Volume 104 Issue 8

The Fordham Ram Serving The Fordham University Community Since 1918 Volume 104, Issue 8

TheFordhamRam.com

March 30, 2022

New Dulles Chair Appointed

FCRH Hosts New Seminar Classes

By EMMA KIM

By ISABEL DANZIS

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

NEWS EDITOR

Fordham theology professor, Cristina Traina, Ph.D., was recently appointed to be Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J., Chair in Catholic Theology, a research-based position in the theology department. The chair is fully endowed by a $2 million gift from Vincent Viola, chairman of Virtu Management, LLC. In addition to the research aspects of the position, the Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J., Chair works on community outreach. “[Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J., Chair] is a little bit more public-facing than maybe other faculty members have time to be.

So it’s that combination of more time for research and more time for public-facing work,” said Traina.

Traina is the second holder of the chair position. Terrence W. Tilley, Ph.D., professor emeritus of theology, held the position since its creation in 2009.

Traina is known for her work on feminist Christain ethics. She specializes in Catholic ethics but SEE DULLES, PAGE 3

COURTESY OF NICOLETA PAPAVASILAKIS/ THE FORDHAM RAM

Fordham’s guest policy has been a source of confusion for some students as COVID-19 restrictions change.

A Look at Fordham’s Guest Policy

By SOFIA DONOHUE DIGITAL PRODUCER

When the COVID-19 pandemic first began infiltrating New York in spring 2020, the university implemented various safety protocols.

As the pandemic progressed, Fordham continued monitoring the situation and adjusting its protocols according to CDC guidance and data.

Although all faculty, staff and students are required to have received a COVID-19 vaccine and booster shot, Fordham campuses remain closed to the general public with the exception of campus tours. Guests looking to tour campus must meet the university’s vaccination requirements. Due to this policy, students are prohibited from bringing non-Fordham students on campus.

The Ram reached out to George Smith, director of Public Safety, about whether or not there has been an increase in non-Fordham students being snuck onto campus. He said that “on occasion the Director of Public Safety (DPS) is notified by residential hall staff or the security officer on duty of an unauthorized guest. We have SEE GUESTS, PAGE 4

CPS Partners with Care Solace

By ISABEL DANZIS NEWS EDITOR

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Fordham’s HSU started an ongoing campaign to raise money to support Ukraine in the ongoing conflict.

Humanitarian Student Union Raises Money for Ukraine

By SEBASTIAN DIAZ FEATURES EDITOR

On March 8, Fordham’s Humanitarian Student Union (HSU) launched its fundraising campaign in support of Ukraine as Ukrainian citizens continue to endure the Russian-Ukraine

conflict. The fundraiser, running between March 8 and April 1, helps provide funds to two different humanitarian organizations: Direct Relief and People in Need.

HSU President Grace Derks, FCRH ’22, spoke with The Fordham Ram about why HSU decided to

launch a campaign to support the people of Ukraine.

“HSU saw a gap in Fordham’s community response to the Ukraine crisis,” said Derks. “We saw that there was not really an admin response or a student body response, SEE HSU, PAGE 5

Fordham’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) recently partnered with mental health service, Care Solace. This service is a referral and care coordination program that CPS hopes will add to the resources they already provide to students.

In an email sent to the Fordham community by CPS, they announced that this partnership is a “response to the increasing demand for and utilization of mental health services.”

“We started working on this partnership towards the end of the fall semester and officially launched it about two weeks ago,” said Dr. Jeffrey Ng, director of CPS. Care Solace is a service SEE CPS, PAGE 5

Fordham College at Rose Hill is offering two new seminars for students this semester, “First Generation Seminar: The Hidden Curriculum” and “Where Can The Liberal Arts Take Me?” “First Generation Seminar: The Hidden Curriculum” is taught

by Christie-Belle Garcia, the assistant dean for student support and success. It is a one-credit seminar for students who identify as first-generation.

The course description says it “seeks to promote a sense of belonging, foster connections within the university community and support students in developing and leveraging critical skills for navigating academia.”

When the seminar was originally created, the class limit was 12 students, said Garcia. But, after garnering an overwhelming interest she was able to bring the limit up to 19 students. Within the first 24 hours, the class was full.

The seminar has multiple goals.

It gives students a chance to talk about their unique experiences, discuss the literature and best practices for first generation students and work in small groups to design something that can be presented at the end of the semester.

Overall, Garcia sees it as an opportunity for students to dig into the literature and the experience, but also to leave something that can improve the students at Fordham.

Garcia said that one of the topics that they are discussing is imposter syndrome and challenging the idea.

Many of the students say they have never even talked about experiencing imposter syndrome with anyone else because they thought it would lead people to find out that they didn’t belong. The semiSEE SEMINAR, PAGE 4

in this issue

Opinion

Page 8

Culture

Page 10

Bella Hadid’s Refreshing Transparency on Plastic Surgery

The Importance of Queer Women’s Spaces

Sports

Page 17

Chuba Ohams: A Story of Redemption and Triumph

NEWS

Page 2

PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS March 22 Third Avenue Gate 4:45 p.m.

A security officer reported that a man had entered campus without showing any identification. The man was located outside Cosi and was escorted off campus without incident.

March 23 Fordham Road Bx #9 10:50 a.m.

A faculty member was traveling on the Bx #9 bus at 10:40 a.m. A male that was 17-20 years of age, wearing a black hoodie and khaki green sweatpants was standing in the stairwell of the bus. He said hello and then dropped his pants exposing his genitals.

He pulled his pants back up and exited at Fordham Plaza.

The incident was reported to the bus driver who advised there may be a camera on the bus that may have captured the incident. A police report was filed with the 48th Precinct, and detectives will be following up.

March 27 Cambreleng Avenue 11:58 p.m.

A student called Public Safety to report that there was a person with a flashlight attempting to open his front door. The police were notified, and a search of the immediate area for the individual was conducted by both the 48th Precinct and Public Safety. The search yielded no results, and the student believes he attempted to open their front door and was unsuccessful.

Follow us on Twitter! @TheFordhamRam

March 30, 2022

Fordham’s Official Website Receives A New Content System

By MICHELA FAHY By ISABEL DANZIS CONTRIBUTING WRITER NEWS EDITOR

Fordham University is in the process of migrating its official website to a new content management system. The switch is intended to change the management system as well as improve the display of the website’s content and refresh the information presented.

According to Fordham’s website, the migration will likely not alter the appearance of most of the university’s web pages.

“While we will not be undergoing an entire redesign, we will be reorganizing, updating images, adding new content types (previously known as widgets and supplements), etc. The look and feel will be similar but refreshed,” said a “FAQ” on Fordham’s website.

Donna Lehmann, assistant vice president for marketing, said that the university decided to switch the website’s content management platform from Jadu to Terminalfour.

Lehmann noted that the university also decided to use the transition of management compaCOURTESY OF PIA FISCHETTI/THE FORDHAM RAM nies to refresh the information The Fordham University webpage has undergone a series of overhauls in the recent month. currently on the website. sites to decide whether to apply home page, Fordham College as it helps to identify out-ofTerminalfour is a digital manor not. Even though social meRose Hill and Lincoln Center, date and irrelevant information agement system that advertises dia’s importance has grown sigGabelli School of Business and to identify material that we its services to higher educanificantly, students still rely on and admissions and aid. Lookshould rework to make it more tion institutions specifically. websites as a “one-stop shop” ing into the future, web pages user-friendly and effective.”

They claim to be able to help for university information over related to Fordham’s Graduate “Our vision for the website schools, colleges and univerthe use of social media pages.

School and study abroad, have is to create a ubiquitous digisities increase their websites’ That all goes into why it is esyet to migrate and launch. tal experience where content effectiveness. sential for universities to make Training to faculty on how is more customized to the user, Terminalfour advertises that sure that their websites are up to to use Terminalfour has been where upon logging in, a stuthey have succeeded in helping date and enticing. offered after their departdent is delivered content that universities boost student reThe entire migration began ment’s migration was comis personalized to them — their cruitment, increase staff and on Dec. 14 and has been done pleted. The process also inmajor, their school, their serstudent online engagement and through various steps. Rather cludes a combination of both vices,” said Lehmann. manage content on websites. than adapting the entire webmanual and automated migra“The new Terminalfour con“[Terminalfour] is more widesite to Terminalfour at once, tion. The university created an tent management system is the ly utilized at colleges and unithe process has been done stepauto-migration system that first step toward that goal and versities and will give us greater by-step, focusing on migrating has been used on some of the we will work over the coming flexibility in design and arspecific departments. university’s webpages, while year to complete the migration chitecture. It’s also easier for “We have currently completothers had to migrate manually. and then focus on refining the our web editors in all the varied most of the schools, underAs a part of the university’s personalizations.” ous academic and administragraduate admission and aid, content update, different deOnce the finishing touches tive offices across campus to student life and mission but partments had to review the are finally rolled out, the new use which means they will be have the academic departments information they had present- website will be the start of a modable to create better web exand many administrative ofed online. Content could either ern era for Fordham University, periences for students,” said fices remaining. The transition be classified as keep, revise aligning it with other universiLehmann. also entails retraining hundreds or merge or archive. The goal ties of the same magnitude and It is important for univerof web editors that sit in these of revisiting information goes caliber. Lehmann is excited for sities and colleges to have areas on the new system, which with the migration goal of up- the university to experience the dynamic and easy-to-use webis no small task,” said Lehmann. dating and refreshing content. website’s new design in its ensites. Studies have found that Web pages that have already According to Fordham’s web- tirety. many times prospective stubeen launched include Fordham’s site, “analyzing existing web Updates on the migration can dents will only use the inforstudent portal, the university content is an essential task, be found on Fordham’s website. mation from institutions’ web-

This Week at Fordham Wednesday March 30

Wednesday March 30

Friday April 1

Saturday April 2

Monday April 4

Bronx: The Greenest Borough in NYC

AAPI Workshop with ACE & CPS

DAC Presents Bronx Eats

Fordham Dance Marathon

Art Exhibit: Seeds of Transformation

The Diversity Action Coalition is celebrating the Bronx this week, with Wednesday being a visit to Mosholu Park to give back to the local community and help keep the Bronx green. Sign up on Instagram, @fordham.dac.

Fordham’s ACE and CPS are hosting a workshop against AAPI hate, where guest speakers will be teaching AAPI students how to handle issues such as intersectionality and forms of racism.

Continuing their Bronx appreciation, DAC will be hosting a bunch of food trucks on Eddie’s to celebrate the weekend. Make sure to stop by early to get a spot in the inevitably long lines and enjoy!

FDM will be holding their annual event, featuring performances from the Ramblers, Satin Dolls and Just Email.

Visit them during their 11-hour stretch to hear great music and see some dancing by students.

Campus Ministry will displaying submissions of art from all Fordham students in the new campus center from 5:30 p.m. onwards. Spearheaded

by Campus Ministry’s Carol Gibney, make sure to see it.

Bronx is Blooming 12 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Keating 319 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Edward’s Parade 5:30 p.m.

Lombardi Field House 1:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.

McShane Campus Center 5:30 p.m.

NEWS

March 30, 2022

Page 3

Cristina Traina: Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J., Chair FROM DULLES, PAGE 1

also holds knowledge in the area of sexuality, child moral agency and methodological questions.

Traina explained that she plans to focus her research as chair on some of those areas.

“I’m really interested in continuing to address the issue of gender identity and sexual orientation in the Roman Catholic Church generally. I’m also interested in the question of children and children’s rights and experiences,” said Traina.

In the area of children’s rights, Traina said she is interested in exploring the issues of gender identity and sexual orientation.

Traina noted the importance of discussing children’s rights in this context because of recent political developments, especially in states like Texas and Florida.

On Feb. 22, the Texas government began investigating parents who provide gender-affirming treatments to their transgender children for child abuse.

In Florida, a bill was recently passed that prohibits school districts from encouraging discussions of sexuality or gender identity in primary school.

“There are some very interesting

and important questions that come up and have to do with children’s welfare,” said Traina. “[Questions of] the role of parents, the role of the state, how parents can collaborate with schools, what rights children have over against their parents, what rights they really shouldn’t have and whether we should really even be talking about rights, whether that’s even a good way to solve these issues [are all raised].”

To Traina, being the Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J., Chair is an honor because of the legacy of Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J. himself. “As a theologian, [Avery Cardinal Dulles] thought that the expression of Christain belief had to answer contemporary concerns and be in language and concepts that were meaningful to people currently,” said Traina. “He even said of his own work ‘look, my work is going to need to be updated or replaced because the times are going to change, and my work is for my time.’ That is what I think is important about him symbolically for the department because it puts his name on a position that’s intended to do the same thing.”

Prior to coming to Fordham,

Traina was employed at Northwestern University, where she worked in the department of religious studies.

The experience of working at Northwestern informed the way Traina thinks about religion and added more value to what she can offer at Fordham.

“That religious studies department was a little more focused on theology than most religious studies departments, but I bring with me all of the religious studies ideas and contextual ways of approaching religious thought,” said Traina.

“I think [those ideas] are very important in theology and also very friendly to the way that Fordham approaches theology. Fordham has a lot of religious studies courses in its theology department, but it also looks at religious thought extremely contextually.”

To Traina, understanding the context of any text is extremely important. Without the context of when that text was written, we run the risk of completely misunderstanding it. The opportunity to teach at a Jesuit school like

Fordham has always been a goal for Traina, so she is excited to move forward with her career at Fordham and as the Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J., Chair.

“I had always hoped that I would

have the opportunity to teach in a Catholic university, especially in a Jesuit university at some time in my life. So, I am incredibly pleased, excited and grateful,” said Traina.

COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

Traina hopes to pursue more research and community outreach as chair.

Fordham Welcomes New Junior Class Dean: Dean Minahan Zucchetto

By EMMA KIM

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Jillian Minahan Zucchetto, Ph.D., FCRH ’13, was recently hired as the new junior class assistant dean for Fordham College at Rose Hill. Minahan Zucchetto served as the interim assistant dean for the junior class last semester.

Minahan Zucchetto is originally from New Jersey, but she has lived in New York for many years. She is a Fordham alumna for both undergraduate and graduate. She received an undergraduate degree in psychology and then a doctorate in applied developmental psychology. She earned her

Ph.D. in May 2021.

Minahan Zucchetto was excited to be offered the permanent position because she is able to make it more her own and think about longterm goals.

She said the transition from interim to permanent staff allows her to be creative

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Dean Minahan Zuccheto was recently hired as the new junior class dean after serving as interim class dean.

and think of new initiatives to help juniors in their career discernment and academic progress. “I did programming last semester, but I was not sure if I was going to continue with it this semester,” stated Minahan Zucchetto.

With the position, there are multiple things she strives to do. She is always interested in student’s academic progress, getting them successfully to graduation and ensuring that they are taking classes they enjoy. She is also concerned, however, with thinking about career and postgraduate discernment.

She thinks junior year is not too early to think about life after graduation, and it is actually the perfect time to start talking about it.

“Junior year you feel comfortable in social circles and classes. It is a time to explore outside of Fordham,” stated Minahan Zucchetto. The programming can help students figure out what pathway they want to take after graduation, she said.

Since Minahan Zucchetto has been at Fordham in many different roles for multiple years, she believes she is in a position where she is able to understand different perspectives. When a student is struggling, she is able to relate since she was once in their shoes.

Even if she did not go through the same thing, her experience helps her empathize with them.

In addition, since Minahan Zucchetto has experience

teaching at Fordham as a lab instructor, course instructor and graduate assistant, she is able to relate to the Fordham professors’ experience as well. With all these different experiences, she is able to better understand others when talking to different people at the university which is important since the dean’s office is often interacting with the whole community.

One of the things that Dean Minahan Zucchetto loves most about Fordham is its dedication to "cura personalis," or their care for the whole person. “Students are not just academic beings.

They are entire people with families and cultural backgrounds and their own experiences,” said Minahan Zucchetto.

The prioritization of the individual is something that Minahan Zucchetto finds very special about Fordham.

“It was what I fell in love with when I went on a tour in high school and that has kept me at Fordham.”

Minahan Zucchetto said she finds it special that she is able to support students academically and provide resources to support them outside of the classroom as well. Students have experienced a lot of stressful things in the last several years, and being able to support and get the right resources for them is one of her favorite parts about the job.

NEWS

Page 4

March 30, 2022

FCRH Seminars Center First-Gen Students and Liberal Arts FROM SEMINAR, PAGE 1

nar offers a place for first-generation students to discuss challenges such as these and also how their identities and experiences are an asset.

Uziel Dominguez, FCRH ’22, a student taking the seminar, sees it as a chance to discuss his identity as a first-generation student.

