Volume 106 Issue 22

New Items Arrive at Fordham Walsh Library Museum

By JACK MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

The collection at the Fordham University Museum of Greek, Etruscan and Roman Art grew last week upon the arrival of items on long-term loan from the Brooklyn Museum and the Hispanic Society of America. Several of these antique collections come from Roman Spain and are now housed in the Walsh Family Library. The museum attracts students, faculty and staff on a weekly basis, several of whom are student curators assisting in the museum. The Fordham museum is one of the most extensive collections in the Bronx.

The mind behind the museum is Jennifer Udell, Ph.D., the Walsh Library curator of university art and professor in the art history department. Udell joined the Fordham faculty in 2007 following her employment with the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

While the objects provided are not permanent to the Walsh Library, they will be housed in the museum for several months

The Fordham Ram

Serving The Fordham University Community Since 1918

Fordham Hosts Ann M. Sperber Book Prize Awards Ceremony

By CAITLIN THOMAS STAFF WRITER

The 2024 Ann M. Sperber Book Prize Awards Ceremony was held at Fordham University’s Lincoln Center campus on Monday, Nov. 11. The Sperber Prize is given annually to a journalist with outstanding work. “The prize was established to promote and encourage other outstanding biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs related to the field of media and journalism,” reads the Fordham communications and media department website’s description.

Fordham has been hosting this ceremony for the past 11 years, and this year, journalist Jane Ferguson won the award for her memoir, “No Ordinary Assignment.” The memoir follows her early years as a journalist, especially focusing on her reporting during conflict in Afghanistan and the Middle East. Her work shows a mastery of navigating violence and political complexity. During the ceremony, she spoke about building her career and developing her voice in

year the

Marriage Pact Returns to Fordham For Another Year of Matchmaking

By SIENNA REINDERS STAFF WRITER

Marriage Pact recently came to Fordham University for another year of matchmaking. The organization originated at Stanford University and has offered its services to the Fordham community, aimed at helping students find their soulmates.

The program works by providing a survey backed by research on romantic compatibility for students to fill out. Questions range

By JACK MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

Construction outside the east side of Keating Hall began last week. The construction has caused a diversion for students, faculty and staff traveling to this portion of the building, or to Spellman and O’Hare Halls. Initially, the construction closed off

the entire staircase towards John Mulcahy Hall, however, throughout the week, some walkways began to open up. The pathway to the main entrance of Keating Hall remained closed for the construction project.

“The project is a roof replacement project,” said Marcella Sino, assistant vice president for design

and construction. Sino noted this project will take some time to finish in proper order. “Because of the size of the Keating building, we will be performing this in phases,” she said. Keating is currently undergoing Phase 1 of this multi-phase project.

The first phase of the roof replacement will cost the department of SEE KEATING, PAGE 5

from: “Would you date someone with a different political affiliation than you?” to “What is your communication style?”

Marriage Pact’s algorithm then matches students based on their responses to the questionnaire. After students are matched, they receive an email with their match’s name, after which students may meet up with their match if they desire.

“I think it’s super fun,” said

Val Arnold, FCRH ’26, one of the Marriage Pact organizers at Fordham. “It’s a cool way to bring the community together. It’s so unserious and silly.” The Marriage Pact website outlines the organization’s goal to provide college students with a backup plan if they don’t meet the love of their life before a certain age. Their website states, “Do you really want to look up from

Student Life Council Discusses First Year Student Experience

By EMMA LEONARDI STAFF WRITER

The Student Life Council (SLC) met for the third time this year on Nov. 13 to discuss improvements that could be made to the student experience at Fordham University, specifically the First Year Experience.

To begin the meeting, Dean of Students Christopher Rogers brought in a team from Proto, who joined remotely via Zoom. Proto is a company that assists in program redesign and thus was consulted for redesigning the First Year Experience at Fordham.

Proto joined the meeting in order to hear straight from the SLC what specifically Fordham University should highlight in the redesigned First Year Experience.

Philip Rackin, Proto chief strategy officer, suggested three specific goals to focus on within the redesign. To gather information from SLC, Rackin asked the council for their input on a few questions. The first question was, “What was your biggest challenge in your first year at Fordham?” Dana Kien, FCRH ’25, staff development and training coordinator for Commuter Student

COURTESY OF JACK MCDONALD FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

Scaffolding went up early last week on Keating Hall to work on the roof.

Every

Marriage Pact matches students with peers who are their statistically accurate match.

COURTESY OF GRACE CAMPBELL/THE FORDHAM RAM

PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS

Hughes House Nov. 6

1:08 a.m.

On Wednesday, there was a water leak in Hughes House. The supervisor responded. The investigation revealed a broken water line feeding water into the hot water heater. The supervisor closed the valve stopping the leak and notified the building owner who called a plumber to respond.

McShane Campus Center Nov. 13

8:32 a.m.

On Wednesday, there was a smoke alarm in the McShane Center. A supervisor and the FDNY responded. The investigation revealed an Aramark staff member moved a stove for cleaning under a smoke detector triggering the alarm. The supervisor ventilated the area and reset the alarm panel.

Walsh Library Nov. 13

12 p.m.

On Wednesday, there was a water leak in the Walsh Library. The supervisor responded. The investigation revealed an overhead pipe on the fourth floor was the cause of the leak sending water from the ceiling onto the books below. The supervisor notified facilities to respond.

Dealy Hall Nov. 13

2:40 p.m.

On Wednesday, there was a stuck occupied elevator in Dealy Hall. The supervisor responded and notified the elevator company. A technician responded and freed the student.

FMA Hosts Professor Licciardi of the Gabelli School of Business

By JACK MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

The Fordham University Marketing Association (FMA) hosted Professor Gregory Licciardi in Keating Hall last week for a lecture and discussion on reframing rejection from jobs or internships. Licciardi teaches in the marketing department at the Gabelli School of Business, notably the Ground Floor class, which introduces first-years and new students to the business world.

positive outcomes that come from rejection, and if you can embrace them, in the long run, it can make you so much more successful.”

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Licciardi has been in media and advertising throughout his career, working for American Express, Univision and Worth Media. Licciardi is an International Coaching Federation trained executive coach. He is from Summit, New Jersey, and is currently working on a book on marketing skills, teaching at both Fordham and Seton Hall University. He is also a graduate of Fordham Gabelli’s MBA program.

He began the session by addressing the students and congratulating them for attending. “80% of success is showing up,” said Licciardi. “As hard as it [job rejection] is, there are

Licciardi opened the floor to attendees to share an experience where they were rejected. “I found this internship that combined both sales and marketing,” said Elizabeth Hoppe, GSB ’25, the vice president of alumni relations for FMA. “I made it to the final round and I ended up not getting it.” Hoppe noted how, even though she did not get her dream internship, she used those experiences to hone skills at a new internship.

“A lot of times you end up in this vacuum, you do all the necessary steps and you leave the interview thinking you did great, but you don’t know who you’re up against,” said Licciardi. “But, you prepared, you were ready, you were present, you did your research and sometimes, there’s only so much you can control.”

Licciardi described how putting your best foot forward is important, and keeping a positive attitude and spirit has to be kept, even if one senses they won’t get the position. “It’s okay to be upset

if you don’t get a job you’re really excited for,” he said. “Early in my career, I got four rounds of interviews for Google, and I got to the final level as general manager,” said Licciardi. “So, I got into the interview, and I was really personable, but I could tell the person who was interviewing me didn’t really care about that stuff.” Licciardi explained that he probably wouldn’t have received his next job if he hadn’t experienced a setback during that interview. “Sometimes, it takes a big fall to realize what your strengths and passions are,” he said.

Throughout the event more students discussed their experiences with interviews. “You could tell they [the interviewer] were looking for specific answers, and I kind of felt I wasn’t getting what they wanted from me,” said Zoe Skinner, GSB ’26, the vice president of marketing for FMA.

Professors also attended the session. “If you are interviewing and it doesn’t go well, you don’t get a lot of ‘hey, this could have been better’ from recruiters,” said Professor William Sickles.

Licciardi responded by advising the audience to generate

This Week at Fordham

Wednesday Nov. 20

Let’s Chat!

Ram Cafe

2 p.m.

Join Ram Dining to learn how to decorate your very own cupcake on Wednesday! The event will be held outside the Ram Cafe at the Lincoln Center campus at 2 p.m. Bring a friend!

Thursday Nov. 21

CSA Choice Awards

2nd Floor McShane 5 p.m.

Join the Communting Students Association for their 22nd Annual Thanks-Give-Away event, including food, t-shirts, games, raffles, and live performances. All proceeds benefit Concourse House.

Friday Nov. 22

Born to Dance

Collins Auditorium 8 p.m.

The Fordham Expressions Dance Alliance presents their performance titled “Bittersweet” this Friday. The performance starts at 8 p.m. in Collins Auditorium. Tickets are $5 for students.

Saturday Nov. 23

Last One, Best One

Moglia Stadium 1 p.m.

Show up and show out for Fordham Football’s last game of the season as they take on the Merrimack Warriors for the Rams’ Senior Day. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. at Moglia Stadium. Be loud!

internal agents to help them out in an interview, since oftentimes recruiters do not provide much feedback on an interview which was not successful.

“As you go about looking for an internship, it’s really important to go outside your comfort zone, building your base and foundation of contacts,” said Licciardi, adding that talking to people you already know may be easy, but challenging yourself to be open minded is critical.

Licciardi touched on how reaching out to potential connections and new people, especially alumni, can help students to strengthen their network and build confidence in trying new things.

Finally, Licciardi listed several celebrities who faced rejection, including J.K. Rowling, Bill Gates, Elvis Presley and Albert Einstein.

“It’s not how many times you get knocked down, it’s about how you get up and power forward,” said Licciardi. “It’s not where you are now, it’s how you go on your journey to get what’s right for you and what you’re passionate about.”

Sunday Nov. 24

’Tis the Season

Collins Auditorium 2 p.m.

The Fordham Jetés presents “The Nutcracker” ballet. The Sunday performance will be at 2 p.m. in Collins Auditorium. Tickets are available online through the @fordhamjetes Instagram page, or at the door.

COURTESY OF JACK MCDONALD/THE FORDHAM RAM

Gabelli School of Business Professor Gregory Licciardi speaks to students about reframing rejection from job opportunities.

Fordham Senior Researches Mosquitoes at Calder Center

By TASNIMAH RAHMAN STAFF WRITER

This summer, Marie Gregory, FCRH ’25, spent time with mosquitos at Fordham University’s Louis Calder Center in Armonk, New York. She participated in Fordham’s Calder Summer Undergraduate Research (CSUR) program for students interested in conducting 10-week independent research.

Gregory chose to study mosquitos and the CSUR program and staff guided her in her research. She took an interest in continuing research from her microbiology course taken the semester before.

“I was working in the Vector Lab, which is also a medical entomologist lab for the state,” said Gregory. “So in addition to doing their own research, they also collect ticks and mosquitoes and give

that to the state’s health [department], keeping track of what’s going on.” The heads of the lab are Dr. Thomas Daniels and Dr. Richard Falco. Gregory worked with Dr. Marie Katz, who was also her professor for microbiology the semester before. “She taught me all I know about mosquitoes,” said Gregory.

Gregory said her knowledge of mosquitoes was limited when she began her research. The structure of the project was pre-established; she was set to look at various types of leaf litter and how they affect mosquitos. “Because mosquitoes can either be container breeders,” Gregory said, “they breed in natural or artificial containers. And for a natural container, that could be something like a tree hole, like a hole in a tree that fills with water and allows it to breed, because

their larvae do require water in an artificial container. You need food for the larvae to eat, and so a lot of times that food is leaf leaves or leaf litter that falls in and decomposes organisms start feeding on it, and then the mosquito larvae will feed on both, like the leaves that are decomposing and also the microorganisms.” Her main focus was on the type of leaf litter and how it affects the diversity, the types of mosquitoes or the abundance.

Gregory noted the difference between leaf litter from native trees that grow in the area versus non-native trees.

“The non-native tree we actually chose was a very common invasive species,” she said. “We chose the Tree of Heaven. You can usually tell what it is, because when you break off a leaf, it has a very distinctive smell,

sort of like weird peanut butter. The spotted lantern flies another native species, that’s its absolute favorite food.” In comparing these, Gregory set up different buckets in the woods. One had no leaves and was the control group. Another with native leaves, and then one with non-native leaves.

“We collected them every two weeks to see how many mosquito larvae there were,” she said. “And then we had to identify all of them. We did some analysis, and we got some pretty interesting results.”

Gregory found that mosquitoes loved the Tree of Heaven.

“The native buckets had around 900 mosquito larvae over the course of these weeks,” she said, “while the non-native one had almost 2,500. It was a pretty stark, drastic difference.”

Gregory focused on the types of larvae that were native to Asia. “The two basic hypotheses were just that one mosquito species composition will differ between artificial containers and tree holes,” she said. “So basically it’s going to be different types of mosquitoes in the containers, artificial containers, versus the natural ones the tree holes. Our second one was that non-native mosquitoes would prefer artificial containers with non-native leaf litter. It’s the Asian tiger mosquito and then Aedes mosquito. They’re related [...] and they’re from a region similar to the Tree of Heaven. We thought maybe since they had evolved and clearly are familiar with each other, they would be more adapted and more intended to like the non-native leaf litter more.”

Rodrigue’s Coffee House Amends Constitution to Condemn William Rodrigue

By SIENNA REINDERS STAFF WRITER

Rodrigue’s Coffee House, or Rod’s, a Fordham University establishment, recently updated its constitution to address some issues that had been brought up by club members. On Sunday, they held a club meeting to discuss and amend the constitution, which ended with a majority vote of “yes,” allowing the new constitution to move to the next steps of ratification.

During the meeting, Rod’s CoPresident Ryan Moore, FCRH ’25, explained the issues with the current constitution, stating that it was underdeveloped and outdated. The first amendments to the constitution that were discussed were on areas such as members, voting procedures, officers and elections.

“[The constitution] contradicts itself multiple times, and it’s very vague with everything. So me and Ryan were like ‘we should probably fix this,’” said Co-President Chloe

Santana, FCRH ’25.

The final proposed amendment was a statement on the legacy of William Rodrigue, for whom the establishment is named. The Rodrigue family were wealthy slaveowners who emigrated from the French colony of Saint-Domingue after the Haitian Revolution. They were also strong proponents of slavery, and according to historical information, Rodrigue had a significant influence in changing the views of Archbishop John Hughes, the first president of Fordham, in regard to the institution of slavery.

Rodrigue himself was an architect, and he designed many of the buildings on Fordham’s Rose Hill campus. Additionally, he lived in Alumni House, the building that is now home to Rod’s. However, in spite of his significant influence on the university, Rod’s members felt that his views and actions should be condemned, as they don’t align

with the values of the community.

“We just wanted to make sure that everybody knows that we know our history, it is public history, and that we are not neutral on it, obviously, and we understand that this history mismatches with political opinions and positions that are widely considered good,” said Moore.

Rod’s members promote the coffee house as a safe and welcoming space, and they felt its history needed to be addressed to maintain these values. According to Moore and Santana, every couple of years people tend to rediscover the history of Rodrigue, and will then bring the facts to the Rod’s members to ensure that they are aware of their history. But in past years, members tended to dismiss the facts to not undermine the values of the Rod’s community by confirming the relation of the establishment to a pro-slavery individual.

However, Moore and Santana feel it is important to not brush this kind of historical information under the rug, and instead to confront it head on. They acknowledged that confronting prejudice can be uncomfortable and taking actions to distance an institution from its history can be difficult, but it is necessary in order to be actively anti-racist.

“When you’re trying to form a space and support a community it’s important to be cognisant of the entire history of the club,” said Santana. “And it’s anti-productive to try to put anything under the rug. I think it’s important to acknowledge everything in [our] history and be able to act in accordance to our current values as a safe space and as a place on campus that should be open to all Fordham students.”

Santana and Moore both addressed the issue of dismissing the true history of an institution in regard to Fordham as a whole. Fordham prides itself on being a diverse community, but its history with institutions like the Catholic church, which has been criticized by many modern diversity movements, is often swept under the rug, according to Moore.

“It’s important to be transparent, and I love making people uncomfortable, and I think it’s important to be uncomfortable and be cognisant of ways the past has been wrong because then you don’t make the same mistakes that people have made in the past,” Santana said.

The amendment to the constitution will specifically consist of a statement addressing William Rodrigue and his family

and their role in promoting slavery. The amendment also states that “The members of Rodrigue’s Coffee House recognize that the man who serves as its namesake was morally and politically reprehensible, condemning his role in pro-slavery agitation in the University’s early history. The members will strive to create an environment of openness, social awareness, and recognition of essential equality between persons in resolute defiance of this legacy.”

In order for the constitution to become officially amended, it first needs to be approved by Rod’s advisor, Mark Less, assistant director for student organizations and programming in the Office of Student Involvement, and by the United Student Government. It will also have to be seen by Catherine McGlade, assistant dean for student involvement, and Christopher Rogers, dean of students at Rose Hill.

Moore expects this process to take some time, but they hope for the updated document to be approved by the end of the semester. But while the constitution has not yet been approved by the university, Moore feels that adding the statement to the constitution, even if unofficially, is an important step in ensuring that everyone feels safe, comfortable and welcome in Rod’s.

“We just want to make it clear that this history did happen, and as contemporary individuals we can do the best we can to address it and confront it directly,” said Moore. “And I think that that’s a really big step in making Fordham comfortable for people who come from everywhere.”

COURTESY OF MARY HAWTHORN/ THE FORDHAM RAM Rodrigue s Coffee House s new constitution condemns namesake William Rodrigues.

your cubicle when you’re forty to find yourself alone? There’s no time to lose. Leave it up to our algorithm and find your perfect backup plan.”

According to their website, Marriage Pact has 541,377 participants across 100 college campuses nationwide and has made 267,996 matches. With each match, they ensure that people’s relationship “likes, loves, and pickiest non-negotiables” are served.

At Fordham, three students were responsible for garnering participation in this year’s round of Marriage Pact matchmaking. Arnold, Matthew Bloss-Baum,

Marriage Pact Survey Matches Couples

FCRH ’27, and Anna Fahy, FCRH ’25, all spread the word about the program by sending messages through text channels and posting on social media.

