Volume 106 Issue 5

The Fordham Ram

Congestion Pricing Comes to Lincoln Center Campus

By CRISTINA STEFANIZZI ASST. NEWS EDITOR

New York City is working towards implementing congestion pricing — charging drivers who enter Manhattan from 60th St. and south a daily toll — as an effort to reduce traffic and improve air quality in midtown and lower Manhattan.

Fordham University’s Lincoln Center campus resides exactly on 60th St., where the congestion tolls would begin taking effect. Fordham’s Ram Van service that travels between the Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses would be subject to paying this toll each day.

The toll, which was approved by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) board in a 9-1 vote, is currently set at $15 for passenger vehicles such as cars, a middle ground from the previously outlined costs ranging from $9 to $23, according to NBC New York. Tolls will cost $24 for small trucks such as moving vans, $36 for large trucks and $7.50

By SOFIA DONOHUE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Ram Print, Fordham’s print shop, provides the Fordham University community with a cost-sensitive alternative to retail copying establishments. Ram Print, located in Faculty Memorial Hall, supplies the community with goods and services such as pamphlets, books, posters, signs and ID cards. Starting July 1, the print shop will operate through an online print portal and services will be outsourced at an offsite Canon facility in Long Island. As a result, Ram Print’s five Fordham employees have been laid off, effective July 1.

Anthony Grono, interim vice president for finance and assistant treasurer, attributes the modernization of Ram Print to a decrease in print volume.

“For more than 20 years, Ram Print has served our community with a hybrid workforce comprised of both Fordham and Canon employees. Post-[COVID-19], print volume across the university has decreased dramatically by 50%, and we see no signs of print

Fordham Named Top Producer of Fulbright Scholars

Fordham University has been recognized as one of the top producers of Fulbright Scholars by the U.S. Department of State. Fordham has had more than 200 Fulbright recipients, with 11 chosen in the 2023-24 academic year.

“It makes complete sense

that a Fordham student that has already involved themselves in community can show [in their application] that when they go on a Fulbright, they’re going to involve themselves in their [new] community,” said Dr. Marisa Iglesias, assistant director of the Fellowships Office.

Students who apply for a Fulbright can propose a

year of research, a year of graduate studies or they can spend a year being an English Teaching Assistant (ETA). Students generally start working on their applications in the spring of their junior year and usually submit them in October of their senior year. Alumni are also encouraged to apply.

Orientation Leader Applications Open

a smoother process.

Tetlow discussed Fordham ’s connection with the Belmont community and answered student questions. The Orientation Team is currently developing their group of orientation leaders for the upcoming academic year. New Student Orientation is a threeday process that introduces incoming first-years to other members of their class, the campus and important information about life at Fordham University with the goal of making the transition to college

President Tetlow Attends Student Life Council

By SOFIA DONOHUE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

On Wednesday, Feb. 14, the Student Life Council (SLC) held its first meeting of the semester. The SLC, composed of students, faculty and administrators, aims to foster open communication

The orientation team is responsible for preparing many of the key events that students remember as hallmarks of New Student Orientation, such as the carnival, Glow Rams and the candle lighting ceremony that happens on the day of move-in. While these events are planned during the summer, the orientation team is currently focusing on a more

SEE LEADER, PAGE 4 between students and the Fordham University administration by hosting monthly meetings. The council welcomed President Tania Tetlow to the meeting.

The meeting began with a question and answer session with Tetlow. Students voiced questions

and concerns ranging from transparency within the administration to Fordham’s evolving relationship with the Belmont community and student engagement.

In regards to concerns surrounding

Fulbright Scholars can

SAFETY BRIEFS

Feb. 13

Arthur Ave.

3:15 p.m.

On Tuesday, a student reported while walking with friends on Arthur Ave. they became separated from them. A male approached and attempted to get their attention. The male then grabbed the student’s arm. The student became frightened and ran to their residence on Arthur Ave. The student declined to make a report with the NYPD at this time.

Feb. 14

Bathgate Ave.

11:23 p.m.

On Wednesday, a student reported that an unknown person removed a suitcase from the hallway of their off-campus apartment building on Bathgate Ave. The supervisor responded. The student said they returned from a trip and the airline misplaced their suitcase. The airline delivered the suitcase to their apartment building and left the suitcase inside the locked vestibule door. An unknown person removed the suitcase. The supervisor was able to view video footage that showed a male entering the vestibule and removing the suitcase. The student declined to notify NYPD at the time of the incident.

Feb. 16

Loyola Hall

12:05 p.m.

On Friday, there was a stuck occupied elevator in Loyola Hall. The supervisor and a technician from the elevator company responded and removed the students. The technician inspected and repaired the elevator to service.

Campus Activities Board Hosts Numerous Activities for Valentine’s Day

By CRISTINA STEFANIZZI ASST. NEWS EDITOR

The Fordham University Campus Activities Board (CAB) hosted numerous oncampus events and raffles to celebrate Valentine’s Day. The CAB general board hosted a tabling event on Feb. 13, fit with making stuffed animals, friendship bracelets and valentines.

“I saw the CAB Instagram post advertising the [tabling] event and it looked so fun and cute!” said Sofia Tierney, FCRH ’27. “The plushies were definitely my favorite part. The CAB events are always a nice break from classes and studying.”

The CAB general board, which consists of around 40 students across different schools and grades, worked to brainstorm ideas for the Valentine’s event, gather a supply list to order, advertise the event and run the event day-of.

“CAB always does themed Valentine’s events during

the week, and we really like to include everyone on Valentine’s Day,” said Jade Petalcorin, GSB ’25 and CAB general board chair. “CAB always wants to make sure people feel included and that they have stuff to do every weekend through CAB’s Weekend Activities Committee.” The committee is planning a bingo night for Valentine’s Day on Sunday, Feb. 25, at 8 p.m. Another sub-group of CAB,

known as Cinevents, hosts movie nights for students. Cinevents hosted a movie night on Feb. 18 for students in Keating First, showing the hit Valentine’s Day movie “The Proposal,” fit with free candy and pizza. CAB’s Weekend Activities Committee also took students to Pugsley’s Pizza on Feb. 9 to make heart-shaped pizza pies. Students got behind the counter and shaped dough

This Week at Fordham

Wednesday Feb. 21

Spring Semester Farmers Market

McShane Campus Center 12:30 p.m.

Join Ram Hospitality for a farmers market. Bags are provided for $5. You can purchase fresh produce of your choice with cash, credit card, debit card or declining balance dollars.

Thursday Feb. 22

A Weekend Of “Disaster!”

Collins Auditorium 8 p.m.

The Mimes and Mummers take the stage in their production of “Disaster!” with classic ’70s tunes and a whole lot of dancing. Tickets are free for students for the Thursday performance.

Friday Feb. 23

El Grito and Relish Open Mic Night

McShane 311 7:30 p.m.

Join El Grito, Fordham’s Socio-Cultural Latino club, and Relish, Fordham’s multimedia music publication, for an open mic night fit with live performances and free empanadas.

Saturday Feb. 24

Rockin’ Out at Rodrigue’s Rodrigue’s Coffee House 8 p.m.

Stop by Rodrigue’s Coffee House on Saturday at 8 p.m. to enjoy live performances by local Fordham student bands

The Wave and dream pop band Room De Dark.

into hearts complete with sauce and toppings to their heart’s content. CAB also raffled off concert tickets for the holiday week.

“Valentine’s [events] have been a long standing tradition,” said Petalcorin. “We have done events that turned out well in the past, like love pies at Pugsley’s, rom-com movies with Cinevents and open mic at [Rodrigue’s Coffee House]. Normally we plan from the beginning of the semester and we take feedback and SWOTs [Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat] from prior years and build according to that.”

Petalcorin encourages students to get excited for one of CAB’s biggest events of the year, Spring Weekend. She ensures that the board has some exciting plans in the work for students to enjoy the weekend. Past events for Spring Weekend included concerts from artists like COIN and Cochise, a carnival, block party and bingo.

Sunday Feb. 25

Valentine’s Bingo with WAC

Keating 1st 8 p.m.

The Campus Activities Board’s Weekend Activities Committee is hosting a Valentine’s themed bingo night in Keating 1st. Bring your A game to potentially win some prizes.

Fordham University’s CAB general board hosted a Valentine’s Day tabling event where students made valentines and stuffed animals.

COURTESY OF GRACE CAMPBELL/THE FORDHAM RAM

The Campus Activities Board hosted numerous events for Valentine’s Day.

Fordham Student Researches Biochemistry

By ADITHI VIMALANATHAN ASST. NEWS EDITOR

Amrita Das, FCRH ’26, is a biochemistry major who is currently conducting pharmaceutical research against common diseases such as lung cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Working in her lab in room 608 in John Mulcahy Hall, Das employs cutting edge technology in a collaborative environment with other students and her research mentor Dr. Ipsita Banerjee, the head of the chemistry and biochemistry department.

Das discovered the lab at a research presentation she attended during her first-year. “The main thing that really got me interested in the lab was a research showcase spearheaded by the club MAPS [Minority Association of Pre-Health

Students],” Das said. After seeing a presentation on the research currently being done on cancer cells with nanotechnology, she reached out to Banerjee and began working in the lab early last summer.

Currently, Das is working on a project assigned to her by Banerjee where she studies the effectiveness of a manufactured peptide-based compound on lung cancer cells. The compound, designed by Banerjee, was created to connect to the NMR protein on the lung cancer cell.

“What I’m working on right now is a lot of computational work,” Das said. “Dr. Banerjee makes the compounds, and we work with them to see how the drug binds with the cancer cell.”

Computational work involves docking studies, which observes how well the newly designed compound binds to the proteins on the cancer cell. In the lab, Das utilizes software such as AutoDock, Maestro and TURBOMOLE.

The lab uses technology that works at the nano-level, a recent development in the field. It offers promising advantages, particularly by limiting severe side effects of cancer treatments. “We’re using nanotechnology to target cancer cells. The whole purpose of this experiment is to prevent the side effects that come along with other chemotherapies… [the experiment] targets EGFR proteins without causing all those

other side effects.”

Currently, Das is working on getting her results ready for publication, working with Hannah Hunt, FCRH ’24. Additionally, she is working with Emma Phan, FCRH ’26, on a second project researching Parkinson’s disease. “When certain proteins misfold, that can lead to an amyloid structure which is… linked to neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.” Again, Das will work with a team to test the effectiveness of certain drugs in breaking down the amyloid structures.

The lab, as Das explains, is inherently collaborative. “When you want to work in the lab, it’s very important to be able to work with others... The main way Dr. Ba-

nerjee’s lab works is that the juniors and seniors train you — they teach the sophomores and the [first-years] how to do the computational work, the wet lab procedures,” she explained. “It’s very important to be able to ask for help, but be open to helping others.”

Das’ experience in the lab has motivated her to pursue a major in biochemistry, which was recently announced at the end of last summer. “Once I joined the lab, I realized how useful biochemistry is, you can also use it in the field of medicine… Combining chemistry and biology together is how the human body works. I think it’s better to have a biochemical background applying to medical school.”

Tetlow Unsure of Fordham’s FAFSA Future

By MICHAEL DUKE

WRITER

In a recent update from the U.S. Department of Education, the Free Application for Student Aid’s (FAFSA) release will be delayed until March.

As reported by the Hill, the problems relating to timing come as a result of a delayed initial release, where families or individuals seeking to file were only able to begin the

form in late December compared to previous years’ release of the form in October.

However, despite the new system’s implementation, the Department of Education’s new processes are causing headaches for families of prospective students across the country, including incoming students for this next year at Fordham.

The problem stems from the fact

that, until the FAFSA is returned to families and students filing for federal student aid, schools and students will not know how much families or individuals will be allowed in aid for the coming year’s term.

At the Student Life Council on Wednesday, Feb. 14, President Tania Tetlow discussed university frustrations relating to the ongoing process. She said that she’d recently gone to Washington, D.C. to lobby Congress about issues related to work-study programs and those that students and families are facing regarding federal aid as well.

“We are very frustrated,” said Tetlow. “I was just at a meeting of all the leadership of NAICU [National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities], and the secretary of the Department of Education came to apologize, and there is funding, he announced that day, for really small and under-resourced schools to get help processing all that financial aid data come spring.”

Continuing on, Tetlow said, “I doubt that aid would come to Fordham. We’re working, and

we are making sure that we have the planning and staff necessary to do it, but this feels like an unenforced error that is causing American families across the country enormous pain. We worry that, in higher education, students who are anxious about whether and how to go to college will give up because of this delay, which will yet be another kick in the shins to opportunities in this country.”

Further, Tetlow stated, “This is a Department of Education issue rather than a congressional issue, but we did make sure that our members of Congress understood the problem. If they haven’t heard from angry parents already, it’s because we need them to hurry up and finish a budget so that we know how much financial aid funding there is, because that is another sort of delay.”

“This is not a moment to assume that everything will just be fine,” Tetlow concluded.

Upon reaching out to Fordham’s Office of Student Financial Services, Associate Vice President Brian Ghanoo stated that as a result of the delay in the FAFSA’s

Campus Ministry Offers Spring Retreats

By ADITHI VIMALANATHAN ASST. NEWS EDITOR

The Retreat Ministry is currently hosting a variety of retreats for the spring semester, with specific retreats available for first-year, female and queer students. Retreats usually last a weekend and take place at Fordham’s retreat house upstate in Goshen, N.Y. Upcoming retreats include the Spring Art and Yoga Retreat (March 1-3), Emmaus 130 (March 8-10) and the Queer Art Retreat (Feb. 24).

“Our number one mission is always to encourage students to explore their spiritualities and take that one step further, no matter what that may be,” explained Stephanie Roddy, associate director of Campus Ministry. “We hope to find God in all things, to tap into the communities that we’re a part of, our inner-selves and our innerworlds, and really show the way that spirituality is working in our lives.”

Retreats typically span a weekend. Students leave the Rose Hill campus on a Friday after classes and drive up to Fordham’s retreat house. Retreats

involve a mix of small group conversations, individual reflection time, activities and talks from student retreat leaders over the course of three days. Students also join in community-building activities such as Taizé prayers, fireside chats and arts and crafts.

Planning for these retreats is a year-long process that involves a team of roughly 15-30 student leaders, a graduate assistant and Roddy herself. The team is established the academic year prior and student leaders participate in retreats and trainings that teach them important leadership and speaking skills.

“Our retreat team works yearlong and they’re broken up into leadership teams of four to six student leaders,” explained Roddy.

“Each of our semesters starts with a leader’s retreat for these retreat leaders where we go through the formation together and make sure people know how to craft a talk, how to facilitate small groups and more of the logistics side of

the retreat program.”

Each retreat is usually planned out over the course of a month. Leaders for each retreat meet and design reflections, talks and activities for each weekend.

Though retreats are often emphasized in the Jesuit tradition, the Retreat Ministry offers retreats that cater to people of various faiths and identities.

“We start each of our retreats with the ‘Spirit of the Weekend’ — a list of maybe eight or 10 instructions for the weekend. And we have one bullet point that specifically talks about prayer. Through this bullet point, we invite everyone to approach prayers that might be different from the way that you connect with your spirituality and your inner world, but to approach it with open eyes and open ears and to take the lessons that are there and to apply them to your own life,” Roddy said.

Roddy explained that each retreat is unique and an experience

release, Fordham recommends “families begin completing the FAFSA as early as possible to allow for time for any issues or delays with the process.”

Ghanoo added that “current students can expect to receive their financial aid offers in midto-late June,” while speaking on Fordham’s efforts for prospective and newly admitted students’ struggles with the FAFSA. “Financial aid offers to newly admitted students are being delivered as scheduled based on their admission plan. The Office of Student Financial Services has created a FAFSA Simplification webpage as a resource for students and their families,” Ghanoo said.

Assuring that any delays will be resolved, Ghanoo stated, “The Department of Education will electronically distribute completed FAFSAs to colleges in the first half of March.”

Students who wish to look into this issue on their own should visit Fordham's financial aid page for additional information or should get in contact with the financial aid office for further help.

that she finds inimitable: “Something that we say that I feel is really important [is] that there’s never a retreat gathering that’s exactly the same, that every group that comes in is unique to that group. So even though I could’ve been on a hundred FreshVisions, each group of first-year students is going to bring new energies and new perspectives… I think that is what makes it so special — each group that gathers

in Goshen, it’s the first time that that specific group of people will be there together, and it’s also the last time that that specific group will share that weekend.”

The Retreat Team is currently accepting applications for the 2024-25 academic year. Applications can be found online and are due on March 10. For questions, please contact Stephanie Roddy at sroddy1@fordham.

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

President Tetlow admits uncertainty over Fordham’s FAFSA procedures.

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Fordham’s Campus Ministry is offering retreats for the spring semester.

for motorcycles. Fordham is attempting to get Ram Vans exempted from paying the toll, but the city is currently only waiving the toll for government vehicles, such as snow plows and emergency vehicles.

