknowledge the need for institutional change in order to address the mental health concerns that the survey reveals.

“We need to expand mental health care, physical health care

[and] wellness options, ways to deal with career anxieties [and] all the different factors we identified, but you can only treat symptoms of individuals so long before you need to just overhaul the system,” said Sooy.

Arteaga said that the GSC aims to advocate for the needs of graduate students. According to Arteaga, conversations with Dr. Jeffery Ng, director of counseling and psychological services, about how to tailor CPS to graduate students’ needs have already begun.

Arteaga said that while many graduate students are aware of CPS, they hesitate to use it because they feel that the services are more suited to undergraduate students.

Arteaga stressed that especially graduate students who teach undergraduate classes worry about potentially running into their students at CPS. “One of the things that I want to stress to the graduate student body is that from the graduate student council perspective, we are committed to advocating as much as possible for the collective interest of all graduate students. That’s kind of like the main message that I want to impart as we move forward in the summer and in the new academic year,” said Arteaga.

OPINION

Page 6

April 27, 2022

Editorial | The Commodification of Food

Serving the Fordham University campus & community since 1918.

The Fordham Ram is the university journal of record. The mission of The Fordham Ram is to provide a forum for the free and open exchange of ideas in service to the community and to act as a student advocate. The Fordham Ram is published every Wednesday during the academic year to all campuses with a readership of over 12,000 and a web readership of over 300,000.

Website TheFordhamRam.com Email Address theram@fordham.edu Editor in Chief Ava Erickson Managing Editor Hanif Amanullah Editorial Director Hasna Ceran Production Editor Michael Sluck Multimedia Director Pia Fischetti Business Director Matthew Colucci Copy Chief Amanda Yarolin Assistant Copy Chief Hannah Boring News Editor Isabel Danzis Features Editor Sebastian Diaz Assistant News Editors Samantha Minear Emma Kim Opinion Editor Nicole Braun Emma Lipkind Assistant Opinion Editor Daniella Terilli Culture Editors Elisabeth Murray Kari White Assistant Culture Editor Ilaina Kim Sports Editor Nick Guzman Assistant Sports Editors Thomas Aiello Maddie Bimonte Social Media Director Frances Schnepff Digital Producers Ava Carreiro Justin Charles Sofia Donohue Visual Director Nicoleta Papavasilakis Photo Editors Theodore Wai Nick DeSilva Graphics/Illustrations Cory Bork Faculty Advisor Beth Knobel Editorial Policy The Fordham Ram’s editorial reflects the editorial board’s opinions or views.

Opinion Policy The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of The Fordham Ram. Submissions Policy The Fordham Ram reserves the right to reject or edit any submission for any reason, without notice. Submissions become the exclusive property of The Fordham Ram. No part of The Fordham Ram may be reproduced without written consent.

Eat Your Heart Out: The Morality of our Meals

With the end of Lent, a lot of people are going to be able to eat meat throughout the week again. Historically, Lenten fasting has been associated with many different forms of abstinence, including the Black Fast — fasting throughout the day, a partial fast restricting “rich” foods or abstinence from meat and animal products on a timeframe ranging from all of Lent to only Fridays to only Good Friday itself. Similarly, Passover recently ended on April 23, and Ramadan is ongoing until May. All three of these holy traditions share a policing of their adherents’ diets. Though not all of us on the Editorial Board are currently participating in one of these traditions, we live with a form of dietary restriction in our lives, whether that be for moral, religious or personal reasons. We still find it an appropriate time to reflect on what significance the way we choose to eat holds over our lives.

Meat is a good place to start.

Five percent of adults in the United States consider themselves to be vegetarians. There are few statistics on the “why” of vegetarianism in the United States, but it is correlated with identifying one’s political affiliation as “liberal.” Now, correlation does not equal causation, and there is nothing about vegetarianism as a lifestyle that necessitates a liberal political stance. However, outside of religious and health concerns, the most common reasonings for vegetarianism are ethical beliefs regarding animal rights and worries about the environmental effect of meat production. Those who identify as Democrats or politically liberal are more likely to be concerned about climate change and the environment, and correspondingly more likely to place more stock in human actions in causing

an effect on the environment — attempting to limit their food waste and consumption of meat accordingly. As for animal rights and the nature of the meat industry, it has been well-known since Upton Sinclair’s 1906 novel “The Jungle” that the meatpacking industry is abjectly harmful to both animals and the human labor required to keep it running. Despite the food safety laws enacted by the United States government following public outrage inspired by Sinclair’s novel, further publications such as “Fast Food Nation” (2001), “Farmageddon” (2014) and the wildly popular documentary “Food, Inc.” (2008).

These pieces revealed that the conditions that the animals we eat live under would turn most of our stomachs if we had to see it during our mealtimes. Further these industries care little for the humans affected by them, whether that be the underpaid and overworked employees at risk of losing limbs due to a fast-moving conveyor belt, the numerous health problems suffered by consumers who are being marketed as much meat as possible, as quickly as possible, standards be damned, or everyone that has to deal with the environmental effects of farming on such a massive scale.

We all know what goes into bringing a McDonald’s burger or an Urban Kitchen chicken tender into our hands, but unless we’re reminded in the moment that we’re eating, it can be hard to remember the intense processes that turn an animal into a meal. Nearly every parent has a story of their child suddenly realizing that the chicken in their nuggets and the chicken at the petting zoo are one and the same.

It would seem that this meat-blindness doesn’t necessarily go away with age. Detachment from where

our food really comes from is a serious problem. In many ways, it demonstrates a lack of respect for the animals we eat — a sort of culinary objectification. Chicken nuggets seem to be a particularly egregious example. That’s not chicken. It seems designed to make you forget that what you are eating was once alive. Honestly, it may be controversial, but it may be time to bring offal into the spotlight, if only to remind the world of what meat really is. Despite what’s written above, not all of us on the Editorial Board are vegetarian. In fact, we’re pretty evenly divided on our stances on eating meat. However, you don’t need to be a vegetarian to be critical of the industries that create our food. Not just the meat industry, either. Our moral choices regarding food are not limited to choosing vegetarianism and veganism, and accordingly, choosing to abstain from animal products does not indicate a moral pattern of consumption. The detachment regarding the origin of our food goes further than dissociating “beef” from “cow” — COVID-19 and the destabilizing situation in Europe has demonstrated how many of us take for granted that the kind of food we want will just show up on our shelves, whenever we want it.

That’s becoming increasingly untrue. The supply chain we rely on to bring us the incredible variety of foodstuffs available in the supermarket is incredibly delicate, as has been well-demonstrated this year. Agricultural workers get sick at increasing rates, or warehouses can’t hire enough people to move stock, and suddenly your favorite brand of ramen just isn’t showing up on the grocery store shelves for the foreseeable future. Considering how much of what we eat is grown

outside of the country, the amount of hands (and transport, and fuel, and pollution) it takes to get a tomato or bowl of quinoa into our stomachs is truly mind-boggling.

That’s not even getting into the wages paid to those that labor to put staples like cocoa or coffee in our pantries — wages so low that in many cases they’re produced with nothing short of slave labor.

It’s time to acknowledge that if we’re to examine our relentless and reckless patterns of consumption, we must turn our eyes to our most primary consumables: our diet. Climate change, the state of the supply chain and increasing ethical concerns regarding what it takes to bring food to our table necessitate that we take a long look at what’s really vital in our lives, and perhaps take steps to minimize our edible impact. We don’t expect everyone to stop eating meat or only buy local vegetables, but it doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing.

Food is such a central and constant part of our lives that even relatively small considerations or changes can have a huge impact.

Restricting certain types or amounts of food, ethical slaughter, focus on the cleanliness of food — these are all commonly present in religions and cultures across the world, for one very simple reason. Food is important. It has to be. So many food rules that may seem nonsensical or arbitrary to those of us living with modern conveniences were engineered around natural harvest seasons or lean periods, and served to ensure the health and continued nourishment of those that followed them. In separating our food from our community, we’ve turned food into a cheap commodity, but food is everything. Food is life. Maybe it’s time we start treating it that way.

What Justice Jackson Means for the Supreme Court

By SAMANTHA SCOTT STAFF WRITER

On April 7, 2022, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson made history. In a 53 to 47 vote, Jackson was confirmed to join the bench following the retirement of Justice Stephen Breyer this summer, making her the first Black woman to sit on the Supreme Court. Jackson’s nomination gives hope and inspiration to current and future generations of Black lawyers, and the Court will now more closely represent the United States population that it serves. While Jackson’s confirmation creates hope for the country’s future, there are limits to the transformative power she could bring to the bench.

Judge Jackson, who doesn’t classify herself under a judicial philosophy, works under a methodology for deciding cases: proceeding from a position of neutrality, interpreting and applying the law to the facts of the case. Known for having a reputation as a “consensus builder,” Jackson could help remedy some of the increasingly stark majorities of the Supreme Court regarding decisions. Jackson also has extensive experience throughout her career and education. An alumnus of Harvard University and Harvard Law School, Jackson has worked as a public defender

and clerked for three federal judges, including Breyer, whom she will be replacing. Her confirmation makes her the first public defender to be a part of the Supreme Court, so her experience is uniquely different from the others on the bench.

Jackson also served as vicechair on the U.S Sentencing Commission, a bipartisan agency to help promote transparency and limit disparity in sentencing. Along with experience in several private law firms, Jackson has one of the most well-rounded law experiences, making her a valuable asset to add more perspective to the Court.

During her confirmation, Jackson was asked to talk about some of the “hot-button” issues facing the United States, a standard practice in many modern Supreme Court confirmation hearings. Jackson was asked about the Second Amendment, to which she responded, “the Supreme Court has established that the individual right to keep and bear arms is a fundamental right.” Jackson was also asked about her faith and ideas on when life begins; Jackson responded that she was a non-denominational Protestant Christian and that in regards to abortion and life, “I don’t know … I have religious view that I set aside when ruling on cases.” Judge Jackson doesn’t take a particular stance on

any of these issues, which makes sense; a Supreme Court justice is meant to be impartial and only look at the facts of the case.

Even with all of the experience Judge Jackson brings, the dynamic of the Supreme Court itself might hinder her ability to make a difference in the cases coming before the Court in upcoming sessions.

The Supreme Court has had a strong conservative majority since the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 2020. With former President Donald Trump being able to nominate and confirm three conservative judges to the Supreme Court, there is very little chance that one justice could drastically alter the current dynamic of the Court.

Even though Justice Breyer is being replaced with a liberal-leaning judge, the Court will remain on a conservative trajectory with three liberal-leaning justices and six conservative-leaning justices.

In all likelihood, Judge Jackson could follow her predecessor as a primary dissenter in many of the significant cases coming before the Court in the next session. In the event another seat was to open up on the bench of the Supreme Court during Biden’s term, the upcoming midterm elections this fall place doubt on if there will be a majority to confirm another left-leaning justice to the Supreme Court. Judge

Jackson’s nomination was already pressured to be done before the midterm elections due to the fear of losing the slim Democrat majority in the Senate.

Yet there is a chance that Judge Jackson could be the start of a transformation of the Supreme Court. Jackson is 51 years old, making her the second-youngest justice on the Supreme Court. Her confirmation means that she will likely spend many years as a justice, surpassing some of the older members of the Court. Even so, it is unknown when they may leave the Court and under what leadership.

In her confirmation, Judge Jackson said, “It has taken 232 years and 115 prior appointments for a Black woman to be selected to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States, but we’ve made it. We’ve made it — all of us.”

Whether or not Jackson has a transformative effect on the Court, she still has a transformative impact of what a Supreme Court Justice is and what it should be. Her nomination and confirmation create inspiration for future generations of Black women, already a significant accomplishment within itself.

Samantha Scott, FCRH ’24, is an international political economy major from Columbus, Ohio.

OPINION

April 27, 2022

Page 7

From the Desk | Emma Lipkind

The Irresistibility of The Fordham Ram

Right now, I’m lying on one of the many couches lining the living room of Fordham’s retreat house in Goshen, New York. It’s reflection time during the Art and Yoga retreat, and I’m staring, dumbfounded, at one of the questions we’re supposed to reflect on: “What grounds you?”

I can’t think of a single answer.

When people shared their responses, it was everything from family to hobbies to the retreat house itself. I couldn’t shake this dissatisfaction that the thing that grounds me was out there, on the tip of my tongue, and I couldn’t figure it out. That is, until the following Tuesday rolled around and it hit me: The Fordham Ram. Yes, my school newspaper grounds me.

It has for three years and probably will for a long time after.

I consider myself someone who values her friends as much as, if not more than, her family. I’ve depended on my chosen family, so-to-speak, to act in place of my family when they couldn’t be there for me. In the case of the Ram, it wasn’t a decision on my part.

They chose me. And for someone who never quite felt accepted or grounded, that’s a lot.

To back track, this is technically my second goodbye From the Desk. The first time around, there’s a small chance I forgot it was supposed to be my goodbye, so I wrote about crochet. Don’t get me wrong, crochet is probably the second love of my life, but not exactly the closer I had wanted.

Since realizing what I’d done, I’ve

been fantasizing about how I’m going to perfectly craft this goodbye to mark the culmination of the (probably) hundreds of hours I’ve dedicated to this newspaper.

I was blessed with a second chance at this article and another opportunity to be part of this community — the Ramily, if you will.

I may not have planned to be at the Ram this semester, for logistical reasons, but I couldn’t be more thankful that things worked out to allow me to stay.

