Volume 95 Issue 10

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The Fordham Ram Serving The Fordham University Community Since 1918 Volume 95, Issue 10

Marketing Club Scores at Conference By MICHAEL CAVANAUGH STAFF WRITER

The Fordham chapter of the American Marketing Association (FMA) recently attended the 35th Annual International Collegiate Conference in New Orleans, L.a., which seeks to help aspiring marketers as they venture out into a constantly morphing careerpath. It hosts programs that are intended to instruct the various chapters of the American Marketing Association on how to recruit new members, improve their professional development and generally increase interest in the club and effectiveness of club activities. Over 1,000 students from 150 different universities and colleges attended the annual event, the theme of which was "Live the Marketing Life," to take part in the multitude of programs and listen to renowned speakers such as Carol Koepke, senior marketSEE FMA, PAGE 2

Election Results Bring New Faces to USG Board

FordhamRam.com F dh R

Aprill 17 A 17, 2013

Pulitzer Prize-Winning Columnist Centers on American Values By RICHARD BORDELON OPINION EDITOR

“Calvin Coolidge was the last President with whom I fully agreed,” George Will said, to a captivated audience in Keating First last Thursday. Conservatism was in full swing on April 11 as Will, a nationallysyndicated columnist, presented a lecture on the modern meaning of conservatism and its role in today’s society, which he described as “the past way of viewing the future.” The College Republicans presented the event, a replacement for Ann Coulter’s scheduled appearance last fall, which was canceled after controversy erupted. Will, who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1973 for commentary, writes regularly for The Washington Post and is syndicated nationally by over 400 newspapers. In his lecture, he focused on various problems that exist in American politics and discussed solutions that may help to alleviate these concerns. He first examined the national debt and the problems currently facing the issue. Rather than emphasizing government spending,

By KELLY KULTYS NEWS EDITOR

LI YANG/THE RAM

Will offered students a different perspective on the political debates in the U.S.

he focused on the American public’s values. Will believes American values have contributed to the public’s complacency when it comes to the national debt and increased spending. He noted that Americans believe in “constant consumption, never adequate saving” and that the “principle problem for American men today is not wanting a job.” If Americans simply changed their attitude about dependence on the government,

Will believes that many problems that plague the American economy would be relieved. In addition, Will criticized citizens’ attitude that promotes decadence, saying that a problem exists with “our appetites and unwillingness to pay for them.” Will then turned his attention to the roots of these problems, which he claims, boil down to one issue: the family. “It’s a tragedy,” Will said, referring to the growing SEE WILL, PAGE 3

FORDHAM IN THE BRONX

Prospectives’ Perceptions of the Bronx Vary

By KELLY KULTYS NEWS EDITOR

The ballots have been submitted and the votes have been tallied. Aileen Reynolds, FCRH ’14, will begin her term as executive president of USG at the first meeting on Thursday, April 18. She takes over for Stephen Erdman, FCRH ’13. Brendan Francolini, GSB ’14, will take over Reynolds’ current duties as executive vice president. “We are so excited to start working with [the new Senate],” Francolini said in an email. Reynolds and Francolini were among the many candidates who rode to victory unopposed for this term. Sera Yoon, FCRH ’14, will take over for Francolini as the vice president of Operations, who is in charge of helping clubs get approved. Muhammad Sarwar, GSB ’14, who is currently looking into improving the budgetary allocation system, will remain for a second term as vice president of Finance. Nevin Kulangara, GSB ’15, moves from the senate to the executive board as vice president of GSB. A newcomer to USG, Emily Horihan, FCRH ’15, will serve as the vice president of FCRH. SEE USG, PAGE 4

DREW DIPANE/THE RAM

Students and families gathered outside of Hughes Hall to take tours provided by Rose Hill Society during Spring Preview.

By JEFFREY COLTIN BRONX CORRESPONDENT

Ask just about anyone on campus and they will say their perception of the Bronx has changed since coming to Fordham. As Rose Hill students, we are all aware of the borough’s poor national reputation. Even Borough President Ruben Diaz, centered this year’s State of the Borough address on fighting the stereotype that the Bronx is unsafe, as previously mentioned in “Fordham in the Bronx” V. 95, i. 6. For some ill-informed newcomers, it’s a shock that students don’t get mugged the minute they reach Fordham Road. On no day is the topic of Fordham students’ off-campus safety more discussed than the annual President’s Spring Preview. This past Sunday, Rose Hill was abuzz with admitted students. Some had already de-

Tragedy, Shock Felt From Over 200 Miles Away

cided to attend Fordham in the fall, while others used the day to test the proverbial waters and see if they felt comfortable at Fordham — and in the Bronx. Prospective student Megan Raymond had a mixed experience. “With the wrought iron gates, I did feel very protected inside, whereas not so much when I stepped off-campus,” Raymond said. This was only Raymond’s second time visiting the Bronx. She said it was very different from her home in suburban Horsham, Pa. Despite her reservations, Raymond saw the campus’ location as a good thing. “You get the green, bucolic college experience, but you can take a train and be in the middle of midtown Manhattan,” she said. Coming from Syosset, Long Island, prospective student Laura Sanicola said she had qualms about coming to Fordham because of its

reputation of being in a “rough area.” “Now that I’m here, I realize that it’s a safe place, but when I was applying, I was definitely very concerned,” she said. “I live in a suburban area — no crime, nothing happens. Nothing interesting, but nothing scary either. And New York is the opposite. There’s always something going on, either great or unfortunate.” High schoolers’ hometowns seemed to have a big influence on what they thought of the Bronx. Tim Kelly from Queens was visiting campus with his parents. His mother Francine said that coming from Queens, she did not have any concerns of the Bronx. “It’s really a comfortable feeling [being here],” she said. But hometown was not everything. Prospective student Molly Simio is from suburban Hillsdale, NJ, but her father did not seem to be SEE BRONX, PAGE 3

It was a typical clear, early spring day. The sun was out, and students were quickly moving between classes here at Fordham, but for Maria Buck, FCRH ’15, the day was anything but ordinary. Late in the afternoon, Buck sat nervously, clutching her phone, waiting to hear from her best friend from high school, Vada. This was not a usual thing to do on a Monday afternoon. Buck did not sit around, waiting to hear from her friend every day. In fact, before Sunday, April 14, Buck had not heard from her in few days. “I talked to her the night before [April 14] and I was like ‘good luck’, ‘have fun,’ ‘don’t die,’ which I guess right now it’s a good thing I did,” Buck said. “I mean she was running 26 miles [in the Boston Marathon].” The day of the Marathon, Patriot’s Day, which started in a celebratory mood as the Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2, ended with tragedy as there were two explosions near the finish line. Three people have died, and over 170 were injured from the bombs which The New York Times described as “pressure-cooker devices.” So on April 15, any word from Vada would have made Buck’s day. “Around 3:30 p.m., I was working and my other friend [McKenzie] called me, but I ignored her phone call,” Buck said. “She texted me saying, ‘No, you need to call me now.’” Buck’s heart sank as McKenzie told her about the two bombs that exploded at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Buck knew Vada was out there, somewhere on the marathon’s path, but neither she nor McKenzie could reach her. “McKenzie called me back about 45 minutes later to tell me that she learned Vada didn’t have her phone on her,” Buck said. After another torturous halfhour, Vada’s mother was able to SEE MARATHON, PAGE 2

in this issue

Opinion Page 9 Fordhamopoly Leads to Frustration for Many

Arts

Page 14

Capoeira Class Now Offered at Rose Hill Gym

Sports

Page 24

LaBovick Extends Hitting Streak to A-10 Record 28


NEWS

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SECURITY BRIEFS April 11 Loschert Hall 5 p.m. A male student fired an Airsoft gun outside of Loschert Hall, hitting a custodial worker who was passing by. The pellet merely skimmed the worker’s jacket, and he was not injured, but security was notified. The student was identified, and his Airsoft gun was confiscated. April 11 Goupil Hall 12 a.m. The alarm system in Goupil was activated when an unknown group of students discharged a fire extinguisher on the second floor. There was no fire. Residents were evacuated and the FDNY responded. No damage occurred. April 12 FMH 2:55 p.m. A student entered FMH’s first floor lounge and set down his backpack and a clip containing his Fordham ID, credit card, license and $9. He went to the bathroom, leaving his possessions unattended. When he returned, the clip and its contents were gone. The student canceled his credit card, but declined to notify the police. April 12 189th and Hoffman Street 6:45 p.m. A male student was walking alone on 189th Street toward Hoffman when he was attacked by a group of six males, one of whom punched him in the jaw. The student described two of his attackers as 14 to 15 years old, 5’6” to 5’9”, and wearing dark, hooded sweatshirts. The student’s wallet was taken. He refused medical attention, and investigation of the incident, led by the 48th Precinct, is ongoing. April 13 Loschert Hall 6:50 a.m. Two female roommates on Loschert’s second floor awoke to find a male stranger standing in their room, blowing his nose. He claimed to be looking for a male friend. The intruder was clearly intoxicated and had vomit on his shirt. He exited quickly after one of the roommates chased him from the room. Security responded and identified him as a non-Fordham student, a guest of another Loschert resident. He was promptly removed from the building. — Compiled by Katie Meyer, Assistant News Editor