“We just thought of different groups on campus that we wanted to reach, and we all texted different people and helped spread the message through text channels and then eventually social media,” Arnold said.

The three students had one main point of contact from Marriage Pact, Allyson Bunch, Stanford Class of 2025. The students received daily check-ins from Bunch to see how outreach for the program was going and offered ways to increase participation

with Marriage Pact.

“Obviously she doesn’t really know the makeup of Fordham. So there is one representative for each campus that does it, and she was the one that was in communication with us, and we served on the Fordham side,” Arnold said.

The questionnaire closed last week, and matches were sent to students shortly after. Fordham had 1,567 students participate, including 400 first-years, 393 sophomores, 383 juniors and 452 seniors. Of the people who participated, 67% were female, 31% were male and 1.35% were non-binary, according to Arnold.

Because there was not an

even number of male and female as well as homosexual and heterosexual participants, not everyone was able to get a love match. Everyone did get a match, but for some, it was a friendship match.

“Since there were more girls than guys that answered it, some of the matches were friendship matches just because there were two heterosexual females that matched together, based on personality,” Arnold said.

Arnold, Bloss-Baum and Fahy participated in the questionnaire themselves, and each received their own match. Arnold explained that she participated last year and thought it was a

Journalist Jane Ferguson Wins Sperber Prize

FROM SPERBER, PAGE 1

“Awards that are honoring someone who wrote so brilliantly on the subject of journalism are incredibly meaningful because it means you’re put in a cohort of people you admire,” said Ferguson. “These are people I grew up admiring, so that means the world to me.”

Ferguson was raised in Northern Ireland during The Troubles. Growing up amidst conflict in her own country, she learned the power of journalism and the critical part journalists play in covering violence and conflict. Ferguson’s passion for journalism developed while studying at York University and working

as an editor of her college newspaper. After graduating, she had the opportunity to move to Yemen to study Arabic and then took a job with Gulf News in Dubai before she started reporting for CNN International. She played a key role in covering frontline stories in some of the most dangerous areas.

Ann Sperber, the award’s namesake, wrote the biography “Murrow: His Life and Times” about journalist Edward R. Murrow. A pioneering radio and broadcast journalist, Murrow is best known for his coverage during World War II, specifically for his invaluable scholarship on Germany at the time.

“I wanted to write a book about what it’s like to try to make it here,” said Ferguson. “Those tough early years and the first signs of success and what that feels like.”

Ferguson encourages young journalists to keep pursuing this career despite uncertainties in the field right now. “You’re about to become one of the most important cohorts in generations because you’re into a time where there is going to be an incredible amount of upheaval, an incredible amount of news,” she said. “The public needs high-quality information, so your job is going to be unbelievably important, so keep going!”

fun opportunity, which led her to help run the program this year. Other students who participated showed lots of enthusiasm for the chance to find their soulmate.

“I was really excited when I got the email about Marriage Pact,” said Sierra Rock, FCRH ’28. “I feel like there is a very large hookup culture at Fordham, so I was curious to see if I could get matched with someone that I was actually interested in. I definitely plan to keep participating in it in the next few years, and who knows, maybe one of the times someone might interest me.”

Student Life Council Hosts Proto Chief Strategy Officer

FROM SLC PAGE 1

that she is a commuter student, and so belonging was a big issue for her within her first year. Kien noted that a few years ago, there was a lack of shared space for commuter students to really enjoy. The commuter lounge was in the basement of the McShane Campus Center and made commuters feel very ostracized, as “the basement room/lounge was very small and pretty congested; it was very in your face that we were separated from everyone else.”

Kellen Zeng, GSB ’26, executive president of the Commuting Students Association (CSA), shared similar feelings. Zeng was considering transferring after her first year due to the combination of commuting and being in the Gabelli School of Business (GSB). Zeng noted that the first-year programming for GSB is centered around core requirements and not actually what students are interested in pursuing, making it less engaging.

Adeyinka Maddy, FCRH ’25, president of the Campus Activities Board (CAB), mentioned that as a Black student from California attending a predominantly white institution, “the imposter syndrome never really goes away.” However, Maddy also noted that there are more people of color in higher roles, which has felt empowering for students of color to feel that they can speak up.

The second question asked by Proto was, “What helped you realize that you belonged here?” Reese McDonnell, GSB ’26, vice president of budgets for the Fordham Rose Hill United Student Government (USG), answered that she got involved in clubs and activities early on due to her network of friends, which helped her to find her community.

Jocelyn Defex, FCRH ’25, a senior

Resident Assistant, noted that she was also considering transferring out of Fordham during her first year but ultimately didn’t due to the sense of belonging she found from becoming a part of clubs on campus.

The third question asked was, “What should the First Year Experience focus on to help you thrive?” Proto gave several thought starters for this question, with avenues such as helping to create a network, helping students find their own way forward, and assisting in finding ways for students to use what they have learned. Defex mentioned that it is hard to make friends, so if students feel like they don’t know enough people they might feel the need to transfer, emphasizing the importance of social networking.

Lucas Hjertberg, FCRH ’26, executive president of USG, noted that GSB does a good job of helping students find their own way forward, but Fordham University College at Rose Hill (FCRH) lacks the foundation for career and academic advising.

The Proto team took all of the advice into consideration and will continue working with Rogers moving forward to finish the redesign.

Robert Fitzer, associate vice president of Public Safety, also joined the SLC for this meeting. Rogers brought Fitzer in to discuss the recent accounts of incidents reported at Fordham. Fitzer gave a brief account of the report, sharing that there were two instances during one weekend where hate speech was found written on whiteboards in Fordham classrooms. Fitzer noted that these reports would be labeled as possible bias-related incidents instead of hate crimes, as in accordance with

the law, hate crimes must target a specific person and incur permanent damage.

Assistant Dean of Students Charles Clency mentioned that he worked alongside Residential Life to reach out to students who reported the incidents to ensure they were okay and felt supported. Rogers also noted that the whole university would respond to this issue, as “when something like this happens, it is a whole institution problem.”

There were several updates given from each attending group. Clency reported that the monthly intoxication report numbers are declining when compared to last year.

Mary Hawthorn, FCRH ’26, vice president of the Resident Hall Association (RHA), mentioned that RHA has recently become a member of the North East Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls and that RHA

attended a conference from Nov. 15-17 in order to learn how to improve. There will also be food collection bins available in every residence hall from Nov. 17-22 for residents to donate food for Part of the Solution. Whichever residence hall collects the most donations will receive a community service award.

CSA noted that their fall semester programming will be this coming Thursday, Nov. 21, and will be themed around Nickelodeon’s Teen Choice Awards. There will be live student performances and raffles.

CAB mentioned that Halloweek wrapped up, and that they held a pumpkin patch which sold out of 250 pumpkins in 30 minutes.

CAB is also preparing for the holiday week and will host a toy drive.

USG shared that special elections will occur for students going abroad this coming Thursday, Nov. 21, at their weekly meeting. USG also noted

that the Office of Disabilities Services is moving to Loyola Hall’s first floor in order to be physically accessible.

Dean Jenna Cook and Dean Ashlee Burrs shared that registration for both GSB and FCRH has opened for select students. Both deans noted the number of questions being asked that had been answered in prior emails and encouraged students to read their emails thoroughly.

Clency noted that following the previous SLC meeting, there are now 122 washers and 154 dryers that are fully functional throughout the residence halls. Clency also mentioned the Thanksgiving Break Stay form, which will close on Nov. 22, and that the residence halls will be staying open for the first time ever during winter break, with details forthcoming.

The next meeting of the SLC will be held on Dec. 10.

COURTESY OF MARY HAWTHORN/THE FORDHAM RAM Ferguson was honored at Lincoln Center.

The Student Life Council meets in the McShane Campus Center every month.

COURTESY OF EMMA LEONARDI FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

FROM KEATING, PAGE 1

construction about $1 million. “[Phase 1] focuses on the south elevation and will take through spring 2025 to complete,” said Sino. Due to the complexity of this project, phases to follow after this current one will be scheduled in subsequent years as they come.

Members of the Fordham University community voiced their opinions on the construction. “It’s

Scaffolding Covers Keating Hall

very loud, but it’s pretty easy to ignore,” said Tyler Rayer, GSB ’28. Rayer attends classes in Keating several times a week. “It might be more of a hindrance to professors that have to talk over it,” he said. “I just hope that they’re not too loud during finals.”

“I’ve had to cut across the grass twice to get into Keating,” said Antonio Pandolfo, GSB ’28, who also attends class in Keating.

Fordham Recieves New Objects Courtesy of Brooklyn Museum

FROM MUSEUM, PAGE 1

for students, faculty and staff to view. “The objects are on loan from the Brooklyn Museum and the Hispanic Society of America, meaning, we do not own them, but they will be at Fordham for at least two years,” said Udell. Among the collections are 11 items archived from Roman Spain.

“These arrangements usually begin with the Curator at the requesting institution, in this case, me, writing the curators of the lending institution with a proposal,” said Udell. “More often than not, such proposals are accepted.” The museum serves as more than just a casual viewing collection, rather an educational moment for faculty at Fordham.

Udell often brings her museum studies course students into the museum to enrich them with the culture it has to offer. Students are encouraged to visit the museum on their own accord as well as to generate knowledge from firsthand experience with antiques.

The team of student curators assists in the museum’s daily opera-

By EMMA LEONARDI STAFF WRITER

Fordham University Rose Hill’s United Student Government (USG) met to award the November Club of the Month and work on the possibility of introducing Spanish prospective student tours on Nov. 7.

USG awarded Circle K the Club of the Month for November. Circle K is a student volunteer organization with chapters at schools nationwide. Mary Hawthorn, FCRH ’26, president of Circle K, accepted the award. Hawthorn noted that there will be a big Thanksgiving food drive and card-making event this coming Thursday, Nov. 21.

Jerrod Ames, assistant director of admissions and director of the Rose Hill Society, attended the meeting in order to discuss the proposal of Spanish tours for prospective students with USG. Ames first asked for opinions from USG on the proposal. Vice President of Communications Angel Madera, FCRH ’26, mentioned his experience coming from a Spanish-speaking family and said that Spanish tours would be an amazing resource to have as it is very important to have Spanish speakers at Fordham University. Vice President of Facilities and Dining Mike Rodriguez, FCRH ’27, shared that many students have parents who only speak Spanish,

tions, including unboxing and setup of new exhibits. Many of these students also assist in arranging the items throughout the floor space.

“I’m so excited about the new additions,” said Grace Monteith, FCRH ’25, a student curator at the museum. “The Brooklyn Museum has always been my favorite in New York City, and so when I heard we were getting some loans from there, I was ecstatic. The objects are beautiful, it was like Christmas morning when I first walked into the museum and found new pieces staring back at me.”

Monteith also described dayto-day in detail about her job as a student curator. “We have student-curated shows, where a group of students works with Dr. Udell to choose objects, as well as how to display them and write the object labels,” she said.

Monteith also attested to art history courses bringing students to the museum, in addition to those taught by Udell. “I wasn’t even a declared art history major when I first started working

with the museum, but during my time there, I discovered what I was most passionate about, and the experience introduced me to what I’ll be pursuing in graduate school and my future career,” she said.

“In addition to this, I and a few other students helped with unpacking the museum when it reopened in the spring of 2023,” said Monteith. “This consisted of unpacking the objects and installing the cases, which is basically exhibit design. I also had the privilege of having a piece of work I made displayed in the museum for a few months.” Monteith also emphasized the importance of her job, since so many of the objects carried by the museum are thousands of years old, across different geographical locations and materials.

“I’ve visited the museum in almost every single one of my art history classes,” said Monteith. “The museum is my favorite space on campus and my involvement with it, inside and outside of class, has been truly a highlight of

USG Awards Circle K Club of the Month

and having easy communication would be helpful for those families. Ames noted concern regarding the scale of this proposition, as students would be needed to give the tours. There are currently virtual tours offered in Spanish, but Ames plans to work with USG in order to make this proposal a possibility.

Vice President of Operations Megan Ruzicka, FCRH ’27, and Tina Pathak, FCRH ’28, mentioned the recently made prelaw database. This site centralizes pre-law resources, including clubs and internships, into one place. Ruzicka proposed making a subcommittee under Operations to manage it and ensure the database stays up to date.

Executive President Lucas Hjertberg, FCRH ’26, and Executive Vice President Eron Maltzman, GSB ’25, shared the USG response to recent racial bias incidents at Fordham. There was a written statement responding to the incidents, with campus resources at the bottom. During the presentation of said statement, Hjertberg noted that USG “will not rest until our campus is a place where all students can feel safe.”

There was a form to apply to the Socially Responsible Investing Advisory Committee, with a due date of Nov. 21.

Special elections will be held on Thursday, Nov. 21, for executive board and Senate positions that will be open due to students within those roles studying abroad. USG has posted open seats on their Instagram account, @fordhamusg.

The Office of the Provost is hosting a student research job fair on Dec. 6 at noon. These opportunities will be for more research-oriented students in fields such as psychology and computer science. There will be a lunch and a discussion on the research being done by a few Fordham professors who are looking for student researchers.

Vice President of Budget Reese McDonnell, GSB ’26, noted that the Budget Committee is working on collecting spending trackers from clubs to make sure all funds allocated are being utilized. With the exception of permanently allocated clubs, if clubs don’t use 80% of their budget, there will be a 25% sanction.

The Rose Hill Dean’s Council has been discussing ways to improve how students have been getting their information from the university. A survey will also be sent out by the Study Abroad subcommittee, asking for advice from upperclassmen to underclassmen regarding the

process, alongside an upcoming tabling event to get that information to students.

The Gabelli School of Business (GSB) Dean’s Council will be having a small business fair from 12:30-3 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 21, on Hughes Terrace. There will also be a panel event this upcoming week, which will count as a marketing event for sophomore students in GSB.

The Diversity Action Coalition hosted its first fundraiser on Tuesday for accessibility. There will also be an upcoming December tabling event, where students will make holiday cards to send to incarcerated people and their children.

Vice President of Health and Security Aidan Costella, FCRH ’27, noted that the Committee on Sexual Misconduct (CSM) will host events this week for Week of Action. On Monday, there was a clothesline project on the Edward’s Parade walkway from 1-4 p.m. Students could write messages to support sexual assault victims on t-shirts, which were hung on the fence surrounding Eddie’s. There was also a resource fair on Tuesday and there will be a “Take Back the Night” event on Wednesday. On Thursday, there will be an event titled “Let’s Taco Bout Consent and Sexual Health” and an Empowerment Speak Out on Friday to round

out the week. More details can be found on CSM’s Instagram page, @csm_fordhamusg. The Facilities and Dining Committee has made progress with its paper straw initiative, with paper straws now available in select locations. Sustainable silverware is still being worked on. Mike Rodriguez, Vice President of Facilities and Dining, FCRH ’27, shared that the committee is also looking into increasing GrubHub efficiency in places like The Grotto. Vice President of Sustainability Regina Miller, FCRH ’26, mentioned a recent partnership with Siege, where the Sustainability Committee hosted an event to watch “The Lorax” and discuss the recent presidential election. Miller also noted that Fordham Flea was in attendance for the Fordham Women’s Basketball opener and that there will be an upcoming event to donate used Halloween costumes.

Of the various Senate updates, there was mention of a resume review workshop on Dec. 2, with hot chocolate and someone dressed as Santa. Senator Ava Cascella, FCRH ’26, shared that she met with Aramark to discuss her meal plan proposal. Aramark, working with Cascella, is considering revising every meal plan offered to students but does not have a strict timeline.

COURTESY OF JACK MCDONALD FOR THE FORDHAM RAM The museum has a variety of Greek and Roman art.

COURTESY OF MARY HAWTHORN/THE FORDHAM RAM

The scaffolding is part of a lengthy construction to Keating ’s roof.

R

Serving the Fordham University campus and 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.

Website

TheFordhamRam.com

Email Address theram@fordham.edu

Editor-in-Chief

Sofia Donohue

Managing Editor

Allison Schneider

Editorial Director

Evan McManus

Production Editor

Hannah Boring

Multimedia Director

Grace Campbell

Business Director

Grace Miller

Copy Chief

Cailee Zeraat

Assistant Copy Chief

Madelyn Gerth

News Editor

Nora Malone

Features Editor

Julianna Morales

Assistant News Editors

Cristina Stefanizzi

Adithi Vimalanathan

Opinion Editor

Saisha Islam

Assistant Opinion Editors

Lusa Holmstrom

Erynn Sweeney

Culture Editors

Claire Krieger

Caleb Stine

Assistant Culture Editor

Isabella DeRosa

Sports Editor

Jonah Ring

Assistant Sports Editors

Griffin Stevenson

Joe Henry

Social Media Director

Alexis Hurchalla

Digital Producers

Sophie Maselli

Sarah Urbano

Haniyyah Usmani

Photo Editor

Mary Hawthorn

Advertising Directors

Katriina Fiedler

Kathleen Hollinger

Diana Juarez

Emily Roe

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.

OPINION

From the

Desk | Sofia Donohue

Empty Pizza Boxes and A Full Heart: Goodbye, Fordham Ram

I attended my first budget meeting for the Ram in the early days of my second semester at Fordham University. I quite literally considered quitting before I’d even started because I was so scared to walk into B-52 alone. I didn’t know anyone who did the newspaper — besides recognizing another first-year’s name in the GroupMe from Instagram, but that doesn’t count. As I lingered in the McShane Campus Center (then McGinley) basement hallway, the one person whose name I recognized approached me. Turns out, she recognized me from Instagram, too and she suggested we walk into B-52 together. Thank you, Frances; you probably stopped me from walking right back to my dorm room.