“Rather than view the first-gen population as ‘deficient’ or lacking the ‘proper’ knowledge of navigating college, it is important to understand that we have knowledge in other areas: years of translating documents for our parents, helping our younger siblings with their homework and generally learning to survive has given us a different navigational and cultural knowledge than our contemporaries,” said Dominguez. “Our job now is to seamlessly mix these two identities to succeed in academia without relinquishing our authentic selves, which is easier said than done.”

Another important part of the seminar is making sure that everyone is aware of all the ways to succeed in college.

For example, the seminar discusses things like office hours, which might not have been common knowledge for some students.

Things of this nature are often called “the hidden curriculum,” which, if not properly explained, often leads to certain groups of students being at a disadvantage.

According to Garcia, the seminar provides a great place to discuss these aspects of college, and to ensure no assumptions about previous knowledge are being made.

“I am hoping that it will have created a space where they are able to show up authentically. It is important to authentically show up. First-gen students feel like they are going to be found out. I want to make sure that they do feel like they belong and that they know Fordham values them and their experiences,” said Garcia.

The second seminar, “Where Can The Liberal Arts Take Me?” is taught by Brenna Moore, a theology professor at Fordham. It is also a one-credit seminar that gives students the “opportunity to reflect on the power of a liberal arts education, including the way it can lead to meaningful work and have a lasting impact on fulfillment, leadership and success over the course of a lifetime.”

It also discusses the critics of a liberal arts higher education, who argue that a liberal arts education is impractical, and that STEM and business majors as the only way to find success after graduation.

Moore knows from her experience teaching students that it is possible to have successful lives after graduation with a liberal arts degree.

“Sometimes students need some insight into what that might

look like for them,” said Moore. the seminars next semester too.

Moore originally wanted to help students see what they could do after graduation by offering evidence and stories, so she invited Fordham alumni, who majored in theology, to come and speak on a panel in 2015.

After the success of the first event, it turned into an annual one with multiple majors.

Eventually, the panel was expanded into a seminar. In addition to guests, the seminar discusses literature surrounding majoring in the arts. According to Moore, the class is reading “The Evidence Liberal Arts Need: Lives of Consequence, COURTESY OF NICK DESILVA/ THE FORDHAM RAM Inquiry and Accomplishment”

by Richard A. Detweiler.

FCRH hosts seminars aimed at addressing the needs of students.

Moore said that the seminar was meaningful for the alumni who came back to speak because it gave them a chance to look back retrospectively and see what the liberal arts did for them.

“It has been a nice space — professionals reflecting and offering practical advice for students who are interested in moving from a classic kind of liberal arts major to a range of possible professional options to think about post-graduate life in terms of career,” said Moore.

“First Generation Seminar: The Hidden Curriculum” and “Where Can The Liberal Arts Take Me?” are both taking place for the first COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM time this semester, but students These seminar style classes will provide students with new resources. have the opportunity to register for

Fordham Guest Policy Creates Questions Among Students FROM GUESTS, PAGE 1

not experienced an increase in these cases year to date.”

Additionally, some have recently noticed a Public Safety car parked outside of Walsh Gate. Students can enter and exit campus unmoderated through Walsh Gate, since, unlike the other entrances to campus, there is no officer on duty at the entrance. This led some students to assume that the Public Safety car parked outside Walsh Gate was stationed to moderate the flow of students entering and exiting campus and to

make sure each student properly scanned their Fordham ID before entering campus.

However, Smith said, “That was in response to the alert we put out on Sunday, Feb. 27, with the picture of the individual wanted for a theft on campus.”

Bob Howe, the Assistant Vice President for communications and special advisor to the president noted the guest policy’s intended purpose, stating: “The policy was instituted in spring 2020, when the pandemic began. The reason why

students’ guests aren’t permitted on campus is to limit COVID-19 exposure to the campus community.”

Howe also stressed the policy’s role in limiting COVID-19 exposure. He said, “You cannot, on any college campus, completely eliminate exposure, but you can reduce the odds by reducing the number of visitors on campus and the places to which [they] have access.”

Although guests are allowed to enter campus for campus tours, Howe noted the difference between tour groups and

COURTESY OF THE RAM ARCHIVES

The Walsh Gate is a popular point of entry and exit to Fordham’s campus.

non-Fordham student guests: “The number of guests allowed on campus is relatively small, and the overwhelming majority are not entering residence hall buildings, much less individual rooms or suites.”

Recently, the university has lifted the mask mandate for students and faculty who are fully vaccinated and boosted. Given this change, there has been some speculation as to whether the university will also change the guest policy.

When asked whether Fordham

may change the current guest policy in the near future, Howe stated, “There is no target date for changing the policy. Our method has been to make incremental policy changes and observe the effects before taking the next step. The best argument for Fordham’s policies is the data: we have managed to hold in-person classes during the pandemic with zero deaths and very few serious illnesses.

We are carrying out our educational mission at a very low risk to the Fordham community.”

COURTESY OF THE RAM ARCHIVES

Guests are allowed on Fordham’s campus for tours and specific sporting and theater events.

NEWS

March 30, 2022

Page 5

Fordham Student Group Fundraises for Ukraine FROM HSU, PAGE 1

and as a group of humanitarians, we thought it was within our club’s mission to organize some sort of movement to support Ukrainians in this time of peril.”

Moved to create the direct action they believed was missing, HSU looked to the importance of humanitarianism and why they sought to shoulder the responsibility of providing aid to a foreign country.

As Derks stated, “the crisis that is forcing people out of their livelihoods in Ukraine is caused by a few political leaders who are using their power to cause harm. No Ukrainian asked to be evicted from their home or have their day to day lives interrupted, or lose family and friends. As Fordham students who are ‘men and women for others,’ HSU is acting in response to care for the others on our planet.”

When deliberating on which groups, charities and funds to support, HSU ultimately decided that Direct Relief and People in Need would be the best organizations for the com-

munity to provide financial assistance to affected regions.

“We looked for smaller organizations that have boots on the ground in Ukraine,” Derks said.

“As a humanitarian studies major myself, I believe that the best aid is given by non-profits and people who are familiar with the context that the crisis is happening in and with people that will be in need of aid. We made sure to check the legitimacy of both organizations as well as feedback on them by others in the humanitarian sector.”

The fundraiser aims to reach two distinct goals.

Aside from the clear goal of helping the Ukrainian people who are currently under duress, experiencing intense conflicts and emigrating from their homes in order to avoid that conflict, HSU wants the fundraiser to also spread general awareness about the conflict and horrors of war in Ukraine to the community.

HSU wants to show college students that, even though they exist thousands of miles away, there are still ways that they can help the situation.

Derks explained: “While college students may not have a lot of monetary resources, we have voices and ideas. Youth can have an influence in the global context despite what some may say.

Whether it is a financial donation, volunteering, protesting or another method, you can have some sort of impact in the lives of others. I promise that your time or money is well worth it to improve the quality of someone else’s life.”

As it currently stands, the fundraising campaign has not met the targeted goal, raising insufficient funds.

However, beyond providing financial support, there are still other ways for Fordham students to help Ukraine.

“Research,” said Derks. “Take in your media from multiple perspectives and multiple sources as to try to avoid as much of a bias as possible.

Try to understand as much of the context for the crisis as possible in order to increase your understanding of the environment that the crisis is occurring in. Look into lo-

COURTESY OF PIA FISCHETTI/ THE FORDHAM RAM

Derks stresses the importance of students being aware of current events. cal Ukrainian churches or diaspora organizations as sources of other avenues to help the Ukrainian community.” She added, “I urge you to use your voice, your wallet or your time if possible to try to help others who are in a position where their lives are being upended.”

The student union’s fundraising page directly cites People in Need’s statement: “Intense fighting continues across major cities in Ukraine … Damage to civilian infrastructure has left hundreds of thousands of people without electricity or water.

Hundreds of homes have been damaged or destroyed, while bridges and roads damaged by shelling have left communities cut off from essential support.”

The fundraiser was originally supposed to end on March 28. But, just three days before that deadline, HSU announced via Instagram that the fundraiser would be extended until April 1. You can donate to HSU’s fundraiser at the link in the HSU's Instagram bio.

The Humanitarian Student Union's Instagram page can be found at @fordhamhsu.

CPS Works with Mental Health Service, Care Solace FROM CPS PAGE 1

that specifically works with schools and universities. According to their website, one of Care Solace’s goals is to lift “the heavy burden of mental health care coordination for school systems.” Care Solace describes the services they provide to higher institutions in three different phases.

They first provide support to school staff to make sure that students are getting paired with services in the community while giving the university quick student status updates. Secondly, Care Solace makes sure that students and staff have accessibility to their “Care Companions.”

The Care Companions are a team of individuals who work with staff and families to reduce the barriers that stop people from receiving mental health services. Lastly, Care Solace is able to make a placement specialized for the patient.

Care Solace claims to provide service to students in 200+ languages and take aspects of student’s history into account when partnering students with care.

Care Solace can place students in specific care programs that include “LGTBQI+, sexual violence and trauma and faithbased support.”

CPS sought out the Care Solace partnership to address the rising amount of students seeking out counseling and psychological services. This partnership aims to help students receive help faster.

“The primary inspiration [for

the partnership] was addressing the increasing number of students seeking and utilizing mental health services in the past 5-6 years and, in particular, during the current academic year,” said Ng. In the past, students have reported issues in getting access to counseling services through CPS. Many students noted that they experienced wait times of up to a month to see counselors.

Additionally, other students reported that counselors seemed swamped with patients and had difficult times recalling specific things about individual students.

In addition to being able to give students help faster, this partnership hopes to help CPS better address the needs of students.

“We are hoping that our partnership with Care Solace will expand the mental health treatment and service options for students and to decrease the barriers for accessing those options,” said Ng. The director of CPS noted that this partnership will help CPS because it will allow them to address all of these concerns.

According to Ng, CPS hopes that Care Solace will complement their existing services, especially in areas that they currently don’t have copious amounts of resources to address.

Ng stated that Care Solace will be helpful when “CPS has reached its clinical capacity during peak utilization periods, [or] a student’s clinical needs exceed the scope of CPS’s services, including when more intensive or specialized care is required.

[The Care Solace partnership

will also be helpful when] a student prefers or requests an off-campus provider, [or when] a student is seeking a provider for someone in their family or household.”

Studies have shown that having robust mental health services on college campuses is essential for student life and wellbeing.

Universities that invest in student mental health services have seen improvements in academic performance and increases in retention rates.

Additionally, support for students while in the stressful environment in college helps improve student happiness COURTESY OF THE RAM ARCHIVES and prevents suicide. The COVID-19 pandemic has also CPS provides mental health services to students who seek it out. amplified mental health issues and increased the need for mental health services.

Nearly 61% of teenagers noted that the pandemic made them feel more lonely, which can have serious impacts on general mental wellbeing.

According to Ng, CPS’s partnership with Care Solace is still currently in its pilot phases. Ng said that depending on the feedback they receive from students and the Fordham community, CPS will seek out a long-term agreement.

Students who are looking to seek help through Fordham’s partnership can find services through Care Solace’s Fordham-specific webpage.

Students who want to find mental health services anonymously from Care Solace can COURTESY OF THE RAM ARCHIVES. also find information online, in a different location.

O’Hare Hall on the Rose Hill Campus serves as home of the CPS department.

OPINION

Page 6

March 30, 2022

From the Desk | Daniella Terilli

Serving the Fordham University campus & community since 1918.

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

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

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Using Anger For Your Benefit To say the last few months have been challenging would be an understatement. I’m turning 20 in May, and I’ve been fortunate enough to lead a mostly calm life. Last fall, however, the universe decided that all bets were off. In the midst of some tough lessons and necessary growth, I’ve learned that healing is a beautiful process even through difficult moments.

I think we look at anger as something bad. Obviously, it doesn’t feel great to be angry, and when anger goes unchecked, it can become destructive. We saw this at play just this past Sunday at the Oscars, when Will Smith ran onstage and slapped Chris Rock for making a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Some suggested that instead of striking Rock, Smith should have taken the opportunity to call out the quip respectfully, which would have been infinitely more well-received, while still an adequate method of getting the point across.

Had Smith done the latter, he would have been the perfect example of taking anger and applying it for a better end. When utilized properly, anger is an incredibly useful tool and one necessary for healing.

Anger serves a variety of functions. It can shield you from other negative emotions like sadness (which can be a

benefit or a drawback, depending on your place in the healing process), give you a sense of control or, most importantly, push you to change your circumstances. I didn’t always feel this way about anger. It used to consume my life on a daily basis; I was furious at the person who hurt me, mad at myself and frustrated by the idea that people outside the situation wouldn’t believe me if I spoke up about what I went through. I was just angry, plain and simple, and not in the place to do anything about it.

At the time, that was okay.

If you’re going through something hard and feel angry, upset or any other negative emotion and just want to bask in that for a while, that’s perfectly normal.

It’s important to take time to process and truly feel your feelings, as cliché as that sounds.

With that said, you need to move past it at some point. Allowing yourself to become bitter is unproductive and only harms you. For example, take the famous quote about how holding onto resentment “is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.” While that saying is obnoxious and sometimes hard to understand when you’re in the middle of it, whoever made it up wasn’t wrong.

Sometimes anger will dissipate with time, but in other situ-

ations, action needs to be taken.

Luckily, if it hasn’t faded on its own, you’ll likely be motivated to make a change — and once that happens, you’ll start to feel better. I overcame my anger by doing exactly this: someone was causing me pain, so I cut them out of my life. I was frustrated with myself for turning into someone I didn’t recognize, so I tapped back into the best qualities of my former self.

Anger empowered me to take charge of my life again. And once I improved my circumstances, I didn’t feel so angry anymore.

Anger is an “ugly” emotion.

We’re told we aren’t supposed to feel angry, and in truth, it’s rarely pleasant to do so. But I credit anger with carrying me

out of a terrible period of my life; if I never got angry, I’d still be where I was five months ago. It’s a mighty force that can inspire you to leave a job that makes you unhappy, end a bad relationship and stand up to people around you.

The healing process is complicated and likely will be filled with negative feelings; some days are harder than others. But it’s worth it, and you will reach a point where it becomes so rewarding. You’ll find yourself spending time with people who love and support you, taking up hobbies and genuinely starting to enjoy your day-to-day life again. You’ll move from anger to forgiveness and clarity. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, but it is unbelievably freeing.

Editorial | Why We’re Invested in Celebrities

Oscars Drama: Why Do We Care?

It was the slap heard around the world. Even if the Oscars aren’t your thing, somebody you know texted you on Sunday night after watching Will Smith slap Chris Rock following Rock’s joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

If this is somehow news to you, Rock’s remark was aimed at Pinkett Smith’s shaved head.

He referred to her as “G.I. Jane,” a comment that Pinkett Smith showed little reaction to, but that compelled Smith to march up on stage and slap and cuss Rock out.

Considering Pinkett Smith’s openness about her alopecia, the cause of her hair loss and shaved head, Rock’s ad-libbed joke is widely considered to be offensive, and Smith’s reaction as a valid defense of his wife.

On the other hand, maybe the joke hit a little too close to home for other reasons. People have been obsessed with the Smiths and their ambiguously-open marriage for years, so Smith’s impassioned response is particularly interesting to those who keep up with celebrity drama. It should be noted that the joke came after a recent rise in discussions on social media about Pinkett Smith’s “poor treatment” of her husband due to her alleged extramarital relationships.

Either way, it, and the Oscars in general, shouldn’t really matter that much to us.

Social media has its annual spikes of celebrity obsession: the Met Gala, the Oscars, the Grammys. Our year is routinely interrupted by the latest celebrity event, during which we drop every other issue “du jour” in favor of tearing apart outfits, nominations and speeches.

Every week, it feels like another celebrity couple’s personal issues take the internet by storm. There’s something to be said about how these events are put on by the inner circle, for the inner circle, and yet we keep looking in, like this should interest us at all. Caligula himself could never have imagined the low-quality circuses we choose to focus on.

It’s not like we’re tuning into these events for their actual merits. The Grammys are allegedly rigged. The Oscar nominations and winners are so predictable that the term “Oscar Bait” commonly refers to tragic films addressing social and historical issues, was parodied by Seth Meyers in 2017 and still hasn’t fallen out of style.

While there’s no “winner” at the Met Gala — other than perhaps the Costume Institute itself, as the gala is the source of the majority of its funding — it’s mainly a way for designers to gain publicity by dressing the celebrities whose tickets they pay for. Sure, the outfits are pretty to look at (and absolutely

tear apart on Twitter), but the focus of the event is still largely about the elite networking and looking good for the cameras.