April 17, 2013

Multiple Fordham Connections Tie Campus to Tragedy FROM MARATHON, PAGE 1

contact Buck to let her know that she had been in contact with her daughter. “She said that Vada had been on mile 25.6, that’s where she was when the bombs went off,” Buck said. “About three minutes from the finish line.” Buck said her heart stopped when she learned how close her best friend was to the tragedy. “She was stuck in the city after the race, so I didn’t hear from her until about 7:30 [that night],” Buck said. “When I heard from her, I felt better, because I didn’t know if something was going to happen in the city after, and I knew she was stuck there and couldn’t get out. I was just nervous.” Buck was just one of thousands of people who desperately tried to connect with loved ones on Monday afternoon. Erica DePalma, FCRH ’15, said she also spent the second half of her day attached to her cell phone, trying to reach friends who decided to

spend the day watching the marathon. “I have friends at Northeastern, BU [Boston University] and BC [Boston College],” Erica said. “I knew that my friends at BC were going to the marathon because one of my friends from Springfield College was visiting for the sole purpose of attending the marathon.” As it turns out, her friends left the marathon before the bombs exploded. They were in the midst of walking back to BC’s campus and fled the scene when people came racing by. “Her text said ‘it’s chaos and just really scary here,’” Erica said. It was scary for many, especially families of the victims, two of which have been identified as eight-year-old Martin Richard and 29-year-old Krystle Campbell. Survivors, many still fighting for their lives in hospitals in the Boston area, have sustained various injuries ranging from concussions from the bombs’ pressure to live-saving amputations of shrapnel-peppered

limbs. All this on a day in which runners, like Vada, simply wanted to race after months of hard work and training. Instead, many of the brave racers, as reported by NBC Sports Network on Twitter Monday, April 15, “crossed [the] finish line and continued to run to Mass General Hospital to give blood to victims.” The explosions shocked not just the city, but the entire nation. The aftermath was felt up and down the East Coast as many cities, including New York and Washington D.C., immediately increased their security presence. Others have taken it upon themselves to help comfort and support those affected by the tragedy. Many within the Fordham community have stepped up to help console students and faculty who lost a loved one and directly aid individuals who personally experienced the attack. Campus Ministry held a mass on Monday evening to offer prayers for those harmed by this tragedy. About 75 students

were in attendance at the ceremony. “The Fordham University community stands with Boston today. The victims and families are in our thoughts and prayers,” Fordham’s official Facebook page said. The page also stated the University’s message of support. Many Residential staffs on campus also emailed out their message of consolation and aid to their residents. “It is these trying times that we can find comfort in community with each others,” an email from Robert Alicea, resident director of Finlay Hall, said. “I hope that you all have a good night and keep those who have been impacted by this tragic event in your hearts.” Some can breathe a little easier now, knowing that their loved ones are safe. For those who saw the tragedy first-hand, however, this will likely be a lasting memory. “[Vada’s] still in shock, not only was she exhausted from running a marathon,” Maria said. “She was also just petrified.”

Fordham Marketing Association Shines at New Orleans Conference FROM FMA, PAGE 1

ing director of McDonald’s, and John Militello, head of Creative Innovation at Google Zoo. In the Chapter Exhibit Competition, schools competed against one another to create a booth that best displayed how their school exemplifies the conference’s annual theme. The Fordham chapter put the University’s close proximity to New York City to good use, decorating their booth with taxi cabs, the Statue of Liberty and other recognizable elements of the Empire State. The Rams also managed to add a bit of a creative flair to include a new and popular theme in marketing, “co-creation,” by allowing club members to graffiti their names on the booth, thus lending a hand in its creation. The club's creativity in the 2011 American Marketing Association conference brought them top honors and recognition for their booth display. The Fordham Marketing Association, however, did not receive recognition for their booth in the Chapter Exhibit Competition this year. Instead, the Rams received an award for outstanding planning, based on a submitted chapter plan and annual report that detailed the club’s strategies for the

COURTESY OF FORDHAM MARKETING ASSOCIATION

The Fordham Marketing Association was recognized at the Chapter Exhibit Competition for their outstanding planning.

year, such as the events they were planning, and how they intended to improve the club. According to Christine Campbell, GSB ’13, current club president, the Fordham Marketing Association is a “business-oriented club that focuses on professional development across all academic disciplines.” The club also strives to help aspiring marketers to improve upon their resume-building, learn how to present themselves to employers and, perhaps most importantly, how to “build your own brand.” It is their goal to involve 70

percent of their club members in community service throughout the academic year, as community service is one of the five sections included in the Fordham Marketing Association’s award-winning chapter plan and annual report, along with professional development, communications, fundraising and membership. The club rates its sections by awarding them “rams,” a creative alternative to the classic star rating system. It is this creativity and organizational prowess that aided the Fordham chapter of the AMA in winning its reward and the honor of

being voted Club of the Month by the United Student Government. The club was able to achieve its prestigious recognition through hard work and dedication. The Fordham Marketing Association was able to attend this costly trip due to the help of many local and on campus organizations, including Pete’s Cafe, Modern Grocery, The Blend and Rose Hill’s United Student Government. The sponsors were able to help offset the costs not covered from FMA’s budgetary allocations.

This Week at Fordham Thursday April 18 United Nations Elections: Power, Influence, Reputation Keating 1st Auditorium, 6:30 p.m. Ambassador Anne Anderson, permanent representative of Ireland to the United Nations, will be speaking as a part of the Gannon Lecture Series. Graduate School presentations will also be given at the event.

Thursday April 18 “A 21st Century Career in Journalism” Keating 234, 7:30 p.m.

Friday April 19 MSA’s Poetry Night Rose Hill Commons, 6 p.m.

Saturday April 20

Monday April 22

Fordham Flava presents: MISFIT

RHA Under the Tent Ticket Sales

Rose Hill Gym 7 p.m.

McGinley Lobby, 1 p.m.

Join MSA for a night of poetry and Fordham Public Media Students Flava’s performance features Red comforting food as they welcome Journalists Association hosts a panel Bull Breakdancers, Alumni and Brother Dash, spoken word poet, featuring Julianne Welby, WNYC Broadway Dance Center dancers in writer and photographer, to share senior editor, Jonathan Vigliotti, their annual showcase. with us his brilliant works. WNBC correspondent, and Jon Carras, CBS News Producer. WFUV’s George Bodarky will moderate. For more campus events, visit FordhamRam.com

RHA will begin selling tickets to the Under the Tent Dance, held on Saturday, April 27, as a part of Spring Weekend. This year the theme is the Great Gatsby, and tickets will likely sell out, as they have in past years.


NEWS

April 17, 2013

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Will Discusses Modern Meaning of Conservatism FROM WILL, PAGE 1

problem of family disintegration and a shift away from the idea of the nuclear family, which only included both parents and their children. Among the problems he mentioned were the number of parents in the household, which he believes determines the quality of the family background of children attending the school. He emphasized that no one is quite sure of the causes or how to cure it and that discussion is hindered because the issue is so racially charged. “I thought his analysis of the disintegration of the American family was fantastic,” Will Thibeau, FCRH ’15, said. “What was once the most basic unit of our society is coming to be dismantled, directly and indirectly, by public policy. Mr. Will made the crisis very apparent.” Not all students felt this way, however. “The way [Will] talked about families does not get to the root of the problem,” Angela GonzalezCurci, FCRH ’15, said. “It’s blaming the family for bigger moral issues, especially poor families who can’t afford to live any other way. Furthermore, the way the U.S. government works today doesn’t fit the [nuclear family mold].” In addition, he framed political deadlock in the federal government in a new light.

Intimidation, Fear Among Top Concerns FROM BRONX, PAGE 1

LI YANG/ THE RAM

Will sheds light on common economic and societal issues and attributes them to the decline of the American family.

The debate, Will noted, is “about basic things:” freedom and equality. Conservatives argue for freedom, which accepts wider disparities in favor of a free market. Liberals rather emphasize equality, not only in terms of opportunity but also in terms of equal outcomes for all people. Will, evidently, leans toward the side of less dependence on the government. This aligns with his fear that Americans consume more than they save. One notable moment of the evening was when an audience member asked Will about his views on immigration.

Breaking from the typical conservative view on the issue, Will concluded that he believes there should be a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants so that the country could help to maintain a healthy, strong work force as America’s baby-boomer population begins to age. After the event many students agreed that Will’s lecture was much better than Ann Coulter’s would have been. “A speech from Ann Coulter would be a blight on the University, while George Will used logic and reason to draw many of the same conclusions Coulter would have made,” Thi-

beau said. “I think [Will] had more validity as a speaker,” Gonzalez-Curci said. “He has had more experience in his industry as something other than a rabble-rouser. Also, he is a more concise in thought and respectable.” Despite the many problems that he mentioned throughout the evening, Will emphasized, “there is no reason for Americans to be pessimistic.” Invoking the writing of Alexis de Tocqueville in Democracy in America, Will said that American exceptionalism is alive and well; it still provides people the freedom to pursue happiness.

worried about his daughter’s safety at Fordham. And why should he? He is Frank Simio, GSB ’83, the University’s vice president of Finance. Moving to the city is not as tough when you have had someone go before you. “I guess it’s a little bit intimidating,” the younger Simio said, “but my sister [Megan, GSB ’13] does go here and she hasn’t had any problems with it.” Prospective student Cat Gallagher of Louisville, Ky. said people back home didn’t have such a positive response. “They think, ‘Oh you’re going to New York? The Bronx? That’s terrifying.’” She said her friends “definitely worry that I’m going to be murdered within my first day of being here.” The Bronx clearly is still fighting stereotypes — at least among the country’s high school students. Gallagher’s aunt, a New Jersey resident, had a more fair perspective of Rose Hill: “There wouldn’t be that many people here — it wouldn’t be as great of a university and as prestigious as it is if it was a horrible place to come!” Sure enough, not everyone is afraid of the Bronx. A Fordham admissions rep says the school received a record of more than 36,000 applications — the 21st straight year of increased applications.