I think about this particular moment a lot. I think about how symbolic it is and how much I’ve changed over the past four years. I thought about this moment when I was nervous to walk into B-52 alone in January, but this time because I was walking into my first budget meeting as editorin-chief. During my first semester at Fordham, I anxiously turned in my first news article — a mundane piece about Public Safety’s annual security and fire safety report. In my second semester, I rehearsed my two truths and a lie over and over in my head during my first budget meeting as a digital producer, eager to make a good first impression. Yet, in my penultimate semester at Fordham, I am grappling with the fact that my tenure at the Ram is almost up. Despite being a different person

than I was as a first-year when I walked into the Ram room, B-52 looks almost identical. The desktops are the same and there’s still a gratuitous number of chairs. The same musty aroma of old Pugsley’s boxes lingers despite our efforts to deep clean the room over the summer. There are still no windows. Except now, my past three years at the Ram are displayed on the windowless walls. There’s a photo of our Volume 105 news team from our final production night above the news team’s computers. Thumbtacked to the wall is Grace Galbreath’s first ever infamous “GG’s Crossword,” right next to our running tally of the number of times Evan has mentioned his hometown, Boston. There are countless incomprehensible quotes from when we were all delusional at 2 a.m. and coloring pages from when we patiently (or impatiently?) waited for our print edits. Our closing times from the past 21 issues, most infamously that first 4:44 a.m. finish time, are documented on a large whiteboard. All these mementos, some lacking context more than anything, are a testament to the tradition and culture of The Fordham Ram. In an effort to console myself, I recently watched the episode of “Gilmore Girls” when Rory steps down as editor-in-chief. In a spiral, Rory says, “Everything is just ending. I just feel like everything is gonna be over. I’m done at the paper. Soon I’m going to be done at Yale, and it’s like I’m standing on this cliff, looking out into this huge, foggy abyss.” Rory

perfectly encapsulates how I feel about my time at the Ram ending — how I feel about graduating in a few months. The Ram is a place for Fordham students to create, write and do journalism, but it’s also where I’ve made some of my closest friends. My college experience is synonymous with the Ram.

Running this newspaper is not an easy job, and there are countless people whose hard work is the reason we pull together a paper each week. Thank you to Volume 106’s lovely e-board: Allison, Hannah, Evan and the two Graces. Thank you all for everything you poured into the newspaper every week and for gracefully pivoting when I made mistakes. Hannah and Cailee, I could not have endured long copy and production nights without our seemingly endless conversations. Hannah, thank you for swiveling your chair closer to

Editorial | Student Journalism

So Long, B-52

my desk so we could talk more. I don’t know how I went two years at this paper without you as a friend. Evan, thank you for always being a calm voice of reason and consistently bringing your wit and fake Southern accent to the Ram room. Finally, thank you, Allison. When my friends asked me how my first semester as editor-in-chief went, I told them I couldn’t have done it without you. I know your tenure as editor-in-chief is going to be absolutely perfect, and I cannot wait to read all about it. Thank you to The Fordham Ram for teaching me the value of journalism, gifting me some of my favorite friendships and most importantly, giving me plenty of material to use in job interviews. While I haven’t settled on how I’m going to spend all my newfound free time next semester, what I do know is that I’ll continue to pick up a copy of the Ram every Wednesday morning.

It’s hard to sum up a year at Fordham University, especially this one. As executive board members for Volume 106 of The Fordham Ram, we got to be in the newsroom to witness historical events unfold before our eyes. However, we did not only observe these moments — we also reported on them. We interviewed graduate student union members and administration during their contract negotiations. Our reporters were on the ground when student and alumni protestors built an encampment at the Lincoln Center campus, joining the nationwide pro-Palestine college protests. We worked late through election night in the newsroom, producing the next day’s paper while watching Donald Trump be reelected to a second presidential term. It’s been a wild ride, but our volume is now coming to an end. In other words, it’s time for this editorial board to say goodbye. Throughout a year of writing editorials, we have strived to provide a thoughtful and considerate perspective to the Fordham community. As we have reflected in a previous piece, editorials are vital because they allow us to cover important issues Fordham students care about and communicate our values to the community

with one voice. However, the news industry is changing, and editorials may be on the way out. Newspapers across the country are ending the publication of editorials. The newspaper chain Gannett stopped editorials because they believed “readers do not want to be lectured at or told what to think.” We think that this view is misguided because we have never thought of the editorial as a place where we lecture to our readers. Rather, it is where we can share our unique perspective about the Fordham, New York and American communities to which we belong.

Our belief in sharing our perspective is one we want the Fordham community to adopt. We challenge Fordham students to be more passionate about using their voices. Next year, our nation will enter a period of great change, and there is no doubt in our minds that it will deeply impact our university’s consciousness. Many of you may want to tune the news out, which is understandable. But there will be moments next year that test our values and who we are as Americans. When those moments arrive, don’t be silent; use your voice. Share your thoughts with a friend, attend a protest or maybe even write an op-ed for

The Fordham Ram. Your voice matters more than you think it does, and withholding it from the world prevents your unique perspective from being shared.

Furthermore, have uncomfortable conversations with people who you disagree with. Sometimes, when we go on about the importance of talking to each other, we forget actually to talk to each other. While their opinions may make your blood boil, it is necessary to understand why a person thinks the way they do. But don’t feel pressured to always find a middle ground in these conversations. Stick up for what you believe in, but be openminded to criticism. When we are receptive to criticism, we become wiser and our opinions strengthen. So, Fordham, create a culture of passionate conversation and debate in 2025.

Before parting, we want to reflect on what it means to be on the staff of The Fordham Ram. Being part of this team is a huge commitment for everyone on staff, and it’s hard work. We have worked many late nights. Our first production of this volume ended around 5 a.m. on Wednesday morning. Some of us have passed up other opportunities, like studying abroad, so we could stay on staff. We have

gotten angry emails and comments complaining about our coverage of events or opinion pieces we have published. “Why do this to yourself?” is a question many of our roommates, friends and even family members have asked us. Occasionally, we ask ourselves this question.

However the positive parts of this job vastly outweigh the bad ones. Walking into room B-52 in the McShane Campus Center basement fills us with a sense of excitement that no other room at Fordham fulfills. We have the opportunity to work with an incredible team of section editors, copy editors, staff writers, contributing writers, digital producers and business directors. If you visit us on a Tuesday evening, you’ll find a room full of warmth. It is a place full of happy people editing pages, writing stories, telling funny jokes, having impassioned discussions and eating slices of pizza. All of us are so lucky to be part of a community of students who have caught the “journalism bug.”

Every week, our team has the chance to create something bigger than ourselves. We get to make a newspaper, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

OPINION

Hungry for More! No One Wants Armie Hammer’s Return to the Spotlight

By RACHEL SERVIDIO CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Nowadays, everyone has a podcast; you might have even thought about creating one yourself. But you must ask, “Does anyone else really want this?” The answer is probably not, and in the case of Armie Hammer, the answer is definitely not.

Armie Hammer, the actor known for his roles in “Call Me By Your Name” and “The Social Network,” was accused of engaging in cannibalistic behavior (yes, you read that right), rape and sexual misconduct in 2021 and promptly left the Hollywood scene. Now, almost four years later, he has decided to make a return to the limelight with a new podcast, “Armie HammerTime,” and a role in a new film. On Instagram, Hammer posted a video announcing his new endeavors, saying, “Some of you are going to love this, and some of you are going to hate this. I’ve been gone for the past four years, and now I’m back — what are you gonna do?” What most people should do is not tune in. His attitude brings up questions about allowing alleged sexual abusers to make a comeback and what we, the public, are going to do about it. With that sentiment in mind, allowing Hammer to return to the spotlight seems morally inept. Following his content, listening to his podcast and watching his movie only gives him a platform from which

he can disseminate potentially harmful ideas. When speaking on his past allegations, he said, “Whatever it was that people said, whatever it was that happened, I’m now at a place in my life where I’m grateful for every single bit of it.” This kind of rhetoric, especially in reference to the very serious allegations made against him, shouldn’t have a space on any platform. While some may argue that the podcast could be a space for him to grow and learn from his experiences, he discussed the premise being an interview with a guest about a niche topic. Even on the podcast, which has already released three episodes, he does not mention the allegations and does not use the podcast as a way to show growth.

Hammer’s podcast seems like a crafted PR move attempting to revive his image after the accusations left his reputation in shambles. And yet, this move only makes him look worse. The description of the podcast reads, “Armie sits down with extraordinary people from all walks of life as he rebuilds his own. Don’t worry… we feed him before every episode,” an obvious nod to his accusations of cannibalistic fantasies. Clearly, the idea was to joke about the absurdity of the allegations against him in a way to appear to be in on the jokes that were made about him following the cannibalism claims. Instead, the line seems thoughtless, coupled

with the fact that there were also actual claims made about rape and sexual misconduct along with cannibalism. Even though it has been four years, his willingness to make jokes about the event without remorse is an indicator of his character.

Hammer’s case might seem like an isolated incident, but unfortunately, it’s not (besides maybe the cannibalism). Alleged sexual abusers have attempted time and time again to make a comeback to the same space they had before the accusations came to light. For example, Rex Orange County, a famous singer and songwriter, was accused back in 2022 of six counts of sexual assault. Unlike Hammer’s case, Rex Orange County had significant evidence that cleared his name, ultimately discrediting the charges. Since then, he has returned to music and performed on a concert tour. In cases like Rex Orange County and Hammer’s, the argument of the authenticity of accusations comes into debate. With the unreliability of information on the internet and access to artificial intelligence and systems that can create virtually anything, making false claims has become easier. Despite that notion, it is crucial to believe victim’s stories. Not believing victims of sexual crimes and not giving them spaces to feel comfortable with coming out about abuse allows offenders to go without punishment. Out of 1,000

sexual assaults, 975 perpetrators will walk free. So, welcoming celebrities back into the spheres and platforms they once had seems objectionable. Hammer’s move to the podcasting world comes at a time when everyone has decided to become a podcaster. Many have begun to note the lack of interest in this abundance of podcasts that no one asked for. A recent topic of discussion in the social media spheres is male podcasts and how not every man needs to have a podcast. This take applies to Hammer; he’s just another man whose ego leads him to believe everyone cares what he has to say. Podcasting, just like every other form of content, is becoming onedimensional and dull, with every new podcast copying one before it. Besides just

reasons for not listening to the “HammerTime” podcast, at the end of the day, he’s just another man who believes everyone wants to listen to him talk for an hour.

Everyone’s creating a podcast, and if there is one you really shouldn’t listen to, it’s “HammerTime.” Based on his history, Hammer’s comeback to the spotlight seems insensitive and callous, especially concerning his commentary on his past. Allowing alleged offenders to return to social media and fame is still a hot topic of debate, but when it comes to Hammer, I urge potential listeners to reconsider and find an alternative. I’m sure there’s one out there.

Rachel Servidio, FCRH ’26, is a communications and culture major from Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

Where Did These Brush Fires Come From?

By BRIDGETTE LEAHY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

A brush fire occurred in West Milford, New Jersey. The Passaic fire, now called the Jennings Creek Wildfire, started burning on Saturday afternoon, on Nov. 9, near West Milford. Later that day, the fire spread from New York to Greenwood Lake, Orange County, to Fairfield County, Connecticut. Nearly a halfdozen wildfires burning in New Jersey are setting off red-flag air quality alerts to the public. By Saturday evening, the air quality had spiked to “very unhealthy” levels. The firefighters were able to gain control of the two-acre brush fire in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, on Friday night before it continued to spread throughout the park. The New York City Fire Department said the crew had the fire under control just around 9:40 p.m., three hours after the 911 call was received. New York City, Long Island and Westchester County have been placed in the extreme red zones of dry brush, gusty winds and low humidity in response to the hazardous air quality conditions, warned that residents in the area should avoid any activity

that promotes burning, such as outdoor grills, fire pits or any campfires outdoors. In addition, it was recommended that children and anyone with lung or heart disease remain inside until precautions are called for safety, given Sunday, Nov. 10, New York was out of the red zone.

The less humid, dry weather reflecting warmer than average temperatures in late October and early November caused the smell of acrid smoke. Just a step outside gushed with wind, citizens of the city could smell the odd smell as New York is rarely home to wildfires. Due to the lack of rainfall, New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a drought watch last week, urging residents to conserve water, and the drought will likely continue for at least another two months until the New Year.

As a result, citizens should conserve water and remain vigilant even during the tougher climate change areas to reduce further brush fires. An awkward transition from midtempered and sunny autumn to the early wraps of winter on Dec. 21, the air quality and water supply is disturbed. In

addition, New York should cut down on the tap. This does not mean drinking less water, but instead using blueprint water until we are in a more settled state of climate change. With Mother Nature and climate change as the boss, it is only our responsibility to be able to respond to the nature we are given. If there is less rain, there is less water.

Looking back on New York’s rainfall history, this fall has been the driest fall for New York. Turning back to Sept. 1, Central Park only received 1.59 inches of rain this fall. The planet is facing agonizing climate change. Each century, we are losing rainfall.

With this amount of lost rainfall, climate change reflects our planet’s health in several ways. With climate change, it can alter the weather conditions of the planet and stoke wildfires. Research suggests that wildfires are a factor and driver of greenhouse gasses responsible for the public’s poor air quality, 5-8% of the 3.3 million premature deaths from outdoor air pollution. However, some wildfires can occur naturally, too, by weather conditions such as lightning or by humans

accidentally or intentionally through arson. Comparing the United States to Canada’s outbreak of wildfires occurring in March 2023, statistics show that 84% of wildfires in the U.S. are caused by humans. 55% of wildfires in Canada result from lightning and 45% are caused by humans

Preserving water can not only prevent further drought outages within the city, but can also help reduce the primary causes of brush fires and climate change. As members of the planet, it is essential to prevent the rise of climate change. Regardless of the natural causes of Mother Nature, greenhouse emissions must be reduced significantly. For

instance, walking or biking are possible solutions to minimize the fumes of taxis, Uber, buses and trains in a populated city. Moreover, it reduces use of power.

This winter might be chilly with minimizing usage of appliances, electronics and heat, but bundles of clothes can help warmth and reduce the warmth outside. It’s general and cliche, to say the least, but recycle and be kinder to the environment so we can breathe and live a healthier lifestyle this fall and winter.

Bridgette Leahy, FCRH ’27, is a journalism major from Basking Ridge, N.J.

Recent brush fires call for more attention to our environment.

COURTESY OF GRACE CAMPBELL/THE FORDHAM RAM

COURTESY OF GRACE CAMPBELL/THE FORDHAM RAM Armie Hammer returns with a podcast no one wants.

OPINION

It’s Not a Joke if it’s Not Funny: Commentary on Racist Text Messages

By CATHERINE DUCKENFIELD CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Some of you may have seen in the news or at least heard of the ominous, racist text messages that are being received by primarily Black Americans, some of whom are working people, college students and even minors, all over the United States. In an interview with NBC, a Black woman, Carin Freeman, was asked how the racist text she received made her feel. She responded, “I think that this is intentional to scare people of color, Black people, into a reality that we don’t want to go back to.” Her opinion seems to be a plausible explanation for why these texts are being disseminated. They contain language that is reminiscent of the enslavement that Black people have been subjected to in our nation’s past, even before its founding as a country. The reality of our country at present is one that has evolved from the enslavement that Black people were historically condemned to, as that system of subjugation has been abolished; furthermore, several forms of legislation have been passed that established and protected the civil rights and liberties of Black people. The audacity of someone to engage in the task of curating racist messages and sending them to Black Americans with the intent of instilling feelings of fear is despicable.

Recently, an email was sent to the Fordham University community from President Tania Tetlow informing them of racial slurs that were written on white boards in classrooms at the Rose Hill campus that “contained the epithet so repugnant we do not say it, even to denounce it.” These racist messages that have appeared in Fordham classrooms have provoked concern within our community, knowing that there are people among us that maintain racist sentiments and took to expressing them overtly in a classroom. The irony that these racist messages were written in classrooms, sanctuaries in which knowledge is shared and attitudes and expressions of ignorance are considered unacceptable, is disappointing. In parallel with the racist incidents that have taken place recently at Rose Hill, as well the circulation of targeted racist messaging that is occuring nationwide, both occurrences remind me of “Kindred” by Octavia Butler. Butler, a renowned Black woman writer of novels in the science fiction genre who uses the theme of time travel in “Kindred” as a means to investigate Black people’s generational trauma, with her primary intent being to introduce a new perspective on how the horrors of enslavement can be confronted in order to understand the intergenerational

black experience with more complexity and clarity. These racist text messages correlate in some respect to the plot of “Kindred,” in that they both thrust Black Americans into a reality of enslavement, since the structure of these messages imply that its content are not mere statements, but rather instructions that Black Americans are expected to follow. These messages threaten the renouncement of Black Americans’ rights and liberties, unlike Butler’s aim which is to ultimately resolve Black Americans’ trauma.

One of my uncles — don’t worry, he’s Black — joked that he received one of the text messages, and sent a screenshot to my dad and my other uncle in their group chat. Soon after, he revealed that he was joking and that he actually didn’t receive one. My other uncle scolded him for joking around, given the gravity of the matter. And here’s the thing: my uncle’s perspective is an example of one of the diverse interpretations that this massive text dissemination operation provokes. These messages are ridiculous and meant to instill fear, but only prove ignorance. As it stands, slavery has been abolished, and the U.S. has continued to make legal strides to equalize civil rights and liberties for Black people and other marginalized groups, meaning that it’s impossible that Black Americans

will be once again subjected to enslavement. Yet, despite my uncle’s interpretation, it is imperative to recognize that it is undeniably shameful that messages like these are being sent as part of some unknown, massive operation that has yet to be uncovered.

In an interview with CNN, a 13-year-old Black boy from Atlanta recited the message he received. The message began, “I am one of Donald Trump’s associates and your cotton picking sessions are from 6AM-8PM.” Not all of the messages that primarily Black people have received mention Trump, nonetheless, these messages are hate mail, and the reality that a multitude of these text messages are being sent in 2024 is highly unsettling. It reveals, unsurprisingly, that there are indeed

people that possess such ignorant, racist sentiments. More crucially, these assailants of racist rhetoric may have very possibly regarded Trump’s reelection as an affirmation that it is acceptable to boldly project their prejudices in an overt fashion with no shame. Whoever or whatever is responsible for the circulation of these messages should be uncovered immediately and subsequently be prosecuted for federal hate crimes, as this massive message dissemination operation is unambiguously vile, and reveals that America’s citizens have a long ways to go in regards to developing civility and respect for others.

CatherineDuckenfield,FCRH’27, is an environmental studies major from Washington, D.C.