Tolls would be in effect from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. During off-hours, tolls are set to cost about 75% less — about $3.50 instead of $15 for a passenger vehicle. Each vehicle would only be charged the toll once daily, even if they leave and re-enter the congestion pricing zone, which has been labeled as the Central Business District.

“On a weekday, we make about 100 trips between Lincoln Center and Rose Hill,” said Plinio Gonzalez, director of university transportation. “However, we only use 19 to 20 vans, so we’d only be charged the toll 19 to 20 times: once a day, per vehicle.”

Fordham is unsure how they plan to supplement the toll costs, with possibilities ranging from gaining a pardon from the city government for the toll or raising the cost of Ram Van tickets.

Tolls Added to 60th Street

The university has also looked into possibly moving the Lincoln Center Ram Van loading and unloading area away from the congestion pricing zone, but it is not possible.

“We looked at moving loading areas, but 62nd St. is congested,” said Gonzalez. “We’d have to build more, which is expensive and inconvenient. We already have the waiting room and public safety right there at the current Ram Van area at 60th St.”

According to NBC, the Traffic Mobility Review Board highlighted to the MTA that the congestion pricing would reduce the number of vehicles in the area by 17%, or 153,000 fewer vehicles, which would improve traffic, pollution and street parking, and encourage people to use public transportation to navigate Manhattan.

The board also predicted that the city would earn an estimated $15 billion, which can be used to modernize the subway and bus system.

“This is the first time congestion pricing is being done in the U.S., New York is basically the guinea pig,” Gonzalez said. “It will be challenging

basic step — Orientation Leader recruitment.

Preparation for orientation starts in the spring when the orientation team begins to recruit Orientation Leaders (OL). The team oversees outreach to the student body through extensive marketing through information sessions, flyers and their Instagram, @orient_RH. OLs are responsible for leading small groups of roughly 10 firstyears in icebreakers and group activities, as well as directing first-years around campus and providing them with important resources.

“As our application was just released, we are super early on in our recruitment cycle. However, we are hoping to get around

financially and operationally. But the goal is to reduce congestion, not eliminate it. Traffic could get better, it could get worse; we won’t know until it happens.”

In a statement, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy requested that the Traffic Mobility Board exempted New Jersey drivers entering the congestion pricing zone, as the toll is “ripping off New Jersey commuters to pay for whatever financial hardships the MTA is facing.” The state of New Jersey has filed a lawsuit against the Federal Highway Administration as an attempt to block congestion pricing in NYC.

Staten Island has also announced plans to sue the MTA over congestion charges as well, with the concern that deterring drivers from the Central Business District will overcrowd surrounding boroughs such as Staten Island and the Bronx.

NYC’s congestion pricing has been in the works since as early as 2019, with the original release set to be in 2021. Now, the earliest the congestion pricing is set to take effect is estimated to be in June.

Gonzalez shared that this is the busiest year for the Ram Van program with 8% more passengers last semester than ever bef ore. The program, which has been servicing Fordham’s campuses since 1981, has 12 0 student drivers total and transports students between both campuses, as well as provides transportation for dorm, university, club and sport events and

brings students to the John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports

“The most important thing to know is that we will still have Ram Van services,” Gonzalez said . A Fordham graduate himself, Gonzalez is confident that Fordham will solve this issue. “Fordham always figures it out, the university is very resilient and smart. We’ll do our best to overcome this hurdle.”

Fall 2024 Orientation Planning Begins

270-300 applicants who are passionate about becoming leaders,” said Aidan Briggs, orientation coordinator for staff training and development.

Applicants must submit an application and complete an interview in order to be considered. Briggs notes that the process is thorough in order to admit students who are good representatives of the university. This year, the team is looking for candidates who can serve as strong role models for the incoming class.

are looking for students who are cooperative and are able to adapt to changes.” Accepted orientation leaders attend training sessions in the spring semester and a week-long training week that directly precedes New Student Orientation.

Jayden Curtis, FCRH ’25, explained how her experience during first-year orientation motivated her to become an orientation leader herself.

“In our Orientation Leaders, we are looking for eager, excited and passionate students who care about Fordham and embody the school’s virtues,” Briggs explained. “Orientation is a collaborative effort, so we

“It was my own Orientation Leaders that originally inspired me to become an OL. They welcomed me into the Fordham community and helped me get adjusted during my first few weeks of college. Their guidance inspired me to want to be a positive influence for the new students, and to help them in the

same way that my OLs helped me.”

Many applicants, including Curtis, have previously served as orientation leaders in the past and are looking to serve as captains this year. Orientation Captains are responsible for OL training, where they lead a small group of orientation leaders in the week leading up to New Student Orientation.

“We do get a lot of returning OLs, as orientation is an extremely rewarding and important experience that is the highlight of a lot of students’ years here at Fordham. The returning OLs often choose to apply to be captains, in order to take on a little bit more responsibility and lead a group of OLs during training week,” said Briggs.

Curtis looks back on her FROM

experience as an orientation leader with fondness and recommends the opportunity to other students.

“Being an OL is a great way to get involved and connected at Fordham, as you have the chance to meet a diverse group of people, learn more about the school and discover new opportunities to be a part of. Also, it is a great way to be involved in something meaningful and to give back to your community. It is so rewarding to see and chat with some of my previous students around campus, and to know I had a part in positively influencing their first moments at Fordham.”

The Orientation Team is currently accepting applications to be an orientation leader through Feb. 26. The application can be found online and questions can be directed to orientrh@fordham.edu.

Fordham’s Printing Services Switch to Online

volume returning to pre[COVID-19] levels.”

Grono also affirmed that the university’s decision was in good faith to the students and their families.

“Every penny we spend reflects the life savings of our students and families, which is why we’re modernizing our Ram Print operations in partnership with Canon to maximize cost efficiencies while contributing to a more sustainable Fordham.”

Seth Knight, FCRH ’93, has worked at Ram Print for over 30 years, and he is currently assistant manager. Knight said that Ram Print’s numbers are the highest they’ve been in five years.

“Since I’ve been fired, or ‘slow fired,’ they brought us into HR [human resources] on Jan. 3 and said our dollars were going down. I’ve had the best eight

months since 2018. My shop was doing better now than before [COVID-19], and they don’t care,” said Knight.

According to Knight, Ram Print’s mission is to provide the university with goods and services at a cut rate. Currently, Ram Print is a partnership between Fordham and Canon. Beginning this summer, the university will employ an extended partnership with Canon and printing services will be outsourced at their Long Island facility and delivered daily to campus.

“Starting July 1, a new online print portal will allow the campus community to manage every step of the print ordering process — from quoting jobs to proofing,” said Grono. According to Grono, the online portal will also introduce new and expanded print offerings that haven’t been available on campus.

Ram Print for exam booklets, posters and brochures. Magda

Teter, the Shvidler Chair in Judaic studies, used Ram Print’s services to source posters, poster boards and wall clings for the exhibitions “The Light of the Revival: Stained-Glass Designs for Restituted Synagogues in Ukraine by Eugeny Kotlyar” and “Knife/Paint/Word: The Art of Deborah Ugoretz.”

Teter said she was saddened to hear that Fordham decided to modernize Ram Print’s operations and further their partnership with Canon.

Knight expressed concern over Fordham turning over Ram Print to Canon. According to Knight, Canon doesn’t understand Ram Print’s day-to-day operations or management of large-scale events such as move-in and commencement. Knight said that his largest concern is how the University will efficiently print and distribute ID cards. Ram Print administers around 4,000 ID cards each year — including during the summer when the university hosts summer sessions and conferences.

Knight. “Part of it isn’t anger for me. It’s anger for us [Fordham] as a unit. We used to be better than that.”

Faculty and staff members utilize

“I am devastated about this news. We have been using Ram Print for many items related to our exhibits in the Henry S. Miller Judaica Research Room at the Walsh Family Library… The working team there is fantastic. The quality of prints are exceptional,” Teter said.

However, Knight’s primary concern is the welfare of his coworkers and the Fordham community.

“I wasn’t just looking out for my job [during COVID-19] but all the other guys’ too. It’s my guys… No one ever sat down to look at a spreadsheet and see how this is affecting people’s real lives,” said FROM

Knight reminisced on the years spent in Faculty Memorial Hall room 129 and the people he met through the job, saying, “I could tell you stories of tons of people who I’ve met through the years. People who would leave their kids in the Print Shop, I’d give them paper and they’d sit there and color.” Knight recounted attending a former student worker’s graduation party in Pennsylvania; that same student worker took the train from Brooklyn to the Bronx last year to thank Knight for everything he did for him.

“They can’t pay me for any of those things, but I know I made a goddamn difference. It’s a shame that because of someone’s hubris and someone else’s greed that it has to end,” said Knight.

U.S. Department of State Recognizes Fordham Scholars

FROM FULBRIGHT, PAGE 1

“It’s a very diverse experience, and there’s so many opportunities to do a lot of different things that it can be almost overwhelming, but in a very exciting way,” said Grace Powers, FCRH ’23, an ETA in Estonia.

“The work that I’ve done and the people and places that I’ve seen and met have been really incredible opportunities for growth.”

After students submit their applications in the fall, they wait until February to hear the list of semi-finalists. That list is then sent to the various countries involved, who generally get back to students in May.

“All my plans for the future were up in the air because [I] have no idea if it was going to work out, Fulbright takes a lot

of adaptability and willingness to roll with what happens,” said Powers.

The Fellowships Office works with applicants every step of the way. They give the students internal deadlines throughout the summer so they remain on track for their submission in the fall.

“I would say that it was definitely a tough experience, but in the end, I definitely learned a lot more about myself through the application process,” said Miguel Sutedjo, FCRH ’23, an ETA in Taiwan. “Especially going into my senior year, it helped clarify what I want to do with my life.”

One of the main goals of the Fulbright program is cultural exchange. Students are meant to immerse themselves in their communities. Iglesias feels

that Fordham students and Fordham’s Jesuit values of service contribute to the number of scholars.

“We have Jesuit principles, and Fulbright really aligns with that, looking at you, not just your grades but who you are and why you want to do this,” she said.

In Estonia, Powers teaches fourth to 12th-grade students and helps with an adult English club at a local university.

“You get to see a really broad range of English abilities, and you get to do a bunch of different activities,” she said. “There’s a lot of flexibility and ways to adapt to your own wants and needs and how you really want to approach English teaching.” Sutedjo was a political economics and music major at Fordham and teaches English

and music to junior high students in Taiwan.

“I didn’t want to commit to a master’s program or do research, so teaching English seemed like the logical step for me,” he said. “I also realize that I really love teaching; I love sharing my musical gifts and passion for teaching and connecting different cultures together in the classroom. I definitely want to continue that in some capacity when I return to the U.S.”

Iglesias calls Fulbright a “pick your own adventure” where students can be involved no matter their major or career goals. She stresses that any student with an interest should apply.

“I don’t think there’s one right approach or one wrong approach, but I think one of our strengths is really creating

relationships with our applicants. It feels like family. We work from spring until October and are just so invested in what they wanna do, just being accessible and taking away any intimidating part of it,” she said. “What we really want is for everyone to have the information and know that they can be a Fulbrighter.”

The application opens on A pril 2 this year, and the Fellowships Office will have an information session on April 4.

“If you’re on the fence about applying, just do it because even if it doesn’t end up in your favor, just by writing those essays, you’re going to gain a much clearer vision of what direction you want to take in the future,” said Sutedjo. “This has been one of the best academic years of my life.”

Student Life Council Holds First Meeting of Semester

transparency among university administrators, Tetlow encouraged students to download The Fordham Hub. The Fordham Hub is an app that connects students with a variety of campus resources and is accessible via fordham.edu. Christopher Rodgers, assistant vice president and dean of students at Rose Hill, offered two pieces of advice for students craving more transparency: attending Fordham University Emerging Leaders’ “The Secret Hidden Agenda of ‘The Administration’” workshop and attending SLC’s monthly meetings.

Tetlow addressed responsibilities regarding Fordham’s relationship with the Belmont community. Tetlow cited numerous community groups, Fordham’s

Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program program and the university’s Environmental Protection Agency grant as resources that will allow Fordham to further their relationship with the surrounding community. Tetlow also stated that she is considering easing campus access restrictions to those outside of the Fordham community.

“There are no simple solutions to this, but at the minimum, we have to do the meaningful work that is part of who we are and what we believe,” said Tetlow.

Tetlow also shared that she is working with the Division of Student Affairs to brainstorm strategies for how to best engage with students. For the time being, Tetlow encouraged students to email her their thoughts, ideas

and questions as well as invite her to meetings such as the SLC meetings.

At the request of the SLC Executive Board, Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Residential Life Charles Clency shared the number of monthly intoxication transports. United Student Government (USG) Vice President of Sustainability Sean Power, FCRH ’24, asked for an update on the Laudato Si’ Action Plan. Rodgers said that he’s been in contact with the Laudato Si’ committee and will circle back to them and connect Power with the committee. USG’s Executive President Briana Al-Omoush, FCRH ’24, and Executive Vice President Ava Coogan, FCRH ’25, shared a presentation on

the upcoming student activities fee referendum. The referendum proposes a $95 increase to the student activities fee and will increase club funding. The referendum failed last year due to low student participation — AlOmoush attributed the low turnout to the tuition increase, which occurred at the same time, and lack of communication on USG’s end. This year, students will vote using paper ballots. Al-Omoush said that paper ballots require less of the student body to vote and also encourages USG to have a different approach when it comes to getting students to vote. Voting will take place from March 4-12 and tabling will begin a few days prior. Questions can be directed to usgrh@fordham.edu.

Assistant Vice President and

Dean of Student Services Keith Eldredge discussed The Middle States Commission on Higher Education and the Middle States accreditation. The accreditation is an “expression of confidence in an institution’s mission and goals, its performance, and its resources.” The accreditation’s standards are focused on the student experience outside of the classroom. Eldredge asked students two questions: what does Fordham do well and what are areas where Fordham can improve? Eldredge said they are in the process of creating initial draft reports. The final report will be completed by the end of the semester and shared with the university in the fall for feedback.

The next SLC meeting will be on Wednesday, Mar. 13 from 3-5 p.m. in the McShane Campus Center

USG Discusses Wi-Fi Issues and New Clubs

USG is preparing for the upcoming referendum in March.

By SOFIA SEMPER STAFF WRITER

The Fordham Rose Hill United Student Government (USG) met on Thursday, Feb. 15, to learn about IT Services and new clubs.

Assistant Director of IT Services Judy Rothschild-Best updated USG on upcoming events. She explained that the IT department has everything functioning well and they are currently adding even more power to the Wi-Fi

system. She announced that IT is working with the Committee on Student Experience to put together an event next fall where the IT department can talk to the whole student community about what exactly IT does, what jobs are available and what careers students can pursue in IT. She also stated that they are thinking of doing a Hackathon event where students can practice coding and possibly win a prize. IT is

currently putting together a space on servers where students can practice their coding skills. The IT department will be sending out a satisfactory survey to students very soon and she asked that everyone fill it out so they get as much student feedback as possible. Vice President of Gabelli School of Business Catie Flores, GSB ’25, asked if she knew why the Wi-Fi was down the other day. Rothschild-Best explained that that was an off-campus power outage that ended up affecting our campus Wi-Fi but there was nothing they could do about it.

A representative from the Turkish Student Association presented on what they hope their club will accomplish. He said that this club would provide Turkish students here a sense of community, home and shared culture. He explained that a club like this is necessary because it is difficult for many international students to feel a connection to home and this would provide that for them. They are also hoping to

somehow provide humanitarian aid to Turkey, especially after the devastating earthquake last year. The club meetings would consist of game nights and networking events. This club was approved by USG.

Flores presented a budget request for mini microphones for the GSB Dean’s Council’s marketing subcommittee. Vice President of International Integration Nandini Anand, GSB ’25, presented a budget request for catering for an upcoming event. Both budget requests were approved.

Executive President Briana AlOmoush, FCRH ’24, stated that she wants all USG members to know all of the information for the Activities Fee Referendum because she wants it to be passed this year. Al-Omoush reiterated that helping with the referendum is mandatory for USG members. She also said that they are considering moving their tabling locations to somewhere with more student foot traffic.

Assistant Director for Leadership and Commuter Student Services

Kayal Velez said that all seniors should sign up for their senior portraits as soon as possible. She also announced that Commuter Week is happening April 15 and Midday Breakfast will be on April 18.

Vice President of Fordham College at Rose Hill Emma Balint, FCRH ’24, said that she and the FRCH Dean’s Council met with someone from the core curriculum revision team today. Vice President of Sustainability Sean Power, FCRH ’24, stated that he is working on a budget request that should be ready by next week and the Sustainability Committee is almost ready with their proposal, as well. Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion Nyla Patel, FCRH ’25, said that the Diversity Action Coalition recently had their diversity, equity and inclusion training and they are expecting a big crowd for the next session. Vice President of Health and Security Eliza Collins, FCRH ’26, said she will be collaborating with the Women’s Empowerment Club soon and she is continuing her research for a new proposal regarding Public Safety.

COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

On the first day of fifth grade, I sat at my desk. That day, we read “TIME For Kids” articles, the blinds of the classroom drawn and the room dark in mystery of how the year ahead would go. Finally, it was my turn to read aloud, and when I mispronounced “Maryland” as “Mary-land,” Ms. Sandor muttered in disdain: “You’d think they’d know how to pronounce the states by now.” My face burned in embarrassment — I thanked the closed blinds for muting the color of my definitely red complexion — but I read on, ignoring the snide comment that had me on the brink of tears.

This first impression, on her end and mine, was proven to be a deceptive one. I quickly became her favorite student, and she would go down as my favorite teacher.

Primarily an English and history teacher, Ms. Sandor emphasized the importance of writing and allotted time during each day when we would write mock “TIME for Kids” articles. I became obsessed and soon became the editorin-chief, where my peers would come to me if they ever needed help with a sentence or brainstorming a creative title. Ms. Sandor also had us write stories, allowing us to explore our creative writing side as well. It was in fifth grade that I fell in love with writing, and could be found editing articles or writing stories during recess. Maybe

I was not the best at reading aloud, but I sure could write a mean story.

I was a huge theater kid in fifth grade, and Ms. Sandor was shocked to learn I had never seen a Broadway show. I always hung out with her in the classroom as I waited for students in the drama club to be called to the music room, while showing her how I had learned to fake faint without hurting myself (I had bruises all over my knees). Naturally, I wrote a play in her class, as well as a mystery novel and an autobiography. I even wrote my own version of “A Christmas Carol,” which Ms. Sandor informed me through email a year later that she was having her current students perform.

When I think of that fifthgrade classroom, I remember wracking my brain over sudoku puzzles when I had finished my work early, writing poems like Robert Frost and how she had a picture of “Starry Night” by Vincent van Gogh on the bulletin board the whole school year. I remember when she learned that if you swung around dried-out EXPO markers on a string, it would help the ink travel to the tip — but do not try that at home, as the ink will end up spraying all around the room and stain your favorite hot pink sweater. Ms. Sandor always wore black and white, typically with pearl jewelry, and I envied the piercings that ran up her ears. I can’t

remember the smell of her classroom or the sound of her voice, but the impact she left on me after only nine months of being my teacher is undeniable.

Ms. Sandor fostered my love of writing and gave me the opportunity to exercise it at an early age. I had always been a big reader, but she taught me to love the process behind what creates a book and articles. It’s because of her I tried writing my first book when I was 16 years old, and why I’ve now put that one on the back burner for a different novel four years later.

At the end of my senior year of high school, I tried to contact her, emailing her personal and school emails, but they failed to send. I wanted to tell her that it was because of her class that I would be attending Fordham University, where I would be studying English and hopefully accepted into the creative writing concentration. I wanted to thank her for putting me on this path and instilling in me the belief that I could make it.

I never got to thank her, finding out almost a year later that she had recently passed.

I hadn’t seen Ms. Sandor since I graduated from elementary school — over seven years ago — but the grief still struck. Maybe that’s what urged me to join the Ram the next semester and what pushed me to join the staff a semester later. I’m back at my roots, the same person I was in fifth grade: writing stories and articles, copy editing articles and dreaming big, an admirer of “Starry Night,” having now seen the real painting in the Museum of Modern Art and writing for Fordham’s literary magazine, The Ampersand. At heart, I am still a huge theater kid and writing my first novel about Broadway, having now seen twelve different shows. Possibly, most importantly, I’m concentrating on creative writing in the hopes of publishing a book in the next five years. But for now, I’ve traded out my pretend “TIME for Kids” articles for universitypublished articles.

All thanks to Ms. Sandor.

The Challenges That International Students Face

New York City is the global epicenter of business, media, culture and education. As a result, people from around the world flock to be involved in those industries. Among those coming to the Big Apple are international students looking to study at New York’s most world-renowned universities. Fordham University is among these schools and makes a concentrated effort to attract international students. The university currently has international students attending from 87 countries. Activities to help international students include Global Transition and the United Student Government Committee on International Integration. However, international students face challenges that aren’t well-known to domestic students. One particular issue is the complicated process of receiving a visa and trying to get work sponsorship for an internship. The university offers support through the Office of International Services (OIS), but some members of the international student community feel that the Career Center can improve how they inform students about the complex process of getting an internship sponsorship. The Career Center should address and fix these concerns.

It is important to look at the visa process to get a firmerunderstanding of the challenges international students face. Both domestic and international students can only attend a university if they are accepted. Yet, once international students enter a university, they must begin the complicated visa process. The visa for international students studying in the United States is the F-1 visa. To be eligible for an F-1 visa, you need to be “enrolled” in an educational program, language training program or vocational program. Among other requirements are proficiency in English and sufficient funds to sustain yourself.

A student who wants an F-1 visa must also get an I-20 document. An I-20 document is official proof in the eyes of the United States government that an international student is legitimately studying in the country. In order to get the I-20 form, an international student has to submit an “Application for Certificate of Eligibility.” Then, they have to show a supporting bank statement demonstrating that they can pay for a year of college and provide a copy of the information page of their passport. Once they submit this information and get their I-20 form, then they can

apply for an F-1 visa. All of this is added to the regular stress of transitioning into college as a first-year college student.

Once in college, like other domestic students, international students try to complete internships. Unlike a domestic student, an international student who wants to work in the United States must receive a work sponsorship from an employer. The problem from the company’s perspective is that sponsorship is expensive. For a nonimmigrant to be sponsored by a company through the H-1B visa program, they must pay between $1,250 and $4,500 in filing fees. As a result, many companies will pass on the opportunity to hire an international student intern. While domestic students can apply for internships and develop skills for their industries, international students have a difficult time and are more likely to lose out on valuable career-oriented experiences.

If international students want to stay and work in the United States, they can file for an Optional Practice Training (OPT) visa. After graduating, the OPT allows international students to work for 12 months in the United States. STEM students are allowed to stay for 24 months after graduation. A

positive aspect of this program is that, unlike with just an F-1 visa, companies do not need to go through the process of sponsorship, which makes it easier for them to offer jobs to international students. However, many international students are hampered by the lack of internship opportunities. If they can’t get a job within the OPT-designated period, they must leave the country.

How does Fordham help international students navigate through this maze? OIS helps students receive visas and guides them through employment authorization. Regarding internships, the Career Center is less helpful. While they offer many resources about internships and post-graduation job search, most of the website is targeted towards domestic students. When browsing the Career Center’s Handshake page, finding information about any of the aforementioned visas or work sponsorship is difficult. We believe the best way to fix this is by consolidating the information about international work visas and the sponsorship process on an easily accessible page. Fordham prides itself on being a global university in a global city. It is fair that the Career Center reflects that outlook to the best of its ability.

Thoughts and Prayers and More Mass Shootings

doesn’t matter in the end.

By JOE HENRY STAFF WRITER

A body strewn motionless across the pavement. A woman frantically applying chest compressions to it. A few feet to the side, another person left unattended while writhing in pain.

This is not an author’s vision of a dystopian world ravaged amidst an apocalypse — it is the Super Bowl parade in Kansas City, Mo.

The tragic reality is, as the Kansas City Chiefs celebrated their fourth Super Bowl win, a united city in raucous celebration was turned upside down. Drunken cheers were drowned out by sobering screams as gunfire rang out, leaving a young woman dead and at least 21 others injured. As many as 11 children, perhaps enjoying their first Super Bowl parade, were rushed to hospitals as their red Chiefs jerseys were stained a few shades darker. They weren’t the only children made victims in what should have been a safe setting — that very same day, four students were shot at Atlanta’s Benjamin E. Mays High School. School? The Super Bowl Parade? It really

This is America, where we are guided by the principles of liberty and freedom. This is America, where a democratic system gives citizens and politicians a degree of power to enact change as they see fit, to ensure that Americans can live in safety and prosperity. This is America, where weekly mass shootings tell a familiar story. This is America, where instead of gun control legislation, we offer our thoughts and prayers.

To lawmakers in Kansas City and throughout the country, how many children will be shot before you decide that thoughts and prayers won’t suffice? Is there a requisite amount of blood that must be spilled, a quota of lives ruined, people traumatized, families shattered and communities heartbroken? At what point do we admit that the lives saved by a Missouri resident’s ability to openly carry an assault rifle pales in comparison to the number of lives destroyed?

At what point do we come to the realization that maybe the same weapons we

give to our military are not to be brandished by our citizens? At what point do we come to the conclusion that, in the free state of Missouri, it is not in the citizens’ best interest for the law to authorize an individual to purchase a weapon of war without a background check or a permit?

The shocking news doesn’t stop there. Under Missouri state laws, you can purchase a firearm and own it even if convicted of a violent crime in the past. And don’t worry, if you own a firearm, like 48.8% of the state’s adult population, you won’t have to do any back-breaking work to keep folks safe — guns are not required to be locked up to prevent children from accessing them.

Many people who are opposed to gun control reform argue that these events aren’t reflective of all gun owners in Missouri and that gun ownership is generally safe, but some facts state otherwise. Missouri boasts the fifth-highest homicide rate in the nation, with 84% of homicidal deaths involving guns. Guns are the number one cause of death

among children and teens in the state. But it’s not just Missouri — nothing takes more lives from children and teens in the U.S. than guns.

Everytown Research projects that if every state had gun laws equal in strength to the nation’s strictest states — New York, California and Massachusetts, among others — 298,000 lives would be saved in the next decade. Moreover, of the gun deaths that do occur in states with strong gun laws, the majority are caused by weapons trafficked in from states with weaker laws.

In 40 of 50 states, assault rifles are legal, and mass shootings involving assault rifles cause six times more people to be shot than mass shootings carried out by other guns. A 2018 study found that mass shootings were 70% less likely to occur during a 1994-2004 span where assault rifles and high-capacity magazines were federally banned.

If you want to bear arms for the sake of protection and safety, you are doing the opposite by owning an assault rifle. In fact, if you have

your family and community’s protection and safety in mind, you are making them less protected and less safe by advocating for gun laws the likes of which we see in Missouri.

For every year we postpone reform, opting instead for thoughts and prayers, 7,957 children and teens are shot in the United States; that shakes out to 23 a day. Every year, 117,345 people are shot, or 327 a day. If you want to increase the chance of putting your family and community at risk, keep settling for thoughts and prayers; keep finding ways to blame mass shootings on anything but guns. Each day, as gunshots reverberate through our streets and pierce through hearts, our inaction proves that the love we have for firearms supersedes the love we have for our fellow citizens.

Considering Sustainability During Mardi Gras

By LAILA SAYEGH STAFF WRITER

Mardi Gras is a popular holiday celebrated in New Orleans. While it was initially celebrated to precede the Christian Lent, it is currently most recognized for its over-the-top festivities, like parades, balls and float processions. The celebration typically involves feasting, masked balls, catching beads and doubloons, eating king cake and indulging in general revelry. This year, Mardi Gras fell on Feb. 13, and the Mardi Gras season had been running since Jan. 6. However, many have been concerned about the impacts that these activities may have on the health of our environment. The extensive festivities generate considerable waste, particularly with the ubiquitous plastic beads, which can sadly catapult environmental challenges within the south. To address this issue, there is a growing movement that aims to increase the sustainability of Mardi Gras celebrations by using more recycled or reusable materials. Personally, I believe that these steps are a positive force in bettering the health of our environment while still maintaining the history of Mardi Gras traditions and celebrations.

A recent study conducted by Alabama researchers reveals potential dangers associated with Mardi Gras beads. They contain metals such as chromium, copper, arsenic, lead and barium. These metals, when presented in high amounts, can be dangerous not only for human health but for the environment as well. A recycling initiative that involves replacing plastic beads and decorations with environment friendly things like paper, seeds and coffee packets emerges as a practical solution. While these more climate-friendly changes mark a departure from traditional practices, they do not necessarily detract from the rich history of Mardi Gras. Instead, they reflect an evolution of cultural practices in response to newfound environmental awareness. This adaptive approach ensures that festivities can endure while minimizing their ecological impact. Mardi Gras throws are the primary culprits of the negative ecological impact of the celebration so far. These throws include a variety of items, such as doubloons, beads, cups and toys. Most of these products are plastic or contain dangerous metals that are harmful to the environment.

Even though throws are deeply rooted in Mardi Gras history, studies have shown that Mardi Gras parades produce approximately 2.6 million pounds of street waste in just less than two weeks. In fact, in 2018, about 93,000 pounds of beads were cleaned out of storm drains in Louisiana. Therefore, it is more important than ever to acknowledge the waste problem, reduce disposable items and opt for reusable decor. While Mardi Gras festivities are deeply intertwined with historical customs, the need for a shift toward sustainable practices is undeniable. Embracing this change not only ensures the preservation of our environment but also paves the way for a Mardi Gras celebration that aligns with more ecological values, allowing the rich history of the tradition to endure with a reduced environmental impact. In addition to creating more sustainable decorations for Mardi Gras, communities can also implement widespread recycling programs along parade routes and encourage the use of compostable or biodegradable materials for decorations and packaging. It would also be helpful to promote public awareness campaigns on responsible waste

disposal and advocate for the use of electronic or hybrid parade floats. There are many routes that people can take to contribute to a more eco-conscious and sustainable Mardi Gras celebration.

Similarly, other holidays and celebrations, specifically Valentine’s Day, have sparked controversy surrounding their negative effects on the environment. The roots of Valentine’s Day trace back to ancient Greece. However, as centuries passed, Valentine’s Day has transformed into a holiday of materialistic gestures. Seemingly innocent acts of expressing love through customary gifts, such as stuffed animals and balloons, perpetuate a devastating cycle of environmental harm. About 9 mil -

lion kilograms of additional CO2 were emitted on Feb. 14 as a consequence of our collective actions. In light of this, it becomes imperative to rethink our approach to celebrating love, whether it be through Valentine’s Day or other similar celebrations. We must shift our focus from conventional, materialistic expressions to alternatives that are kinder to our planet. Our celebrations should not only cherish our connections but also reflect a commitment to a greener and more sustainable vision for the world.

Laila Sayegh,

JoeHenry,FCRH’26,isaneconomics major minoring in American studies and sports journalism from Duxbury,Mass.

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

A more sustainable Mardi Gras does not detract from traditions. COURTESY OF TWITTER

How AI is Beginning to Affect Elections

By INDIRA KAR CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Classrooms, social media, music — artificial intelligence (AI) has encapsulated every aspect of our lives. But where do we draw the line? AI is not new to the world of politics, but AI-generated political messages have most recently hit the headlines with their involvement in the election cycles of Pakistan and South Korea, offering a possible glimpse into the future of campaigns and how people vote in elections. The quick rate at which AI has enveloped our world is grounds for concern. In the age of social media, with rampant misinformation at one’s fingertips, campaign season should steer clear of using AI.

The Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) party, chaired by Imran Khan, secured the majority of the Parliament seats on Feb. 8, 2024 amid rumours of election tampering. After losing Parliament’s vote of no confidence in April 2022, Khan was ousted from his role as Prime Minister. Since his arrest in August 2023 and subsequent sentencings, candidates from Khan’s PTI political party and their family members have reported being detained and intimidated by the military. There have abeen obstacles like internet blackouts and censoring PTI news coverage to curb support for the PTI platform. Khan and

By INDRANIL KAR

Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love, romance and comradery. One of the best ways to honor this holiday is by hitting the town with that special someone. Whether you take them to an esteemed establishment such as a steakhouse or the local Cracker Barrel if you are “balling on a budget,” the goal is to have a memorable and pleasant outing. Hypothetically, the date has been going well, and the server drops the bill off at your table. As the bill is placed between the both of you, your eyes lock and quickly dart away to the black leather bill holder. There seems to be some contention regarding who should take care of payment.

While you and your date are mentally deciding how payment should be handled, many young adults are facing the same dilemma. Delegating who should pay for the date is a widely debated topic amongst Gen Z and millennials as more people challenge gender norms, gender role attitudes and the sexism that permeates dating life. I believe in a more egalitarian approach to dating, such that whoever

the PTI have strongly opposed the military and its interference in the political sphere.

Despite serving time in jail, Khan was still able to disseminate political speeches through artificial intelligence. Believed to be “the only one in his party who had the charisma to attract the masses,” Khan campaigned from behind bars to generate support with speeches using artificial intelligence to mimic his voice from writings he had slipped his lawyers. In Khan’s case, artificial intelligence had presented an opportunity to bypass his imprisoned reality, garner votes and speak to his supporters.

In 2022, in South Korea, the People Power Party created an AI avatar of presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol. The candidate’s likeness interacted with multiple voters, used slang to appeal to a younger audience and offered humor to distract from past scandals. Yoon ended up winning his election. Whereas Khan had years in the public eye as a former cricket star and politician to curate a charisma that could charm voters, Yoon had artificially enchanted voters.

Artificial intelligence offers real benefits in the world of politics. Both Khan and Yoon connected with and reached voters in a manner that secured election wins. AI tools can generate messages, ads, images, videos and speeches

for campaigns. The software has become mainstream and cheap to use, cutting down on campaign costs. It can help campaigns with less funding to be able to compete with the digital teams of their wealthier opponents. The possibilities seem limitless, and AI might just be the future of politics.