Thousands Flock to Campus for Inside Look at Fordham By MARIA PAPPAS STAFF WRITER

As one of the first sunny weekends of the year came and went, so did dozens of groups of admitted students and their families, who toured Fordham’s campus for Spring Preview on April 11. Students put on their Sunday best and flocked from all over the nation to get an inside look at Fordham. “We hosted more than 4,000 people this weekend at both campuses, so the most challenging part of the event is managing the volume of visitors so that our students and their families have a great experience,” Patricia Peek, director of undergraduate admissions, said in an interview. The students began their day in the early hours of the morning, arriving on campus for check-in as early as 9 a.m. Early tours departed continuously from O’Keefe Commons between 10 and 11 a.m. The students were also invited to attend mass at the University Church, or the “Financing Your Education” seminar at 11 a.m. At noon, Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the University, officially began the days proceedings by giving a welcome address to prospective students and their families in the gymnasium. Afterward, prospective students were served lunch and had a chance to interact with various representatives at the Lombardi Center Fieldhouse. These representatives included faculty and administrators from various departments, as well as those representing some student

clubs, who informed the students about extracurricular opportunities and academic programs available at Fordham. To learn more about Fordham’s academic programs, students attended presentations where they were able to explore the various major options that the University has available. The students were able to choose which academic programs they wanted to attend, and the subjects spanned a variety of the prestigious programs that Fordham has to offer: business, communications and english, philosophy and theology, sciences and social sciences. After sets of afternoon tours, students were separated from their parents and guests. The prospective students and parents attended Student Life Panels, where current students and administrators spoke about the college experience. On the panel for parents were campus representatives such as Chris Rodgers, dean of students, and Kim Russell, the assistant dean of students and director of residential life. These individuals answered parents’ questions regarding enrollment, what their children should take on over the summer and how to prepare the students to enter college in August. The admitted students panel introduced prospective students to current Fordham students, who spoke about their experiences during their own college searches and answered any questions that the students had. At 4 p.m., the final tour groups departed to make their rounds

DREW DIPANE/ THE RAM

Thousands of admitted students and their families attended Spring Preview at both Fordham campuses last weekend.

around the campus with the sun shining down upon them. Brittany Tobin, GSB ’15, a member of the Rose Hill Society, reported on her experience as a tour guide. “Spring Preview was a success. It is my second preview, and the prospective students were more excited than ever,” Tobin said. “People came from all over the country to see Fordham.” Peek echoed Tobin’s sentiment, highlighting student involvement. “But, most important, our visitors want to meet current students,” Peek said. “From the club leaders to the student ambassadors, everyone was approachable,

helpful and demonstrated to our guests the distinctive nature of the Fordham experience. Many students committed an entire day this weekend on their respective campuses to meeting families, giving tours and leading panel discussions. We could not have had such a successful program without their contributions.” Students were invited to stay after these tours had ended, as there was no formal closing session. The Spring Preview scheduled events were not the only ones available for students; they were invited to explore many of the aspects of Fordham, from visits to each freshman residence hall to

complimentary dining experiences at O’Keefe Commons, the McGinley Center, Lombardi Center Fieldhouse and even a hot dog cart on the patio of Hughes Hall. Students and their families were also able to meet with admission counselors and financial aid staff to answer any of the individual questions that they had in addition to those answered at the financial aid workshop. As for those students that could not attend Sunday’s festivities, admitted students also have a chance to attend the final Admitted Students Day on Wednesday, April 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.


NEWS

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April 17, 2013

USG Election Results FROM USG, PAGE 1

Emily Rochotte, GSB ’14, was re-elected as vice president of Student Life over challenger Michael Meehan, FCRH ’14.

The new FCRH 2014 Senate will consist of Stephen Ross, Brianna Rotello and Anthony Gatti.

GRAPHICS BY CANTON WINER/THE RAM, STATISTICS COURTESY OF USG

Bridget Fox, FCRH ’14, defeated Matthew Gillis, GSB ’14 for the position of vice president of Communications. Moving into the uncontested Senate races, the GSB 2014 Senate will be John Treseler and Joseph Lauberth. The GSB 2015 Senate includes two newcomers to USG, Victoria Affrunti and Caroline Reichert. Sarah Skrobala, Harrison Pidgeon and Alyssa Marino will be the new FCRH 2015 Senate. Finally, Duncan Magidson, Ashley Domagola and Anisah Assim will retain their positions on the FCRH 2016 Senate.

GSB 2016 Senate will include Tiffany Wang and Travis Navarro. The new USG will officially be inducted at the Inauguration Ceremony held at Rose Hill on Friday April 19 at 6:30 p.m. in the Campbell Multipurpose Room. Both Reynolds and Francolini are excited to work with their new members and to continue the progress USG has made this term, in regards to passing intiatives and opening more communication between the administration and students.

Relay for Life Surpasses Goal of $30,000 for Cancer Research By KRIS VENEZIA STAFF WRITER

Fordham students raised tens of thousands of dollars toward the battle against cancer last Friday in the annual Relay for Life. Michelle Ioannau, FCRH’13, chair of Fordham Relay for Life, said this year’s event could not have been better. “The biggest success for the event was, hands down, finally reaching our goal of $30,000,” she said. “Fordham's Relay has been trying for years to hit this number, or even come close, and this is the first year that we finally did it.” The funds from the event all go to the American Cancer Society, which is one of the largest nonprofit organizations in the world. High schools and universities across the country host the event at their campuses to raise funds and to honor those who have lost their lives to the disease. Relay for Life consists of students forming into teams, setting a goal and raising money to reach that target. Those who exceed or donate the most receive prizes from the American Cancer Society. Fordham’s Relay for Life, which takes places in the Fieldhouse, has numerous activities for participants, including inflatable joust-

DREW DIPANE/THE RAM

Relay for Life participants took part in a variety of activities, like inflatable jousting, dance performances and Zumba.

ing, dance performances and hiphop performances. Kristine Mijatovich, FCRH'15, helped raise over $600 with her team of 12. She said she decided to become a part of the event because her sister has cancer. “My favorite thing about Relay for Life was the community and everybody being supportive,” Mijatovich said. She also said she had a great time with all of the events that Fordham’s Relay for Life provided. “I participated in water pong

and won a game, so I enjoyed that,” Mijatovich said. “I [also] enjoyed watching people do Zumba.” Luigino Alosco, GSB’15, became a part of Relay for Life after his girlfriend’s sister got diagnosed with cancer. He said the atmosphere at the event was terrific. “There were some good performances by the dance team, some hip-hop performances and just a lot of activities,” Alosco said. “But at the end of the day, doing Zumba was my favorite part.”

Ioannau has been a participant of Relay for Life at Fordham for all of her four years. She said the event has grown since she first took part in it. “Another success this year was the high number of participants we had registered for the event and come to the event,” Ioannau said. “We had over 300 people at our opening ceremony!” While she said that she is happy with this year’s Fordham Relay for Life, she would like to see some changes in the future. “We have been in the field-

house for the past three years whereas almost every other Relay for Life throughout the world is located outside,” she said. “Additionally, Relay is supposed to be an all-night event to show that cancer never sleeps and neither do we. I would love to one day come back and see a Fordham Relay that is outside and overnight.” Joe Lynch, FCRH’15, lost his two grandmothers to breast and lung cancer. He said he did Relay for Life at his high school in Connecticut, and one of his favorite parts was staying up late into the night. “[Having it outside] gave me a chance to do something that you don't get the opportunity to do every day,” Lynch said. “It creates a fun atmosphere, [and] it adds another aspect that gets you excited about a fundraiser.” For Ioannau, her favorite part of the event was the Luminaria ceremony, where paper laterns line the track in memory and support for those who have lost their battle with cancer or are currently battling the disease. During the ceremony, participants walked the track in silence while a song played and the names of those on the Luminaria bags were displayed for all to see. “It is such a powerful and moving ceremony,” Ioannau said. “It shows us why we relay.”


NEWS

April 17, 2013

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Award-Winning Journalist: ‘Be Not Only Multimedia, But Multiskilled’ By KELLY KULTYS NEWS EDITOR

Thomas Maier, FCRH ’78, former executive editor of The Ram and current Newsday investigative reporter, discussed the current media landscape with students. The discussion, held on April 11 and sponsored by the Public Media Student Journalist Association (PMSJA), gave aspiring journalism students the chance to listen to advice offered by a 30year veteran and voice their own questions. Maier began by discussing how he got to his position today. At Fordham, he was a staff member on The Ram, originally as the political affairs editor, which allowed Maier to make connections outside of the campus. After graduating from Fordham, he continued his education at the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia before taking a job at the Nyack News. From there, he began to work at Newsday, where he has worked ever since. Maier then discussed the changing media climate, which now requires journalists to include more than just news articles. “Print plus video, it’s a good one-two punch,” Maier said. Maier believes that using video with investigative reporting gives the piece more power. As a print reporter, Maier had

LI YANG /THE RAM

Former executive editor of The Ram, now investigative reporter Thomas Maier offered advice to aspiring journalists.

to learn how to “marry print and video” into a new form of media called “newspaper video.” Newspaper video, according to Maier, includes many still photographs and B-roll with someone doing a voiceover. Since many photographers are getting the visual pieces, it also includes more cinematographic elements than traditional broadcast television. This new “marriage,” as Maier put it, caused him to reinvent himself around age 50. He had to move from working as strictly

a print journalist to one that now uses the same techniques, and also includes video. “You have to have the ability to do both — write for the eye and the ear,” Maier said. “You have to know how to edit [and] pace the report. You have to learn the grammar of film.” Maier then demonstrated in some of his works how he has had to do just that. The first one he showed was an investigative project with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists about the dan-

gerous practice of body snatching for the use of stealing a victim’s organs. He also worked on a piece about Brookhaven Lab’s cover-up of the danges of living on certain Pacific Islands after World War II. But Maier does not just work in the realm of Newsday related projects. He has also published multiple books. His main work, The Kennedys: America’s Emerald Kings, discusses the tragic story of Jackie Kennedy after the death of her husband.

Maier used this book to offer some words of advice to the students. “Learn how to shut up when you’re the interviewer,” Maier said. Maier finished his segment by discussing his most recent book about a couple, Masters and Johnston. Showtime is now using to create a show entitled “Masters of Sex,” based off of his biographical story of the two main characters. “You never know what’s going to happen when you write a book,” Maier said. He closed the night by allowing students to ask questions. He told students that despite the claims that journalism is a hard field to break into, it is also a great time in the industry with all “the new gadgetry” available. He also said that it is a great time for young entrepreneurs because when he started, mainly conglomerates owned the different media industries. Now, according to Maier, there are niche areas aligned to specific skills, creating the possibility of more jobs suited for young college graduates. Maier then reminded the students of the unheralded communication department, which already has many well-known alumni in the field. “The best thing I can say is be a sponge; absorb everything you can,” Maier said.

