The protest was organized by the group Climate Defiance, a
Fordham YDSA Protests DNC Chair Election
By NORA MALONE NEWS EDITOR
The Fordham University chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) attended a protest in Washington D.C. last weekend targeted against the Democratic National Convention (DNC) as they voted in their new chair, Ken Martin. The protest surrounded the Democratic party’s climate policy and was
organized by the group Climate Defiance.
“One of our comrades from NYC-DSA, who is also working with Climate Defiance, reached out to us about this opportunity,” said Matthew Smith, FCRH ’27, Co-Chair of Fordham YDSA.
Five students from Fordham attended, three sophomores and two firstyears. YDSA is not an official club at Fordham, so Climate Defiance funded
the students’ travel and housing.
“The protest was refreshing and empowering. Protests are generally just as effective at building community internally as enacting change externally,” said Jenna Cain, FCRH ’27. “Building connections with other folks dedicated to climate justice policy was really rewarding.”
YDSA engages with
Fordham Admin Reacts to Trump’s Immigraton Policy
By SIENNA REINDERS ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Fordham University has released guidelines for engaging with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following President Trump’s executive actions regarding immigration enforcement and mass deportation.
Robert Fitzer, associate vice president of Fordham’s Department of Public Safety, sent an email last week asking students to familiarize themselves with the guidelines, which are posted on the Public Safety website.
The guidelines instruct students, faculty and staff on what to do if they are approached by a law enforcement officer requesting information about members of the campus community or access to campus facilities. They advise students to “inform the officer that you are not obstructing their process but do not have the authority to release information without consulting the University administration” and to contact Public Safety.
President Tania Tetlow addressed the immigration issue in an email, where she expressed her empathy and support for students and faculty who may be struggling. She also emphasized the Catholic values of welcoming strangers and seeing everyone as family.
“Regardless of where we stand on these policy issues, I hope we can agree on our collective empathy for those struggling with an uncertain future,” Tetlow said.
Fordham will update their “Resources for Undocumented Students” webpage, according to Tetlow. The Office for International Services will also update international students on changing policies.
THE
The group was from Fordham’s Respect for Life Club who attend the march annually.
Fordham Students Attend March for Life in D.C.
By NORA MALONE NEWS EDITOR
On Friday, Jan. 24, a group of Fordham students attended the March For Life in Washington D.C. which advocates for the delegalization of abortion. The march is an annual event that began in 1973 to commemorate the passing of Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion in the United States.
Sixteen Fordham students attended the march
as part of Fordham’s Respect for Life Club, which takes part in the march every year. The club “aims to promote the dignity of life from conception to natural death,” according to their bio on the Campus Ministry website. The group was accompanied by a staff chaperone and met several alumni at the event.
“I have always wanted to attend to see what kind of crowd would
attend this kind of gathering,” said Gabriella Chinnici, FCRH ’27, treasurer of Respect for Life. “The group does this trip yearly, and I anticipate they will continue going to the march as it aligns with the club’s values.”
Fordham students took a 5 a.m. bus to D.C. in order to arrive before the 1 p.m. start time. The group began their day with the New York
Student Life Council Meets to Discuss Updates
By EMMA LEONARDI
EXEC. COPY EDITOR
The Student Life Council (SLC) met for the first time this year on Jan. 29 to discuss school-wide updates and potential improvements to student life at Fordham University.
To begin the meeting, Kellen Zeng, GSB ’26, executive president of the Commuting Students Association (CSA), brought up President Donald Trump’s recent executive order to freeze federal funding, and the potential impact
3
Death of Local Youth Sparks Discussion of Crime and Mental Health
it would have on Fordham students. The executive order was later rescinded by the Trump administration. Juan Carlos Matos, the assistant vice president for Student Affairs for Diversity and Inclusion, noted that it will be a while before changes can be decided on, much less implemented, due to government uncertainty at the state level. Additionally, Matos shared that many lawsuits have already been filed, so to declare Fordham’s policy on this executive order would be
ELIZABETH RENGIFO-VEGA FOR
FORDHAM RAM
COURTESY OF CLIMATE DEFIANCE
youth action group.
SEE MARCH, PAGE 4 SEE DNC, PAGE 4
SEE SLC, PAGE 5
PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS
Howl at the Moon
Feb. 1
1:55 a.m.
On Saturday, a student reported a male struck a student at Howl at the Moon 585 East 189 Street. The supervisor responded. The investigation revealed a Fordham alumnus witnessed an unknown male grab the student’s face by palming it with his right hand, shake their head, and then push them away from him. The alumnus escorted the complainant home, then returned to the bar and confronted the offender. The offender then struck the alumnus in the face and fled the scene. The alumnus declined the NYPD.
Walsh Hall Feb. 2
6:46 p.m.
On Sunday, the Walsh Hall RA reported a stuck, unoccupied elevator. The supervisor responded and verified the elevator was unoccupied and notified the elevator company.
On Campus
Feb. 3
3:10 p.m.
On Monday, a student reported receiving a text message from someone purporting to be a student selling concert tickets. The reporter sent the offender $300.00 and did not receive the tickets. A review of records reveals the offender was not a Fordham student. The student declined the NYPD.
Ram Van Adapts to Congestion Pricing Without Fare Hikes
New license plate reader installed on Columbus Street right before the congestion zone, in front of
By ANDREW MASSIE FEATURES EDITOR
Fordham University’s Ram Van service has adapted to New York City’s newly implemented congestion pricing without raising costs for students.
According to Director of University Transportation Plinio Gonzalez, GSB ’08, the Ram Van program has been preparing for congestion pricing since its initial proposals during the COVID-19 era. With fees set at $9 per day for peak times, the university anticipated logistical and financial challenges but has seen several benefits instead.
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@thefordhamram
Wednesday Feb. 5
The Battle of the Rams
Rose Hill Gymnasium 7 p.m.
Rams vs. Rams! The Fordham Rams will face off against the Rhode Island Rams on Wednesday evening in a men’s basketball game.
“Traffic is lighter, easier to get from point A to point B,” Gonzalez explained. He noted that commute times have been reduced by approximately 10 minutes during rush hour, benefiting drivers and passengers.
congestion. “It used to be that you could plan on a van being late during rush hour,” Orlowski said. “Now, it’s much faster... I think it makes [the service] better because it’s a faster transportation system for the same price.”
JJ Johnson, FCRH ’25, another Ram Van driver, shared similar sentiments. “I love it, but I have not been late ever to a shift because we’re only allotted an hour. Even my bad shifts, I end up getting there within 45 minutes,” she said. “I also do notice that the roads are just less insane in general. It just kind of feels safer out there.”
Elena Stoddard, GSB ’25, echoed Johnson’s opinion: “Honestly. Yeah. I think I like it. It’s probably better for the environment too… and it makes my job as a Ram Van driver easier.”
Despite the benefits for drivers, some commuters are skeptical of congestion pricing’s broader impact. Isaac Badell-Riviere, FCRH ’27, a frequent Ram Van rider,
remains unconvinced: “I don’t know, to be honest. The way I feel is that $9 every time you go there could add up. I mean, it could be a good plan, but I feel like at the end of the day, a lot of the people that are going to be there… especially at certain times of day in the morning, they have to be there.”
Gianna Cortez, FCRH ’28, another commuter, noted that while she hasn’t seen a significant difference in congestion, she has experienced shorter commute times. “There were times where I would think that I need to leave an hour and a half before and now it could take 30 minutes,” she said. However, she also raised concerns about capacity issues, explaining that securing a Ram Van seat requires planning ahead: “Oftentimes, I’ll have to book my Ram Van even in the beginning of the week when it’s Sunday.”
Both Gonzalez and Orlowski highlighted the convenience and safety of the Ram Van service, particularly as a private
This Week at Fordham
Thursday Feb. 6
Humanities Fest
Rodrigue’s Coffee House
1 p.m.
Venture to Rodrique’s Coffee House on Thursday to celebrate Fordham University’s student artists, musicians and humanities scholars!
Friday Feb. 7
Fordham vs. Illinois State
Hawthorn-Rooney Tennis Courts 12 p.m.
Cheer on the Fordham women’s tennis team at their home match against the Illinois State Redbirds on Friday afternoon.
Saturday Feb. 8
Catholic Women Speak McShane Center Great Hall 12:00 p.m.
Campus Ministry is holding their 2nd annual Catholic Women Speak Conference on Saturday in MchShane. Lunch is provided!
alternative to public transportation. Gonzalez stated, “Our primary focus is for students to use the university’s service to get to and from Lincoln Center.”
Orlowski echoed this sentiment, noting that the $3.50 fare is “only 60 cents more expensive than the subway, but it’s tremendously faster and safer.”
While passengers will not see any fare increases, some believe adjustments may be necessary. Cortez said she would be willing to pay more if the service improved significantly. “If it was a lot more convenient for everybody, the drivers, the school, the students, yeah, I would. I feel like the most I’d be willing to pay is $5.”
As congestion pricing continues, Fordham is monitoring its impact closely. Gonzalez remarked, “This is still early… but so far, our data shows that this is working for its intended purposes, and our passengers are loving it.”
Sunday Feb. 9
The 2025 Superbowl
Streaming on NBC, ESPN, ABC, CBS and more 6:30 p.m.
Don’t forget to turn on the TV and watch the Chiefs play the Eagles in the Superbowl on Sunday to see if they can manage a three-peat.
ANDREW MASSIE/THE FORDHAM RAM
Fordham University Lincoln Center.
Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs Hosts UN Speaker
By CAITLIN THOMAS ASST. NEWS EDITOR
In a conference room on the second floor of Canisius Hall, an often unnoticed building you pass on your way to Faculty Memorial Hall (FMH), the Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs (IIHA) hosted speaker Julie Belanger on Wednesday, Jan. 29.
Belanger is the senior liaison officer for emergencies and resilience for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. She is based in New York and has over 25 years of experience in the humanitarian field.
The IIHA, founded and based at Fordham University, invited Belanger to speak with students as part of their Conversations with Humanitarians speaker series. At the event, Belanger fielded questions from students about her career journey and her thoughts on current developments in the humanitarian field.
Ruth Mukwana, a Helen Hamlyn Senior Fellow and
the Director of Humanitarian Graduate Studies at Fordham, invited Belanger to speak. She introduced this initiative after interviewing Humanitarian Studies students about what they wanted to see from the department.
“One of the things that came out from the students I spoke with was community and an interest in speaking to professionals in the humanitarian sector so they could learn more outside of class and really try to understand how to navigate the sector,” said Mukwana.
As students learned about potential career paths, Belanger also gained insight into what concerns and issues are on students’ minds today.
“I think it’s great to understand what young soon-to-be graduate students, what kind of questions they have on a career path like this,” said Belanger.
“It’s kind of the meeting of two worlds because it will never be the same as the world I started in, but experience is not to be thrown away either.”
Grace Olander, FCRH ’27, who is double majoring in international studies and English, attended this event to learn about the broader geopolitical context in which humanitarian efforts are caught up.
“One major point discussed was how the current trajectory of global politics is steering away from financing humanitarian projects, with some governments regarding such spending as ‘unnecessary’ or ‘excessive’ funding,” she said.
“Given the tumultuous state of the world — ravaged by conflict, disease, climate change, and economic instability — this situates the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations in a position where crises remain, but collective support is wavering.
Consequently, the UN must adapt its practices to meet the shifting priorities of the global order.”
Belanger’s conversation with students is timely as global conflicts and threats to the humanitarian sphere rage on.
In the wake of President Trump’s threatened federal funding freeze, the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) website went dark without explanation on Saturday, Feb. 1. Congressional representatives and USAID employees were left confused and scrambling to uphold this vital humanitarian agency.
The ongoing uncertainty around the U.S.’s funding for key government agencies and the faltering support for humanitarian efforts leaves students and humanitarians alike with questions about the future of humanitarianism.
Belanger points out that the UN should not just reconsider its financial strategies but also how it can reinvigorate public compassion and faith in humanitarian efforts.
“I think it’s going to be how do we recalibrate the focus right now and the humanity in the world,” she said. “I think it’s important to say that we are not the solution,
that people need to reconnect with their humanity. It’s not because you’re in Congo or the United States; climate change is for everybody.”
Expanding on this idea of shared humanity, Mukwama shared what she hopes students take away from this speaker series.
“Truly, we are living in such difficult times, and there are so many people in need of humanitarian aid, and that number continues to grow...to really remind people that there are humans behind all these numbers we see,” she said. “From the speaker series, I hope that students can get inspired to actually do work in this sector.”
The IIHA plans to host speakers on the last Wednesday of each month for the rest of the semester. The next Conversations with Humanitarians event is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 26, from 4-5:30 p.m. The IIHA is hosting an Open House on Wednesday, Feb. 12, from 12-2:30 p.m.
Death of Local Youth Sparks Discussions of Crime and Mental Health
By CAITLIN THOMAS ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Fourteen-year-old Bronx native Caleb Rijos was fatally stabbed on his way to school early last month. Days later, Bronx community members, friends and family gathered at a vigil organized by the Bronx Youth Empowerment Program to honor and remember Rijos.
Andy King is the co-founder and volunteer director of the Bronx Youth Empowerment Program, where Rijos participated. King said he was an exemplary student and young man.
“He played on the football team, was a child full of delight, you wanted to be around him,” said King. “He had a great personality and was always willing to help. He was one of the children who was getting it right.”
King said the Bronx Youth Empowerment Program organized this vigil and counseling sessions preceding it to support Rijos’ classmates, teachers, loved ones and community as they come together and mourn.
“We read scripture and helped them navigate through their emotions so they could understand how to get through the next day,” said King. “It was solemn, it was sad, and there was confusion. People still couldn’t understand how he was gone.”
Supporting Bronx youth and the broader community through tragedy and hardship aligns with the mission of the Bronx Youth Empowerment Program, which is currently in its 20th year of supporting youth
throughout the Bronx.
“Our mission is building mind, body, and serving the community,” said King. “We offer weekly counseling and informational sessions; we also enjoy putting them in empowerment positions.”
Their programming connects kids to senior citizens and even to the NYPD to improve those relationships.
Youth involved in the program also host a forum to address their concerns about growing up in today’s society, giving them key empowerment, organizational and public speaking skills.
As organizations like the Bronx Youth Empowerment Program work to build community, the recent string of violent crime here in New York City threatens that.
While overall crime in NYC is down, “felony assaults in the system are up 55 percent since 2019,” as the New York Times reports.
There are debates about why there is such an increase in violent crime. For King, he feels that economic insecurity leads to increased crime.
“Anytime you have a lot of violence, it’s because people’s economic conditions are bad. If you have, you’re not trying to go out and take,” said King. “That’s the first issue you have to address.”
Moving beyond economic insecurity, the general consensus is that the city and state of New York need to reevaluate how they are dealing with the ongoing mental health crisis.
Bill Berg is a professor of political science at Fordham University whose interests include
New York City politics and public health. Berg argues that the increase in felony assaults is tied to the mental health treatment crisis.
“Many of these people who are committing these assaults have mental and emotional issues; they should be getting treatment, but they’re not, and as a result, we’re seeing this uptick in crime,” said Berg. “That may be the best explanation for what’s going on.”
During her State of the State address earlier this year, Governor Kathy Hochul recommitted herself to increasing accessibility to mental health treatment for anyone who might need it. Specifically, she said she would strengthen New York’s involuntary commitment laws. In a press statement from Jan. 14, Hochul details that, “the updated law will allow intervention when individuals are at substantial risk of harm due to their inability to meet basic needs like food, shelter, or medical care.”
This form of intervention is one of the only proposed solutions to rising to the challenge that criminals with mental illness pose. Berg argues that involuntary commitment raises concerns about violating individuals’ Constitutional rights.
“What we as New Yorkers, what we as a society at large do with those people who have mental problems that result in them committing violence who at the same time refuse to accept treatment to address that, that is a long term Constitutional issue,” said Berg.
“They have the right to refuse treatment; at the same, we, as a society, have the right to feel safe. That’s for the courts to work out in the long term.”
Governor Hochul and New Yorkers are grappling with this balance of public safety and individual rights. King feels that involuntary commitment is a viable solution.
“The gentleman who killed [Rijos] should have never been on the street, and that’s a flaw in the adults who have taken the oath to improve society,” said King.
“If the governor and the mayor are going to put a safety plan together to remove people off the street and utilize buildings that are not occupied, and figure out how to put investments in there with some social services and work at the same time, help people stabilize themselves, then so be it.”
Especially as New Yorkers navigate complex issues like violent crime and mental health treatment, Berg argues that we must be wary about headlines that sensationalize violence and ensure that we stick to the facts.
“Looking at the data as opposed to anecdotal evidence coming from the media, we should be concerned, and we should expect our elected officials to do something to address it,” said Berg. “I don’t put a lot of stock in the anecdotal. Even though the crimes are horrific, there were always these kinds of crimes. Murders in NYC are down. NYC is the safest large city in the country. Has been for decades, continues to be. So why isn’t the media
playing that up?”
Although the isolated instances of violent crime are tragic and should be addressed, Berg and King are not letting them dominate their everyday life. Despite recent increases in subway violence, Berg still rides the subway.
“I ride the subways on a regular basis. The subways are crowded. It’s standing room only. When I ride the subway as a New Yorker, I’m wary. I’m watchful. But, that’s always the case,” said Berg. “Are people not riding the subways? It looks to me like the subways are just as crowded as they were before.”
King is working to hold elected officials accountable, advocating to reform the way people think about mental health within the criminal justice system.
“One of the things I’m working with a friend of mine who’s on the [City] Council, I’m creating something called Caleb’s Law,” said King. “The gist of it is: if you kill a child under the age of 18, other than for self-defense, you can no longer just use ‘mentally ill.’ You gotta be better than that… You don’t get to use up our system, get three meals and a bed, and we are taking care of you, but the kid that you killed is buried, and his family is grieving forever.”
As Governor Hochul works to strengthen involuntary commitment laws and address increased violent crime, New Yorkers like King and Berg are grappling with the threat of violent crime, advocating for change and their daily lives on top of that.
Pilgrim Mass, a mass hosted at St. Patrick’s Church in D.C. before the march, specifically for attendees from New York State.
“From noon until the beginning of the March, there are a multitude of speeches delivered by former abortionist[s], individuals who have survived abortions, and even elected officials,” said Augustine M. Preziosi, interim prefect for Fordham University Church, who attended the march as staff chaperone
This year’s march hosted a variety of speakers, including Vice President JD Vance and Florida Governor Ron Desantis, as well as other activists.
Students Attend Annual March For Life
“We heard both parents and children share their testimony of the pro-life movement. Several of them would not have been there if not for the faith, support, and immense courage that someone in their lives had,” said Elizabeth RengifoVega, FCRH ’26, secretary of Respect for Life. “One speaker shared how a doctor advising against keeping her unborn child with a disability helped her tap into a previously undiscovered well of protectiveness and strength. Her daughter sat beside her on the stage during the rally, and the crowd celebrated the blessing that was both of their lives.”
Tens of thousands of people from all over the country attended the march. The march starts beside the Washington Monument and walks down Constitution Avenue before it ends outside the United States Capitol building.