Mindfulness or Masculinity: The Rawdogging Flight Trend

By LAILA SAYEGH STAFF WRITER

Imagine sitting on a plane for hours, staring out the window or at the flight map, with no entertainment, no snacks and no bathroom breaks. Welcome to the world of “rawdogging” flights — a bizarre new trend where travelers forego movies, music, books and even basic bodily needs in the name of mindfulness and resilience. This self-imposed challenge, mostly popular among men, is being heralded as a stoic practice for our overstimulated, tech-saturated times. But is it a necessary antidote for our hyper-connected lives, or just another pointless stunt fueled by social media clout?

While to some extent, detaching from our contemporary world of media can be a much needed brain break for many, more extreme degrees of this challenge — such as denying food or using the bathroom — merely enforce harmful ideas of self-discipline as performance. In pursuit of proving toughness, this trend risks turning a potentially beneficial moment of introspection into a dangerous and performative spectacle, where the line between mindful disconnection and self-inflicted discomfort becomes increasingly blurred. There is no denying that technology comes with its

cons, specifically in terms of mental health. Constant notifications, endless streams of content and the pressure to remain perpetually online can be exhausting. In this context, the idea of using a long-haul flight to detach from screens and engage in quiet reflection has some merit. Moments of stillness and introspection are increasingly rare in our fastpaced world, and intentionally creating space for them — like staring out the window or emptying your mind — can be a healthy way to recharge. However, the extreme versions of rawdogging flights go far beyond a digital detox. In fact, experts warn it’s more self-destructive than enlightening. Skipping meals, hydration, sleep and entertainment on a long-haul flight does not just challenge your patience; it actively harms your body and mind. Medical and travel professionals have been clear about the risks. Dehydration is exacerbated by the low humidity and pressurized air in airplane cabins, potentially leading to headaches, dizziness and fatigue. Similarly, abstaining from snacks and meals can leave travelers feeling drained or unable to recover properly from the physical strain of flying. And then there’s the issue of jet lag — skipping sleep on a flight often worsens the body’s

ability to adjust to time zone changes. Hence, the appeal of this trend does not stem from valid medical advice, but comes from a desire to showcase mental fortitude or masculinity.

The trend has been promoted by stars such as Eric Haaland, a Manchester City football player who gloated “rawdogging” a seven-hour flight with no phone, no food, no water and no sleep, claiming it was “easy.” His post, which showcased the challenge as a badge of mental toughness, was quickly embraced by fans and followers, reinforcing the idea that enduring discomfort could somehow equate to personal strength. Ironically, this lack of dopamine and fundamental human needs was still not enough for many. Some people began to argue that Haaland’s version of rawdogging was too “easy” because of his privileged travel conditions — a spacious business class seat with ample legroom, comfort and privacy. As the culture surrounding rawdogging flights grows, it seems that the extreme is never extreme enough. This drive to constantly one-up each other in terms of discomfort reflects a disturbing trend in society: a belief that toughness is defined by how much deprivation one can endure. The message sent is, if you’re not sacrificing everything — even your basic

needs — then you’re truly not tough.

This phenomenon, particularly when driven by athletes and influencers like Haaland, sends a troubling message to young men. Young followers might begin to internalize the notion that to be a real man, they must be capable of suffering without complaint and that self-care is a weakness. This elevates the idea that self-discipline, even when it comes at the expense of wellbeing, is not only desirable, but necessary for a man to prove his strength. The idea of rawdogging flights is simply one instance in a greater culture where masculine identity is linked to constant improvement. This includes everything from overly extreme workout regimens to dietary restric-

tions, all sold with the promise of transformation. But within this framework, there is little room for the softer aspects of being human, such as selfcompassion and vulnerability. Therefore, rawdogging flights, like other extreme demonstrations of masculinity, end up reinforcing harmful stereotypes about what it means to be strong. Ultimately, while it may seem like an intriguing challenge for some, the trend fails to offer meaningful benefits and instead promotes an unsustainable view of strength, making it neither good nor worth the cost.

Laila Sayegh, FCRH ’27, is a political science major from Congers, N.Y.

Rawdogging says more about toxic masculinity than mindfulness.

COURTESY OF GRACE CAMPBELL/THE FORDHAM RAM

Recent racist text messages to Black Americans should be taken more seriously.

COURTESY OF GRACE CAMPBELL/THE FORDHAM RAM

Women in the U.S. Gaining Interest in the 4B Movement

By AVA PASTORE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Nov. 6 marked the day the United States experienced a shift in not only politics but also moral integrity. As reproductive rights were on the ballot in this election, women around the world braced themselves for the worst that they hoped wouldn’t come: a win for President-elect Donald Trump

and a loss for women’s rights. In the days following the election, women were faced with decisions to make about birth control options and contraception, as it is definitive that the decision in Roe v. Wade that granted the national right to abortion will not be reinstated. With the fate of reproductive rights in the hands of individual states and threats to access

to contraception, South Korea’s 4B feminist movement has been gaining popularity in the United States. The 4B movement is a “radical feminist movement that started in South Korea and encourages the rejection of heterosexual dating, marriage, and sex, as well as childbirth.” Although this movement has not become a universal practice, many women have begun to adopt these ideas to protect themselves and have control over their bodies.

Jada Mevs, a 25-year-old woman from Washington, D.C., has taken to the media to encourage women to adopt these ideas, saying, “[I]f we can’t control what they do in terms of legislation and abortion rights, we have to do something for ourselves.” Not only have concerns about abortion access and reproductive rights risen since Trump’s election win, but there has also been an influx of misogynistic rhetoric online, as nationalist Nick Fuentes took to X, tweeting, “Your body, my choice. Forever.” I also found the 4B movement coming up in discussion with my friends shortly after the election, and Google Trends has shown that by Nov. 7, searches of the term “4B” had hit a rating of 100, representing peak popularity for the term. It is also telling that the term “4B” had a search

rating of 100 in Wyoming, a state that went red in the election, while in New York, a blue state, the search rating was only 61. It is painfully clear that the women in Republican-controlled states are currently in the most danger, and the women in this nation need to come together to protect one another during this time. The 4B movement serves as a unifying motion for women to take back their power. Following the extremely misogynistic comments being posted on social media platforms following the election, one user on X, @lalisaaura, tweeted, “We can’t let these men have the last laugh… we need to bite back.” Violating comments circulating in the media, along with frightening policy changes, have caused an increase in interest in an Americanized version of the 4B movement — but how much could this impact public policy and enact social change?

In the past, it certainly has been shown that protest can lead to change, but with full Republican control of the presidency, the Senate and the House of Representatives, it is unlikely that a wide-sweeping policy change will occur as a result of women engaging in the 4B movement. Although Trump has made it clear that he will leave abortion access decisions in the hands of the states,

there is also still a fear of a federal abortion ban being put in place. These facts combined have brought about impending anxiety and stress among women who will no longer have bodily autonomy in states that have already passed abortion bans, and ones that plan to.

Even if this form of protest does not result in the passing of pro-choice legislation, I think that the choice to participate in the 4B movement still holds incredible power. As a woman who watched my human rights get voted away in this election, I think it is helpful to have something to hold on to and something we can control: our own bodies and our own decisions. It is incredibly sad that women’s safety has been put into the hands of those who cannot protect it, but we can still protect ourselves, and that is what is empowering about this movement. Although the election results saw a painful loss for women, we will continue to fight, take back our power and safeguard our bodily autonomy to push through the next four years and every year beyond that.

Ava Pastore, FCRH ’26, is a communicationandculturemajorfrom Broomall,Pa.

Behind the Heartbroken Eyes of the American Woman

By MOLLY O’CONNOR CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Stepping out of my dorm on Wednesday, the air was heavier. As I looked around at the other women around me, I could see the pain in their faces. No words had to be spoken.

Over the last week, I have often heard the phrases, “Thank God that’s over with!” and “It’s just politics, it’s not that serious.” For some people, these things may feel true, but for many women in this country this is incredibly serious, and it has only just begun.

We are already starting to see how these results are enabling men through horrifying, violent and disgusting comments on social media. A video posted by far-right misogynistic creator Nick Fuentes has been circulating on TikTok over the last week where he says, “Men win again and yes, we control your bodies,” and shouts, “There will never, never be a female president,” amongst other aggressive misogynistic comments celebrating the election results.

This video has helped empower men all over social media to comment vulgar misogynistic comments on posts of women grieving over the election results. Popular comments coming from incel men include variations of “your body, my choice,” “shut up and go make me a sandwich” and “men won.”

You cannot convince most

women that this campaign was not a direct attack on their rights, especially the right to bodily autonomy, when the response to victory is to immediately claim ownership of women’s bodies.

One of the central issues for many women in this country is accessibility to reproductive care and the right to bodily autonomy. Through Project 2025 and both President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance’s comments throughout their campaign, it has been heavily alluded to and sometimes outright stated that conservatives will try to enact a federal abortion ban.

With a federal abortion ban, anyone that may need an abortion for medical reasons will be at risk. Though there might be some sort of exception in cases that threaten the mother’s life, those exceptions are often ineffective, as we’ve seen in states that have already created these bans. When doctors are worried about whether or not they will be imprisoned instead of immediately helping the patient, far more complications occur.

Additionally, those who become pregnant as result of being raped will not have the access they need to terminate their pregnancy and recover from the trauma, both physically and psychologically. Even if there is an exception for rape, it is incredibly difficult to prove that legally and the process is

long and traumatic.

Finally, any woman should be able to get an abortion for any reason. It is both unfair to her and to the unwanted child to force her to give birth. Pregnancy and giving birth are very physically demanding and often traumatic processes that nobody should be forced into. A ban like this would open doors to bans on birth control and other forms of contraception, which could lead to more dangerous results. Regardless, women deserve the right to have control over their own bodies, and under a second Trump administration, that right is in grave danger. With that comes many more questions for different women about what will happen to them without the security of the rights they once knew.

How is the Black woman feeling knowing that once again, she has been passed over for a position she was absolutely more qualified for? How does she feel knowing that with all of the progress we’ve made in this country, she still is not taken seriously?

How is the queer woman feeling knowing she may lose her right to marry who she loves, a right that she only gained less than a decade ago? How does she feel knowing that the man elected will enable society to treat her without respect with no repercussions?

Trump is widely known to have sexually assaulted many

women, and even if some of his voters say they do not agree with those actions, seeing that it was not a deal breaker is heartbreaking and scary for the millions of women who are survivors and all those who fear for what could happen to them during his second term. Protecting women is clearly not on America’s priority list, and won’t be as long as this man is in office.

I have heard so many women say “I hope this isn’t the last election I vote in,” and, while many call them dramatic, it’s a reality we unfortunately have to consider. If these politicians are promising to take away all of these rights that we thought were fundamental, who’s to say that the 19th Amendment isn’t going soon, too?

We can debate about why Vice President Kamala Harris lost until the end of time, but one thing rings true in each theory: Americans still cannot handle

the idea of a woman being president. No matter the progress we have made in this country, the sexism and racism deeply embedded in our society has prevented us from taking this leap. Although it is not the only reason for this loss, the fact that Harris is a Black woman was a central reason for many who voted against her, regardless of her qualifications or policies. While it’s easy to hear all of this and think we are at a loss, we cannot give up. It is imperative that we show them that we are not standing down. Let your anger and sadness fuel you. Women will always continue to fight for their right to exist in this country, and one day we will finally win.

Molly O’Connor, FCRH ’28, is a journalismmajorfromWeymouth, Mass.

COURTESY OF GRACE CAMPBELL/THE FORDHAM RAM

Results of the 2024 election cause women to rethink relationships.

COURTESY OF GRACE CAMPBELL/THE FORDHAM RAM

OPINION

The Democratic Elite: Bridging the Divide Between Progressives and the Working Class

By ZARA TERRAZAS-GRAHAM CONTRIBUTING WRITER

I voted blue. I didn’t vote for the economy, I didn’t vote just because our nominee was a woman, I didn’t vote for the job market and I didn’t vote because my groceries have gotten more expensive. I voted blue because I felt I had a moral obligation to do so. I voted for a party that supports a woman’s right to bodily autonomy, a party that believes you can love who you choose, a party that supports education, a party that wants to protect children from gun violence, a party that believes in climate change. All of these things are part of what builds the foundation of what I consider to be “correct.” I have the incredible privilege to get a college education, I get to delight in studying ethics, economy, politics, culture and, most importantly, I have the time to apply my growing knowledge to whomever I vote for. But unfortunately, not everyone in our country gets this opportunity. Even in the face of loss,

Democrats proudly display data that proves their voters are highly educated. It is true that since the 1960’s, the Democratic Party has aligned itself with the white collar, highly educated and affluent Americans. The states that are ranked highest in education in the United States reliably vote blue. The three most highly educated states, based on percentage of the population with a bachelor’s degree or higher, Massachusetts, Colorado and Maryland, have consistently supported the Democratic Party. We can take pride in knowing blue voters are educated and, therefore, we assume, more intelligent. But we Democrats have forgotten a key group: the majority. There are only about 46.5% of American adults who hold a college-level degree. That means over half of the population is likely feeling disparaged and, perhaps, disregarded by the Democratic Party. Yes, facts are on our side. We know that President-elect Donald Trump’s economic plans only benefit a wealthy and privileged

minority of Americans, there is evidence to prove that states with abortion bans have much higher maternal death rates and we are absolutely certain that Trump’s proposed tariffs will hurt the American economy and likely raise inflation by two percentage points. As much as we can argue that our policies are better, our voters are smarter and our candidate is not a twice impeached, 34-time felony convicted rapist, it doesn’t change the fact that we have not connected with the majority of Americans. Democrats are being increasingly perceived as elite, upper-class yuppies who have the time to worry about trivial problems such as abortion, LGBTQ+ rights and the environment. I have certainly found myself standing on moral high ground when it comes to politics. I cannot fathom voting for a man who so blatantly disregards issues I consider to be essential to an ethical society. At the same time, I am aware of the fact that I have the privilege to consider ideas such as ethics and fairness, rather than the day-to-day worry of putting food on the table or paying rent.

Trump was able to engage with blue-collar workers by identifying with their rage and resentment around being disregarded and left out. Not because he identifies with them regarding their status, or lack thereof, but because he gives a voice to their anger. I believe this is because of his targeted labeling of educated people as the “other,” fueling the anger of the working

class. Put simply, his use of anti-intellectualism. What began as a critique of wealthy elites, has turned into a predominately far-right tactic used to control less educated voters. Trump’s systematic undermining of science and education has created a false distrust of the educated. For instance, when asked about the growing number of wildfires in California he responded with, “It’ll start getting cooler, you just watch.” When the interviewer responded with “I wish science agreed with you” he was quick to say “I don’t think science knows actually.” Similarly, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trump White House deliberately undermined pandemic response resulting in needless death. The Trump administration repeatedly blocked requests from the CDC to conduct public briefings about the pandemic for over three months. He also called health officials “idiots” and continually attacked Dr. Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, stating, “Fauci is a disaster. If I listened to him, we’d have 500,000 deaths.” Not only did he villainize health officials, but in his campaign for the 2020 election, he tried to dissuade voters from picking President Joe Biden by threatening that if elected, Biden would “listen to the scientists.”

While some may question the effectiveness or perhaps the conscious use of these tactics, it is understandable that voters who feel ignored

by the notoriously educated Democratic party would welcome a reason to undermine the validity of their precious information. “I love the poorly educated,” Trump said at a rally in Nevada. Even his chosen defense secretary, Pete Hagseth, caters to the poorly educated, saying, “the more elite the university and more advanced a graduate is, the dumber they are.” The critique of intellectualism successfully resonated with the majority of voters without a college degree. Though unfortunately, we know the lower class will bear the weight of Trump’s economic policies. Not only does Trump voice the grievances of Americans without a degree, but his campaign also spent more time addressing the problems that affect them the most. The average American does not have the time or the resources to consider the merit of a candidate’s policies about things that do not directly affect them. Educated and affluent citizens have the time to evaluate the ethical implications of each decision, whereas working-class Americans are left struggling just to make ends meet. Unwittingly, by becoming a party that proudly supports higher education and the nuances of policy, Democrats have ostracized, if even unintentionally, a majority of the country, despite being the party that can help them the most.

ZaraTerrazas-Graham,FCRH’26,is anEnglishmajorfromAustin,Texas.

Is It Too Early To Be Thinking About Christmas?

By BRIDGETTE LEAHY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Nov. 1 hits and “All I Want For Christmas” by Mariah Carey is blasting as you walk through HomeGoods. There you have it; you’re finally in the mood for some early Christmas shopping and cheer before when the first holiday occurs: Thanksgiving.

Some may argue that Christmas is a month and a half away and Thanksgiving should be valued before the holiday rejoices, but it will be the New Year before you know it. So take the time to celebrate the holiday season with our limited month and a half. We live in a commercialized society, as the capitalists believe that we must benefit from the limited time we have to celebrate until Christmas advertising and retail deals are out of the picture and into the New Year. If we go back in time, recall traditionalists like Karl Marx claiming that traditionalists want to maximize their limited time and resources, as we, as members of society, are a product of our environment. Regardless of developing

consciousness this holiday season that we live in a commercialized society, we are fully aware yet fully engaged in retailing and advertising since it makes most of the population happy — maximizing utility with a little sweet, festive, jolly, Starbucks cookie butter latte in the cold, dark, daylight-saving early winter you have on your way to your 8:30 a.m. class or studying for that upcoming math midterm. We live in a society where everyone maximizes their utility and minimizes disutility. As a result, we tend to lean towards capitalism to escape the disutility our current modern day suffers in. To prevent our disutility, the dark, cold, daylight-saving winters, we ask for a Christmas miracle to celebrate with new festive flavors and gifts to spread the holiday cheer. According to a press release, 74% of holiday decorators associate holiday decorating with joy. In response, HomeGoods, beginning Nov. 1, opens an hour earlier than usual, around 8:30 a.m., until the end of December.

In addition, we live in a

modernized society where social media plays a vast role in our day-to-day influences and interactions within the environment. With Grinch memes, TikToks of Christmas events to do, SantaCon or just Christmas music, we are bundled into the season once it hits the low 60 degrees of November.