Commuter-Con Builds Bridge Between Commuters and Residents By KATHERINE VALLES CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Throughout the week of April 8, people may have noticed Comic-Con-themed attractions all throughout campus, from a full arcade set up in McGinley to inflatable castles on Eddie’s. These events were sponsored by the Commuting Students Association (CSA) as a part of Commuter Week, a week of free daily events geared to commuters and residents alike. “The biggest goal for my administration is to bridge the gap between commuters and residents,” Anthony Tochet, GSB ’13, president of CSA, said. “Commuter Week is meant for everyone because Fordham is all about fostering a community among all students.” CSA began planning for the event long in advance, as early as the summer. “We started discussing ideas for the theme in the summer,” Jessica Giglio, FCRH ’15, and CSA’s publicity director, said. “Ever since January, we focused on all aspects of planning the event.” This year’s Commuter Week was inspired by Comic-Con, with events themed around comic books, video games and movies. As a further attraction, every event also featured free food, Tshirts and raffle tickets for prizes such as game consoles and Comic-Con passes. Commuter Week ’13 kicked off on Monday, April 8 with “Jedi Jam,” a Star Wars themed evening program that included a free mar-

tial arts trainer and life sized gyroscope. “I saw a good number of commuters and residents [on Monday],” Julian Atienza, FCRH ’14, said. “It was a good opportunity to see people who I don’t ordinarily see. I don’t participate in many CSA sponsored events and this was a very positive experience, so I will definitely go to future events.” Many events were scheduled for commuter friendly hours, including a Quidditch game held around noon on Wednesday, and “Throwback Thursday,” an early afternoon event celebrating several childhood video games with a game of life-size Pacman. The festivities on Eddie’s Parade drew students curious about the lineup of events for Commuter Week. “I saw the Quidditch game on Eddies,” Josellin Aldana, FCRH ’16, said. “I didn’t get to play, but seeing it drew me to go to future events.” There were also video game themed programs, including an old school style “Über Arcade” in the McGinley ballroom on Tuesday and a Halo themed laser tag competition. Students generally agree that the events successfully brought together commuting and resident students alike. “I think it’s a really nice way for commuters to meet residents,” Ellysa Smith, FCRH ’15, said. “It’s great to come out to these events and have a chance to meet commuters, especially since they’re so busy with their schedules.”

Other students, however, disagreed. “I personally feel like I'm more connected to the commuter students but not to residents that participated,” Juan Portem, FCRH ’16, said. “It seemed to me that almost a majority of the students that participated during commuter week were commuters.” The details for each event were available on Facebook, which were only viewable by those who joined a Facebook group created specifically for Commuter Week. Thus, publicity for the events also relied on group members spreading the word to their friends. Members of CSA emphasized that the week’s events were open to all students. “The one thing that I would like people to know is that just because it is Commuter Week, it does not mean residents are not welcomed,” Chris Cepeda, FCRH ’13, executive vice president of CSA, said. Another drawback, according to students, was that some of the events were held at inconvenient times. “I felt like many of the events may have been late for commuters,” Manuel Caballero, GSB ’15, said. Indeed, some events such as a talk by Young Lords Party activist Felipe Luciano, and a screening of Wreck-It Ralph, began after 6 p.m. Nevertheless, Caballero felt that the week was a positive experience overall. “I think Commuter Week

COURTESY OF CSA

The festivities of Commuter Week bonded commuters and residents, alike.

means a lot because it's a week dedicated to commuters,” Caballero said. “Many feel like they get the short end of the stick when it comes to student life, so it feels nice to be appreciated.” The week culminated with a version of Comic-Con itself — Commuter-Con, which started Friday afternoon and continued to the evening. While students competed in a Halo tournament and watched a performance by magician Mat Franco, Club organizations and ¡GO! Teams tabled at the event, selling fundraising items and showcasing club activities. “I think the week’s events have been pretty cool,” Aleli Zaavedra, FCRH ’14, said. “I like the free food, and free giveaways.” CSA members were also deeply

satisfied with the success of Commuter Week. “We had over 1,000 students attend despite that it was in the midst of bad weather,” Tahmid Choudhury, FCRH ‘13, executive program coordinator, said. Members of CSA received positive feedback about the festivities. “We had hundreds of students attend our events and tell us how much they enjoyed them,” Giglio said. “We saw a lot more residents [than previous years] and commuters who normally go home, and I was really happy to bridge that gap,” Tochet said. “I feel like this year’s Commuter Week brought the message that commuters can stay on campus and still have a great college experience.”


NEWS

Page 6

April 17, 2013

Father Ryan Delves into the History of ‘The Name of God’ By EDDIE MIKUS STAFF WRITER

Catholics may be familiar with the Second Commandment, which states that one must not take the name of God in vain, but many may not know what the proper title for “God” even is. “The Name of God,” the title of the 2013 McGinley Lecture by Rev. Patrick Ryan, S.J., sought to define what God’s name is. Ryan’s lecture focused on the naming of God within the Jewish, Christian and Muslim traditions. “The name of God, and the very fact that human beings are or are not allowed to call God by name, has a long history in the world’s traditions of faith,” Ryan said. The basis for the name of God comes from the Hebrew Bible, which, according to Ryan, uses two names to describe God. “The generic name of God, [Elohim], is plural in form but is singular when used to refer to the God of Israel,” Ryan said. He explained that this name was similar to other plural Hebrew words and could possibly be translated as an abstraction for “Divinity.” Ryan also spoke about the name used in the traditional story of Moses encountering a burning bush: [Ehyeh-asher-ehyeh] commonly translated “I Am Who I Am.” “That unique name of God be-

longs to no category of common or proper nouns and is said to be the third person singular of the name of God,” Ryan said. He also spoke about some issues with the translation of this name. “But do the verbs in that name so clearly designate a presenttense God?” Ryan asked. “It is quite possible that [Ehyeh-asherehyeh] means “I Am Who I Will Be” or “I Will Be Who I Am,” or “I Will Be Who I Will Be.” Biblical Hebrew has no future tense, dividing all verbs into the continuous [imperfect] and the completed [perfect] modes.” He said that this view was supported by the fact that the Book of Exodus mentions future actions planned by God just before the revelation of the name. Ryan also explained the evolution of current practices of referencing the name of God. “Moses, of course, had to transform the first person singular name of Ehyeh into the third person singular “He Is/He Will Be,” to make clear to the people that he was not speaking in his own voice,” Ryan said. Ryan continued, even going into detail about how the exact spelling came to be. “The spelling of that third person verbal name in Hebrew is called the Tetragrammaton, usually symbolized by the four consonants YHWH, or simply by writing twice the consonant

yodh, the first of the four consonants in the Tetragrammaton.” He further stated that a mistranslation of a euphemism for the Tetragrammaton led to the creation of the word Jehovah. Ryan said that Jesus’ use of the name “I Am” was deliberately intended to demonstrate the fact that Jesus was both God and man. “In John’s Gospel, however, even if others address Jesus as Lord [Kyrie], Jesus himself seems to use the phrase “I Am” of himself in a way that signifies the same thing as Ehyeh in the Tetragrammaton, and in speaking of himself this way he astounds and even horrifies his hearers,” Ryan said. Some of the meaning, however, can get lost in the different translations of the Bible. “Many English translations of John do no justice to that phrase, rendering the Greek ego eimi as if it simply meant “I am he.” But Jesus says “I AM” quite starkly, without a predicate, several times in John’s Gospel, three times in Chapter Eight alone.” Furthermore, Ryan spoke about how Jesus’ referring to God as Abba emphasized Jesus’ position as God’s son. “The Aramaic word Abba is simply the equivalent of the Hebrew ha-’ab, ‘the Father,’ understood as vocative in form: ‘O Father!’” Ryan said. Ryan discussed why Abba has such a powerful connotation in

the Jewish faith. “In so addressing God as Abba, Jesus seems to claim a unique personal relationship to God, a relationship based on themes already adumbrated in the Hebrew Bible.” Ryan also explained the significance of the 99 names of God in Islam. “In the Islamic tradition 99 ‘most beautiful’ names of God are enumerated, traditionally thought to be mentioned in the text of the Qur’an,” Ryan said. In the Islamic faith, God’s name is revered so highly that they have a hundred names depicting all of his features. “In actual fact, more than 99 names of God can be found in the Qur’an, and the lists of those names are not consistent. Most writers consider the name Allah, which occurs more than 2,500 times in the Qur’an, to be the first of the 99, although a few scholars claim that it is the hundredth name. The names of God in most lists emphasize the numinous nature of God, his jalal (majesty), as well as his jamal (beauty).” Ryan spoke further about the particular Islamic name for God: Allah. “Allah is a name for God that is not unique to Arab Muslims; it served as the name for God among other Arabic-speaking monotheists, even before the time of Muhammad, Ryan said. “In Allah, the word for a god, ilah, is combined with the article

‘a’l- to become Allah [the god].” The lecture also featured two responses from people of different faiths to provide insight into their tradition’s naming. One of them was from the Rabbi Daniel Polish of Congregation Shir Chadash in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. and the other was Dr. Amir Hussain, from Loyola Marymount University in Chicago. Polish spoke about how God’s name can be linked to God’s power. “Anthropologists tell us that the name for something comes to be viewed as tantamount to the thing itself,” Polish said in explaining the basis for the reverence given to God’s name. “And power over your name comes to mean power over yourself.” Hussein spoke of the relation between the concept of the Holy Trinity in Christianity and the 99 names of God in Islam. “The similarity is not in content, but in the form of relationship,” Hussein said, quoting from another academic. Students who attended Ryan’s lecture had a positive response to it. “I thought it was very interesting,” Thomas Ginch, FCRH ’15, said. “To be able to listen to an interdialogue about what does it mean to name God when God is infinite and beyond everything is interesting because it’s an essential component of all of these religions.”