I don’t want to complicate things, so I will just say that I love the Ram more than I love most things. I started as a freshman who loved to write and was saying yes to every opportunity that presented itself. I wrote a few articles and, like many others, took a leap of faith and applied for the opinion editor position, thinking it would put my name in the roster for the future, not that I’d actually get the spot.

But to my genuine surprise, my name was in the email revealing the staff for Volume 102. And so began my journey of knowing absolutely nothing about InDesign, MailChimp, Websheets (and eventually WordPress) or even journalism itself, and trying to learn from every single outlet possible. The first production night stretched to nearly 5 a.m. Tears were shed. But I remember capturing the end of the night with a Snapchat that said, “Omg, I just made a newspaper.”

I still can’t quite explain the nature of what happens at the Ram between staff meetings on Sunday

Earn your master’s degree with only one year of study beyond your bachelor’s degree.

and paper distribution on Wednesday. But it has become so deeply ingrained in who I am that I am really struggling with this goodbye.

Before I extend my gratitude for the joy my fellow staff members have, perhaps unknowingly, given me during my short time in college so far, I should recognize my freshman-year-self for being so fearless. 18-year-old Emma truly was a force to be reckoned with, and I hope to make her proud every day.

The staff from my first semester as an editor on Volume 102 deserves so much appreciation for teaching me everything I know.

Andrew, Helen and Kelly watched me struggle with InDesign and were patient while I pretended to understand what they taught me.

I like to think that InDesign and I are friends now — I would even go so far as to say I’m going to miss working together. On Volume 103, Rachel and Dylan built up my confidence as an editor, and made sure I knew that, despite my uncertainties, I belonged there.

Since coming to Fordham, I’ve had my qualms with Fordham sprinkled with bouts of personal problems. But every Tuesday, I walked into B-52 for production and quite literally escaped it all — the lack of windows really helped take me out of my reality. But more than that, my friends at the Ram didn’t know they were healing me with their crude jokes and compassion.

Hasna never hesitated to throw a compliment my way, even when

it felt unwarranted after seven long hours in the basement of the McGinley Center. Nicole always lent an ear to my ranting, sulking or just my thoughts of the week, which is a lot to ask. Kari and Elisabeth have validated my outlandish commentary on the absurd things we talk about in that sacred space, perhaps contributing to my personal delusion. Isabel has been a true friend, both in the Ram office and during our efforts to start a crochet club from scratch. The entire copy table always had me in stitches. During weeks when I was struggling to maintain my sanity, it was their laughter and humor that revived me. The trust Ava had in me truly meant the world; she didn’t know it, but by being so open with me she made me feel like I belonged there that much more. Hanif, with his ridiculous lies — or as he would say, jokes — and constant, unwavering support has been the kind of friend that I never knew I needed.

Although they weren’t here this semester, I can always feel Taylor and Michela’s presence in B-52.

Especially when I look at Stinky, the staff’s collective pet toy skunk.

They gave me something to strive toward, both as an opinion editor and as a person. This semester couldn’t possibly have been the same without them, but even from Europe they were ready to be there for me whenever I needed them.

The nights I sulked into the Ram office, lackluster and weighed down by things outside my control, I knew they knew. I’m

not sure how we even got to this point, our only connection being this newspaper. Yet we function as a family, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

Those who have known me over the years know that the Ram is basically all I can manage to talk about. As much as I love journalism and what I’ve been lucky enough to do over these last few years, what’s making this so painful is not so much my love for my job, but my love for the people.

I’m sure they’ll poke fun of me for being soft and cheesy, but that just means they agree.

As I enter a confusing and scary time in my life (and I’m not even graduating yet), I’m comforted by the idea that I will always have the Ram to ground me, even if it’s just the memories that will have to hold me over. But I don’t think that’ll be the case. I have a feeling I’ll be a nuisance to these people for a long time.

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• Applied Psychological Methods • Biological Sciences • Catholic Theology • Computer Science • Cybersecurity

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To learn how you can begin taking graduate courses during your senior year and save up to 30 percent on tuition, contact fuga@fordham.edu. No application fee. No GRE required.

fordham.edu/gsas/accelerated

OPINION

Page 8

April 27, 2022

“Dishonorary” Degrees Devalue College Efforts

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Taylor Swift will receive an honorary degree from NYU next month.

By TAYLOR HERZLICH OPINION EDITOR EMERITA

In May 2022, Taylor Swift is set to receive an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from New York University (NYU) and speak at the school’s commencement ceremony. This will be Swift’s first college degree, having never gone to college since her career skyrocketed at such a young age. After all, she released her first album in 2006 when she was just 17 years old.

Swift is not the first celebrity to receive an honorary degree, which is an academic degree for which the university waives all the usual requirements. Meryl Streep has received four honorary degrees, three of which were awarded

by Ivy League universities. Alec Baldwin also received an honorary doctorate degree from NYU,

his undergraduate alma mater.

Stephen Colbert, Conan O’Brien, Jon Bon Jovi and Aretha Franklin are just a few members of a long list of celebrities who received honorary degrees, many of whom also performed or gave a speech at the university after receiving their degree. J.K. Rowling has received an impressive amount of honorary degrees, with seven in total.

Fordham participates in this practice, usually dishing out a handful of honorary degrees every year. This year’s commencement speaker, Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts III, will receive an honorary degree in divinity. Clearly, honorary degrees are not going out of style. Despite their steady popularity, honorary degrees are a strong disservice to all the students who make endless sacrifices

to earn their college degrees.

Of course, the argument can be made that these honorary degrees largely serve a symbolic purpose, and are to be understood as a recognition of achievement rather than as something equivalent to a college degree. I strongly disagree with this argument. If a university wants to acknowledge an individual for their success, inviting them to act as a commencement speaker should be enough. If not, I could even understand bestowing an award to extremely successful individuals, but providing them with an honorary college degree seems far-fetched and unnecessary.

Another common argument is that honorary degree recipients are extremely skilled in their specialty and have devoted countless hours to their craft. For example, Swift has clearly devoted most of her life to songwriting, playing music and performing. The number of hours she has spent dedicated to her music may very well be comparable to the number of hours a student spends working on a degree. Nonetheless, this dedication of time does not mean that Swift has earned the equivalent of a degree.

I have nothing against Swift.

In fact, I admire her. She is hardworking and undeniably talented.

When I first read an article headline stating that Swift would receive a doctorate from NYU, I was extremely impressed and excited to see that she earned her degree. I was less impressed when I clicked on the article and realized it was just another honorary degree.

There are multiple reasons why I believe so-called honorary degrees are rather dishonorary.

First, we can return to the Swift example, in which we blindly accept the claim that she has put in the same amount of time toward music that a student has toward a music degree, and thus, Swift deserves that same degree. This argument ignores the fact that students might also have multiple passions, just as Swift might have for music and education, and are not entitled to the same privilege in choosing which success to fulfill and which to have handed to them. A college student who loves music may write songs, attend band practices and play in concerts while simultaneously working and studying for their degree.

Just because Swift has spent time working on her music, it does not mean that she has spent time working toward a degree.

Second, college degrees are not easy. This seems like an obvious point, but degrees are strenuous for a multitude of reasons.

Sure, students have to work hard and study to get good grades, but many students also have to make difficult sacrifices in order to earn their degree.

The average cost to attend a private college in 2021 is $54,800, according to the College Board’s Trends in College Pricing Report.

The average student loan debt for recent college graduates is close to $30,000, according to U.S. News Data. It is safe to say that affording college requires substantial financial sacrifices from most students today, whether that be

having a support system saving up for decades, balancing a workstudy schedule and earning a salary alongside being a full-time student, taking out a significant number of loans or turning down certain colleges whose financial aid is lacking altogether.

This is the reason why honorary degrees are so insulting to students today. If there is anyone who would have an easier time getting a college degree in today’s times, it is probably the recipients of these honorary degrees themselves. Honorary degree recipients range across a variety of careers and lifestyles, but a large percentage of them are celebrities or from equally financially stable demographics.

I am sure that Swift lives an incredibly busy lifestyle, one that I certainly can’t imagine, but so do countless other people. If Swift wanted to take a four-year hiatus from producing music and earn a degree, she could easily afford to do so. If J.K. Rowling wanted to drop tens of thousands of dollars to earn a college degree, she could do so. College is a privilege, and it is insulting to see others receive the same certificate that so many students spend a significant portion of their lives working toward.

If you want to honor these figures, that is understandable. Hold a ceremony for them. Give them a different award. But please stop handing out degrees until we see these celebrities in the classroom.

Taylor Herzlich, FCRH ’23, is a journalism major and English minor from Mount Sinai, N.Y.

MIT Brings Back Testing, and it Makes Sense

By COLE DILTS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

When I heard that Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) was reinstating standardized test scores I had only one thought: I had no idea that MIT had ever taken them away in the first place.

Since then, I researched the subject and discovered that a lot of institutions were eliminating the SAT requirement due to the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic made it all but impossible to take the SAT and ACT in person. The test providers then tried to transfer the test to an online format, but that didn’t work too well, so most universities just decided to make testing optional.

Now MIT is on the chopping block for reinstating it. Those who have always been against standardized testing say the decision to reinstate the tests is appalling.

Those who are in favor of standardized testing, however, think the decision is the right one. Following MIT’s decision, the question on everyone’s mind is whether or not other schools will follow suit.

The answer: maybe. The schools that will reinstate it will most likely be top-tier schools like Harvard and Yale. They’ll most likely reinstate testing requirements in order to maintain their exclusive repu-

tation. And even the universities who remove the requirement for an SAT score will still most likely recommend taking the test. Then when it comes to administration time, those with a good GPA and good SAT score will beat out the person who has just a good GPA. With this logic, it’s easy to imagine a world in which nothing really changes from this lack of requirement, except that the universities can pretend to be generous by not requiring a score, while still basically requiring a score.

Should these requirements exist? This is too broad of a question to answer here, so I will attempt to answer it with a focus on the case of MIT. While the SAT and ACT may not be able to predict the next great playwright or painter, they do a pretty good job at figuring out a decent engineer. Engineers and software designers are incredibly good at working within an alreadyestablished system. This means that they are a perfect test subject for the SAT and ACT, where the entire test is designed to test ability in mathematics or grammar. In other words, if you are the type of person that would make a good engineer, the SAT and ACT shouldn’t really be a problem. That’s not to say the test itself is easy for them.

What I mean is, if you are the type of person that is willing to spend a lot of his/her time studying for and eventually achieving a high score on the SAT, you are likely the type of person that MIT is interested in.

Without the SAT and other standardized tests, MIT has one less way of determining who is truly worthy of getting in. Their aim is likely to maintain premium quality, and the SAT is a pretty good way of making that determination.

The counter to this idea is that the SAT isn’t foolproof as it does persecute certain groups such as creatives and those who face economic hardships. This is true. People who devote themselves to creative work — work without a rigid, established study — are less likely to do well on the SAT. However, the painters and the screenwriters don’t have to worry, since any college aimed at creative people is mostly interested in your portfolio. When it comes to students with lower-income backgrounds, the answer is tricky. Studies show that wealthier families tend to produce higher SAT scores than lower-income families due to things like costs, academic support and time constraints.

However, and unfortunately, MIT is not willing to risk the many for the few. In order to get the students they want, the best solution

available so far is standardized testing. I don’t suspect this will be the case in the future. Organized institutions are slowly beginning to adopt practices that democratize studies. In the next few years, I suspect college will get cheaper as more people will stop enrolling. Institutions will be forced to streamline everything because the services available online are becoming superior to those in-person.

In the end, is MIT reinstating testing requirements a bad thing?

Not really. Is it perfect? Certainly not, but it’s the best they can do

right now. Sure, it’s inconvenient for the students, as it creates one more obstacle to what determines their futures. But there’s really not much you can do unless you get rid of requirements altogether, which wouldn’t work either. All in all, if you want to get into institutions like MIT, you have to play the game. So let’s hope the technology coming out of MIT today will make the game obsolete in the future.

Cole Dilts, FCRH ’23, is a film and television major from Houston, T.X.

COURTESY OF TWITTER

MIT brought back test requirements that were paused during the pandemic.

OPINION

April 27, 2022

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From the Desk | Hasna Ceran

Four Times I Wanted To Leave The Fordham Ram And the one time I didn’t.

I don’t want to leave now. I wasn’t supposed to, and I sure didn’t expect to be writing my goodbye this week. I may have been graduating a semester early, but I was still going to be graduating with the class of 2023. I knew that I still had at least a semester to stay on the newspaper.

Well, like most mice and men, I laid some excellent plans. Unfortunately, those tend to go awry.

When I realized I’d be graduating, my first thought was how I was going to tell the current e-board.

After all of that worrying about the inconvenience of replacing me if I just up and quit the paper, I was leaving a full semester early. My second thought was: Wow, how am I going to stand leaving early?

This will be the 40th article with my name on it for The Fordham Ram. If you count the editorials I’ve written, it’ll be an even 50.

Which, all things considered, is a pretty pleasant number to end things on. That’s 50 articles that reflect my time on the Ram since 2019: as a contributing writer for the USG column in Volume 101, an assistant news editor of Volume 102, features editor of Volume 103 and now editorial director for Volume 104.

The Fordham Ram has been the defining factor of my time at Fordham. I think some of my most enduring memories of this beautiful campus are going to feature that dank and grody basement. B-52.

The loveshack.