Fordham’s group played music as they marched for nearly four hours.
“When we played ‘La Guadalupana,’ I saw people’s faces turn, their eyes lighting up in recognition and delight. ‘La Guadalupana!’ one young speaker exclaimed in Spanish to his friend,” said RengifoVega. “It was a reminder of how this march unites people.”
community throughout the year. The club has nearly 200 members and regularly partners with Campus Ministry.
“I think it is important to note that our group does not just attend this march and then exist as an echo chamber throughout the rest of the year,” said Preziosi. “Members volunteer throughout the city with young and expecting mothers, raise money for impoverished families, and, to be faithful to their Jesuit heritage, organize academic discussions, such as [ones] on the consistent ethic of life. Their care for the vulnerability of all stages of life informs their very being.”
with former community partners at the event.
“We were overjoyed to say hi to the Sisters of Life on our way out [to the march] because two sisters had recently visited Fordham to give a reflection to the club,” said Rengifo-Vega.
The group will begin plans for next year’s march in a few months.
“The group attends every year and hopes to continue to do so as long as the march is hosted in the nation’s capital,” said Preziosi, “which will be until abortive practices and our culture of death no longer exist in the United States.” FROM MARCH, PAGE 1
Respect for Life also engages with the local Bronx
campus political activism, including hosting a Plan-B distribution event last semester where they encouraged students to sign their petition against Fordham’s contraception policy.
“We came out to this event because Democrats enthusiastically committed a genocide, bragged in the debate about building Trump’s border wall, dehumanized our brothers and sisters who are immigrants, cozied up with billionaires, and completely abandoned climate action,” said Smith. “Kamala [Harr is] and the Democrats were extraordinarily clear in their support for the continuation of new fossil fuels, including fracked gas. We want a real opposition party, not one of civility politics who does nothing to oppose the far right’s rhetoric and rise of fascism.”
By ESTEBAN BALTA CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Fordham University’s Campus Ministry has partnered with Aramark, Fordham’s food service company, for their Swipe Out Hunger initiative. Students are encouraged to donate their leftover guest meal swipes to help fellow students battling food insecurity.
There are 47.4 million people living in food-insecure households, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Health Affairs, an organization that focuses on health policy and data, reported in 2020 that almost 30% of college students at a four-year college face food insecurity.
Students who request meal swipe donations can reach out through email (campusminlc@fordham.edu) or go to the offices of Campus Ministry in person. Once their request is received, Financial Aid runs a check to ensure the student is eligible.
The group also reunited
Fordham Students Protest Climate Policy
The protest took place from Jan. 30 to Feb. 1, and most of the group’s actions occurred on Jan. 31. More than 40 people took part in the protest.
“On Friday, I joined protestors outside the Gaylord National Resort Convention Center, where the DNC voting took place, and rallied for the party to commit to refusing campaign donations from oil and gas companies,” said Cain.
The group was split into two groups, half outside the convention center and half inside, until they were forced out.
“We held banners while we marched and spoke about the need for the Democratic Party to reject fossil fuel money and value people over profit,” said Kaila Reynolds, FCRH ’27. “When security got too rough with us, we left the building and marched in front of the hotel in the
rain, calling for the DNC to choose a chair who would prioritize climate issues and build a strong opposition against Trump.”
On Thursday, during the debate, climate protestors were allowed to ask the candidates if they would accept fossil fuel money after multiple disruptions. None of the candidates said they would.
During the weekend, YDSA members saw multiple in stances where protestors were shoved or corralled by officers and one instance where a private secur ity officer working for the hotel attempted to punch a protestor. U.S. Capitol police were present but did not engage.
“Those of us who were inside the actual convention to confront the Democrats directly participated in a march and banner drop. We were thrown around
by private security; however, we stayed to disrupt the event until we were forced out,” said Smith.
On the night of the debate, protestors ran in front of the stage and attempted to drop a banner that said “DNC: Reject Fossil Fuels,” but they were removed.
Jason Paul, one of the eight candidates running for DNC chair, said the protestors were turning the event into “scream night at the DNC.”
“The most interesting thing I saw this weekend was how many times the organizers at Climate Defiance were forcibly escorted out of a room by security or police, shoved around, and handcuffed, and how they showed up every day ready to do it again,” said Reynolds. “Watching people of all ages and backgrounds have the bravery to confront politicians and bring attention
Fordham Tackles Food Insecurity
A student is considered ineligible if they still have loan money that isn’t being used. Those who are accepted will receive 10 meal swipes per request.
“We know that this is like a very small drop in the bucket, that it isn’t going to solve a student’s whole context, but that it can help bridge that gap a little. Even if, like for those ten days, they are at least getting one good meal a day,” said Erin Hoffman, director of Campus Ministry at Lincoln Center.
Aramark provides students with about four guest meal swipes per semester, depending on their meal plan, which are eligible to be donated, Hoffman said. She also said that the Ministry is in charge of promoting this initiative through posters, signs, and other forms of marketing.
“I feel like they could be advertised more,” said Julia Covino, FCRH ’28. Covino has
donated her meal swipes before. The donations are accepted once students scan a QR code and give consent on a survey. Covino plans to donate more often but thinks the university needs to improve its promotion so more students in need get the message.
Hoffman agrees with Covino and expresses the efforts the Ministry is providing to find more ways to promote the initiative, such as partnering with the United Student Government (USG) for the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony. She said they are also partnering with Residential Life for a food drive to get the word out about the meal donation program.
“Students are hesitant to come forward as it is a sensitive topic," said Gilda Severiano, director of operations for Campus Ministry at Fordham’s Rose Hill campus.
Severiano expressed that this program is small, so its
help is still limited.
“Most students requesting meal swipes are commuter students,” she said.
Covino also believes that there can be improvements in Fordham’s current meal plans.
“The portions are so small so I feel like that definitely doesn’t help,” said Covino. She believes that the university needs to continue helping in this food insecurity crisis, and a way they can do this is by providing better meal services and prices.
Severiano said that Fordham most likely cannot reduce its meal prices as a committee made up of students and administrators contracted the existing meal plans for roughly 10 years.
“Do we as a country see ourselves as people for each other? Do we work for the common good anymore?” said Severiano.
Sara Goldrick-Rab, a retired professor and sociologist, said the federal government
to their causes throughout the weekend reminded me that there are so many groups who will not give up on fighting for the environment and calling attention to the crisis we face. It also made me more comfortable with the concept of disruption and direct action. Advocating for justice can often be discouraging, but raising your voice to disrupt business as usual is empowering.”
Climate Defiance is a youthled group that focuses on direct action and is known to use the “blockade” strategy to disrupt events. None of the protestors were arrested.
“We’re not going to stop disrupting the democrats until they run an actual candidate who promises change, not the same neoliberal politics,” said Smith. “Liberalism doesn’t beat fascism. Socialism does.”
places 23% of U.S. college students in food insecurity. But Goldrick-Rab speculates those numbers have risen since the COVID-19 pandemic struck the nation. When diving deeper into why food insecurity is prevalent today, Goldrick-Rab stated how today’s college students have less financial assistance in a world with more expensive education. She suspects food insecurity among college students is on the rise.
Goldrick-Rab said food insecurity in higher education plagues the nation as a whole, not just a few areas of the country. “We have to do things that address the root causes,” said GoldrickRab. “Government should be helping, the colleges should be helping, but we’re also going to need everyday people to get involved and make this a priority issue.”
FROM SLC, PAGE 1
premature at this point. Catharine McGlade, assistant dean of students, mentioned that Tania Tetlow, president of Fordham University, has released a statement concerning the order and will release another once more information is gained.
Following this conversation were updates given by the attending groups.
Assistant Dean of Students Charles Clency reported that so far this year there have been six instances of intoxication, as compared to eight at this time last year. Clency noted that resident assistant (RA) applications for the 2025/2026 school year have now closed. Further, Clency shared that there were around 200 new applicants for approximately 37 open positions, as about 60 previous RAs have decided to stay in their roles. The applicant seminars and interviews will be coming up in the next few weeks.
Clency mentioned that the room selection process began Feb. 3 with a $200 deposit needed to secure housing, due Feb. 18. Integrated Learning Community (ILC) housing applications for upperclassmen in O’Hare Hall opened Jan. 29, with a due
By JACK MCDONALD ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
The Fordham Foundry’s Pitch Challenge applications went live last week. Student entrepreneur applicants in the early stages of business development are given the opportunity to present their ideas to peers and like-minded business professionals. Feedback is given to students, and mentorship is provided to guide them through the process of launching their product. The challenge is open to all students across the nine academic disciplines, as well as both the Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses.
The Foundry was founded 13 years ago as a central hub “for Innovation [and] Entrepreneurship, where students, alumni, faculty, and community members learn to use creative problem-solving techniques, critical thinking, and analytical skills to solve business and social issues of the 21st Century.” Graduates in given entrepreneurial industries offer advice to students looking to expand their knowledge and their businesses. Funding comes through the angel fund, which exists to provide monetary support to entrepreneurs through connection with investors.
“From its early beginnings as a business incubator and academic resource for students supported by funding from the Gabelli School, grants from
SLC Meets for First Time This Semester
date of Feb. 14.
Adeyinka Maddy, FCRH ’25, president of the Campus Activities Board (CAB), noted that CAB is putting all efforts towards Valentine’s Week, which will be the week leading up to Feb. 14. Updates will be posted on their Instagram, @fordhamcab.
Eron Malzman, GSB ’25, president of the United Student Government (USG), reported that several senators are working on a proposal to expand meal plan options for commuter and off-campus students. Zeng noted that CSA tried to push for a similar idea last year, with a potential once-a-month social event for students to sample the meal plan food. The goal of this event would be to aid students in deciding what plan they would want. Zeng suggested that USG should work with CSA on their proposal, to which Malzman agreed.
Peter Grimes, FCRH ’26, vice president of budget and finance, shared that due to an issue with RamsInvolved, there are about two weeks worth of backlogged requests that need to be taken care of. Grimes additionally noted an upcoming event in collaboration with
Vice President of Operations
Megan Ruzicka, FCRH ’27, titled Coffee and Club Leader Conversations, where club leaders can ask questions and discuss problems with each committee. Ruzicka noted that new club applications closed Jan. 29, with presentations to come in the following weeks.
Matos reported that the Office for Multicultural Affairs (OMA) has been planning to test out a partnership with campus dining, where the Chef’s Table in the Marketplace will occasionally serve heritage-based meals, starting with Black History Month. This partnership will include lunch and dinner options.
Jenna Cook, assistant dean for seniors at Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business (GSB), mentioned that Knack Tutoring services are currently down due to technical difficulties. Additionally, the GSB Graduate Degree Program has open and virtual office hours for students interested in the program. Cook noted that the Fordham Foundry’s Pitch Challenge application closed on Jan. 31. Cook also mentioned that the Woolworth Awards Ceremony, recognizing first-year
GSB students with a GPA of 3.6 or higher, is set to take place from 1-2 p.m. in Keating First on Feb. 6. Arielle Duran, assistant director for Leadership and Commuter Student Services, shared that the Fordham University Emerging/Experienced Leaders (FUEL) program applications were due Feb. 3. The first workshop for the program will take
place on Feb. 11. Stephen Clarke, associate director for Campus Center Operations, reported that there is an event booked for every day in April, and urged event coordinators to look into rain dates in case of conflict. Additionally, Clarke noted that the last day of programming is April 30. The next meeting of the SLC will be held on Feb. 19.
Fordham Foundry Applications Open
NASDAQ Educational Foundation and investment bank
BNP Paribas, and physical space provided by the City of New York, the Foundry has evolved into a thriving entrepreneurship center,” said John Kilcunnen, FCRH ’81, in his statement in the fall 2022 issue of the Fordham Business Magazine.
The Foundry works closely with professors in the entrepreneurship department at the Gabelli School of Business to advise students on career trajectories.
“I’ve always considered myself entrepreneurial but have struggled to dedicate time to fully develop my ideas,” said Polina Bolberov, GSB ’24, MSMI ’25, “This competition offers the perfect opportunity to cultivate these skills and put them to the test with a real funding opportunity.”
Bolberov was an information systems major as an undergrad at the Gabelli School of Business (GSB) and is now pursuing a Master of Science in marketing intelligence with the Gabelli graduate school.
Bolberov was first exposed to the Fordham Foundry by Professor Michael McSherry during her first-year Ground Floor class. However, like many of Bolberov’s peers, their plans and trajectories to develop their business plans came to a halt at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Unfortunately, COVID
disrupted many clubs and events, and once things resumed, I didn’t quite find the time or push I needed,” she said.
However, Bolberov’s plans took off when she decided to partake in the pitch challenge.
“ Last semester, as Co-Vice President of Marketing for the Graduate Gabelli Entrepreneurship and Technology Club, I helped host the club’s Pitch Fest event,” she said. “That experience was incredible—it connected me with many like-minded individuals and introduced me to Sara Sapienza, whose venture, VIBES, inspired me to take a more active role in the start-up space and join her team.”
Bolberov also noted how s tudents are given the opportunity to build a firm
network with other aspiring applicants and business development professionals, helping them to pursue their passions. “Through this competition, I hope to receive guidance on effectively bringing our solution to market while also gaining confidence in my entrepreneurial skills,” she said.
Joshua Lawrence, FCLC ’28, is the founder of Emissarybot.com, a platform to help facilitate more efficient and economical grocery deliveries.
“I’m applying [to the challenge] because Emissarybot is tackling a critical issue in last mile logistics: affordability,” said Lawrence. “Our semiautonomous delivery robots are designed to offer a cost-
effective, efficient alternative. The Fordham pitch challenge provides a route for the support and resources we need to develop the robots and make this vision a reality.”
Students often run into financial difficulties or general setbacks when developing businesses, but the Foundry seeks to address this by providing a number of resources for students to take advantage of as they develop their business skills.
“This program offers more than just funding; it provides mentorship, networking, and exposure to industry leaders who understand the challenges of scaling a business,” said Lawrence.
Applications for the Fordham Foundry Pitch Challenge are due on Jan. 31 2025.
FORDHAM FOUNDRY FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
EMMA LEONARDI/THE FORDHAM RAM
A previous Student Life Council meeting.
Fordham Offers Grant Writing Workshops
By MAEVE HAMILL CONTRIBUTING WRITER
On Jan. 30, Fordham hosted three grant writing workshops for humanities, social sciences and STEM majors to teach students how to write a successful grant and connect them to research opportunities. The workshops were geared towards students interested in the Fordham College at Rose Hill Summer Research Program, which has applications due March 7.
“I’m not planning on research yet but I was curious about the general process for applying and the outline for the grant proposal,” said Alana Lewis, FCRH ’27, who attended the workshop. “It has a very different structure than a traditional academic essay.”
The FCRH Summer Research Program takes place over eight weeks from June to early August. Students in the program are provided with on-campus housing, weekly social programs and a $4,000 stipend to pursue original research. In addition to the
By EMMA LEONARDI EXEC. COPY EDITOR
Fordham University Rose Hill’s United Student Government (USG) met to hear a presentation from Public Safety and provide committee updates on Jan. 30.
Robert Fitzer, associate vice president for Public Safety, began the USG meeting with a brief overview of Public Safety policies and procedures. Fitzer reviewed the emergency blue light system, a series of light posts placed throughout the Rose Hill campus that have emergency call buttons and cameras on them. Fitzer mentioned that Alertus, a mass notification system, will replace the previously used emergency texting app. Alertus has a feature where a student can press an emergency button to alert Public Safety, which can even be used while the student is off-campus to alert 911, if the student can’t call themselves.
Additionally, Fitzer reviewed the Ram Path Safety Corridor. This stretch of a few blocks on Arthur Avenue and Fordham Road has several businesses that the university works with. In exchange for the university including the businesses in promotions, these places offer shelter to any Fordham University community member who needs help while waiting for Public Safety or other authorities to arrive. Locations include Simon’s Deli, Audiomaxx, Tuff City Tattoos and more.
Vice President of Student Experience Joseph DaProcida, FCRH ’25, asked if Public Safety guards are trained. Fitzer explained that most of the guards have worked for law enforcement in the past and are trained from experience, but any guard who hasn’t worked in law enforcement or has been retired for
stipend, students can apply for up to $1,000 for supplies and research expenses. Fordham also offers research opportunities in the fall and spring semesters.
For all research programs, students are required to work under the guidance of a faculty mentor. To find faculty mentors, students are encouraged to speak to past or current professors in the field they are interested in researching. Rose Hill students are permitted to have Lincoln Center-based professors as their mentors, but students should be able to meet with their mentors multiple times throughout the research period, either in person or virtually.
If students would like to work with a professor they have not previously taken class with, they can talk to a department chair or associate chair who can refer them to potential mentors. Otherwise, students may visit the Fordham.edu website. Under “Research Opportunities and Support” there is a section
entitled “Finding a Mentor” which lists professors by subject who are looking for students to mentor or for support on their personal research projects.
Once students secure a mentor, the next step is writing their grant proposal. Associate Professor of Music Nathan Lincoln-DeCusatis led the grant writing workshop for humanities majors and gave tips on how to write an effective research grant.
“It’s gotta be watertight. Airtight.” he said.
The grants have structured requirements: a thesis, context for research, methods, outcomes and a conclusion.
Students will also be asked to provide a bibliography, abstract, proposed outcomes and supplies budget in a separate section.
First, DeCusatis talked about the importance of a “zippy” title. Something that grabs the reader’s attention and shows the student’s personal interest in the subject.
DeCusatis also taught students the importance of understanding
their audience. He said a common mistake in grant writing is students write as if they were addressing a professor in their field. He recalled reading grants from STEM students and not understanding what they were talking about.
“Remember, you’re writing to non-experts,” he said.
Students are required to lay out all dimensions of their project, show that they are knowledgeable in the field and discuss why the project would aid them beyond the walls of Fordham in four pages.
To aid in the process, DeCusatis emphasized the importance of working closely with a mentor and going through at least two drafts of the grant proposal. By writing concisely, using an intriguing title, keeping the audience in mind and working closely with a mentor, students can improve their chances of their grant getting approved..
Beyond the valuable experience of conducting research, the FCRH Summer Research Program enables students to gain significant professional
USG Meets to Hear From Public Safety
more than 10 years is required to complete a 16-hour course every year.
Senator Mary Hawthorn, FCRH ’26, questioned the restrictions on smoking on Fordham’s campus. Fitzer noted that the university is not smoke-free, but does have restrictions on smoking in buildings and in specific outdoor areas on campus, such as the Starbucks dining area.
Senator Grace Shin, FCRH ’28, brought up several instances of students being stuck in the elevators in Loschert Hall for over 40 minutes. Fitzer explained that the procedure is to have the oncampus mechanic respond to the situation, but assured her that if it involves a medical emergency or is over 30 minutes, the fire department will be called.
Following Fitzer’s presentation, Yeonsu Son, chief communications officer for the Resident Halls Association (RHA), gave a short delegate report. Son shared that RHA had their spring retreat and has finalized their budget for the spring semester as well.