Psychologically, I notice that people are friendlier and more connected during the holiday season. I cannot remember when so many families or mothers at HomeGoods complimented or asked for gift advice for a daughter or niece around my age. The holidays are about appreciating and cherishing those close to you, such as family and friends, and creating new memories. Some of the ways I like to cherish my memories with loved ones is by Christmas shopping, baking and activities. I get very excited when I sip hot cocoa in Bryant Park and view the several Christmas lights displays and decorations I plan to buy as gifts.

So, the question stands: when is a good time to start celebrating Christmas? I think

Unusually high fall temperatures reflect the climate crisis affecting our world.

Nov. 1 is the perfect day. The more enlightenment and positivity we can spread as a society, the more it is worth all the memories of holiday cheer. Even though we may fall into some sort of manipulation under the commercialized world of retailers, it brings people together and allows us to refrain and destress from hard times. In my opinion, the holidays are a time of year when I’m not reluctant to spend money, as I believe many of us work hard to save up and prioritize spending it on something worth it. With the many mixed emotions about the election, now is a perfect time to refrain from conflict and appreciate life. The purpose of Christmas is to give society a break, and as a college student in the middle of midterms, I’m here for it regardless of the month being November.

Bridgette Leahy, FCRH ’27, is a journalism major from Basking Ridge, N.J.

COURTESY OF GRACE CAMPBELL/THE FORDHAM RAM

The Democratic Party has become increasingly more associated with elitism.

COURTESY OF MARY HAWTHORN/THE FORDHAM RAM

CULTURE Christmas Lights Up at the Botanical Gardens

By SAMANTHA DIAZ STAFF WRITER

Have you walked by the Botanical Gardens lately and wondered why the trees were lit up in purple, orange and green? Well, that’s because they have recently set up a “Nightmare Before Christmas”-themed trail.

Just in time for Halloween, Christmas and the film’s anniversary, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” Light Trail is a fun and spooky-themed walking trail for fans of the movie. Visually, it’s a beautiful atmosphere that you’d want to take your time with, especially at night.

Refreshments, food and sweet treats were offered, in theme with Halloween and Christmas festivities. Apple cider donuts, pumpkin meringue tart and black and white cookies were some of the offerings they had for sweets.

When you approach the trail, you may jump at the huge projection of spiderwebs and evil pumpkin shadows within the trees. What makes them so terrifying is that, at first glance, you may not notice them until you see their size and movement.

The trail starts once you enter a huge lit-up pumpkin,

surrounded by the sound of bats flying, lights flashing in tune to the music and “This Is Halloween” playing from the speakers as you walk amongst the townspeople.

As you walk through Halloween Town, you will find yourself stopping at recognizable characters of the film. You’ll be able to pause, look and take pictures with your favorite characters, including Jack Skellington, Sally and the Pumpkin King. Each statue had unique decorations, such as a graveyard, red-colored bats and other familiar faces and decorations. The Mayor’s statue was the most unique, as his face changed from happy to sad in real-time whenever you approached him.

After a while, Halloween Town’s dark and gothic decorations transform into the happy and bright lights of Christmas Town; presents, Christmas trees and a much happier atmosphere. You’ll even get the chance to spot Sandy Claws before he gets taken to Halloween Town. As you walk through Christmas Town, you’ll be able to find normalcy. However, remnants of Halloween Town can still be found. Jack seems to have made it to Christmas Town in time to be dressed in his

Sandy Claws outfit and built like a snowman.

But of course, we still manage to get caught by the villain Oogie Boogie and his three little henchmen. His statue is by far the largest, masked in lighting that represents the spinning wheel that usually determines a person’s fate. It’s so huge, that you’re almost afraid to step too close in fear of having him decide your fate.

But my favorite part of the trail came at the end. We see the two main characters who we admire the most: Jack and Sally. We see their relationship fully blossomed as they are locked in a passionate dance, encompassing the romance and happiness that Sally yearns for throughout the movie.

For fans of “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” this is a light trail you don’t want to miss. There was no cheap effort by NYBG to capture the magic. The attention to detail in recreating the character designs was so good, it looked like they stepped straight out of the movie. The Botanical Gardens truly outdid itself in recreating the magic and beauty of the film.

When I attended the trail, I knew I was among true fans of the film. People were

Editor’s Pick|Film

dressed in “The Nightmare Before Christmas” merch, cosplayed as characters and singing along to the music as they walked along.

In my opinion, the best time to visit the trail is during the nighttime. If you’re looking to forget about the stresses

of finals or happen to be a big fan, you can head out at any time between 4-10 p.m. The light trail will be open until Dec. 1, and you can buy tickets online for any time slot. I really enjoyed my time on the light trail and I highly recommend it to all!

Facing Societal Pressures in “The Polite Society”

By SAISHA ISLAM OPINION EDITOR

Since I was a child, the sound of classical Bollywood songs has always been comforting and nostalgic. “Main Agar Kahoon” and “Koi Mil Gaya” served as part of the soundtracks that accompanied every family trip and picnic, and I had basically memorized the script to movies like “Kal Ho Na Ho” and “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.” As a South Asian kid growing up with immigrant parents, it felt like having a foot in two different worlds. While I loved movies growing up like “The Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series and “Home Alone,” it was also nice to have movies that presented plots differently and where the main character often broke out into catchy songs. The movie “Polite Society” bridges the gap between the two worlds expertly.

“Polite Society” is a story presented in five chapters about Ria Khan, a teenage girl aspiring to become a stunt woman under the name “The Fury,” who makes martial arts videos with the help of her older sister Lena in a channel called “Khan-fu” (seriously how awesome is that channel name?). Lena is most likely depressed and listless after dropping out of art school, a decision that

makes her “a brave girl” in the eyes of her parents. She wanders around the streets in her pajamas, smoking and eating a whole chicken while hiding from disapproving aunties; in other words, she is a relatable icon. The Khans are a middleclass Muslim Pakistani family in England and are presented with the nuance and care of one by Director Nida Manzoor.

After an invite to a pretentious Eid Soirée by Raheela, the queen of her circle who has a rich son named Salim whois a doctor who helps sick mothers and babies and is the most eligible bachelor in the neighborhood, Lena is swept into a short romance which becomes an engagement with plans of relocating to Singapore following the wedding. Ria watches in horror as her sister is transformed into a cardigan-wearing fiancee and decides that something is seriously wrong with Raheela and Salim, especially when they are overly interested about Lena’s fertility and strong womb.

“Polite Society” is a movie that combines elements of action movies and South Asian girlhood. There are elements of “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” and Bollywood songs like “Gulabhi Ankhen.” It is refreshing to see a Muslim family whose connection

to their faith is just that — a connection to faith. Ria and Lena’s parents are hilarious, a bit traditional, but wellmeaning. I giggle every time I hear Ria’s dad describe his daughter Lena’s marriage in terms of the economy where she is “outsourcing this responsibility to her parents for the best possible match.” Ria’s mom and her scarf when meeting with the other aunties is similarly relatable and funny and the backhanded insults towards her daughters from the other aunties to her daughters are deliciously petty: “Mashallah, at least they are pretty.” In what other movie would there be waxing presented as a torture method by Raheela to get Ria to stop interfering in Lena and Salim’s wedding? The fights in the movie are also coordinated impressively. For example, the battle between both sisters, dubbed “Khan vs. Khan,” is relatable to anyone who has siblings and the epic fight in Lena’s wedding where both sisters fight in beautiful and heavy wedding lehengas is a delight. “Polite Society” isn’t a perfect movie and it has its flaws, but it is very fun. More significantly, the message of “Polite Society” relates to confronting the pressures of the society around you. Ria’s ambition of becoming a stunt woman is laughed at

and not taken seriously. She is seen as a silly child with a wild imagination, even though she is the only one who realizes early on what is going on with Salim and Raheela. Similarly, Lena is seen as a disappointment for going to art school, and she is even more disappointed in herself for dropping out and not being able to paint anymore, viewing herself as not good enough to make it. Lena’s engagement to Salim is seen as the best thing to happen to her by the society around her, even though it is suspicious and incredibly fast. I mean, when asked to describe what he likes most about her, he says that she is “kind” which Ria immediately picks up as him not knowing anything about Lena. Lena is also relatable as someone in her 20s who is a bit lost and doesn’t know what she wants to do anymore. Her conflict regarding her future isn’t resolved in the end, but

she is at peace with just exploring and living in the moment, something that is realistic and hopeful. Raheela is also a relatable antagonist, a woman who feels she hasn’t lived up to her potential because of the time she was born in. But her antagonistic attitude towards both sisters and her view of Lena as just a “body” shows how she propagates the same patriarchy which harmed her.

“Polite Society” is about not sitting down and being polite all the time when confronted with unfair societal pressures. If you like “Polite Society” or want to see more media like it, I recommend checking out another series Manzoor directed called, “We Are Lady Parts” which is about a Muslim punk rock band called by the aforementioned title name. They write bangers and some songs I would check out are “Bashir with a Good Beard” and “Glass Ceiling Feeling.”

“Polite Society” is honest, humorous and just plain fun.

The NYBG are getting visitors in the holiday spirit.

By CLAIRE KRIEGER CULTURE EDITOR

I want to preface this article with what may be the biggest disclaimer that possibly could be made regarding New York City food. I understand people have setin-stone notions of what establishment makes the best bagel. There are so many factors contributing to this principal decision, such as what your go-to order is or if the bagel is merely the vessel or the star of the show. Regardless, this breakfast icon is something I have spent a lot of time trying to find the best of. I even have an Instagram account (@sexybagelsnyc, drop a follow) dedicated to my journey. But this does not make me the most qualified person to advise on bagel spots. I just have been to over 38 different bagel stores to figure it out for myself.

I am originally from Minneapolis, an area not typically known for its stellar bagels. Coming to Fordham University, the East Coast’s love of the breakfast staple was unknown to me. I was immediately hooked once I discovered the plethora of shops and delis dedicated to bagels. For the last three years, friends and family aided and participated in my love of bagels. I once

By CALEB STINE CULTURE EDITOR

My main goal in contributing to and editing the Culture section of The Fordham Ram has been to give Fordham University students a full understanding of the city that we have the privilege of studying in. There are so many nooks and crannies of New York and guides to the city these days are a dime a dozen.

Here is a tailored guide for Fordham students that lays out a weekend in New York, for Rams, by a Ram. Friday night, we’re skipping the bars and restaurants on Arthur Avenue. Trust me, you’ll be back next weekend and won’t miss them for a night or two. Take the Metro-North Railroad to Harlem-125th and follow the 6 train down to 77th Street on the Upper East Side. For the roughly one-third of Rams who are of age, pop into The Stumble Inn on 76th Street and 2nd Avenue. Perfect for a Knicks or Rangers game, there’s electricity and catchy tunes purposefully played during the commercials of big games to blend an ideal mix of pop music into the roars of New York sports fans. You can drink and eat (responsibly) here on a budget. Under 21 or with a

My NYC Bagel Bible

was in a public restroom at Fordham and a stranger gave me a double take and asked, “Aren’t you the girl from that bagel account?” One of the prouder moments of my life, truly.

However, as I prepare to go abroad to Paris next semester, the daunting reality of a bagel-less existence gets closer and closer. Am I being dramatic? Yes. France will open up new avenues of culture and cuisine to try that are not accessible in the United States. But I feel it is my duty to leave behind the culmination of my bageltasting experience in New York. The order of the bagel shops cannot be considered ranked as I have come to realize that each bagel store offers something better than the next. Whether it’s the cream cheese, the airiness or the taste of the bagel, there are pros and cons to each establishment. These places are worth the trip and have left an impression on my experience living in New York. Here are five places I truly think you should go, plus a few honorable mentions.

1. Brooklyn Bagels. Brooklyn Bagels consistently delivers warm, fresh bagels filled with wonderfully executed sandwich toppings. After going to so many of the bagel shops in the city, a

repeat is not unheard of for me. It’s hard not to want to fall back on Brooklyn Bagels, as my friends and I all agree that it offers an amazing bagel every time you go. A recommendation from my friend Kailee is to get their freshly made orange juice. It offers a cherry on top to the breakfast experience.

2. Absolute Bagels

Would this truly be a trustworthy list if Absolute Bagels was not on it? Located on the Upper West Side, this is the definition of a no-frills establishment. It’s cash-only, and plan for a line when you go. You are going for the bagels in this instance, which are soft and not overwhelmingly huge. Nearby is the Grand Bazaar, so grab a bagel, hop on the D train and spend the morning looking through all the vendors.

3. Ess-A-Bagel

I did a school project on this store for a class last year and met the owner, so I feel I have a personal connection to this spot. It helps that their bagels are amazing every time I go. This is most likely one of my top repeats and I do not think anyone could say this place is bad. I always say it’s touristy, but it’s touristy for a reason.

4. Best Bagel and Coffee

The Penn Station district of Manhattan is always an

overstimulating experience for me when I’m in the area. One of the only things that makes the trip worthwhile is Best Bagel and Coffee. I was thrown off by the name the first time I went but was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. If you are catching a train home or loitering in the Garment District, this hidden storefront offers huge, fluffy bagels and quick service, perfect for all.

5. Shelsky’s of Brooklyn Shelsky’s is a sentimental choice for me. I went my freshman year when I met my parents in Brooklyn during a day I did not have classes. The trip was not impromptu for them, but it was fate they came during one of my worst bouts of homesickness that year.

The atmosphere was a classic Jewish deli that served up an authentic, cannot-miss bagel. A place filled with memories of good food and company that I am sure you can replicate. Before wrapping up, I would like to give honorable mentions to Tompkins Square Bagels, David’s Bagels, Russ and Daughters as well as Knickerbocker Bagel. All good bagels, but these other spots are special in my heart. If you disagree with me, you are probably right. If you adamantly believe Simon’s Deli has the best bagels, I support you in that decision (sort of)! I just want to impart some bagel shops that have added to my experience at Fordham. There’s no right or wrong answer; just enjoy your bagel!

A Perfect Weekend in New York

mixed-age group? Make a play at Jones Wood Foundry on 76th Street and 1st Avenue, a cozy pub with British favorites and an outstanding Shepherd’s pie. Offering a warm ambiance, Jones Wood is ideal in the coming colder months.

While doing something on a budget on the Upper East may seem like an oxymoron, Tha Phraya of 81st Street and 2nd Avenue joins Stumble Inn in proving this sentiment wrong. The Thai spot has fantastic service, a can’t-go-wrong menu and an energetic atmosphere that is neither pretentious nor boring. If you play your cards right, you’re out of there for under $35.

Saturday morning, take a trek to Brooklyn. The best casual brunch in the city is waiting for you at Park Slope’s Little Purity diner on 12th Street and 7th Avenue. Get the challah French toast. I’m totally not considering skipping class to go down there right now to get some. Tip some of the best service I’ve seen in any restaurant well here and you’ll still only be down $25 at most. Walk up 7th Avenue at a leisurely pace (you can do that in Brooklyn!) and dip into Prospect Park before spending an hour or two at the Brooklyn Museum. A standout exhibit on display until

late January is the Brooklyn Artists Exhibition, uniting over 200 artists of the borough to display their diverse array of work.

The permanent collection of the museum is phenomenal as well. Their American Art Gallery on the fifth floor is fantastic and combines visual art with insightful New York history incredibly. Even the most casual museum-goer will be pleased.

Towards the late afternoon, fuel your commute back to Rose Hill with a slice or two from Joe & Sal’s just two blocks away. Barstool’s Dave Portnoy rates this an 8.1 and pizza and soda is always an economical and tasty move, if not just classic Brooklyn.

Sunday morning is a buttoned-up brunch on 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue. Harvest American Bistro (previously called Harvest Kitchen and still called that according to Google Maps), is one of my favorite lunch and dinner spots in New York because you can throw on a sweater, button down or any smart-casual outfit, dine on Columbus Avenue and easily avoid a bank alert for spending too much. The steak and eggs get my endorsement, but the menu is classic new American brunch that will be loved by all.

Walk seven blocks over to the New York Historical Society. The museum is dense and not overwhelming. Admittedly, even though I love writing, I hate reading. Which is why it’s worth noting that I read every single word of the Robert Caro exhibit the last time I went. Caro’s monumental work, “The Power Broker” is honored with a 50th anniversary exhibit of the book that is critically informative and masterfully curated. An exhibit showcasing the role of “Pets and the City” is in their halls until April and paints a picture of the relationship pets have had with New York for centuries. Spend no more than two hours here and you’ll

still be consumed with a wealth of New York knowledge.

To cap off the weekend, take a late-afternoon Ram Van back to Rose Hill and grab a bite at a familiar dig. A Burning Beaks chicken tender combo perhaps? A Rams Reuben or a Super Best Chopped Genius? Any move is the right one, except White Castle.

Humbly, I think this is a great guide for students who respect our role as sort-of half-residents of New York. We’re all equipped with fouryear visas to the greatest city in the world, that may be renewed when we graduate, but might not. Let’s not let them go to waste.

COURTESY OF CLAIRE KRIEGER/THE FORDHAM RAM

The Upper West Side brownstones are some of my favorite buildings in the city.

COURTESY OF CALEB STINE/THE FORDHAM RAM

Bagel Market, just outside the doors of Grand Central, is superb.

“Suffs” Offers Entertainment And Enlightenment

By IMOGEN BUCK CONTRIBUTING WRITER

As an avid theatergoer, “Suffs” has been one of my most anticipated shows for a while now, and I recently got the opportunity to see it. In the wake of the election, I was hesitant to go see a show with such a current and poignant message, but it ended up hitting perfectly, with a mix of devastation and hope echoing from both the cast and audience. The Tony Award-winning musical depicts the decadeslong suffragist movement that led to the passing of the 19th Amendment in 1920, as well as all of the women who participated in the movement and saw it through. It specifically follows Alice Paul, Ruza Wenclawska, Lucy Burns, Inez Milholland and Doris Stevens as they fight for the change they want to see and the sacrifices they make to improve their status in society.