The question is, why do we care? Few charitable events get the attention the Met Gala does. The Hugo Awards, a series of literary prizes, get little attention outside of writer’s circles. Do we watch random shoppers in Target duke it out over their impending divorces, or do we reserve this honor only for the richest and most famous?

Sure, we all mock the tone-deaf lipservice the attendees pay to the latest social issue at the Academy Awards, but that at least is an attempt to focus on something that matters more than who looks good and what inanities of their personal

lives are going to be on display.

It’s time to stop caring so much about Oscars drama. The bread has gone stale, and the circuses are closed. Oscars drama is the most superficial of superficial entertainment: It’s not impactful, it’s not meaningful and it’ll be irrelevant by the time this is printed.

Maybe we only continue to care due to the same instinct that inspires our consumption of cringe compilations and college Barstool accounts. It could be that, in the past, we would have all been medieval peasants gleefully watching our feudal lords sic their hunting dogs on each other. After all, life can be thankless in many ways, and engaging in celebrity worship is a form of escapism like any other.

OPINION

March 30, 2022

Page 7

“Cura Personalis:” A Meaningless Phrase

By MICHAEL SLUCK PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

If you’ve ever gone through freshmen orientation at Fordham University, you might have heard the phrase “cura personalis.” In fact, you have probably heard it many, many times, since Fordham staff seem to love repeating the words over and over, and connecting them to a variety of Fordham resources and programs.

“Cura personalis,” which means “care for the whole person” in Latin, refers to the university’s goal not only to concern itself with the academic wellbeing of the student, but other aspects as well. According to the university website, “cura personalis” means “that we don’t just tend to your educational growth; we strive to foster your moral, emotional and spiritual growth, too. It also means we take our responsibility for your well-being and safety very seriously.”

“Cura personalis” is often cited as what makes Fordham University different from other colleges. Listening to the Fordham administration, you would think that every other college in the nation only concerns itself with the student’s academic success and completely disregards everything else. However, in the modern college era, “care for the whole person” no longer makes Fordham unique, and it is incorrect to refer to it as one of the principal differences between Fordham and non-Jesuit colleges.

In order to break down the claim that Fordham is unique in regards to caring for the student’s whole being, it’s useful to look at the different aspects that Fordham lists on their website under the heading “cura personalis.”

If caring for the whole student is something that is unique to Fordham (or only Jesuit colleges), it would make sense that these programs would only exist in Jesuit schools. However, if one examines the page about “cura personalis,” it becomes clear that many of the services listed are not unique to Fordham.

The first program listed on the page is Fordham’s policies on providing assistance to survivors of sexual assault.

These policies, however, aren’t unique to Fordham; in fact, they’re required under Title IX. Many other schools, such as NYU, require their students to take virtual lessons on sexual assault, so Fordham’s not alone in that either.

Fordham also takes the “responsibility … for [student] safety very seriously.” Guarantees of safety, however, are also not exclusive to Fordham. According to the Department of Justice, 68% of universities have some sort of police force on staff, in order to guarantee student safety. And almost all schools have some sort of health clinic to provide medical assistance.

Fordham then lists various mental health programs, including Counseling and Psychological

COURTESY OF NICK DESILVA/THE FORDHAM RAM

“Cura personalis” is often cited as what makes Fordham University different from other colleges.

Services (CPS), as part of their caring for the whole person; but these, too, are not particular to Fordham. According to the American Psychological Association, 72% of college presidents in the United States in 2019 stated they were allocating more funds toward addressing mental health issues.

When Fordham University was founded in 1841, “cura personalis” probably did have a lot of meaning. Back then, many schools were often solely concerned with a student’s academic well-being, and by caring for the whole person, Fordham stood out. In 2022, however, “caring for the whole person” has become the

norm at American schools, rather than the exception. Many colleges provide mental and physical health services, give opportunities for moral learning and promise safety; they just don’t have a fancy Latin phrase for it.

All of this wouldn’t be so problematic if Fordham didn’t frequently receive complaints about these very services. This past semester, many Fordham students expressed frustration with CPS for an inability to meet the needs of the student population.

While Fordham devotes a lot of energy to promoting the idea of “cura personalis,” it seems like it spends less time actually implementing policies that would make

this idea a reality on campus.

Caring for the whole student is a noble goal. But if Fordham wants to stand out from other non-Jesuit schools, it needs to take more steps to fulfill its promise of “cura personalis.” If Fordham wants to be famous for caring for the whole of its students, it needs to try to provide the best academic, mental and physical care for all Fordham students.

Until then, “cura personalis” feels more like a cheap advertisement than anything of substance.

Michael Sluck, FCRH ’24, is a political science and computer science major from Verona, N.J.

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OPINION

Page 8

March 30, 2022

Irving’s Decision to Remain Unvaccinated Shouldn’t Affect His Basketball Career

COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

Due to New York’s vaccine mandate, Irving was only able to play in states with less strict vaccination rules.

By THOMAS AIELLO ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

On March 24 New York City Mayor Eric Adams lifted the mandatory vaccination mandate for private sectors that had forced everyone in NYC to be vaccinated against COVID-19, and if you weren’t vaccinated, you were not allowed to do your job in some cases.

This led some of New York’s most prominent athletes, such as Kyrie Irving, to not be able to play at Nets home games in the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, but continue to play games in other states, such as a Florida game

against the Orlando Magic.

But what is most curious about this entire situation is that Irving was given the green light to attend home games and watch, but not play. Yes, he was allowed to play games in some states such as Florida, North Carolina or Indiana (all states with vaccination policies that were way less harsh than New York’s), but wasn’t allowed to play in the rest of those games (aside from sitting courtside as a fan). Irving was, and still is, unvaccinated and has a very strong opinion about why he won’t get vaccinated.

At one point, he went on a tan-

gent on Instagram and stated, “I know the consequences here, and if it means that I’m judged and demonized for that, that’s just what it is.” This was said before the beginning of this NBA season, in the early days of October.

Fast forward to the end of March and Irving has been granted permission to play by way of the aforementioned policy that has exempted entertainers, including athletes, from being required to participate in the same COVID-19 protocols that the everyday citizen has to follow in New York City.

But if we look at everything else from a logistical point of

view, why is this important?

Irving, despite deciding not to get vaccinated, was allowed to sit courtside at Nets home games unmasked and in the front row.

Irving was also allowed to participate in Nets practices in their facility that is just a few blocks away from the Barclay’s Center.

But he wasn’t allowed to play in home games.

The Bill of Rights states that everyone is entitled to freedom of speech, which includes formulating your own opinion. By not getting vaccinated and speaking out against mandates, Irving was utilizing that right as well as his right to protest to encourage the mayor of NYC to change the law in his favor. In doing all this, Irving remained very opinionated about this matter, spoke up about the issue and defended his right to choose.

Irving, like most people who are seen as opposing the public narrative, was shamed for his choices with comments that he was “selfish” and “should retire.”

This has been a common theme with people who are seen as opposing the COVID-19 vaccine and any of these protocols put in place.

But it then circles back this question: Why would he do this?

This is America, the land of the free and home of the brave. This country was constructed on the idea that the citizens could be self-dependent and have the op-

portunity to speak up when they see anything they find distasteful. Sure, people may have different opinions, but it is okay to disagree on things without ostracizing others and shaming them for disagreeing with the public narrative.

I write this not as a consistent voter, nor supporter of democrat or republican politicians. I do not care about the choices that people make or how they go about their beliefs. I certainly disagree with things as most people do, but canceling people because of disagreements in their personal opinions is the antithesis of what this country was built on.

The vaccination hysteria in our society has to end, not just for professional athletes and the elites, but for everyone in general. If people are not vaccinated, that is their own choice and it is unfair to ban them from participating in society. Irving choosing not to be vaccinated was his choice, nobody forced him to do it, but he made that decision as a 30 year old man who gets north of $40 million to play basketball.

Shaming people for not being vaccinated is wwmadness, and it is time to return to times when someone’s vaccination status didn’t determine if they can be active members of society.

Thomas Aiello, FCRH ’23, is a journalism major from Allendale, N.J.

Bella Hadid’s Refreshing Transparency on Plastic Surgery

By SAMANTHA SCOTT CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Recently, Bella Hadid came out in a cover story for Vogue about getting a nose job at 14, something she consistently denied for years.

With Hadid’s nose being one of the most sought-after and requested noses, the revelation that hers was also the product of plastic surgery is significant. However, what is, perhaps, more important is her admitting that she regrets the procedure, as her confession now opens the door to a discussion about the pressure to conform to a certain standard of beauty.

We live in a culture where there is pressure to conform to a specific appearance which is an incredibly narrow, eurocentric standard of beauty. This standard is present with Hadid’s choice as well.

Bella Hadid, unlike her sister Gigi Hadid, more closely resembles her Palestinian heritage. In the Vogue article, Hadid said she felt insecure and like “the uglier sister” to Gigi.

Even though the two look incredibly different, the constant comparisons led Hadid to get a nose job, a procedure that she now regrets.

This feeling of erasure is familiar.

There’s a long tradition of Hollywood actors changing their names and getting plastic surgery to erase parts of their heritage and appear

more eurocentric to advance their careers. Many adolescents get plastic surgery to adhere to a standard of outdated and unfair beauty. In young girls, it goes further.

Women feel constant pressure to change their appearances. It can be as simple as putting on makeup to look “presentable” or something more extreme like the choice to undergo plastic surgery as a minor.

To be clear, there is nothing wrong or shameful about Hadid getting plastic surgery. It’s a universal experience to be insecure about certain aspects of our appearance. Although it ultimately contributed to her career as one of the highest-paid models, the important thing to consider is the fact that Hadid didn’t get the nose job to get ahead; she got it because she was insecure about her appearance, and there’s nothing wrong with that. The issue comes in when celebrities lie about their choice to get plastic surgery.

There are countless examples of celebrities who deny or hide their plastic surgery: Kylie Jenner initially denied getting lip fillers before she eventually confessed that she got them done. After years of denying getting any plastic surgery, Tyra Banks, a famous model, admitted to getting a secret nose job at the start of her career.

Jenner and Banks are people who

have recently admitted to going under the knife and that doesn’t even begin to touch on the countless celebrities under speculation for getting something done.

Kim Kardashian, Madison Beer and Doja Cat are just some people speculated to have gotten plastic surgery but constantly deny it.

When celebrities lie about plastic surgery, they continue to propagate a standard of beauty that is unattainable and damaging, particularly to young girls.

People look up to celebrities and compare themselves to them, a practice that has been made easier by social media. Young people, especially young girls, are developing negative body image and self-esteem issues because they feel inadequate and insecure about their appearance compared to these celebrities’ “natural” beauty. When stars lie about going under the knife, they’re constructing a standard of beauty that can never be achieved naturally, yet young girls feel pressured to attain it.

The question has to be asked: Why is there such pressure for women to look a certain way in society, and why do we continue to strive towards something that has ultimately become unattainable?

The answer to this question is in no way simple and too complicated to even begin to figure out how to

dismantle it. But as a solution, celebrities can start to be more transparent about their choices. If they were to be transparent about their choice, perhaps there would be more of an understanding that these are unmeetable standards.

Or, at the very least, celebrities shouldn’t deny that they’ve gotten something done.

After years of denial, Hadid coming clean about her choice to get a nose job feels like a step in the right direction for celebrity transparency and honesty about plastic surgery and the standard of beauty. With so few celebrities coming out and speaking about plastic surgery and

even fewer speaking about how they regret getting plastic surgery, they could change the choice to get plastic surgery at a young age.

Yet, there is more to do before we can get to a place where there isn’t pressure to meet a eurocentric standard of beauty or conform to what society wants women to be.

Let’s be honest and transparent.

Let us work towards dismantling a standard of beauty that is rigged and unattainable.

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

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Bella Hadid admitted that she got a nose job and regrets the procedure.

CULTURE

March 30, 2022

Page 9

Editor’s Pick | Music

Why You Should Care About “WHO CARES?”

By AVA CARREIRO DIGITAL PRODUCER

On March 11, Rex Orange County released his fourth studio album, titled “WHO CARES?” After waiting three years for a new album since the release of “Pony” in 2019, I can undoubtedly say that “WHO CARES?” has exceeded all of my expectations. Rex Orange County is a musical genius, and this album showcases his remarkable talents.

Alexander O’Connor, who goes by the stage name Rex Orange County, is a 23-yearold singer-songwriter from the United Kingdom. Mostly known for his hit singles “Loving is Easy” and “Best Friend,” he has amassed over 14 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

Rex Orange County’s rise to fame began in 2015 when he launched the album “bcos u will never b free” on SoundCloud.

He quickly climbed up the charts through both features and releases of more albums.

When Rex Orange County had just 500 followers on SoundCloud back in 2015, there was one listener who recognized his talent and skyrocketed his career: Tyler, The Creator. Tyler invited Rex Orange County to his studio in Los Angeles and featured him in some of his songs.

In Tyler’s Grammy-nominated album “Flower Boy,” Rex Orange County was featured on two songs: “Boredom” and

“Foreword.” Following these features, Rex Orange County released his album “Apricot Princess.” He began making appearances on global charts, and became a worldwide sensation. In “WHO CARES?” Rex Orange County features Tyler, The Creator in his song “OPEN

A WINDOW,” which is currently the album’s top-performing song in the United States (and my personal favorite).

Almost every song in “WHO CARES?” begins with a beautiful array of string instrumentals melded with just enough drums, piano and acoustic gui-

tar to bring it all together. This consistency unfies the album while including just enough variety in each song to make it unique. For those who listened to Rex Orange County’s hit song “Pluto Projector” and fell in love with its string instrumentals, “WHO CARES?”

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Rex Orange County has returned with “WHO CARES?” after fans have been waiting for new music since

takes that artistry to the next level. If I were to describe the genre of the album, I would say it lies somewhere between jazz and pop but with a chill, relaxed feel.

As a long-time fan of both Rex Orange County and Tyler, The Creator, it would be wrong of me not to put their crossover, “OPEN A WINDOW,” at the top of my list from the new album. Like most of the songs on this album, “OPEN A WINDOW” begins with an ear-melting blend of orchestral sounds immediately followed by an upbeat tempo. If there’s any song that I can’t help but dance to, it’s this one. Coming in at number two in my personal rankings is “ONE IN A MILLION,” your typical love song. Yes, it may sound cliché, but it’s cliché in the best way possible.

Finally, my third favorite in the album is “WORTH IT,” which, like “OPEN A WINDOW,” has a beat that makes listeners feel optimistic and motivated. If you’re looking for a feel-good, light and happy album, “WHO CARES?” is the best choice.

If you haven’t done so already, listening to Rex Orange County’s “WHO CARES?” is an absolute must. It would be an understatement to call this album anything less than a masterpiece. With its 11 songs adding up to 35 minutes in total, it’s the perfect way to pass the time during your next Ram Van trip or workout at the gym.

Machine Gun Kelly and Willow Smith Are In Love With An “emo girl”

By PAIGE LESPERENCE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

In their first-ever collaboration, Machine Gun Kelly and Willow Smith declare their love for all emo girls with their creatively titled song “emo girl.”

It is the latest single released to tease Kelly’s upcoming album “mainstream sellout,” which was released March 25.

The rapper, who goes by the acronym MGK, had previously undergone a notable change in musical style with the release of his fifth studio album, “Tickets to My Downfall,” in 2020. The album was marked by its pop punk sounds which clearly conveyed that MGK had drastically moved away from his usual hip-hop style. MGK obviously has no plans of returning to his hiphop roots any time soon, as he proves with the campy yet unforgettable “emo girl.”

The rapper’s whirlwind romance with his fiancée, actress Megan Fox, has recently been the subject of much public scrutiny due to controversial remarks and over-the-top declarations of love from both parties. MGK is clearly feeding into that attention through this

single. And what better way to further cement his new image as a punk rocker and prove his love to Fox than by sampling her voice to start off the song?

A recording of Fox saying the line, “I am a god,” taken from her edgy 2009 horror film “Jennifer’s Body,” rolls quickly before the sound of a guitar playing an obnoxious punk riff immediately takes over.

MGK then sets the scene for us in all of its emo glory. The girl he sings about is doing her “makeup by the mirror in her bedroom,” all while wearing “thigh-high fishnets and some black boots.” Naturally, she has her “nose pierced with the cigarette perfume,” and, to top it off, this girl is “half dead but she still looks so cute.” That’s right, she is a certified emo girl.