The co-founders of AI at Fordham, Connor Mancuso, GSB ’25, and Jack O’Brien, GSB ’27, presented their new club proposal to USG. The goal of this club would be to destigmatize the use of AI and educate students on the future of AI in society. AI at Fordham is also interested in the possibility of a speaker series where alumni and other guests discuss the impact of AI on the workplace. Senator Jude Ortega, FCRH ’25, suggested that the club work closely with the Ethics Department. Vice President of Fordham College at Rose Hill Emma Blake, FCRH ’25, noted that they should utilize the STEM faculty whose fields are being changed by
AI as well.
After the club presentation, there was an election for Senate Pro Tempore. Ortega ran and included specific initiatives such as expanding career opportunities in STEM outside of the pre-health track. Senator Tasminah Raman, GSB ’25, ran with an emphasis on the importance of using the legislative process to assist senators in furthering their proposals. However, it was Senator Anna Brown, FCRH ’27, who won the election. Brown ran on her passions for legislation as well, citing a semester-worth of experience on USG, most notably with her current proposal to attain unlimited MetroCards for Fordham students.
Arielle Duran, assistant director for Leadership and
Commuter Student Services, noted that the Fordham University Emerging/Experienced Leaders (FUEL) program application deadline has been extended to Feb. 7.
Ahead of executive board updates, Executive President Eron Malzman, GSB ’25, announced that a discussion surrounding USG Bylaws would be tabled until the next meeting on Feb. 6.
Vice President of Operations Megan Ruzicka, FCRH ’27, shared that new club applications closed on Jan. 29, with a total of 13 applications submitted. In partnership with Vice President of Budget and Finance Peter Grimes, FCRH ’26, there will be a Coffee and Club Leader Conversations event from 1-2 p.m. on Feb. 12 in the McShane 2nd Floor Ballroom.
advantages. A completed research project can strengthen a student’s resume and make them stand out from other applicants when applying to jobs, scholarships and graduate schools. Working closely with a faculty mentor can also foster strong academic relationships that make for impactful and unique recommendations.
Previous students have taken their projects to the next level in senior thesis or capstone projects and some have presented their findings at symposiums and venues across the city.
For more information about the research programs, students can visit the undergraduate research website and join their mailing list. Students can also reach out to Dr. Christopher Aubin, the Faculty Director for Undergraduate Research at fcrhgrants@ fordham.edu, or visit the undergraduate research office in Freeman Hall room 206.
Vice President of Facilities and Dining Mike Rodriguez, FCRH ’27, shared the addition of a second regional head chef to the Marketplace staff, in order to enhance the meal selection.
Brown reported that the 2027 senate is in conversation with the financial services office to calculate costs for their MetroCard proposal. Shin also mentioned the completion of her wellness room proposal and suggested that the head of Counseling and Psychological Services come in to talk with USG.
One USG Bylaw was changed; the Campus Activities Board (CAB) is now a voting delegate of USG.
EMMA LEONARDI/THE FORDHAM RAM
Serving the Fordham University campus and community since 1918
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OPINION
From the Desk | Elizabeth Collins
The Epidemic of Faux-Nonchalance
Nonchalance, the act of casually behaving in an unconcerned fashion, has taken over our lives. Perhaps more correctly put, the act of striving to look nonchalant has. Trying one’s hardest to appear as though they are not trying at all has become a foundation of our sociability, climbing to prominence online in recent years. I know we are all probably tired of hearing how fake social media is, but I think there is a developing constituent just as bad as the photoshopped bodies or “picture-perfect life” personas we have been continuously urged not to fall for. This lies within every photo dump, story or unseen chat we are to be convinced was spontaneous or unimportant to the poster. In reality, having a presence of any kind online has become anything but effortless, and so, we have entered what I would describe as a faux-nonchalance epidemic.
Instagram is the primary perpetrator of this development. Photo dumps, collections of often unrelated photos from one’s camera roll, have taken over the app since 2020. From their inception, dumps were a way to take selected photos, organize them precisely
“Give
Ever since President Donald Trump first descended into the American political arena via his gilded escalator, his presence has cast a dark shadow across the immigrant communities of this nation. While this inky mass originally came in the form of vague threats of a border wall or targets on sanctuary cities, it has recently transformed itself into something more tangible and sinister, its dark essence having now taken the form of the jetblack and deep-blue flak jackets worn by the various forces of law and order soon to be involved in Trump’s “largest domestic deportation operation in American history.”
In the eyes of the Editorial Board of The Fordham Ram, this deportation plan of Trump’s is an utter and contemptuous abomination. His plan poses vast humanitarian and legal concerns. Migrants may be subjected to the same disastrous detention conditions that they suffered under Trump’s first presidential term. Moreover, migrants who arrived legally through Biden-era policies may experience fast-tracked deportations that are not just inhumane but also fundamentally unconstitutional. It is also worth noting that Trump’s deportation project is built upon a set of fundamentally false and xenophobic claims. Despite his Hitler-esque rhetoric that illegal migrants are “animals” who pose an existential threat to the safety and “lifeblood” of America, numerous studies have shown time and time again that undocumented migrants commit significantly less crime than American citizens.
As pressing as these concerns are, the following editorial will not address them — working to justify a demographic group’s right to
and post them as if they were just any set of recent photos on a user’s phone. A New Yorker article details the “desperation” to “carefully achieve something haphazard-looking.” The piece goes on to quote certain online instructors, who explained that, “compared to your usual pristine spread of food, there’s more nonchalance to an image of half-eaten dinner,” and another advising how to caption a post, saying, “if you’re feeling particularly enigmatic, go for a single emoji.” While the photo dump is certainly a fun way to post a recap (trust me, I am a victim to them as well), it is a clear indicator of the “casual Instagram” we persistently try to attain, despite going back and forth on whether the selfie should be the fourth or fifth slide, and if the bookstore one should be the penultimate, or if that should be reserved for the one with the painting and if the caption should have an emoji in it (and which one) or not.
Beyond posts, nonchalance continues to be chased after. A classic example would be the notorious half-swipe on Snapchat. The app allows users to hold down on an unread chat, swipe halfway across the screen and look at a message
without marking it as “opened” or read. This is often done when one wants to see a message before preparing a response to send later on as if they were doing so directly after seeing it for the first time. On Instagram, there is a similar automatic setting that marks a direct message as “Seen” once it is opened; however, there is no half-swipe equivalent that can be done. Correspondingly, one either gets lucky by seeing an entire message in a notification and prepares a response that way, or they let it sit in their inbox before they feel they have it in them to respond after first seeing it. Obviously, this is not always the case — some people are comfortable with responding normally. However, it is known that responding can be
Editorial | Immigration
burdensome when leaving someone on “seen” at all or for too long is a faux-pas in itself.
Fakeness is just an aspect of social media — it’s programmed into how we have adopted these platforms. But it is worsened by the ongoing attempt to make it seem as though that is no longer the case. While I cannot speak for everyone when I say that posting online can be a calculated and exhausting procedure, I truly believe it has become almost impossible to be fully careless when engaging or posting. Next time you see that photo dump on your feed or the response to your message in your inbox, I hope you think to yourself: “Gosh, this is so effortless.” Pay it forward — make those hours someone spent on it worthwhile.
Me Your Tired, Your Poor” No More
humane and constitutional treatment would be to engage with Trump’s xenophobic and dehumanizing claims as if they were in any way legitimate. What this editorial will address instead is the blunt, empirical fact that the execution of Trump’s deportation plan is impossible without tearing the American economy apart at its very seams.
In short, a constitutional deportation process is not as simple as just rounding up a group of presumed illegal immigrants, jamming them forcefully into an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) van and then setting them free at the nearest international border. Instead, it is a complex, multi-step process that requires a massive amount of effort, time and resources. For starters, potential illegal migrants need to be identified and tracked down via intensive intelligence efforts that are undertaken by a team of local law enforcement and immigration agents and officials from ICE. Any migrants that are identified must then be “housed or placed on an ‘alternative to detention’ programme” as they are forced into a beyond backedup and complicated immigration court system. Should a migrant eventually receive a deportation order, they then must be taken back to their home country at the U.S. government’s expense. Simply put, the deportation process is an expensive and labor-intensive one, with America already struggling to foot the bill in its current pre-mass deportation state: ICE is currently “dealing with a $230 million budget shortfall, even before the costs that will be associated with mass deportations.”
Should Trump attempt to go through with his goal of deporting 13 million more
illegal immigrants than what the current deportation levels stand at, the resulting strain on America’s resources would be disastrous. For one, the current administration would need to hire an innumerable amount of new ICE agents and staffers in order to find and process the millions of additional migrants that would be thrust into the immigration system. They would likewise have to invest in massive levels of new detention infrastructure, specifically needing “to build and maintain 24 times more ICE detention capacity than [as] currently exists” so as to adequately house the influx of new detainees. There would also be astronomical new transportation costs incurred when transporting not only these 13 million new individuals across great distances, but also the new legions of American diplomats that would likewise need to travel internationally so as to negotiate their acceptance. In fact, when all this is said and done, the total financial burden that would be placed on the federal government and, by extension, the American taxpayer, to furnish Trump’s deportation is estimated to be $967.9 billion. Consider also the major socioeconomic ripple effects that would result from an exodus of 3.3% of America’s population. At its core, mass deportation would also be a removal of a large portion of America’s taxpayers and workers. It would be ripping from the already-bleeding body of the American economy a demographic that not only contributes to Medicare, Social Security and tax initiatives en masse but also acts as the labor base for a glut of America’s key industries (e.g., construction, agriculture,
hospitality services, etc.). This removal of such a significant amount of labor and government revenue would cripple American social safety net programs and American industries, and lead to the outright collapse of businesses and social programs — two things that would irrevocably impact every American, whether they are legal or illegal under the eyes of the law. Finally, the spending power of illegal migrant communities simply cannot be understated, as they help to prop up America’s local businesses, as well as its country’s chain and corporate retailers, by injecting $256.8 billion dollars a year into the U.S. economy. While these figures are nauseating and horrifying, they are, of course, ultimately attached to a problem that runs so much deeper than statistics and projections. After all, each immigrant is a living, breathing human being with their own respective dreams to actualize, families to take care of and lives to live. To reduce these individuals down to statistics is, in a way, to strip them of the real, embodied emotional, psychological and physical damage that a mass deportation effort would effectively subject them to. However, these figures nevertheless are also emblematic of the real-world consequences and implications that this deportation plan will have on every single person who wakes up within the expansive confines of America’s superimposed borders. Thus, it is the opinion of the Editorial Board of The Fordham Ram that, as citizens, it is imperative to make it clear that this humanitarian and socioeconomic travesty of a deportation plan is not welcome in this country.
Letter to the Editor: Clarifying Theology Department Hiring Practices
Dear Editor,
In response to the Jan. 29 article, “Merit or Mob?
Students Provide Input on Hiring Theology Professors,”
I’d like to offer some corrections to the writer’s description of how we involve our students in the discernment process for hiring new faculty in the Department of Theology. In addition to correcting inaccuracies, it seems worthwhile to explain how the process works for readers of The Ram.
First, by the time faculty candidates come to our campus for on-campus interviews, there has already been a three to four month process led by a department search committee (comprising five to six faculty members in Theology in consultation with the chair) who sift through countless applications, writing samples and letters of recommendation to determine the applicants’ scholarly promise, teaching skills and fit with Fordham. We then select the very top two or three candidates to spend an intensive two days with our department: meeting deans, sharing meals with faculty on both campuses, giving a research presentation and meeting with our undergraduate and graduate students.
Most departments involve students in the process in some way, especially at a place like
Fordham, where teaching is central to our mission. In some years, we have candidates teach a sample theology class to faculty, or serve as a guest teacher to an existing class. But in the last couple of years, we’ve found that a more informal conversation about the candidates’ teaching goals, courses and syllabus around a table creates a more authentic atmosphere. We invite undergraduate majors to join us for these conversations, and our associate chairs for undergraduate studies (two faculty members) facilitate the discussions. Involving candidates in a conversation with our majors gives our faculty the opportunity to see how candidates interact with our own undergraduates, and assess how their teaching goals resonate with our students. Candidates have a similar chance to interact with our graduate students. These conversations are lively and fun, among the highlights of the candidates’ time with us.
No students vote or are involved in any official capacity — some students offer feedback, others do not — but seeing candidates interact with our students is such a meaningful part of their time with us. As a Jesuit campus dedicated to cura personalis, this student interaction is a key part of our discernment process and assessment; it only lasts an hour, but we wish it were more! But
there is so much to pack in. But alas, these student conversations are only one component of the overall interview process. As faculty, we take the full picture of the applicants’ files, along with this two-day visit, when we vote to select the top candidate and eventually, make the offer. Only faculty vote. The department chair does not “hire” but facilitates the process and casts a singular vote along with the rest of the faculty, and we make the recommendation to the Dean and eventually, the Provost. It’s a huge process and I cannot imagine not involving students in some way — the reason we are all here!
On a more personal note, when I was an undergraduate at a state school and a graduate student at an elite private school, all job candidates had similar opportunities to interact with majors as part of their campus visits. But at Fordham, we find this interaction to be so illuminating and exciting — seeing our best and most involved majors and PhD students spend time with the candidates is a wonderful part of the hiring and, indeed, recruitment process. Not only does it help us assess them as teachers and mentors, but we also feel we help our candidates see the very best of Fordham — our own students.
Sincerely,
Dr. Brenna Moore, Theology Department Chair
Note from the Editors
Dear members of the Fordham community,
Last week, The Fordham Ram published an article that provided inaccurate information about the Department of Theology’s faculty hiring process. Theology Department Chair Dr. Brenna Moore authored a letter to the editor that clarifies the department’s standard practices and corrects the false statements made in the original article.
Shortly after publishing Dr. Moore’s letter, The Ram also took down the misleading article from its website. Dr. Moore’s letter can be read in full in this week’s issue of The Ram.
In response, The Ram and its editorial board apologizes to the Department of Theology and to the Fordham community as a whole for facilitating the dissemination of inaccurate information. We at The Ram are committed to accuracy in all that we do and believe strongly in our mission to provide accurate and reliable information to the entire Fordham community. Last week, we failed in that mission when an article with various inaccuracies made it through our editorial process.
The article with inaccuracies appeared in the first issue produced by The Ram’s 107th editorial board. Our relative inexperience does not excuse our mistake but reminds us of how we as new editors must work doubly hard to oversee the creation of the accurate and fair reporting that our community expects from our newspaper.
We want to assure readers of The Ram that we are working diligently to identify and rectify the causes of these errors to ensure that a similar mistake does not happen again.
We remain committed to delivering reporting of the highest standards to the Fordham community, just as The Ram has done since its founding in 1918. We remain grateful for your readership as we dedicate ourselves to improving our coverage of the Fordham community throughout the remainder of Volume 107.
With humility, The Fordham Ram Editorial Board
Stickers vs. Sandwiches: Fordham Basketball’s Promotion Problem
By CAILEE ZERAAT COPY CHIEF EMERITUS
Fordham University Women’s Basketball has had an impressive run thus far in their season. With a 6-4 conference record, the Rams have performed well, even claiming a narrow victory against the top team in the Atlantic 10 (A-10), the University of Richmond, earlier this month. Standout players like graduate students Irene Murua and Taylor Donaldson have led the team toward the middle of the A-10 standings.
On the contrary, Fordham Men’s Basketball has not been seeing the same level of achievement. Placed at the bottom of the A-10, with a 2-7 conference record, the men in maroon are struggling to gain any kind of momentum this season. Players like junior Joshua Rivera and graduate student Japhet Medor can’t seem to bring the team to success despite some solid individual performances; and following Fordham’s self-imposed suspension of Head Coach Keith Urgo, the odds are not stacked in their favor.
In the previous five out of six seasons, Fordham’s women’s team has placed above the men’s team. For reference, here is a record of each team’s conference standing in previous years, starting in the 2018-19 season and going up until the 2023-24 season (women’s standing vs. men’s standing) — first vs. 14th; third
vs. 13th; second vs. 14th; sixth vs. eighth; third vs. second; 10th vs. 11th.
However, despite this disparity in performance, Fordham Athletics seems to have little interest in promoting the women’s team at the same level as the men’s. According to a promotional email for the Jan. 25 women’s game and the Jan. 26 men’s game, Fordham students who attended the women’s game received a sticker sheet to celebrate Pride Night, while students who attended the men’s game received a free t-shirt, a breakfast sandwich for the first 200 students and a commemorative poster for the first 100 students. This difference in promotional content can be seen throughout the entire 2024-25 season, with the women’s team having nine games with fan giveaways, and the men’s team having 11. In addition to the difference in quantity for these giveaways, the incentives for these giveaways are quite different in quality. Of the nine women’s games with giveaways, four of the giveaways are for items that would not particularly encourage student attendance — two free posters, a scrunchie and a Christmas ornament. There are only two giveaways at the men’s games that reflect the same low-value nature. Attention towards women’s sports as a whole has always paled in comparison to that of men’s sports. Players like
University of Connecticut senior Paige Bueckers and University of Iowa alum Caitlin Clark have brought a new wave of viewers towards women’s sports, especially on social media platforms. However, this attention cannot make up for the consistent and systemic lack of coverage of women’s sports. According to a study by Purdue University and the University of Southern California, over the course of three decades, there has been “little change in the quantitative apportionment of coverage of women’s and men’s sports.” The study, which gathers data every five years, found that in 2019, only 5.7% of total television and highlight coverage of sports was dedicated to women players and teams. However, this number is an average. During some months where there were no major women’s sporting events, coverage was as low as 0.7%.
Contrary to what many men’s sports enthusiasts will tell you, it’s not because women’s sports are less competitive or women are worse at the game. It is because the sports media industry is overwhelmingly homogenous. In fact, sports media has the worst ratio of women to men in reporting, with women reporting on 15% of sports news and men reporting on 82%. Men are reporting on women secondarily and with less enthusiasm. However, the question of how to fix this boils down
to a chicken-and-egg question: should the media create an audience for women’s sports, or should they promote what audiences already watch?
In the case of Fordham Basketball, promotional content needs to be balanced between our women’s and men’s teams, or be even more focused on our women’s team at this moment. It is entirely possible to create demand for women’s basketball — a team which has thus far performed better than our men’s team. Fordham Athletics can and should create an audience for our women’s basketball team, not only because they perform better than the men’s team, but because they are amazingly talented players in their own right who deserve to have loud and enthusiastic crowds at all of their games.
Encouraging student attendance at our women’s basketball games will get people excited about the sport and give our
hard-working players an audience. Our women’s basketball games should be just as much of an event as our men’s games. Exciting casters, halftime performances and fan shooting contests make college-level sports games something worthwhile. I have attended almost every basketball game this season, and even amongst men’s games, there is an obvious difference in attendance between games that offer incentives and those that do not. The blatant inequalities in promotion between our women’s and men’s team are only perpetuating the inequalities of sports media as a whole — balancing the number of free tshirt and Chick-Fil-A sandwich offerings across both teams may be a first step towards addressing the issue.
Cailee Zeraat, FCRH ’25, is an English major from Fairfax, Virginia.
Fordham women’s basketball competing against Siena College.
COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS
Diplomacy or Disaster? Trump’s Deportation Policies
By SIDDHANTH RAVI CONTRIBUTING WRITER
One of President Donald Trump’s central campaign platforms in the 2024 Election was carrying out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. While strict deportation policy is not unprecedented — deportations peaked under the Obama administration — Trump has made the removal of undocumented immigrants a spectacle of his presidency and sparked tensions among international diplomats. The administration’s approach, which has been criticized as inhumane and degrading to migrants, involves pressuring foreign governments to comply with American deportation policies. Although countries are legally obligated to accept deported nationals of their country, the Trump administration’s tactics set a precedent of coercion in immigration enforcement and overall foreign policy.
On Jan. 26, the United States and Colombia entered into a diplomatic clash after Colombian President Gustavo Petro withdrew authorization for two U.S. military planes that were set to transport deported Colombian nationals. President Petro cited concerns about the treatment of the migrants. They were reportedly handcuffed, treated like criminals and transported using military planes (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) typically uses commercial or charter flights). The two leaders then got involved in an intense social media exchange. In a post he made on X, Petro wrote that the U.S. “must establish a protocol for the dignified treatment of migrants before we receive them.” Trump responded
By JACOB MOQUIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
New York City, like many other major cities in the Northeast and across the United States, becomes overwhelmingly bright at night and never truly sleeps. But does it need to be this way?
New York City is one of the largest contributors to light pollution in the United States, having essentially no visible stars in its skyline, which makes the night sky feel cold, empty and isolated. Light pollution is defined as the sources of artificial light that do not come from the sun and brighten the night sky. These artificial sources include headlights from cars, lamp posts, floodlights, house lights and so on, which drown out the natural intergalactic phenomena normally visible to the naked eye such as galaxies, stars, comets and nebulas. This is unfortunately present in all towns and cities to some degree, generally being worse with denser and more
to the denial by Petro on Truth Social with surprisingly aggressive retaliatory measures: 25% tariffs that would eventually rise to 50%, a travel ban on Colombia and visa sanctions on governmental officials, to name a few. Trump cited Petro’s actions as having “jeopardized the National Security and Public Safety of the United States.” Petro responded with his own 50% tariffs, as he noted in a long, passionate and strongly-worded post on X, emphasizing that Colombia would not tolerate mistreatment of its citizens. Ultimately, however, the diplomatic battle over deportation ended with Colombia agreeing to accept its deported citizens, fearing a trade war that would damage its economy.
What is worse is that Petro’s reservations toward Trump’s deportation policy are not entirely unfounded. His decision to block the military planes came as a response to a deportation flight carrying Brazilians that was reported to have degrading conditions. Migrants were allegedly shackled, chained and denied basic necessities, with some alleging that U.S. agents subjected them to physical abuse and humiliation. After a technical issue forced the plane to land in Manaus, the migrants were transported aboard a Brazilian military aircraft to their intended destination, Belo Horizonte. Brazilian Minister of Human Rights Macaé Evaristo met the migrants on the tarmac after their arduous journey and made a powerful statement:
“Our position is that countries can have their immigration policies, but they can never violate anyone’s rights.”
Evaristo’s sentiments reflect the main issue with Trump’s mass deportation policy. While countries like the U.S. are sovereign in developing their approach to immigration, it cannot come at the expense of the fundamental rights of individuals and other nations. Contrary to popular belief, the deportation process requires cooperation from both countries. American deportation policy does not trump the safety and humanity of the migrants, nor the laws and procedures of the receiving country. A country cannot forcibly send deported migrants back to their home country, as proper diplomatic communication is required with the foreign government. Bilateral diplomacy is necessary to ensure the safe and humane transportation of migrants. Nations regularly refuse to cooperate with deportation policy, even though scholars argue that countries are legally bound to accept deported migrants under international law. They often cite valid concerns over human rights, the lack of proper documentation or inadequate resources. These concerns, unfortunately, slow down the deportation process. ICE labels such countries — including Cuba, China, Venezuela and India — as ‘recalcitrant.’ The U.S. has labeled 13 countries as recalcitrant as of 2020. As a result, these countries face immigration-related penalties, such as visa sanctions. Addressing these valid concerns — on both sides — requires active and humanitarian diplomatic efforts between the two countries — an approach the Trump administration appears to have neglected.
A nation’s reluctance to accept deportees does not justify coercion, as we saw with the
diplomatic brawl between Colombia and the U.S. The Trump administration has begun a precedent of diplomatic strong-arming in order to get recalcitrant nations to cooperate with his mass deportation policy. Recently, he suggested the use of Guantánamo Bay to “detain the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people.” This rhetoric — which has been a hallmark of his speeches for years now — serves to legitimize Trump’s approach to immigration. However, the question remains: Should a country accept its deported nationals if the Trump administration could just strong-arm them into doing so? Some nations, like India, have been more open to accepting illegal migrants — after verifying their citizenship. While this could be seen as a form of cooperation with the Trump administration, it can also be seen as a policy of appeasement to avoid potential trade wars with the U.S. Trump’s immigration policy relies heavily on diplomatic coercion. Global migration researcher Erlend Paasche stated, “[d]eportation is a symbol of international power.” He argued that a country’s willingness to accept deported
Where Have All The Stars Gone?
populated urban and suburban areas. It is so prevalent within culture and life within cities and suburbs that is the perceived normal. This was showcased in Los Angeles back in the 1990s during a citywide blackout. The sudden loss of artificial light dramatically changed the appearance of the normally dead and lifeless sky, so much so that it caused many people to call 911 to report a “giant silvery cloud” in the sky.
However, light pollution is not just harmful to the passive stargazer or amateur astronomers who appreciate the night sky with their eyes and/or telescopes, but also to professional astronomers and their research as well. This will only create more challenges to the work for researchers as the population increases and people migrate to cities in traditionally more rural and less sparsely populated states like Idaho, Montana and Nevada. Thus, making the stark
contrast between rural and urban skies less pronounced and making the nighttime sky more homogeneously bland in more eras of the nation.
This is worrying, as the negative consequences of excessive light pollution are not limited to natural beauty, but also to our health.
Light pollution can disrupt circadian rhythms and the production of melatonin which can lead to sleep deprivation, stress and anxiety. It also affects migration patterns of many animals and kills insects which are the primary food source of birds.
This only becomes more frustrating as most sources of artificial light are cluttered and excessive and a waste of money, resources and electricity. The obsession with excessive lighting also ultimately contributes to a greater release of carbon dioxide into the environment and is energy that could have been spent more efficiently.
After all, why is it necessary
CRISTINA STEFANIZZI/THE
nationals signals concession because collaboration can come off as subservience. It appears this is what the Trump administration hopes to capitalize off of. By using deportation as a show of force, Trump seeks to convey American dominance. To him, it does not matter whether or not recalcitrant countries have a right of refusal, as his priority is not diplomatic negotiation, but to demonstrate American might. This reflects Trump’s overall perspective on foreign policy, which we saw with his recent tariff battles with Canada and Mexico. The “America First” agenda relies on the idea that coercive tactics — whether through tariffs, military force or diplomatic pressure — are the most effective ways to assert U.S. dominance on the world stage. With regard to immigration specifically, this means it is irrelevant whether countries refuse to accept their deported nationals because the Trump administration will make them accept. To Trump, ‘deportation diplomacy’ means only one thing: fall in line or pay the price.
for empty buildings to have lights on in the late hours of the night or outdoor lighting that also shines into the sky when its purpose is to light up the ground? There are some simple solutions and fixes that, if implemented, will help reverse light pollution, allow everyone to enjoy the night sky for its beauty and increase our understanding of the universe. Outdoor light sources can be shielded or repositioned to minimize glare and light trespass. Utilizing more motion sensor or timer based lights can also be helpful for
keeping lights on only when necessary. Using less powerful lights and or fewer lights in general will also bring down costs, energy usage and light pollution. If these simple fixes can be implemented and enforced on a larger scale across the nation, then all Americans can enjoy the beauty of both Earth and outer space alike for a lower cost of money, and valuable resources.
Siddhanth Ravi, FCRH ’26, is a history and political science major from Edison, New Jersey.
Jacob Moquin, FCRH ’28, is a biological sciences major from Ludlow, Massachusetts.
Photo of Orion Nebula taken with a Seestar S50.
JACOB MOQUIN FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
FORDHAM RAM
Protests over anti-immigration policy have happened nationwide.
OPINION
Pardon Me, But This Power Needs A Check
By LAILA SAYEGH STAFF WRITER
Once a tool for mercy and justice, the presidential pardon has become a bit like a getout-of-jail-free card in a highstakes political game. What was meant to serve the public good — offering second chances and tempering the harshness of the law — has, in recent years, become a high-profile, often controversial, weapon in the hands of those who seek to protect their own interests. As both Presidents Joseph Biden and Donald Trump have demonstrated, the pardon power can be used to absolve not only the guilty but also the politically advantageous, leading many to ask: Is this a constitutional safeguard or a loophole in need of a fix?
The power to grant pardons lives in Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution. According to the Supreme Court, a pardon is an “act of grace,” meant to be exercised by a trusted executive in order to improve “public welfare.”
Seemingly, the intent behind this power was to offer mercy, correct injustices and serve the common good. The idea was never to grant the president unchecked discretion but instead serve as a compassionate mechanism to rectify harsh sentences or cases of wrongful conviction. However, from high-profile pardons of political allies to controversial commutations, the
scope of executive clemency has sparked debates about its limits and potential for abuse.
A prominent example is former President Biden ending his term with a series of controversial pardons. During the summer of 2024, his son, Hunter Biden, faced legal trouble of his own, standing trial on federal gun and drug charges. Biden made it clear early on that he would not use his pardon power to shield his son from the consequences of the legal system, yet despite his initial assurances, he ultimately issued an unconditional pardon for Hunter in Dec. 2024, citing fairness and his son’s rehabilitation efforts. The pardon was justified by Biden’s claims that the crimes Hunter was being accused of were rarely prosecuted against first-time offenders working towards sobriety. Regardless of whether or not this is true, Biden’s pardon clearly exceeded the ethical boundaries of executive clemency. Most evidently, if we were to ask ourselves whether other people prosecuted for this same crime also receive the privilege of a presidential pardon, the answer would clearly be no. While familial ties are inevitable in personal decision-making, the use of presidential power to absolve a close relative raises serious ethical concerns. Is the Oval Office really an appropriate setting for fatherson nepotism? Overall, the
pardoning of Hunter Biden highlights a system in which power and privilege can be leveraged to shield those with connections to the highest offices. Similarly, President Trump entered presidential office earlier this year with a series of his own controversial presidential pardons. Within just two weeks of being sworn into office for his second term, Trump issued a plethora of pardons, many of which were granted to his political allies, including individuals involved in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. In an extraordinary move, Trump pardoned or commuted the sentences of over 1,500 people, including those convicted of serious crimes such as seditious conspiracy and assaulting law enforcement officers during the Capitol riot. Notably, Stewart Rhodes and Enrique Tarrio, two high-profile figures in the insurrection, were both among those granted clemency. Both Rhodes and Tarrio were charged with severe crimes, including seditious conspiracy and orchestrating violent riots. Supporters of Trump immediately celebrated these pardons as a victory against what they viewed as a “biased” justice system. However, these actions sent a disturbing message about the value of law and order in the United States. By granting clemency to individuals who called for a violent overthrow of the government, Trump not only undermined
the integrity of the justice system but also set a dangerous precedent for future administrations. The message was clear: unlawful actions, particularly those carried out by political or ideological allies, could be forgiven if the right people are in power, further eroding public trust in the fairness and impartiality of the judicial process. In the future, this could embolden other individuals or groups to challenge the rule of law, knowing that their actions may not have lasting consequences if they maintain political connections. Thus, the presidential pardon seems like an unchecked and dangerous power, easily used in ways that compromise our American democracy and principles of justice. Constitutionally, the check for a pardon is impeachment, which provides a method of addressing abuse of power. However, the practical application of impeachment as a check on
first days
presidential pardons is problematic. Impeachment requires significant political consensus and is often deeply influenced by partisan interests, making it difficult to pursue effectively, especially when the president has substantial support within their party. This means that even in the face of clear abuses of power, the system may fail to hold a president accountable in a timely or meaningful way. In the end, the presidential pardon, once a noble tool of mercy, risks becoming a dangerous weapon that erodes trust in our democratic institutions. Without meaningful reforms, this unchecked power could continue to undermine the very principles of justice it was meant to uphold.
LailaSayegh,FCRH’27,isapolitical science major from Congers, New York.
Entering a Climate of Instability and Isolation
By MOLLY O’CONNOR DIGITAL PRODUCER
President Donald Trump has signed yet another executive order to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement. While this agreement is not the only thing we should be doing to protect the planet, it is still a crucial and foundational part of climate action around the world and a driving force for action in our country. Without it, it is likely that we will stray from the path of climate justice and amplify our emissions without consequences from other countries.
The Paris Climate Agreement is a key document that serves as a backbone for global climate action, with the overall goal of mitigating climate change. Relying on the commitment of the countries involved, this agreement aims to slow the rise of global temperatures to below 1.5 degrees Celsius. Each country involved submitted its carbon reduction goals; however, those goals do not have any specific parameters in the document.
Many experts agree that these pledges are not enough because they are not enacted with enough speed or ambition to limit global temperature rising enough. However, many countries have enacted stronger pledges since the agreement’s
creation in 2015, which are extremely important starting points to prevent hitting this 1.5-degree mark.
At this year’s annual United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2022, the Loss and Damage Fund was established to assist poorer countries that are disproportionately affected by climate change. This crucial assistance has continued since the establishment of the fund, with many countries increasing their contributions in the following years. Additionally, there have been significant global efforts to cut methane emissions, which are a massive contributor to the rise in global temperatures due to their role in the greenhouse gas effect that traps heat in the atmosphere.
Climate change is the largest problem we are facing as both a nation and a planet. We cannot turn away from it in the name of economic growth, which is what the Trump administration is aiming for by withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement.
If we allow global temperatures to continue rising at the current rate, the effects will be catastrophic. We are already seeing this through the horrifying rise of natural disasters that have been causing mass destruction all over the country, like the
wildfires in Los Angeles and the hurricanes all over the southeastern states. These weather patterns are no coincidence, and if we want to protect the people of this country, we need to make significant changes and fast.
Furthermore, as temperatures keep rising, brutal heat waves will continue and worsen, sea levels will rise and submerge vulnerable coastal communities, oceans will become more acidic and less habitable to sea life, arctic ice will thaw and more and more species will be lost as the world becomes inhabitable for them.
Without immediate and drastic action, plants, animals and humans alike will suffer extremely, and there is no planet B. The decisions we make now will impact the generations who follow us. If we want our children and grandchildren to have clean air and water and be able to live safe, healthy lives, we must put in the work to create that planet for them.
The executive order’s claim that it is “putting America first” by growing our economy and leading international climate efforts is very hard to believe, as it does not align with anything that the president has said or done. President Trump has both shown and blatantly told us time and time again that he does not care about climate
change and will not do anything to protect the planet we call home. He is far more focused on drilling oil and exporting it from the U.S., no matter the environmental impacts.
Not only that, but Trump has repeatedly spread dangerous misinformation about climate change, encouraging it to be cast aside and directly contradicting actual experts in the field. This contributes to people not believing in climate change and severely slows and limits our ability to take action.
Becoming one of only four countries in the UN to not support this agreement is an embarrassment to this country and further proof that it is the wrong decision. This agreement is one of the few things the majority of the
world has come together on, and we are isolating ourselves from other countries by withdrawing from it. By not supporting this foundational document, we are making a statement that the United States is not a country willing to do its part in the fight against climate change, even though we are one of the largest contributors. It is imperative that we do not forget this cause and continue to fight for the well-being of this beautiful planet.
Molly O’Connor, FCRH ’28, is a journalism major from Weymouth, Massachusetts.
The Paris Climate Agreement was adopted by 196 parties at the UN Climate Change Conference.
CRISTINA STEFANIZZI/THE FORDHAM RAM
CRISTINA STEFANIZZI/THE FORDHAM RAM President Trump used his pardon power extensively in his
in office.
By JESSICA RITTER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
President Donald Trump’s new executive order shows that his new administration will be filled with hate, not love. On his first day in office in his second term, Trump issued an executive order proclaiming that the government would only recognize two sexes, male and female. This order rescinds the progress made during the Biden administration of allowing transgender people to choose a different gender on their passports and get rid of the choice of choosing “X.” This order does not take away any previous documentation that has been given out before the order, but it makes it impossible for things like passport renewals for trans people. There have already been devastating effects from this order, including trans women prisoners being transferred to male facilities, and more adverse effects will continue to show. From an order that claims to protect women, this executive order will do the opposite, and studies show that bills and executive orders that negatively affect the lives of trans people, who make up 1% of the U.S. population,
By LUCA AMATURO CONTRIBUTING WRITER
There is no denying that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), like most federal agencies, is a flawed institution; however, its dissolution would have devastating implications for state and local governments. Communities reeling from the calamities of destructive natural events are, rightfully, quick to criticize FEMA’s bureaucracy, organizational struggle and inability to provide funding to in-need communities efficiently. Simply put, FEMA has too many organizational pitfalls given the necessity of its service, but it has provided immense support to communities. Rather than being scrapped entirely, leaving states to fend for themselves when disaster strikes, FEMA should be acknowledged for what it is: a mismanaged organization with massive potential for improvement.
Dissolving FEMA would not only be an ineffective solution to the issues that FEMA is criticized for but it would also be simply impractical for states and local governments to assume the financial and organizational burden of disaster relief. Kentucky Democratic Governor Andy Beshear, who has dealt with 12 federally declared disasters since taking office in 2019, has pointed to the overhead costs for each state to replicate FEMA’s services as prohibitive and unfeasible. Beyond the large financial burden that states would have to undertake, the range of disaster relief services that FEMA provides, from
OPINION
Trump Targets Transgender Americans
lead to an increase in suicide rates. Really, instead of being about protecting women, the administration is focused on gaining control over minority groups and dismantling initiatives intended to bridge the gap towards equity and inclusion. Executive orders like these and other initiatives taken by the Trump administration show that theirs will be an administration fueled not by love, but by hate.
The executive order states in its reasoning that, “the erasure of sex in language and policy has a corrosive impact not just on women but on the validity of the entire American system.” It claims that genderinclusive language not only harms women but harms the American government as a whole. This wording posits that previous gender-inclusive language within the government’s federal websites and operations, such as passport services, is un-American and unconstitutional. It also describes that transgender people pose a threat to America. This is dangerous and fear-mongering rhetoric that should not have a place in our government. It has dangerous implications for the future of gender inclusivity
laws. Not only that, but since this executive order, President Trump has been determined to eliminate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) practices in an effort to end “wokeism.”
The executive order also rolls back policies that aim to tackle gender and LGBTQ+ discrimination in schools. While many conservatives have attacked DEI, anti-discrimination policies that were made because of DEI have had overwhelmingly positive effects on the lives of LGBTQ+ people.