That’s why it may come as a surprise that I’ve had many moments on the Ram where I’ve seriously considered just leaving.

One: The first time I walked into B-52 my freshman year. I was never involved with my high school newspaper, and had minimal interest in journalism. Having

signed up at the club fair, I arrived in the basement hoping to copyedit, weakly-armed with previous experience proofreading and a basic knowledge of English grammar.

What greeted me was an extremely enthusiastic group of upperclassmen that all knew each other, with what felt to me like an endless parade of names, references and inside jokes I could never hope to understand.

I wanted very badly to turn right back around and go to my quiet dorm room, which I had grown at least marginally familiar with by that point. I could never have imagined that I would continue to sit at that copy table for weeks after, still not having a clue what everybody was talking about, but happy to be there all the same.

Two: Writing my first “serious” news article, which was about the partnership between PVH Corp. and the Gabelli School of Business.

I had a difficult time getting any information from PVH Corp. itself, despite sending a truly embarrassing amount of emails to any email address and public relations representative I could find online.

In the end, it just didn’t feel like the article it should have been.

Writing for the USG column had been hard enough — now I was completely out of my depth as an assistant news editor. I didn’t even want to go into journalism! But I stayed on for a few more weeks, and by the time the pandemic forced us to go online, quitting seemed just a little rude.

Three: I tend to have to tell myself that as much as I love The Fordham Ram, it’s a college newspaper. It’s not to be dismissive; it’s to remind myself that as important as keeping up with my obligations to the paper is, no one is going to pull a contract out on me if I can’t.

Because, yeah, I’ve not had a

perfect track record here. Sometimes, articles just haven’t come together. I haven’t been able to get a source, or by the time I did get one, the article failed to be timely and relevant. I’ve completely let the week get away from me. Sometimes, I’ve spent the entire week thinking about that article I’m supposed to write, and not been able to write it anyway.

Each time, I struggle to admit it.

What we do here may not be lifeand-death, but messing up can mean throwing a night’s schedule completely out of whack, or ruining the format of the printed paper.

It’s tempting to avoid, deny, ignore and simply never show up to the basement again.

This year, I didn’t send one of our weekly briefing emails. By the time I drafted it, it was too late to send it out, and too difficult to come up with a story compelling enough to excuse this. Here it was, the confirmation that I was letting the entire Ram down by failing to send a weekly email. This was the irreversible mistake, the one I couldn’t come back from. I’d have to resign, block off all communications and change the routes I took to class just to escape the horrific shame of not having sent out our weekly briefing.

I didn’t do any of that, obviously. Mostly because hoping no one noticed it wasn’t sent out was significantly easier than getting out in front of what I was beginning to mentally refer to as “emailgate.”

And yeah, people obviously noticed that it wasn’t sent out, but no one jumped up to beat me to death with baseball bats. It’s a college newspaper. Even at The New York Times, they stop before they put you in the hospital.

I remained on the Ram. The briefing got sent out the next week.

Life went on.

Four: A night where I said something stupid. Really stupid. Because sometimes the most impactful part of the Ram isn’t the paper, but the people.

As strange as it is to say, I probably am the loud upperclassman who seems to be in on all the jokes now. And the more we teeter towards midnight in the loveshack, the easier it is to be louder than I should, or make the wrong joke that lands completely flat, or to say something just plain stupid and embarassing. Every time it happens, I’d like to quit right there, and never acknowledge it again.

It’s difficult in many ways to sit with that, especially when you know you’ll be seeing these people every week, for the rest of the year.

But you can’t run away to save face, either, because sometimes looking stupid is what brings people closer together.

That’s why, despite the risk of sounding ineloquent, I’d like to thank some of the many, many reasons I’ve stuck with this paper.

I would like to thank Dylan, Andrew, Helen and Rachel for making Volumes 102 and 103 so great to be on. Dylan again, for causing

the urge to say “goodbye, everyone, goodbye!” every time we leave the basement.

Sarah and Abbey, for being the best news editors I have ever had the pleasure of working under.

Isabel, for being the best news editor I have never had the pleasure of working under.

The current editorial board, Ava, Hanif and Michael, for not beating me to death with baseball bats.

Despite all the mayhem present in a volume of the Ram, every week a paper comes out, and I walk out thinking how cool it is that I end the night with you guys.

Everyone at the copy table, past and present, for being the emotional center of the basement and letting my stupid alliterative titles through. Erica, Vanessa, Ginny, Maggie and Megan, thank you for being the slightest bit intimidating, and a much greater bit welcoming.

The entire staff of Volume 104, who I am leaving prematurely. You are all so incredibly smart, funny and cool, all while managing to make the paper possible.

It’s not leaving the basement that’s hard. It’s leaving all the great people down there.

Trump Should Be Prosecuted for Near-Death of Democracy

By PETER MCGOWAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

On Jan. 6, 2021, our country saw one of its darkest tragedies. If it had happened to an individual person, it could have been classified as attempted murder. However, on that dark day, we saw not just a single person attacked, but all of us.

Citizens of this country who happened to disagree with the results of the free and fair election of Joe Biden as president of the United States made a cowardly attack on our democracy and republican values.

Encouraged by far-right wing conspiracy and Republican Party politicians enamored with a cult of personality, the domestic terrorists in Washington that day deserve to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, and for the most part, they have been. That said, one person involved with the deadly riots at the Capitol that day has avoided prosecution: former President Donald J. Trump. If anyone bears responsibility for the riots it is Trump, and he should face criminal charges immediately.

In this country, we have a tradition of a peaceful transfer of executive power, going all the way back to George Washington himself.

In pushing his big lie in 2020, claiming time and time again that the election was stolen from him, Trump made a mockery of our democracy. His words and actions on Jan. 6, 2021 amount to, at the very least, inciting a riot, and at the very worst, an attempt at a coup. For this, Trump should stand trial and face the American people for his crimes against this country.

While some may find it ridiculous to prosecute a former Commander in Chief, this is not at all a fringe position these days. Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the consummate establishment Republican, who voted with Trump near-religiously during his presidency has been one of the main voices calling for his prosecution after her involvement with the House Committee on Jan. 6.

According to Cheney, there was clear intent by Trump and his associates to stir up tensions on that day. “I think what we have seen is a massive and well-organized

and well-planned effort that used multiple tools to try to overturn an election.” Cheney also says that the Jan. 6 Committee has “got a tremendous amount of testimony and documents that I think very, very clearly demonstrate the extent of the planning and the organization and the objective.” If there is sufficient evidence and an established motive, then there is no doubt that Trump should be held accountable. The powers that be in this country have a responsibility to move forward with the prosecution if that is the case.

Additionally, cases pertaining to insurrection at the Capitol are not without precedent.

People involved with the rhetoric and actions of Jan. 6, such as former Trump Administration advisor Steve Bannon, have faced charges for crimes related to the riots, with Bannon being charged with Contempt of Congress for refusing to answer to the Committee for his actions on that dark day. Also, according to USA Today, more than 750 people have been charged by federal authorities for their actions on that day. Why

COURTESY OF UNSPLASH

Some people who disagreed with the 2020 election attacked democracy.

should the person who deceived them into thinking that their government was being stolen get away without answering for himself?

If we do not charge Trump for the crimes that he committed in connection with the attack on Jan. 6, we are making a joke not only of our criminal justice system, but our system of government. From the days of the founding fathers, we have always expected honesty from our leaders and a peaceful

transition of power from administration to administration.

In not pursuing every avenue possible in terms of holding Trump accountable, we leave the door open for another demagogue to tarnish and destroy our democracy, possibly for good.

Peter McGowan, FCRH ’24, is a political science major from Rochester, N.Y.

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SPRING AT FORDHAM

COURTESY OF PIA FISCHETTI/THE FORDHAM RAM

COURTESY OF HASNA CERAN/THE FORDHAM RAM

April 27, 2022

COURTESY OF CHIARA HOLTON FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

COURTESY OF HANIF AMANULLAH/THE FORDHAM RAM

COURTESY OF HANIF AMANULLAH/THE FORDHAM RAM

COURTESY OF AMANDA YAROLIN/THE FORDHAM RAM

April 27, 2022

SPRING AT FORDHAM

COURTESY OF HASNA CERAN/THE FORDHAM RAM

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COURTESY OF PIA FISCHETTI/THE FORDHAM RAM

COURTESY OF ABBEY DELK FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

COURTESY OF CHIARA HOLTON FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

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CULTURE

Rams Review Books | First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers

April 27, 2022

A Child’s Perspective on Experiencing the Trauma of War

By PAOLA GALIANO CONTRIBUTING WRITER

“I think how the world is still somehow beautiful even when I feel no joy at being alive within it.”

In an account of the horrific Cambodian genocide during the 1970s, Loung Ung tells the story of how Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge regime destroyed her family.

“First They Killed My Father:

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Ung remembers her experience growing up in war-torn Cambodia.

A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers,” is told through Ung’s innocent and childlike eyes, making the gruesome report of the Khmer Rouge and their treatment of the Cambodians all the more shocking. Although the novel is criticized for not being historically accurate, the emotional truth of Ung’s experience has been continuously praised for its shocking honesty.

Ung was only five years old when the Khmer Rouge invaded her small town of Phnom Penh in 1975. She lived comfortably with her high-ranking government official father and proper Chinese mother, their family owned two vehicles. Ung worried about nothing as she went to school, learned new languages, played with friends at the market and ate sweet cakes every afternoon.

That all changed after the Khmer Rouge took over, which forced her family to flee to the countryside. After two months of walking they settled at Ro Leap, a camp that took countless lives because of starvation and disease.

Unaccustomed to living outside their privileged environment, Ung’s family was thrust into a life of extreme hardship, leaving behind every comfort for the small chance of survival. Ung’s family wrestled with how to feed their large family while also try-

ing to keep the secret of Loung’s father’s identity. Early in the account, even young Ung expressed the danger of her father’s occupation as a government worker for the overthrown regime. His identity meant death in the eyes of the Khmer Rouge, and Loung’s family knew that their every move was being watched and weighed carefully. However, it wasn’t long until Ung was on her own, separated from her family and drafted into a soldier training camp.

Throughout the novel, Ung shares her story from the perspective of a young child that is forced to grow up too quickly. It was frighteningly clear to readers how Ung hardened. It is a shock seeing her start as this carefree girl, playing with her siblings in Cambodia, and then see her change. She had to see herself as a strong, unbreakable person because, ultimately, she had to be strong enough to survive impossible conditions of starvation, persecution and loneliness. It was with a combination of luck, personal strength, unwavering love for her family and hope for their survival that she can continue.

Facing the horrors of the Khmer Rouge, Ung learned how to make three measly grains of rice last her three days while training as a child soldier, harvesting fields and completing endless and laboring tasks.

Amid all of Ung’s experiences, I loved how she never lost sight of what she was surviving for.

It is the love for her family that was woven through her account — it was a will to live that kept Loung standing for all these years.

Themes of family, love and survival are paramount, often the sole motivation for every action.

It was because of the love Ung’s mother holds for her children that she separates them into different camps, all to disperse them for the best chance of survival.

It was the love of family that Loung’s father did not resist his death sentence — it was to keep his family safe from the same fate.

A quote that stuck with me from this autobiography was, “Surviving for another day, has become the most important thing to her.” Ung says this as she narrates her story. When she said this, I was transported back to the lessons her Pa gave her, at the beginning of all her horrors.

She remembers the words her Pa says often, reflecting that “the only way we will survive,” is to keep going and standing strong.

What was so gripping about Loung’s account, was that because it is told from the eyes of a child, the world seems crueler, less forgiving. Her horrors are unimaginable and it is shocking to hear from someone so young.

New Exhibit Explores Costumes in Cultural Critique

By MARIBELLE GORDON CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Last month, the Museum of Art and Design (MAD) in Manhattan opened an exhibit entitled “Garmenting: Costume as Contemporary Art,” which will remain on display until Aug. 14, 2022. The exhibit brings together pieces from 35 artists from around the world and explores the theme of identity in a personal sense as well as through socioeconomic and political perspectives. The pieces examine topics such as LGBTQ+ expression, racial oppression and representation, misogyny and sexual violence.

Garmenting as an art form is practiced through many different mediums that go beyond just the clothes themselves.

Sculpture, performance and large-scale installations contribute to this exhibit’s diverse collection. Each piece represents a unique expression of one’s identity and personal experience through different kinds of fabrics, materials and presentations.

As opposed to high-end fashion and haute couture as art forms, this curation is meant to cater to a larger audience.

Many of these clothes are not remnants of the uber-wealthy that, intentionally or not, are often the targeted audiences of other displays of fashion and design. The stories told within these costumes dive into harrowing topics of oppression and

injustice; understanding and highlighting people that are often ignored as a demographic in fashion. Rather than reminding people of the wealth disparity that often becomes apparent through clothing, this exhibit invites people to see their own struggles being recognized and represented in fashion.

The exhibit emphasizes the presence of longstanding social justice issues, as it features only contemporary art and artists. With some of the oldest pieces dating back only to the 1990s, the artwork generates discourse on the ever-growing need for critical thinking and examination of society even in 2022. While some of the clothes cover topics from centuries ago, the costumes still represent a modern understanding of those issues and how they still affect the world today.

Race and gender are arguably the most prominent topics in this exhibit, as a majority of the garments cover them in some way or another. Young artist Zoe Buckman’s installation stitches popular rap lyrics onto feminine garments (ones that are typically seen as seductive) as a vehicle to question the role of pop culture in domestic and sexual violence against women. Devan Shimoyama’s striking “February II” enshrines a hoodie in a thick coat of flowers to represent and memorialize the life and death of Trayvon Martin in a critique

of police brutality and structural racism.