Because the software has become more mainstream in recent years, virtually anyone can create media of a politician, celebrity or even someone you know. One’s image and voice are now more vulnerable to being used in an artificially generated photo or video with their likeness. With rising trends of AI being used in dubbing artists like Bad Bunny over viral TikTok songs, or in the creation of explicit, nonconsensual photos of children, adults and celebrities like Taylor Swift, the world of AI has exponentially grown with little regulation and safeguards in place to address the threat and concerns that it poses. For example, while Khan and Yoon had both demonstrated the desire to connect with voters, AI makes this connection inauthentic.

The integration of artificial intelligence into political messages and campaigning is a concern that needs to be addressed. Almost six years ago, filmmaker, actor and comedian Jordan Peele created a deep fake video of former President

Barack Obama to warn of the dangerous capabilities of AI, and the argument still stands today. Technology has advanced, and with the accessibility of artificial intelligence, anyone can make a political message under the guise of a politician. With the rise of AI, media literacy is needed to combat disinformation, but today many find themselves unconfident in their ability to detect misinformation or choose not to investigate it further. In January, before the New Hampshire primary elections, some constituents reported a robocall of President Joe Biden’s artificially generated voice dissuading them from going to the polls to cast their vote.

In a world with widespread misinformation and a lack

Who Should Pay For Dates?

initiated the date should be the one who takes care of payment.

Traditionally within heteronormativity, the man is expected to cover payment for the romantic date. In 2021, the journal Psychological Reports published a study that examined monetary decisions and dating behaviors within dating. The participants of the study expected men to pay more or cover the payment entirely for the first dates as well as the subsequent dates. One of the potential consequences that stemmed from this is finding that it perpetuates traditional gender roles, which reinforces benevolent sexism.

Benevolent sexism is a subtle form of discrimination that holds the belief that women should be cherished and need a man to provide for and protect them.

According to Forbes, “Social scientists label some chivalrous behavior like treating a woman to dinner as benevolent sexism.” Paying for the date is one of many acts that fall under the category of chivalry. Some other acts include opening doors, pulling out chairs for your date and helping women with their coats. These acts are not necessarily harmful at face value; however, they

can be condescending when they are done to patronize women. Like many young adults, I have spent my summers working as a server in various restaurants. This past summer, I recall handing the bill to this pregnant couple, and when I grabbed the card to pay their bill, the husband told me how he had to “feed the beast,” referring to his visibly pregnant partner. While this comment might have been made jokingly toward his spouse, it illustrated the larger issue of how sexism and masculinity have permeated heterosexual dating.

Another consequence of having men pay for the date, as well as having the expectation of the man paying for the date, is that masculinity becomes intertwined with providing for women. In this sense, masculinity is associated with traditional gender norms and attitudes. Studies have shown that men tend to embrace traditional gender roles to a higher degree. Adherence to gender norms and role attitudes are a result of socialization. Endorsing these conventionally masculine roles and attitudes has a negative impact on men’s psychological well-being. It has also been shown that endorsing these roles can lead

of media literacy, artificial intelligence, while it does offer perks, is already affecting elections. Voters are susceptible to believing the first thing they hear or see. AI is an extremely underregulated tool that threatens the future of politics. Voters have to be made aware of manipulation with AI and be able to ensure their voices are still considered in the voting process. If artificial intelligence continues to grow at a similar pace without constraints, we should consider how much we value authenticity, transparency and shared humanity.

Indira Kar, FCRH ’25, is an internationalstudiesmajorfrom St. Louis, Mo.

to a poor outcome in creating and maintaining healthy relationships. Egalitarian approaches to paying could become the future norm of dating amongst younger generations. As gender norms, gender role attitudes and sexism within dating culture are challenged, egalitarian approaches such as splitting the bill and/or having the one who initiated the date pay eliminate subtle discriminatory practices and expectations. One survey stated that for 62% of LGBTQ+ couples, the person who initiated the romantic date should be the one who

pays. Other approaches include splitting the bill each time or dictating who pays based on financial situations and relationship dynamics. When a man doesn’t pay for the date, they can be viewed by the woman as cheap or uninterested, and egalitarian approaches would eliminate the pressures of paying and the subtle sexism of heterosexual dating culture.

Indranil Kar, FCRH ’26, is a political science major from St. Louis, Mo.

COURTESY OF

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Yoon Suk-yeol used AI generated content to help him win an election.

Gen Z is embracing a more egalitarian approach to dating.

Biden and Trump Are Too Old, But the Presidency Shouldn’t Have an Age Limit

By ANDREW MCDONALD CONTRIBUTING WRITER

As of February 2024, if anyone tells you that the Democrats and Republicans are going to nominate anyone other than President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, they’re either not paying attention to the polls, or they’re still getting campaign staffer checks from Nikki Haley. America is getting ready for the most elderly presidential contest in our young nation’s history, only beating the “second most elderly presidential election” in 2020 by four years, an election that we’re doing over again between Biden and Trump. If elected, by the end of their second term, Trump would be 82 while Biden would be 86, assuming neither man dies before the end of their term or before Americans cast their ballots in November.

A lot of discourse surrounding the appropriate age for holding political office has been heightened recently, not just because of the election but also due to the February special counsel report on Biden’s handling of classified information. The report described Biden as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” who had “diminished faculties in advancing age.” This report came the same week Biden referred to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi

as the president of Mexico, and the same month, Trump praised the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán as a “great leader of Turkey.” No matter what any other publication will tell you, both men aren’t exactly doing great.

The age of both of these presidential candidates is an issue, and according to an October 2023 poll by Pew Research Center, the majority of Americans, regardless of political party preference, favor age limits for those holding federal office. I’ll argue against the majority of Americans. While the advanced ages and observed cognitive slip-ups of both Biden and Trump do raise legitimate concerns about their individual capacities to serve effectively as president of the United States, these instances should not serve as a basis for instituting age limits for political office. Implementing a blanket age restriction undermines the democratic principles of choice and equality and disregards the diverse capabilities of many older individuals. It could very well lead to a slippery slope or, worse, a new precedent of discriminatory practices in political candidacy.

The debate over the impact of age on leadership in the 2024 presidential election brings attention to not just the candidates’ age but also their cognitive abilities

and vigor. Determining an appropriate age limit is inherently arbitrary. Physical and cognitive abilities do not decline at the same rate for everyone. While some individuals may experience a decline in certain faculties with age, others maintain high levels of cognitive function and physical health well into their later years. Establishing a one-size-fits-all age limit does not take into account these individual differences, potentially excluding competent individuals from serving based on arbitrary criteria.

For example, if you go online and watch Bernie Sanders speak and compare him to Biden, regardless of your political opinion and what you think of each man, Sanders, who is also of advanced age and is also one year older than Biden, continues to articulate strong, clear viewpoints and maintain an active role in politics, highlighting the subjective nature of aging. He’s still the chairman of the Senate Committee on Health Education, Labor and Pensions. He and many other seniors are still sharp, and Sanders still displays continued engagement and clarity in communication, in contrast with concerns about cognitive slip-ups from other senior politicians in the Senate like Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who is the same age as Sanders. Cognitive

capacity cannot be solely determined by age.

If the argument of the arbitrary nature of age limits still isn’t working for you, rather than imposing age limits, a more nuanced approach could involve regular health and cognitive assessments for politicians to ensure they are fit for office. Health assessments could be a more equitable way of ensuring that all politicians, regardless of age, meet the physical and cognitive requirements of their demanding roles. I’m speculating, but I’m sure plenty of politicians under the age of 60 would fail that test.

At the heart of a democratic system is the principle that the electorate should have the freedom to choose their representatives without undue restrictions. Imposing age limits on candidates could easily be seen as undermining this principle by restricting voter choice. Even if you, like millions of Americans, think Biden and Trump are both lousy and cognitively impaired, democracy still thrives on the idea that voters are capable of making informed decisions about who is best suited to represent their interests, regardless of the candidate’s age or anything else about their appearance or character. By setting age limits based on numerical years, the system implicitly undermines the electorate’s

judgment and autonomy by restricting voting for candidates who otherwise may be qualified and supported by a majority of voters.

While concerns about the ages of presidential candidates like Biden and Trump highlight valid discussions about cognitive abilities and effectiveness of leadership, they should not pave the way for age-based restrictions in political candidacy. Such limitations contradict the fundamental principles of democracy and voter autonomy, potentially sidelining competent individuals based on arbitrary criteria. Instead, embracing alternatives such as comprehensive health and cognitive evaluations, with a commitment to transparency, could work to ensure candidates’ fitness for office.

The vice presidency needs to be the ultimate solution to all of this in answering voters’ fears by providing an American safety net regardless of a given presidential candidate’s age or competence. Still, it might be hard for an America stuck with former Vice President Mike Pence or Vice President Kamala Harris to agree.

Turning a Blind Eye to Child Labor

By JAYLIN SELDON CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The unemployment rate remains high in the United States, and many corporations are turning to prey on the children of the poor and migrant youth while our government stands by and watches. Federal and state politicians have mistakenly trusted corporations to regulate themselves when, time after time, they’ve proven to cross that line whenever adult labor dries up.

On July 14, 2023, 16-yearold Duvan Tomas Pérez was killed in a Mar-Jac Poultry

Plant. I say killed because his death comes as a result of corporate negligence and malpractice. Pérez lost his life because his employer, Mar-Jac, never properly followed or instated mandated lockout and tagout procedures to ensure machinery was fully disabled to make the cleaning process safe. To make matters worse, Perez shouldn’t have even been working there, as federal law prohibits anyone under 18 from working in slaughterhouses. Mar-Jac not only violated Occupational Safety and Health Administration safety standards but had also

violated child labor laws. What was the federal response to Mar-Jac’s blatant corporate disregard for the laws of our nation? A slap on the wrist in the form of a $213,000 fine — spitting in the face of the Perez family as Mar-Jac gets off scot-free and continues to dub their manslaughter of Perez a simple mistake.

Again, on June 29, 2023, two weeks after his birthday, 16-year-old Michael Schuls was killed due to managerial incompetence by his employers regarding safety and supervision at Florence Hardwood, a direct result of corporate negligence and governmental mismanagement. Despite the traumatizing death of Schuls, the Wisconsin Republican Party has a goal to relax child labor laws in the state by introducing “bills that would eliminate work permits for 14- and 15-year-olds and allow children as young as 14 to serve alcohol in restaurants.” Schuls should not have been allowed to operate dangerous machinery.

Florence Hardwoods got hit with the heftiest fine of the bunch, $1.4 million, an

amount still minuscule to the pain they’ve unleashed onto the Schuls family after taking their son.

Again, on July 1, 2019, a Guatemalan teenager was killed in a very similar case of corporate malpractice in Cullman, Ala. The boy’s employer, Apex Rising, got off with a small $117,175 fine despite breaking child labor laws while yet another family lost their child.

Three lives were taken due to the greed that has claimed hundreds before them and will continue to claim hundreds after them. Thousands of children in America continue to work in fields like agriculture, slaughterhouses and construction sites, with many of these children working in conditions like Schuls’s. In agriculture alone, numbers tend to go unreported, as there is a gray area between an official job and mere farmwork.

Statistics from the National Center for Farmworker Health reported in 2018 that “approximately 115 children die a year in agricultural-related incidents,” with an additional 12,000 experiencing an injury of some sort.

The government’s response to this has ranged from a bipartisan defense of it as a way of life to more democratic proposals such as the Children’s Act for Responsible Employment and Farm Safety Act, which proposes merely raising the age for farm work from 12 to 14. We should not be looking to simply minimize child labor — we should be moving to eliminate it. We like to think of child labor as a thing of an “uncivilized past” instead of a current reality where migrant children are funneled into the hands of sponsors eager to churn them out into the workforce, with Republicans eager to make this process easier by dismantling child labor laws. Businesses continue to demonstrate that, if given the choice between morality and economics, they will always side with economics to keep business afloat. It is time to abandon passivity and partisanship — the safety of our children depends on it.

Jaylin Seldon, FCRH ’27,

a philosophy major from Harlem, N.Y.

Andrew McDonald, FCRH ’26, is a history and political science major from Sacramento, Calif.

is

Parental Accountability In School Shootings: The Ethan Crumbley Case

By ALEXA CIARLETTA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The harsh reality of living in the United States is sitting in class and having the thought pop into your head: “How would I react if an active shooting happened?” Everyone has thought about it in the midst of tragic shootings plaguing our nation. On Nov. 30, 2021, 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley walked into Oxford High School in the town of Oxford Township, Mich., and shot four students to death, teenagers who will never have the chance to go to college, get married, have children or see their families again. Ethan’s landmark case ruled his parents as partially responsible for the heinous act and his mother, Jennifer Crumbley, was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, each carrying a maximum sentence of 15 years due to her failure to avoid this catastrophic event. Due to the Crumbley case, a debate has emerged regarding the possible accountability of parents of school shooters.

The utter pain and anguish caused by these senseless acts of violence are immeasurable, prompting society to search for answers and assign blame. Some have argued that parents should bear responsibility for their children’s actions, citing their role in shaping a child’s character and values. Others maintain that it is unjust to hold parents accountable for the choices of their children.

By HANIYYAH USMANI DIGITAL PRODUCER

As a resident of the Bronx and a former student of the New York City Department of Education (DOE) system, the pace at which significant changes are being implemented and the scale of these changes concerns me. Honestly, the thought of what will come next scares me.

My younger sister attends a NYC public school, so hearing about it from her and reading about it in the news is frustrating because it’s no wonder school standards have kept falling right alongside the budget. Before graduating, all I heard were hopes for a raise in the allotted budget for NYC public schools since the existing amount was already causing deterioration. Instead of increasing funding, the city has cut down to an expense that had barely been keeping the DOE afloat. New York City Mayor Eric Adams justifies these budget cuts as a means to manage the migrant crisis and attempts to direct funds toward this growing issue at the expense of the city’s own police force, public libraries and schools. What is a city, especially one of the biggest

However, when considering that Ethan’s parents evidently ignored his mental health issues and bought him the gun he used in the shooting, it becomes hard not to place blame on their negligence.

At Ethan’s trial, the prosecutors presented evidence that Ethan “had wanted mental health help and complained of hallucinations,” but said his parents did not get him treatment. Jennifer stated that she didn’t think her son had mental health problems. This statement tugs on both sides of the overall issue, due to the fact that it is hard to believe any parent would give their teenager a gun if they believed they were also inevitably handing them a life sentence. However, it’s equally hard to see the intelligence in parents who give a gun to their 15-year-old in general, especially after the shooter’s previous behavior.

The sentencing of Ethan’s parents could be beneficial if their consequences can serve as a deterrent, prompting parents to be more vigilant about their children’s mental health and behavior. By establishing consequences for parental negligence, society can potentially create a stronger incentive for parents to actively engage in their children’s lives, ensuring they receive the necessary support and guidance. However, blaming parents for the behavior of their adolescent children oversimplifies the complex factors that contribute to criminal behavior. The idea of holding parents

accountable contends that a child’s upbringing plays a pivotal role in shaping their character. Parents are the primary influences in a child’s life, responsible for instilling morals, teaching empathy and fostering a sense of responsibility. In cases where a child resorts to violence, it can be argued that parental neglect or inadequate guidance may contribute to the development of a troubled individual. But this is not always the case. Parents may not always be aware of the struggles their children are facing, especially when it comes to mental health issues. Mental health challenges can manifest in subtle ways, and even the most attentive parents may find it difficult to identify and address the root causes of their child’s distress. Placing blame solely on parents may lead to a culture of fear and judgment that discourages parents from seeking help for their struggling children. Therefore, a balanced approach to addressing the issue of parental accountability needs to involve identifying that bad parents aren’t the sole determinants of becoming a school shooter. The complexities involved in character development from social, environmental and psychological factors all contribute to an individual’s development, making it challenging to pinpoint a single source of blame.

It is essential to consider the legal implications of holding parents accountable for the actions of their adolescent

children. The legal system generally holds individuals accountable for their own actions, with legal adulthood typically beginning at the age of 18. Deviating from this principle would require a reevaluation of the legal framework surrounding individual responsibility. It would require this reevaluation since it would have to extend out into other instances where young people are murdering others, not just in schools.

Rather than focusing solely on assigning blame, society should prioritize preventive measures and support systems. Investing in mental health resources, early intervention programs and educational initiatives can help identify and address issues before they escalate to acts of violence. By fostering a culture that encourages open communication, understanding and empathy, we can create an environment where individuals can feel comfortable seeking help for struggles.

Instead of focusing solely on assigning blame, society should strive to implement

Cold Cuts to NYC School Lunches

cities in the world, without a working police force and properly funded education for all New York City students?