I can appreciate some vivid imagery that accompanies any kind of storytelling. However, by the time you hear the second verse, MGK has already thrown at least 10 tropes into the mix that perpetuate the usual emo stereotype. He creates a caricature, not a character. When the second verse, sung by Willow Smith, comes along, we are entertained by another plethora of stereotypical

tropes that fulfill what it apparently means to be emo.

The lyrics at this point turn pretty graphic, in order to convey to us listeners that the emo lifestyle is not for the weak. The emo girl “tells me lies but she knows all of my secrets,” according to Smith, who then goes on to sing about how one interaction with the emo girl left her “bleeding on your Blink tee,” in reference to the girl’s choice of clothing as well as the rock band Blink-182. Furthermore, the emo girl is “depressed,” but for Smith, “that makes two of us.”

You can’t help but cringe at the lyrical glorification of the

miserable emo girl. Yes, she knows your dirtiest secrets and she bites people, but she has a mysterious edge to her and she’ll do it with style. The fervor and passion with which both MGK and Smith sing about the emo girl prove that, despite the fact that the lyrics border on satire in their extremity, these two are being completely unironic in their expression.

The chorus of the song, in which both singers repeat the lines, “I fell in love with an emo girl, I’m in love with an emo girl,” is what makes this song so unforgettable, because it will quickly become an earworm

that you are desperate to shake off. Even if the song is a catchy one, its lyrics will most likely be sung sarcastically among fans for its dramatic portrayal of an emo love story. However, it can’t be denied that MGK will continue to try to garner an enormous amount of attention, even if it is overwhelmingly negative, to sustain his relevance in pop culture discourse.

You have to admire his willingness to take a risk by jumping into a completely different genre and sticking to this new image he has appointed himself, despite all of the mockery it has brought him.

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Willow Smith and Machine Gun Kelly rock edgy outfits and makeup for the “emo girl” music video.

CULTURE

Page 10

March 30, 2022

The Importance of Queer Women’s Spaces

By ISABELLA NAVIA

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

A walk down Christopher Street, a peek into the dive bars in Park Slope or the pride flags adorning the windows of the restaurants in Hell’s Kitchen would give one the impression that the LGBTQ+ community in NYC is vibrant and thriving.

This initial impression can be deceiving, though, as only three bars in New York City are publicly regarded as being catered towards the “L” in LGBTQ+, creating difficult questions of representation, right to space

and queer women’s visibility in a larger society.

A Friday night at Henrietta Hudson, a bar no bigger than a Fordham dorm room, means a line down the street, women, non-binary people and trans people huddle together, sharing laughs and cigarettes as the latest from Lady Gaga echoes out the windows. For queer women, the atmosphere is safe and inviting. Free from glaring stares and hypersexualization, this small, almost unspectacularlooking brownstone bar is a haven for lesbians to enjoy them-

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Henrietta Hudson is one of New York City’s oldest LGBTQ+ bars.

selves. Henrietta Hudson is a bar built by lesbians that intends to serve all people of any gender identity. Thirty years of business has seen several rebrandings and remodelings but not a closure until the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, the bar remains one of the premier locations for queer nightlife in New York City.

In addition to being a bar, Henrietta Hudson also prides itself on being a cultural space and holds watch parties of the lesbian TV show “The L Word” and so-called “dyke karaoke.”

One could say that, in comparison to the entirety of the country, New York City is a relatively accepting place for lesbian women. However, Henrietta Hudson, Ginger’s and Cubbyhole are the only three well-known spaces for queer women in New York City.

Still, all three are open and accepting of any and all gender and sexual identities.

In 1980, there were an estimated 200 lesbian bars in the country. Now there are only 21. Luckily, one NGO refuses to let the lack of lesbian bars in the United States be a silent issue. The Lesbian Bar Project was created in 2020 to bring

awareness to the rapid closure of spaces for queer women across the country. Wellknown queer advocates, such as Lea Delaria and Erica Rose, came together to create this organization to support the remaining bars and encourage the creation of new ones.

In 2020, the project organized a four-week fundraising campaign that raked in over $117,000, which went to support the remaining lesbian bars. In 2021, The Lesbian Bar Project released a short documentary detailing the struggles that lesbian bars have gone through during the COVID-19 pandemic, a phemonenon that threatened an already at-risk community.

The 21 remaining bars raise important questions about the inclusion, diversity and visibility of queer women in larger spaces. We have had our relationships sexualized and accepted only through the narrow lens of the male-dominated porn industry. We have had our relationships belittled, reduced to “gal-pals,” “sisters” and “best friends” and never recognized or accepted. The few remaining places where our love is

normalized and praised are at risk of closing. Queer women should not need to ask for visibility and a safe space. A love that was forced off court records until 2015 does not need to be cast aside, only to be publicly celebrated in 21 places.

The decline in lesbian spaces is not serving the growing number of queer women who are deserving of a community. However, some questions remain as to whether lesbian spaces are as necessary as they once were. In an era where party collectives such as Bubble Tea and Rosa Perreo regularly throw queer women’s events, one can wonder if the decline in explicitly queer women’s spaces is just a sign of a changing party atmosphere.

Although I cannot answer this question on behalf of the entire lesbian community, I will say that under the strobe lights of Henrietta Hudson, watching my friends dance to Dua Lipa’s “Levitating” unafraid and proud of their identities and seeing older and younger queer women come together to celebrate who they are, it’s clear spaces like these are not only essential, but deeply transformative as well.

Don’t Bother Showing Up to “The Afterparty”

By MICHAEL SLUCK PRODUCTION EDITOR

Following the murder of pop star Xavier (Dave Franco) at a high school reunion afterparty, Detective Danner (Tiffany Haddish) interviews everyone present at the event, asking them to recall their experiences of the night. Each episode follows a different character’s retelling of the night, each one told in a style that mimics a different movie genre.

Aniq (Sam Richardson), who came to the party to reconnect with a high school crush, recounts his story like a romcom, while ex-jock Brett (Ike Barinholtz) recounts his night like an action movie.

The mystery-comedy genre has been gaining traction in the past few years, with shows like “Only Murders in the Building” attracting enormous followings for their amusing twists on the typical murder mystery tropes. While “Only Murders” was more mystery than comedy, “The Afterparty” is definitely more comedy than mystery — and while the mystery here is decent, it’s not as interesting or compelling as other shows of its kind.

There’s not the same sense of eager anticipation for each episode like there is in other murder mystery shows.

The show does have its bright moments. Tiffany Haddish shines in the role of quippy homicide detective Danner, and her interjections into the various suspects’ retellings of the event are some of the funniest jokes in the show. Ben

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The new series leaves a lot to be desired and misses the mark as a murder mystery despite the promising cast and interesting concept.

Schwartz also brings his signature charm to each episode as aspiring musician Yasper.

There are a few moments that will make you laugh out loud (usually involving either Haddish or Schwartz), and there are amusing parodic elements of the different genres.

However, the show never fully takes advantage of its own framing device. Although each story is supposed to mimic a different film genre, it never fully embraces that trope. For example, in Brett’s action-movie-style retelling of the night, there’s an over-thetop fight and a car chase, but the rest of the story is fairly mundane. In fact, it seems like the writers might have realized halfway through the show that it’s difficult to tell a compelling murder mystery while also parodying movies — in later episodes, the jokes fade away,

and the final episode doesn’t seem to parody any sort of genre at all. The paradoxical elements they do include are funny, but most of them are common critiques of their respective genres, rarely bringing anything new to the table.

“The Afterparty” also relies on the overused screenwriting cliché that, when each suspect tells their story, everyone listening is able to experience a three-dimensional recreation of exactly what they were doing and seeing. When the case does finally get solved in the last episode, the evidence is based on minute details that never would have been mentioned in a real police interrogation — they’re just too specific. If all the characters really did go into that much detail about their night, each interrogation should have taken about twelve hours, but

we’re expected to believe that the entire show takes place over a single night.

The hyperspecificity of the details also makes it impossible for any viewer to solve the mystery. One of the best parts of watching a murder mystery is forming your own theories about the suspects, but the clues in “The Afterparty” are so slight that it’s almost impossible to speculate who might have done it, never mind solve the case.

Each character is also brutally honest in their retelling of the night, to the point of being ridiculous. While there are a few exaggerations played for laughs, we’re supposed to believe that each character recounts their night with absolute honesty, omitting no embarrassing details and not trying to make themselves look better in any way. It would be

much funnier (and more interesting) had each narrative been different, reflecting how different people perceived themselves and others. For the most part, however, the dialogue and action are identical throughout each retelling of the night, seeming to imply that every character has complete, error-free recall.

While it gets a few laughs, “The Afterparty” fails to live up to the potential promised by what was a highly amusing premise. The main problem with the show is that it wants to have its cake and eat it too: it wants to be an amusing parody tale with unreliable narrators, but also a compelling murder mystery that relies on cold hard facts. There are some funny jokes and memorable performances, but all in all, this is one afterparty you can feel free to skip.

March 30, 2022

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Bronx Business Highlight | Emilia’s

Emilia’s: An Oasis of Peace on Arthur Avenue

By KARI WHITE CULTURE EDITOR

Like many other restaurants on Arthur Avenue, the Bronx’s very own Little Italy, Emilia’s is crowned by a maroon awning with golden letters scrolling across it. The white tablecloths hint at the warm atmosphere, hearty meals and quaint decorations that only a familyowned restaurant can provide.

Entering the restaurant to finding a seat at one of the tables indoors or outside on the patio proves the assumed atmosphere of the restaurant true.

Emilia’s is a place to relax, eat too much bread (only to regret it when you receive your pasta) and share a few laughs with those you love.

While Emilia’s has been open for 50 years, Joanne Lerro’s father only bought it 25 years ago. Over that time, Lerro took on more and more responsibility from her father. At first, she helped a little here and there by doing the billing and overseeing the menus. Now, while she continues to oversee those duties, she also orders food, liquor and wine. On top of it all, she makes sure that the restaurant runs smoothly. During the rush of the day, she finds herself both upstairs in the office and downstairs in the midst of the tumult of the restaurant.

“I’ll go up and down when the restaurant’s open to check on how the restaurant’s doing,” said Lerro. Yet, what brings

her the most joy is getting to taste test new dishes and try new drinks that are added to the menu.

Throughout her years of running Emilia’s, one of Lerro’s proudest accomplishments is her transformation of the patio. “We love our patio, because that patio here was nothing. It was just an old Bronx backyard, there was like an old trellis with vines growing out there and nothing we could use. For so many years, we never used it for anything.

When we did that, it became a little oasis back there. People are just so surprised when they go back there because it’s so different from anything else; it’s so quiet. You escape the hustle and bustle. You’re just in this cute, little atmosphere.”

Despite her love of and pride in running the restaurant, Lerro faced particular challenges when first taking over her father’s mantle. Namely, the misogyny of the predominantly male-run industry. “All the sales people that came in, liquor wise or any of that, they were always men. I remember the first time that I was taking over the wine, ordering and doing that kind of thing, and this one older man, who was just not a nice guy, had me crying because I really knew nothing. I was still learning,” said Lerro.

“That would never happen today. I could never see that happening to my daughters.

First of all, they would never

accept it; second of all, it was just a different time. Definitely, the business itself has evolved.

It’s definitely still male-dominated, but not the same boys club that it was,” she said.

Working in a predominantly male-dominated industry has taught Lerro what it means for a woman to exist in the business world and what young women should consider as they enter into it: “You have to do what you like, I really, really do. You need to find something that you enjoy doing, and go with it. Stick with it … I tell my daughters, they

enjoy what they do. It’s just not hard to get up and go to work everyday when you’re going to do something you like.” This advice is especially profound as we, college students, decide which career path we want to spend the next few decades of our lives pursuing.

As is apparent through her clear love for her daughters, Lerro places a great deal of value on family. One of the best parts of running a family-owned business is, in her words, that it provides “A great meeting place for the family.” That love extends

COURTESY OF NICOLETA PAPAVASILAKIS FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

Joanne Lerro is the owner of Emilia’s, a restuarant on Arthur Avenue.

beyond just her family, to the surrounding community.

“The whole Fordham community to me is just amazing, because I feel like I know so many of you guys personally.

Like, your families and all of that. My mother used to say the same thing when she was in more, and now I find myself saying it. Some of the kids who are abroad haven’t been around, but their friends will come in and tell us what they’re doing.

Then, on Parents’ Day, parents will come in. Overall, that’s another great part of this. It’s another great part of being on Arthur Avenue.”

To end the interview, I asked Lerro the most pressing question: What’s your favorite dish that the restaurant is currently serving? She laughed, her smile evident even through the phone, and replied, “Everyone asks me this, and I find it to be the hardest question because I love everything.” After a minute, however, she continued, “I’ve been in a pasta mood lately, which is not doing well for my jeans.

I’m obsessed with our gnocchi.

We’re doing a gnocchi in vodka sauce with a burrata on top of it, and I’m kind of obsessed with that right now.”

If you’re looking for an evening out with friends, parents or partners, break the habit of eating at Michaelangelo’s. Walk a little farther, and grab a table at Emilia’s. Try the gnocchi, I hear it’s quite good.

Rams Review Books | The Glass Castle

“The Glass Castle” Explores the Impact of a Traumatic Childhood

By JULIANNA MORALES CONTRIBUTING WRITER

“Life is a drama full of tragedy and comedy. You should learn to enjoy the comic episodes a little more” — Jeanette Walls, “The Glass Castle.”

Sometimes as I read, I forgot that “The Glass Castle” is a memoir. The intense, seemingly unimaginable story reads as smoothly as a fictional tale.

But this is the author’s life experience, and she depicts memories from a very young age that most adults can’t imagine facing.

Walls narrates the book from first person. She is a mere three years old at the start of the book, which continues throughout her adolescence, but expresses maturity far beyond her years. Though some of this is because she wrote

the book much later in life, it also speaks to how quickly she was forced to grow up.

Walls was one of four siblings who, with her parents, traveled around the country committing various crimes or aversion tactics in order to stay afloat. Her father was an alcoholic who she adored sober but unfortunately feared more often than not. Her mom was an unrealistic idealist, too caught

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Walls’ memoir, “The Glass Castle,” explores her complicated relationship with her parents and childhood.

up in her own world and afraid to stand up for her kids.

Despite this heavy subject matter, the book is not nearly as sad a read as it could be.

Walls writes in a very youthful and lighthearted way, telling the story through the perspective of her adolescent self.

Additionally, she includes the happy or funny moments as she experienced them, rather than what may have been behind them. The reader sees the scene with the same blind optimism as young Jeanette did.

The harsher reality is often explained by her siblings, Lori and Brian, who didn’t idolize their father the same way.

Though humorous at times, it can feel wrong or insensitive to laugh or smile at lines in the book. However, I think that was Walls’ intent. She did not set out to write “The Glass Castle” in search of pity for her life. Walls is a talented and successful author who simply shared her reality and how living it can affect one’s view on the world.

As terrible as it is to think, there are plenty of readers who see reflections of their own family in the story and may benefit from seeing that

they aren’t alone. The book’s dedication alone shows that Walls herself had needed this reminder, as she thanked her husband for convincing her “that everyone who is interesting has a past.”

“The Glass Castle” is an attention-grabbing book that is hard to put down and easy to speed through. But it is also incredibly inspirational. Reading through someone’s worst times while knowing the success and happiness they were able to find despite it has that effect. However, one’s childhood and upbringing is a large part of who they are.

The book opens with a scene of Walls’ adult life as she drives past her mom dumpsterdiving on her way to an event.

She had not seen her mother in months and was filled with embarrassment and panic at the sight of her, not wanting to interact. She was ashamed of her parents and wanted to help them to live their lives differently. Despite this, she thanks them both and credits them with her belief in art and dreaming big. It is a real and perfectly imperfect hook into the story of how this dynamic came to be.

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Women’s History Month | Leading Women of Tomorrow

Leading Women of Tomorrow Fosters Feminist Futures

By ELISABETH MURRAY CULTURE EDITOR

It’s been over 100 years since the women’s suffrage movement, but the fight for equal representation in government and politics is far from over. Today, women make up only 27% of Congress and 30% of state executives. The United States has yet to have a female president — Vice President Kamala Harris is the closest paragon for women

in leadership and is the first and only woman to be elected to office after 59 presidential elections. Government is still a male-dominated sector and the gender gap usually culminates on college campuses.

Organizations such as student government and democrat and republican groups usually perpetuate this gaping gender disparity and fail to foster equality. Fordham University’s chapter of Leading Women of Tomorrow aims to bridge

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LWT empowers female students to pursue ambitions in politics.

this gender gap by providing a community exclusively for women interested in politics to encourage them to explore careers in government.