The changes in passport policies because of this order will make it much more difficult for many transgender and intersex people to obtain proper identification. The option to choose “X” on a passport will be taken away, and a person has to choose the sex they were born to on their passport. However, because this order only affects federal policies, a transgender person could end up having a federally issued passport with a sex that does not match their state-issued license. This could cause many problems while traveling or when it is necessary to have multiple identification records when applying for loans, etc. It is also unclear how the government will enforce
these new policies or if they will even be able to.
This executive order changes policies that have been in place since 2012 by the Supreme Court for transgender inmates to undergo a sexual victimization risk assessment when determining where to place inmates. On Jan. 26, a female transgender inmate sued the Trump administration over the executive order. The inmate, who uses the pseudonym Maria Moe, was originally in a female facility but was since the order was placed in a special housing unit as a temporary place until she was moved to a male facility.
The order deeply concerns LGBTQ+ rights activists like Harper Seldin, a senior staff attorney at the American Civil
Liberties Union’s LGBTQ and HIV Project. “This [executive order] is clearly a plan from the Trump Administration to erase transgender people’s existence under the law,” Seldin said in an interview with Time Magazine. Clearly, the goal of the order is to create fear and a sense of hopelessness in transgender people. Despite the progress that has been made over the years in trans rights and legislation, the new administration aims to take away this progress under the guise of protecting women when, in reality, the aim of the order is to make transgender people fearful for their futures in America.
The Fraught Future of Federal Emergencies
individual assistance, public assistance and hazard mitigation assistance grants, should be in the federal government’s purview. Forcing states and local governments to develop, organize and train an internal organization meant for disaster relief would place an unnecessary strain on already stretched institutions.
The damages from natural disasters have been increasing year after year, and projects have only become more frequent and devastating with climate change creating more unpredictable weather patterns. Climate change is going to bring a more violent world with extreme weather events, which makes addressing the flaws of FEMA of the utmost importance as it will become a critical organization over the next few years. The crux of many of FEMA’s organizational and response time issues is the lack of annual federal funding that they receive relative to what they project as necessary to function properly. In 2024, FEMA requested the bare minimum of $39 billion to properly function and supply aid to devastated communities, but Congress only granted $29 billion. Congress is aware that FEMA requires substantially more money to operate effectively, but to minimize the financial impact on the annual federal budget, Congress approves less than required and provides more money on a perneed basis through supplemental appropriations that do not impact the federal budget.
Without the proper amount of funding, FEMA cannot
efficiently operate and distribute aid because once they run through their initial budget, they are forced to wait for Congress to approve supplemental appropriations. These supplemental appropriations are the crux for many of the delays in receiving resources and aid that state and local governments lament about. If FEMA was supplied with the necessary annual minimum they requested, many bureaucratic hurdles would be removed, and their response time to aid devastated communities would be significantly decreased. Beyond slashing response times, increasing funding for FEMA so they are not in a constant state of financial distress would allow for the development of a more organized and efficient agency with improved processes, technology and training.
Increased funding should be coupled with separating FEMA from the Department of Homeland Security and making it a neutral, apolitical federal agency with a more refined focus on its role and obligations. As part of the Department of Homeland Security, FEMA is often tasked with issues unrelated to disaster response and prevention, such as migrant sheltering and disease response. FEMA’s responsibilities and constraints are too unique to be placed underneath a department as broad as Homeland Security, which often focuses on a different type of domestic threat. Making FEMA an independent agency insulated from political change with an expanded budget would insulate
it from political turnover that often destabilizes the agency, give it more political weight and allow for a more refined approach to specifically addressing climate-related disasters. However, any financial and organizational changes to FEMA are inconsequential if the cost and damage of climate-induced natural disasters continue to exacerbate at unprecedented rates that FEMA can never fully forecast. Since climate change does not look to be disappearing anytime soon, FEMA must take a more aggressive role in supporting and assisting states and local communities in hazard mitigation. A U.S. Chamber of Commerce study found that for every $1 invested in resilience, $13 is saved in economic impact and cleanup costs. FEMA concentrating more on financing resilience initiatives within states can be massive in ensuring their budget does not absurdly balloon, allowing them to maintain financial health. Beyond the financial incentive, the devastation and onthe-ground support required by FEMA would lessen as increased resilience would entail
less physical destruction, lives lost and medical stress. FEMA has to evolve into a mitigation agency to the same extent that it exists as a natural disaster support agency because, with increasingly volatile natural disasters, providing states with relief will be impossible without proper resiliency initiatives implemented.
Scrapping FEMA would do little to solve the issues that plague it and leave states and local communities dealing with disasters worse off. Instead of scrapping FEMA and leaving states with the tremendous burden of providing their disaster relief organizations, the federal government should work to channel the positive potential that exists. We are entering uncharted territory with disasters occurring at unprecedented rates, making the existence of a functional and effective FEMA
Jessica Ritter, FCRH ’25, is an English and film & TV major from Huntington, New York.
Luca Amaturo, FCRH ’26 is a communications and culture and political science major from Marlboro, New Jersey.
FEMA and its services have been subject to major criticism.
CRISTINA STEFANIZZI/THE FORDHAM RAM
The Trump administration’s executive order only acknowledges two genders.
CRISTINA STEFANIZZI/THE FORDHAM RAM
Battle of the Bakeries: A Little Italy Showdown
By ALLISON SCHNEIDER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
As a self-proclaimed lover of coffee and sweet treats, I have spent copious amounts of time (and money) at the various bakeries throughout Little Italy in the Bronx. My time at these establishments has rendered me something of an expert on the Arthur Avenue pastry scene. Not wanting my expertise on all things baked and powdered to go to waste, I set myself an incredibly important task: determining which of the Arthur Avenue bakeries is the best.
For the sake of this article’s length — and my wallet — I focused on pastry shops over bakeries. So spots like Madonia and Terranova that are more bread-heavy unfortunately didn’t make the cut. Instead, I settled on five different pastry shops along 187th Street: Gino’s, DeLillo, Egidio, Artuso and Morrone.
Having lived in the area for over two years now, I already had some pastry shop preferences. So, in order to come up with a more objective ranking for the readers of the Ram, I devised a system where I considered six key aspects of a good pastry shop and rated each spot on a scale from 1-5 in each category. The categories I decided on were price, location, menu options, accessibility, general atmosphere and, of course, taste.
Of all the categories, the most difficult to rank was actually taste. I knew I couldn’t
possibly try everything on the menu, so I chose instead to buy one of the same item from each location: a classic cannoli. I discovered quickly that there was a clear divide in cannoli quality among the bakeries. Spots like Gino’s and Artuso fill their cannolis on the spot after you order them, and the taste of the pastry certainly reflects that. Artuso was the best for me. The filling was unmatched in flavor and texture and tasted very fresh. Gino’s was a close second; I especially appreciated that they give customers the option to dip the ends in either chocolate chips or pistachio.
In terms of price, Artuso and DeLillo promised the cheapest cannolis, while Egidio and Morrone had the most affordable coffee. Artuso and DeLillo also seemed to have the most menu options, with Egidio following close behind. Artuso boasts some unique (and supremely delicious) pastries in the form of their mango, pineapple and guava rolls, while DeLillo never fails to blow me away with their vast selection of baked goods, and also offers a mouth-watering pistachio gelato.
Location wise, the bakeries are almost on top of each other. Egidio, DeLillo and Gino’s, located near the intersection of Arthur Ave. and 187th Street, are more convenient to on-campus students. Artuso, also on 187th, is just past Cambreleng Avenue, and Morrone is located further down on Arthur, so I dinged them both just one point
compared to their closer competition.
Now onto accessibility. Each of the five bakeries is wheelchair accessible and all but Artuso told me they carried gluten-free options. When I asked about nutrition fact sheets, most of the pastry shops’ employees seemed pretty taken aback. None of the five locations could give me nutritional information about their products, so if you have dietary restrictions or need to count carbohydrates, it seems the best these shops can offer you is luck.
Of all the categories I considered, the one with the starkest differences was atmosphere. Each of the bakeries has a very different size, layout and general feel. DeLillo’s is by far the largest which earned them points in my book as it allows larger groups of people to come in and gives customers a bit more room to peruse the display cases. I ranked Egidio and Gino’s just after DeLillo on atmosphere. Egidio and Gino’s both have an older, homier feel to them. Gino’s especially feels like you’re walking into a piece of Bronx history with photos of famous customers plastered all over the walls. Last in this category was Artuso, which, despite being clean and fairly spacious, offers no on-site seating for customers.
All things considered, each of the shops has its charms, but there can only be one winner in this battle of the bakeries. With six categories and five possible points for each, the highest
possible score for any of the bakeries was 30. In last place is Morrone with 19 points. Despite their cheap coffee, the taste of their cannoli left something to be desired, which ultimately cost them this competition. Next with 20 points is Egidio. Ranking them fourth was difficult because their legacy is so powerful. They’ve been baking since 1912! Coming in third with 21 points is Gino’s, whose pistachio cannolis are unmatched.
In second, is Artuso with 23 points for its guava rolls and cheap cannolis, which makes DeLillo the winner at 25 points. For those familiar with the Arthur Ave. pastry shops, it may come as no surprise that
DeLillo tops this list. From strawberry cheesecake to apple turnovers to hazelnut gelato, their selection of pastries is unlike any other shop in the area. On top of that, their seating arrangement provides customers with a comfortable atmosphere to relax or chat with friends. DeLillo, founded in 1925, is also a historic staple of the community and is celebrating its centennial this year.
Curious about what DeLillo and the other pastry shops in the area have to offer? Dissatisfied with my rankings? All it takes is a walk down 187th Street (and some cash on hand) to discover all the sweet treats the area has to offer.
“A Complete Unknown” Lets Timothée Chalamet Shine
By RORY DONAHUE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
When I first saw the movie “A Complete Unknown,” I was not familiar with Bob Dylan’s storyline. After researching, it became clear that he is such an enigmatic figure, someone the media has never quite figured out. Timothée Chalamet, playing Dylan, brought this mystery to life, creating a compelling story that resonates with all ages. From the moment the film hit theaters, I knew he gave a performance that carried the story. I enjoyed this movie not only because of my love for music history but also because of the elements that made Chalamet’s performance shine.
The film was released on Christmas Day and I wasted no time, heading to my local theater the next day. The seats were packed with people of all ages, from older generations to younger ones. There was no empty seat in sight as we eagerly awaited Chalamet’s transformation into
Dylan. And without a doubt, he delivered his performance well.
Based on Elijah Wald’s book titled “Dylan Goes Electric!: Newport, Seeger, Dylan, and the Night That Split the Sixties,” “A Complete Unknown” narrates the rise of the iconic musician within the folk genre. Directed by James Mangold, it delves into the pivotal moments that defined Dylan’s transformation in his early career.
The film opens with a young Dylan arriving in New York, eager to meet his idol, Woody Guthrie, who is played by Scoot McNairy. After tracking down Guthrie, Dylan stumbles upon Pete Seeger, portrayed by Edward Norton, who becomes a guiding mentor to Dylan. Seeger’s mentorship not only helped Dylan find his voice, but also encouraged him to push the boundaries of folk music. The scene is beautifully crafted, with Chalamet capturing the raw humility of Dylan’s beginnings.
Throughout the movie, we
understand the evolution of folk music in the industry in Dylan’s presence. Dylan was never celebrated for his exceptional voice, but for the powerful stories he told through his music. It was driven by rebellion and offered revolutionary lyricism. As Dylan once said, “I consider myself a poet first and a musician second. I live like a poet, and I’ll die like a poet.” Chalamet brings this message to life musically and dramatically, blending relatability and raw emotions into his perfor-
mances. Songs like “Like a Rolling Stone” and “Girl From the North Country” stand out as examples in the film, introducing these pieces to newer generations watching.
Overall, the strong visuals captured made this film a more compelling experience for moviegoers. We were transported into the iconic spots that defined the ’60s music scene, from the Chelsea Hotel to the Newport Folk Festival. The film showcased Dylan’s smaller performances to in-
timate audiences in gritty underground bars and coffee shops. It made the audience and I feel like we were right there with him, experiencing the evolution of music and culture.
Chalamet’s performance carries the story of Dylan’s rise to fame in this film. Chalamet’s dedication to the role and his powerful performance are admirable, and I would be surprised if he walked away from this awards season without at least one accolade in hand.
ALLISON SCHNEIDER/THE FORDHAM RAM The display of various kinds of sweets available at Egidio on 187th Street.
Timothée Chalamet, playing Dylan, brought the mystery to life, creating a compelling story that resonates with all.
CRISTINA STEFANIZZI/THE FORDHAM RAM
Ashe Takes CAB’s Winterfest by Storm
By CATE DALTON CONTRIBUTING WRITER
This past Friday was the annual Winterfest concert at Fordham University’s Lincoln Center (LC) campus, hosted by the Campus Activities Board. The concert included performances from New York City based band Queer Theory, DJ Ms. Worldwide and, of course, the headliner Ashe. The indie singer is recognized for her fun electro-pop sound and funky aesthetics. Perhaps you would recognize her most popular hit “Moral of the Story” as heard in the movie “To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You” or her song “Till Forever Falls Apart” featuring FINNEAS.
Her discography includes three studio albums, “Ashlyn,” “Rae” and “Wilson,” which cleverly spell out her full name. This theme of album titles is fitting, as she mentioned at the LC performance how her musical journey has also been a journey of finding herself. She noted how at the beginning of her career, she had been working through an exhausting divorce, leading to the production of her most streamed song.
In fact, Ashe has been vocal about her mental health, as she took a break from performing in 2023, canceling her tour to take some time off as she did not feel “mentally healthy or resilient enough to go back on tour” (Ashe via Instagram). She did not return to the stage
until June 2024, when she joined Niall Horan on stage for a performance of “Moral of the Story” in Saratoga Springs, seeing as Horan was given a feature on it in 2020. This exciting comeback set the tone for her career, and her passion for her music has never been more evident.
Her honesty not only shows itself through her music, however, but her stage persona as well. At Winterfest, she graced the stage with a friendly, candid quality about her, where it was easy to tell she was genuinely delighted about the opportunity to do what she loved in front of a room of people. Dressed in a velvety blue jumpsuit and accessorizing with sunglasses, she jumped onto the stage and started her performance with a bang. Songs like “omw” and “Another Man’s Jeans” kicked off the concert with high energy, instantly getting the crowd on their feet and dancing along with her. Her single “Another Man’s Jeans” effectively personified the time she spent in Nashville during the early days of her career, with its cowbell, country twang feel to it.
Throughout the concert, Ashe played around with the crowd and her band, flipping her hair and leaping from one end of the stage to another. As if her stage presence didn’t make it clear enough, she even declared this was going to be “a very silly show”
between songs. After the energetic start, she then moved into more empowering songs like “Emotional” and “Hope You’re Not Happy,” some of her staple break up anthems, and the crowd shouted the lyrics along with her. Not all of her songs are as happy-go-lucky though: she also delved into her emotionally driven songs such as “Pull the Plug” and “Castle,” both decorated with existential but impassioned lyrics.
About halfway through the setlist, Ashe transitioned to the piano and began playing the melody of “I Love You, I’m Sorry” by Gracie Abrams. Soon enough, screams of excitement spread throughout the auditorium as fans began to recognize the cover. In her rendition of the song, she opted up the iconic last note in the bridge to the higher version, and the crowd erupted with applause. But the covers didn’t just end there. In the final third of the show, Ashe performed her single “Running Out of Time” from her most recent album “Wilson,” and transitioned its ending into “Love Story” by Taylor Swift. Once again, the students went wild, jumping up and down at the classic song. Many audience members even acted out the iconic verse of the song where Romeo “knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring.” These setlist additions amped up the fun, creating a lively, lighthearted atmosphere that
brought Ashe and the audience closer — because, in the end, we were all just dancing and enjoying the moment together.
By the final few songs of her setlist, everyone was singing along as she saved her biggest, most iconic hits for last. It truly unified the crowd as students were grabbing onto those around them at the line of “there’s nothing more romantic than dying with your friends” in “Till Forever Falls Apart.” And of course, not a soul was quiet during her final song, her iconic “Moral of the Story,” wrapping up her performance with drama and harmony.
Before she started saying her goodbyes, Ashe asked how
many members of the audience had seen her before. After realizing most of the room was experiencing her live performance for the first time, she asked with a smile, “Well, did I win you over?” It’s safe to say the crowd’s reaction embodied a resounding yes. While she only returned to the stage a little over half a year ago, it’s evident that Ashe is ready for a year of performing and connecting with audiences again. Her ability to capture the crowd with her enthusiastic melodies — while keeping them on their toes with unexpected surprise cover songs — perfectly emphasizes her excitement to continue to share her music around the world.
Living & Learning in London
The first time I had ever been to Europe was when I was 14. In complete honesty, I did not enjoy it all that much. The intense heat of Italy in July is not something I recommend for a first-time traveler. I remember seeing my shoe leave a print on the melting concrete sidewalks in Rome, wishing for some air conditioning and ice water. And I could not understand how my parents were so enthusiastic every day of our trip. Now that I’m in London, where the sun only sticks around until 4 p.m., I wish I hadn’t complained so much about the weather then.
It was that trip where I first learned what it meant to travel. Trying new food. Getting lost on public transit. Taking pictures of everything you see. Learning to say things in different languages (you may not think this one is important for me now, but don’t let the British fool you, their English is actually quite different from ours). A combination of complete wonder, excitement and chaos. That’s what
traveling is. A mix of ups and downs. What I started to learn after I was 14 was that traveling is also learning. After that trip, in hindsight, I found the urge to travel again to grow within me. And so, studying abroad had become a life goal of mine, something that I had dreamed about for almost six years.
As I have now spent almost a full month in London I can say that it is definitely a city worth dreaming about. My first few weeks were filled with very exciting excursions like finding the cheapest grocery stores, navigating the Tube and purchasing all the things I forgot to pack in my suitcase at local convenience stores. It was after the adjustment to living in a new country that the pressure of what it means to be abroad began. My next few weekdays were spent on Booking.com and the Ryanair website. The weekends were filled with exploring pubs and venturing into other areas of England. Just about every street in London has at least five pubs, and I’m pretty sure it’s impossible to go to all of them. Simi -
larly, there is no shortage of fish and chips places to go to. I had gone to the Borough Market when I first tried fish and chips. My takeaway was that British food is very much underrated.
Of all my adventures in England, my personal favorite was an afternoon trip to Bath, courtesy of Fordham London Centre. If you are looking for a place that feels like the pages of a storybook, Bath is where you need to go. Our tour guide, who also happened to be a massive “Bridgerton” fan, happily took our group through the caramel-colored stone buildings of the city, pointing out both the historical significance of each building and their significance in filming the popular Netflix original. Did you know they filmed the Modiste shop in a deli?
Most recently, I spent the weekend in Paris. After three buses, a plane and an Uber, I spent two days exploring what may be my favorite city in the world (although I’ll keep you updated the more I explore).
The best advice I could give you about Paris is to go with a French person. While I
wandered around looking confused, my French roommate happily navigated through the city, acting as our personal translator. The next best advice I can give is to go people watching. French cafés are quite literally meant for people watching, with chairs and tables on the outside all turned to face the street. My friends and I sat down with our coffee and croissants looking at all the passersby, wondering where they were off to. You would be surprised at how much you can learn about a culture through
people watching.