Colonialism is another topic that is presented with a great deal of significance in this exhibit. Yinka Shonibare’s “The Ghost of Eliza Jumel” explores globalization and the commodification of African prints to benefit European socialites.

Artists like Sheelasha Rajbhandari also use this space to demonstrate the crushing weight of colonial expansion on indigenous

communities. Pieces like these also serve as critiques on capitalism and how far-reaching its negative impacts have been on diversity in fashion.

Naturally, as clothing and cosmetics have become an integral part of LGBTQ+ history, the exhibit also has a wide array of representations of both LGBTQ+ oppression and expression. Costumes touch on the effects of the AIDS crisis, divides within the community and

COURTESY OF MARIBELLE GORDON FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

The new MAD exhibit explores how costume reflects cultural debate.

drag performance as an art form.

These costumes shy away from subtlety and aim to inspire, unsettle and foster conversations with their audience. While clothing and fashion design in other contexts may be bold in color or shape, the garments in this exhibit are bold in the societal statements they make. Its exploration of power imbalances and intersectional thinking creates an environment for personal reflection. The experience of seeing artists bare their souls and pick apart their own identities allows for the viewer to do the same for themselves.

Some use fashion as an outlet for creativity that inspires escapism, but this exhibition instead establishes costume design as a platform for representation, social justice and critical analysis. The vast number of ways that fashion functions in our society is shown in how deeply these pieces contribute to understanding others. These international costume designers turn fashion into storytelling, using fabrics and techniques as the expositions and driving characters.

“Garmenting” celebrates diversity and the complexities of identity. Anyone who has a love for fashion or art, in general, should take this opportunity to explore fashion in a completely different light and absorb stories that may broaden your understanding of the human experience.

CULTURE

April 27, 2022

13 Miles Later: A Reflection on Manhattan

By KARI WHITE & ISABEL DANZIS We started at the corner of Broadway and 207th Street, dismounting the Bx12 at the early hour of 9 a.m. to a still-sleeping city full of bright skies, chirping birds and untapped potential.

Then, we realized we were going the wrong way. After turning around and triple-checking that the street numbers were, in fact, decreasing, we set off. We intended to follow Broadway from where we had begun in Inwood, Manhattan’s northernmost neighborhood, all the way down to Battery Park, the southern tip.

In early February, a conversation about monotony in the cafeteria sparked the idea to walk all 13 miles of Manhattan. In simple terms, our friendship grew into what it was because of our shared love of walking. We met by chance freshman year, as many do, but after constantly running into each other walking around campus, we started going together.

Those aimless walks around campus morphed into walks around the Botanical Gardens to Central Park to Galveston Island in Texas over spring break. Taking a minute to go for a walk outside is therapeutic. It allows you to take a break from the usual cycle of life and clear your head. So for us, when we were caught with a case of seasonal dreariness and a feeling of perpetual groundhog’s day

back in February, planning a 13mile walk for the spring seemed to be the only thing to add a sense of adventure to life.

Going into the walk, neither of us really knew what to expect.

We had sent one another TikTok videos of other NYC twentysomethings taking the hike, and spoken to people who had done it before. Most of them had taken around seven hours to complete the journey, with some wasting a few extra hours wandering down side streets or stopping to taste the city’s many cultural dishes. We, on the other hand, had a mission.

Isabel believed that we could do it in five hours, Kari didn’t think we’d make it in under six. Both dressed in t-shirts, leggings and Asics, we hiked through the city streets wondering how much pain lay in store for our poor quads.

We ended up doing the whole thing in four hours. If we had jogged the last mile like Isabel wanted, then we might have made it in less. We probably would have collapsed, but we would have made it.

Walking the city allowed us to see how it shifted around us, going from the sleepy residential neighborhood of Inwood to the towering skyscrapers of the Financial District. With every block, we watched the buildings rise, the streets grow narrower and the sidewalks fill with more people. Yet, despite the chaotic energy of midtown, we found quiet

at both ends of Manhattan.

College is a strange time of life.

It represents the time period between childhood and adulthood, and true to that description, many times it can feel like you’re in flux between those two stages. We lack a feeling of belonging — yes, you feel connected to your hometown, but you also feel that you’ve outgrown it. Yes, you feel connected to your campus, but there’s always a feeling of temporality because you know that connection ceases

to exist after you walk the stage at graduation. The Rose Hill campus furthers this lack of association, as it feels like an island that is both within the city and completely removed from it.

Walking Manhattan made us feel closer to New York City, as it allowed us to glimpse the myriad of communities and cultures that inhabit pockets throughout it. In knowing more about the city, we gained a stronger connection to the city we currently call home. It

COURTESY OF KARI WHITE & ISABEL DANZIS / THE FORDHAM RAM

Walking the 13 miles of Broadway reveals NYC’s many different faces.

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also brought us closer as friends.

We spend a lot of time together, but nothing builds a friendship better than sharing an adventure and four hours of unbroken conversation. When we passed Columbia University, Isabel reminisced on how her mother had attended Columbia, how her father had gotten her mother a milkshake from a diner we passed after Isabel was born and how in a different path, she might have grown up in this city. As we left Columbia behind and passed into the rest of the Upper West Side, we wondered about the lives that stretched before us, the memories we might create and the echoes we might leave behind.

On the subway back to Lincoln Center to take the Ram Van back to campus, we listened to the names of each subway station.

Passing Canal Street, Houston Street and many more, there was a newfound ability to place a picture at each stop. Looking ahead on the subway map, places like City College were no longer associated with online pictures but with tangible memories and recollections of passing them. As college students at Fordham, we experience small slices of the city.

We travel to specific places and immerse ourselves in New York City’s culture of our choosing.

This walk gave us a small sampling of the entire city. We were able to watch the city shift and move around us, in a way that no other activity can give you.

Who’s That Kid? | It’s Taylor Mascetta, FCRH ’23!

Junior Writes Her Way to the Finish Line

By MADDIE BIMONTE

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

While many students across Fordham’s campus are heavily involved in multiple clubs or sports, there is one student that stands out in terms of her work ethic and bubbly personality. Taylor Mascetta, FCRH ’23, can be seen just about anywhere on campus — from

being editor in chief at the satirical news publication the paper, a student-athlete for Fordham’s track & field team and a sports broadcaster at WFUV Sports.

Whenever you see a newsstand on campus carrying an edition of the Ram, chances are you’ve also seen another paper covered in memes and crazy ads. It’s the work of the paper and Mascetta.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Mascetta runs through life with a smile, juggling her busy schedule.

There is a certain air of mystery around the paper, as it only appears about three times a semester to eager students. It is a long standing publication on Fordham’s campus, originating back in 1972 to serve as “Fordham’s free-speech journal of news, analysis, comment and review,” according to their mission statement.

Mascetta’s origin story at the paper started like many other freshman journalism majors; as she perused the club fair, her goal was to join as many writing clubs as possible. However, one stood out more than others: the paper. Starting off, she immediately jumped into copy editing and filled her time editing the crazy stories that would go into each edition.

The hard work of Mascetta is a common thread throughout everything she does on campus, and it does not go unnoticed. The former editor in chief approached Mascetta after just one semester, asking her to become the opinion editor. It was a no-brainer for her.

This past December, Mascetta was handed the reins to the paper and was determined to uphold both the prestige and satirical nature of the publication. The most essential part of the paper, according to Mascetta, is the central focus of free speech for students, giving them the opportunity to write about anything they want.

From the pasteurization of milk, to the most inspirational Solja Boy

tweets, the paper, under Mascetta and her co-editor in chief Nora Hogan, FCRH ’23, wants the creativity and interests of the writers to shine through.

Importantly, Mascetta did not forget to plug the paper throughout our talk and wants everyone to know that merch is on the way for all of their loyal fans.

Not only does Mascetta use her talents as a journalist at the paper, she runs for Fordham Track & Field as a distance runner. She jokingly tells me that although she loves sports, she never got the chance to be picked first in gym class in high school.

Her lack of hand-eye coordination did not slow her down as she took to the track to hone her skills.

She continuously credits her coach in high school for converting her to distance running. Mascetta became a much better runner than ever before as she found her niche. During her senior year, her 4x800m relay team swept both conference and state championships, clinching the New England titles in both indoor and outdoor track.

She capped it off by getting fourth at the New Balance Nationals in the 4x1 mile relay, becoming an All-American.

This year, Mascetta has yet to slow down. She scooped up personal records in the 800m, 1K and the 5K after so much uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic did throw a

wrench in her plans, but her love for running kept her motivated throughout the days of isolation.

Now, she is excited to be back to running with her team, many of whom she has developed life long friendships with.

Although Mascetta is heading into her senior year, she will not be leaving so quickly. She excitedly told me she plans to return to Fordham for a fifth year as athletes have been granted an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19.

While Mascetta is performing better than ever, she’s determined to only get better and plans on continuously improving her times.

Meanwhile, Mascetta fills the rest of her busy schedule with work at WFUV Sports and at the Armory Indoor Track Facility as an announcer. Amidst all of the passions she has, it is her love for sports that trumps everything else.

Mascetta’s goals after college’s to continue to build off of the work she is doing now. Hoping to work in sports journalism in either a print or broadcast form, Mascetta wants to stay in New York City for as long as she can.

Her passion for sports and writing translates so well into the work she produces across all mediums, especially as she juggles a crazy busy schedule. While the future is very uncertain, what is for sure, is that Mascetta will continue to sprint past any obstacles she might come across.

CULTURE From Quiet Desires to Confident Cries: Omar Apollo’s “Ivory” Page 14

By LAUREN LOMBARDI CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The maturity of Omar Apollo, a Mexican American musician, is shown in his voice and inspirations, not his range of experiences. On the singer’s first full-length album, “Ivory,” coming two and a half years following his superb mixtape “Apolonio,” Apollo toys with familiar themes of yearning and near-childish pure fun.

But this time around, he appears more apt to his part in the making of the album.

Apollo’s passion for what he releases to the world is undeniable. The singer was supposed to tour in fall 2021, but it was postponed in favor of recreating “Ivory” after Apollo campaigned to scrap the project. As the 24-year-old musician told Billboard, “[Warner Records] wasn’t too happy about that.”

Sticking to his gut, his coasting demeanor was put aside so he could put his well-earned foot down and make something he was genuinely proud of.

Since Apollo began writing and producing songs in his teenage years he isn’t afraid to rely on himself — he prefers it, really. The writing credits on “Ivory” state, “Written by Omar Velasco [his real name],” over and over

April 27, 2022

again. On the odd chance that there is a co-writer or two, it tends to be Noah Goldstein, the producer, engineer and writer who has worked with a plentitude of great artists, such as Kanye West, The Weeknd and FKA Twigs. Although Apollo is self-sufficient, he is not at a disadvantage.

The nonchalance of Apollo is only called into question when deep diving into his songs about lost hope in romance and craving for another. In “Petrified,” a personal favorite of mine, Apollo reflects on the ways in which a relationship affects the way he sees himself, with the all-encompassing, repetitive but effective chorus “Thinking of you more each day / I’m thinking ‘bout all the words you say to me.” Apollo compares the feeling of unimportance in a dynamic to a medical emergency in “Invincible” as he soulfully sings along with collaborator Daniel Caesar, “And I woke up in an ambulance.”

Come for the alternative R&B, stay for the dramatics.

In all the trials and tribulations of love that the musician claims he faces, he leaves moments in “Ivory” strictly for celebration.

“Tamagotchi” treads the line of being just another song about a young guy flexing, but with

lines like “Tengo dinero y ando soltero, dime lo que quiere comprar” spoken in the language Apollo’s parents taught him, it’s hard to find issue with a self-made artist enjoying the means he’s cultivated for himself. Expectedly, the moment on “Ivory” that Apollo lets his confidence fully run wild is on this track produced

by Pharrell, and it is clear he has a lot to be proud of.

Throughout all of his projects, Apollo has shifted seamlessly between speaking in Spanish and English. It is evident he wants to share the whole of his grasp on languages in order to express the things he wants to say, exactly the way he wants to say it. While Apollo says he is more fluent in English as he was educated in it, he told Complex that he traveled to Mexico a lot during the making of “Ivory” in order to feel more comfortable with singing in Spanish. Apollo explores traditional Mexican sounds on “En El Olvido,” a song entirely in Spanish, where the singer grapples with the reality that he has been almost forgotten by the one he wants; wishing he was able to leave him in oblivion. This wounded attitude is not foreign to the heartbroke-ridden singer and

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Apollo explores a wide range of emotions in his latest release.

the limited production, saved for a simple guitar chord, makes it even more vulnerable.

A blank spot in “Ivory” is in the lack of funk and disco inspired songs that listeners have become accustomed to Apollo providing. While it’s not unusual to hear contemporary music incorporating disco elements, an old Apollo song like “So Good” sounds as if it could have been first on the queue at Studio 54 back in the day. In all the glittery boldness of Omar Apollo, it’s hard to see a style that suits him

that wonderfully be left out this time around. A long-time inspiration for Apollo has been the artist Prince, specifically in the album closer, “Mr. Neighbor.”

The spontaneously placed riffs and smooth falsettos throughout, on top of the melancholy sound of the guitar, is not unlike something that would be found on Prince’s 1978 album “For You.” While it sounds very much like Prince, it also sounds like Omar Apollo, as it’s been made clear that whatever he tries his hand at can.