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April 17, 2013

Page 7

New Dean of Graduate School of Social Services Commits to Academic Research By KATHERINE MEYER ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

In November 2012, Fordham’s Dean of the Graduate School of Social Services (GSS), Dr. Peter Vaughan, announced that he would be retiring from his position at the end of the 2013 spring semester. Following the announcement, the Office of the Provost began the search process. On April 5, it was announced that Dr. Debra McPhee had officially been hired to call the position. “In Debra, we have an outstanding new dean who is committed to working closely with the faculty, students, and staff of the Graduate School of Social Service,� Stephen Freedman, Ph.D., provost of Fordham University and professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, said. “Together, they will sustain and advance the school’s long tradition of national preeminence in educating skilled, compassionate social workers to serve the human family.� McPhee also expressed optimism about her appointment. “I'm honored by my appointment as the new dean of Fordham’s Graduate School of Social Service, and I am thrilled to be joining the Fordham community,� McPhee said of her new position. McPhee earned a Ph.D. from the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto in 1998. She received her master’s degree from the School of Social Work at Columbia University in 1989 and did her un-

dergraduate work in psychology at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, receiving her bachelor’s degree in 1986. Currently, McPhee works as the Chief Operating Officer at LiivMD, an online company based in Palo Alto, Calif. that seeks to help people make “sustainable health changes,� through “engaging, interactive educational content, personalized assessments and goal trackers,� according to the official website. She began working there in 2010 as a consultant and in 2011 was asked to “help shepherd the LiivMD Company to their next level of achievement and sustainability.� In the years leading up to her employment at LiivMD McPhee worked a wide variety of positions in the U.S., Europe and Canada. In 1988 she did community outreach work and research for the Living at Home Program at New York Hospital and Cornell Medical Center, and held a job as a community counselor for New York City’s Community Clubhouse Fountain House the following year. From 1989 to 1991 she served in the 7th Medical Command of the United States Army in the Netherlands as both a family advocacy program instructor and chief of social work services. She held lecturing positions in Toronto at both Ryerson University and the University of Toronto between the years of 1991 and 1996 and also served as Field Practicum Coordinator at Ryerson’s School of Social Work in 1994. In 1997, McPhee became an as-

CHENLI YE / THE RAM

Dean McPhee looks forward to transitioning into her new position as Dean of the Graduate School of Social Services.

sociate professor of the School of Social Work at Barry University in Miami Shores, Fla. She became associate dean of the School of Social Work in 2002, and in 2005 was promoted to dean, a position she ultimately held for five years. “I thrived on the challenges associated with a tuition driven institution located in the highly ethnically diverse city of Miami and the region of South Florida,� McPhee said of her time at Barry. McPhee had several notable accomplishments during her tenure at Barry. Among other endeavors, she developed and implemented the first year-round undergraduate and graduate social work program in the United States, reduced the school’s operating budget by 26 percent,

increased the profit margin over expenses by $2 million, increased student scholarships and donor contributions to the highest level in the school’s history and increased student enrollment by 15 percent between 2003 and 2010. After her switch from her position at Barry University’s school of Social Work to a consulting position at LiivMD in 2010, McPhee said that she had been ready for some new experiences. “In June 2010, having attained the goals I set for the School and myself, I was eager to engage in new areas of learning and research,� she said. “I have always been fascinated by the policy and operational challenges that rapidly changing technology present to organizational systems, especially with respect to

higher education‌I embraced this unique opportunity [at LiivMD] to build my technology and business skills.â€? Despite her interest in LiivMD and the world of business and technology, McPhee’s foremost commitment is still to higher education and social work. “As I look to the 2013-2014 academic year I am excited to explore a select few academic leadership opportunities where I believe I can make a significant contribution,â€? she said. “I have great respect for Fordham University’s commitment to excellence in research and teaching, for its preservation of the rich traditions of Jesuit education including fostering a spirit of innovation, rigorous thinking and a quest for the truth.â€?

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THE FORDHAM RAM

April 17, 2013


April 17, 2013

opinion

Page 9

Luck of the Dice Controls Fordhamopoly By ANISA ARSENAULT STAFF WRITER

Two words stood between me and my ideal senior year living situation: group verification. Because our group contained mixed graduation years — three rising seniors and one rising junior — we needed to request special permission from the Office of Residential Life. Rather than use whoever’s time slot was best, we would have received a new, averaged time slot. It was a setback. It was a death sentence. It was completely fair. According to Fordhamopoly, the set of guidelines for the housing selection process, the week of April 8 marked the long-anticipated room selection phase. Groups with exclusively senior members selected rooms first. The next day was reserved for mixed year groups. Day three was solely for risng juniors, and day four for junior mixed groups. Friday, day five, went to rising sophomores. It seems to be the most sensible way to structure what would otherwise yield a cutthroat and arbitrary process. Not all students agree. “I don’t like that it’s a luck thing,” Titi Fagade, GSB ’14, said

of initial time-slot distribution. Fagade will be living in a Campbell apartment of five-person singles next year. My freshman year, friends and I deemed this arrangement the “Campbell Dream.” For those with mixed graduation years, singles in Campbell and Salice-Conley were not viable options. They were all filled after day one. “I don’t think it’s fair to have people [seniors] go the next day because they have one junior,” Darleen Eiermann, FCRH ’14, said. She will be in a Campbell fourperson double apartment next year. Her initial group contained only three seniors. But, pursuit of the “Campbell Dream” required them to seek at least one more member, since apartment configurations in Campbell and Salice-Conley accommodate a minimum of four students. The online room selection process requires all beds in an apartment to be filled. “There’s no other option for three seniors but to live with someone they don’t really know,” Eiermann said. Her group ended up recruiting a rising junior. As a result, their time slots were averaged, and they were

pushed back to day two of room selection. “I think we would’ve been better off with all seniors,” Eiermann said of the process. Regardless of how disgruntled students may become over the housing process, none can seem to think of a better system. “I guess there’s no other way to do it,” Fagade said. The reception of Fordhamopoly is essentially a matter of personal circumstance. A group of seniors with a decent time slot is sure to be more in favor of Fordhamopoly than sophomores placed in post lottery. But, perhaps sophomores who secure a tower room in O’Hare will like the system more than upperclassmen who are forced to regroup. In Fordhamopoly, seniority prevails. The general consensus is that this is Fordham’s best attempt to be fair. I met with Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Residential Life Kimberly Russell to verify that time slot preference to older groups of uniform graduation years is not, as some students think, punishment for making friends outside of your grade. “We want to work with the group as much as we can, and we want to make it as fair as we can,”

order to watch television shows on time. In addition, I do not need to wait a whole week for the next episode of my favorite show. According to The New York Times, more than 90 percent of American households currently pay for cable TV. An estimated 4.7 million of them will cut the cord by the end of the year, or about 4.7 percent, up from about 3.74 million in 2012. “I am not interested in most of the TV programs. Even though I can simply switch on the television for random entertainment, I use Netflix and Amazon Prime more often,” Jie Huang, GSB ’14, said. Television once brought people together by offering shows and giving audiences a common topic to discuss, especially when there were just a handful of stations. The devices through which people get

their programming, however, has spread across multiple platforms. According to Paul Levinson, a professor in the Department of Communication and Media Studies, cord-cutting is part of the evolution of television. He said television originally started broadcasting in the U.S. in the late 1940s, and it was the only real source of programming until cable television became dominant in the 1980s. “Now, people are increasingly using smartphones and devices that have nothing to do with cables,” he said. “The crucial point is that all of these [changes] come with common, people like to watch their television shows on their own schedules.” Cord-cutting is becoming more frequent for several reasons. One is the higher cost of cable compared to online TV subscriptions. Ac-

KATE DOHENY/THE RAM

Students feel trapped by fate and restrictive policies of room selection.

Russell said. “But we obviously understand people have friends of different [years]. The verification component is to make sure everybody knows who everybody is.” Fairness and helpfulness do seem to be crucial to the staff in the Office of Residential Life. Last year, Housing Operations Specialist Lori Ryan patiently verified and assigned my panicky group of seven to Arthur House

after our time slot had passed and we began to dread what would unfold if we were placed in postlottery. “It always works out,” as Russell put it. Next year, I will be in a four-person double in Campbell with three of my teammates. Maybe the “Campbell Dream” just needed a little adjusting. Anisa Arsenault, FCRH ’14, is a communication and media studies major from Attleboro, Mass.

cording to research conducted by the NPD Group, the average American household spent about $86 per month on a pay-TV package with premium movie channels in 2011. The service, however, is often not cost-effective. Subscribers waste money on unnecessary channels and content they never watch. If you doubt that, just count how many television channels you have recently watched. The number is probably just a fraction of the number of channels to which you subscribe. In this case, people are paying money to subsidize less-popular channels and low rated shows. Also, cable channels sets limitations on audiences’ ability to watch shows when and where they want. People have to show up at the right time in front of the television set in order not to miss any important programs. Also, live television is packed with too many commercials. Shows are interrupted several times an hour. According to research done by the Deseret News, an hour-long prime-time show include about 42 minutes of program and 18 minutes of commercials and promotional programming. On the other hand, people still argue for the value of television. Television shows create a common cultural consensus. It gives deeper meaning than just the show itself. Bridget Fox, FCRH’ 14, said that watching television shows in front of the TV offers a chance for family members to get together. Fox said watching TV is a social thing. “When I am at home, my family watches TV together, [but], tome-

times, my mom would say why did you watch that show without me? When [I hadn’t] even watched it yet,” Fox said. “Nowadays, people’s schedules are so different and so crazy. But we can make a time [to] sit down and watch it together. On Sundays, our apartment sits down [to] watch Downton [Abbey]; now it’s Game of Thrones.” People can still keep that television party tradition when watching online TV. Levinson said the technology behind television is secondary to the content of what people watch. “People always have a big screen in the living room,” Levinson said. “But that screen might be a screen that people use to stream stuff rather than watch a traditional network, and it’s still television that we are watching. But we also have those small screens as well.” As the cord-cutting movement goes on, Nielsen recently announced that it would begin to measure TV viewership on iPads and other mobile devices. Internet TV service is not only more convenient, but it also offers users more choices. Online television will surpass cable television in popularity and gradually will replace the traditional broadcast system. I watched the whole season of House of Cards on Netflix because every episode became available at once. I finished every episode within a week. Enjoying television shows without all of the painful waiting is about as good as today’s TV experience gets. Jingyuan Zhou, FCRH ’13, is a communication and media studies and economics major from Shanghai.