It has now even spread to the lunches provided to public school students. While students were already picky about what was on the menu previously, they have even more reason to complain now. The few favorites that did exist, like roasted chicken, chicken dumplings, cookies, and bean-and-cheese burritos are now considered “too expensive” and will be scrapped from the menu starting this month. According to the nonprofit news outlet Chalkbeat, Jenna Lyle, spokesperson for the Education Department, attempted to diminish the impact of these changes, stating that the agency “will continue to work to prioritize student choice wherever possible,” and yet the reality students saw was their cafeterias being nearly empty, devoid of even the salad bar. A student who spoke to Chalkbeat stated the chicken tenders that were usually on the menu weren’t available, saying, “I didn’t eat anything. I was like, ‘Ooh, maybe I should get a salad,’ but they cut that out too.” Cutting down budgets shouldn’t

just consist of removing items from the menu, there should be solutions presented as well. Simply getting rid of foods deemed expensive without providing for the large student population is baseless and irrational, and claiming to do as much as possible when these are the actual outcomes is just irresponsible.

This doesn’t help the issue of food being thrown out in schools, either. According to the New York Post, an elementary school principal in Brooklyn claimed, “Even though they are pushing these vegan menus down the kids’ throats, so much of it goes in the garbage because the kids don’t like it.” Reducing funding won’t do anything if all the effort ends up going straight to waste, which implies more money going down the drain. Introducing less popular foods on their own, without any of the old popular options to go along with them, has been unsuccessful. Healthier, more cost-effective options should absolutely be presented to students, but not while completely disregarding the menu routines that have been followed for years prior. Favorites regarding school lunches have always been known and,

if anything, the DOE should strive to alter these existing foods to be healthier rather than forcing unpopular ones.

According to reports from Chalkbeat, Kirk Jaudes, the chief operating officer for the International Food Solutions, the company that provides chicken dumplings exclusively to public schools, stated that the city hadn’t provided information in advance, making the sudden menu alterations turn into a reason for them to consider layoffs since the 2 million servings produced per month aren’t needed anymore. Jaudes went on to further mention, “If even fewer students eat lunch because of the menu changes, that could lead to lower reimbursement from the federal government, which in turn can lead to cuts that further diminish the quality of the food,” which turns into a cycle that only leads downward from here. In addition, it’s important to note the fact that New York City is an economically diverse city, and as stated in the Guardian, “For students who depend on school lunch and breakfast, having more options in the cafeteria can be the difference between eating and not eating.” Parents who do not

measures and support systems that effectively address the root causes of violence. Ethan’s parents certainly are receiving what they deserve for their unjustifiable decision to give their 15-year-old son a deadly weapon, and hopefully, this devastating situation can serve to prevent parents from allowing their children to own guns before the proper age and mental evaluations. However, it is crucial to consider the myriad factors that contribute to an individual’s development. Advocating for change in our society has to start with a way to allow punishments to have a significant impact on an issue as serious as gun violence in schools, and if that means taking it up a notch in cases like this one, it is the price we must pay. Ultimately, a nuanced and multifaceted approach is necessary to create a safer, more compassionate society for all.

Alexa Ciarletta, FCRH ’26, is a biological sciences major from Harlem, N.Y.

have the time to provide their children with a home lunch to take to school are now further burdened by the knowledge that their child is not provided with decent meal options at school. Chalkbeat went on to speak about how “multiple broken display cases sat empty and unstocked, while only one was filled with hot food for a building with five schools and more than 2,000 students.” The president of one school’s Parent Association called this “child abuse” since “it looks just like a desert.”

Adams’s decision to cut down funding from an aspect of the city that needed more seems pointless when all efforts seem to go to waste. Why continue to maintain the false pretense of being able to provide for the migrant crisis, even going so far as to invite more migrants in the past year instead of speaking on how it isn’t possible to handle? Without proper leadership, NYC is already struggling. If the only way possible to deal with the crisis is by taking it away from one’s own city, then it must be high time to ask for assistance and explore another way.

Haniyyah Usmani, FCRH ’27, is undecided from Bronx, N.Y.

The parents of 2021 Oxford High School shooter face criminal charges. COURTESY OF TWITTER

CSA: The Voice for Commuters on Campus at Fordham

By HANIYYAH USMANI DIGITAL PRODUCER

The Commuting Students Association (CSA), not the Commuter Student Services (CSS), is often overlooked, just as commuter students typically are when it comes to Fordham University’s policies and campus culture. CSA is an organization that works toward implementing policies and services to reflect the needs of commuter students at Fordham, making it a perfect opportunity to join for those who have held leadership positions in high school and wish to continue using their voice, or even for those who haven’t and wish to gain leadership experience. “The Commuting Students Association’s mission is to foster community within the commuting student population at Rose Hill and create changes in policy that have a substantial, positive impact on daily commuter life,” said Executive President Hector Cruz, FCRH ’24. “We are a student government organization and it is our responsibility to hear our fellow students’ concerns and ensure that we bring awareness to the school’s administration and inspire change,” said the Executive Program Coordinator Crystal Wu, GSB ’25. There are five boards for the club — Executive, Senior, Junior, Sophomore and FirstYear — with each board being composed of a president, vicepresident, treasurer, program coordinator and marketing coordinator. Membership is

through an election process that takes place every year, at the start of the fall semester for first-years and at the end of the spring semester for upperclassmen. Members are required to attend weekly General Assembly meetings, taking place on Mondays from 1-2:15 p.m. These meetings are open to the public for anyone to voice their concerns or just to be present.

CSA further engages both the commuter and general population through “small board” events, hosted by each individual board and occurring throughout the semester, as well as larger scale ones. These include the annual Thanks-Give-Away, which is a major fundraiser event meant to raise money for donations in the Thanksgiving season. The most recent one in November 2023 raised over $1,000 in addition to books and canned goods. Another large-scale event, which occurs during the spring semester and is coming up during the week of April 15-19, is when each board has their major event on a day of the week, centered around one major theme. “Not only did we get a huge turnout, but you can also see how commuters and even residents genuinely enjoyed these events with their friends,” Wu said. Previous years’ Commuter Weeks, as well as general information about elections and other informative updates, can be found on their Instagram.

As for the policies mentioned earlier, CSA forms

Commuter Life Committees (CLC) in which members discuss overlooked issues that commuters face in their Fordham experience, such as the orientation schedule, absence policies and campus closures (especially during inclement weather) and increased printer accessibility. Wu worked on the alteration of registration times in order to increase accessibility for commuters. “With the collaboration of USG, my board and I brought attention to commuters’ challenges with academic registration, met with the school administration to discuss potential ideas, and made the change. We are proud to say for the first time in many years, we changed registration time… CSA and USG are still collaborating to refine registration time to satisfy our student body,” Wu said. It’s that time of the semester when members are currently working on their policies, creating surveys to gather data for each issue to then use as evidence for needing new policies to pass. These surveys, along with a description of each issue, can be found online. Talking about issues that matter and being able to create change for the commuter population is what the CSA is all about, and CLC is where this mission fully takes form.

Every member has their own experience with CSA, and joining was definitely a change in the right direction for them all. Cruz shared, “Entering college during [COVID-19] was particularly challenging for me as a commuter. By the end of my

sophomore year, I knew that going strictly from hometo-class-to-work-to-home wasn’t going to cut it anymore because of how much I yearned for community. The CSA Outreach Coordinator at the time, Nishi Akter… plugged me into the community and, after running and being elected as a marketing coordinator during fall 2022, [it] changed my Fordham experience entirely for the better!”

Wu recalled her own experience, saying, “I tried being part of a few clubs, but I did not feel like I fit in until my friend mentioned her role at CSA. I volunteered for one of CSA’s events, and I loved how everyone was innovative, collaborative, welcoming and most importantly, I felt I belonged…

After being on CSA for over two years, there has never been a dull moment as we continue to think of ways to help foster meaningful experiences for the commuter population.”

I am currently the marketing coordinator on the First-Year Board, and I can say much of the same. The feeling of having this community of commuters is unmatched, and I’m grateful I was able to join CSA in the fall semester. It’s definitely shaped my Fordham experience for the best from the very beginning, allowing me to meet new people and constantly learn new things, developing leadership skills I was too shy to channel before. I hope to continue being a part of CSA through the years and do more for the commuter population at Fordham.

ACROSS

1. Often found at a children’s birthday party

6. Opposite of urban

7. Hairstyle that highlights hair from dark to light

8. Shortened for school’s psychology department

1. Shoe brand not known for its beauty or hipness (singular)

2. The result of getting punched in the face

3. Spherical objects (plural)

4. Cautious, careful, alert

5. First name of artist who sings the 2020 hit, “Walk Em Down”

Instructions

Use the clues to the left to fill out the boxes above.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM CSA FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

The Commuting Student’s Association allows commuters to get involved.

New York Celebrates The Year of the Dragon

By RACHEL WANAGOSIT CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Saturday, Feb. 10, was Lunar New Year, where Asian communities from all over came together in Manhattan’s Chinatown. 2024 is the year of the dragon, but more specifically the wood dragon. In Chinese culture, the dragon symbolizes power, strength, dynamism and good luck.

Although the holiday stems from Chinese culture and the Chinese calendar, it extends beyond China to many Asian countries throughout East and Southeast Asia, including Thailand (my country!), Korea, Vietnam and Indonesia.

There have been many events to celebrate the New Year in New York across all five boroughs, and there are more to come. On Feb. 3, the Metropolitan Museum of Art held an exhibition, “Celebrating the Year of the Dragon,” that displayed many different objects related to the dragon and the other zodiac signs. It included mirrors, pendants, jars and belt hooks, all depicting the dragon that acts as a “dynamic force that dispels evil influences,” according to the Met.

A bit farther south the same day, City Point and Albee Square in downtown Brooklyn had tons of festivities, including a Balloontopia with life-sized red balloon creatures like dragons and fish. They offered free Lunar New Year family portraits, crafts

creating dragons and drums and Lion Dances.

On Feb. 9, Fordham’s Rose Hill Campus held a Lunar New Year banquet hosted by Fordham’s Asian Cultural Exchange, Ascend and Asian, Pacific Islander, Desi American Committee. They had lots of food, mooncake painting, traditional games and raffle prizes. Fordham’s Lincoln Center also had a Lunar New Year banquet hosted by six clubs across both campuses: Fordham’s Korean Students Association, Chinese Cultural Society, Filipinos of LC Offering Welcome, Tomodachi, Asian Pacific American Coalition and Vietnamese Students Association (VSA). They also had a great variety of food, including chung cake. There were performances by VSA, Fordham Empire, Columbia Wushu and Columbia Lion Dance. My personal favorite was the Columbia Wushu performance which was a showcase of their martial arts skills. It was very intense, impressive and entertaining to watch.

On Feb. 10, the day of the New Year, crowds filled Sarah D. Roosevelt Park, conveniently accessible by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) with the 4 train and the D train. If you didn’t know exactly where the celebration was, all you had to do was follow the sea of red. Standing on a sidewalk, just watching people walk by, you’ll notice al -

most everyone wears at least one red accent. The festival included a lion dance parade that went around the streets accompanied by percussionists and followed by crowds trying to get a touch for good luck. The streets of Chinatown were filled with confetti, with a new confetti popper exploding every few minutes, seconds even. It was a gathering of people of all ages, races and genders. Along the streets were kids climbing fixtures, toddlers on the shoulders of parents and siblings spraying silly string at each other. I decided to bring my DSLR camera and I wasn’t alone in that thought. There were many street photographers present asking people in traditional clothing for portraits. In fact, I had two people approach me asking for a portrait. One of them was an elderly Chinese man who noticed my camera, and while he didn’t know English well, I understood with gestures what he was asking: to include my camera in the portrait he was taking. It was a sweet, wholesome moment of two photographers noticing each other.

The air was filled with excitement, laughter and joy. Streets were filled with stands and stores selling party poppers, noisemakers and traditional decorations. The Chinese bakeries were packed, offering breads and cakes with red bean and cream fillings, among many

other items. I enjoyed some dumplings from Jin Mei Dumpling where they offer 15 dumplings for $5. Although the dumplings were more wrapper than filling, it’s a pretty decent deal nonetheless. You get what you pay for.

Lunar New Year celebrations usually last 15 or 16 days, meaning there are still more celebrations coming up. Lunar New Year begins on the new moon and ends when it is a full moon. On Feb. 18 there was a Lunar New Year celebration taking place in Queens Botanical Garden in Flushing, Queens. There were lion dance performances, music and crafts. In the Bronx, they rang in the Year of the Dragon with NaiNi Chen Dance Company at Hostos Community College

Main Theatre. On Feb. 24 when there is a full moon, indicating the end of the new year celebration, the 26th annual Chinatown Lunar New Year festival and parade will be taking place from 1-3 p.m. The parade begins on Mott/Canal St., goes toward the Bowery and ends around Grand St. There will be festival booths on Bayard St. between Mott and Mulberry.

Lunar New Year is such a beautiful holiday that allows communities to come together, to celebrate a new start and wish each other luck for the new year. I want to emphasize the celebrations available across all five boroughs, and I most definitely will be checking out downtown Brooklyn’s celebration next year!

When In Doubt, Go to an Irish Pub

By GRACE GALBREATH ASST. NEWS EDITOR EMERITUS

Go ahead and queue up “Linger,” because this article is about the motherland!

Last week, my friends and I traveled to Ireland. Over the course of three days, we explored the eastern and western coasts of the country, taking trips to Dublin, Galway and the Cliffs of Moher.

It is often said that the people make the place, and Ireland is no different. Of the countries that I have visited, I have yet to meet people as nice and welcoming as those in Ireland. I spent the weekend chatting with pub-goers in Dublin and shop owners in Galway, and I enjoyed every second of it.

At recommendation, my friends and I kicked off our trip with a visit to the Guinness Factory. Although I am not a fan of Guinness itself, I respect the dedication of the Dubliners. (At the risk of insulting my favorite city, I must admit that the drink tastes like battery acid.) Regardless, we had our pictures printed into the foam

of the beer and took lots of pictures. Overall, the tour of the factory was very interesting and the view from the top rivals that of the Empire State Building.

We also embarked on a cross-country bus tour, which included a stop at the infamous Barack Obama Plaza, a rest stop off the highway in Ireland. Even though I accidentally slept through the first hour of the ride, I still managed to take in some of the views as we drove. The scenery (or should I say greenery) was beautiful.

First, the bus stopped at the Cliffs of Moher, a beautiful overlook of the Atlantic Ocean. Although the rain and wind made the terrain slippery, we enjoyed walking around and exploring the grounds. If you are a “Harry Potter” fan, you may recognize the cliffs from the sixth movie, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.”

I was certainly starstruck. We also stopped in Galway, a town inspired by the famous Ed Sheeran song, “Galway Girl.” Or, maybe it’s

the other way around? Galway is a quaint little town with bustling streets and pubs galore. The old Irish tradition of Claddagh rings first originated in Galway, so we visited the original shop. One of my friends even purchased a ring.

Even the food in Ireland was perfect. We had a weekend full of stew, corned beef, shepherd’s pie, potatoes and Irish soda bread. It was amazing, and very filling.

As I previously mentioned (but must emphasize again), The Cranberries are from Ireland. Need I say any more about how perfect the country is? I could listen to “Ode to My Family” all day.

To summarize, my love for Ireland is off the charts. On my unofficial list of favorite cities that I have visited, Dublin definitely ranks first. Perhaps I should consider a career path as a tour guide in Dublin. The weekend was good craic, and I will definitely be back (on Saint Patrick’s Day). On a related note, I have now decided that I am 100% Irish. I am going to have to borrow Sofia Donohue’s Irish pin!

COURTESY OF RACHEL WANAGOSIT FOR THE FORDHAM RAM New York gathered across all boroughs to celebrate Lunar New Year.

Study Abroad | Ireland

“Kingsman: The Secret Service” is Just Really Fun

By GRIFFIN STEVENSON ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Growing up, my grandma Mimi always tried to take me to the movies. Whether it be the likes of “Despicable Me” when I was six, or more recently Michael Mann’s “Ferrari” starring Adam Driver, I could always look forward to a weekend trip to our local Cinemark theater.

As I grew up, she would make sure to select movies that were appropriate for my age level. When I was 11 years old, right around the time when Marvel movies were the perfect fit both in maturity and interest, Mimi thought she had found the perfect movie for my 5th grade self.

“Kingsman: The Secret Service” touted a star-studded cast filled with industry icons like Colin Firth and Samuel L. Jackson with, thennewcomer, Taron Egerton.

Despite the movie’s R rating, Mimi picked me up in her signature silver Volkswagen Bug and drove me to the theaters.

If only we knew what was in store for us.

For anyone familiar with the Kingsman franchise, you might be thinking, “Why on Earth would you take an 11-year-old to see it?” To those unfamiliar, here is an excerpt from a movie screening site named Parents Previews.

“This package of gory violence, crass sex, and blatant discrimination will be accessible to any teen accompanied by someone over 17,” reads a

description of the movie’s rating published on their website.

It became apparent early on that this movie would be different from your classic spy movie. As a matter of fact, “Kingsman” is a direct satire of those kinds of films.