The show begins with a song sung by Jenn Colella’s character, Carrie Chapman Catt, advocating to “let mother vote,” which instantly transports the viewer into the society. Soon after, the National American Woman Suffrage Association leader meets Alice Paul, who challenges all of her preconceived notions of how the movement should be done. Carrie believes in

advocating peacefully, but Alice believes that the only way to change the world is to speak out, and decides to hold a march against the way the government is addressing suffrage. She then enlists Lucy, Ruza and Inez to help with the job, and the group begins their fight. The format of the show works in a similar fashion to “Hamilton,” narrating a historical story with understandable characters and modern songs, in order to communicate the continuation of historical themes in the modern day, and the impact that the lesser thoughtabout figures in history have on modern society.

Shaina Taub is both the writer of the show and the star, performing eight times a week as Alice, the protagonist. The writing of the show works really well by sticking with historical ideas whilst wording things in a more understandable way for a wide audience, young and old. The historical events depicted are simplified without losing their meaning, and the characters are depicted in a way that allows them more depth than basic cartoons, like many musical theater characters tend to be. The character of Inez is fierce, strong and feisty, and contrasts the more subdued nature of Alice. Lucy provides a level-headed side to Alice’s ambition, and Ruza

adds comedic relief. The actors deliver the lines with a perfect mix of power and emotion, whilst also keeping it light at times.

Something that made the show so excellent was the striking power and message that it conveyed. There was a sense of unity amongst audience members that connected everyone, young and old, regardless of differences. The cast and audience also felt so connected because of the message of the show, and it somehow broke the fourth wall without doing anything at all. I could not think of a better or more prevalent show to see, especially this month.

The set of the show was simple but it worked perfectly to highlight the performers, whilst complementing their performances by providing visuals to match the story without distracting them. They were basic, but had a lot of variation from scene to scene, and a lot of the elements were very powerful within the story. The lighting design was also excellent, and I loved how they utilized shadow in the marches to highlight the masses that arrived rather than show specific figures. The sound design was also excellent, and even from the back of the orchestra, their voices echoed perfectly, especially during the finale, a song called “Keep Marching,” when all of

the instruments dropped out so that it was just their voices. The design of the sound, especially at this moment, was amazing.

The score of the show was memorable, and I still find myself singing tunes from the show days later. The repetitive nature of it worked very well with the storyline because it tied together lots of different women and times. Songs like “The Young Are at the Gates” and “Great American Bitch” were standouts that helped to elevate the story to another level. Songs like “I Was Here” and “Show Them Who You Are” have messages that resonate with people beyond the show’s context as well. There are very few musicals that have the power to resonate with everyone in a room,

and I don’t think I’ve been in a theater with as many people emotional over a show as this one.

“Suffs” is a show that I would highly recommend seeing, as I believe it is a show that everyone can relate to and connect with, considering today’s political climate, regardless of political affiliation. Standout performers like Hannah Cruz (Inez), Jenn Colella (Carrie) and Shaina Taub (Alice) create a story that is memorable, striking and timeless. There was something so powerful about seeing a cast entirely made up of women perform on Broadway in a show as influential as this one, and it is something everyone should experience before they close on Jan. 5.

Glitter’s Annual Holiday Resurgence

By KAILEY SIODOGA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Come December, glitter, sequins and shimmer take over as we transition into the holiday season. From sparkling party dresses and shiny festive wear, something about the “magic” of glitter makes it so indispensable during this time of year. Many people have a certain love for holiday wear, enjoying shimmery outfits and accessories that carry a sense of joy, one that feels unique to the season. But once the festivities’ are over, it quickly reverts to being seen as childish, outdated and tacky — a style that is no longer embraced and rather avoided.

This close tie between glitter and holiday celebration is a result of a history in which the fabric has been used as an emblem of the excitement, festivity and warmth that define the holiday atmosphere.

Serving as a statement piece, it is often the perfect way to add to the joy that comes with celebration. Festive aesthetics of Christmas lights, holiday decorations and even the glam of New

Year’s Eve, all help reserve a place for glitter during this time of year. Especially as we head into the colder, darker months, the holiday season is an exciting time to look forward to. This desire that builds as we get closer to Christmas time provides the exception for the glitzy wardrobe to come out and exemplify the experience of the holidays.

Additionally, wintertime makes it easy to incorporate and embrace glitter in your wardrobe. Designer brands like Prada, Never Fully Dressed and Birger Christensen release holiday collections to add to the appeal of festive wear. The hosting of holiday parties or family and friend get-togethers provide special events where it is acceptable, if not encouraged, to show off the shimmery pieces in your closet. Pop culture also influences this trend through many TV shows and music videos using sparkly clothing as a representation of the holiday season. Whether it’s the Christmas episodes of “Sex and the City” that almost always have Carrie Bradshaw in iconic, glitzy outfits, or Mariah Carey’s new “All I Want For Christmas”

music video that shows her background dancers in silver, shimmery skirts, glitter generally enters the fashion landscape once we pass Thanksgiving.

Post-holiday, as we fall into glitter’s “off-season”, it becomes increasingly unacceptable in everyday wear due to its flashy nature. An outfit that aligns with Christmas spirit transitions to being overly extravagant and just rather juvenile. Unless it is connected to a festive occasion, sequins typically stay put away, or else you risk a failed attempt at maximalism. This is likely because of the conflict between glitter’s bold reputation and the modern trends of minimalism, simple neutrals and a classy aesthetic.

As a way to assimilate glitter into the current everyday trends, designers have attempted to rebrand glitter to make it more wearable and sophisticated. By incorporating sequins in subtle, muted ways or using them as an accessory rather than the centrality of the outfit, we have seen some modern moments of glittery fashion. Many designers even use sustainability as a reason to take on this

attempt at reviving sequined clothing. Developing more eco-friendly options in an effort to make glitter biodegradable, a campaign of pushing environment-conscious fashion choices could help distance glitter from its typical holiday correlation.

Glitter’s cyclical return for the holiday season creates a stigma that the fun,

flashy fabric is only trendy for times of festivity. As the role of glitter evolves, there is always a chance it will find its way into mainstream fashion. Though even if it remains a holiday clothing staple, the addition of glitter into your closet can provide a bold and unique twist to your wardrobe, wintertime or not.

Glitter can be repurposed in effort to emphasize sustainable fashion.

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

“Suffs” is a perfect pick me up after the turmoil of the election.

GSB ’26

Fordham Junior Navigates College Life

By JONAH RING SPORTS EDITOR

There are likely very few individuals who are as busy as Liam Volz, GSB ’26, walking about the greystone confines of Fordham University’s Rose Hill campus. To be sure, while such a statement may indeed initially sound hyperbolic, should anybody have the opportunity to spend just a few minutes sitting and chatting with Volz, they will quickly come to find out just how much the junior actually has on his plate — Volz’s schedule is crammed full of the various commitments that come with being a star studentathlete on Fordham’s track and field team, a rather full course load that stems from his enrollment in the Gabelli School of Business Honors Program, a demanding, yet worthwhile, finance internship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and all the other unexpected craziness that life throws at you. Bluntly, in Volz’s own words, “I’m pretty busy.”

However, despite having

to navigate this full schedule that would certainly best and cripple the vast majority of the student body, Volz has managed to maintain and cultivate what is potentially the calmest and most easy-going disposition on campus — none of his close friends can seem to recall a time where he outwardly let stress or anxiety get the best of him in any way. Additionally, and potentially more impressively, Volz has also cultivated an impressive work-life balance that most people can only dream of, the junior regularly taking the time to explore and enjoy almost every single inch of our metropolis’ five boroughs: “I love exploring New York — one of my favorite things to do is finding a place in the city that’s quiet and doing work there for a change of scenery. I like to give myself at least one day a week where I can get out, leave campus for a bit and not think about school or anything.”

As a result of all this, Volz has become a model in dealing with stressful

and overwhelming situations par excellence to those around him, his calm in the face of an undeniably daunting schedule functioning for all as a potential guide on how to successfully navigate the challenges of being an uber-busy college student in New York City. When asked directly about what sorts of pointers he would give to others so that they may achieve his level of zen and time-management mastery, Volz offered up the following bit of sage advice: “Honestly, my biggest tip is making your own planner and taking pride in it. It seems small, but having a place where you can write down every assignment and cross things off can be satisfying and help you stay well-organized. It’s especially helpful when professors give you an entire course schedule with the syllabus at the beginning of the year. However, most importantly, don’t ever put school or work commitments over your mental or physical health.”

Finally, in terms of what is next for Volz, his schedule is

not likely to get any easier or lighter in the coming months. He is set to work through the demanding course load and course work that Gabelli’s Honors Program requires, and he will continue to grow into his leadership role on Track and Field. Potentially most exciting (and daunting), however, is the fact that Volz is going to begin a highly prestigious corporate banking internship at the Royal Bank of Canada once his time at Memorial

Sloan Kettering comes to a close. However, in his typical fashion, Volz does not seem fazed by the prospect of such a demanding future schedule, instead taking up and practicing a monk-like zenness in reference to what’s yet to come — “I’m just taking life one step at a time,” he said. “I’m very much looking forward to my internship next summer and for the classes I registered for next semester, but I always try to live in the present instead of thinking about what’s next.”

“Washington Roast” Debut Makes Its Mark

By HAILEY BAKER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The current political state of our country is filled with turmoil and strife. This especially reigns true with the recent results of the United States presidential election, causing severe polarization across party lines. In response to this tense atmosphere, “The Washington Roast” provides audience members with a much-needed opportunity to escape from political seriousness, offering a lighthearted, friendly atmosphere through comedic roasts.

“The Washington Roast” recently made its Times Square debut at Bond 45 on Nov. 2,, directly across from the Richard Rodgers Theatre where “Hamilton” plays on Broadway. The DCist describes the show as “[‘Saturday Night Live’] on steroids,” and for good reason. The show follows an unconventional tournamentstyle format, where comedians impersonate popular U.S. politicians and face each other head-to-head in roast battles. The winner of the individual roast battle advances further in the bracket, competing with other “politicians” who advanced, overall striving to come out as the ultimate victor.

The show was founded by Tim Kardashian, who also serves as the group’s executive producer, in April 2019. Kardashian named the first show the group performed,

“The Unofficial White House Correspondents Dinner,” a spin off on the genuine White House Correspondents Dinner. Kardashian got the idea after President-elect Donald Trump announced that there would not be a comedian attending the dinner. “The brilliant comedian Michelle Wolf did such a fantastic job of roasting Donald Trump the year before that they decided she had taken it too far,” Kardashian said. Simultaneously, Kardashsian was “just coming up in the comedy world, so [he] decided to put together a roast of comedians playing politicians in an unfiltered, uncensored way.”

The group also largely focuses on giving back to the Washington, D.C., metropolitan community that plays a large part in supporting the show. Currently, the group has raised over $12,000 for various causes including Hilarity for Charity, Seth Rogan’s foundation raising money for Alzhimer’s Disease, Comics for Kamala, which played a large role in supporting the presidential candidate, and the Capital Area Food Bank which strives to combat hunger in D.C. Cast member Rashee Raj, who impersonated Vice President Kamala Harris at the New York show, has been involved with the show from its early stages. She learned about the show from a Washington Post article in 2019. “I loved the show and

the concept, and reached out to Tim [Kardshian], who I knew from doing one of his mics in the past,” Raj said. “I pitched myself to him as Kamala Harris, who had just announced a run for president. I sent him a short video impression of her and we went from there!”

Raj’s connections to Harris go beyond impersonation. While Raj has played numerous characters, like Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy and Usha Vance, her favorite is Kamala. “I feel like we have the most in common,” said Raj. “Both South Asian former prosecutors. I’ve been an assistant district attorney and an assistant attorney general. I’m basically the less ambitious junior varsity Kamala.” Raj’s connection to Harris enhances the authenticity of her portrayal, bringing a unique perspective to her role.

It was especially impactful for Raj to bring her character to New York City. “I love performing in NYC,” Raj explained. “It means so much, it feels like we’ve made it. The show feels different there, like it has more gravity. The crowd was smart and engaged. They seem pretty much as plugged into politics as D.C.”

Todd Fleming, the “Roast Judge” and co-host of the show, along with Kardashian, agreed with Raj. “Performing in New York has been the best addition to our journey,” Fleming said. “Doing a show across the street

from ‘Hamilton,’ ‘Wicked’ and ‘Harry Potter’ makes you feel that much closer to the big lights.”

He further explained the significant journey the show has gone on and the extent it has developed throughout the years. “In the beginning, we were still getting our footing so to speak. We had a lot more people who would be there for only a show or two,” Fleming said. “Now, we have a pretty steady group of folks who are basically [at] every show. We also understand how to make the show flow much better now and that gives the audience the best experience.”

While Kardashian has never had any formal goals for the show, he hopes it progresses and reaches an even wider audience. “Being in the space that we are, a comedy for the people, by the people

speaking the language of us as a group, to rise to the occasion is upon us now,” Kardashian said.

One of the main points of the show though has always been to help bridge together divisions. “Post-election, I know some people who need humor to dissuade existential dread,” original cast member Jon Yeager said. “I think there’s also a healing element to it and can help mend fences. I think that people can look at satire but also connect on poignancy and interconnectivity together. Also, laughter may be the best medicine if RFK Jr. is the Health Czar.”

If you would like to see the show, “The Washington Roast” is performing again in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 3. They plan to return to New York City soon. Keep an eye out on their website for exact dates.

COURTESY OF JONAH RING/THE FORDHAM RAM Volz exemplifies how to manage school while still prioritizing yourself.

CULTURE

“Much Ado About Nothing” With A Modern Take

By IMOGEN BUCK CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Mimes and Mummers impressively pulled off an ambitious Shakespeare show, “Much Ado About Nothing,” in only five weeks. The production is a romantic comedy brimming with banter and chemistry.

The story takes place in Messina, Italy, where Leonata (Courtney Cole, FCRH ’28) lives with his daughter Hero (Emma Sheridan, FCRH ’26) and his niece Beatrice (Emma Carey, FCRH ’28). The beginning of the play sets up the conflict immediately by announcing the arrival of Leonata’s war friends, Don John (Alex Greenberg, FCRH ’28, who also played Dogberry), Claudio (Ian Montero, FCRH ’28) and Benedick (Greg Dalietos, FCRH ’28). Upon arriving, Claudio immediately falls in love with Hero while Benedick and Beatrice argue with quick-wit and unmistakable tension. When Claudio and Hero are set to marry, everyone else decides to make Benedick and Beatrice fall in love with each other. Everyone but Don Juan attempts to sabotage the marriage and thus foil the plans to make Benedick and Beatrice fall in love.

Although the show had modern twists, the Shakespearean era was dominant on the stage. Shakespeare often reveled in dramatic irony and, at the time, “Much Ado About

Nothing” promoted thoughtful insight into relationships and marriage. Now, this “insight” is more humorous than insightful, which allowed the actors to play around with the script and their diction.

Carey began the play. She immediately drew the audience in with Beatrice’s fiery lines and reserved yet confident body language. Even though this was her first nonmusical show, she performed as if she had been on Collin’s Auditorium stage for years.

Becoming one with the character being portrayed is a vigorous task. Carey explained the physical portion of her pre-show rituals: “Before shows I personally get into character by making sure I do a good warm up. This involves warming up my voice and saying some tongue twisters.”

Like many Shakespeare shows, the fourth wall was often broken. Some actors walked through the audience to reach the stage and others sat on the edge of the stage. The surprise might make it seem as if this were improvised, but behind every entrance and exit, there is a technician following the script, cueing actors and other technicians. Every light that changes, scene that shifts and song that plays is often backed by the “okay” of Stage Manager Nora Malone, FCRH ’27, and Assistant Stage Manager Christian Phillips, FCRH ’26. Phillips explained what being

an assistant stage manager was like during rehearsal: “During rehearsal, I help get the cast together and make sure to take blocking notes with Nora. After every rehearsal, I make rehearsal reports by taking notes from all the departments and like what needs to be focused on.”

Whenever an actor exits the stage, they are met with technicians and other actors in wait for their cue to re-enter. During the shows, Phillips worked on stage left which allowed him to watch the coming and going of actors and technicians alike. He explained the mystery of backstage, saying, “It’s so exciting because the actors come off and they’re giddy or they’re nervous, and it’s just so fun to see behind the scenes how they can put on the face of their character one second and then come out of it the next.”

Every working piece was originally put together by Director Emilia Lirman and Assistant Director Emily Roca, FCRH ’27. They worked together to reimagine the classic play into two hours and 30 minutes of love, deception and insight with modern music twists. A Chappell Roan “HOT TO GO!”-inspired dance break was even included, which sent gasps and hysterical clapping throughout the crowd.

“We wanted to modernize it to link it with all of the modern costumes and the modern set,” said Roca. “So, the instrumental versions

were more of a joke and to evade copyright.” She also said that she thought these versions worked out better for the show, emphasizing its silly and whimsical nature. Roca has previously directed a show for Fordham Experimental Theater playwrights, so directing is not new to her. However, she explained that Mimes and Mummers had more of a professional feeling, even with family-like technicians and actors. “Assistant directing this show, like any creative position, there were ups and downs,” she said. “Obviously, you have really good days where actors know their lines, cues are listened to, and sound cues are hit. Sometimes lighting cues get missed, and sound cues get missed, and actors sometimes blank. Yet,

no matter what day it is, there is a beautiful kind of chaos, and I love it so much.”

Mimes and Mummers was founded in 2004 with the goal of preserving the legacy of one of the oldest collegiate theater companies in the nation. Phillips expressed that if someone is interested in joining Mimes and Mummers, or any other theater production at Fordham, they can just come check it out and get involved. “There’s such an amazing community within theater and within the mimes, it is just so much fun,” Phillips said. “I just want people to walk away from this show with an appreciation for theater,” Carey added. “Even if you just leave the show happy to have seen it is all that I could ask for.”

By KARI WHITE CULTURE EDITOR

Mimes and Mummers made an entertaining take on the Shakespeare play.

COURTESY OF CHRISTIAN PHILLIPS

Fordham Water Polo Hunts Fourth Straight MAWPC Title… and More

By LOU ORLANDO ASST. SPORTS EDITOR EMERITUS

Since the fall of 2021, Fordham University Water Polo has done one thing — win.

The Rams are the winners of three straight Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) titles and three straight automatic bids into the NCAA Men’s Water Polo Championship. Prior to 2021, the program had never won a conference championship — now it’s expected.