Cable in Jeopardy as TV Viewers Head Online By JINGYUAN ZHOU STAFF WRITER

I use my smartphone more often than traditional compact cameras to take pictures. I use my cell phone to make phone calls more often than I use my land line, even when I am at home. My home television will probably become the next cord to be cut since I watch television shows solely on my laptop and tablet. This term, “cord-cutting,” is used to explain the phenomenon of suspending pay-TV services and replacing them with online TV services. This trend is growing to the point that online television will surpass cable television in popularity in the next decade. Thanks to this technology, I can watch shows whenever I want. I do not need to rush my homework in

ELIZABETH ZANGHI/THE RAM

As online television services continue to cut commercials and inconvenience, more customers are cutting cable service.


OPINION

Page 10

The Fordham Ram

R

Serving campus and community since 1918 The Fordham Ram is the University journal of record. The mission of The Fordham Ram is to provide a forum for the free and open exchange of ideas in service to the community and to act as a student advocate. The Fordham Ram is published and distributed free of charge every Wednesday during the academic year to the Rose Hill, Lincoln Center and Westchester campuses with a readership of 4,500. The Fordham Ram office is located in the basement of the McGinley Center, Rm. B-52.

FordhamRam.com Advertising: (718) 817-4379 Executive: (718) 817-4380 Fax: (718) 817-4319 theram@fordham.edu Fordham University - Station 37 Box B Bronx, NY 10458 Editor-in-Chief Connor Ryan Managing Editor Canton Winer Editorial Director Rory Masterson Copy Chief Katie Nolan News Editor Kelly Kultys Assistant News Editors Kate Meyer Girish Swaminath Opinion Editor Richard Bordelon Assistant Opinion Editor Joseph Vitale Arts & Entertainment Editor Devon Sheridan Assistant Arts & Entertainment Editor Danielle Garrand Executive Sports Editor Dan Gartland Sports Editor Matt Rosenfeld Assistant Sports Editor Max Prinz Layout Editor Kate Doheny Photo Editor Elizabeth Zanghi Web Editor Anne Couture Assistant Web Editor Courtney Ho Business Directors Nikos Buse Drew Rapp Circulation Director Gary Guarnaccia Distribution Managers Stephanie Kawalski Shannon Marcoux Faculty Advisor Dr. Beth Knobel Copy Team Alyssa Ammazzolorso John Bonazzo Rosemary Derocher Michael Dauber Alina Gandrabur • Kady Jay Clare Larson • Leona Lam Francesca Leite Catrina Livermore Jack MacGregor Lauren Manzino Shannon Marcoux Katherine O’Marra Christina Millamena Vincent Pellizzi Anthony Pucik Stephanie Sarno Kirsten Simons Austin Thomas Opinion Policy The Fordham Ram appreciates submissions to fordhamramletters@gmail. com. Commentaries are printed on a space available basis. The Fordham Ram reserves the right to reject any submission for any reason, without notice. Submissions become the exclusive property of The Fordham Ram. The Fordham Ram reserves the right to edit any submissions. The opinions in The Fordham Ram’s editorials are those of the editorial board; those expressed in articles, letters, commentaries, cartoons or graphics are those of the individual author. No part of The Fordham Ram may be reproduced without written consent.

April 17, 2013

From the Desk of Courtney Ho, Assistant Web Editor Everyone was there — the loud chatter, the waves of laughter, the widened smiles. At that single moment, I remember thinking, “So, this is life.” That moment is one of the earliest memories I can recall from my youth and is a brief memory of a simple family dinner. At that moment, I distinctly remember looking around the room and being overcome with happiness and love. It was at that moment when I realized the profundity of food and its significance. I did not start writing about food because I had extensive knowledge of culinary arts — I started writing about food because I genuinely appreciated every piece of food I ever received, and I wanted to learn more about food as an art form and as a cornerstone of life. In my short lifetime, I have learned just as much about life and humanity through food as I have from experiencing life itself, and

even as much as reading The Brothers Karamazov. For instance, the only times I’ve ever cooked and baked well were when I handled the ingredients with respect, was patient with the process and kept in mind the love I had for the people I was cooking or baking for. It’s all about taking separate pieces, creatively thinking about them in different ways and bringing them together in harmony. When I make a lemon tart for my family, I refuse to carelessly take a box of cake mix, add some oil and water and call it a day. It takes hours of labor to hand knead the dough, watch the tart and craft the filling in order to make the perfect lemon tart. I go the extra mile because I care about the people I serve, and I genuinely want others to experience a sense of happiness when they consume it. The act of creating and consuming food is an overwhelmingly visceral and intimate practice. In order to craft a dish, you have to

carefully handle and respect your ingredients. When you consume a dish, you use a majority of your senses to experience it and ultimately take it into your body. There are only a few things in life that have the possibility to even slightly reflect such an emotional and personal experience. I believe the significance of food goes beyond the basic human need of consumption. Food, at its core, is about love, patience and understanding. Food has the ability to bring people together — an ability that should not be taken lightly. In a world that can often be disjointed and hateful, the one thing that people of all cultures have in common is a love for food. Everything you consume has a story behind it, so as a form of respect for the ingredients and the chef who put them together, you should try to recognize the intimate and emotional care that is put into every dish that you receive (whether it be at home or at

The ultimate goal to the collegiate experience is, for most, to enter the workforce after graduating. One step which many undergraduates take toward making that dream a reality is to take on internships, providing on-the-job experience for students in areas of their interest at companies they aspire to join full-time upon graduation. For many students, interning can begin as early as their sophomore year in an attempt to gain as much experience in as many different fields as possible before deciding exactly what to do with the rest of their lives. Starting from a relatively early time can provide students with several outlets to network and build contacts in diverse companies. People may argue that college is a time for enriching the mind with academic pursuits. Unfortunately, the harsh reality is that students are spendings thousands of dol-

lars and need to guarantee their post-college prospects — a job. In today’s competitive markets, where bachelor’s degrees are commonplace, students need a way to diversify their resumes. The best way to do that is to gain experience through a variety of internships. Students are aware that internships are usually unpaid and can involve menial tasks such as answering phones and making photocopies; they also realize, however, that internships have become a vital prerequisite for that first job. Internships allow students to gain valuable insights and experience in the job market outside of school. Interning also gives students the opportunity to network with professionals in the industry they desire to work. By allowing students to intern as early as their sophomore years, students have the extra edge with connections and understanding of the field.

In FCRH, students currently lack the ability to intern, through the school, until their junior year. On the other hand, the Gabelli School of Business has learned how invaluable the knowledge gained through internships is. By following in GSB’s footsteps, FCRH can give their students the same equal opportunity. FCRH needs to do more to support students in their quests for internships, particularly students with liberal arts backgrounds that need time for career exploration. A student with an English major, for example, has a lot more career choices to narrow down than someone with an accounting major. FCRH needs to allow sophomores to take internships through the college so students can explore future careers, make important contacts and build their resumes going forward. The Dean’s Council in FCRH has expressed that it realizes school is important for students,

Dear Editor, Canton Winer’s article on prochoice and pro-life labels being too complicated was easily the laziest article I have ever read on the topic. While allegedly attempting to shed some light on alternate views that complicate the more mainstream ones, it is guilty of over-simplifying the Church’s view on the issue. I am utterly amazed that on a Catholic campus, Winer did not feel the need to interview someone who fully agreed with the Church, especially since these people exist in abundance. I am one, for instance, and several of my friends have made it clear they are as well. Furthermore, I question the respondent who said she was “personally pro-life” but believed in others’ freedom of choice. If someone believes abortion is murder, he or she is not likely to be okay with anyone — except for in circumstances of rape, incest and the mother’s life being in danger — getting one. This, contrary to Winer’s and his respondents’ assertions, is

as clear-cut as issues get. I thus question. Winer’s efforts to question anyone truly from the prolife side. If there is still scientific debate over the issue of when life begins, thus leading to personal preference, this does not lead to a kind of moral relativism on the issue. If someone believes that something is as morally wrong as a true pro-lifer would choose to abort, he or she has an obligation to at the very least educate and enlighten someone considering these options. One of Winer’s respondents is quoted as saying that “some radicals within the ‘pro-life’ movement desire to mandate morality by making abortion illegal.” I confess to not understanding this quotation at all, considering that morality — to at least a certain extent — has been mandated since the birth of law and order. Are these “radicals” doing anything that our original lawmakers didn’t do when they made larceny illegal, or murder? What were the motivations for

a restaurant). Just as you should strive to love and understand others, you should try to understand and respect food as an extension of other people, their history and their life. Once you begin to experience food, rather than just see and consume it, a whole new paradigm will open up in your life. Food has the ability to bring people together — and thus, change the world. Maybe if everyone begins to experience food, everyone will also begin to try to understand each other. “So, this is life.”

EDITORIAL: Let All Sophomores Intern but at the same time it believes that interning as a sophomore should be a privilege allowed to those who have proved themselves inside of the classroom. That is why the current proposal requires students to have a minimum 3.3 GPA and attend certain Career Service seminars in order to receive credit for internships. We, at The Fordham Ram, believe all students, regardless of their GPAs should also be permitted to show off their skills to potential employers starting in their sophomore year — and get credit. By getting themselves into the job market earlier, the students can gain valuable connections that will benefit their future careers.

Editorial Policy The Fordham Ram’s editorials are selected on a weekly basis, and are meant to reflect the editorial board’s view on a particular issue.