Leading Women of Tomorrow (LWT) is a bipartisan studentrun initiative that aims to equip undergraduate women with the skills, resources and confidence to become successful leaders in government and public service. It is rapidly growing as there are chapters in universities all across the country.

Though Fordham’s chapter is relatively new, members of LWT are making strides on campus and in the community.

Club fundraising chair and treasurer Emma Lipkind, FCRH ’23, explained how LWT’s niche for politics is what inspired her to get involved.

“There are other empowerment clubs for women in STEM and women in business, and politics is an equally intimidating field,” Lipkind explained how as an International Political Economy major, LWT was the perfect fit for her. “It’s important that LWT exists because it focuses on helping women who are interested in getting involved in this particular field,” she said.

Lipkind started going to LWT meetings because she was interested in exploring a

career in politics and found the club’s programs such as resume workshops and internship overviews to be very helpful. However, Lipkind stayed because of the welcoming and inclusive environment LWT created, which she appreciated the most.

“The community itself is the best part. We’re a fun group and people who come to our meetings enjoy being with us,” she said. “We just want to create a space for women to feel comfortable and have fun discussing things that are important to them. Our goal is to educate and help women.”

Safe spaces are crucial in order for women to find solidarity in areas where they feel underrepresented. “It feels like women in college are still fighting to have a fair chance, especially at Fordham where male-dominated industries and careers are so big,” Lipkind said. She also discussed the implicit biases against women in male-dominated spaces, “Not only are women underrepresented and unappreciated but there are hardly any spaces for women to feel safe.” LWT creates a safe space for women to discuss politics.

“It’s important to create a space at Fordham specifically for women who want to get in-

volved in politics. While there are other political organizations on campus, LWT is the only one that provides a safe space for women to discuss political issues as they impact us — a perspective that is often disregarded otherwise,” Lipkind said.

As a women’s empowerment club, LWT focuses on learning about and tackling issues that affect women — issues that are also often disregarded. Currently, LWT is working with Part of the Solution (POTS), a Bronx-based organization that aims to fight poverty by providing residents with food and essentials. Together, LWT and POTS are fighting against period poverty in the Bronx by providing women in need with essential menstrual products.

The last question I asked Lipkind was who her favorite feminist icon is. She answered Gloria Steinem, a social-political activist, renowned journalist and a prime example of everything LWT encourages young women to aspire towards.

If you are interested in exploring a career in politics and want to join a community of like-minded young women, you can find LWT on Instagram @lwtfordham for updates and information about their weekly meetings.

NYBG Stuns With Return of Annual Orchids

By HANNAH DEVLIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

From Feb. 26 to May 1, the New York Botanical Gardens (NYBG) presents, “The Orchid Show: Jeff Leatham’s Kaleidoscope.” The Orchid Show has become a principal event at NYBG’s Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, as the 2022 showing marks its 19th year on display. Each year’s event is curated by a different artist. In the past, NYBG has partnered with floral artist Daniel Ost, tropical plant expert Francisca Coelho and the Singapore Botanical Gardens. This year’s artist is acclaimed floral designer Jeff Leatham.

Leatham is an award-winning artistic director who is most well-known for his work with the Four Seasons Hotel in Paris.

Leathem had originally debuted his exhibit in 2020, but because its display was interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he has once again been given the opportunity to curate The Orchid Show. This year, rather than recreating his past exhibit, Leatham has reinvented and redesigned his image of the kaleidoscope.

As you enter the Haupt Conservatory, you are greeted with Leatham’s image of the kaleidoscope, as mirrors reflect the bouquets of orchids at the center of the showcase. As reflections of bright orange, pink and yellow petals flicker through

the glass, it’s hard to ignore the beauty that they capture. Much like a kaleidoscope, these mirrors’ reflections come together to form one cohesive and dazzling image. Just behind this display stands tall towers of orchids, drawing the viewers’ eyes up to the glass ceiling above.

This burst of color greets visitors at the entrance and introduces the exhibit in a fun and exciting way.

Walking through the rest of The Orchid Show is an experience filled with color and beauty. The show displays a variety of orchid species, making the experience fresh and interesting with the constant introduction of something new. All of these flowers are bright and vibrant, though they vary in size, color and shape. Viewers are met with a kaleidoscope of colors as they walk through rows filled with various shades of yellows, pinks and purples.

Throughout the exhibit, there are unique features that draw your eye, like an indoor fountain adorned with orchids. Set in the pre-existing conservatory, orchids are placed throughout the greenery, clinging to the trunks of trees and planted beside bushes and shrubbery. The tall ceilings of the greenhouse allow for beautiful orchid chandeliers to hang overhead as their vines drape down. Each room of the con-

servatory is designed to mimic different habitats that orchids live in, featuring unique varieties of the NYBG’s 2,000 species collection. Moving through the conservatory, each of these rooms provides a distinct experience. All are full of vibrance and diversity, just as beautiful as the turn of a kaleidoscope.

After going through the conservatory and moving towards the end of the exhibit, visitors make their way back to Leatham’s kaleidoscope. By allowing visitors to look at this image one last time before exiting the greenhouse, they are once again reminded of this year’s inspiration for the show.

Tickets to The Orchid Show include an All-Garden Pass, which provides access to the NYBG grounds, daily programs and tours.

These daytime passes allow access to the gardens between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. However, on select weekends the NYBG hosts Orchid Evenings, which allow access to the Haupt Conservatory after hours, opening the exhibit from 7 to 10 p.m.

I visited The Orchid Show during the day, which I think complimented the exhibit well.

Because the show is hosted in the NYBG’s greenhouse, experiencing the showcase during the day allows the viewer to take full advantage of its setting.

In the daytime, the conservatory brightens as the sun shines

through its glass ceilings, allowing for the orchids to bask in its light. This light allows for visitors to view the flowers at their most vivid. Additionally, with access to the rest of the NYBG grounds, visiting during the day allows visitors to take advantage of the gardens.

The Orchid Show has companion programs that allow visitors to learn more about caring for their own orchids. On Saturdays and Sundays visitors can attend both Orchid Care

Demonstrations and an Orchid Basics Q&A, while more specific Orchid Classes are hosted on select dates. These programs cover the do’s-and-don’ts of orchid care, teach how to avoid common mistakes, provide tips on how to care for a sick orchid and allow visitors to ask experts how to select the right orchid for their home.

For anyone interested in buying tickets or learning more about the exhibit and its programs, visit nybg.org.

COURTESY OF HANNAH DELVIN FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

New York Botanical Garden’s annual orchid show comes back to life.

CULTURE

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“Minx” Has Potential to be Great

By LILY MCCLOSKEY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The recently aired HBO comedy series “Minx” tells the fictional story of the birth of the first erotic magazine for women.

The series follows aspiring magazine editor Joyce Prigger (Ophelia Lovibond). As she works to sell her feminist magazine “The Matriarchy Awakens,” she’s approached by Doug Renetti (Jake Johnson), a publisher of low-budget porn magazines.

After a bit of convincing, Joyce reluctantly agrees to collaborate to create the first erotic magazine for women: “Minx.”

Immediately, Joyce is out of place. She’s stuck up and talks down to the other characters because of the perceived cheapness of their jobs. What makes it enjoyable, however, is that she’s proven wrong time and time again. Joyce is shown to be inexperienced and is unable to relinquish control. Her character is contrasted with the other employees, who are all more agreeable. Most notably is centerfold Bambi (Jessica Lowe), who, upon meeting Joyce, reveals she’s been given a major role in the new magazine. Bambi, who looks like a typical blonde bimbo, falls in and out of the stereotype, proving to be more valuable than Joyce initially realizes.

In the first episode, Johnson’s character Doug states “people can be more than one thing,” and I think that’s what the

show relies on.

The best parts of these first four episodes are the relationships built up as they push the first issue of “Minx.” In addition to Bambi, other contributors to “Minx’s” first issue include Richie (Oscar Montoyo), the makeup artist turned photographer; Tina (Idara Victor), Doug’s secretary and longtime friend; Shane (Taylor Zakhar Perez), the first coverboy and Shelly (Lennon Parham), Joyce’s older sister and housewife. The dynamics point to a successful sitcom, since often the cast makes or breaks a show. Most notably, Parham’s Shelly provides welcome relief next to Joyce, able to traverse the upper-middle class life she leads as well as the porn studio with funny one liners and friendly banter. Johnson, too, does well to make me want to keep watching. He’s charming, entrepreneurial and just sleazy enough to still be likable. Johnson seems to be expanding his horizons after so often being cast as different versions of his “New Girl” character Nick Miller.

The visual aesthetics are another draw for this show.

Its costumes are reflective of characterization and stick to the bright colors and patterns of the early ’70s without being overly nostalgic. The sets and cinematography work to emphasize the plot, too. The visuals keep a sense of familiarity without being overwhelming.

While these things point to the show being enjoyable enough, it’s still lacking in some places.

Often, Joyce seems to be unable to move past her uptight characterization. Each time we think she’s improved, the next episode starts and she’s back to where she started. It’s also sometimes heavy handed and often falls into obvious tropes

where it could’ve been more subtle. I hope, for the sake of the more likable parts of the show, it will move past Joyce’s inability to change and further toward the exploration of the relationships between the characters.

Aside from its minor drawbacks, the show is funny, lighthearted and easy to forgive.

It’s not trying to be anything other than a comedy about the conception of an erotic magazine for women — and it gets the job done. In my opinion, “Minx” has potential to be really good, especially thanks to the performances of Johnson and Parham, and I hope it will continue to improve as I keep watching.

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Jake Johnson stars in the recently aired HBO comedy series as Doug Reynolds, the publisher of a magazine.

Who’s That Kid?| Caroline Wilson, FCRH ’22

Senior Discovers Passion for Crochet

By SAMANTHA MINEAR ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Crochet was once a hobby only associated with the elderly. In the past five years, however, crocheting has had a surge of popularity among Gen Z, with many being able to find solace in the monotonous but fruitful activity. It has been hailed for its ability to keep the mind occupied in a healthy

way, unlike apps such as TikTok and Instagram, which are many teenagers’ and young adults’s poison of choice. Crochet is exceptionally rewarding for those who partake: One of those people is Caroline Wilson, FCRH ’22.

Wilson never meant to start crocheting. After mindlessly buying a kit on Amazon one random night, she decided to commit and teach herself rather than

return it. YouTube videos and instructional photos have been her only form of guidance, but they have taught her well; “I’ve made around three bucket hats, two bags, five tops, a beer koozie and coaster set, and my two pride and joys, a huge blanket for my boyfriend and an impossibly heavy and cute sweater for myself.”

I met Wilson when she was president of the pep band and

COURTESY OF CAROLINE WILSON FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

When Wilson has free time, she channels her energy into crocheting accessories such as bucket hats.

was immediately magnetized to her excitable energy, which I felt was night and day from my own.

A native of Wilton, Connecticut, my friendship with Wilson developed and deepened in part because of our shared ADHD diagnosis, which was — including “really bad anxiety” — the reason she began crocheting. Learning about her passion for the hobby was endearing and I felt a kinship with many of the feelings she described in her struggle with mental health.

“Crochet is just the perfect activity for someone like me,” Wilson explained. “It’s something I can creatively channel my energy into that is a quiet, productive use of time. I can create something based off a pattern or I can just make something up, all while keeping my mind busy without rotting my brain scrolling TikTok or dreading my schoolwork.”

Wilson’s feelings are not unique.

I know dozens of people who have picked up hobbies to spend less time on their phones. Seemingly, Wilson has figured out a way to hack her brain, finding a newfound patience within herself from harnessing her skill, as well as severe perfectionism.

“I will literally rip out an

almost finished crochet project because I noticed the slightest discrepancy in the stitch count,” she quips, but I can tell she is serious.

Crochet is different from many other hobbies because there is a real, tangible reward at the end; hobbies like reading, rock climbing or astrology don’t result in anything so easily shown to friends or family. Crochet is a multi-step process and success can be easily measured, which is why it has garnered so much popularity in the past few years.

For people like Wilson, who feel soothed and productive by time spent crocheting, it can become a healthy crutch to encourage one’s creativity.

“I can’t do reading or sudoku because when you’re finished with those things, you don’t end up with something you can touch and feel and look at,” said Wilson.

I think there is something to be learned from Wilson’s passion for crocheting. Everyone would benefit from learning to take life a little slower, a little less seriously and a little more optimistically. Maybe crocheting itself isn’t up everyone’s alley, but the mindset it requires can be shared universally.

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SPORTS

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Fordham Golf Rolls Rowing Returns to the Schuylkill into Spring

By ANDREW FALDUTO CONTRIBUTING WRITER

By CHRIS HENNESSY STAFF WRITER

The Fordham golf team finished the fall season on a high note, tying for second place out of 10 teams at the Metropolitan Intercollegiate Championship in November. They will get the spring season started next week at the Columbia Spring Invitational as they look to capitalize on a short spring schedule before the Atlantic 10 Championship in late April.

Jersey-born junior P.J. O’Rourke leads the Rams. O’Rourke posted a scoring average of 74.5 in the five events of the fall schedule and held the lowest round on the team last semester, a second-round 68 at the Hartford Invite. He was certainly disappointed to not get another look at Hartford this spring after Monday’s event was canceled in Connecticut’s capital.

Looking to make a bounce back this fall is junior John Kryscio, who was a stalwart on the 202021 team, but struggled in the first half of this season. His scoring average went up by almost a full stroke between last spring and this fall. Despite being only a junior, he is being counted on to lead a young team to another chance at the A-10 Championship.

This spring will be played under the same sad overtone as the fall season under interim head coach Dan O’Connor. The Rams responded well to O’Connor’s first half-season at the helm after legendary coach Paul Dillon’s passing last summer. All but two freshmen, Garrett Brown and Jake Mrva, played under Dillon for at least one season, and they will continue to play for their former coach. O’Connor was Dillon’s main assistant for multiple seasons and has brought continuity to the team that has made the otherwise

difficult transition easier.

After the season opener against Columbia, the Rams will head to the Steel Club in Hellertown, Pennsylvania to participate in the Abarta Coca-Cola Collegiate Invitational, hosted by Lafayette College. They placed seventh out of 13 teams last season and 14th out of 20 teams in 2019. They will look to have a better performance there, as it is traditionally an event where they play against tough A-10 opponents including La Salle University, St. Joseph’s University and St. Bonaventure University. Last year, Fordham beat the La Salle Explorers and the St. Joe’s Hawks at Lafayette and were better than both of those teams by season’s end in Florida.

The third and final event of the spring schedule is a return to the Yale Spring Invitational.

In the fall, Fordham placed 13th out of 14 squads at Connecticut’s top course for a disappointing finish. They head back to New Haven Easter weekend for a oneday event on Saturday to try and better that second-to-last finish.

O’Rourke will look to continue his solid performance from the fall’s MacDonald Cup, as he placed T-11 and started the event with a career low round of 70.

The goal for this year is simple: to place higher than ninth at the A-10 Championship with this young squad. They will only be losing Ryan Davis from the team to graduation and will return their lowest scorers in O’Rourke and Kryscio as well as important leaders in juniors Nicholas Manning and Andreas Aivazoglou.

As the weather warms up, look for Fordham golf to shine this spring in their three events before they compete in the thrilling A-10 Championship this April.

Athletes of the Week After tying the all-time program record for stolen bases, graduate student Brianna Pinto sits alone, surpassing the previous record holder Krystle Henry (’07) at 73 during a tough 5-4 loss to George Washington University on March 19. Lucky number 74 was scored during Sunday’s win against St. Louis University in the bottom of the first as she stole second. Pinto is currently batting .265 for the 2022 season.

Brianna Pinto Graduate Student Softball

By MILES GROSSMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

On Saturday, first-year men’s tennis coach Nelson Peña led his Rams to Philadelphia to face the University of Richmond Spiders at the Saint Joseph University Tennis Complex. Fordham was originally slated to play two matches over the weekend, the first against the Spiders on Saturday and then against the hosts on Sunday. Although Sunday’s match was called off, this road trip marked the start of Atlantic 10 play for the 2022 Ram squad.

The Rams’ poor form leading up to conference play has become a defining theme of this season. Fordham had lost their last four matches in a landslide fashion before last weekend’s tilt.

In their previous two matches combined before Richmond, the Rams managed to secure just one point over the course of 17 individual matches. Granted, the first of those two contests was against a strong Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, in which the Rams suffered a sweep at the hands of the dominant Fighting Irish. This result is not all that surprising or disappointing given how dominantly the Irish have played all season against their competitors.

The Rams were more looking for valuable experience against the

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Jofre Segarra managed the only point for Fordham over the weekend.