I can still remember the look on Mimi’s face not even 10 minutes into the movie. There is a spy who gets sliced in half from head to toe by a person with paraplegia and knife legs. The kind of look that says, “Oh man, what did I get myself into.”

Despite these grotesque depictions of violence and the frequent awkward sexual innuendos, Mimi and I didn’t just survive watching the movie… We loved it!

I remember being floored by the spectacle that was “Kingsman: The Secret Service.” Director Matthew Vaughn perfectly captures what a modern-day action flick should look like and, more importantly, how it should make you feel.

This movie was Egerton’s breakout role, and rightfully so. He plays the British teen turned super-spy with the perfect amount of charm and style. His character, Eggsy, has an adorable mentor-student relationship with Firth’s character Harry Hart.

Another standout performance came surprisingly from Jackson. Even as a kid, I could understand that when big-name actors participate in smaller projects, they

can sometimes phone it in. Jackson’s performance as the eccentric billionaire Richmond Valentine oozes the flashy touch necessary to make a successful action satire. The audience can tell that Jackson is having a lot of fun in this role, which allows them to also have fun with it.

While the lead performances are central to audience enjoyment, the themes are what made this film special. Grappling with themes of over-consumption and mass-media manipulation, “Kingsman” was ahead of

its time in many ways. The movie does an excellent job of not dumbing down these ideas, leaving room for viewers to reach their own conclusions. Modern action movies often lack subtlety, making “Kingsman” a refreshing take on the genre.

Vaughn blends these thematic elements with fastpaced action that keeps the audience wanting more. One long take in particular set to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” stands out as one of the best fight scenes of the past 20 years. “Kingsman: The Secret Service” is the perfect film for

anyone looking for a fun adventure. I genuinely believe you can show this movie to just about anyone, and they will have a good time. It was so good that Mimi almost didn’t care that my 11-year-old self had watched it when I definitely shouldn’t have. It transcends age and genre, perfectly blending comedy, drama and action to create something unique for the spy movie genre.

“Do you like spy movies, Mr. DeVille?” (Hart is still using an assumed identity.) He replies, “Nowadays, they’re all a little serious for my taste.” Harry Hart, a Kingsman agent, said.

Even on a Day off, the ’90s Never Die

By GRACE CAMPBELL MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR

Clothing has the unique ability to define someone — what gives someone their individuality, how people walking by perceive them. Some people throw on whatever they find first in the morning, but others take great pride in what they wear.

Rachel Erickson, GSB ’25, is one of the latter.

Erickson has one of the most enviable traits of a girl living in New York City: an effortless and undeniable sense of style. She is the co-president of Fordham’s Fashion for Philanthropy, and she happens to be my favorite person’s closet to raid. Whether she’s dressing up for dinner in Manhattan or reading with her roommates, Erickson uses fashion to express herself.

On Wednesday, with the day off from class, Erickson is wearing flare yoga pants with a crocheted sweater and a pair of slippers to pair off the look. While keeping it lowkey on a day off, Erickson’s clothes are still able to dictate how her day

will go. “If I have to get work done or be motivated, I feel more productive if my outfit is cute. If I’m wearing something I sleep in, I feel like that’s what I should be doing, so getting a little bit more dressed up makes me feel like I should do something,” she said. She’s not the kind of person to dress for other people, what she wears is truly a reflection of who she is and what she’s doing.

“I think when people meet me, they would think I’m bubbly, nice and funny — hopefully funny!” she said. First impressions are an important part of getting to know someone, and clothing can certainly have an impact on that. As a part of Fashion for Philanthropy and MODE magazine, two fashion clubs on campus, it’s easy to understand Erickson’s love for and relationship with fashion. When it comes to deciding what to wear on the daily, it can change depending on the occasion for Erickson. “When I get dressed up for class, I feel more motivated to do more with my day. It’s kinda all about motivation for

me. I definitely dress differently for different occasions, though. I put more effort into dressing for my clubs rather than my classes. Since they’re all fashion related, I want to step up my game a little bit.” Being involved with people who are like-minded with the same interests is a catalyst for Erickson to explore how fashion and styling fit into her life.

Fashion has always been a part of Erickson’s life, and something she cares to put effort into, so much so that she hopes to work in fashion public relations in the future, as she is a marketing major and fashion studies minor. “I can still be involved in the fashion industry and trends, but less focus on design and more on the social aspect, which I love.”

Erickson is somebody that doesn’t let other people define her. She wears what she likes, often inspired by the ’90s looks of Jennifer Aniston and Carolyn Bessette, and isn’t afraid to try new things. In wearing clothes that speak to her and define her mood of the day, she is able to tell the world exactly who she is.

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Colin Firth and others star in this electric film that is truly a blast for all ages, even 11-year-olds.

The Closet Diaries | Rachel Erickson

Erickson shows off a stellar outfit even on a day without class.

Country Roads, Take Me Home: Longing Whi le In London

By FRANCES SCHNEPFF MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR EMERITUS

“Country roads, take me home / to the place I belong.”

These lyrics have infiltrated my life and the lives of many other students studying abroad through the various countries we’ve traveled to, the bars we’ve gone out to and even the people we have met. Although met at first with shock, the soulful sound of some soft American singer-songwriter feels surprisingly comfortable and warm. In a bar full of people with thick accents and

historic traditions, a reminder of old, sweet West Virginia can feel very gratifying.

Despite this nice feeling, I’m not from the country, and the little relations I have with the American countryside are now distant memories. Those old roads that lead you to where you belong is not an image of America that I can relate to, which makes me wonder why there is some part of me that is so attached to that representation of American culture. Or, more generally, why do I find myself wanting to cry when

reminded of this dreamy version of my home?

I think that being abroad (for the little time I’ve been here) has really crystallized this thought for me. Of course, it’s expected to have connections to an idealized version of where you are from — but I think that image doesn’t always rise to the surface until you have changed your surroundings and find yourself in a place where that culture is not underlying.

For me and my friends, this is a very complicated feeling to deal with. Like a heat rising in

Study abroad can make students realize how much they love home.

your chest, like seeing a tree you planted when you were eight or sending your brother off to college. A pining for a time or thing or place that will still exist, but may not be existing right now.

Yearning is the feeling that I’m talking about. I have written about this before, about how I yearn for a time before I knew what yearning was, for a time before I knew what time was. Going abroad has shown me the nature of these feelings. They are not positive ones — they burden me and make me cry. Rather, these feelings are deeply rooted in fear and, more specifically, a fear of change. Throughout my time in London thus far, change has entered my life in every way possible — there is almost no similarity to my life in New York, and sometimes I find that very challenging. Back and forth between different cultures and cities every week leaves me feeling very hopeless and empty on Monday night. I have an attachment to the brief time my friends and I lived alternative lives, often in places where my return seems unimaginable. In general, I’ve realized that these feelings are often those of longing. Like yearning, longing is a feeling of desire for something that is unattainable or distant. For me, and I presume many other students studying abroad, longing for all the places you’ve been or lived is persistent in daily life. I miss the hostel I stayed at in Edinburgh, Scotland, even though I was

sleeping in a room with 12 other adults, and the lights were never on. I miss the weekends celebrating birthdays despite the chaos of eight girls in one place spending far too much money.

Most of all, I miss those old country roads, even though I have no idea where they are or what they look like.

After vocalizing these feelings to my dad and accepting the lecture that comes with sharing honest emotions with your parents, I discovered a new way to approach the yearning that seems to never leave my life. Although it sounds mundane and obvious, looking at these experiences with gratitude rather than longing makes them something to wish upon fondly, not hope for desperately. I think finding a balance between yearning and acceptance is where change can be appreciated.

Being abroad has shown me how much I yearn for things on a daily basis. I would not describe myself as someone who is fleeting — I like ruminating on my feelings for probably too long. However, this lifestyle is not something I can keep up with while I’m living in London. I realize that I must accept this fast-paced nature of life I signed up for last year — and more importantly, I think that it’s helping me progress through my fear of change. I am excited to continue living a little more impulsively here, but that doesn’t mean I won’t feel a little longingness when “Take Me Home, Country Roads” plays in the pub.

Not A Halftime Show For The Books

By SARAH URBANO DIGITAL PRODUCER

On Sunday, Feb. 11, Super Bowl LVIII received an average of 123.4 million views, making it the most viewed broadcast of all time on television. Sadly, I was at work during the game, but I did tune in for the halftime show, as that is obviously the most important part. Super Bowl Sunday has had some of the best performers of all time in the past, such as Beyoncé, Katy Perry, Shakira and Bruno Mars. I was beyond excited when Usher was announced as the performer last September, and after Rihanna’s incredible performance in 2023, Usher had some big shoes to fill.

Paying tribute to Las Vegas, the performance opened with an array of acrobats and feather girls. Usher looked nothing less than fabulous in his bright white Dolce & Gabbana bedazzled suit, which made him stand out tremendously amongst the chaos around him. The show contained an array of flashing lights and bright colors which was visually pleasing to watch, but when he started singing and I did not immediately recognize the song, I had a feeling it

may not be the Usher nostalgia world tour I was expecting.

For someone who has so many household hits, the setlist was a little disappointing.

He opened with his song titled “Caught Up,” and I can confidently say that was my first time listening to it. Arguably, Usher’s most famous song “DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love” was missed dearly throughout the performance, but he did sing other well-known hits such as “Love in this Club” and “OMG.”

Usher fans from earlier in his career probably recognized these songs better than I did, as I am not the most educated on his complete discography, but the other songs he chose to perform were not as classic as the others.

His guest performers shined in this performance; Alicia Keys wore a stunning red Dolce & Gabbana catsuit, and came out on a grand piano performing her hit song “If I Ain’t Got You.”

As soon as I saw her, I knew the pair would perform their iconic track “My Boo,” which was easily my favorite part of the night. Usher and Keys were a bit too close for comfort, considering Usher filed for a marriage license a couple of days prior,

but their rendezvous on stage was the talk of the evening, and they sounded amazing.

Other guest performers of the evening included will.i.am, who sang “OMG” with Usher; Lil Jon sang his own 2014 hit track “Turn Down For What”; Ludacris joined Usher for the end of “Yeah!”; and, my personal favorite, H.E.R. came out in a gorgeous all-black bodysuit with a dazzling red guitar, strumming a beautiful interlude. During H.E.R.’s guitar solo, dancers came out in roller skates, dropping low and hitting every mark, all while on wheels. This portion caught my attention quickly after the first half of the performance had me unmoved.

I was really banking on Justin Bieber being one of the guest performers, due to his iconic musical duo history with Usher. Unfortunately, he decided to attend the Super Bowl as a football fan. Regardless, the guest performers were fabulous to watch, but “Somebody To Love” with Bieber would have been a game changer for the evening.

This performance was extremely visually appealing, but the music just did not hit the

target for me. I love Usher, and I think he is one of the most talented musicians in the industry, which is why I am holding him up on such a high pedestal. The most notable part of the whole show was how close Usher and Keys got, and for that to be the most memorable part of a Super Bowl performance is really unfortunate. He gave the entertainment

aspect of the performance while highlighting the different eras of his career, which I applaud. I can listen to “DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love” whenever I want, but the opportunity to hear it live during the Super Bowl halftime show only comes once, and I am having a hard time forgiving Usher.

COURTESY OF FRANCES SCHNEPFF FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

Who’s That Kid | Zara Marsan, FCRH ’26

Sophomore Embraces Campus Through Music

By CAILEE ZERAAT COPY CHIEF

Walking into Cosi after a 20-minute train ride, Zara Marsan, FCRH ’26, holds her violin on one shoulder and a small backpack on the other. She smiles when she sees me, and it reminds me of the first time we met. Outside of our theology classroom on the first day of the spring semester, we were waiting for class to begin. Not everyone has the confidence to strike up a conversation with a stranger, but Marsan spoke to me like we were childhood friends, immediately making the atmosphere more comfortable at the start of a new year.

Marsan commutes from New Rochelle to Fordham University’s Rose Hill campus. However, her presence and comfort on campus would never reveal that fact. “I try to come to campus an hour before or stay an hour after my classes,” she explained, appreciating the beauty of campus and the change of scenery. You can often catch her picking up an iced caramel latte at Cosi, which is why she insisted we meet there.

Outside of her major’s computer science classes, Marsan is a member of Fordham’s

Symphony Orchestra. Every Thursday for three hours, she sits in the basement of Loyola Hall, occupying the second stand at the front of the violin section. During rehearsals, I often catch Marsan whispering jokes to her stand partner and making the other violinists laugh during our run-throughs of Beethoven. Her energy is contagious, and even from across the room, I can’t help but silently laugh along at her expressions, even though I can’t hear her undoubtedly witty quips.

Marsan began playing violin in third grade, but she does not come from a musical family. Over the course of her younger years, to her family’s surprise, Marsan started to get serious about music. Marsan played throughout elementary and middle school. She began taking music lessons led by volunteer high school students through a program called Songcatchers. Later, she became one of those same volunteers. Additionally, while playing in high school, Marsan was part of the Music Conservatory of Westchester. She also plays guitar and has some piano knowledge. Her love for music and extensive training has

led her to pick up a music minor along with her computer science major — two areas of study that would otherwise seem at odds, but clearly fit in Marsan’s creative personality. While sipping on a caramel latte, she tells me how she “loves to pick up random hobbies… I picked up baking.” She recalls her last baking experience, where she made brookies. She also used to do art, but it is a hobby she has recently dedicated less time to. Her family is from Croatia, and one of the reasons she chose Fordham was because of the rich eastern European presence in the surrounding Bronx area. She recalls how she “would come to this area so much growing up.” She laughs with me about the familiar food on Arthur Avenue influencing her choice to be at the Rose Hill campus, saying, “I do like that some of my culture is here.”

Although Marsan does enjoy a sense of her family’s culture in the Bronx, she tries to go back to Croatia every two years. Marsan recalls her fondness for the Adriatic Sea in which she snorkels when in her family’s hometown of Zadar, Croatia. “I’ve always loved aquatic things… I feel like

it’s a safe space for me,” she said, and suddenly her relaxing presence and go-with-the-flow nature makes sense. Her home in New York is also near the water, although her affinity for swimming doesn’t translate as well into the murky waters off the coast of New Rochelle.

Marsan is multi-talented and passionate, and exudes confidence in all of her endeavors. She recalls how she didn’t even know Fordham had an

orchestra when she arrived in her first semester. As a commuter student, Marsan struggled to find activities on campus to regularly participate in, but now she looks forward to rehearsals each week. She even participates in a student-led quartet that meets every Monday. She smiles when she tells me that she “genuinely enjoys it so much” and has found comfort in the music she plays with others.

A Hidden Treaure: Roberto’s Of The Bronx

By CLARE HANNON CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Around the corner from Arthur Ave. on Crescent Ave., Roberto’s restaurant can be found inside a broad yet unassuming storefront under a simple green awning. If you see a light blue ’57 Fiat 500 parked outside, it means that chef Roberto Paciullo himself is in the kitchen, or outside of it, going from table to table to talk with patrons. Paciullo is originally from Salerno, a town on the Amalfi coast, but has been creating dishes inspired by all regions of Italy for nearly 40 years. When Paciullo immigrated to the Bronx by himself at 17, he realized quickly that “it’s home, [so] I stayed here.”

People often ask him how he can remember the flavors from his childhood, the ones he so effortlessly recreates at his restaurants. Paciullo responds, “you take the flavors with you; you become different, but you [still] remember.” Paciullo says that he was taught about cooking and flavors from early in his childhood. His father, who did the bulk of the cooking for Roberto and his 10 siblings, made simple but elegant dishes using fresh and local ingredients. When creating the menu for his restaurants, Paciullo follows the same main principles that he learned from his father.

First, everything’s sourced

locally and daily to ensure Roberto’s serves only the freshest food possible. So Paciullo sources the meat from Biancardi’s Meats and the seafood from Cosenza’s Fish Market, both around the corner on Arthur Ave. Paciullo prides himself on his daily special dishes, saying he never has to make a special just to sell yesterday’s food. Whatever you eat at Roberto’s will be fresh from that day and made with care and dedication to excellence.

The second principle that Paciullo follows is that any meal at his restaurant “shouldn’t just fill your stomach, it should be an experience.” He prides himself on the different approach he takes to creating the experience within his restaurant. This is why he encourages customers to try his creative daily specials and order their meal in the traditional Italian style, with an appetizer, a pasta dish and an entree. Even though Paciullo “[doesn’t] call it family style,” all dishes at Roberto’s are served with the intent of being shared, so you will definitely have room for all those courses!