Fordham enters the MAWPC championship this weekend as the overwhelming favorite, donned the top seed after finishing the regular season as the only undefeated team in NCAA water polo with a spotless 28-0 record.

The Rams currently rank No. 3 overall in the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) national polls, the highest ranking ever given to a non-California program. It’s unprecedented, particularly for an East Coast program that lacked national relevance just over a decade ago.

It’s not hard to pinpoint the catalyst of Fordham’s meteoric rise to a national powerhouse.

“It didn’t start just in September when we had our first game,” head coach Brian Bacharach remarked. “This group of seniors specifically has been working towards this moment, this season, for four years.”

At the forefront are a trio of superstars who ushered the Rams into a new era of water polo.

George Papanikolaou, Jacopo Parrella and Lucas Nieto Jasny, now all seniors, arrived in the Bronx in the fall of 2021 and wasted no time getting acclimated.

Parrella was a First Team AllMAWPC selection, leading the Rams with 124 goals and 67 assists. Nieto Jasny finished second in all scoring categories. And last but certainly

not least, Papanikolaou tallied a team-high 74 goals en route to being named the MAWPC Rookie of the Year and an All-American Honorable Mention.

Each member of the trio has recorded at least 50 goals and 100 points in their first three seasons in New York. And their impact transcends the pool that lies within the Francis B. Messmore Aquatic Center.

All three hail from overseas — Papanikolauo from Greece, Nieto Jasny from Spain and Parrella from Italy. This integration of foreign recruits has opened the Rams up to a hotbed of water polo talent and made Fordham one of the top American destinations for European talent.

Parrella was able to recruit senior Luca Silvestri, a former teammate of his in Italy who transferred over as a sophomore and led the Rams in goals last season. With every year, it seems as if the talent level of the new recruits rises.

Look no further than two impact freshmen, Luca Provenziani (Italy) and Andras Toth (Hungary), who have quickly risen to stardom much

Athletes of the Week

Senior Football

Donaldson Graduate Student Women’s Basketball

In a season where the Rams have fallen dishearteningly short of expectations in almost every which way, individual acts of heroism really can go a long way in keeping a downtrodden team motivated. Senior defensive back Trey Bradford may have just provided one of these crucial moments this past weekend during the Rams’ 31-3 victory against the Hoyas of Georgetown University. During his run-back of his own interception in the fourth quarter, Bradford would make the ridiculous heads-up play of lateralling the ball back to his teammate junior Alex Kemper after pulling his hamstring, allowing Kemper to run back the pick for a massive, game-sealing six for Fordham University. Besides this amazing play, Bradford additionally recorded a solid three tackles and singular, but all-important, pass break up.

After sadly missing the Rams’ first couple of games, graduate student Taylor Donaldson came back this past week with a vengeance during the second week of Fordham University’s non-conference campaign. As was expected, the alwaysreliable guard’s leadership and skill proved to be invaluable for the Rams, her presence and impressive stat-lines (Donaldson not only recorded a respectable eight points, five boards and one steal against the Pirates of Seton Hall University, but also netted an impressive 21 points, six steals and four boards against the Peacocks of Saint Peter’s University) being a major reason as to why the ladies in maroon managed to go 2-0 against some very high-quality competition.

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

like their predecessors.

Provenziani leads the Rams in scoring with 77 goals and 129 points. Toth is right behind him with 72 goals and 101 points, both second on the team. Keep in mind, that’s on a star-studded roster with no shortage of all-conference selections. It just speaks to the level of talent Fordham is landing from overseas.

Over half of Fordham’s Roster (13 of 25) consists of non-Americanborn players, including a team-high four players from Hungary. This injection of foreign talent has helped the Rams go on a rampage of utter domination in the MAWPC.

Including championship play, Fordham has won their last 50 MAWPC games and boasts a 61-1 conference record since the start of 2021.

Despite that dominance, success at the highest level has eluded them.

The Rams are winless in their three trips to the NCAA tournament so far, the first two seasons falling to East Coast powerhouse Princeton University in the opening round before earning a bid straight to the quarterfinals last year, where they fell to the No. 2-seeded University of

California Golden Bears.

But this year feels a little different.

The Rams have spent the last three seasons in the shadow of Princeton, the cream of the crop in the east for the better part of a decade. That mantle is seemingly shifting as the Rams defeated the Tigers 12-9 in the Bronx back in September and currently outrank them by three spots.

Plus, Fordham is making waves that should cause the California programs to proceed with caution.

The Rams have 11 wins over ranked opponents this season, five of which were based in California, the nation’s top state for water polo.

Most notably, Fordham defeated a University of the Pacific team that was ranked No. 4 in the nation at the time of play by a score of 17-13.

Bacharach designed a difficult schedule for his squad, and they proved themselves to be more than up for the challenge.

But while the regular season has been shaped by winning, the only type of winning that matters for this squad is one that ends in a championship.

“We came from zero,” said

Papanikolaou speaking to Fox 5 NY. “Fordham, before my class came, they didn’t win anything. And now we have three championships in a row. And now we’re going for the fourth. And now we’re going strong for the NCAAs.”

The MAWPC Championship begins this Friday and goes until Sunday, with the Rams boasting the No. 1 seed. If they advance, as expected, they will travel to Stanford, California for the NCAA Championship, which starts on Dec. 6.

During my freshman year, I ran into Thomas Lercari, now a senior and the Rams starting goalkeeper, in the midst of what became their first championship season.

At one point in our conversation, I asked him if he thought Fordham could win an NCAA title. He paused, chuckled and told me, “maybe senior year.”

The Rams have a chance to turn that vision into reality.

Fordham is no stranger to winning. But there are levels to winning. The Rams have an opportunity to achieve the ultimate victory — an NCAA title. And they have the talent to do it.

Trey Bradford

Taylor

Football

Men’s and Women’s Swimming

Sienna 7:30 p.m.

Men’s Basketball Water Polo

Wesleyan/ Connecticut College

Bucknell Invitational

Women’s Basketball

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Water Polo clinched a top seed at the MAWPC Championship. The team gained national recognition for their undefeated season, which has seen them take down high-ranked opponents.

Women’s Basketball Victorious in Donaldson’s Return

JOE HENRY ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

While the Fordham University Women’s Basketball started strong thanks to contributions from its myriad of freshmen and transfer students, they had a secret weapon yet to be deployed. As nonconference play wanes on, this weapon, Taylor Donaldson, has returned to the lineup in emphatic fashion.

Donaldson led the entire Atlantic 10 in scoring last year, averaging 17.9 PPG. She carried the Rams to the nine seed in the conference tournament and was snubbed from the All-A-10 First Team, earning an All-A-10 Second Team mention in her first year at Fordham.

Now a graduate student, Donaldson is looking to finish what she started. After nursing an injury for the team’s first two games, she returned off the bench in a restricted role for the Rams’ first away game of the season, a Tuesday, Nov. 12 tilt with Seton Hall University in New Jersey.

The Pirates, a Power 5 opponent and member of the loaded Big East conference, overpowered the Rams to the tune of a 67-44 rout. Donaldson was held to 20 minutes but posted an impactful eight-point, fiverebound statline. Graduate transfer Irene Murua put up the exact same numbers in a starting role, where she’s emerged as the team’s leading frontcourt player and a perfect replacement for Aminata Ly, who graduated last year.

Elsewhere, junior Rose Nelson, who’s been playing through a right-hand injury, managed to make an impact on the boards, hauling in seven to lead all Rams. While the injury to her shooting hand seems to have hindered her ability and willingness to shoot, she seems poised to step into a larger role offensively once healthy. “I definitely want to be in a bigger role on the offensive end,” said Nelson before the season. “Coach B has put me in a more versatile role this year; I’m gonna be playing the 3, 4 and 5.”

Despite Nelson’s authority on the glass, the game was lost in the turnover battle. Seton Hall forced

26 off Fordham, in part allowing them to take a whopping 22 more shots than the Rams in the game. Though Fordham shot an uberefficient 50% from the floor while holding Seton Hall to just 36%, Seton Hall had 66 attempts to Fordham’s 44.

The Rams returned to form for a Friday night tilt with Saint Peter’s University back at the Rose Hill Gym. From the tip, Fordham set the tone. They alternated between zone and man full-court presses, forcing seven turnovers in the period. The defense effort was led by Donaldson — making her first start — and junior Chaé Harris, who had three in the frame. They dominated the glass, too, earning extra possessions by hauling in four offensive rebounds to the Peacocks’ zero.

Fordham didn’t let up in the second, which opened up with a Donaldson steal and score. Donaldson compelled the Rams to a 38-25 lead with 14 points in the frame. She managed to nab five steals in the quarter alone, tying her career-high for an entire game.

Murua anchored the team inside, demonstrating her versatility by finishing layups off post spins to both the right and left. The game’s top highlight again came from the vision of junior guard Taya Davis, who unleashed her signature overthe-shoulder pass from halfcourt into the paint, finding junior transfer Emma Wilson-Saltos for her first two points as a Ram.

The team shot 9/18 in the quarter for 26 points, forcing eight more giveaways and bringing the Peacocks’ halftime turnover total to 15.

The Peacocks weren’t content to be blown out, though. Sophomore Fatmata Janneh single-handedly willed SPU back into the game, exploding for 20 points in the second half. Beyond Janneh, the Peacocks burst out of the locker room with a 10-0 run, making it 38-35 in a matter of two minutes and 38 seconds.

Fordham had no answer for Janneh’s three-level scoring presence, as she led St. Peter’s to a 6/10 team shooting performance in the third, including four 3-pointers, narrowing the score to 47-42 through 30 minutes of play.

Men’s Soccer: Down but Not Out

By GRIFFIN STEVENSON ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

The Fordham University men’s soccer team saw its Atlantic 10 campaign come to an end last Wednesday at Baujan Field in Dayton, Ohio, when they lost to the second-seeded University of Dayton Flyers 2-0.

It only took Dayton five minutes to take the lead when graduate defender Hjalti Sigurdsson headed home an inswinging corner from sophomore midfielder Martin Bakken. Graduate defender Thomas Gray was close to equalizing for the Rams shortly after, but the crossbar denied his header to keep the Flyers ahead. The hosts added a cushion to their lead in the 69th minute with a long-range strike from senior forward Ethan Sassine that beat graduate goalkeeper Carter Abbott.

The Rams were outshot 30-13 on the night, with the junior and A-10 Midfielder of the Year Daniel D’Ippolito leading the way for the Rams with five attempts. If it’s any consolation to the Rams, their defeat

Fordham, meanwhile, cooled off from the floor. They shot just 3/12 in the frame, scoring just two 3-pointers, including one off a pretty Donaldson skip pass to an open Harris on the right wing. The team struggled to get good looks, largely because their best playmaker Davis missed the entire second half for undisclosed reasons.

The suddenly tight fourth quarter began in sluggish fashion, with both clubs exchanging empty possessions. The ever-reliable Murua took matters into her hands at the seven-minute mark, rolling towards the basket for an electric and one, causing an eruption from a decently packed Rose Hill Gym. Janneh continued her onslaught though, eventually burying a jumper to cut the Rams’ lead to 55-53.

With the game hanging in the balance, it was the veterans, Murua and Donaldson, who stepped up in the clutch. Murua operated in the restricted area before making a beautiful dump-off pass to a cutting junior Kaila Berry, who finished the and one. Of course, Janneh answered right back by walking into a triple, keeping the deficit at just two, 58-56, with two minutes to play.

Janneh then hauled in her 11th rebound of the night off a Donaldson miss, charging up the floor and, in fact, charging into Donaldson, who crashed to the hardwood and drew a pivotal offensive foul. The savvy play eventually translated into a Donaldson layup, making it 60-56 with the clock reading 51 seconds.

A frustrated Janneh committed another offensive foul in the ensuing possession, forcing St. Peter’s to play the foul game. The Rams struggled at the line last year, shooting an A-10-worst 62% at the stripe. Resolved to improve in 2024, sophomore Amiyah Ferguson and Donaldson combined to finish the game out with four consecutive made free throws.

When the buzzer sounded, it was a 64-56 Rams win, pulling Fordham to 2-2 in the early season. It was a return-to-form game for Donaldson, who finished with 21 points and a career-high six steals. Janneh had 28 of her own

came at the hands of the eventual conference champions, Dayton, who defeated Saint Louis University 3-0 to lift the A-10 trophy.

This season marked the eighth time in 11 years that Fordham reached at least the semifinals of the A-10 tournament. Despite the loss, the Rams were selected to compete in the NCAA tournament after earning an 8-5-5 record against the seventh-most challenging schedule in the country. The Rams’ birth in the NCAA tournament is the sixth time in program history, with their last appearance coming in 2021 following their A-10 championship victory.

The best campaign out of the six came in 2017 when Fordham reached the quarterfinal after victories against St. Francis College, the University of Virginia and Duke University.

The Rams will no doubt look to recreate that performance, but they will first have to start with a win against an inter-state Ivy. Fordham will play Cornell University on Thursday, Nov. 21, with the winner taking on the No. 2 University of Pittsburgh Panthers on Saturday, Nov. 24. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. in Ithaca, New York.

Football Fordham 31 Georgetown 3

Men’s Cross Country Northeast Regional 33rd

Women’s Cross Country Northeast Regional 35th

Men’s Soccer

for the Peacocks, while Murua contributed 13 on an efficient 5/7 shooting for Fordham. The Rams forced 26 turnovers and racked up 15 offensive rebounds, nearly doubling the Peacocks in both categories.

Coach Bridgette Mitchell opened her postgame press conference with praise for her team’s resilience, saying, “I’m really proud of our team. This was the first game that we fought through adversity and willed our way to a victory.”

She raved about Donaldson’s big night, too: “She’s everything… Her willingness to play on both sides of the ball — we really needed that.”

Donaldson and the Rams look to pick up a second straight victory for the first time this year tonight at Manhattan College. The tip is set for 7 p.m. with coverage on ESPN+ and WFUV Sports.

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-Compiled by Griffin Stevenson

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Fordham Men’s Soccer will look to regroup ahead of their NCAA tournament campaign following their elimination from A-10 play.

COURTESY OF JERIEL NUNEZ FOR THE FORDHAM RAM Fordham guard Taya Davis dribbles down the court.

Men’s Basketball Suffers Setback in Battle of the Bronx

By NICK GUZMAN SPORTS EDITOR EMERITUS

College basketball is a sport of highs and lows.

After Fordham University Men’s Basketball delivered an iconic victory over Seton Hall University last Saturday at the buzzer, the Rams returned to the Bronx on Tuesday and initially kept their high going with a 78-63 win over Binghamton University.

The 100th season at the Rose Hill Gym opened with a bang as senior guard Jackie Johnson III led the way for the Rams once again, delivering 23 points on 8/12 shooting to provide a worthy encore to his gamewinner at Seton Hall. Fordham’s student section, known as “The Hill,” was packed full as the Rams smothered Binghamton defensively, forcing 18 turnovers and recording nine steals as a team.

Fordham head coach Keith Urgo opted to implement an aggressive full-court press throughout most of the game. Although the Rams were overeager in some moments defensively (they committed six fouls as a team in the opening four minutes of the second half), Fordham’s press prevented Binghamton from ever looking comfortable on offense.

“We want to create a little bit of chaos,” said Urgo after the game regarding his team’s defensive performance. “With our athletes and our speed and our depth it gives us an advantage… For the most part, especially in the first half, I thought our traps were excellent.”

Secondary scoring was also

key for the Rams. Senior guard Zach Riley tied a career-high with 11 points, including a trio of first-half 3-pointers that energized the Rose Hill crowd.

Junior Romad Dean delivered a season-high 10 points, while graduate student Matt Zona was able to make his first major offensive contributions as a Ram with nine points of his own. With two wins in a row under their belt and momentum building, the Rams headed to Manhattan University to take on the Jaspers in the annual Battle of the Bronx on Friday. However, Draddy Gymnasium was where those positive vibes stopped. In the 115th meeting between Fordham and Manhattan since 1911-12, the Rams played their worst game of the season thus far.

Despite a late flurry, Fordham

fell to Manhattan 78-76. The score is a little misleading as this edition of the Battle of the Bronx was not a back-and-forth affair. Manhattan led the entire way and was up by as many as 17 with 3:30 to go. But the Rams nearly pulled off a miraculous comeback thanks to 12 points from senior guard Japhet Medor in the final 1:30, including nine in the last 30 seconds.

Junior guard Will Richardson even made a half-court shot at the buzzer, but the Rams were down by five at that point. Their late push ultimately proved to be too little, too late.

Besides the last three minutes or so, Fordham played an uneven game on both ends of the floor. Defensively, the Rams had no answer for Manhattan freshman Will Sydnor. Sydnor dominated in the paint all

night long against Zona and graduate student forward Abdou Tsimbila, scoring a game-high 24 points on 9-14 shooting. As a team, Manhattan registered 38 paint points to Fordham’s 28, a number that looked much worse before Fordham’s late push.

Just like they did against Binghamton, Fordham were aggressive in their full-court pressure. But Manhattan head coach John Gallagher was wellprepared for the press, and the Jaspers were able to consistently move the ball up-court without any difficulties. In the halfcourt, Fordham tried man-to-man defense and several different zone looks to no avail.

On offense, the Rams experienced similar struggles. Zona, Richardson and senior forward Josh Rivera all had off nights shooting the ball.

Johnson III finished with 21 points on 8/19 from the field but was inefficient throughout large stretches of the game. Nothing looked quite right for Fordham on the offensive end of the floor, despite the numbers at the end of the game not being terrible.

The main bright spot for the Rams was the play of Medor. One of Fordham’s main offensive weapons last season, Medor entered Friday averaging just seven points on 18% shooting from the floor. He broke out in a major way against Manhattan, delivering a team-high 23 points on 8-15 from the field and 6/8 from deep. It’s a great sign for the Rams if Medor is able to turn a corner offensively and provide another scoring threat.

Losing a Quad 4 game in which you were favored by 8.5 points obviously isn’t a good result for Fordham Men’s Basketball. It stings even more considering it was a rivalry game. Sure, the late comeback attempt can provide something to build on, but Fordham is going to have to play better than they did against Manhattan in nearly all facets of the game if they want to be successful this season.