“Moon Knight” Explores the Complexities of DID

By GRACE ROBINSON CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Marvel’s newest series “Moon Knight” stars Oscar Isaac as a character whose dissociative identity disorder (DID) forces him to live the dual life of Marc Spector and Steven Grant. The series, dating back to the 1975 Marvel comic books, portrays Marc Spector as the charming and serious Moon Knight who serves as an avatar for the Egyptian moon god, Khonshu. Contrastingly, Spector’s alter, Steven Grant, is an average museum gift shop employee, consumed by his appreciation for Egyptian history and culture. Filled with action, humor and moral dilemma, the series uncovers a dark mystery that requires the two characters to negotiate their differences.

The series begins when Grant wakes up one night in the Australian Alps to find the antagonist of the film, Arthur Harrow. Harrow is leading a cult on a quest for a scarab that acts as a compass to the Tomb of Ammit, an Egyptian Goddess who rivals Khonshu.

Notable throughout the series is the presence of Egyptian mythology, which sparked my own curiosity. With rich symbolism and fascinating sets, the series offers alluring imagery primarily shot across Budapest, Hungary, Slovenia and Jordan, with scenes utilizing special effects to make the plot come to life. It’s also interesting to also note the great lengths the producers of the series go to achieve an authentic representation of Egyptian culture, with director Mohamed Diab

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

In Marvel’s newest series Oscar Isaac plays two characters, Marc Spector and Steven Grant.

hiring composer Hesham Nazih, editor Ahmed Hafez and 90 percent of the Egyptian roles going to the fellow countrymen.

The following episodes unravel the rivalry between Harrow and Spector/Grant as they compete to find Ammit’s tomb. Aside from their mission, the series follows a variety of conflicting relationships, the greatest of which existing within Grant and Spector. The internal conflict faced by Grant as he realizes his obligation to become the Moon Knight is portrayed both seriously and comically. Grant must navigate Spector’s complicated love life, unlocks his physical potential and bravely carries on a mission that disrupts his otherwise mundane lifestyle.

This of course challenges

Grant’s own sense of morality, as he must risk his own life and the lives of others on the quest to ultimately do good. The question of morality becomes a central focus of the series, with the goddess Ammit acting as a “personification of divine retribution,” that deemed souls worthy or unworthy based on their past or future actions. While Grant is tasked with reckoning his own morality, the audience is also encouraged to ponder how the the worthiness of another is weighed in theory and in our own reality.

When I first learned of the premise, I was skeptical to how a superhero plot can be created around a mental illness. The series indicated that Spector faced a traumatic childhood paired

with his work in the U.S. Marine Corps as a mercenary. Although, not yet discussed in the series, the comics suggest that Spector had additionally discovered that a close family friend carried out multiple antisemitic murders as a Nazi. This knowledge led to Spector’s DID development to dissociate from his trauma. The portrayal of DID appears both accurate in some instances and misinformation in others. For Grant, there is paranoia associated with DID that induces great anxiety.

Each night, Grant lays a circle of sand around his room, places tape down his door frame and locks his foot to the end of his bed, all to monitor himself and his surroundings. However, at other points in the series, the DID

inaccurately portrays Spector and Grant’s ability to switch their personalities on command.

The two can stay in constant communication through the passage of mirrors and reflections.

When Grant makes decisions unfavorable to Spector, Spector finds ways to convince Grant into switching identities and allowing Spector to gain control and become the Moon Knight.

The ability to switch alters becomes a strength in the characters’ collaboration and is tied to their supernatural abilities.

While DID does not appear to operate with such control and benefit, the series still offers commentary on the strain and paranoia authentic to this mental illness.

While the Moon Knight holds supernatural abilities prominent to many of Marvel’s superheroes, the characters of Spector and Grant often rely on their skills culminated through advanced physical training, historical knowledge and bravery. Like other hero premises, “Moon Knight” depicts both Marc Spector, and Steven Grant, as regular people compelled into supernatural situations.

Grant’s naivety surrounding combat and moral unwillingness to wrong feels relatable to most of the audience, making his initial battles both cringe-worthy and humorous.

Yet, Grant’s continued ability to trust in his knowledge and physical power creates a favorable hero who we continue to see advance through each episode. While only four episodes are currently available, the series is set for a thrilling season.

CULTURE

April 27, 2022

Page 15

Childhood Stardom and the Trauma of Fame

By COLM O’CONNOR CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Audiences have been falling in love with the content produced by young celebrities for generations.

Both in today’s world of social media “influencing,” and in past eras limited to television programming and movies, young stars are tasked with navigating stardom while remaining empathetic. Different eras present stars with different hurdles that make this task all the more difficult.

In regards to the “weight” of fame on child stars, an argument can be made for both sides. When we hear the phrase “child star,” a

few distinct faces come to mind, ones that took the world by storm and were vaulted to iconic status.

Given the nature of entertainment and the technological standing of the 1990s, 2000s and early 2010s, the stage was set for a select few individuals to be launched into intense and overwhelming stardom. Social media was not a factor, and kids looked to The Disney Channel on television for their entertainment fix. The wealth of streaming platforms we have today was also not a factor, narrowing your options to just a few shows from a few channels. Without all the background noise, the

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Many childhood stars have begun speaking out about the ugly side of fame.

shows we had at our disposal were immensely impactful. America zeroed in on a select few stars, such as Miranda Cosgrove from “iCarly,” and subjected them to scrutiny and idolatry to an extent that is arguably unparalleled today.

Since these stars gained the spotlight from roles they landed, they were subject to contracts that were incredibly limiting. Dealing with stardom under these confines made the weight of their fame feel significantly heavier. This weight is especially heavy as you grow up, and your sense of self becomes increasingly at odds with your contractual obligations. Disney actors and actresses were often limited in wardrobe, social media, tone of voice and were subject to a moral clause. The buildup of pressure has played out in a rebellious streak by former squeaky clean child stars, most notably Miley Cyrus and Lindsey Lohan.

Though one can only know the weight of fame by living it, this rebellious phenomenon points to the pressure of fame at such a formative age to be immense.

In today’s age of social media, streaming platforms and podcasts, stardom has been turned on its head. The freedom to produce content wherever and whenever possesses its own pressure. Back in the 2010s, social media was much less commercialized and professional; it held less potential importance for a celebrity’s brand image.

Now, social media is often the very medium in which celebrities get their birth. Though stars like Cyrus probably would have appreciated an outlet like social media towards the end of her Disney stint, this option comes with pressure to

always post. Today’s top influencers are presented with a shocking amount of collaborative opportunities by brands, networks and fellow influencers; given the financial benefits these collaborators are ready to dole out, every move holds tremendous weight. Past Disney stars may have resented their restrictive contracts, but today’s stars may resent the lack thereof for the pressure to sell out.

“Selling out” can take form in many ways. Traditionally, stars will take financially viable opportunities that contrast their integrity, diminishing brand image and future opportunity. Another indirect way of selling out that can extend to all of society is premature sexualization. Though the sexualization of young stars should be an autonomous matter, the standard for appropriate sexualization at each age has become greater. In the age of TikTok, teenagers’ self-worth is so intertwined with their following online, and this following is contingent on such a brief interaction.

As predicted by Andy Warhol, “Everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes,” which is jarringly accurate in light of TikTok’s algorithm. Today, teen celebrities are leaning into the sexualization of themselves, causing a trickle down effect that extends to all.

Premature sexualization is something that young stars have had to deal with forever. But, social media accelerates this through the interconnected nature, the lack of privacy and the unattainable beauty standards. For starters, young stars face a new level of scrutiny now that fans can react live to any moves, and others

can chime in, creating a discord between individuals for all to see.

An example of this would be the criticism that Millie Bobby Brown faced for her relationship with Jacob Sartorius at just age 13.

Second, celebrities have increasingly little privacy. An example would be Billie Eilish, whose fashion sense she refers to as a “security blanket.” On a talk show, Billie had to answer for a viral photo taken of her in a tank top, being that she normally wears baggy clothes.

Finally, a wealth of statistics have been published that find that the majority of teenagers feel social media has ramped up expectations of their own appearance and that this phenomenon is influenced by celebrities. Though celebrities may fuel the beauty standards, the extent to which they must go via editing, makeup or lifestyle can not be healthy and will fuel insecurities.

Growing up in the spotlight might be a surreal experience, one that can be incredibly difficult to manage regardless of the era.

As stated by psychologist Donna Rockwell, fame gives someone a certain degree of attention that makes it difficult to have appropriate empathy for others. Celebrities can often spiral when circumstances change, especially when thrusted into the spotlight before they are cognitively developed.

It is hard to quantify whether the “weight” of fame for previous stars is heavier than that of today’s stars, but I would just like to acknowledge how incredibly difficult fame is, and that we should give young celebrities the benefit of the doubt.

Editor’s Pick | Film

Bridget Jones Film Series: The Best Comfort Movies

By EMMA KIM

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Despite the fact that I can watch the same television show a thousand times, there are very few movies that I would sit down to watch again.

I do enjoy watching movies, but for some reason, I rarely watch them twice. The Bridget Jones film series is an exception to this rule, however. Even though I originally watched them years ago at a very different time in my life, I find that when I watch them again they are just as entertaining.

The Bridget Jones film series follows Bridget Jones, played

by Renée Zellweger, in three different movies that span from 2001 to 2016. For me, the series was an instant favorite, and even though the first movie aired over two decades ago, they still are interesting and relevant today.

Bridget Jones is a relatable and slightly awkward character who tends to overthink things. The first movie, “Bridget Jones’s Diary,” shows Bridget in her 30s trying to figure out her life, especially her love life.

While most romantic comedies show cute meetings and funny stories, Bridget’s story does not go so smoothly. She is a character who is not afraid to speak her mind even if she does not understand the full situation, which often leads her into awkward interactions. Despite this, her knack for getting into these situations just makes her even more relatable, especially for people who also tend to put their foot in their mouth.

The story is also loosely based on Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” with one of Bridget’s love interest being aptly named Mr. Darcy, who seems to be close to the perfect man. Ironically, the actor who plays him, Colin Firth, also starred in a 1995 adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice” on BBC. While the story might be inspired by Austen’s classic novel, it has a 21st century spin that gives the storyline some unexpected twists that were definitely not in her original novel.

In the second movie, “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason,” which takes place soon after the first, Bridget seems to have

finally figured out her love life after her tumultuous journey in the first movie. However, her professional and love life continue to throw obstacles at her. The movie shows that happy endings aren’t always what they are made out to be and sometimes getting what you want does not guarantee the perfect situation.

In the final movie, “Bridget Jones’s Baby,” Bridget’s story continues more than a decade after the previous movie. Despite

such a long break, the movie still captures the original essence of the movie series. Bridget continues to find herself in somewhat ludicrous situations, but this time she also has to deal with it while being pregnant.

The story brings back most of the main and side characters, but quite a few years older. Unlike the other movies, the last one brings a sense of nostalgia, and it shows that everyone eventually has to grow up and move on

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Zellweger stars in the movie series with Grant and Firth.

from the past.

Although I thought I wouldn’t enjoy the third movie because of the large age gap between me and the characters, I was surprised to find that I actually enjoyed the time jump. It is not often that movies come back after so many years with the main cast, so it felt special to have a reunion happen. Also, since the original movies came out before I was born, it was interesting to see the differences in the quality and making of the movie.

I originally thought that the first two movies were sufficient in wrapping up Bridget Jones’s story, but “Bridget Jones’s Baby” manages to be an even more satisfying conclusion to a 15-year-long movie series run.

Overall, the whole movie series does an excellent job of taking tropes from more traditional love stories and creating the ultimate romantic comedies while still being refreshing and original. Any of the three movies are perfect to watch on a rainy day, and they never fail to make me laugh.

Page 16

Golf Stumbles in Regular Season Finale

By CHRIS HENNESSY STAFF WRITER

The Fordham golf team finished 12th out of 15 teams at the one-day, 36-hole Yale Spring Invitational on Saturday, April 17. The Rams have faltered all spring long, beating a total of seven teams across their three events in the second half of their season. It’s been a concerning spring as the Rams head into the Atlantic 10 Championship at the end of the month.

Fordham shot a 302 in round one and a 305 in round two, totaling a 47-over-par score for both rounds. Fordham was two shots shy of Niagara University for 11th place besting Brown University by 18 shots. Par for each round was 280, and the winners and hosts Yale shot a 280 in the second round for the lowest round of the day. The Bulldogs shot two spots up the leaderboard in the second round, passing Temple University by just two shots. The first round leader was the Crusaders from College of the Holy Cross, who shot a 287 in round one but a 304 in round two to finish in ninth place overall.

The player leaderboard was led by Tafadzwa Nyamukondiwa from Drexel University, who fired an even-par 70 in round one and the round of the tournament in round two with a three-under 67. He beat Marcus Lim from Sacred Heart University by just one shot. Siena College’s Nolan

Crowley shot 31 spots up the leaderboard in round two, matching Nyamukondiwa’s 67 to finish in a tie for fifth place at two-over par. Siena jumped two spots up the team leaderboard with much thanks to Crowley after the second 18 holes.