The third rule of thumb is that, at any good Italian restaurant, there should be no sauce left when you finish your meal, so the ratio of homemade pasta to handcrafted sauce is always perfect at Roberto’s. Paciullo’s final

edict is that dishes should have no more than three ingredients. He says that too many restaurants these days are trying too hard to be different and set themselves apart, but food should be good and simple. Paciullo prides himself on the fact that his restaurants are the sort of Italian restaurants that you would find in Italy, not necessarily Italian-American. These principles are not meant to sound strict; they’re just how Paciullo was taught

to cook. To him, it’s simply how food should be eaten. And that is the essence of Roberto’s restaurant: food made how it should be. After taking the time to speak with me on a busy Friday night about his restaurant and his passion for good food done right, Paciullo shook my hand and gave me a kiss on each cheek, encouraging me to let him know the next time I come in so that he can create a

unique menu for my table. The best dishes at Roberto’s include the radiatore pasta with some porcini mushrooms and tomato sauce, the truffle pasta, the steak (cooked to medium-rare perfection and served with smoked rosemary, potatoes and Shishito peppers) and Roberto’s take on a cannolo: in sandwich form and drizzled with chocolate sauce. But of course, you really can’t go wrong, no matter what you order.

Zara Marsan began to embrace campus life through her love of music.

COURTESY OF ZARA MARSAN FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

Squash Struggles at CSA Team Championships

By MADDIE BIMONTE SPORTS EDITOR EMERITUS

This weekend, squash traveled to Philadelphia for the 2024 CSA Team Championship, competing in Group A of the Conroy Cup. The Rams suffered a tough weekend against opponents such as Vassar College, Wesleyan University and Bard College.

In total, Fordham went 1-2 across the weekend, winning fifth place in the tournament.

The weekend started off against Vassar, with the Rams winning in the third, fourth and eighth positions.

In the third position, senior Henry Frawley defeated Konstan Georgallides in three games, 11-5, 11-3 and 11-6. Sophomore Jack Stanley had an easy three game sweep to take down Luke Chen at fourth position, 11-7, 11-7 and 11-8, while junior Sofia Arseniev fought a thrilling comeback game in the fifth game in the eighth slot, defeating Kyle Benson, 4-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-5 and 11-6.

But for the rest of the team, they were not able to get the job done as the first, second, fifth, sixth, seventh and ninth positions all dropped their matches to Vassar opponents.

Freshman Peter Vorbach fell at fifth position to Jarid Haslinger, 11-13, 11-3, 11-5 and 11-7, and junior Robert Cruikshank dropped his match up at sixth position to Razaan Lalji, 11-7, 4-11, 11-6 and 16-14.

The Rams finished the faceoff against Vassar with a final score of 3-6.

The second event of the weekend against Wesleyan was a massive struggle as the team could not get a win. They dropped all nine matches to be swept in three games each.

The closest of games came from sophomore Gray Kearns in sixth position against Wesleyan’s Preston Crawford in which Kearns was in striking distance from winning the first set, yet could not bring it home for the Rams, 11-8, 11-6.

However, things turned around for the Rams as they took on their final matchup against Bard for fifth place.

Fordham earned a point by default, putting them ahead early and giving them a strong mindset going forward into the matches. It surely helped as the Rams swept the third through eighth slots, with the Rams only conceding three games at most.

At third and fourth position Stanley and Vorbach earned two big wins, respectively. Stanley beat Will Egan at third position, 11-1, 11-2 and 11-3, while Vorbach defeated Ali Rajabi at fourth position, 11-0, 11-3 and 11-3.

Cruikshank took his fifth slot match from Ahmad Jalil, 11-1, 11-3 and 11-2, and Kearns swept Jacob Nathan at the sixth slot, 11-0, 11-1 and 11-2.

Arseniev moved to seventh position winning her matches (11-1, 11-0, 11-2) and senior Nicholas Choo at the eighth spot took home a win as well after a no decision the day before (11-1, 11-1, 11-1).

The top two positions faced a little bit of a more difficult challenge with sophomore Nicholas Gilman, downing Artemy Mukhin at first position in a five-game thriller. The sophomore battled back across five games to take home the win, 11-7, 6-11, 9-11, 12-10 and 11-6.

The second slot, occupied by Frawley, earned the team sweep of 9-0 with a three-game sweep of Luca Heidelberg, 11-4, 11-7 and 11-0.

Overall, Fordham now sits at 19-9 on the season as they have a small break before heading to the west coast for a road trip against University of California, Berkeley and the University of California, Los Angeles on March 2. The tournament will be held in San Diego and is the last matchup of the season before the Fordham competes at the CSA Individual and Doubles Championship.

Athletes of the Week

Kyle Rose Senior Men’s Basketball

Syndey Wells Junior Softball

Overtime: Tom Thibodeau, Costing the Knicks Their Playoff Hopes?

By GRIFFIN STEVENSON ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau refuses to rest his players, and it could cost the Knicks a chance at the NBA Finals.

Thibodeau’s Knicks have started the first half of their season by exceeding expectations with a 33-22 record, good enough for fourth in the Eastern Conference. Despite this promising start, the Knicks have lost five of their last six games; however, the team has been unable to field their strongest squad.

As the NBA heads into the All-Star Break, the New York Knicks have become plagued with injuries. Stars like OG Anunoby and Julius Randle are expected to miss multiple weeks, while others like Isaiah Hartentstein are dayto-day.

Since the duo of Anunoby and Randle have gone down with injuries, the replacements Donte DiVincenzo, Precious Achiuwa and Josh Hart, have averaged 40 minutes per game, good enough for three of the top five players with the most minutes over their last eight games.

Since then, DiVincenzo has had an injury of his own, hurting his hamstring in the Knicks’ recent loss to the Houston Rockets. His injury makes it a laughable seven players out injured for Thibodeau’s squad heading into the break — nearly half of an NBA 15-man roster.

Thibodeau has a history of keeping his players in the game unnecessarily, with perhaps the most infamous instance occurring when he was the coach of the Chicago Bulls. In a first-round playoff matchup against the Chicago Bulls in 2012, Thibodeau decided to leave young star Derrick Rose in the game despite Chicago’s 12-point lead and there being only 1:22 on the clock. For many NBA fans, what happens next is one of our generation’s great tragedies. Rose would attempt a layup, planting his left foot awkwardly, and he would tear his ACL. This

injury would lead to Rose missing the 2012-13 season and continued damage throughout his career.

After the injury, Thibodeau tried to explain away the criticism.

“There’s no issue there. It’s a playoff game. They had cut a lead down to 12, and we’re going to have our guys on the floor making sure that we win the basketball game... Again, you’re in a playoff game where eight or 10 points have cut a lead. It’s a key time of the year, and you’re trying to win the game, finish strong, and win the game,” said Thibodeau, addressing the media after the incident.

This “any team can come back no matter how little time is left” attitude has been a staple among Thibodeau’s rhetoric regarding his load management philosophy — and he may have a good reason to believe so.

Last season, the Thibodeauled Knicks lost a game against the Dallas Mavericks, where they held a 9-point lead with 33.2 seconds left. Although these types of wins are a possibility, they are anomalies. NBA teams were 0-13,884 in the last 20 seasons when trailing by at least nine with 35 or fewer seconds remaining in regulation up until that point.

Thibodeau’s track record for overworking players is no secret in the league. In a poll conducted by The Athletic in the spring of last year, players around the league were asked, ”Which current coach, aside from your own, would you least want to play for?” Thibodeau received over 43% of the total 55 votes.

“He plays his guys 44 minutes (a game) all year,” said an anonymous player in the vote.

There were signs of Thibodeau’s struggles with load management earlier this season after Knicks players Jalen Brunson and Hart returned from the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

After their return from the competition, Thibodeau took it easy with Brunson and Hart, allotting Brunson just 20 minutes and Hart seven and a half minutes because “he was a little nicked up.”

Despite resting these two players, he did not rest former Knick RJ Barrett, who played more minutes than both Brunson and Hart at the World Cup. Thibodeau failed to be specific when asked about his logic behind these choices. “It’s a good question,” said the Knicks coach. “It’s just how we feel we should manage it right now.”

The Knicks have two players in the top 20 regarding average minutes per game. Despite this, only a Knicks starter can be found in the top 20 of games played this season. Funnily enough, players in that top 20 are Knicks players who are commonly brought forward in the form of Hart and DiVincenzo to fill gaps in the lineup. DiVincenzo will probably drop out of the top 20 because of his recent injury.

The Knicks can still look forward to having all their players back well in time for the playoffs, but they should view their current injury report as a sign of things to come if they cannot balance their roster.

Knowing this, Thibodeau’s Knicks traded for Pistons’ forward Bojan Bogdanović, a 20 pointsper-game player who allows for a better rotation of their stars. Unfortunately for the Knicks, Bogdanović has already picked up an injury in the form of a sore calf — another stress-related injury, joining the likes of Anunoby.

It does not appear that Thibodeau will change his ways anytime soon. Given the sheer amount of injuries, the Knicks risk losing all momentum heading into the playoffs in a league where a hot streak can mean everything in the postseason.

Thibodeau and a somewhat rested Knicks roster will head to Philadelphia after the break to take on their rivals, the Philadelphia 76ers, on Feb. 22.

The all-time appearances leader for the men’s basketball program once again proved that experience goes a long way, registering two stellar performances this past week for a struggling Fordham squad that desperately needed a leader: a 10-point, three-steal, three-assist and three-rebound do-it-all masterclass against the Bonnies of St. Bonaventure University and a 17 - point, three-steal and six-rebound explosion against the 16th ranked Flyers of the University of Dayton.

The junior catcher showed out under the hot California sun this past weekend, acting as the softball team’s offensive sparkplug during their time at the Silicon Valley Classic. In just five games, Wells managed to reach base an impressive seven times, most notably hitting a solo homer against the University of Nevada, slashing two crucial doubles in a hard-fought victory against Portland State University and driving in the go-ahead runs of the team’s thrilling win against Santa Clara University.

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

AWAY

Men’s Basketball

Women’s Basketball

Saint Louis 7 p.m.

Mens & Women’s Track and Field Softball

Men’s Tennis

Duquesne 8:30 p.m.

Atlantic 10 Championship

WestArmyPoint

Men’s and Women’s Swim and Dive Baseball Marist 1 p.m.

Atlantic 10 Championship Binghamton 6 p.m.

February 21, 2024

Baseball Opens Season

By NOAH HOFFMAN ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

After finishing the 2023 season with a 19-36 record, the Fordham baseball team looked to get the 2024 season started off on the right foot against three different teams in Winston-Salem, N.C.

The first of the three games was against the top team in the nation, Wake Forest University. This was the first time in program history that the Rams opened up the season against the top-ranked team. Although Fordham outhit Wake Forest, errors plagued the Rams in a 9-3 loss.

The game started off on a high note for Fordham – sophomore Daniel Bucciero reached on a single in the first inning and promptly stole second to put himself into scoring position. Fellow sophomore Tommy McAndrews scored Bucciero on a single of his own to give the Rams and starting pitcher senior Declan Lavelle an early 1-0 lead.

In the bottom half of the first, the Demon Deacons quickly evened the score with a lead-off home run on the first pitch of the game thrown by Lavelle.

With two outs and two on in the bottom of the second inning, three of Fordham’s four errors of the day allowed for three runs to score, all in one play, giving Wake Forest a 4-1 lead.

The Rams would settle down, and the game would remain that score for the rest of Lavelle’s outing. For a Fordham team that had its fair share of struggles with starting pitching last year, it was a welcome site for Lavelle to start the season pitching well. He ended the day allowing just one earned run on two hits over four innings of work, notching three strikeouts.

In the fifth inning, with junior Robbie Stewart on in relief for Lavelle, the Demon Deacons broke the game open with four

runs on a two-run double and then a two-run single in backto-back at-bats.

The Rams chipped away at the 8-1 Wake Forest lead in the eighth inning with a tworun home run from graduate student Steve Luttazi to cut the deficit to 8-3. However, Wake Forest added on a final run in the bottom half of the inning before closing out the 9-3 win.

The second game of the tournament in Winston-Salem was against the University of Akron, with Fordham as the home team this time.

The game started off with the Rams quickly in a 3-0 hole after Akron put up a three spot in the top of the first inning. The score would remain that way until the third inning when the Zips tacked on another run on an RBI single.

In the bottom of the third inning, Fordham struck back, putting up three runs of their own on four hits. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Luttazi singled up the middle to score two. Two batters later, graduate student Henry Pelinksi also singled up the middle to score the third run of the inning. Luttazi would get picked off second to end the Ram’s rally.

The fourth inning went almost identically to the third inning. Luttazi again came up with the bases loaded, but this time with two outs. An Akron error on the play allowed for Luttazi to reach and two runners to score to give Fordham a 5-4 lead. The very next batter, McAndrews, singled to center field to score the third unearned run of the inning. Another Luttazi baserunning mistake, this time caught stealing at home, ended the scoring at three for Fordham in the inning.

In the top of the fifth inning Akron chipped back with a run of their own to cut the Fordham lead to one. The Zips then took a 7-6 lead in the seventh with a two-run single.

With the Rams down one

run, graduate student Andrew Kanellis pinch-hit for senior Nico Boza to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning. Kanellis came through for his team with a solo shot to the right to tie the game at seven going into the ninth inning.

All momentum was lost in the ninth inning when Akron broke out for seven runs to take a 14-7 lead and put the game out of reach. They would end up winning by that score in the bottom half of the inning.

The third and final game of the weekend was against the University of Illinois, with Fordham back as the away team at the neutral site.

The game was scoreless through the first two innings before Luttazi came up for the first time. As he had all weekend for the Rams, he came through, launching his second home run of the season and the weekend to right center field. This gave Fordham an early 1-0 lead, their only lead of the game.

From then on, the game would be all Illinois, with errors plaguing the Rams for the second time this weekend. It all started in the third inning after a leadoff single for the Fighting Illini was followed by an error to allow the second batter of the inning to reach. Both runners would score later in the inning to give Illinois a 2-1 lead.

The Fighting Illini tacked on another run in the bottom of the fifth before breaking out for five runs in the sixth to put the game out of reach at 8-1. One more run was added in the eighth for good measure, and the game ended in a 9-1 Illinois victory. Following the Luttazi homer for Fordham, the Rams only mustered one more hit on a single from senior Ryan Thiesse in the sixth.

The three losses for Fordham ultimately started them off on the wrong foot on the season at 0-3. They’ll head back down south this weekend to face three opponents in DeLand, Fla.

Women’s Tennis Suffers Setbacks in Kansas

By JOE HENRY STAFF WRITER

Fordham Women’s Tennis kicked off a busy weekend on Saturday when they traveled to Manhattan — of course, I’m referring to Manhattan, Kan., home of the Kansas State University Wildcats. Despite the deceiving name, it was one of the furthest road trips for the Rams in their program’s history. Unfortunately, the crew’s cross-country travel to the nation’s breadbasket left them unsatisfied, beginning with a 0-7 loss to the Wildcats.

The two teams’ first-ever match began with doubles, where the #2 and #3 pairs lost their sets 1-6; seniors Rose Hu and Eleni Fasoula were knotted 3-3 with their competition at #1, but the match was left unfinished after the Rams’ #2 and #3 matches went final.

Things weren’t much better in singles, where the Rams were unable to pick up a set against a tough Wildcats team that advanced to 6-2 with the non-conference win.

Freshman Anlin Xie fought valiantly at #4 versus Maralgoo Chomsomjav,

falling 4-6, in the most exciting action of the day.

Fordham looked to regain their footing, perhaps following the yellow brick road south to Wichita State University for a Sunday matinee matchup. The now 3-3 Rams squared off against the 5-4 Shockers — another first-ever matchup for Fordham — with the first serve coming at 10 a.m. In a highly competitive opening doubles series, the Shockers snatched the point from the Rams by winning at #1 and #3; graduate student Raffaela Alhach and Xie took #2 at 6-4.

Alhach continued her winning ways in singles, earring the Rams a point at #1 with an exhilarating three-set victory over Natsumi Kurahashi. After Kurahashi took the first set, Alhach stormed back to win set two 7-6, narrowly winning the set’s tiebreak by a score of 8-6. In the final set, Alhach was the first to reach the target score of 10, securing a hardfought triumph. By the time the back-and-forth match ended, three other singles matches concluded, all in favor of the Shockers. Xie lost a grueling firstset tiebreak in #3 singles and was

Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Dwyer Invitational (No Team Scoring)

unable to regain momentum, falling in two sets. The same can be said for star freshman Cindy Zhou, who lost in three sets at #2. By the time #6 singles wrapped up, the Shockers had amounted six points to the Rams’ one.

The Rams travel home 3-4, looking ahead to their home opener against George Washington University — a crucial conference contest in which Fordham will vie to advance to 3-0 against Atlantic 10 foes. It will be the first time Michael Sowter’s squad has played on its home Hawthorn/ Rooney Courts since they hosted the Fordham Fall Classic in October. The match will take place on Saturday, March 2 at 4 p.m.; they’ll have two weeks to rest up and put together a more polished product for the onlooking Fordham faithful.

To leave on a positive note, it’s worth pointing out that the Rams opened the season 0-2, only to utilize a two-week break to their advantage, assembling a three-match win-streak — as the calendar flips to March, they’ll look to emulate their recent success in bouncing back from tough losses in the Midwest.