After roughly 15 miles of walking through Paris and ending our last night with a view of the sparkling Eiffel Tower, my friends and I journeyed back to London just in time for Monday’s classes.
This month has been filled with adventure. Somehow, I feel as though it has both gone on forever and was over in the blink of an eye. I’ve learned more than I ever expected about both myself and the culture around me. I am very much looking forward to what more this semester has in store.
Bath, England is a charming destination spot for tourists.
CATE DALTON/THE FORDHAM RAM Ashe takes the stage at Fordham University Lincoln Center.
ISABELLA DEROSA/THE FORDHAM RAM
By ISABELLA DEROSA ASST. CULTURE EDITOR EMERITUS
CULTURE
The Perfectly Fried Katsu You’ve Been Looking For: Konban
By ABIGAIL SMITH
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Konban, one of my latest food endeavors, serves shareable, unique Japanese dishes that will make you want to return to try their whole menu. Having first opened in Seoul, their Chelsea location opened about a year ago. This izakaya specializes in katsu, a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet. After discovering Konban on Instagram, my friend and I were curious to see if it would live up to the hype. Long story short, we came for the katsu, stayed for the ambiance and would return to try everything else the menu had to offer.
Konban is literally a hidden gem, considering I first walked past the discreet entrance, not knowing the restaurant was in an unassuming alleyway. Although we did go on Monday for dinner, I recommend making a reservation in advance, as it seems quite popular. Upon entering, the interior echoes a welcoming feel through the traditional Japanese wall paneling. As the friendly staff led us to our table, I noticed the restaurant went quite far back despite being small. My favorite feature was the large window, looking out onto a zen garden. The courtyard made a nice backdrop for where we were seated. The ambiance overall was casual, but the warm, inviting lighting alluded to its sophistication, which I found unique among the other
Japanese restaurants I’ve tried.
We were brought complimentary yuzu juice and tomato slices in a savory vinaigrette and cream cheese as soon as we sat down. To my surprise, the citrus taste was a nice compliment to the tomato flavor, as I hesitated to try it. We then looked at the menu, which is assorted into sections of katsu, otsumami (appetizers), yaki (grilled), noodles (made inhouse) and dessert. From the katsu section, we chose ebi katsu and pork loin. For appetizers, we ordered sabazushi (or mackerel sushi) and we chose mazemen noodles for the main. All the dishes were spaced out quite well, the appetizers arriving first, followed by the katsu dishes and then the noodles.
Starting with the sabazushi, this mackerel sushi was perfect for sharing, cut into six pieces. As someone who doesn’t typically eat mackerel, I questioned whether I would like this dish, but I was immediately persuaded after the first bite. Served with grated ginger, shiso (Japanese herb) and rice, this sushi is gluten-free and not fishy in taste. It was fresh and savory and perhaps my favorite and most memorable dish of the night. Not too long after, the ebi katsu arrived with three pieces. The king tiger shrimp was crispy on the outside, just as expected, and came paired with tonkatsu sauce and wasabi
ranch. Of the two sauces, the wasabi ranch was my favorite for its savoriness, but the tonkatsu sauce was a sweet contrast. The dish also has a small portion of truffle salt to sprinkle on. The shrimp is a nice contrast if you want something other than pork or chicken, as I felt it was still an impressive representation of Konban’s katsu specialty.
Next, the pork loin was cut into four pieces and paired with wasabi and truffle salt. Having already been impressed with the crunchiness of the shrimp, I was eager to taste the same combination of katsu and tonkatsu sauce with the pork. The loin was juicy and perfectly fried, being simple yet undoubtedly flavorful. The combination of wasabi and tonkatsu sauce was a spicy and sweet contrast. At this point, I decided Konban’s katsu specialty was promising in every dish.
Finally, the mazemen noodles were brought out with a set of tongs for sharing purposes. This is the only spicy noodle dish, consisting of spicy pork as the maze sauce and housemade almond butter. Mixed, the distinct taste of these noodles did not compare to other Japanese noodles I’ve tried. The noodles were not too thick; I could have eaten the whole thing myself. The mazemen noodles were a close second to the mackerel sushi, which I would order during my next visit. We were tempted by
the dessert, as I heard the signature corn ice cream is popular, but we decided against it.
In the near future, I will most certainly return to Konban, as there is much more I would love to try from their menu. The corn rib caught my attention, as did the truffle rice, served only at dinner. They also offer assorted sashimi and sushi sets, of which I would be interested in trying to taste a variety of their other sushi. My only gripe about Konban’s menu is the lack of rice options, a staple of Japanese meals. Although the truffle rice is an option, white rice would have paired more nicely alongside the katsu. Their lunch menu features a katsu with cabbage salad, edamame, white rice and miso soup. The noodle set comes with
cabbage salad, edamame and menchi katsu. Nevertheless, it is a shame the dinner menu does not offer these side dishes despite the menus offering the majority of the same items. Finally, despite ordering multiple dishes, I felt the portions were small and still felt hungry after leaving. Konban isn’t necessarily expensive, but I could see it being pricey should you order as a large group. Nonetheless, I will always appreciate the good meal Konban gave us. Their katsu specialty is welcoming for newcomers to Japanese cuisine, as well as the limited menu that does not overwhelm them. The next time you’re in the mood for a crispy, breaded pork cutlet served in a warm, peaceful setting, Konban is your go-to.
When You’re Smiling…
By LEIA DEMARCO LABARBIERA CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Okay, so I called it. If any of you read my last song review, you probably remember that at the end of it, I made the world (or at least the Fordham community) a promise. I promised that, starting with his release of “Love Somebody,” Morgan Wallen was marking a fundamental shift in his musical journey, not only by straying away from the security of a specific genre but by expanding his repertoire and emotionality. I believed that the song represented not just a fleeting experiment but a new direction in Wallen’s career where emotional depth and soul-crushing vocals were on the horizon… And, boy, was I right.
Just about a month ago, Wallen released his new single, “Smile,” accompanied by a music video (in which he sports a newly acquired buzz cut) directed by Justin Clough, who has directed almost all of Wallen’s videos in the past, including short films for “7 Summers,”
“More Than My Hometown” and “Cover Me Up.” After teasing snippets of the song on social media, it was finally time to give it a proper listen. Considering the claim I had made, I was excited to see what he had decided to do with this new release and a bit anxious to see if my prediction had been right. But, sure enough, as soon as I hit play, he got me again.
After a few seconds of silence, the song’s soft acoustic guitar accompaniment and hauntingly hypnotic backing vocals kick in. Although this may be one of the most sparsely arranged of Wallen’s songs, there is something artful about it. Its simplicity is its whole premise, and once you get to the chorus, you understand why.
Wallen croons, sporadically adding in vocal techniques, which he formally debuted in his release of “Love Somebody.” With crisp vocal runs and smooth transitions into falsetto, he traverses the song’s emotionality with expert skill, creating an intensity that sends chills
down your spine. And all the while, the unceasingly insistent backing track lends to its beautiful, yet somber construction.
The lyrics, although simpler than anything we are used to from Wallen thus far, offer up an intricately personal storyline: recounting a love that has not yet ended but must due to its inevitable destructive trajectory. Morgan’s delivery
is thus representative of the pain that comes with mature reflection on a complicated situation. This is done skillfully, especially in the final chorus, where Wallen’s contemplation manifests in a back-phrased section that seeks to cue the ending of not only the song but the tumultuous relationship as well.
Although I may not be able to personally connect with
the meaning of the song in the same way I did with “Love Somebody,” it still manages to break my heart every time I listen. Although it is known that “when you’re smiling, the whole world smiles with you,” Morgan does not seem to be familiar with that sentiment. As I listen, I am not smiling or doing something remotely similar to it. I am crying… sobbing, actually.
CRISTINA STEFANIZZI/THE FORDHAM RAM
Just over a month ago, the country music artist Morgan Wallen recently released his new hit single “Smile.”
CRISTINA STEFANIZZI/THE FORDHAM RAM Konban is serving up unique Japanese dishes in Chelsea.
CULTURE
Editor’s Pick | Music
“Cheat Codes,” Legacy and Danger Mouse’s Hidden Influence
By ANDREW MASSIE FEATURES EDITOR
Brian Joseph Burton, better known as Danger Mouse, has quietly shaped the sound of contemporary hip-hop, threading his unique production philosophy through collaborations with some of the most innovative artists to date. From his breakout project, “The Grey Album,” to his work with MF DOOM, Gorillaz, The Black Keys and beyond, Danger Mouse has pushed the boundaries of music production and redefined the artistic connection between hip-hop and alternative genres.
Danger Mouse’s career took off in 2004 with “The Grey Album,” a mashup of Jay-Z’s “The Black Album” and The Beatles’ “White Album,” (officially titled “The Beatles”), which showed his ability to bridge separate musical spheres in ways few had attempted before. Burton’s appetite to experiment led to groundbreaking collaborations, including his work with MF DOOM as a duo
dubbed “Danger Doom” and his role in shaping Demon Days, the Gorillaz’s seminal 2005 album.
Burton’s production philosophy is rooted in a deep appreciation for the emotional weight of music. Early in his career, Burton told Interview Magazine, “It is definitely more than a coincidence that particular notes and structures make people feel certain ways.” His ability to extract and amplify those feelings in his work has allowed him to create grand, atmospheric productions that resonate with different musical appetites.
In “Cheat Codes” (2022), a long-awaited collaboration with Black Thought, Danger Mouse once again demonstrated mastery of merging hip-hop’s raw lyricism with vintage, cinematic sounds. Originally titled “Dangerous Thoughts” in the mid-2000s, the album was put on hold due to both artists’ demanding schedules. But when it was finally released, it felt both timely and timeless: a deliberate return to hip-hop fundamentals with a sharp
avant-garde edge.
“Cheat Codes” adopts a bare, stripped-down aesthetic, unlike maximalist production styles that dominate newer hip-hop. The album leans on classic sample-based beats, evoking the feeling of digging through record store crates alongside Burton as he searches for a perfect, sensible sample. As Pitchfork noted, “Mouse dives back into grainy loops that will be familiar to fans of his older rap work, though they’re generally less playful than you may be expecting.”
Lyrically, Black Thought delivers intricate bars over Burton’s minimalist and potent production. On tracks like “Sometimes,” Black Thought weaves history through his verses, turning the song into a reflection on Black resilience: “Images of grandeur from Jamel Shabazz, Dapper Dan / Clap your hands whether you’re in Paterson or Pakistan.”
The album’s most unique moment comes on “Belize,” featuring a posthumous verse from MF DOOM, cementing “Cheat Codes” as a spiritual successor
to “The Mouse and the Mask.” What makes “Cheat Codes” unique is how it embodies Danger Mouse’s auteur-like approach to production. He has often likened his work to that of a film director, constructing sonic landscapes that allow artists to immerse themselves in the world of their projects. In a New York Times profile, he explained, “I can create different kinds of musical worlds, but the artist needs the desire to go into that world.”
“Cheat Codes” is a perfect example of this philosophy: it’s a space where Black Thought’s thorny lyricism and Danger Mouse’s atmospheric beats exist in seamless harmony.
“Cheat Codes” is more than just an album; it’s a testament to the power of collaboration between two visionaries who respect the past while reshaping the future. In an era where hip-hop often prioritizes immediacy over craftsmanship, Danger Mouse and Black Thought have created something enduring. This album doesn’t chase trends instead it is timelessness.
Danger Mouse’s work, spanning multiple decades and genres, proves that some of hiphop’s most influential figures operate behind the scenes, quietly reshaping its sonic landscape, one groundbreaking project at a time.
An Exploration of Influence Through The Whitney’s Edges of Ailey
By JUDE HELD CONTRIBUTING WRITER
To be entirely transparent, my excursion to the Whitney Museum of American Art was one primarily of practicality. Yes, I had a strong desire to visit the farthest and most mysterious of New York’s major art museums. I am an aficionado of modern art. I relish the advancements and abstractions of creative thought throughout the twentieth century. With that said, I ended up in the Meatpacking District because of an internship application, hopeful that a walkthrough of the museum would bolster my knowledge of the Whitney and its values. Coincidentally, the museum’s focal exhibit, “Edges of Ailey,” happened to be in its closing weeks, providing me an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.
As my elevator rose to the highest of the museum’s eight stories, it stopped briefly on the fifth floor, the home of “Edges of Ailey.” As the doors opened, a flash of red smeared the chrome walls around me. Mary Lou Williams’ “Our Father” reverberated. For a brief moment, I was entranced. As she crooned, I was transported to a wood-paneled chapel in rural Texas. Passionate churchgoers jerking and jiving around me lost in a soulful landscape of sound and color. Quickly though, the doors closed and I
returned to reality.
Before I discuss the nature of the Ailey exhibition, it is necessary that I provide a precursor for my experience. The Whitney is a brilliantly curated museum. Works from the collection are carefully displayed and arranged. With that said, it has a tendency (as many art museums do) to seem fairly redundant. As pieces come one after another, it is easy for them to blur and lose individuality. That may be a result of my inadequacies as an art viewer. But nonetheless, I entered “Edges of Ailey” exhausted. My legs ached, and I ambled slowly into the red expanse that had been teased earlier. However, what I would experience over the next hour was worth a temporary physical discomfort, as its spiritual and emotional implications left an irreparable mark on my soul.
A red board loomed directly ahead of the elevator. Succinctly, it described the alternative approach to representation that I found intriguing: “The breadth of this exhibition reflects the ambitions of the artist who said ‘I wanted to paint… I wanted to sculpt. I wrote poetry. I wanted to write the great American novel…” This was not to be a demonstration solely of the work and concepts created by Alvin Ailey, but rather an insight into his influences from Black America, both rural and metropolitan. These influences
serve to enhance the meaning of Ailey’s work. A display of only Ailey’s writings and dances would be visually intriguing, but with the addition of societal context, “Edges of Ailey” makes the leap from experience to memory.
The room is rectangular, but with the aid of stunning visual layout and curation, its direction is in many ways sporadic yet organized, a thoughtful allusion to the choreographing of dance. Each section touches on a specific area of influence for Ailey, weaving in both his thoughts on the subject and pieces created under the influence itself. For example, the section directly adjacent to the entrance covered tribal African culture. Enclosed in a glass case was a pair of crafted hand drums from the late eighteenth century. On the table just after were letters written between Duke Ellington and Ailey, discussing the creation of “Liberian Suite,” their tribute to the Liberian Republic’s centennial. This idea of interlacing influence with execution continues throughout the exhibition, as themes range from spirituality and music to femininity and homosexuality. This alone, though, is relatively typical of an exhibition documenting the work and life of an individual. So, what exactly gives “Edges of Ailey” the added component of soul and resonance? Along the top
of the red walls was a stripe of screen about fifty yards long, itself broken into various segments connected by a main idea. As I explored the section about spirituality, already moved by depictions of African American laborers attending mass and performing religious acts, I was startled by a light drone booming from the speakers overhead. Once I turned, I noticed multiple videos of a woman dancing with a single white cloth, her movements loose and pensive. The dance was Alvin Ailey’s “Cry.” I realized soon after that the drone was the musical pairing to the piece, Alice Coltrane’s “Something About John Coltrane.” As the piano came in, I stepped forward and observed the dancer, in the process exposing myself to the relationship between dance, music and the communication of raw emotion. As tears filled my eyes, I came to a realization. I know very little of the strugges that African American people faced. Yet through these contortions,
paired with a somber melody, I was able to achieve an insight into Alvin Ailey’s experiences, experiences shared by a community that has endured immense strife.
I was never appreciative of dance as an art form. I believe it has something to do with my own movements. At times I feel robotic, and as a result, the idea of expression through movement seemed foreign. I am grateful to “Edges of Ailey” and The Whitney for freeing me from this self-absorbed attitude. Observing art created to serve a community neglected by the mainstream is powerful in its transparency. Ailey was a trailblazer for dance, in addition to the African American and queer communities. He paved the way for a new school of thought that persists in spite of his passing and will continue as creatives explore mediums of expression for their hardships. “Edges of Ailey” is a mere step along the path, a testament to the enduring power of expression, bridging the past and future of cultural identity.
CRISTINA STEFANIZZI/THE FORDHAM RAM
The album “Cheat Codes” is a timeless work of art in our modern CRISTINA STEFANIZZI/THE FORDHAM RAM
Ailey was a trailblazer for dance and the African American community.
Grammys 2025: A Night of Music, a Night for LA
By HEATHER JONES CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The Grammys, hosted on Sunday, Feb. 2, was not only a night to celebrate this past year’s talented creators and musicians but also to come together as a nation to remember and support all that was lost in the recent Los Angeles wildfires.
The Grammys opened up with a performance by Dawes, an American folk rock band that has lost close to everything in the recent LA fires. Alongside John Legend, St. Vincent, Sheryl Crow, Brad Paisley and Brittany Howard, they sang a beautiful rendition of “I Love L.A.” by Randy Newman. The song seemed to set the tone for the night.
During the show, the Academy launched a major donation campaign for wildfire relief. Host Trevor Noah urged the public to donate to the QR code and website on the screen after nearly every commercial break. By the night’s end, $7 million was raised for wildfire victims who had lost their homes, businesses and schools.
Alongside the city of LA, the show this past Sunday honored the work of brave, talented and astonishing artists. With a mixture of clearly welldeserved and shocking wins, there is no denying that this night felt different than award shows in the past few years.
My friends and I found ourselves not only excited to watch our favorite performances or cheer on our adored artists, but also to watch how happy every
musician was to be there, despite all that has been lost this past month.
A lack of competitiveness and detestation, but admiration, respect and love swept the audience. Through the night’s triumphs and devastating snubs, our favorite celebrities still danced the night away.
Billie Eilish and her brother FINNEAS honored the LA fires with their performance of “Birds of a Feather,” Eilish’s hit single on her album “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” both up for nominations. Her pleasant live vocals filled the room and had the celebrities in the audience and those at home remembering to stick together.
Best Rap Album was the first award announced of the night, highlighting a brilliant rapper and a historic moment. Doechii, the only female in her category, won for her hip-hop album “Alligator Bites Never Heal.” This was a well-deserved, exciting moment for Doechii as she projected toward the crowd, “This category was introduced in 1989, and two people have won… THREE women have won: Lauryn Hill, Cardi B, and DOECHII!”
Sabrina Carpenter performed a witty, funny mashup of several songs on her album “Short n’ Sweet” and took home the Pop Vocal Album of the Year award moments later. Carpenter has been around for a while, putting her heart and soul into this album and two tours this past year; seeing her finally rewarded for her music was fantastic.
However, knowing Billie Eilish would be snubbed for the rest of the night, I would have loved to see her win for “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” a wonderfully crafted, lyrically stunning masterpiece. It was a highly competitive year, a great year for music. Not everyone’s going to come home with something.
In a lovely exchange, Taylor Swift announced the Best Country Album award to Beyonce’s “Cowboy Carter.” This past year, Beyonce gracefully experimented with a new genre, which paid off immensely.