Letter to the Editor these original laws if not for morality? A respondent also said, “I’m ‘pro-choice’ because I think that being ‘pro-life’ is picking a side for someone else.” Again, since the beginning of history, law has picked sides for people and if someone breaks the law, he or she is punished. I understand there is a great deal of debate on abortion, but this article makes it seem as if morality in law is this incredibly radical new idea. One of the article’s participants is quoted as saying, “For someone else to make [the decision on abortion] for her is to disrespect her life.” I have a problem with this, as well. If one were to pick between the three inalienable rights as to which outlawing abortion might violate, the last choice would be life. One could say this violates the woman’s liberty, and this would be problematic. I have always found liberty to be the most complicated and vague of these terms, as the nature of any law seems to be limiting the freedom to choose. Of course, Thomas Jefferson and

many of our Founding Fathers viewed “liberty” as “property,” and I think we leave ourselves open to harsh criticism if we define someone’s child—yes, I use the word “child” because when a miscarriage occurs, one does not lose their fetus, but their child— as property. Lastly, I would like to conclude that I am disgusted that a Catholic institution such as Fordham would print this. Debate on this issue is fair, but presenting alternative views and not explaining the Catholic side is not debate. While another Jesuit university, Boston College, has released statements against oncampus dispersion of condoms — a view that has caused far less outrage within the Church — it seems out of character of Fordham to do this. I call on both The Fordham Ram and the administration to be more true to our university’s core values, mainly the sanctity of life. Patrick Mullen, FCRH ’15


OPINION

April 17, 2013

Page 11

Unregulated Abortion Trial Goes Unnoticed By MICHAEL PRESCIA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Dr. Kermit Gosnell is a name not enough people know. Barely mentioned and completely absent from mainstream media sources, Gosnell’s crimes and current trial are largely unknown by the public. Despite the three years since the primary investigation of his Women’s Medical Society clinic in West Philadelphia in 2010, the millions of dollars Gosnell has made off of the exploitation of women through his clinic and the eight identified murders that he has committed, Gosnell remains a stranger to most Americans. According to the Report of the Grand Jury (which is available for free online), on February 18, 2010, the FBI, DEA and Philadelphia Police Department investigated Gosnell’s Women’s Medical Society clinic based on reports of illegal prescription drug activity. What they found Gosnell’s clinic to be was what they described as a “house of horrors.” They found blood, cat feces, unsanitary surgical procedure rooms, blocked emergency exits, rusted, outdated and unsterile equipment, corroded tubes doubly used for administering abortions and oral airway assistance and jars, boxes and piles of exposed fetal remains. Gosnell’s clinic was known as the place to go for abortions after the twenty-four week mark when abortion becomes illegal in Pennsylvania, even though a fetus is viable to live outside of the womb at about twenty weeks. Women could get medications at whatever dosages they desired, and abortions could be performed at any point: pre-birth, at birth and even right after birth in the clinic so long as they had the cash to pay for such services. One of the most appalling facts surrounding Gosnell’s “House of

Horrors” is that his clinic went uninspected for more than 15 years. Due to the lack of regulation, high-school dropouts and unlicensed workers were administering anesthesia, prescribing medications and assisting Gosnell in performing thousands of abortions. Within those 15 years, patients contracted sexually transmitted infections from reused, unsterilized instruments. A woman named Karnamaya Mongar died directly at Gosnell’s hands in 2009 after an abortion at 19 weeks, and others died days after his services. So far seven postbirth murders by Gosnell’s “snipping [spinal cords] method” have been identified. Difficulty remains in determining details and linking further deaths because of his facility’s poor records, but it is believed that hundreds more have died through Gosnell’s “snipping method.” The Report of the Grand Jury is difficult to read because of the gruesomeness of the included pictures and description of Gosnell’s methods. One must wonder why such a heinous crime has not been included in the media. Is it because the case is too graphic to include, or are there other reasons for such a lack of coverage? Shortly after the death of Karnamaya Mongar in 2009, Gosnell applied to become a member of the National Abortion Federation (NAF), an association of abortion providers that upholds the strictest health and legal standards to ensure the safety of its patients. Gosnell’s application was obviously rejected after a representative from NAF inspected Gosnell’s facilities. The representative did not report Gosnell to authorities, though, despite it being the worst clinic she had ever seen. Likewise, there have been other unreported abortion clinics, though not as bad as Gosnell’s, where licenses have been revoked due to unsafe facilities where un-

Thatcher Polarizes UK

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

Gosnell allegedly conducted unregulated abortions and accepted cash.

qualified workers continue to operate, endangering lives throughout the United States. It is important to remember that while Gosnell’s methods and endangering practices are deplorable across the board, the late gestational and even post-birth stages at which he provided abortions are not unanimously frowned upon. On more than one occasion, President Obama has voted against the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, an act that provides legal protection to all born babies, wanted or not, including the right to medical care. Additionally, Planned Parenthood has recently opposed similar measures such as the HB 1129 Florida bill that protects postbirth infants who survive attempted abortions. The votes against both pieces of legislation illustrate opposition to regulation of the abortion industry, even in such extreme cases where those already born are not provided protection. Only within the last few weeks

have abortion providers and organizations said anything about Gosnell. And what such organizations have stated are short tweets or statements about how abortion should remain “safe and legal” without delving into any talk of regulation. Why has it taken over three years since the investigation of Gosnell’s clinic for anything to be said? Why are these organizations that claim to be pro-women and interested in protecting the safety and health of women not up in arms about Gosnell or the lack of regulation that leads to such deadly conditions? Perhaps Gosnell’s court case is not being widely covered by the mainstream media because it poses further challenges to the unregulated nature of the abortion industry and the question of when life begins that abortion providers and organizations try to avoid. Michael Prescia, FCRH ’14, is a theology major from Deer Park, N.Y.

Reflection: Hope Rises From Boston Tragedy By RORY MASTERSON EDITORIAL MANAGER

“Our sport is your sport’s punishment.” So goes a popular slogan that appears on the backs of many high school track and cross country Tshirts. Like other athletes, runners have to train consistently in preparation for whatever their goals are. The more ambitious of this group work up to the arduous task of the marathon, a 26.2-mile test of strength,

endurance and will which pushes people to the absolute, finite brink of their physicality. On Monday afternoon, a little over four hours after the start of the 117th Boston Marathon, two bombs exploded within seconds of each other near the finish line on Boylston Street, killing three people and injuring dozens more. The video is shocking and difficult to watch, eliciting a kind of transcendent, viral horror that, to a lesser extent, manifested

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

A bomb struck at the finish line of the 117th Boston Marathon, killing three.

Conor Fucci

itself in the Kevin Ware injury video during the NCAA Tournament. The runners affected were finishing a full two hours after Ethiopia’s Lelisa Desisa had already won the race; thus, most of those around the explosions at this point were presumably not professional runners, but rather people who had trained in spare time and perhaps taken a day off from work to challenge themselves in the athletic realm. This is a tragic act of horrific violence carried out by as-yet-undetermined assailants against innocent people. To attack this particular group of unarmed people is particularly heinous and could only be the work of extreme cowardice, and the images from Monday afternoon evoke emotions akin to those following the London Underground bombings of 2005 or of the September 11 attacks. What we can find solace in is the fact that so many people were quick to volunteer in a time of need. Some runners finished the race and continued on to the Massachusetts General Hospital to donate blood. Off-duty police officers responded to the bombings and provided as-

sistance. Boston.com even set up a Google document full of volunteers who would house people who needed a place to stay if they could not leave the city or were otherwise displaced. These are the little beacons of hope, the shreds of light which poke through overwhelming, suffocating darkness and give us reason to think that this world is not as bleak as an act like this makes it seem. As with any tragedy, there will be a period of mourning during which an outpouring of emotions will attempt to console those affected in any way by the bombings. Support will come from all corners of the globe, providing comfort in the face of great pain, and, hopefully, the anger of the senselessness involved in this act will subside as those responsible are brought to justice. Once time starts to heal these wounds, the question will be how to rebound. With any luck and a lot of communal spirit, the people of Boston and the marathon itself will return for its 118th edition stronger than ever. Rory Masteron, GSB ’14, is a business administration major from Fort Mill, S.C.

There is an expression, “don’t speak ill of the dead.” Recently, the famous British prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, passed away at the age of 87. Baroness Thatcher left a legacy of complete and utter chaos. She was a strong leader who played a major part in the defeat of the Soviet Union during the Cold War, was the reason why the U.K. joined the EU and was committed to working to rebuild certain sectors of the economy. However, she also widened the gap between the rich and poor in the UK by a greater margin than any other Prime Minister to date, worked to dismantle the popular National Healthcare System and crippled manufacturing in the U.K. Unionized workers suffered more than anyone else under her tenure, and the divisions that were accentuated by some of her policies can still be noticed today. Of course, she did do some amazing things during her time as prime minister. She was the first woman to represent a political party in the U.K., as well as the first woman to be prime minister, both of which were major steps for women internationally. If you needed to use one word to describe Thatcher’s time as prime minister, it would be polarizing. Being in London right now in the aftermath of Thatcher’s death, I have a prime opportunity to observe the public’s reaction to the death of such a controversial figure. The immediate reaction was that of mourning mixed with public celebration. In areas such as Manchester, Brixton (London) and Scotland, people celebrated by burning her picture and playing celebratory music. All of these areas were hit the hardest by Thatcher’s policies or negatively affected. In contrast, in London, there will be a full state funeral for Thatcher, where her body will be paraded through the streets, from Parliament to St. Paul’s Cathedral; the Queen will also be attending her service. There will without a doubt be thousands of protesters voicing their disdain for the first state funeral for a prime minister since Winston Churchill. Should such a polarizing figure receive such high honor? People throughout the U.K. purchased the song “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead” by Judy Garland until the point that it was at number 2 on the charts for the nation. People in Brixton, a relatively posh and young part of the city, were throwing parties to celebrate Thatcher’s death. I was able to visit parliament during a special session where David Cameron, the current prime minister, and several other members of parliament were reading their remarks and memories of the late Margaret Thatcher. All of them were respectful, but others reminded us that she was responsible for dividing a great part of the nation. Almost 150 members of parliament refused to attend this special session of parliament. As an American, it is difficult to remember the Iron Lady as anything other than Ronald Reagan’s friend and figure of the women’s rights movement. It is only now, following her death, that I have acquired a more nuanced perception of the Iron Lady.