As for Fordham, junior John Kryscio led the Rams with a t-36 finish, shooting matching 75s to finish at 10-over. Kryscio was the leader of the Rams in spring 2021 and has struggled in both halves of this season. This was hardly a prime Kryscio performance, but it was a step in the right direction for the junior. Freshman Ryan Davis shot a team-best 74 in round one, but struggled in round two with a 77 to finish in a tie for 44th.

Junior Nicholas Manning shot matching 76s, junior PJ O’Rourke with matching 77s while freshman Garret Brown shot an 82 and then a 77. The disappointment was O’Rourke, who finished top-5 at Lafayette and won A-10 player of the week, but slipped all the way to 55th at Yale The Rams will look to improve on their ninth-place finish from last year at the A-10s but have not had the spring they intentend thus far. Next year marks the departures of seniors Kryscio, O’Rourke, junior Andreas Aivazoglou and Manning, Fordham needs to head into the 2022-23 campaign with confidence that they can place in the top five at the A-10 championship next year.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

The Rams look to rebound for a stronger performance at A-10s.

Athletes of the Week

Bailey Enoch

Sophomore Bailey Enoch received her first weekly accolade as a Ram last week, being named the Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Week. Kicking off the week, Enoch had a solid outing for the Rams, going six innings, giving up two runs and striking out two others. Enoch, in the Ram’s game against St. Joseph’s University, delivered eight strikeouts, giving up four hits and no runs in her big 8-0 victory.

Sophomore Softball

Will Findlay Junior Baseball

SPORTS

Fordham Rowing Finds Success Again in Philly

By ANDREW FALDUTO CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Fordham rowing team hit the Schuylkill River once again this season, as they competed in the 56th Annual Kerr Cup on April 16. Fordham entered five boats in the regatta, only competing against two fellow Atlantic 10 teams: St. Joseph’s University and La Salle University. However, the presence of larger schools such as Temple University and Loyola University Maryland provided huge challenges for the Rams to try and overcome during the event.

The team was ultimately able to find moderate success on the water. The second Varsity Eight, navigated by junior coxswain Stefania Rocca, led the event for the team for the second week in a row, opening with a second-place finish in their heat, then placing third in the event’s grand final. Rocca commented on the tough conditions of the race, “It was a tough race,

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

considering the wind and water conditions, but the girls were able to power through and that made the result even more rewarding.” The junior also commented on the stiff competition on the water, saying, “We were up against some very competitive programs, and even though we placed third, the girls gave it their all and that means so much more than a third-place ranking at the end of the day.”

The team had two other boats of eight competing on the water, with the Varsity Eight advancing to the grand final as well, coming in fourth in their final race of the day. The premier boat was able to finish ahead of conference rival La Salle. The third Varsity Eight finished third in their heat, notably beating out Temple.

The two remaining boats in Fordham’s lineup were the Varsity Four and the second Varsity Four.

The first Varsity boat was able to berth a grand final appearance by placing third in their heat.

Unfortunately, the boat was not able to medal in the final, taking home fourth. The second Varsity Four placed third in their heat as well, but failed to advance to a final race.

Following a somewhat disappointing week prior, this regatta served to get the Fordham rowing team back on the right track heading into the end of the season. While changes in lineups are expected to occur, the team is looking forward to the final stretch of the spring and the A-10 championships on May 14 and 15. Fordham has performed well against many of its fellow A-10 competitors thus far.

They didn’t compete this past weekend, serving as valuable rest time for the team as they enter the home stretch. The team hopes to build on the season’s success thus far and head into the A-10’s as mentally and physically well-prepared as possible to hopefully capture a win.

Men’s Tennis Picks Up a Dominant Win on Senior Day

By MILES GROSSMAN STAFF WRITER

The regular season has come to a close for Fordham Men’s Tennis, carrying quite a bit of momentum into the Atlantic 10 Tournament despite having an up and down year.

The squad wrapped up regular season play with a home court win against the College of the Holy Cross Crusaders. This match marked the Rams’ return to their true home court in the Bronx, after playing all of their 2022 home contests at the Life Time Athletic Center in Harrison, N.Y. All three graduating seniors, Juan Paredes, Tom Russwurm and Jofre Segarra picked up straight set victories in singles play, ending their home careers on a sweet note.

Russwurm got things rolling for the Rams with a 6-4, 6-3 victory in the #1 singles spot,

while his classmate Paredes followed up with a 6-2, 6-2 win in the No. 2 hole. Fordham’s Oregon University transfer, junior Gio Soemarno, continued the Rams’ hot start as he took the #3 match in straight sets. Junior Toi Kobayashi was forced into a playoff in the #4 spot by Holy Cross’ Alexander Ruenhorst, but held on to give the Rams a 4-0 lead in singles play. In the #5 spot, Segarra continued the solid play out of the senior class with a straight set victory. The only singles match lost by the Rams was the #No. 6 match, in which freshman Aaron Ventura fell in straight sets. On the doubles side, Fordham took two of three single set matches to secure the lone doubles point.

This was the second straight contest for the Rams against teams at the bottom of the Patriot

League standings. The Crusaders stand at 2-15 overall and 1-6 in Patriot League play. While the Rams surely expected to defeat the Crusaders, following through with a dominant performance represents a significant step forward for the men’s team.

Sitting at 6-9, the Rams carry a two match win streak into the climax of their season, the A-10 Tournament, which takes place at the United States Tennis Association National Campus in Orlando, Florida. This prestigious annual event presents an opportunity for the Rams to have a season defining run against their fellow tough A-10 competititors.

With the turmoil of a coaching transition now behind them, the team enters a more hopeful and season, free of any distractions caused by previous controversies atop the program.

Varsity Calendar HOME

Friday April 29

Saturday April 30

Men’s Track & Field

Penn Relays 5 p.m.

Penn Relays 1 p.m.

Women’s Track & Field

Penn Relays 5 p.m.

Penn Relays 1 p.m.

St. Joseph’s St. Joseph’s 3 p.m.

1 p.m.

St. Joseph’s 12 p.m.

AWAY

Baseball In a week of ups and downs for the Rams, junior Will Findlay performed exceptionally, helping them take the series against Dayton University and a big win against George Mason University.

In the series winner against Dayton, he went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Against the Patriots, Findlay was 3-for6 with three RBIs. He currently sits at a .271 batting average, fourth on the team and is tied for second for RBIs at 15.

April 27, 2022

Men’s Tennis

Wednesday Thursday April 27 April 28

Farleigh Dickinson 3 p.m.

Atlantic 10 Championship 9 a.m.

Sunday May 1

Women’s Tennis

Men’s Golf

St. Bonaventure St. Bonaventure 12/2:30 p.m.

12 p.m.

Women’s Rowing Men’s Soccer

Atlantic 10 Championship

Atlantic 10 Championship Metropolitan Championships TBA

Army West Point 7 p.m.

Tuesday May 3

NJIT 3 p.m.

Atlantic 10 Championship 9 a.m.

Softball

Monday May 2

Atlantic 10 Championship

SPORTS

April 27, 2022

Page 17

Student Athlete Column: Final Varsity Scores & Stats Legacy

By KELLY BRIGHT STAFF WRITER

When I reflect on my time as a student athlete at Fordham University I often wonder how I will be remembered. It’s easy to measure one’s accomplishments with stats and accolades, but recently I’ve learned true legacy is so much more than that.

I’m graduating alongside a fifth-year class containing two of the most successful softball players to ever come through Rose Hill. They’ve broken records, won awards and started every game their health allowed. One swings a bat like it’s a toothpick, the other jumps as if gravity ceases to exist. Their names will live on at Bahoshy Field as two of the best to ever lace them up. But I won’t remember Rachel Hubertus for her home-runs and I won’t remember Brianna Pinto for her stolen bases.

I will remember them as two of the best, most loyal and genuine friends and teammates a girl could ask for. I will remember Ray’s leadership. Bebe’s kindness. Their perseverance and their dedication to a cause bigger than themselves. We walked into Alumni Court South five years ago as strangers, and we will walk off of Keating Steps in less than a month as sisters. And to me, that is what defines legacy.

I believe everything happens

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Kelly Bright reflects on the past and her legacy here at Fordham. for a reason. I believe redshirwide-eyed outfielder from Ohio ting, riding the bench, bouncing showed me what being a leader in and out of the lineup and staris all about. I quickly saw a lot of ting consecutive games all contmyself in her and saw an opporributed to who I am today and tunity for my own name to live on what I will be remembered for. through the way in which she apLast year, I was named a co-captain proaches each day long after I’m for our team. The season prior, gone. These past two semesters, I only appeared in 18 games. I we worked together, pushed each never check stats, but if I had to other and both grew immensely. guess right now, I have one of the I am so proud of the hard worker, lowest batting averages on the motivator and hustler she’s becoroster. But, if I’ve learned anyme and I can’t wait to see what thing in five years, it’s that none she accomplishes in the future. of that actually matters. I know You see, my legacy is a strong that what I leave behind is bigger work ethic. It’s doing the little than a number on a scoresheet. things. It’s knowing your role and This really became clear to doing it to the best of your ability me through one of our freshto help a cause bigger than yourmen, Mallory McClellan. Our self. It’s passion for what you do strength coach paired me with both on and off the field. It’s wanher in the weightroom and, at ting the best for your teammates first, I can’t lie, I was a little anand your team above and beyond noyed. I thought she’d slow me any personal goals you might down and hold me back. In hindhave. It’s finding an identity sight, I couldn’t have been more beyond a name on a roster. That wrong. This skinny blonde-haired is the legacy I hope to leave here.

Women’s Tennis Earns First Round Bye in A-10’s

By LOU ORLANDO

4 10

Fordham St. Joseph’s

0 5

Fordham Dayton

6 2

Fordham St. Joseph’s

0 1

Fordham Dayton

8 2

Fordham Fairfield

5 6

Fordham George Mason

11 10

Fordham George Mason

7 8

Fordham George Mason

1 15

Fordham Iona

9 5

[6 Innings] Fordham St. Joseph’s

8 0

Fordham Army

7 2

Fordham Army

0 3

Fordham George Mason

2 0

Fordham Geroge Mason

4 2

Fordham George Mason

5 4

Men’s Track & Field Mark Young Invitational

6th/7 teams (37 pts.)

Men’s Tennis Fordham Holy Cross

6 1

Women’s Track & Field Mark Young Invitational 5th/8 teams (67 pts.)

Women’s Tennis Fordham Rhode Island

5 2

Fordham New Jersey City

7 0

Rowing Kerr Cup NTS

Men’s Golf Yale Spring Invitational 12th/15 teams

STAFF WRITER

The announcement that former Fordham Men’s Tennis head coach Mike Sowter would be taking over the women’s team garnered hope and anticipation for a successful season. Clearly, such feelings were warranted. In Sowter’s inaugural year with the team, Fordham Women’s Tennis clinched the #2 seed in the Atlantic 10 and a first round bye in the A-10 tournament.

Fordham closed out the regular season with two strong weekend wins. On April 16, the Rams traveled to Rhode Island for their final A-10 matchup of the regular season. Coming off a win the previous weekend against Davidson College, Fordham notched their second straight win against an A-10 opponent, defeating the University of Rhode Island 5-2. Fordham won the first two doubles matches, with the final match going unfinished, to secure the doubles point.

The winners of the day included junior Rachelle Yang, senior Valeriya Deminova, graduate student Carlota Casasampere-Escoda, and sophomore Eleni Fasoula who all won their singles matches in a decisive road victory for Fordham.

The match marked the last of a six match road trip, one Fordham emerged from 4-2.

Fordham concluded their regular season the following Saturday on a high note, shutting out New Jersey City University 7-0. Senior Genevieve Quenville and freshman Lorraine Bergmann were paired in doubles play for the first time this season, winning their match and helping to secure the doubles point. Quenville and Bergmann also notched victories

3 2

Baseball Fordham Dayton

Softball Fordham Hofstra

–Compiled by Maddie Bimonte

Men’s Soccer Fordham Iona

2 0

News & Notes COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

As the A-10s approach, Fordham Women’s Tennis lock down a bye. in singles play alongside Fasoula, Casasampere-Escoda, Yang and senior Nicole Li. The regular season was a resounding success. At 12-4, it’s the team’s best regular season since 2016-17, when Fordham went 183. It’s worth noting that the team lost in the semifinals that year, one match away from the A-10 championship. After a modest 3-2 start, Fordham turned on the heat, going 9-2 during the final two months of the 2021-22 season.

The Rams head into the playoffs with momentum, riding a four match win streak that proved instrumental in securing a first round bye. Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) remained atop the A-10 standings for much of the regular season, but lost two of their final three matches to finish 15-6.

The University of Massachusetts (UMass) surged into first place behind six straight wins, one of which came against Fordham, finishing

the year with an A-10 best .790 winning percentage.

The Women’s Tennis A-10 Championship begins Wednesday, April 27, with the first round matchups. The Rams only played three conference matches this season, defeating #6 Davidson and #11 Rhode Island while falling to #1 UMass.

Fordham will play their first tournament match on Thursday, April 28 at 5:30 p.m. They will play the winner of #7 Duquesne (11-9) and #10 Richmond (7-10). If they advance to the quarterfinals, they would play the winner of #3 VCU and the #6/#11 first round matchup. In total, Fordham would need to win four matches to win the A-10 championship, something that has never been accomplished in the program’s history. With a first round bye and long stretches of dominance throughout the regular season, the Rams have put themselves in an excellent position to make a run in the championships this year.