Irish, even more so than a win.

On the other hand, the second of the two most recent matches at home against Siena College, a fellow mid-major who is ranked second in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). Junior Toi Kobayashi notched the sole point in that Ram loss, which generated just enough momentum to carry them to Philadelphia.

The Rams unfortunately fell to the Richmond Spiders 6-1 to begin 2022 A-10 play, with Fordham’s single point coming from senior Jofre Segarra defeated Alaister Burke 6-4, 6-2. This marked the Ram’s fifth loss in a row. Their most recent win came on Feb. 19 of this year against Queens College.

The Rams have three matches be-

fore they head to Orlando, Florida for the A-10 tournament. While their recent form is not something to be proud of, there are still a couple of weeks to right the ship before the culmination of their arduous year.

With their remaining matches, the Rams will need to give it all they have in order to succeed.

They will be back in action on Saturday in Queens on the campus of Saint John’s University.

This Big East squad will not be an easy opponent for the Rams, especially coming off five straight losses. This season is not yet over, but for this year’s Fordham men’s tennis team, the pressure is building to substantially improve before their highly-anticipated trip to Orlando in late April.

Varsity Calendar AWAY

Wednesday Thursday March 30 March 31

Baseball

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

second Varsity Four had much better luck on the water, finishing first in the B final, well ahead of the competition from Loyola Maryland and Saint Joseph’s.

Team morale was high after the race, with many on the team feeling pleased with their performance. Margarita McCoy, a junior member of the team, shared her thoughts on the regatta, stating that the event “showed that the team has a lot of depth, and it gave us a good idea of where we are as we head into the season. It showed us how we can improve in preparation for the A-10 Championships at the end of the season.”

With the first break of the water behind them, Fordham looks positively ahead to April 9, where they will compete in the Knecht Cup in New Jersey.

Men’s Tennis Drops Atlantic 10 Opener

HOME

Zach Sellinger helped the Fordham men’s baseball team bounce out of their slump this past week, by power hitting in both the one game series against Siena College and a three-game stretch against Monmouth University. Sellinger leads the team in batting average (.328), slugging (.534) and is third in onbase percentage (.394).

Zach Sellinger Junior Baseball

The Fordham women’s rowing team made their long-awaited return to the water on Saturday, in the Jesuit Invitational Regatta in Philadelphia. The event, hosted by St. Joseph’s University, on the Schuykill River, serves as a key race in setting the tone for the spring season. Fordham only competed against one team in the Atlantic 10 Conference, Saint Joseph’s, but the race still allowed the team to identify their strengths and weaknesses and to measure their improvement from the fall season.

Fordham fielded five boats at the regatta, competing in various events throughout the day.

All races at the event ran a 2K course on a straight stretch of the Schuylkill River, which was plagued with difficult weather.

The wind averaged 15 mph throughout the day, with strong gusts pushing back on the boats as they tried to row downstream.

The premier Varsity Eight boat placed first among the competition, beating out Fairfield University by just 0.6 seconds with a stellar time of 7:20.5.

The second Varsity Eights’ outing was a much more dominant performance, finishing first with a full two second lead over the second-place finisher, Fairfield.

The Novice Eight boat competed in a head-to-head matchup with Fairfield, unfortunately coming up short in the race by nearly 25 seconds.

Fordham also entered two boats in the Varsity Four events.

The Varsity Four finished last in their race, yet still put up a respectable time of 8:16.2. The

Softball Men’s Soccer Men’s Tennis

Friday April 1

Saturday April 2

St. Louis 3 p.m.

St. Louis 1 p.m.

Iona 3 p.m.

Massachusetts 12/2:30 p.m.

Monday April 4

St. Louis 12 p.m.

Massachusetts 12 p.m.

St. Johns 12 p.m.

Massachusetts 1 p.m.

Men’s Track & Field

Colonial Relays TBA

Women’s Track & Field

Colonial Relays TBA

Tuesday April 5 Siena 3 p.m.

Farleigh Dickinson 5:30 p.m.

Women’s Tennis

Men’s Golf

Sunday April 3

Columbia Spring Invitational

Page 16

Unvaccinated Players Set to Play in NYC

By NICHOLAS RAPTIS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

After a week of uncertainty, it is now official that members of the New York Yankees and the New York Mets will be able to play home games in New York regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status. Mayor Eric Adams announced Thursday that professional athletes and performers will not be required to follow the private sector vaccination mandate that is still in effect for NYC. Adams said this was a tough decision for him to make, but justified it as mainly an economic one. As New York continues to gradually open back up and recover from the effects of the pandemic, a normal baseball season would certainly give the city a much needed boost.

Prior to this announcement, out of state players traveling to play at either Yankee Stadium or Citi Field would have been cleared to participate with or without a vaccination. This move now evens the playing field for the Yankees and Mets, who theoretically would have been shorthanded for nearly half the regular season.

Although it is clear that neither the Mets or the Yankees reached 100% vaccination levels, it is not known specifically which players remain unvaccinated. There has been speculation around several star players, including Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge. When asked about his vaccination status, Judge seemed to dodge the question and stated the team will “cross that bridge when the time comes.” Last season, MLB im-

posed restrictions upon teams in an attempt to prevent the spread of COVID-19 outbreaks. These restrictions would be loosened if a team reached the threshold of 85% fully vaccinated. Over twothirds of the 30 teams in the league reached this threshold, though the Mets remain one of the teams that failed to do so. It seems that if the mandate would have stayed in effect, New York baseball would have been in trouble.

The news of the mandate being relaxed for athletes should also please fans of the Brooklyn Nets.

Star point guard Kyrie Irving has missed every home game this season so far due to his refusal to get vaccinated. Similar to the MLB, unvaccinated players from away teams could play in New York and Irving was able to compete when the team played in other states.

The Nets currently only have six home games left in the season, but Irving will now be able to play in them.

The announcement comes halfway through spring training games.

The Mets are currently sitting at 5-3 in exhibition games while the Yankees are 3-6. With all the games taking place in either Arizona or Florida, no teams have been forced to play without unvaccinated players. Opening day for both teams is April 7, with the Mets playing the Washington Nationals and the Yankees playing their rivals the Boston Red Sox. Now that all players will be cleared to play, the Mets and Yankees can fully focus on preparing for the season.

SPORTS

March 30, 2022

Varsity Scores & Stats

Softball

Baseball

[Five Innings]

Fordham

Rhode Island

0

Fordham

9

Rhode Island

2

Fordham

3

Women’s Rowing [Jesuit Invitational Regatta] Varsity Eight Grand Final

1st

2nd Varsity Eight Grand Final 1st Varsity Four Grand Final

3rd

Varsity Four Petite Final

1st

3rd Varsity Eight

2nd

Men’s Soccer

Siena Monmouth Fordham

11

St. Johns

1

6

Fordham

1

9

Men’s Track & Field

10

Rider 5-Way Invitational 4th/5 teams

Monmouth

5

(65 points)

Fordham

8

4x400 relay (3:24.46)

Monmouth

3

Women’s Track & Field

Fordham

2

Rider 5-Way Invitational 3rd/5 teams

Women’s Tennis

(128 points)

Fordham

1

T. Hanna, Women’s Discus

Temple

5

Throw (40.98m)

–Compiled by Maddie Bimonte

News & Notes Anna DeWolfe takes home WBCA AllAmerica Region Finalist Accolade

Fordham Football Adds Jalen Banks to Coaching Staff Fordham football head coach Joe Conlin announced last Wednesday that Jalen Banks will join the ranks as an assistant coach. Banks is just coming off of a position at Northwestern University as a quality control analyst this past year. Banks has been with the Wildcats since 2019, where he began as an on campus football recruiting intern and later moved on to be the wide receiver graduate assistant coach. Specifically, Conlin announced that his role will focus on the team’s running backs.

Junior Anna DeWolfe can add another accolade to her long list with her recent naming as a WBCA All-America Region Finalist. This marks DeWolfe’s second year in a row receiving the award, and she makes Fordham history as the first student-athlete in the program to do so.

DeWolfe is coming off a huge season as she led the Rams in scoring, field goal and threes, while being second in assists and steals. DeWolfe was also named to numerous player of the week awards during the 2021-22 season.

–Compiled by Maddie Bimonte

Rangers Trade Deadline Review: One Week Later

By ALLIE COPPOLA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

As expected, the New York Rangers made a splash at the trade deadline last week, and management had fans on the edge of their seats right up until 3 p.m. General manager Chris Drury waited until Monday, the day of the deadline, to make four important trades to fill in the missing pieces. They needed bottom six forwards and a piece to bolster the defense, and these roles were filled. The team played together for the first time in a loss to the Devils on March 22.

Drury’s first move came on March 16, when he sent a 2022 fourth round draft pick to the Florida Panthers in exchange for forward Frank Vatrano. In 55 games this year, Vatrano has 23 points, including four already with the Rangers. He has bounced around the middle two forward lines and the top line in his few games with the team.

During Friday night he scored his first goal as a Ranger at Madison Square Garden, and his second and third goals on Sunday to against the Buffalo Sabres. After the trade, fans unearthed pictures of Vatrano with his former high school classmate and now teammate, Jacob Trouba.

The next move was aquiring defenseman Justin Braun from the Philadelphia Flyers for a 2023 third round draft pick. In 62 games this season, the 35-yearold generated 16 points, all with

the Flyers. The Metropolitan Division rivals made the trade a few hours before the deadline and added to their busy deadline after they sent captain Claude Giroux to the Florida Panthers.

Braun played on March 22, but Braden Schneider slotted right back into his usual spot and replaced Braun in the Rangers’ next two games.

Later in the day, the team completed a minor trade to send Anthony Bitetto to the San Jose Sharks aquiring forward Nick Merkley. Bitetto has spent his season in the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack, playing 39 games. In just nine NHL games this season, Merkely has three points and will likely spend the rest of the season in the AHL with the Wolf Pack. This is an underrated and smart move from the Rangers, getting rid of an unproductive defenseman for a young forward with NHL potential.

Closer to the deadline, Drury sent a 2023 fourth round pick to the Vancouver Canucks for forward Tyler Motte. In 52 games this season, the young forward has 15 points and nicely fills the role of a third or fourth line forward for the Blueshirts. He has no points with the Rangers thus far, but his presence on the ice has been felt. In his first three Rangers games, he has 11 hits and two blocked shots and he has shown off his speed on the rush.

He wins battles on the boards, which speaks to his determination

and hard work on the ice that will positively impact the team, especially in the playoffs.

In the final move on Monday, and the biggest deadline deal for the team, the Rangers acquired Andrew Copp and a 2023 sixth round pick from the Winnipeg Jets, sending them two conditional second round picks and a fifth round pick in the 2023 draft, along with forward prospect Morgan Barron. In 59 games this season, 56 with the Jets, Copp scored 40 points, five of which came with the Rangers. He’s tallied four assists and a goal in his first five games with the blueshirts. This was the deal that Rangers fans were waiting for, as Copp will have an important role in the middle two lines and can apply his playoff experience to a potential Rangers’ playoff run.

He becomes yet another addition that has a previous connection to Trouba, as they played together on the Jets for five seasons.

In a surprising development,

the Rangers decided against trading goalie Alexandar Georgiev, whose overall performance this season has been subpar. Teams looking for goalies were rumored to be in contact with the Rangers about Georgiev, but the Rangers decided against trading him after his stellar 44-save shutout performance against the Carolina Hurricanes the day before the deadline. Whether he stayed because of the shutout or not, he remains with the team and will likely serve as the backup to Igor Shesterkin for the rest of the season and through a potential playoff run.

Now a week after the deadline, the Copp and Vatrano deals seem to be the ones making the most impact. Motte and Braun were great pickups, and Merkley seems to be performing well with the Wolf Pack. With 16 games left for the team to gain chemistry before the playoffs, it does not seem to be a concern for the Rangers after the past three games.

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The New York Rangers made some big moves at the trade deadline.

March 30, 2022

SPORTS Chuba Ohams: A Story of Redemption and Triumph

By THOMAS AIELLO ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Let’s jump into a time machine and rewind to late October 2019 at the Fordham Basketball Tip off dinner. It was held at The Water Club in Manhattan, where then Fordham Men’s Basketball head coach Jeff Neubauer and current Women’s Basketball head coach Stephanie Gaitley spoke about the upcoming basketball seasons with special guest Jay Bilas. CBS’ Jon Rothstein EMC-ed the event in front of a crowd of prominent alumni, Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the university and his cabinet of staff.

Any 19-year-old freshman would be intimidated by the crowd at this dinner, but for me it was almost routine, as I have attended these types of events more than a few times. Even my sports manager at the time, Charlie Maisano, and some of our top talent at WFUV back then attended. All of them were confused as to why I was even there.

Though just a neophyte at WFUV, I was seated at a table that included redshirt junior Chuba Ohams, my parents and some members of the Fordham Board of Trustees. I took my seat right next to Ohams, talking about the upcoming season and how exciting it was that he was going to become a full-time starter. Everyone at that table was trying to get a piece of him, but it was mostly me doing a lot of the conversing.

I caught his phone lock screen when he had checked ESPN for a score, and I asked him why the NBA logo was his background.

“I want to go to the NBA,” he said to me. “That is my goal.”

Everyone knows how this story ends, but how did it begin? He was not always the star that everyone knows him as now. We need to get in our time machine and rewind back to March 2016.

In 2016, Jeff Neubauer had just completed his first season as head coach at Fordham by guiding the Rams to a 17-14 overall record and an appearance in the 2016 College Basketball Insiders tournament, now known as The Basketball Classic. This was the first postseason appearance the program had since the 1992 NCAA tournament.

This team, mostly constructed by previous incumbent Tom Pecora, was handed to Neubauer who got 110% out of Pecora talent that was still rostered. One of those names was Queens native Ryan Rhoomes, a physically imposing big man who ended the year as a

By NICK GUZMAN SPORTS EDITOR

The outdoor track & field season for Fordham has begun. After last week’s opener at Stony Brook University, the Rams ventured to Rider University this past weekend to compete in the Rider 5-Way Invitational.

Starting on the women’s side, Fordham took home two first place finishes in Lawrenceville. Graduate student Tiffany Hanna won the women’s discus throw with an impressive distance of 40.98m, well ahead of Sacred Heart’s Sarah

third team All-A-10 selection and one of the best rebounders in program history.

Neubauer’s first recruit, in an attempt to replace Rhoomes, was a young and very skinny Bronx native named Chuba Ohams. A product of Wadleigh High School in Harlem, where he was his school’s all time leading scorer and earned all-state selections.

When Ohams first arrived on campus that fall, he was seen as a project. I remember attending a practice and meeting Ohams for the very first time when I was 16. The team had just wrapped up practice that included a help defense drill, so we talked about help defense, which was our first conversation.

That team didn’t have many opportunities for Ohams to play that season, but in the minutes he did get, Ohams showed flashes of brilliance. There was a stretch towards the end where he started five games in a row, even scoring 12 points and grabbing seven boards with two blocks in a win over La Salle University.

His freshman year, the team lost in the A-10 tournament to George Mason University in the second round. But there was a lot of promise from Ohams, with everyone expecting him to take the jump as a sophomore.

Unfortunately, it didn’t happen, as just three games into the season, Ohams went down with an injury and was not seen for the remainder of the 2017-18 season. He wasn’t the first Ram to go down that year, as Fordham had an injury riddled season, a butterfly effect that began with Ohams.

The 2018-19 season saw the Rams generate a ton of promise, headlined by super freshmen Nick Honor, fellow first year guard Jalen Cobb and veteran Antwan Portley who transferred in from St. Peter’s University. A healthy Ohams played 32 games, starting 15 of them, and paired with Onyi Eyisi to form a towering front court that Fordham could rely on for the next few seasons.

Ohams took the leap people expected the year prior, when he put up six points per contest and averaged 6.5 rebounds per game.

One game he had 19 points and nine boards versus the University of Rhode Island and gobbled 13 boards and swatted six shots in the 2019 A-10 tournament loss versus Richmond.

Ohams would also finish seventh in the A-10 in blocks that season with 1.2 swats per game.

Page 17

One issue: The Rams peaked “Coach Neptune was the reatime in career blocks (112). way too early and were a trainson why I elected to stay. As soon Ohams said, “I just put two feet wreck the rest of the way in A-10 as he got the job, he contacted down and pushed and pushed, play where they won only three me and made me a priority. He and if I don’t make it, I don’t make games. was honest with me through it it. But I wasn’t going to give up.