Performances by the Best New Artist nominees following Sabrina Carpenter included Chappell Roan on a pink pony, Khruangbin with their incredible sound, Heidi Klum and Nikki Glazer ripping off Benson Boone’s suit to reveal a baby blue jumpsuit (my advice, leave the jumpsuits to Harry Styles, babe), Doechii’s fired up, energetic hip-hop mashup, Teddy Swims’ soulful and stunning vocals, Shaboozey’s giddy prancing around the stage boasting about being tipsy and Raye leaving the audience speechless after releasing her soul-crushing, incredible voice.
The most anticipated category besides Album of the Year was Best New Artist, with none other than Chappell Roan taking home the Grammy (after she picked it up off the floor of course).
Although it was not my pick, there is no denying that Chappell Roan’s breakout year was legendary. Roan celebrated her win, calling out record labels to give their artists a liveable wage and
healthcare, an on-brand action for the outspoken artist. Another moment at the Grammys pushing for change, bringing the audience together, igniting hope in everybody — indeed a profound moment for the Best New Artist.
Will Smith, Cynthia Erivo, Janelle Monáe, Lainey Wilson, Stevie Wonder and Herbie Hancock came together in a beautiful tribute to the legacy of Quincy Jones, who died this past year. It was sweet, wholesome and lively, a perfect piece in honor.
Best Latin Pop Album went to Shakira, followed by a performance by the 48-year-old in which her hips still don’t lie! Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga took home the Grammy for Best Pop Duo for their record “Die With a Smile,” with a powerful sentiment for the transgender community from Gaga. Alicia Keys was awarded the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, after which she delivered an elegant and inspiring speech aimed at President Trump’s DEI policies.
“DEI [diversity, equity, and inclusion] is not a threat, it’s a gift,” Keys said
as the audience roared with applause.
Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” won for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year, two wins I was not anticipating but found myself somewhat okay with. But still, both of them? Academy, you could have given Eilish or Swift something. After a flashback into Brat Summer with Charlie XCX’s skimpy and sexy performance, Album of the Year was finally announced.
An LA firefighter awarded Beyonce with a Grammy for her album “Cowboy Carter.” It was not my top choice (“The Tortured Poets Department” was my album of the year), but this win was not surprising. Beyonce’s experiment with genre was both thrilling and inspiring. Music should be shifted and borrowed, as well as original and new. There should be no limit to the imagination, no limit to creativity, which is what the Grammys proved Sunday night.
It was a legendary night for music, a historical moment for philanthropy and a good, fun time.
Denzel Washington Proves Why He’s The Best Fordham Alumnus in “Gladiator II”
By SAMANTHA DIAZ STAFF WRITER Nielsen)
Set sometime in Ancient Rome 24 years after the original “Gladiator” (1999), Maximus’ son, Lucius (Paul Mescal), is following in the footsteps of his father. Lucius’ wife is killed in the beginning, he is captured as a slave and put to fight in gladiatorial battles in the Colosseum.
Lucius’ rage in restoring Rome as a proper empire knows no bounds, seeking revenge on Acacius (Pedro Pascal) for the death of his wife. Macrinus (Denzel Washington) takes Lucius under his wing to mentor him for his battle, but later comes to realize that Macrinus was actually the one who ordered the death of his wife.
As tensions continue to rise, Macrinus kills Lucius’ mother, Lucilla (Connie
before attempting to flee Rome. Lucius follows quickly, and they meet outside the Colosseum and enter a duel. Lucius emerges victorious, for the sake of Rome, his late parents and his wife.
The best part of the movie “Gladiator II” is easily crowned to Washington’s performance as Macrinus. Every time he appears, he commands the screen with his presence, even if he’s not the main focus of the story. Washington is shamelessly himself in the film, which works in his favor.
Think of any other actor who can effortlessly flex the use of a New York accent in Ancient Rome. Not many actors have that bragging right and it’s a shame he doesn’t play villain roles more often when he has a swagger and charisma that is unique to him and his performances.
As for the rest of the film, it doesn’t live up to the original film’s expectations, but is still enjoyable. “Gladiator II” is slightly retconned to have Lucius be the son of Maximus for the sake of establishing a connection, which loses the strength and honor that “Gladiator” heavily prides itself on.
Mescal is a great actor and has big shoes to fill by his predecessor, Russell Crowe. Perhaps that could have been avoided by not making Lucius’ story so similar to that of Maximus. At times, that is what causes “Gladiator II” to miss its mark as a worthy sequel.
Crowe doesn’t even make an appearance in the film, but audiences know of his performance, which unintentionally overshadows Mescal’s. It isn’t fair to compare the two actors, but there’s a reason why many
speak of Crowe’s performance 25 years later.
Despite their stories being similar, there were some differences between Maximus and Lucius as characters. Lucius was more focused on vengeance and anger, which is different from Maximus who was calculated and held himself to a moral code.
It’s interesting to think about what a “Gladiator” sequel could have looked like with Crowe
returning and Washington as the villain. Thankfully, Ridley Scott has also blessed us with the Crowe/Washington collaboration in “American Gangster” (2007).
A “Gladiator” sequel is in the works, with Mescal likely to return to continue Lucius’ story. While the details aren’t concrete, there are numerous possibilities for another historical epic. Hopefully, this time, it’s worth the wait.
The 2025 Grammys Ceremony was one to remember.
CRISTINA STEFANIZZI/THE FORDHAM RAM
“Gladiator II” is one of the must-see films of 2025. CRISTINA STEFANIZZI/THE FORDHAM RAM
Fordham Tennis Up and Down to Kick Off Spring Slate
By GRACE MCCARRON SPORTS EDITOR
The Fordham women’s tennis team started their spring schedule off strong with a win over the St. Bonaventure University Bonnies, besting them 5-2 on Jan. 25. While competing at the Drumlins Country Club in Syracuse, New York, the Rams won five of six singles matches after dropping the doubles point when St. Bonaventure won two of three doubles matches. Four of these singles matches were won in straight sets. Senior Julianne Nguyen, senior Lorraine Bergmann, freshman Catalina Padilla Udaeta and junior Aya Matsunaga were responsible for the straight-set victories, while sophomore Lily Chitambar won Fordham’s fourth singles match. Additionally, Bergmann and Padilla Udaeta won Fordham’s lone doubles match on the day, claiming a 6-1 victory over Tamara Bachmann and Sienna Smith in second doubles.
The next day, Fordham was shut out by the Syracuse Orange, 7-0. Syracuse took all three doubles matches to take
the doubles point, and then won all six singles matches for the sweep.
On Feb. 2 at Temple University in Philadelphia, the tide turned back the way of Fordham, with the Rams defeating Temple 5-2. The Rams struggled to start off, dropping the doubles point matches. Bergmann and Chitambar defeated Temple’s Shevita Aulana and Maria Martinez 6-3 in the Rams’ only doubles victory. The squad bounced back nicely, however, winning five of six singles matches and four in straight sets. Nguyen, Bergmann, Chitambar and Matsunaga took their respective matches in straight sets, while freshman Paola Ueno Dalmonico was pushed to a third set but prevailed, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4, over Temple’s Marianthi Christoforidou. The women’s squad, who currently stand at 2-1 on the season, will next welcome Illinois State University to the Bronx’s Cary Leeds Center on Feb. 7 at noon.
The men’s tennis team struggled
Athletes of the Week
In Amherst, Massachusetts, on Feb. 1, the Fordham women’s swimming and diving team won 10 events, with senior Ainhoa Martin a part of four of these victories. Martin won three individual events, claiming the top spot in the 200 freestyle, 200 breaststroke and 200 individual medley. Martin was also the anchor for the 400 freestyle relay team, taking first place in the event alongside Jessica Zebrowski, Hope Nolan and Emma Shaughnessy. In a close battle, the University of Massachusetts Minutewomen bested the Rams 151.5-148.5 in the final meet before the Atlantic 10 championship commences on Feb. 19.
The Fordham men’s track and field team won their first Metropolitan Championship in school history on Jan. 31. Freshman Njam Abdul-Latif set a school record in the 200-meter dash with a time of 21.41 seconds, besting his own record from last week (21.47). He also placed second in the 60-meter dash. Abdul-Latif looks to continue his excellent freshman season this Saturday, Feb. 8, when the team participates in both the Millrose Games and Big Apple Invitational.
in University Park against Penn State University, also getting shut out 7-0 on Jan. 25. Penn State swept in the doubles matches to kick things off by taking the doubles point, and then won all six singles matches. The Rams took one set off the Nittany Lions in the singles matches, when Dhananjay Athreya won the second set in his match against Marcus Schoeman, forcing a third set that Schoeman won to claim victory in the match.
On Feb. 2 against New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), Fordham was blanked yet again, with the Highlanders sweeping the Rams 7-0. The Rams faced an exceptionally strong NJIT squad that has won five straight competitions with scores of 7-0. Fordham pushed four of their singles matches to three sets. They currently stand at 0-3 on the season.
A Rough Week For Women’s Basketball
By IAN NELSON ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
This past week, the Fordham women’s basketball team struggled to generate offense as they lost both of their matchups.
On Jan. 29, Fordham hosted the University of Rhode Island (URI) Rams and were held to a meager 35 points in the contest. They were dominated from the get-go as URI opened the game on a 19-2 run. Fordham was never able to bounce back, partly because of poor perimeter shooting, finishing the game 12-0 from three-point range. Junior guard Chaé Harris led the scoring for Fordham with 12 points and senior guard Taylor Donaldson contributed 8 points. Combined, the pair scored more than half of the Rams’ points.
Following their loss, the Rams looked to bounce back on the road against Saint Louis University (SLU).
Though a late rally did force overtime, they were not able to pull out the win. After scoring just 23 points in the first 30:50 of the game, the
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Rams scored 26 points in the final 9:10 of regulation to tie it up. Taylor Donaldson drained the game tying bucket with 28 seconds to play on a contested jumper. The overtime period saw many free throws and just one made basket. SLU scored the final seven points to secure the win. Donaldson led the way for the Rams with 21 points, six rebounds and two steals.
As a team, Fordham totaled 55 rebounds, their most in a game since last year’s season opener against Adelphi. Those 55 marked their most offensive boards since they grabbed 30 rebounds against Dartmouth back on Nov. 26, 2003.
The Rams dropped consecutive games for just the second time this season, falling to 12-9 on the year and 6-4 in Atlantic 10 play.
Next up, the men’s squad heads north to Connecticut. They face Fairfield University on Sunday, Feb. 9 at 5 p.m., looking for their first win of the season. Compiled by Grace McCarron
The Rams returns home to the Rose Hill Gym on Saturday, Feb. 8. They will face the George Mason Patriots at 2 p.m.
Varsity Calendar
Princeton 9:30
Ainhoa Martin Senior Swimming
Will Lokier, a Fordham University freshman on the Men’s Tennis Team, competes in a match.
COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS
COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS
Women’s Basketball lost both their games this week.
Super Bowl Preview: Who Takes Home The Lombardi?
By KURT SIPPEL
Another year and another Super Bowl, and yet the same familiar faces are still going to plague our screens. Patrick Mahomes and his Kansas City Chiefs are back for a third year in a row. Standing in front of the Chiefs is a formidable foe, the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Eagles are looking to avenge their loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. Philadelphia has leveled up with the addition of running back Saquon Barkley, who rushed for over 2,005 yards this season. The playoffs have not slowed Barkley down, who continued to rush for another 477 total yards.
The Eagles are real, and the roster they have constructed has played very good football all season. They have won 14 of their last 15 games, including playoffs, and their road to the Super Bowl wasn’t an easy one. But they dominated the competition that stood in front of them.
In the National Football Conference championship, the Eagles beat the Washington Commanders, with a final score of 55-23. Philadelphia’s offensive line was on full display during the game, allowing Barkley to rush for 118 yards and score three touchdowns.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts had 246 passing yards, completing 20 of his 28 passes and throwing one touchdown. The game came easy for Hurts, whose struggles during the first two games had fans wary of what was to come.
Hurts’ performance was one that had to have made fans
more confident, and it is what they have come to expect from him. This is what fans are going to expect from him when Super Bowl Sunday comes around on Feb. 9.
The Eagles defense has been stellar all season, and the key to much of their defensive output is their ability to force fumbles. During the NFC championship game, they had four forced fumbles, adding to their 29 total for the season.
Their defense has been cemented in defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who has been the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the Philadelphia defense. Carter has been hard to contain for any team this season, with 20 quarterback pressures in the postseason alone, along with nine postseason tackles.
The Chiefs’ offensive line is going to have their hands full trying to manage him.
Speaking of having their
hands full, Mahomes has a knack for winning when it matters the most. All season, the Chiefs have not been 100% the best team on the field, but they have found ways to win, going 15-2 this season and an undefeated 8-0 at home.
During the matchup in the American Football Conference (AFC) championship game against the Buffalo Bills, Mahomes threw for 245 yards and completed 18 of his 26 passes. It’s a credit to how well this Kansas City team is built. Mahomes has the talent, but he is also able to make everyone that plays around him better.
The Chiefs’ ability to tweak their game plans is what makes it so difficult to play against them. Head Coach Andy Reid and his coordinators are able to shift against anything and everything that the other teams can throw at them.
That showed in how Reid’s
game plan changed against the imposing Bills defense. Instead of relying on their receivers, it changed to more rushing plays. Mahomes set a new career high, rushing 11 times for 43 yards. He also set his career record in rushing touchdowns with two.
We should not forget about the Chiefs’ receivers. Xavier Worthy still had 85 receiving yards and a touchdown. JuJu Smith-Schuster also caught for another 60 yards.
Steve Spagnuolo, the Chiefs defensive coordinator, deserves a large share of the credit and will be one of the keys to this Super Bowl chase. While not being very impressive overall stat-wise, they still averaged the fourth fewest points allowed in the NFL.
The reason for this is the consistency Spagnuolo has been able to provide. Spagnuolo has many tricks up his sleeve. He works with incredible talent in
defensive linemen Chris Jones and George Karlaftis. Their blitz rate and quarterback pressures were on full display during the late plays in the AFC championship.
This year was supposed to be the year that the Chiefs were vulnerable to the big opponents in their division, as well as other teams, including the Detroit Lions and even Josh Allen and his Bills. But somehow, the Chiefs just kept on winning when it mattered the most.
The question still stands: Have the Eagles done enough in the last two years to finally do what only two teams have done before them in the Mahomes era and defeat the Chiefs? It’s all going to come down to the performance of Barkley and if he can break through the vulnerable Chiefs line.
The Eagles have to continue to play the brand of football that has gotten them this far already. Focus on defense first and try to stop the Chiefs and limit Mahomes the best they can. It’s something many have tried, and few have succeeded. But the Eagles can make it difficult by utilizing the number one defense in the NFL.
If the Chiefs can consistently speed up the Eagles offense and blitz Hurts, who struggled with it in the past, it could lead to mistakes that will allow Mahomes more time to operate with the ball.
We are in for a very exciting game on Feb. 9. Both of these teams are powerhouses with no shortage of talent and we might witness history if the Chiefs win three in a row. However, the Eagles are not going to make it easy.
Possibilities and Problems With 4 Nations Face-Off
By LYDIA PIRNER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
It is no secret that the National Hockey League’s (NHL) international presence in the hockey world is waning. Aside from the World Junior Championship — where NHL fans can follow their teams’ top prospects — international hockey has largely been absent from the league, its players and its fanbase for quite some time. Players have not participated in the Winter Olympics since 2014 in Sochi, Russia. More recently in 2016, we saw the third installment of the NHLsanctioned World Cup of Hockey, which was supposed to return in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic derailed those plans. Furthermore, in the case of Russia — a country home to many of the league’s top players — now suspended from international competition until further notice due to multiple geopolitical reasons, professional-level international tournaments were nonexistent for years. Until now — maybe.
At the 2024 All-Star Game, the NHL announced there would be no 2025 All-Star Weekend. Instead, we will see the debut of the 4 Nations
Face-Off, featuring Team Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States. The tournament is scheduled to take place from Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston. The format consists of a roundrobin stage, culminating in a single-game final between the top two teams.
In theory, this sounds like an exciting idea for both fans and players. The tournament generated significant buzz early on, and the concept was well received. However, with just a couple of weeks to go, it now appears to be a business disaster in the making for several reasons.
While the International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) decision to ban Russia from international tournaments is understandable, its impact on this event is undeniable. Currently, only about 5% of the NHL’s players are Russian, but that small percentage consists of some of the league’s most electrifying talents. Superstar forwards like Nikita Kucherov, Artemi Panarin, Kirill Kaprizov in addition to Alex Ovechkin would have made Russia a powerhouse. On the defensive, names like Mikhail Sergachev and Nikita Zadorov stand out. And in goal? The potential
tandem of Igor Shesterkin, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Sergei Bobrovsky and Ilya Sorokin would have been a nightmare for opposing shooters. In short, the absence of Russian players is a significant loss for the tournament’s overall competition and star power.
That said, Russian players might not mind being excluded, as it allows them a weeklong break during an already grueling NHL season. While there’s no greater honor than representing your country, the reality is that these players are focused on winning the Stanley Cup — not a short round-robin tournament with no semifinals.
Alex Pietrangelo was the first to express this sentiment, citing an “undisclosed injury” as his reason for withdrawing. However, after making that announcement, he was on the ice for the Vegas Golden Knights’ next game, raising questions in regard to whether players are opting out simply to rest. In the NHL, being “healthy” is a broad spectrum — many of the league’s best players are likely banged up or fatigued but still technically fit to play, so can you blame them for wanting to take advantage of this lengthy in-season break?
Unlike the All-Star Game,
where skipping results in a one-game suspension, there are no consequences for players opting out of the 4 Nations tournament other than their pride. That means more players may follow Pietrangelo’s lead, choosing rest and recovery over participation. For a veteran who has already won two Stanley Cups, an Olympic gold medal and a World Junior Championship, what more is there to prove? And honestly, as a Rangers fan, I wouldn’t mind if Chris Kreider did the same — he looks like he can barely bend his back when he skates. I’m sure fans of other teams have similar feelings about their own players.
Hockey players are known for their toughness, but this tournament falls right in the middle of a crucial stretch of the season — a prime time for recovery before the playoff push.
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room. Who is paying over $150 for nosebleed seats to watch Canada vs. Finland on a Monday afternoon in Boston?
The answer is simple: no one.
Not only has the NHL scheduled weekday games that limit accessibility, but
they’ve also slapped hefty price tags on tickets for a poorly marketed tournament. In mid-January, Chris Johnston reported that the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA) were concerned about sluggish ticket sales and planned a marketing push later in the month. Well, as I write this, it’s Jan. 29, and as someone deeply involved in the online hockey community, I’ve seen zero promotional efforts.
Here are the get-in prices on SeatGeek for each game: Canada vs. Sweden – $136 USA vs. Finland – $60 Finland vs. Sweden – $52 USA vs. Canada – $354 Canada vs. Finland – $112 Sweden vs. USA – $178 Championship Game – $219 With pricing and scheduling issues, it’s no surprise that ticket sales are struggling. The NHL and NHL Players’ Association should have seen this coming.
The 4 Nations Face-Off has the potential to be an amazing event, showcasing the best-on-best competition that the hockey world has been craving. Otherwise, this tournament could go down as another missed opportunity for international hockey.