And if anyone thought this non-conference schedule was going to be easy following Johnson III’s heroics against Seton Hall, this Manhattan game should serve as a wake-up call.

The Rams now sit at 2-2 on the season. They’ll look to bounce back on Tuesday against Georgian Court University, followed by another Rose Hill matchup with Drexel University on Friday.

Has College Basketball Gotten Worse?

By ELIZABETH COLLINS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Let me get this out of the way before I go on to imply it far too much: I grew up a Villanova University basketball fan. And I know it is easy for me to complain about the state of college basketball when the state of my childhood favorite team is something unspeakable at the moment. Our head coach says, “It is what it is,” when asked about our embarrassing losses. Our leading players are missing easy shots. Our promising recruits are disappointing for another year in a row. It’s a mess out there. But as a fan, this also means every week, I reminisce about the Golden Age that was our 2017-18 season. Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Eric Paschall, Phil Booth, Donte DiVincenzo, Omari Spellman and coach Jay Wright all at once… what a time. And without (too much) bias, I mean to say — what a time and Golden Age for all of college basketball.

Nova fan or not, it was hard to deny the quality of their 2017-18 team. And remarkably, teams alongside and seasons before them stood out just as glaringly. The University of Kentucky had an incredible season in 2011-12 (going 38-2), and despite their

repeated greatness in 2014-15 (38-1), the skilled Blue Devils of Duke University took home the season’s national championship. These three programs (not meaning to forget the additionally excellent University of North Carolina, University of Wisconsin and University of Louisville teams) best reflect their era’s amount of greatness.

Now you watch the best teams — 2023 and 2024 national title winner University of Connecticut being the most obvious, along with the University of Kansas and the University of Alabama, ranked number one and two this year by ESPN — and the game is different. While UConn’s average points per tournament game in 2023 was higher than that of Nova’s in 2018, when someone questioned who would win in a tournament matchup on X, formally known as Twitter, New York Knick and previous Villanova Wildcat Josh Hart tweeted, “[2018 Nova] would win by 30.” It’s a biased argument… but a fair one. While UConn has been blowing teams out during March Madness, their path to the championship, particularly in 2023, was filled with upsets that partly cleared it. But aside from luck in the tournament, there is still an argument on whether the

current best teams could beat the best of a couple of years ago. And I side with Hart on this one.

The extensive amount of talent seen in all areas of the court has been somewhat lost, prominently due to players’ premature thirst for the pro league. Of course, this has always been a part of college sports. However, NCAA basketball has recently become driven by players’ NBA defections. Jalen Brunson was good enough to leave Villanova by his third season. Same with Grayson Allen at Duke. However, they both claimed they prioritized the process and support that college ball lent them. This NBA season, 73 players are under the age of 21. In the 2017-2018 season, 48 were, and in 2014-2015, 31. It is no secret that loyalty to players’ college teams steadily decreases as the NBA begins to draft more of them young. As a result, more underdeveloped rookies and other not-exactlyNBA-material players primarily constitute college teams. Most of UConn’s starting lineup comprises shining freshmen and sophomores or older senior and fifth-year players. The team just lost Stephon Castle and Donovan Clingan to the NBA after one and two seasons, respectively. The same

applies to Alabama, who lost star players Brandon Miller and Noah Clowney in 2023 after one year of play. Of course, programs are still recruiting great players, but many of them are leaving for the pros before their teams can adapt to them. Similarly, turnover in the transfer portal has led to a lack of cohesion in the game. As of 2021, a new rule allows for athletes to compete immediately after transferring rather than sitting out for a season. Due to this, transfer rates have increased exponentially (doubling over the past six years). As coaches now try to quickly improve their rosters and players try to find better opportunities, it calls for drastic adjustments necessary for teams’ cohesion. It has led

to some rocky seasons, as seen already this year with teams like the University of Arkansas, with six new transfers on their roster.

College players are by no means getting worse. But the matter of teams is a different story. As players go pro or transfer so often, teams can’t possibly show the type of unity they have in the recent past. Therein lies a question of whether current programs dominating others could have done the same to the shining teams we saw a few years ago, or if they would have just been another lost in the pool of greatness. Some argue they could. We’ll never really know. But, if you asked me, you could always put them against the Nova Knicks and see what happens.

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COURTESY OF X

The Rams huddle before last week’s home opener, a resounding 78-63 victory over Binghamton University.

The 2018 Villanova University Wildcats represent college basketball’s golden era.

Conway Breaks Patriot League Tackle Record in Dominant Win Over Georgetown

By LOU ORLANDO ASST. SPORTS EDITOR EMERITUS

When linebacker Ryan Greenhagen graduated after the 2022 season, his 425 career tackles didn’t just mark the Fordham University record — it was the most by any player in Patriot League history.

Jacob Dobbs of the College of Holy Cross quickly supplanted him the following season, ending his Patriot League career with 432 tackles.

For a third straight season, the crown has been passed along.

In an early afternoon matchup on Saturday, Nov. 16 against Georgetown University, Rams senior linebacker James Conway carved his name into history in front of the Fordham fans, recording 11 tackles to raise his career total to 436 — the new Patriot League all-time record.

“He’s the best,” praised head coach Joe Conlin. “It’s really just a product of who he is. It’s just the consistency of four years of tremendous effort on his part.”

For Conway, who has humbly rejected ample opportunities to bask in his personal glory and deflected instead to his ultimate goal of team success, it was fitting that the Rams took center stage in a dominant 31-3 rout of the Hoyas, led by a masterful showing from Fordham’s defense.

Fordham improves to 2-9 overall, closing out Patriot League play with their second conference win in three weeks. The offense tallied a seasonhigh 31 points while the defense held Georgetown to a seasonbest three points in a game, which Conlin agreed was his team’s best all-around effort.

“Just a great job by the defense, limiting their rushing game, that was really the difference,” noted Conlin postgame. “Offensively, we were able to run the ball well again. It was a good day all around.”

There was no shortage of heroes, particularly on the defensive end.

Conway’s record-breaking tackle came with 6:14 left in the third quarter, as he quickly met Georgetown running back Bryce Cox on a 1-yard carry.

“He’s one of the most impressive people I’ve been around in my life,” Greenhagen told WFUV Sports. “If there’s anybody deserving of it, it’s him.”

It’s high praise from a former FCS All-American who, just two seasons prior, held the records that Conway now stands atop. But few people are more qualified to speak on Conway’s success than Greenhagen, who spent two years playing right next to him as a linebacker before rejoining the program as an outside linebackers coach this season.

“He and I are on the same wavelength where the records, the outcomes, all of the ‘hoopla’ — that’s not really the most

important part,” explained Greenhagen. “The most important part is the process that goes into these things, the passion that you have for the game, and there is nobody that has that like he does.”

When Conway arrived in the Bronx as a freshman, he was instructed by Conlin to follow Greenhagen around. Conway took those words to heart, staying behind with Greenhagen after practice every day and following a similar regiment to that of his mentor. Clearly, it paid dividends.

“It was an honor to work with him,” said Greenhagen. “It’s an honor to work with him now. He’s truly a special guy.”

But Conway wasn’t the only one making headlines.

Halfway through the fourth quarter, senior safety Trey Bradford intercepted a pass from backup quarterback Jacob Holtschlag and appeared to have a golden opportunity for a pick-six. Just 10 yards into

added a tackle for loss for good measure.

The Preseason Defensive Player of the Year has now recorded a mind-boggling 34 quarterback pressures this season. For reference, the next closest in the Patriot League is Georgetown’s Cooper Blomstrom with 14.

Collectively, Fordham intercepted Holtschlag twice while holding the Hoyas ground attack to 74 yards and 2.5 per carry.

Not to be forgotten is a Fordham offense that gave the Rams a 14-0 lead by the close of the first quarter. A receiving touchdown by graduate student tight end Jeff Ciccio gave Fordham their first two-score lead of the 2024 campaign — and the Rams never looked back.

his return, however, Bradford came up limp with a pulled hamstring.

So the senior improvised.

Turning to his right, Bradford lateraled it to a sprinting teammate, junior Alex Kemper, who outran defenders for the remaining 63 yards, speeding into the endzone to put the exclamation mark on a 31-3 victory.

Braford’s decision to lateral the ball came as a shock to everyone, including the man he decided to pass it to.

“I was about as confused as everybody else,” said Kemper. “When I got to the endzone, I kinda just turned around and had to make sure that actually just happened… It’s something you do in the backyard with your friends when you’re little. All of a sudden you’re on a big stage — 100% the craziest play I’ve ever been a part of.

“As a DB room, we talk about it — ‘If I get it and you’re right behind me, I’m gonna lateral it to you’ just as a joke,” Bradford told WFUV Sports. “But it was in the back of my head, I’ve seen Ed Reed do it, you see legends do it. I don’t know, I’ve never thought about it in an actual game before, but I’m glad it worked out.

Bradford and Kemper’s chaotic play received national attention from ESPN, SportsCenter and beyond. It was even deemed the Pop-Tarts Crazy Good Play of the Week, with Fordham Football receiving nearly 500 pop tarts for the sensational sequence.

In what feels like a footnote compared to the aforementioned headliners, senior defensive end Matt Jaworski had another dominant outing. Just one week after tallying a career-high nine quarterback pressures against Bucknell University, Jaworski matched his career-best with another nine pressures and

Senior running back Julius Loughridge opened the scoring by extending his touchdown streak, finding the endzone for a seventh straight week. Meanwhile, sophomore wide receiver KJ Reed hauled in the first touchdown of his collegiate career in the third quarter. Kemper’s score was the final blow that put the game out of reach.

Loughridge, as he has been all season long, was the focal point offensively, rushing for 91 yards and a touchdown while averaging 5.7 per carry. In the process, Loughridge raised his season rushing total to 1,048, surpassing Lafayette College’s Jamar Curtis for the Patriot League lead despite having missed a game due to injury.

Conlin lauded his efforts following yet another strong showing by his lead back. “He’s incredible,” said Conlin. “He’s one of the best backs I’ve ever been around. Just a tremendous young man.”

Loughridge becomes just the fourth player in program history to rush for over 1,000 yards in multiple seasons, joining Carlton Koonce, Kirwin Watson and Fordham’s alltime rushing leader Chase Edmonds.

Despite opening the season with eight straight losses and an early end to their playoff hopes, Fordham has managed to stay engaged and play some of their best football in November. The road was far from easy this year, but the Rams can take pride in their unwavering effort, which has culminated in two straight home wins to the delight of the fans at Jack Coffey Field.

Fordham has a chance to make it three straight as they close out their 2024 season with a non-conference matchup against 4-6 Merrimack University. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23 from the Bronx.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Fordham DBs Alex Kemper and Trey Bradford made the Pop-Tarts Crazy Good Play of the Week vs Georgetown.

COURTESY OF CRISTINA STEFANIZZI/THE FORDHAM RAM

James Conway’s 432 career tackles put him in possession of the all-time Patriot League tackling crown.

“They’ve Revolutionized Fordham Volleyball”: Class of 2025 Honored

By JOE HENRY ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

In the rather brief 36-year history of Fordham University Volleyball, sustained success has been hard to come by. In 2020 and 2021, a group of four outstanding student-athletes changed that forever.

“They have revolutionized Fordham Volleyball” — these were the first words head coach Ian Choi said about the group, which features graduate student Whitley Moody and seniors Lauryn Sweeney, Ryan Naumann and Audrey Hayes.

This past Saturday, as the Rams readied for their final match of the 2024 season, the backhalf of a tough twogame stint against Virginia Commonwealth University, those contributions — and the emotions that accompanied them — began to set in.

“I’m so incredibly proud of them,” said Choi, who just finished his seventh season with Fordham and has coached the class of 2025 for the majority of his tenure.

The 2024 campaign has been a disappointing one, with the Rams finishing 7-20 overall and 3-15 in conference play, but it’s an outlier considering what this class has done.

“We have always been kind of towards the bottom of the pack, but since they have all committed, we have had unprecedented success,” Choi reflected, highlighting the group’s 2021 Atlantic 10 championship appearance — the first in program history — and their 10-1 run to open the 2023 season.

That great 2021 team was spearheaded by this graduating class, who were freshmen and sophomores at the time — Moody led the team with 373 kills and was tabbed to the All-A-10 Second Team, while Naumann, Sweeney and Hayes each played roles in guiding the club to the promised land.

When asked about his favorite memory from the past four years, Choi’s kneejerk reaction was to point toward that historic 2021 run. Specifically, he cited the semifinal match with VCU, when Sweeney subbed in for an injured Moody and delivered a amazing career-best seven-kill performance to heroically lift Fordham to the championship game: “[Moody] went down… and then [Sweeney] came in as a true freshman and she helped finish the job… when that happened I knew it was gonna be a really good group of kids.”

His intuitions were right.

Four years later, Fordham has etched itself among the conference’s top contenders, its outgoing class having cultivated a familial culture that simply goes beyond the hardwood.

“It hasn’t only been their efforts or their talent, but what really stands out is their willingness to find a competitive harmony on the

team that we’ve been working so hard to build,” asserted Choi.

That harmony will endure even without them on the court. It’s a harmony whose foundational chords are found in the leadership of figures like Sweeney and Hayes.

When asked to reflect upon her career, Sweeney offered up the following sentiment, “The way we have worked together to show leadership, create community and reform our team culture has been hands-down my most meaningful experience at Fordham. Sweeny also noted that “Fordham Volleyball is about so much more than sport. The relationships with my teammates, coaches, athletic training staff and sports psychologists have taught me what it means to give wholeheartedly to others.”

Hayes likewise echoed that sentiment, saying, “I wouldn’t change a single thing about [these four years]. Being a D1 athlete and a part of this team has truly made me a better person and I’ve come out with lifelong friends and for that I’m grateful.”

The “team culture” Sweeney alluded to manifested itself in a style of play marked by emotion and love between teammates. In a losing season, the bench never acted as such. They were consistently rowdier and more supportive than their opponents’ bench and managed to create new choreographed celebrations with each match. My personal favorite was a push-up challenge that made players do as many push-ups as the other team had service errors. Other favorites were the worm and a “heave-ho” chant, whose meaning remains ambiguous to this day.

Sweeney was a frequent victim of the push-up ritual but is better remembered for her inspiring collegiate journey.

As Choi said, she was integral to the 2021 run. In 2022, she was sidelined with an injury. In 2023, she got to play with her sister, Erynn Sweeney. In 2024, she had a breakout

season, lodging career-highs in kills (73), digs (65) and blocks (11).

On the court, the bench’s aforementioned energy and enthusiasm translated into a culture of constant support — post-point huddles, pats on the back and words of encouragement — led by Naumann, who acts as de facto captain in wearing the libero jersey.

Standing at just 5-foot-8, Naumann’s total fearlessness in playing one of the hardest positions in all of sports just cannot be understated. She was instrumental to the program’s success in her first three years, but really developed into a star in 2024. She had 29 receptions in her final two games and a team-leading 300 digs on the year, garnering the undying respect and support of her teammates in the process. She finishes her career with 102 matches played and 752 digs.

“I feel so grateful that I got to play at this program these past four years,” said Naumann, reflecting on her career. “This 2024 team is a really special group and I feel so lucky that I can say that I have made friends for life. I have learned so much from this sport and will cherish my time with Fordham Volleyball for the rest of my life.”

Then there’s Moody. Dubbed “The Kill Queen” and known for invoking “Moody Mania” (her family’s shirts bore

both slogans), her 15 kills on Saturday put her at 1,637 career hammers, by far the most in Fordham history. Her 1,210 digs are seventh all-time; her 113 aces are good for 10th. Moody wraps up her career having played every single set in her final year, leading the team with 363 kills at a blistering .242 hitting rate.

She’s an A-10 Rookie of the Year, a two-time All-A-10 Second Team member and will likely become a three-time All-A-10 First Team member when awards are announced later this fall. Her list of records and accolades is exhaustive and cannot be compounded into a single article. In every sense, she is Fordham Volleyball.

Moody joined the team in 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. “It forced us to get really close really quickly, and I think we grew together over the last four years, just getting to know each other on and off the court, and that really helped us to do what we did on the court and help this program grow and develop in the way that it has,” the graduate ardently stated before Saturday’s match.

When reminded of her career kill total, Moody put her hands up to her face and emitted an “Oh my gosh,” laughing in disbelief. “I had no idea that I’d be able to accomplish what I have, and it really just speaks to the way that this program has uplifted me and

my personal development on and off the court.”

When asked their favorite memories, the group had a resounding favorite answer: a 2023 trip to Japan that solidified the life-long bond they have with each other.

“We visited Arashiyama Monkey Park in Kyoto, walked across the Shibuya Crossing (easily the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world) in Tokyo and toured the castle in Osaka. And of course, we had a blast going to Tokyo Disneyland and stocking up on snacks at the 7-Elevens,” recalled Sweeney.

Before Saturday’s affair, the team and their families came together to honor this rather extraordinary class of seniors. Each player got to walk onto the floor with their families beside them, being gifted a bouquet of flowers and a framed jersey.

Fordham paled to a VCU team in the midst of a 14-match winning streak, but played incredibly well, taking a set off the tournament-bound team on both Friday and Saturday. Moody’s 15 kills on Saturday led all players, while Naumann paced the team with 14 receptions. Sweeney and Hayes got massive ovations from a raucous Fordham section when they appeared in the latter three sets. Though they couldn’t get a win in their final game, their performance perfectly encapsulated the resilience and passion that has taken the program to new heights in the past several years.

When the match came to a close, there wasn’t a dry eye in the building. Players and coaches tearfully embraced for 10 minutes before making their way to the family section to get hugs and congratulations from all of the parents, not just their own.

It was a surreal moment, and yes, it was the end of an era. But it also showed that this team is more than just a team — they’re a family.

Before 2020, Fordham was the runt of the A-10 pack. 888 combined sets later, this graduating group has, as Choi said, revolutionized the Rams. Their mark on the program is indelible.

A collegiate athletic career lasts only four to five years. A family, however, tends to last forever. Thanks to the Class of 2025, the Fordham Volleyball family is as strong as ever.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

The 2024 campaign has come to a close for Fordham Volleyball, their season having been a rollercoaster of highs and lows.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

The 2025 class for volleyball is one that will forever be remembered, their contributions to the program being monumental.