A staple of the Neubauer expeall and told me his expectations And now I’m in this position with rience was scheduling an easy out of me as a basketball player and this opportunity, I feel grateful.” of conference schedule. Two of as an overall person. Neptune Ohams has signed with agent those teams on that schedule were comes from a winning culture Jason Glushon of Glushon Sports Florida International University and he emphasizes that a lot so Management to represent him in (FIU) and Youngstown State, who there’s no doubt in my mind that his NBA Draft process. Glushon Fordham beat, in the Rose Hill he will bring this program to new represents NBA players such as Al gym that year. heights,” said Ohams.

Horford, Jrue Holiday and Jaylen Both teams had star freshAnd so, Ohams’ personality Brown. men guards of their own: Darius morphed into the fully realized He was also invited to particiQuisenberry on Youngstown and on-court product. With Neptune pate in the Resse’s All Star Game; Antonio Daye Jr. on FIU. utilizing the transfer portal to a game that showcases the 20 best The 2019-20 season saw Honor pump juice into the Fordham seniors in college basketball. depart Fordham for the Clemson team, he brought the aforemenOhams looks to join an excluTigers, leaving the door wide open tioned Daye and Quisenberry to sive group of Fordham Rams to for Ohams to take over. Everyone help aid the Fordham revival. make it to the NBA that includes already loved him off the floor, but They joined forces with Ohams Charlie Yelverton, Ed Conlin, Ken now it was time to own the hardto form a big three to help carry Charles and Smush Parker, who wood. the Rams. was the last true Ram to play in And he did so with grace. He With Daye leaving Fordham the NBA. played 13 games, started 11 of abruptly, the burden once again When the news hit me on them with averages of 11 points fell on Ohams and Quisenberry Monday morning, it was someper game and 8.2 rebounds per to carry a majority of the weight. what of a surprise. But I immecontest. He was finally here, the With Quisenberry being in and diately realized that everything player that everyone had expectout of the lineup, Ohams kept had come full circle. The old sayed to see someday with a full time Fordham afloat. ing goes, “Everything happens starting role at last, a player who “I had a good year, and I came for a reason,” and while those had everything going for him … into this year wanting to play things might take time to come until it was all zapped away. hard. Coach Neptune saw my to fruition, all it takes is the abilOn Jan. 5, 2020, in the warm strengths and weaknesses, and ity to buy in, the drive to work up lines before the game against told me that I should be the guy hard and waiting patiently for La Salle at the Rose Hill Gym, to grab every single rebound,” he the right opportunity.

Ohams fell down and suffered a said.

Not only did I get to meet knee injury that would handicap Fast-forward to the present, Rothstein, but I had an opporhim for the remainder of that seaRothstein reported on Monday, tunity to interview him with my son and all of the next year.

March 28, that Ohams would fellow WFUV-er Ryan Gregware.

And he revealed something to declare for the NBA Draft. All it Not only do I get to cheer on the me that nobody had ever known. took was for someone (Neptune) Fordham Rams, I was given the “When I went down in the lato believe in him and push him to opportunity to cover them as a yup line against La Salle, the first his absolute limit. That resulted journalist and broadcaster. I was thing I told myself was ‘My career in Ohams being fifth in the nagiven the chance to watch Ohams is over,’ but something told me tion in rebounds (11.6), winning play, and we ended up becoming inside that I was going to make the A-10’s Most Improved Player really good friends in the process. the biggest comeback that I can.” award, second team All-A-10 Ohams now looks to do what This was his second major injuhonors and A-10 All-Defensive once seemed impossible: play ry that kept him out. He had gothonors. Ohams also finished 11th in the NBA as a graduate of ten hurt just three games into his all time in program history in Fordham University, and to sophomore year and came back rebounds (745) and seventh all complete his redemption story. fully healthy, only to be set back again. But, in a weird way, the COVID-19 pandemic saved his NBA dream. The NCAA blessed all of its student athletes with an extra year of eligibility and, to nobody’s surprise, Ohams took advantage and returned for his graduate student year.

March 30, 2021, was the beginning of something you could’ve pulled out of a fairy tale: Fordham hired Kyle Neptune to assume the head coaching duties at Fordham.

That was the best thing to happen to Ohams. I spoke with him about the hire when it happened, and he was very optimistic about COURTESY OF THOMAS AIELLO,/THE FORDHAM RAM the change.

Left to Right: Former Ram Will Tavares, the Ram's Thomas Aiello and Ohams.

Track & Field Takes on Rider Invitational Mitchell (35.81m) in second place.

The Rams were also victorious in the women’s 3000m steeplechase, where sophomore Clodagh McGroary finished first, coming in at 11:57.90. Fellow sophomore Maddy Kopec joined McGroary on the podium, finishing third with a time of 12:22.12.

Freshman Caroline McDonagh finished second in the 3000m race (10:49.76) and junior Kyla Hill took second in the 400m (57.89).

In the 1500m, the Rams had three finish in the top four: senior Helen Connolly in second, graduate stu-

dent Germain Harbaugh in third and junior Bridget Alex in fourth.

Fordham also saw success in the field events, where senior Casey Metzler came in second in the hammer throw with a final distance of 43.56m and graduate student Kathryn Kelly placed fourth in the triple jump at 11.15m.

The Fordham women’s team ultimately finished the competition with 128 points, good enough for third place out of five teams. Rider won first prize with 245 points.

On the men’s side, the sole first place finish of the day came in the

4x400 relay, where the quartet of graduate student Antony Misko, sophomore Erik Brown and seniors Zalen Nelson and Patrick Tuohy won the event with a time of 3:24.46.

Nelson also nabbed a third place finish in the 1500m with a time of 4:01.07. The Rams additionally received solid placements from Eric Jacobson and Brown, who finished the 800m in third and fourth place. Lastly, senior Chase Krug snatched a place on the podium in the 400m hurdles, finishing in third with a time of 1:03.89

The Fordham men’s team ended competition in fourth place on 65 points, while Rider finished first for a sweep of both the men’s and women’s competitions on their home track.

Next Saturday, the Rams head south to Williamsburg, Virginia for the Colonial Relays at Zable Stadium, before heading back to New York for the Metropolitan Championshiwp on April 9 at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island against the Manhattan College Jaspers.

SPORTS

Page 18

March 30, 2022

New York Yankees 2022 Preview: The Only Certainty is Uncertainty

By COLIN LOUGHRAN STAFF WRITER

As we are only a week away from MLB’s Opening Day, it is the perfect time to check out how the New York Yankees are looking and what fans should expect this season. All things considered, last season was a failure for the Yankees. Heading into the campaign, they were expected to be at the top of the AL East and legitimately compete for a World Series title.

Even though the Bombers finsished with a 92-70 record, they barely crept into the postseason and were neck and neck with the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays almost the entire summer.

Worse, once they got into the Wild Card game, the rival Sox made quick work of them at Fenway Park.

Needless to say, the Yanks would love to bounce back this season and return to championship form. However, there are a myriad of questions regarding their ability to do so as we inch closer to game number one of 162.

Beginning with the starting rotation, New York has solid options. Of course, Gerrit Cole headlines the rotation and is coming off of a solid statistical year in which he went 16-8 with a 3.23 ERA, finishing second in Cy Young voting. The ace will be motivated to come out strong, especially after his disastrous performance in the Wild Card match up in Boston. Addition-

ally, Jameson Taillon, Jordan Montgomery, Nestor Cortes and Luis Severino are all returning in 2022. Nobody doubts that Cole will be the anchor again.

These players, however, are in a different category that holds more uncertainty. Taillon was the AL pitcher of the month last July, posting a 4-0 record and a 1.16 ERA, Montgomery and Domingo German have been known to eat innings, and Severino was once an ace in the making. The talent is there, although questions remain about both health and consistency.

If Severino, Montgomery, Taillon and German experience injuries or severe drops in production, manager Aaron Boone will have to look elsewhere for starting pitching. This could mean some spot appearances from youngsters Deivi Garcia and Luis Gil. However, if they can find consistency, Yankees fans should feel good about the staff.

Last season’s bullpen was a bright spot for New York. Jonathan Loáisiga had a career year, posting a 9-4 record with a 2.17 ERA in 57 games. Other key pieces such as Chad Greene, Wandy Peralta and Aroldis Chapman will all return as well. This is an area that Yankees fans should feel most comfortable about. Is the pen stacked with talent? No. But Boone has shown an ability to effectively manage a bullpen in years past, and all of these players had stretches where they gave opposing hitters fits.

The only question regarding the unit is their ability to stay on the field. Zack Britton and Green have dealt with injuries before, and with Chapman getting older, it is possible his arm will run out of gas at some point. As long as Boone is able to properly manage his guys, the Bombers should be okay in the late innings.

Without a shadow of a doubt, this season’s biggest worry revolves around the lineup. Last season, there was no consistency at all.

There were nights where they were firing on all cylinders and others where they couldn’t figure it out at all. As a team, they hit into the second most double plays, and were in the bottom ten of the league in terms of batting average.

These facts make their success with the long ball and on base percentage less impressive, and show that the Pinstripes were not situationally sound at the plate.

Personnel wise, Gary Sanchez and Gio Urshela were traded to Minnesota for aging slugger Josh Donaldson, catcher Ben Rortvedt and utility infielder Isiah KinerFalefa. General manager Brian Casshman also re-signed first baseman Anthony Rizzo and shipped Luke Voit to San Diego, making this year’s Yankee lineup a much different team.

With the exception of Rizzo, no one knows how the additions will fare in New York, and names such as Joey Gallo, Gleyber Torres

and Giancarlo Stanton can run extremely hot or cold in the batter’s box. With this kind of variation, the Yankees lineup could either be a powerhouse or a complete bust.

They will have to hope that big Aaron Judge plays as well as he did last season and that DJ LeMahieu returns to his 2019 form in which he hit .327 and had 26 home runs.

The lineup is a high-risk, highreward type of operation that will need Judge and LeMahieu to provide much needed consistency to a group that embodies baseball’s new boom or bust mentality.

Every year, the Yankees hope to win the World Series. When they won in the past, the pieces were in place to do so. The 1927 team is marked by legendary sluggers, the 1977 and ’78 teams are remembered because of solid situational play and gritty personalities and the

1990s dynasty is cherished because of its nucleus of young talent that was properly mixed with veteran journeymen.

On paper, the 2022 New York Yankees do not look “special.” They are a decent team that could make a playoff run or be killed by inconsistencies. With the championship window closing, it is now or never.

If the backend of the rotation or lineup can not perform, they will struggle to keep pace in the wild card race, let alone a packed AL East.

If the rotation and lineup can join the bullpen in remaining stable through a 162 game marathon, the Yankees will be a playoff contender that should legitimately be feared by, but remains to be seen. At this moment, the only certainty about this season’s Bronx Bombers is uncertainity in 2022.

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The Yankees look to improve internally with a different makeup.

Crazy NFL Offseason Sees Jets Fly Under the Radar

By JUSTIN RUTLEDGE STAFF WRITER

The 2022 NFL offseason is off to a crazy start and could go down as one of the most unpredictable and insane offseasons in NFL history.

For starters, big names such as Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson, Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill have all found different homes with a new team.

The Denver Broncos received Russell and a 2022 fourth round pick in a package from the Seattle Seahawks, in which they sent tight end Noah Fant, defensive end Shelby Harris, quarterback Drew Lock, two firsts, two seconds and a fifth to the Mile High City.

The Green Bay Packers traded Adams to the Oakland Raiders for the 22nd and 53rd overall pick in the upcoming draft, and

the Miami Dolphins acquired Tyreek Hill in a deal with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs received Miami’s first and second round draft picks in the upcoming season.

Lastly, the biggest trade in the off-season was Watson and a 2024 sixth round pick being traded to the Cleveland Browns from the Houston Texans, in which they received a massive overhaul including three first round picks, a third round pick and two fourth round picks. It is extremely rare for a team to acquire a young, proven quarterback entering his prime; however, after many lawsuits were filed against Watson for criminal charges involving sexual abuse, he became available via trade.

Despite this offseason being

filled with big-time superstar names joining different teams, one team that had a great under the radar free agency was the New York Jets.

The Jets were able to sign key free agents that filled great needs for both their offense and defense.

The Jets struggled heavily this season with their offensive line, so with the addition of pro bowl guard Laken Tomlinson and tight end C.J. Uzomah, the team finally has some reliability up front to protect second-year quarterback Zach Wilson.

Another position of need for the Jets was their secondary, and general manager Joe Douglas made it clear this offseason that he was going to improve this area of concern heading into the 2022 season. They did just that by

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The Jets did not get any flashy names in NFL Free Agency, but landed a number of gems like Uzomah.

adding the former Seahawk cornerback D.J. Reed, and former Tampa Bay Buccaneer safety Jordan Whitehead. Both of these players add a massive upgrade to the secondary after having stellar seasons last year.

The Jets lost two big names last season due to injury and are excited to get left tackle Mekhi Becton and defensive end Carl Lawson back on the field. Both of these players had high expectations last season and were poised for a breakout season, although injuries prevented that from occurring. They are hopeful that both players will return to full health for the start of the 2022 season and have an immediate impact on the teams success.

Not only did the Jets have a great free agency, they still have the NFL draft to improve their team even more. With four picks in the top 40, they have plenty of choices with what they want to do with those picks and bring in four more immediate impact players to their roster.

Many mock drafts have the Jets taking Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux with the fourth overall pick and cornerback Sauce Gardner with the 10th overall pick. Even though this would be an ideal first round for many Jet fans, there’s a chance the Jets go with a wide receiver with one of their first two picks in the first round.

After missing out on a Tyreek Hill trade from the Chiefs, the Jets will definitely be looking to

improve their receiving core this draft season, and there are many prospects that could do just that.

One wideout who has been gaining a lot of traction from the Jets is Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson. He is a perfect target for Zach Wilson and can change the whole outlook of this already young core group.

He is a shifty, speedy receiver with good hands and can make defensive backs look silly with his footwork off the line of scrimmage. This should be a player Jet fans and Zach would want to see on their roster moving forward.

Lastly, the most important step for this Jets team next season is the improvement of Zach.

After having a shaky rookie season, many people in the building believe Zach is poised for a breakout year due to the talent being brought in around him.

Zach possesses generational arm talent along with great footwork and has been seen as the answer at quarterback for the past year. If he can improve on his ability to complete on short and medium passes, and decision making skills, then we can see Zach become the quarterback all of New York has been looking for.

All eyes are on Zach this season, and if he can be that guy for the Jets, they’ll be looking to make a strong push for a playoff spot, something they haven’t seen in over 10 years at the signal caller position since franchise icon Mark Sanchez.

March 30, 2022

SPORTS

Previewing the Champions League Quarterfinals

By MICHAEL HERNANDEZ ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR EMERITUS

Next week, quaterfinals of the Champions League kick off with the eight remaining teams all fighting for a spot in the semifinals of the competition. The first legs will be played either on Tuesday or Wednesday with the reverse fixture being played the following week on the other day.

The first tie is Benfica facing Liverpool. Heading into the tie, Liverpool is the fan favorite with its momentum in the Premier League and progression in the other competitions. Liverpool’s attack has been bolstered with the winter signing of Luis Diaz. Combine that with Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota, it’s hard to see how Benfica will be able to withstand the pressure for both matches.

In addition to their star-studded attack, Liverpool’s defense isn’t easy to penetrate with center back Virgil Van Dijk and their fullback pairing of Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Liverpool should progress easily into the final

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Chelsea is vying to triumph again as winners in this year’s edition of the UEFA Champions League. four of the competition.

The next tie is Manchester City against Atletico Madrid. City is the current Premier League leaders but have stumbled in recent weeks, letting a 13-point gap to Liverpool be reduced down to a single point after a loss to Spurs and a draw to Crystal Palace.

City loves to play possessive and attacking football. On the other hand, Atletico Madrid is a defensive powerhouse. It sets itself up brilliantly on defense, soaking up all of the pressure and easily

punishing teams on the counter attack. Atletico showed this by knocking Manchester United out of the competition. Once it scored its goal on the counter, the team sat defensively and let the time run out. This one is more evenly balanced, but City should progress.

The third quarterfinal is Villareal against Bayern Munich. Villareal upset Juventus to progress while Bayern crushed RB Salzburg to advance to this point. Despite winning the second leg 7-1, Bayern

NCAA Tournament in Full Swing

By CHRIS HENNESSY STAFF WRITER

Yes, the Cinderella story out of Jersey City of St Peter’s University and Duke University coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final ride are grabbing the headlines, but 16 men’s hockey teams started their run to the National Championship last weekend, leading to great drama and a star-studded Frozen Four starting on April 7.