The Philadelphia Eagles will face the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in Super Bowl LIX.
CRISTINA STEFANIZZI/FORDHAM RAM
Even The People of London Hate the Chiefs
By JOE HENRY
ASST. SPORTS EDITOR EMERITUS
It’s 2:50 a.m. local time. Drunken masses huddle in front of the lone big screen at a sports bar in Western part of London. It’s the AFC Championship. The Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Buffalo Bills. Fourth quarter, third down.
Now, it’s 2:51 a.m. local time. The bar is empty.
What happened?
Samaje Perine, the Chiefs’ third-string running back, has just gotten a first down on his first snap of the game, clinching Kansas City’s third Super Bowl appearance in a row and a chance at becoming the first NFL franchise ever to three-peat as Super Bowl champions. There is still time on the clock, and a trophy presentation ceremony is scheduled to begin when the clock strikes zero.
It does not matter. The people of London are not happy. The people of London do not care to stay and watch your trophy ceremony. The people of London are going to bed.
As any American football fan has observed, the meteoric rise of quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs has coincided with a meteoric rise in distaste for the quarterback and his franchise. Concealed behind storylines riddling the
image of Mahomes’ brother and wife, in addition to Taylor Swift’s romance with star tight end Travis Kelce, a seething hatred for the NFL’s most dominant franchise has overtaken the sports world — and when I say world, I can say first-hand that this hatred is truly international. Let’s rewind a little. As I resign from B-52 and my editorship at The Fordham Ram to study abroad in London, my insatiable appetite for sports stays with me. Plagued by pneumonia and homesickness, I muster the strength to join some friends at a sports bar for the NFL’s conference championship weekend. You may be surprised to know that my New England Patriots didn’t make the game. Nonetheless, here I am.
As the Philadelphia Eagles decimate the Washington Commanders, I start to notice that the bargoers — who came to watch American football — now seem more interested in a different kind of football: the Fulham vs. Manchester United match on the corner TV. Somewhere between Philadelphia’s fifth and seventh rushing touchdown, I, a known enemy of the sport of soccer, turn my attention to this corner TV. I become a massive fan of a man by the name of Adama Traoré, who has a build like
Derrick Henry. No soccer player should be built like Derrick Henry. Oh my goodness, he just trucked a defender and wasn’t carded. I take it back. Every soccer player should be built like Derrick Henry.
This experience was infinitely more entertaining than the entire second half of the NFC championship game.
This is a long way of saying that few Londoners seemed to have any partiality when it came to the victor of the Eagles-Commanders game. As the fourth quarter clock dwindled, however, it became evident that the upcoming Chiefs-Bills game would tell a very different story.
Droves of fans who hadn’t even bothered showing up for the NFC championship crowded the bar, almost all donning Bills attire. I heard a few North Americans from New York, Toronto and the Midwest — close enough to be true Bills fans. I also heard dozens of British accents — locals — who seemed as passionate about the Bills as someone born and raised in Rochester. It was extremely fascinating.
Coupled with this fanfare was unrelenting trash talk for any Chief who dared touch the ball. Sarcastic jeers of “Flag! Flag!” filled the bar the moment a Bills defender
laid a finger on Mahomes. Such trash talk was far more prominent than any cheers for a Bills first down or score.
I began to wonder if these blue-and-red clad bargoers were really Bills fans.
It seems more likely that, had the Baltimore Ravens beaten the Bills in the divisional round, I’d be drowning in a sea of purple. Had the Cleveland Browns rallied behind Jameis Winston to get to this game, the bar would be dressed in Brown — their jerseys would probably still have the tag on them. I’d bet that half of the Josh Allen jerseys at this bar were returned Monday morning.
I don’t say this because the Bills faithful became disillusioned with the prospect of Allen leading them to the promised land, or angry that their quarterback didn’t quite play up to his Most Valuable Player (MVP) standard in the championship game.
I say this because, had the 2016 Golden State Warriors or the 2007 Patriots — two of the most hated teams in sports history — lined up against those red and yellow jerseys, the outcome would have been no different. From the Bay Area of California to the streets of West London, from every corner of this world — and probably even
among the seven inhabitants of the international space station — one rule is supreme. No matter what team may be your preference, you root against the Chiefs.
Whether it’s the extracurricular storylines surrounding the team’s rise, the favoritism many feel the team receives from referees or their uncanny ability to win even the ugliest of games, the Chiefs have become the world’s most hated team.
My time in London has proven this. As the reign of the Chiefs draws on, NFL fandom is becoming less about who you love and more about who you hate. Gone are the days of having a tough decision on your hands about who to root for once your team is eliminated from the playoffs or the playoff picture. That’s because, in 2025, you don’t have to choose who to root for. You must only choose who to root against.
As I walked home that night, I talked with a fellow bargoer — a stranger, I asked who he would root for in the Super Bowl. Logically, there are only two answers to this question: either of the two teams who are playing. Not so. He responded, bleakly, with three universal words.
“Not the Chiefs.”
Cooperstown Welcomes Three New Faces
By NOAH HOFFMAN
Last Tuesday, Jan. 21, the National Baseball Hall of Fame announced this year’s Baseball Writers’ Association of America voting results. Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner will join Dick Allen and Dave Parker, who were elected by the Classic Baseball Era Committee back in December, as part of the Class of 2025.
Suzuki and Sabathia were inducted in their first year on the ballot, with Suzuki falling just one vote shy of becoming the second unanimous Hall of Famer after Mariano Rivera. Wagner, meanwhile, earned his place on his final ballot, narrowly missing induction the previous year. Each had a different, yet in some ways similar, path that led to the same destination of baseball immortality.
Suzuki’s road to Cooperstown began as a fourth-round pick in the 1991 Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) draft. Despite doubts about his small stature, he became a star with the Orix BlueWave after breaking out in 1994 by hitting .385 with 210 hits, setting the Japanese single-season record. Suzuki went on to win seven consecutive batting titles and three straight MVP awards.
After nine seasons in Japan, Suzuki signed with the Seattle Mariners in 2000, becoming Major League Baseball’s (MLB) first Japanese position player. The Japanese star made an immediate impact in his rookie
season, leading the league in hits (242), batting average (.350) and stolen bases (56). His remarkable debut earned him both American League Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player honors, making him just the second player ever to win both awards in the same season.
Over his entire MLB career, Suzuki dazzled fans with his hitting, speed and defensive skills. He recorded 200 or more hits in each of his first 10 seasons, set the MLB single-season hits record with 262 in 2004 and won 10 Gold Gloves. Across 28 seasons, Suzuki accumulated 4,367 hits, 3,089 in MLB and 1,278 in NPB, the most in professional baseball history. He not only cemented his legacy with his statistics but also paved the way for all Japanese players, and although he is the first Japanese-born Hall of Famer, he certainly won’t be the last.
Sabathia, a first-round pick by the Cleveland Indians in 1998,
also debuted in 2001, finishing runner-up to Suzuki in Rookie of the Year voting. However, it wasn’t until 2007 that he began to build his Hall of Fame résumé, winning the American League (AL) Cy Young Award with 19 wins, a 3.21 Earned Run Average (ERA) and 209 strikeouts over 241 innings.
In 2008, Sabathia was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in a historic deadline deal. Over 17 starts, he posted an 11-2 record with a 1.65 ERA, including seven complete games and three shutouts, carrying the Brewers to their first playoff appearance in 26 years. The southpaw finished fifth in National League (NL) Cy Young voting and sixth in NL MVP voting, despite only pitching there for half the season.
That offseason, he signed a record-breaking $161 million contract with the New York Yankees, becoming the ace they needed after they missed the playoffs in 2008. In Sabathia’s first season
in New York, he led the pitching staff en route to a World Series title, winning American League Championship Series MVP honors on the way.
Sabathia played 11 seasons with the Yankees, recording 134 wins and 1,700 strikeouts. He retired with 251 career wins and 3,093 strikeouts, and joined Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton as the only left-handers in MLB history to reach 250 wins and 3,000 strikeouts, both of whom he will join in Cooperstown this summer.
Wagner’s journey to the Hall was far from easy. After a challenging childhood that included times when his family had little to eat and teaching himself to throw left-handed after he broke his right arm multiple times, he became one of the best relievers of all time.
Wagner, a Division III product out of Ferrum College, was drafted 12th overall by
the Houston Astros in 1993 and debuted in the majors in 1995. Named the Astros’ full-time closer in 1997, he recorded the first of nine 30plus save seasons in 1998. In 1999, Wagner earned his first All-Star nod and finished fourth in NL Cy Young voting with 39 saves, a 1.57 ERA and 124 strikeouts.
The flamethrower posted three more 35-plus save seasons in Houston, earning two additional All-Star appearances before spending two years with the Philadelphia Phillies and four with the New York Mets, tacking on three more All-Star nods. He returned late in 2009 with the Red Sox and closed out his career in 2010 with the Braves, saving 37 games and posting a 1.43 ERA at age 38.
Wagner retired in 2010 with 422 saves (eighth all-time), a 2.31 ERA and 1,196 strikeouts, fanning 33.2% of hitters faced over 16 dominant seasons. In his tenth and final ballot, he finally garnered the necessary votes to secure his place in Cooperstown, making him one of just nine primary relievers to do so.
The Class of 2025 showcases several paths to baseball greatness. Suzuki, the international icon and trailblazer. Sabathia, the traditional ace. Wagner, the gritty closer who defined resilience on and off the mound. Their induction will take place on the last weekend of July in Cooperstown, New York.
CRISTINA STEFANIZZI/FORDHAM RAM
A new Hall of Fame class has been selected consisting of Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner
ASST. SPORTS EDITOR EMERITUS
Men’s Basketball Stumbles at St. Bonaventure After Two Consecutive Wins
ELIZABETH COLLINS ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
Fordham broke their sixgame loss streak with a home win on Jan. 26 against the Duquesne University Dukes. Junior forward Josh Rivera led the team with 16 points, and graduate student guard Japhet Medor and junior forward Romad Dean followed with 14 and 12. The matchup remained close, never exiting a three-possession game. After the Rams trailed by one at the half, they came out strong in the second, securing their largest lead, 50-44, with an 8-2 scoring run around nine minutes in. Fordham held onto their lead as the Dukes chipped away at it, eventually making it a one-point game with 1:35 left on the clock. However, senior guard Jackie Johnson III found Rivera for the biggest three of the day with about 25 seconds left on the clock, essentially securing their win. The game ended 65-63. Coming off the momentum of their first conference win a few days prior, the Rams battled the LaSalle University Explorers on Wednesday, Jan. 29. LaSalle, also competing after a good win
against the University of Rhode Island, came with energy but continually fell short of the electric game the Rams played on the court. Fordham began with an aggressive offense and defense, forcing multiple turnovers and shot-clock violations and preventing the Explorers’ threepoint attempts. The Rams led by 15 at the half and continued dominating in the second, maintaining a double-digit advantage throughout. In addition to Johnson III, Rivera, Medor, and Dean, forwards Matt Zona and Jahmere Tripp joined as leading scorers this game, all putting up double figures. The final was 88-72.
This past Saturday, Feb. 1, the Rams traveled to Allegany, New York, to face the St. Bonaventure University Bonnies for the second time this season. While the Rams had two consecutive wins under their belt, the Bonnies were also following a big win against the University of Dayton Flyers (the Flyers’ biggest loss of their season). When the Bonnies visited the Bronx in January, they won by 20 for their eighth win in a row, but they then proceeded to lose five of their next six until their matchup with
Dayton earlier in the week.
To begin the afternoon, both teams struggled shooting, but the Bonnies corrected themselves sooner, putting the first seven points on the board until a Medor three gave the Rams their first points about four and a half minutes into the half. St. Bonaventure remained in the lead throughout the first, dominating in the paint while the Rams struggled from deep. With around 13:25 left, a Medor three began a 10-5 Fordham run, cutting the lead to two, 12-10. However, a Bonnies run followed, and by the time Fordham got their next bucket, the Bonnies doubled the Rams’ points 28-14. About halfway through the first, Fordham adjusted their game as the offense began to drive to the glass, and the defense switched to zone to slow the Bonnies’ offense. However, the Bonnies’ strength and speed continually allowed them to dominate, with the largest scoring deficit of the half being 16. At the break, the score was 29-40.
To start the second half, Fordham was determined to change the game. By the first time-out (about five and a half minutes into play), the Rams cut
the Bonnies’ advantage to eight, as Medor and Johnson led in points. St. Bonaventure, however, continued to lead by a large margin until the latter half of the second; with around 7:30 on the clock, Johnson III made it a fivepoint game with a three. While the Bonnies responded, it began a run as Medor shot two threes to make it a one-possession game with five minutes left to play. Later, with 2:34 on the clock, a Johnson III layup made for the game’s first tie, 68-68, but the Bonnies scored five more points as a response, and the fouling began. Johnson III got the game back to 73-70 with 28 seconds left with a couple of free throws, and a put-back from Dean cut it to one, 73-72, with six seconds
on the clock. After star guard Lajae Jones missed a free throw for the Bonnies, the Rams had a chance at a win or tie with their next possession, but Medor couldn’t hit it from half-court. The game ended 72-74, advancing St. Bonaventure 17-6 overall, 5-5 in the Atlantic-10, and placing Fordham 10-12 overall and 2-7 in the conference. Johnson III scored a teamhigh 20 points, while Medor added 18 and Rivera with 12.
The Rams played a full game against the Bonnies and managed to chip away at the large lead following the first half, but they just couldn’t finish. On Feb. 5, Fordham will have a chance to secure their next win against the Rhode Island Rams at home.
Overtime: Nebraska Volleyball’s John Cook Retires
IAN NELSON ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
On Wednesday, Jan. 30, the end of an era in college volleyball was signaled when the news that the University of Nebraska’s John Cook was retiring from his role as head coach. In his career, Cook, who had held the role of head coach at Nebraska for the last 25 years, was universally beloved by fans of the program and respected by all his competitors for his success and experience.
Cook began his coaching career in California at the high school level, even though his original goal was to coach football, before becoming a college assistant at the University of California San Diego and then Nebraska. After leaving Nebraska, he took a head coaching position at the University of Wisconsin in 1992. Seven seasons later, he returned home to Nebraska as associate head coach in 1999. He then took over the Huskers in 2000, winning his first National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) title that year. The Huskers won three additional national championships
under Cook in 2006, 2015 and 2017.
Accompanying the national championships, when Nebraska was in the Big 12, Cook won nine regular-season titles and five when the school moved to the Big Ten. His career head coaching record is 883-176 (.834), the fifthbest winning percentage all time for a Division I volleyball coach. In his time at Nebraska, Cook boasted a record of 722-103 (.875), the best winning percentage for any Division I program over the past 25 years.
In addition to his stellar winloss ratio, he had a remarkable ability to identify and develop talent. While Cook was in charge of the Huskers, Nebraska produced five Olympians, three winners of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division I National Player of the Year award and 72 AVCA All-Americans. Cook’s talents lay in making the people around him better; for this reason, he was named AVCA National Coach of the Year three times.
Nebraska’s program thrived under Cook’s management, and
the already diehard fans were given a reason to keep a close eye on volleyball. Under him, the standard for volleyball attendance was set. The team consistently sold out the NU Coliseum (which held 4,125), its former home, during the first half of his career and then did the same in the larger Bob Devaney Sports Center (8,300) when the team relocated there in 2013. Nebraska has sold out 337 consecutive regular-season home matches since 2001 and has led the nation in attendance every season since moving.
Cook’s incredible passion for the game was recognized and resembled by fans, and on Aug. 30, 2023, his Huskers set a world record for attendance at a women’s sporting event when they faced Omaha at Memorial Stadium before a crowd of 92,003.
Cook’s contributions to volleyball cannot be understated. The most significant example of this can be seen when looking at his coaching tree. When you are around as long as Cook has been, you go through many assistant coaches. Former Cook assistants in head coaching roles include Craig Skinner (Kentucky), Dani Busboom Kelly (Louisville/ Nebraska), Chris Tamas (Illinois), Dan Meske (Louisville) and Dan Conners (UC Davis). Skinner, who assisted at Nebraska from 2000 to 2004, is now Kentucky’s winningest volleyball coach and the only coach in program history to win the national championship.
While Skinner’s success is notable, the name on the minds of Nebraska fans is Dani Busboom Kelly, who was named the new head coach just 20 minutes after the announcement of Cook’s retirement. Busboom Kelly, who
was a Nebraska player from 2003 to 2006 and won a national championship during her senior year. She also served as an assistant coach for the program and was part of the coaching staff during Nebraska’s 2015 national championship campaign.
After leaving Nebraska, in 2017, she took over as Louisville’s head coach and went 203-43 with the Cardinals, leading them to the Final Four three times. That included national championship match appearances in 2022 and 2024. Busboom Kelly’s Cardinals won or shared the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) title four times, and she was AVCA National Coach of the Year in 2021 when Louisville made the Final Four for the first time in program history.
Busboom Kelly is a Husker through and through; a Nebraska native, she has become an instant fan favorite. Her dream was to come back and coach her beloved Huskers, a dream that was realized on Wednesday. She knew she wanted the job. An article from the Omaha World-Herald wrote that her contract with the Louisville volleyball team included a waiver of her buyout if she left to coach at Nebraska. She would have had to pay a $400,000 buyout if she left to go anywhere else. Busboom Kelly agreed to a six-year contract with Nebraska, the school announced. Her job at Louisville will be filled by another former Cook assistant, Dan Meske.
In reaction to the school’s decision to hire Busboom Kelly, Cook said plainly, “For me personally, the greatest accomplishment in coaching is seeing former players go into coaching or other careers and taking the lessons they’ve learned from being a Nebraska
volleyball player and applying it to their everyday lives.”
An ever-present calming force on the Nebraska bench, Cook was a level-headed and innovative tactician. His years of experience allowed him to accurately assess weak spots in opposing teams’ service return and his flexibility when organizing his offensive rotations always kept opponents on their toes. His absence will leave a void that cannot be easily filled. As a Nebraska fan myself, I know what Cook meant to the program’s fanbase. When I read his retirement announcement, I wondered if the program could ever be the same. The answer is that it won’t be, but that doesn’t mean it will be worse, just different. John Cook is a legend, and by comparison, Dani Busboom Kelly is just a fledgling, but she inherits the team that Cook left for her, and it is a strong one. All fans can do now is trust the process and support Cook’s decision to step aside; he’s certainly earned it.
In his final message to fans at his retirement press conference, Cook said, “Lastly and most importantly, I want to thank the fans for always supporting Nebraska volleyball. I’ve always said to ‘Dream Big,’ and we’ve dreamed bigger than any volleyball program in the history of the world.”
Even though he never managed to snag that desired fifth national championship, he felt that now, while at the top of his game, was the right time to step away from the program. “It’s better to burn out than fade out,” Cook said.
To those final remarks, there is nothing to say except “Thank you coach, for everything, and enjoy your retirement.”
Legendary women’s volleyball coach John Cook made his mark on the sport.
CRISTINA STEFANIZZI/THE FORDHAM RAM
Fordham men’s basketball rise in back-to-back matchups, then fall on the road.