-Compiled by Griffin Stevenson

News & Notes

Fordham Track and Field Competes at the Fred Dwyer Invitational

In what was an off week for the majority of the Fordham track and field team, a few members of the team did indeed make the short subway ride over to Manhattan College in order to compete in their annual Fred Dwyer Invitational. Despite being few in number, the Rams nonetheless made their presence felt, recording a plethora of top-three finishes on the day. On the field side of the meet, these strong performances came from freshman Sarah Cooley, who captured third in the women’s shot put, and senior Skylar Harris, who impressively notched a second-place finish in the women’s long jump. On the track side of things, freshmen Tadael Mihret and Jack Boerger managed to finish second and third in their respective mile run groupings; senior Sophia Crucs recorded a stellar second-place finish in her women’s 400-meter dash grouping; freshman Caroline Fallona topped her respective women’s 60-meter dash group; freshman Kate Meeks impressively finished second in the women’s 800-meter run; and sophomore Darren Croke won his respective grouping of the men’s 800-meter run.

Fordham Women’s Tennis struggles on the road in Kansas as the season

up.

Headed Out West: Softball Competes in the Silicon Valley Classic

By JONAH RING SPORTS EDITOR

After having a rather upand-down start to their season, the Fordham softball team sought to right the ship in the waters of the Pacific this past weekend, heading out west to California in order to compete in the Silicon Valley Classic. The first of the Rams’ five games in the tournament would be a difficult matchup under the hot California sun against the Wolfpack of the University of Nevada: a highly talented squad that entered the game boasting an undefeated record. The Wolfpack would also unfortunately leave the game with their undefeated record still intact, crushing Fordham 7-1 by playing ball the old fashioned way: with clever base running (Nevada had a whopping six stolen bases on the day), long rallies full of base hits (not a single one of their 10 hits was a homerun) and a stellar complete game pitching performance from graduate student Carley Brown. Yet, despite this all-around stellar and dominating performance by Nevada, the Rams did indeed

have a bright spot to build upon amidst this tough loss, with junior catcher Sydney Wells opening her homerun total for the season by sending one over the fence in the top of the first. And build upon it they did, as the Rams introduced themselves to the win column in the next game, defeating Santa Clara University by a count of

3-1. That is not to say the victory came easily, however, as the Rams found themselves locked up in a one-to-one stalemate entering the seventh inning — a byproduct of the fact that both Fordham’s Devon Miller (an experienced fifth year graduate student) and Santa Clara’s Avery Seva (a hyper-talented freshman) pitched almost flawless games. Nevertheless, the bat of Wells once again found rubber and cork, as catcher managed to find grass on a topof-the-seventh two-run single that would prove to be decisive.

In the third matchup of the weekend, Fordham squared off against familiar foes, with the Rams once again being tasked with taking the field against a scrappy Nevada team. Sadly, the result was the same as the two teams’ first soiree, the Wolfpack again beating the Rams by a full six runs with their 13-7 victory. However, the Fordham bats did manage to make some noise this time around against the women in blue and silver. Not only did senior Bailey Enoch have an absolutely monstrous day, being only a double shy of a cycle,

but graduate students Gianna Sarlo and Michaela Carter also registered impressive multi-hit performances. However, this offensive outburst was nowhere near enough to win the game, as the Rams’ own self-inflicted wounds — Fordham would commit four errors on the day — simply proved too much to overcome. It also did not help that the Wolfpack flashed an impressive combination of speed and power, recording an impressive three homeruns and seven swiped bags. The fourth matchup of the weekend, a duel against the Spartans of San Jose State University, would also prove to be frustrating for the Rams, as not only did the team fall in heartbreaking fashion, losing 5-4 after a batch of late rallies came up just short, but they also found themselves dealing with a ball player’s worst nightmare: rain delays. However, as frustrating as the game was, Fordham once again had a few bright spots to hang their hats on, as not only did sophomores Eva Kortasis and Kate McGuire impressively combine for three doubles, but Enoch

and Wells also both showed great patience at the plate by drawing a pair of walks each.

Moreover, the Rams also significantly cleaned up their defensive efforts, not committing a single error against the Spartans after their mistakefilled matchup against Nevada.

The Rams then managed to end their weekend on a high note, winning their fifth and final matchup of the tournament against the Vikings of Portland State University. Once again, the Rams had to fight tooth and nail for their victory, the game stretching into extras after the Rams blew a sizable 4-run lead. Nevertheless, the ladies in Maroon prevailed by a count of 6-5, with a walk-off single by freshman outfielder Mikayla Swan in the top of the ninth proving to be the difference. Besides Swan’s heroics, there were also many other notable performances for the Rams. Enoch went 2-4 with a clutch triple in the top of the ninth; Wells continued her stellar weekend by going 3-4 with two doubles; McGuire and Kortasis both recorded two hits apiece; and Miller provided a strong 6.2 innings on the mound.

Finally, in terms of what is next for the Fordham softball team, they will thankfully have a little bit of time to catch their breath; their only game in the immediate future is a Feb. 24 game in Fairfield, Conn. against a solid Sacred Heart University squad. However, a week after that, things get a lot busier for the Rams, with the team set to travel down south to play the Queen City Classic. While in the Tarheel State, Fordham is set to face some very highoctane opponents with games against the impressive Golden Gophers of the University of Minnesota, the Seahawks of the University of North Carolina Wilmington and the scrappy Wildcats of Kentucky University looming large on their schedule.

Softball ended their up-and-down weekend at the Silicon Valley Classic just under the .500 mark.

Graduate student Devon Miller pitched 16 strong innings last weekend.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Men’s Basketball Scuffles Through A-10 Schedule

By COLIN LOUGHRAN STAFF WRITER

Puzzles can be enjoyable for those who embrace that each piece must connect to a certain compatible part. But for those who do not have time to sort and find what fits where, the exercise could become a frustrating endeavor.

The Rams dropped an 87-65 home game against the Bonnies of St. Bonaventure University on Wednesday, and then fell to the prolific University of Dayton Flyers in a tight 78-70 Saturday matinee on the road. The losses marked the Fordham’s second and third consecutive defeats, and also underscored the ways in which they’ve sadly failed to mesh during conference play.

The Rams did beat the Bonnies earlier this season on the road, but failed to show the same chutzpah this past week. The Bonnies outscored Fordham 44-27 in the first half. A 6-1 Ram run made it 45-33 1:04 into the second act, but that was as close as the men in maroon would get.

“They were prepared,” said head coach Keith Urgo after the loss to St. Bonaventure. “Obviously a lot more prepared than we had our team.”

Senior Kyle Rose and sophomore Will Richardson combined for 20 points, but an 8-25 clip from range put the Rams at a disadvantage. Moreover, seniors Antrell Chartlon and Japhet Medor and sophomores Elijah Gray and Romad Dean all failed to reach double figures.

Sophomore Assa Essamvous collected a team-high 23 points for the Bonnies and drilled 7-7 3-pointers. Redshirt junior Chad Venning poured in 15 points. Redshirt junior Noel Brown posted 18 points off the bench with an efficient 7-8 clip from the field, and graduate student Mika Adams-Woods totaled a teamhigh 10 assists.

Fordham fought back in the second frame and was only outscored 41-40 over the final 20 minutes. But, Bonaventure had already built up a big enough lead to survive the surge.

“They kind of punched us in the mouth,” said Urgo. “And we didn’t know how to respond.”

The Dayton Flyers were ranked 16th in the nation entering Saturday’s contest against the Rams. With a talent like junior

Da’Ron Holmes II, who’s expected to one day play in the NBA, they have designs on not only winning the Atlantic 10, but making a run in the NCAA Tournament.

Despite the pedigree Dayton boasts, Fordham competed honorably in a hostile environment. Neither team held more than a 3-point lead over the first nine minutes of the game. A timely Rose 3-pointer made it a 1-point game with 9:22 on the clock, but 10 consecutive Dayton points gave the Flyers a 35-25 lead four minutes later.

Dayton went into the break with a healthy 44-35 edge, but Fordham outscored Dayton 12-4 over the first four minutes to make it a 48-47 game. Medor accounted for 10 of those 12 points, and was aggressive with the ball to start the final frame.

The Florida native ended his afternoon with 17 points on a 4-9 shooting performance, and was mainly responsible for Fordham’s initial second-half surge.

The Rams took a 49-48 lead with 15:05 to play after a senior Abdou Tsimnila jumper, but could not grow their lead further.

Holmes later nailed a fadeaway with 5:51 left to break a 66-66 tie, putitng the Flyers ahead for good. Arizona impressively ended his day with a game-high 29 points and 10 rebounds.

“I hope he wins player of the year not just in our league, but certainly in the country because I think he might be the most dynamic player in the country,” Urgo said of Holmes after the loss to Dayton. “There’s very few guys at his size and with his ability that can do what he can do.”

The big man was not the only reason why the Rams could not best the Flyers. Nate Santos, Javon Bennett and Enoch Cheeks posted 11 points, 14 points and 12 points, respectively. Dayton shot roughly 57% from the field as a team and made Fordham’s offense look stagnant during critical moments.

Rose totaled 17 points and six rebounds, while Charlton totaled 10 points. Gray put up seven points on a 3-9 shooting clip and Dean scored four points on a 1-4 afternoon. Fordham’s 70 total points were the most for an A-10 opponent this year at the UD Arena, but they could not find enough offensive rhythm or defensive continuity to match the Flyers’ talent.

A Medor driving layup made it 69-68 with 3:42 remaining, but that was as close as the boys from the Bronx would get. Despite out-rebounding the Flyers 31-29, and out scoring them 35-34 in the second half, Fordham could not play spoiler.

The men in maroon now hold a grim 4-8 conference record and are in 12th place. It’s evident that Fordham boasts a number of talented pieces. However, with only six regular season games remaining on the schedule, they are may just be running out of time to see what fits where.

“We need more consistency from everybody across the board and I think we’re starting to see that,” said Urgo. “These guys know and they repeat it. Our goal is to be the best team we can be by the end of the year.”

Women’s Basketball Picks Up First Road Win

By LOU ORLANDO ASST. SPORTS EDITOR EMERITUS

To find the last time Fordham Women’s Basketball had won a road game, you’d have to go back 359 days, Feb. 25 of last year to be specific. But after this weekend, that date no longer holds any relevance as the Rams traveled to Olean, N.Y., and returned with a resounding 22-point victory.

Stacking wins for the first time since November, Fordham was rewarded with six days off. Their final bye week would set them up for one final five-game stretch to close the regular season, starting with a Sunday road matchup against the Bonnies of St. Bonaventure University.

With the University of Dayton and La Salle University losing earlier in the week, both falling to 4-10 in the conference, Fordham moved into sole possession of 10th place with their 4-9 Atlantic 10 record. With a 4-20 Bonnies team across from them that had dropped 12 consecutive games, the Rams were presented with another golden opportunity to continue their late ascent up the A-10.

For the third consecutive game, the Rams came out hot at the start, taking a 17-6 lead on junior Taya Davis impressive eight first-quarter points. It was not a fiery start for St. Bonaventure, who managed to shoot just 1-18 from the field in the opening frame.

The Bonnies rebounded in the second, outscoring the Rams by

a count of 12-10, but still found themselves trailing by nine at halftime.

Any hope for a competitive game, however, was quickly snuffed out in the third quarter as Fordham put up 30 points, led once again by Davis with nine points in the frame. On the whole, it was a balanced offensive attack, with contributions from senior Taylor Donaldson, graduate student Emy Hayford and sophomore Rose Nelson helping the Rams shoot a whopping 11-15 from the field, good for over 70% efficiency.

Taking a massive lead into the fourth quarter, the Rams would cruise to an easy finish, defeating the Bonnies 70-48 for their first road victory of the

season. The win not only snapped a 0-10 skid on the road — it also marked Fordham’s third straight double-digit victory, following routes of Dayton and the University of Massachusetts.

Davis was far and away the star of the game, as she posted a career-high 25 points. Shooting 9-12 from the field and an impressive 7-10 from the line, Davis reached double figures for just the fourth time this season, surpassing the 20-point mark for the first time. Making the leap to the D1 level after two years at junior college has not always made for the easiest of transitions, but the 5-foot-7 junior has settled in nicely, and the offensive explosion was definitely a welcome sight.

Donaldson and Hayford contributed 12 apiece, continuing a pleasant trend of balanced offensive attacks. Nelson notably posted seven points, nailing the first 3-pointer of her collegiate career, and paired it with seven rebounds and three blocks in 29 minutes played. The sophomore continues to play the best basketball of her career, recording a career-high three blocks in four of her last six games and averaging 6.8 PPG over her last four.

While much should rightfully be said about Fordham’s improved offense, it would be negligent to omit mention of one of their finest defensive performances to date. With the Bonnies limited to a seven-man

rotation, the Rams held them to a season-low 20% field goal percentage, as Bonaventure’s leading scorer Dani Haskell shot just 2-15 from the field and 1-11 from deep. The Rams were not sharp from three, shooting 3-17, but it paled in comparison to St. Bonaventure, who managed only three makes on an astounding season-high 30 3-point attempts.

With the road woes finally off their back, Fordham enjoyed their first three-game winning streak in conference play and just their second overall. The winning ways came at the perfect time as the Rams now find themselves firmly in contention for a first-round bye in the A-10 tournament.

Sunday’s win isn’t enough to push Fordham into the top nine of the A-10, the necessary seeding for earning an automatic bid to the second round, but it does put them right where they need to be with four games left to go. At 5-9 in the conference, the Rams sit a half-game back from the ninth-place Ramblers of Loyola Chicago University and a game behind eighth-place Saint Louis University.

As fate would have it, Saint Louis is actually up next on the docket for the Rams, who return home for a Wednesday matchup against the Billikens. While difficult games lie on the horizon Fordham’s not in a position to start thinking too far ahead. All they can do is take things one game at a time and continue to hope for the best.

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Fordham has continued to struggle to find wins in conference play, losing in their last three contests.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

The women’s basketball team has caught fire, winning their last three conference games.

Fordham Rugby Looks to Continue Fall Success

By FIACHRA COSTELLO CONTRIBUTING WRITER

As one of the oldest and largest club sports on campus, Fordham Men’s Rugby has a rich and long history of community and achievement. This past year marked a particularly strong year for the club, seeing them make significant strides as a program and compete at some of the highest levels of rugby in the country. Following a disappointing fall season in 2022, the club undertook a new approach which involved creating an intensive training schedule for players and hiring more coaching staff. It was hard to overstate the significance of the team’s opening game last semester. Not only would it prove a testing ground for all of the club’s changes, but it was also against Jesuit rivals — and then 10th best team in the nation — Fairfield University. Despite a tough 4-point defeat, Fordham put up an incredible performance. From Fairfield, the club only went from strength to strength. Despite a few close losses against some very tough competition, Fordham ended the fall season with a successful 5-3 record. The team finished high enough in its conference to secure

a spot in Houston’s Rhino Rugby Bowl versus Southern Nazarene University, ranked as the 18th best team.

The team prepared for a particularly hard opponent. The incredible generosity of many alumni and parents, as well as Giving Day and events such as the annual Alumni Cigar Night, were incredibly successful and allowed the club to afford the trip to Texas. In mid-December, the lads traveled to Texas for one of the club’s first bowl games in a long time. With beautiful weather and an exciting stadium atmosphere, the

stage was set for a great game of rugby. From the whistle, Fordham played fast and furiously, scoring quite quickly as a result. Despite a few intense attacks and subsequent scores by SNU, Fordham managed to stay on top, helped in part by the forwards’ tremendous defense and MVP Fran Liguori’s incredible 21-point game. The game ended 26-13 to Fordham.

Following a brief break over the winter holidays, Fordham Rugby is back in the swing of things, with sevens and 15s underway.

This semester promises to be as exciting as last year, with the club having organized a two-week tour in Argentina for Easter break. The tour, which was made possible with the many donations from alumni and supporters, will see the lads play three games between the Argentinian cities of Buenos Aires and Mar del Plata. The national championship for sevens — a fast-paced, shortened version of rugby — also takes place during the spring. Players on the sevens squad will travel all around the East Coast in the

next few months in the hope of qualifying for the national championships.

While the sevens squad is particularly competitive, the spring season is also a great time for new players to join. Those looking to learn the game are encouraged to play with the developmental team, which is a more relaxed introduction to the game. So far this year, both the men’s and women’s teams have had a significant increase in new players, with the women’s team having seen an exceptionally strong uptake in particular. Fordham Rugby is a great atmosphere for meeting new people, staying fit and joining a community of players that is millions strong around the world. As captain Santi Thompson said, “Fordham Rugby is where I made lifelong friends, and I can’t wait to continue making more in my last season.”

Players of all experience levels are welcome and will get a chance to play. The men’s team trains on Monday on Murphy Field from 7-9 p.m., and in Moglia Stadium on Tuesday and Thursday from 7-9 p.m. Training for the women’s team is held on Tuesday and Thursday from 7-9 p.m. in Moglia, and from 7-8 p.m. on Wednesdays at either Moglia or Murphy.

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM Fordham Rugby won a big game, knocking off SNU 26-13 in their first bowl game of the season.