The number one overall seed is the Michigan Wolverines, who are packed full of NHL prospects such as Owen Power (Buffalo) and Luke Hughes (New Jersey) on the back line to go with the talented pair of Matty Beniers (Seattle) and local product Mackie Samoskevich (Florida) up front. They got things started against American International College out of Worcester, Mass., taking care of business by a score of 5-3.

Vegas prospect Brendon Brisson led the way with one goal and two assists. They moved on to face the Quinnipiac Bobcats in the next round, who garnered a 5-4 victory over St. Cloud State to set up a matchup between the one and two seeds That game was tight throughout: a Michigan goal 33 seconds in made it 1-0, but it stayed like that for a long time until Jimmy Lambert made it 2-0 late in the first. Michigan powered forward to a 4-1 lead until the Bobcats dominated the third period. They popped in two to make it a 4-3 game, but the Wolverines pulled it out with two empty-netters to make it 7-3.

They will face the Denver Pioneers in the Frozen Four next weekend, who persevered through two one-goal games to get to their 18th semifinal. The Pioneers were able to avenge a defeat in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) semifinals against Minnesota Duluth with a 2-1 victory on Saturday. Bobby Brink leads

the way for them offensively.

The Flyers prospect notched 56 points in 39 games this season.

Their captain Cole Guttman, a Tampa Bay sixth round pick, was the team’s 2021 offensive player of the year and followed it up with a 19-goal campaign in his senior year. Swedish junior goaltender Magnus Chrona provides one of the best backstops in the nation, with 26 wins in 35 starts, posting a 2.16 goals against average.

On the other side, Minnesota State University, Mankato represents the Albany region after a 1-0 tussle with Notre Dame.

Mankato has risen to prominence in the last 10 seasons under head coach Mike Hastings. They are in their second consecutive Frozen Four and their seventh NCAA Tournament since 2013. They only have two players with NHL ties, junior Nathan Smith, who just got traded from Winnipeg to Arizona at the deadline, and senior Benton Maass, who was a late round pick of the Washington Capitals. They went 13-1 last year but were picked off by St. Cloud in the semifinal matchup. Now, they go head-to-head with the ultimate goliath in college hockey.

Sure, Mankato has had a much more impressive season than the University of Minnesota

this year. And yes, the Gophers haven’t made the Frozen Four in eight seasons. But, the Gophers are the cream of the crop in collegiate hockey, especially to the smaller schools in the division.

Minnesota took down a tough University of Massachusetts squad and Western Michigan University to get to this point as the only non-one seed in the Frozen Four. Former St. Cloud and Team USA coach Bob Motzko is in his fourth season at the helm and has finally led the Gophers back, looking for their first National Championship since 2003. They have many potential NHL-ers with Winnipeg first round pick Chaz Lucius, future Maple Leafs defenseman Matthew Knies and U.S. Olympian and World Junior gold medalist Brock Faber of the LA Kings.

The tournament is on a fast track for a Mankato versus Michigan final matchup. They have been the two best teams all season long, and it would be a great matchup with the Wolverines coming out on top.

They’ve built about as much of a superteam as one can in college hockey and will reap the benefits in two week’s time in the form of a much deserved national championship.

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Michigan is looking for a national championship victory.

drew the first leg 1-1, which should give hope to Villareal that another upset is possible. Bayern appears to be the favorite, but I believe this tie is closer than it appears. If Bayern comes out and plays like it did in the first leg of the round of 16, Villareal can punish them and make it to the semifinals. However, if Bayern shows up like it did in the second leg, it could be smooth sailing. I believe that Bayern will progress to the semifinals.

As for the final quarterfinal, it is Chelsea against Real Madrid.

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This is a repeat of last year’s semifinal, where the Blues advanced to the final 3-1. Real Madrid are coming off of a 3-1 comeback victory against PSG with a Karim Benzema hat trick. Chelsea had an easier time in the round of 16, advancing 4-1 against Lille. Chelsea is a very strong team defensively with centerbacks such as Thiago Silva and Antonio Rudiger. Real Madrid does have a potent attack with Benzema, but has shown that they can struggle without the Frenchman as displayed by its 4-0 defeat by Barcelona in El Classico last week. I believe that Chelsea will advance.

The Liverpool and Manchester City ties will play their first leg on April 5 with the other two ties playing their first leg on the sixth. Then the Liverpool and City second leg ties will be played on April 13, with the other two ties playing their second leg on April 12. Take all of my predictions with a pinch of salt. After all, this is the knockout phase of the Champions League, where absolutely anything can happen.

Women’s Tennis Has FiveGame Winning Streak

By LOU ORLANDO STAFF WRITER

Women’s Tennis suffered a 5-1 loss to Temple University on Saturday, putting an end to their five-match winning streak. The defeat marks the second road loss for a Fordham team that has been exceptional playing away from home.

Inclement weather was a factor all weekend. Sunday’s matchup against Atlantic 10 opponent St. Joseph’s University and doubles competition on Saturday against Temple were canceled due to impending rain. Fordham was able to play all six singles matches on Saturday, with junior Avery Aude accounting for their only point.

Junior Rachelle Yang and senior Genevieve Quenville suffered their first losses in singles play as Temple emerged victorious in five of the six singles matches.

The loss is Fordham’s first defeat in a month, with their last loss coming at the hands of Brown University on Feb. 26.

Fordham had outscored opponents 27-5 over the course of their five match winning streak. Even with the loss, the 8-3 Rams still have the second highest winning percentage in the A-10 behind only the 13-4 Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).

Eyeing the remaining four games of Fordham’s current road stretch, they’ll have no easy landing after last Saturday’s loss. The Rams are set to face a red hot University of Massachusetts team this Sunday at 1 p.m.. They currently sit at 10-4, are third best in the A-10 and tied for the second-most wins in the conference.

UMass has won four of their last five and 10 of their last 12 matches. They’ll look for their second straight win against Quinnipiac University on Wednesday before the Sunday matchup versus Fordham.

Looking past UMass, matchups against 3-13 North Carolina Central and 6-8 University of Rhode Island sandwich another tough A-10 matchup against 9-6 Davidson. Fordham has played well up until this point on the road, now 4-2 away from home, and could come out of this stretch feeling strong with a couple of tough wins.

Fordham is already in an excellent position to make a run in the A-10 tournament this season and just bolstered their roster for next year with the acquisition of University of Utah senior Lindsay Hung. Hung has verbally committed to transfer to Fordham Women’s Tennis for the fall of 2022. A former five-star recruit out of high school, Hung will come to Fordham as a graduate student with four years of collegiate experience under her belt. Hung has a Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) of 9.76, placing her in the upper echelon of female tennis players at the D1 level. The Rams have excelled in the first season of head coach Mike Sowter’s tenure with the women’s team, and have put themselves in an excellent position to carry on that success into next season with the addition of a valuable and experienced player.

Exciting things are sure to come, both this year and beyond.

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Fordham fell to Temple on Saturday.

SPORTS

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March 30, 2022

Baseball Back To Winning Ways After Strong Homestand

By MADDIE BIMONTE ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

As the weather gets warmer, so do the bats in the Fordham baseball team’s dugout, as they broke their nine-game losing streak by defeating Siena College and Monmouth University this past week. After struggling to overcome giants like Texas A&M and Virginia Tech, the team finally hit their stride just in time for Atlantic 10 play.

While fans have been eagerly anticipating a win, head coach Kevin Leighton knew it was just a matter of time before the team was back on track. “We’ve had some games that have not been good for us, and typically in baseball it all starts on the mound,” said Leighton. “We have to keep competing and fighting and I know things will change for the better for us.”

Things certainly changed for the Rams, starting off with their game against the Siena College Saints.

Fordham pitching failed to hold back the Saints from taking a 6-1 lead through the first five innings, and the Fordham batters were routinely stranded on base during the second and third inning.

However, the Rams exploited the lackluster Siena bullpen in the bottom of the fifth, finally driving in much needed runs. As Siena’s Joey Laurer came in to relief pitch in the fifth, junior infielder Zach Sellinger drove a single up the middle and later advanced on a wild pitch from Laurer, who would go on to record multiple wild pitches throughout the fifth.

After a walk for junior infielder Will Findlay and senior outfielder Jason Coules was hit by a pitch, the

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As Atlantic 10 play approaches, the Rams appear to be rounding into form after a tough start.

Rams had the bases loaded, with freshman outfielder Cian Sahler on deck to drive in some runs.

He too was promptly walked by Laurer, causing a pitching change and Sellinger to walk home. As the Saints tried to hold on to their lead, the relief staff crumbled underneath the pressure, and Fordham racked up a total of eight runs in the bottom of the fifth alone.

Fordham’s relief pitching held up exceptionally well, allowing no runs through four innings, while the Rams managed to pick up extra insurance in the sixth courtesy of Sahler and freshman catcher Diego Prieto. The freshman was one of the stars of the day as he went 4-for-5, helping the team walk away with an 11-6 victory.

After snapping the nine-game losing streak that began back on March 2, the Rams were not about to lose steam now. Now turning their attention to Monmouth, it was important to keep the team’s momentum high.

Sloppy pitching would once again plague Fordham’s opponents, with the Rams scoring their first

run from a throwing error from Monmouth’s Dixon Black to score senior designated hitter Richard Grund. The Hawks tried to recover from their errors, putting up two runs in the top of the third.

The Rams responded with an electric fourth inning, with help from senior catcher Andy Semo, Grund and a two-run home run from Sellinger to bring their runs up to four and take the lead. Immediately following, the Rams’ sophomore starting pitcher Brooks Ey conceded four runs, as Fordham had a throwing error by the catcher and a balk.

Fordham and Monmouth would continue to go back and forth trading for the lead, until Monmouth took the lead in the top of the ninth, with it all coming down to the wire.

Senior infielder Jack Harsnich, Semo and freshman outfielder Sebastian Mexico all walked, with Sahler coming up with the bases loaded. Sahler drove the ball out to right field, walking it off for the Rams with a two-run single to win the game, 10-9.

In game two, the Rams started

the bottom of the first with Sellinger driving in an RBI single to score senior outfielder Jake Guercio. The Hawks answered right back in the top of the second with a solo home run from Joey Ventresca. Sahler would continue to be a thorn in the side for Monmouth, scoring in the bottom of the second to give Fordham the lead, 2-1. Fordham would go on to score two runs in the bottom of the third, courtesy of an RBI single from Mexico to score Semo, and an RBI single from Sahler to score Mexico.

All would be quiet from both teams until both the Rams and Hawks traded three runs in the bottom of the sixth and top of the seventh. The Rams capitalized off a pitching change, with Sahler recording an RBI double, scoring Sellinger and graduate student first baseman Casey Brown with a tworun home run to drive in Sahler.

The three-run lead held strong for the Rams as they tacked on one more in the seventh, with Sellinger once again driving in an RBI single to score Guercio. With the lead at 8-4, the Hawks only managed to

and earned her third victory of the year. She allowed six baserunners, walking three and strikeing out five in the victory.

Game two saw both Rams lock horns in a fantastic pitchers duel between URI sophomore Liz Lynchard and Fordham senior Makenzie McGrath. Run production did not come until the third inning, after Fordham was threatening in the first two with bases fully loaded or runners in scoring position. Martine drove in Clark again to open game two’s scoring. Martine once again took advantage of URI’s pedestrian fielding and advanced to second on a wild throw.

In the fifth, Fordham once again had the bases juiced and capitalized on a sacrifice groundout by freshman Sydney Wells that brought Martine home. URI scored one of their three runs all weekend in the sixth, when freshman Maddie Melice drove in a run from an RBI single to make things 2-1. Then in the seventh, URI was able to capitalize after a screamer deflected right back off McGrath’s glove and knotted things up at two. Freshman Emilee Watkins replaced McGrath and was able to hold URI at bay and send the game into extra innings.

The Fordham Rams had the last laugh, as the first batter that

Lynchard faced was the final one of the Saturday matinee double header. Sophomore Bailey Enoch crushed all the hopes and dreams of a URI comeback with a solo home run over the fence to deliver Fordham the 3-2 walk-off victory in game two.

McGrath pitched an excellent game, allowing two runs, striking out four, walking four and going six strong before Watkins came in to finish the job. Watkins earned the win, the first of her Fordham career, as the Rams battled on and off rain in game two.

The Sunday game was more of the same, but with a little added history to it. In the bottom of the first, following a base hit, graduate student Brianna Pinto stole second base and became the all-time stolen base leader at Fordham. Pinto passed Fordham Athletics Hall of Famer Krystle Henry, FCRH ’07, who held the previous record with 73 swiped bags.

Fordham christened the weekend with even more offense, as Hubertus would drive Pinto in off a flyout that curved foul. In the second, senior Sarah Taffett poked an RBI double that scored Miller and pushed Fordham’s lead to 2-0. The third inning was a dinger parade. Hubertus once again laced a home run, followed by a Miller single setting the stage

perfecly for Amanda Carey.

Carey blew the game open with a two-run rocket that put Fordham up 5-0. However, URI avoided another mercy rule game with a solo shot by junior Ari Castillo. In the fifth inning, Fordham ran amok on URI’s fielding miscues; following a sacrifice fly by Taffet, graduate student Kelly Bright reached base off a fielding error that drove in Carter.

Miller also helped her own cause on Sunday, adding a twoRBI double and sealing the deal for Fordham’s 8-1 victory over URI. Miller tossed another gem: A two-hit, one-run ball game in which she went the distance while striking out eight batters.

Miller accumulated a total of 13 Ks in her two starts this past weekend.

Fordham’s middle infield and outfield defense were the stars of this weekend as the team allowed only three total runs. Taffet and Clark alone combined for 16 putout chances and converted on all but two of those. Taffet made three great plays in the infield that saved runs in game two, and Clark also held things down at second base with six of her seven converted chances and an infield assist there too.

Fordham’s regular outfield trio of Carter, Pinto and Bright converted on their combined 17

get one more run in the eighth, but it was not enough to stop the now hot Fordham team.

Wrapping up the series, the Rams headed to West Long Branch for Sunday’s matchup. Fordham struggles away from home, still having yet to win on the road this season.

Both the Rams and Hawks got off to a slow start, going scoreless through three innings, with the Hawks putting up one run in the fourth to get the ball rolling. They continued that momentum with a two-run home run in the fifth to secure a 3-0 lead.

When the Rams finally got runs on the board in the top of the ninth, it was too late. After the bases were loaded, Mexico went down swinging for the first out, followed by Vasquez. Sahler then walked in the Rams’ first run of the game. Hope was sparked as Harnisch scored on a wild pitch to make the score 3-2. However, Findlay went down swinging, ending the game with another road loss.

The Rams are eagerly anticipating their first A-10 matchup against St. Louis University for a three-game series starting Friday.

In terms of preparation, Leighton is confident the team is ready for the challenge. “I definitely think the first three weekends challenged us, and I think playing a tough nonconference schedule helps us learn about our team. Everyone we play is going to be solid and we need to find ways to win no matter who we are playing.”

After the Rams face St. Louis at home, they will travel to face Siena again for a one-game series next Tuesday, followed by a three game series against the University of Massachusetts on the road.

Fordham Softball Proves Superior in the Ram Bowl

BY THOMAS AIELLO ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

The Fordham Rams proved to be the alpha in the yearly Ram Bowl against the University of Rhode Island (URI). Fordham swept the other Rams at Bahoshy Field this past weekend to improve to 12-13 overall and 4-4 in Atlantic 10 play.

Right at the start, Fordham blitzed URI in the first inning of game one when the red-hot senior Julia Martine drove in freshman Allie Clark to push Fordham out 1-0. Martine continues her fine play, as she has driven in three runs in her last five games while maintaining a .267 batting average in that span. From there, the Rams never looked back as they punished URI in game one 9-0, enacting the five inning mercy rule.

The extra base hit epitomized Fordham’s performance, as the Rams recorded five doubles from four different players: graduate student Rachel Hubertus, senior Sarah Taffet and juniors Michaela Carter and Amanda Carey. The Rams also generated those nine runs from six players, and eight different Rams crossed home plate.

One of those RBIs came from junior star pitcher Devon Miller, who tossed a three-hit shutout

putout chances this weekend and made zero errors. It is also worth noting that Carter went down toward the end of game two with a knee injury and required assistance in leaving the field, but returned Sunday and generated a hit and scored a run.

Along with Pinto’s historic weekend, Devon Miller was named A-10 pitcher of the week and Rachel Hubertus was named A-10 co-player of the week.

The Rams return home on Wednesday for a standalone game as they welcome the Iona Gaels to the Bronx before heading to Amherst, Massachusetts to clash against the University of Massachusetts Minutewomen.

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Pinto is now in the record books.