All-American DeWolfe Recieves First-Team Accolade for Second Straight Year On Friday, junior Anna DeWolfe received her second straight nomination to the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association (MBWA) First Team. During the 2021-22 season, DeWolfe led the Atlantic 10 division in minutes played (38.33) and finished second overall in scoring. DeWolfe joins three other former Rams to have multiple nominations, all receiving the honor under head coach Stephanie Gaitley. She is also the first Ram to receive numerous CoSIDA Academic All-District awards.

Fordham’s Six Football Seniors Named to NFF Hampshire Honor Society The National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society named six Rams seniors to their ranks last week. The following six seniors received accolades: Deondre Carter, Zach Davis, Antonio Cortez Feria, Nick Leinenweber, Jaden Vazquez and Nick Zakelj.

The honor society recognizes college football players who maintained a cumulative 3.2 GPA or better throughout their college careers.

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Page 18

April 27, 2022

Baseball Wins Big Series Against Dayton, Falters Elsewhere

By MADDIE BIMONTE ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

The Fordham men’s baseball team captured their first series win of the season against a tough Atlantic 10 opponent in Dayton University last week. Their winning high came crashing down quickly, as they went on to drop a one game series against Fairfield University and their three game series against George Mason University. The Rams rebounded once again in their one game series on Tuesday against Iona College.

In the opening game against the Flyers, Fordham failed to address their pitching woes, a major aspect of their struggles over the season. Dayton had a huge third inning, capitalizing early as Fordham struggled to rebound. The highlight of the game for the Rams came from junior first baseman Will Findlay, who kicked off the bottom of the fifth with a three-run home run to left field.

With another run brought in by graduate student center fielder David Kale, the Rams managed just four runs, up against a dominant Flyers pitching performance. Dayton pitcher Ryan Steinhauer locked out the Rams with 10 strikeouts over nine innings, leading them to a 10-4 win.

The Rams turned their performance around in game two, courtesy of a strong pitching performance from sophomore Cameron Knox. Surrendering just five hits and two runs, Knox recorded one of the better outings for Fordham pitchers this year.

Offense delivered with Kale on a two-day hit streak, slamming a two-run home run and sophomore third baseman Michael Taylor having a huge day with a three-run home run in the fifth inning. Taylor came through again in the eighth with an RBI

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David Kale and Fordham Baseball have had an up-and-down last two weeks, including a series win against Dayton. single to bring the Rams a 6-2 win.

Fordham wrapped up the series with a solid pitching outing for sophomore Brooks Ey, as he rebounded after a poor performance against the University of Massachusetts Amherst on April 10 where he gave up four runs in one inning.

The Rams jumped at the chance to get on the board first with a groundout from senior designated hitter Richard Grund bringing in the first run of the game. Ey gave up a solo home run in the following inning.

However, the Rams offense lit up starting pitcher Eli Majick in the second. Senior center fielder Jason Coules began the scoring with a solo home run, followed by three separate RBI singles from sophomore right fielder Ryan Thiesse, freshman pinch hitter Cian Sahler and Kale.

Fordham added two more runs in the seventh, from Sahler and Findlay and one in the eighth with a solo home run from sophomore shortstop Chris Genaro.

The Rams hard work finally paid off as they clinched their first series win of the season, 8-2.

Things went downhill for the Rams soon after as their next opponent, the Fairfield Stags, came back in the sixth inning to

win the game. The Rams struck first with senior catcher Andy Semo delivering an RBI single up the middle and Thiesse, who brought in two runs with a single.

While Rams pitching started out solid, sophomore Trey Maeker was replaced in the third by freshman Connor Haywood, who gave up the lead the Rams established in the first two innings. Matt Zaffino brought the Stags back into it after a threerun home run.

Findlay gave the Rams a slight lead of a single run in the fifth, but it was the Stags who dominated the rest of the game.

Sahler entered the game for the sixth inning, giving up three runs and the win for the Rams.

While there was a potential of a comeback with a ninth inning run from freshman pinch hitter Sebastian Mexico, the Rams fell back into another loss with a score of 6-5.

Turning their attention to the series against George Mason, the Rams hoped to continue their A-10 series win streak going. In a run heavy game, both teams poured it on early.

The Rams hitting began with an RBI single from Mexico and Findlay who brought in a run courtesy of a fielder’s choice.

Fordham was once again put to the test in the sixth, after a Patriots offense put up four runs against freshman Anthony Scarlata and graduate student Joseph Quintal. By the fifth, the Rams had gone quiet at the plate and the Patriots were up 6-2.

A huge seventh inning is what brought the Rams their win, as Findlay continues to bat consistently with a single bringing home two runners. The other Fordham batters scored on a walk after junior pinch hitter Zach Selinger was hit by a pitch, a Genaro two run double and a Kale fly-out. The Patriots were not able to take the win from the Rams, giving Fordham the first game of the series, 11-10.

Game two was another close one, this time however, it did not swing in the Rams favor. Knox took the mound, with less favorable results this time, as he gave up six runs across five innings.

Sahler and Kale started the Rams scoring off in the third as Findlay delivered another solo home run in the fourth. Singular runs in the fifth and sixth only managed to chip away at the Patriots lead before they once again added to it.

After the Rams tied it in the eighth, a glimmer of hope sparked for Fordham, until a bottom of the ninth run from the

Patriots caused them to take the game 8-7.

Game three was the worst outing for the Rams in their most recent games as Ey had a weak pitching day across five innings.

An RBI single and a grand slam in the fourth followed by a three run home run in the fifth gave the Patriots a 10-0 lead and they were not done scoring.

The Rams lone run for the game came off a solo home run from Kale, while the Patriots went on to put up five more runs, winning 15-1. It was an abysmal end to another series for the Rams, with pitching once again falling short.

In their matchup against Iona, the Rams fared much better than in their previous games. After Iona took an early 2-1 lead in the second inning, the Rams bounced back in the third.

Fordham loaded the bases for freshman first baseman T.J. Watcher started off the scoring in the third with an RBI single.

A double play scored senior third baseman Jack Harnisch and Thiesse continued the scoring with an RBI single. The last two runs of the inning came off the bat of Sahler making the score 6-2.

More runs poured in for the Rams as they extended their lead to nine by the seventh inning.

Fordham pitching stayed consistent during the game with a rotation between Haywood, Sahler and junior James Springer, as the group gave up five runs collectively to lock down a win for the Rams, 9-5.

Currently sitting at 10-27 overall and 4-8 in the A-10, The Rams are back in action on Wednesday away at Fairleigh Dickinson University before returning home for another difficult A-10 matchup against Saint Joseph’s University on Friday for a three-game series.

Rangers Look to Continue Strong Season into the Playoffs

By ALLIE COPPOLA STAFF WRITER

With a 51-23-6 record as of April 27, the New York Rangers are sitting in second place in the Metropolitan Division with a playoff spot locked in. Lifted by exceptional goaltending performances from Igor Shesterkin and Alexandar Georgiev, the Blueshirts are ending the season on a high note and continue to heat up just in time for the postseason.

After missing the playoffs last season, the team is primed to make a deep run for the Stanley Cup after crucial trade deadline additions that sparked the team over the last month. Forward Andrew Copp has proven himself as one of the top additions at the deadline with his hat trick on Thursday, and forward Frank Vatrano continues to make his presence known on the top line alongside forwards Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad.

General manager Chris Drury’s decision not to trade goalie Georgiev has worked out in his favor, as he’s won each his last

seven starts, shutting out teams in two of those seven games.

Though the Rangers were a playoff-caliber team before the deadline, Drury’s decisions in March lifted them to a championship-caliber status.

Among the Rangers standouts, forward Artemi Panarin leads the team in points, with 96 in only 74 games. Kreider has tallied 52 goals on the season, and defenseman Adam Fox contributed another career year at the blue line. Forward Alexis Lafrenière struggled early but broke out in the second half of the season, and will test his limits in his first career playoff games. Shesterkin had one of the best goaltending seasons in the history of the NHL, and is on track to win the Vezina Trophy, as well as possibly the Hart Trophy. Exceptional play from the Rangers’ stars ultimately led them to this playoff opportunity, and the strong second half of the season will hopefully lead to an inspiring run for the Stanley Cup. After a tough loss to the Boston Bruins on Sunday, the Rangers remained in second

place among Metropolitan division teams, with the Carolina Hurricanes breaking away from the Rangers in the standings after wins against the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders on Saturday and Sunday. The Blueshirts remain in contention for the number one spot, but they seem to be shaping up as the solid number two seed. At this spot, they would play the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the playoffs, a team that they have beaten three times out of four this season.

The rivalry between the two Metropolitan division teams continues to heat up, and came to a head in the last game they played as Shesterkin shut them out and theatrically waved them off the ice. If the standings shake out as expected, these two teams will play against each other in a mustwatch series. The Rangers have clinched the home ice advantage, which will give them a chance to start the series hot against the playoff-experienced Penguins.

The Eastern Conference is

packed with talent this season, with teams like the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning, the latter being the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions. They look to defend the title and go for their third in three years, but the Florida Panthers seem to be the better overall team this season. They are the favorites in the East, but the Rangers have played relatively well against them this campaign,

winning two of the three matchups. Against the Lightning, the Rangers have swept the season series three games to none.

If the Rangers make a deep playoff run, there would be exciting matchups to witness.

With a healthy mix of young players, veterans and superstars, the Blueshirts are one of the most exciting teams to watch as they heat up just in time for a potential run to the Stanley Cup Final.

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Chris Kreider and the Rangers are flying as they head towards the playoffs.

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April 27, 2022

Page 19

U.S. Soccer’s Historic Open Cup Returns After Two Years

By JAMES BIRLE STAFF WRITER

Second to only Major League Baseball in its continued longevity as a professional sporting competition in the United States, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is America’s premier soccer knockout tournament. Starting in 1913-14, the competition predates the NHL, NFL and NBA. Prior to the pandemic, the Open Cup was the second longest running domestic soccer competition in the world behind only the Irish Cup. After cancellations of both the 2020 and 2021 editions due to COVID-19, the Open Cup is finally back. The 107th edition for 2022 includes 103 qualified professional, semi-professional and amateur teams from 35 states and Washington D.C. In order to qualify for the Open Cup, amateur and semi-professional sides have to win their local leagues and cups to earn one of the 32 slots designated to teams from non-professional clubs.

In the U.S. soccer leagues pyramid, third division and above is considered professional. For the 2022 edition, 46 slots are allocated to third and second division teams, with affiliates to first division Major League Soccer clubs (such as New York Red Bulls II) being ineligible.

All 25 American MLS teams are guaranteed entry into at least the third round, with the four highest regular season finishers in both the Eastern and Western conferences from the 2021 season advancing directly to the round of 32 (fourth round).

Historically, the tournament was a way for amateur players to showcase their talents on the national stage, with now de-

By THOMAS AIELLO STAFF WRITER

On April 20, Kyle Neptune stepped down as head coach of Fordham University’s Men’s Basketball Team to take the Villanova University head coach position following Jay Wright’s retirement.

It seems that Fordham just can’t catch a break with anything since moving to the Atlantic 10. Only three times since making this move did Fordham have in-conference records of .500 or better. And now, what once seemed like something that would happen in three or four years, has happened after only one season: Neptune takes the leap after proving himself to be a good coach.

It all happened so fast, with Wright suddenly announcing his retirement and Neptune being reported to succeed him just a few minutes later.

From a Villanova perspective, this is a best case scenario to keep their culture going and gain someone who can navigate the new age of college basketball.

But now what?

This is the unfortunate reality of mid-major schools that are the doormats of their conferences.

They are seen as stepping stones, especially when they turn programs like Fordham around with such success in one season.

But what you must understand

funct clubs such as Maccabee Los Angeles and Bethlehem Steel holding five championships each.

Nowadays, since the formation of MLS in 1996, clubs from the country’s premier soccer league have dominated the competition, winning all but one of the editions, with the exception of the second division Rochester Raging Rhinos, now Rochester New York FC (RNYFC), who won it in 1999.

The incentives are also larger now as the winner of the Open Cup earns one of four American qualification slots into the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Champions League, the greatest club competition in North America.

In order to accommodate some of the smaller teams in the competition, matches are scheduled regionally to minimize travel costs.

This is often met with scrutiny from fans as it limits potential opponents to those that are nearby, often resulting in lower division sides being drawn with each other without the chance to play against an MLS side.

However, the regional format allows for more local rivals to be drawn against one another, with this year’s third round draw resulting in an all Miami matchup between David Beckham’s Inter Miami of MLS getting the better of crosstown foe Miami FC of the second division United Soccer League Championship’s (USLC) 1-0 in the two clubs’ first ever meeting.

We were also treated to Landon Donovan’s return to Dignity Health Sports Park, home of his former club, the Los Angeles Galaxy, this time as owner and manager of

USLC club San Diego Loyal, who played a strong but fell to LA 1-0.

This past week, the third round of the tournament elapsed as 48 teams were in action across four divisions in every corner of the country. With that came some eyecatching results.

Some local teams, big and small, were on display as the New York Red Bulls took care of USLC club Hartford Athletic 2-1. FC Motown, a semi-professional fourth division side from Morristown, New Jersey, battled all the way to penalties with RNYFC before falling to the MLS Next Pro (MLSNP) side.

There were some lopsided results headlined by 2019’s reigning champions Atlanta United destroying Chattanooga FC of the third division National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) by a score of 6-0.

There were also eye-catching upsets to note, with five third division sides (four from USL League One and one from the NISA) reaching the round of 32 for the first time ever.

Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC beat Real Salt Lake 1-0 in Utah and Union Omaha heroically defeated the Chicago Fire at Soldier Field on penalties, thanks in large part to former Fordham goalkeeper Rashid Nuhu.

Six second division sides (five from USLC and one from MLSNP) reached the round of 32, two of which came at the expense of MLS teams, with Detroit City FC defeating Columbus Crew SC in front of a sold out crowd in Michigan and San Antonio FC beating Austin FC in an all-Texas tilt. Relatively unknown Detroit midfielder Maxi Rodriguez can now be hailed as a

Detroit sports hero, having scored two goals in what will go down as the biggest victory in club history.

This sort of excitement around soccer in the United States is only found in the Open Cup. With the fourth round matchups already drawn, there is still so much more to be excited about as the Red Bulls are slated to take on their oldest rival DC United and RNYFC face their toughest test yet in NYCFC. Multiple USLC sides are set to take each other on, guaranteeing at least two second division teams’ entry to the final sixteen.

With the Hailstorm facing Union Omaha, at least one third division team will also reach the round of sixteen. The round of 32 is set to commence on May 10 and 11.

In a country where funding for lower division soccer is scarce, the Open Cup presents a great opportunity for fans from every part of the country to watch their local teams play at the highest possible level.

Even though late round upsets don’t happen often, the prospect of semi-professional teams or small professional sides playing in front of a national audience against serious competition is too good to pass up.

Stories like FC Cincinnati’s run to the semifinal in 2017 (then a USL team) and USLC’s Charleston Battery reaching the final in 2008 make the rare Cinderella story that much sweeter, especially since it comes in one of the most historic sporting competitions in America.

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The Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is in full swing with some big upsets.

Overtime: Without Kyle Neptune, Now What? is that Fordham is, and has been, the doormat for the A-10 since its inception in 1995. That changed this past season, but now the team is dancing in a very gray area. And considering the new landscape of college hoops, no one knows what will be happening in the future.

But this case makes for a great exercise: examining the “how” to Wright’s formula, and then playing the hypothetical for both Fordham and Villanova.

We can put both schools into the same category because both Neptune and Wright’s formula has a very key ingredient: culture.

That word is the single most important thing to their recipe and both schools displayed that culture.

They valued culture in the players they went after, more so Wright due to his larger sample size (although Neptune was Wright’s top assistant and did carry the same principles to Fordham).

Wright went after players he knew would stay for four years and be okay with seldom usage as freshmen, and gradually increase workloads as they got older.

Wright was probably the only coach in America who actually went after players who would stay for all four years and grow into NBA-level talent. Mikal Bridges was also the 96th ranked player in his recruiting class. Jalen Brunson was the 19th ranked player in his class, and had

way more of a chance to go to the NBA after year one, but elected to stay for three years at Villanova and garnered two national titles.

The culture is what kept guys invested in Villanova; it was (and will continue to be) dedicated to winning, attitude and commitment to excellence both on and off the floor.

The atmosphere was fantastic, and Wright built it by doing everything the “Wright Way.” He has zero stains on his legacy and is highly respected by everyone on planet basketball.

Neptune was on that same path at Fordham; building culture dedicated to those same elements and going after players he knew would grow. He even assembled a young staff that could keep those concepts rolling along to avoid a difference in philosophies.

The one difference between the two coaches is that Neptune went into the transfer portal and pulled over 10 players to build up the Rams' foundation. Neptune also inherited some remaining talent

from the previous regime, but was able to get them to buy into what he wanted to achieve.

Neptune’s schemes also mirrored Villanova’s: ball movement, pick and rolls to open the floor for threes and post ups underneath for easy scores. Neptune lost players along the way, but still kept the ship afloat.

Now he is on his way to succeed Wright in southeast Pennsylvania, and while the mechanics of his schemes stay similar to Wright’s, the construction of the team is going to be so much different.

He will repeat what he did at Fordham with the portal, only he has the chance to garner players that are four or even five star players. He clearly showed his understanding of today’s college hoops landscape, and will keep Wright’s staff (and recruits) in place.

As for the Rams, it is a bit of a different story. Associate head coach Keith Urgo is now the expected head coach, a decision that left director of athletics Ed Kull in a criti-

cal turning point for the future of Fordham Men’s Basketball. Keeping Urgo would keep everything (and everyone) intact and the revival would continue to trend upward.

If Kull decides to move on, everyone, including the high profile recruits of Will Richardson, Angel Montas and Romad Dean, will leave Fordham. The entire roster of players that was assembled just last spring would have more than likely entered their names into the transfer portal.

Everything looked good for the Rams for the first time in 15 years, and now the once-hottest commodity in college basketball has gone to a blue blood program. What Urgo will do as head coach if hired remains to be seen, but Fordham will likely make the decision that has the least amount of consequences for the program.

Regardless, this is a very interesting landscape for the NCAA. One thing is for certain, college basketball is the land where the unexpected happens on a daily basis.

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Page 20

April 27, 2022

Rams Win Five of Last Six, Take out Frustrations in Virginia

By THOMAS AIELLO ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

An interesting two weeks have concluded for Fordham Softball; they were tested by Saint Joseph’s University (SJU) at home, followed by a five game road trip against United States Military Academy (Army) and the George Mason University Patriots (GMU).

Following their escape against Hofstra University, the Rams returned to Bahoshy Field where they battled SJU. The Hawks flew over Fordham in game one 5-0, a game in which SJU picked apart junior Devon Miller with small ball play and fantastic pitching. Sophomore Emily Siler went seven strong innings for SJU, allowing no runs and striking out five in a four hit shutout.

Game two on Saturday, saw senior Makenzie McGrath, who pitched another complete game against SJU’s Amanda Herr. The seniors both pitched fantastic games, combining for 13 strikeouts.

But it was McGrath who was bested by the Hawks, as she allowed the lone run to decide game two, resulting in a 1-0 win for SJU. Game three was a much different story, with the Rams blowing out the Hawks 8-0 in the final game via mercy rule in the sixth. Graduate student Rachel Hubertus launched a two run rocket to end the series against St. Joseph’s, with Fordham regaining some momentum.

The Rams then traveled up to West Point to face Army in a double header this past Wednesday, in which they split. Fordham came well-armed for game one, with Miller once again taking the hill.

The Black Knights sent out senior Emily Iannotti to the circle for the first game.

Miller went only four innings, but did so by giving up only two earned runs on five hits total with five walks. Freshman pitcher Emilee Watkins came in and pitched three innings of relief, totaling one walk, one strikeout and two hits with no earned runs and earned the save while Miller won her seventh game of the year.

It was the Fordham offense who won game one, with Hubertus the

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McGrath earned her second Atlantic 10 pitcher of the week honor with a masterful stretch as of late. one responsible for four of the seven runs produced by the Rams. Two RBI doubles in the fifth and seventh innings turned into four total runs.

Crossing home plate on the doubles was junior Michaela Carter, graduate student Brianna Pinto twice and senior Sarah Taffet who also scored twice. Carter scored again in the seventh when senior Julia Martine flew out in foul territory.

Freshman Mallory McClellan swiped home on a wild pitch, ending game one by a score of 7-2 with a Fordham offensive rout.

Game two was a bit of a different story, with McGrath taking the circle against senior Jolie Duong.

Duong pushed the Rams back, and did so with a complete game shutout by allowing only five total hits from Fordham.

The Black Knights produced three runs: Duong helped her own cause with a two RBI single in the third, then freshman Julia Farris knocked in a third run to seal the fate of the game later in that same inning off McGrath.

Fordham then bussed to Virginia for a weekend series against George Mason, who sat at 6-9 in Atlantic 10 play coming into this series.

Game one saw Fordham emerge victorious 2-0 with Taffett whacking a solo home run, her third of the season, in the third. Then in the fourth, freshman standout Allie Clark knocked in Martine to make it 2-0.

Miller picked up win number eight on the year, pitching another complete game shutout, and allowing only four total hits.

Game two of the Saturday double header saw Fordham double their run output, and another complete game by McGrath, who allowed two runs and struck out seven.

The third inning was where Fordham’s offense exploded, scoring four total runs. Graduate student Kelly Bright got the run parade started when she scored on a passed ball and Taffet scored from a Hubertus groundout.

GMU’s nightmare in the field continued, as sophomore Bailey Enoch reached base via a fielding

error which allowed the speed demon Pinto to score the third run of the inning. Things were capped off by an RBI single from freshman Sydney Wells, ballooning things to 4-0.

A GMU double from junior Haley Taormina and an RBI single by senior EJ Bankson in the fourth made it 4-2, but that was not enough as Fordham guaranteed a series win and looked to sweep in game three.

The Rams didn’t make it easy on themselves, as in game three, the Patriots pushed the Rams around in a game that went nine innings.

The Patriots’ defense continued to befuddle itself, as in the first inning Carter reached on a throwing error that allowed Pinto to walk across home plate — the second time in this series Pinto had scored on an error and the third time Fordham capitalized on errors this series.

George Mason responded as Taormina laced an RBI double in the bottom half of the first and redshirt sophomore Nicole Bechtel drove her in on an RBI single down

the right field line to put GMU in front 2-1.

Hubertus took matters into her own hands, as she swung her mighty bat to launch a two run home run to make it 3-2 Fordham in the third. The home run was her 15th on the year, putting her in a tie for seventh in a single season in school history. It was also her 37th career home run, inching her closer to fourth all time on the Fordham Softball home run list.

In the fifth, Devon Miller came to bat with the bases loaded and drew a four pitch walk that forced in a run and helped her own cause. Miller lasted only two innings as the starter, where she allowed two earned runs and only struckout one batter.

But George Mason had the answer as Taormina attacked again and pulled one run back with a solo shot to make it 4-3 in the sixth.

GMU further pushed Fordham to the brink when they tied things in the seventh via an RBI single by senior Talyor Dadig.

After no ground was given in the eighth, Enoch saved the day again for the Rams with a go-ahead single in the ninth that scored Michaela Carter and pushed Fordham back in front 5-4. Enoch was also in the circle for the Rams for four and two thirds innings, as she allowed two earned runs, sat down two batters, walked two and allowed four hits.

It was McGrath once again who came in for the final 2.1 innings for the Rams and she was stellar, allowing only one hit and walking two while collecting her eighth win on the year. And to top the madness off, freshman Mary Grace O’Neill came into the field to replace Pinto and made a game-saving throw home with two outs to throw a potential game-winning run out.

No quarter was given for the Rams, as they swept the Patriots aside and have won five of their last six games.

Fordham looks to keep the momentum going as they head upstate to take on St. Bonaventure for a three game set this coming weekend in Olean, New York. Their weekday game against Saint John's has been canceled with no makeup date against the Red storm.

Track & Field Competes in Larry Ellis and Mark Young Invitationals

By NICK GUZMAN SPORTS EDITOR

Fordham Track & Field continued their busy spring schedule over the last two weeks, first competing in the Larry Ellis Invitational in Princeton, New Jersey, from April 15-16, followed by the Mark Young Invitational at Yale University on April 23. The meet featured no team scoring, but still included notable individual performances from the Rams.

On the women’s side, day one in Princeton saw a first place finish from graduate student Germaine Harbaugh in the 10,000m run, finishing with a season-best time of 36:27.66. The Rams’ next highest finish came from graduate student Kathryn Kelly, who finished in fifth place in the long jump with a distance of 5.63m.

Although they weren’t necessarily rewarded with high-placing

finishes on the day, many Rams achieved either school records or season-best marks in their events.

Graduate student Tiffany Hanna broke her own school record in the hammer throw with a distance of 47.34m, while senior Helen Connolly posted a season-best time in the 800m at 2:14.42.

Day two featured a second place finish in the 1500m from senior Bridget Alex at 4:37.90, a seasonbest time for her. The 4x100 relay team also came home with a season-best performance, with senior Dominique Valentine, freshman Sarah Galvin, Kelly and junior Kyla Hill finishing 11th at 47.62.

On the men’s side, Fordham’s highest day one finish came from senior Zalen Nelson, who placed 14th in the 800m with a time of 1:52.02. Senior Brandon Hall also had a notable day, producing a season-best time of 14:29.09 in the

5000m. The next day, redshirt senior Christopher Strzelinski was a bright spot for the Rams, placing seventh in the 800m at 1:54.17.

The following week, the Rams headed to Connecticut, for the Mark Young Invitational hosted

by Yale University.

This single-day competition did include team scoring, with the Fordham women placing fifth out of eight teams and the Fordham men placing sixth out of seven teams.

Kelly, Hanna and Hill led the way for the Rams on the women’s end of the invitational. Building off her success last weekend, Kelly finished second in the long jump with a season-best distance of 5.97m to go along with another second place finish in the 200m and third place tally in the 100m.

Hanna impressed in the field events, taking home second in the

discus throw at 40.81m and fourth in the hammer throw with a seasonbest distance of 51.23m, while Hill saw more success on the track with a third and fourth place finish in the 200m and 100m, respectively.

Nelson contributed to the scoring for the men, coming in second place in the 800m at 1:51.26. Freshman Nathan Bezuneh also tallied a second place finish in the 3000m

steeplechase with a time of 9:56.72, with sophomore Justin Lomardi placing fourth.

Brown University swept the invitational, winning both the women’s and men’s competitions.

The Rams will be back in action next weekend at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia in what will be their final preparation before the Atlantic 10 tournament begins on May 7.

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Fordham Track & Field looks to rebound at the A-10 Tournament.