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Amanda Pell Just Have Fun I have a friend who gets really frustrated with me when we meet people. She has an unfailing habit of seeking the best in everyone, while I’m more critical. We’ll argue the merits of a new acquaintance endlessly — or rather, I’ll debate it out loud while she throws up her hands and wonders why we’re having the conversation at all. “They’re nice, Amanda,” she’ll say, totally exasperated. But that’s not the point, I’ll try to explain; are they fun, interesting, talented, passionate? Most people are nice enough, but from my perspective, if that’s your only selling point, well... that’s kind of boring! No one has the time to make friends with every “nice” person they meet anyway; why not look for a little more? Motivational speaker Jim Rohn had a saying: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” In my opinion, filling those five spots with people who are nothing but friendly, who don’t challenge or upset you from time to time, will make you an exceptionally underwhelming person. How can we expect to grow when we’re satisfied with “nice,” both in our friends and in ourselves? That’s why I suggest we stop trying to be perceived as “nice” or “friendly” or “pleasant” and start striving to be exciting, interesting, dynamic people with something to offer those around us. I’m notorious for surrounding myself with weirdos. I’ll take a nerd with a passion for something over a “normal” person any day. And true to Mr. Rohn’s word, I’ve become just as much of a weirdo myself. But man, am I having fun! I love being around passionate people. I hang with musicians, artists, actors, comedians, videographers, academics and anybody else who can show me something new and fascinating about the world. I surround myself with those who are more talented and interesting than I am so that I can become a better person through my relationships with them. The caveat: I’m not saying that some people are inherently more valuable than others based on their particular hobbies. I’m also not suggesting we should dismiss anyone simply for being a nice person. What I’m saying is we shouldn’t feel obligated to befriend someone simply because they are pleasant. You have every right to choose whom you spend your time with. It’s not callous or mean; it’s just acknowledging that not everyone is meant to be best friends with everyone else. We all find the right people some way or another. Another caveat: as much as I don’t think niceness should be a priority, that doesn’t mean we should allow ourselves to be gratuitously rude or offensive instead. I know I can be loud and obnoxious at times, but I also know that won’t always go over well with the people around me. When that happens, I own up to it and move on. But as my grandfather used to say, it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission. Be exciting, be interesting, be dynamic — and if you rub someone the wrong way, you can deal with it when it happens. In the meantime, I tend to think you’ll have a whole lot more fun than you would have otherwise.

OPINION

April 17, 2013

For Early Education Model, Look South By ANDREW SANTIS STAFF WRITER

In his State of the Union Address on Feb. 12, President Obama proposed working with every state to “make high-quality preschool available to every single child in America” to make sure “none of our children start the race of life already behind.” They are, however, already behind. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) ranked 38 developed countries by the number of fouryear-olds enrolled in an early childhood education program. The U.S. placed 28th, well below the OECD average. Funding for state-funded prekindergarten, which only 40 states have, decreased by $60 million nationwide, and only 12 states provide sufficient per-child funding to meet the quality standards for preschool education. In addition, Head Start, the federal program for children from low-income families that began under President Lyndon Johnson’s “war on poverty,” serves about 10 percent of the nation’s population of three and four-year-olds, and only about half of eligible four-year-olds and less than half of eligible threeyear-olds. Most damning of all is that Head Start has proven ineffective after the first year. On Dec. 18, 2012, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that there were no significant differences between children who were in a Head Start program and those who were not by the time they were in the third grade. Even though the U.S. spends more than $8,000 per child in the Head Start program, the U.S. is still failing somewhere. The solution to this crisis could be found in childhood development programs in Latin America. Brazil’s Bolsa Familia and Mexico’s Oportunidades are two of these programs. Both Oportunidades and Bolsa Familia are Conditional Cash

WIKIMEDIA

President’s Obama rallied support for improving early education in his State of the Union Address , but progress has stalled.

Transfer (CCT) programs, which means that the government transfers money and in-kind resources to poor families with one or more school-age children on the condition that those families fulfill certain commitments related to their children’s education, health and nutrition. In Brazil, for example, families receive monthly cash payments of up to about 200 reals (approximately $102) only if their children do not miss more than 15 percent of classes. If a child gets caught missing more than that, payment is suspended for the whole family. In Mexico, Oportunidades increases payments as children progress to higher grades. The education component of Bolsa Familia begins at age five, while in Mexico it begins in preschool and continues through high school. The results have been overwhelming. Both in Brazil and in Mexico, the number of people in extreme poverty declined, there were significant positive health and nutrition effects and, most importantly, overall enrollment in school increased. 14 million Brazilians have benefited from Bolsa Familia and four million Mexicans from Oportunidades. Many Americans could benefit from a program similar to these in the United States. It serves as a starting point to improve the U.S.’s early

childhood education system. Opportunity NYC is based on Bolsa Familia, and provides families with the opportunity to earn rewards if parents attend school meetings and students pass standardized tests. Such initiatives can be started for families of preschool children based on family participation in classroom activities and health and nutrition awareness, for example. Although low-income families would benefit the most from a CCT program since their children are more at risk of falling behind in school, they should not be the only targets. The goal is to ensure school readiness for all children, regardless of their socio-economic background. According to Libby Doggett, deputy director of the Pew Center on the States, and Albert Wat, project manager for Pre-K Now, offering early education only for poor children will result in a segregated structure. At Fordham, the Jumpstart program works toward preparing children to succeed in kindergarten by developing language and literacy skills with children at preschool programs in the Bronx. The High Scope Educational Research Foundation found that Jumpstart children outperformed comparison children in the areas of language, literacy and socio-emotional development after participation in the Jumpstart pro-

gram. These positive effects continue even after children leave the Jumpstart program, as Jumpstart children outperform their non-Jumpstart peers in language, literacy, and initiative skills a year after they participated in the Jumpstart program. “There is obviously room for growth in our educational system,” Lauren Brodsky, Jumpstart Site Manager at Fordham, said. “But it is such an important step in the right direction to be discussing the need for high levels of quality in early childhood education and care.” When more than 30 percent of low-income children and 17 percent of children from middle income families have no familiarity with print, when 60 percent of low-income children and more than a third of middle-income children do not know the alphabet and when only six percent of poor and 18 percent of middle-income children understand numerical sequence, something, anything, needs to be done. If we want our four year olds to succeed in life we need to support them in preschool, and prepare them for kindergarten and beyond. Like President Obama said, “let’s give our kids that chance.” Andrew Santis, GSB ’16, is a Corp Member in the Jumpstart program at Fordham and is from Flushing, NY.

Ram on the Street Compiled by Joseph Vitale, Assistant Opinion Editor

What is your reaction to the Boston Marathon bombing?

“I thought my dad was there, so I was taken aback when I first heard the news. Thankfully he wasn’t there, but it was still upsetting. I’m thankful it didn’t cause more damage than it did.” — Lauren Scully, FCRH ’13

“What happened in Boston is just scary, and I don’t really understand why it happened. What did the people of Boston ever do to harm anybody else?” —Demi Diaz, FCRH ’15

“I honestly just found it to be very scary. The whole thing just worries me and makes me think about where I should feel safe and where I shouldn’t.” — Karina Heggeness, FCRH ’15

“I think it’s a real shame. It’s just a tragedy. Also, it’s hard because there isn’t that much information out there as to why the attacker struck.” — Tim Askerov, FCRH ’13


Arts & Entertainment

April 17 2013

The Unpaid Intern: No Pay, Some Gain? By KATHERINE BASE STAFF WRITER

You are trying to catch a cab in the middle of New York City while juggling two trays filled with Starbucks nonfat lattes, and garment bags in your 5 inchers. Sound familiar? Ah... The life of a fashion intern. The explosion of internships has reached many undergraduates at Fordham University and beyond. Their supposed purpose is to give undergraduates hands-on experience in a specific area of expertise and to help them land a prestigious job fresh out of college. However, the key word is supposed. While some internships are willing to provide compensation, boy do some bend the rules, and all on the intern’s dime. Some like to call their form of compensation “college credit” — code for one measly credit, which pretty much translates to nothing. So what do unpaid internships come down to — Bane or benefit? Brigitte Ayaz, FCLC ‘15, says that her past unpaid internship was a big learning experience, but she would still prefer compensation for all her hard work. “I think students are gaining valuable experiences with unpaid internships, but they should absolutely be compensated,” Ayaz said. “Unpaid internships with no compensation is like taking a class for

no credits, with no chance of an “A” at the end of the semester. Students are less motivated to exceed to do well in this type of environment.” Likewise, I have had my fair share of intern experiences and have not gained a cent. “Another day, no dollar” was the phrase echoing through my mind for several semesters, as I would walk to my internship building from the Fordham University Lincoln Center campus. I knew that one day it would all pay off, but the thing that never appeared clear to me was when. I am going on my fourth unpaid internship this summer, and have received no profit — nothing as small as a stipend or an unlimited MetroCard. Jennifer Levy, GSB ’14, who has a few internships under her belt, said she has also paid her dues. “Honestly, I have worked my ass off,” Levy said. “I have sacrificed a lot to be where I am right now, but I don’t regret it. Even the unpaid positions.” Levy says that she obviously wishes she could have made money interning, but every experience she has had as an intern has been valuable in some way. “Without these experiences, I would not have gotten the hands on knowledge that will keep me a step ahead of the rest,” Levy said. “That’s what Corporate America is about, standing out from the pack.” Corporate America is about standing out from the pack. So who really can blame interns for accept-

ing these unpaid internships? We really have no choice other than to start small and work our way up the ladder. But when is enough, enough? Maybe there should be a legal limit placed on how many unpaid internships an undergraduate student should be able to take. Then from that point forward, he or she should be compensated at least minimum wage. Let’s say a student is going on his fourth internship and interning for up to 30 hours a week, and another student is just staring out with his first internship, and interning 10 hours a week. Why should those two scenarios be equivalent? A former Vogue intern gave some of her take on the subject matter, “I remember being there three times a week, on top of all the courses I was taking at NYU, and it feeling like three days,” Elizabeth Tamkin, NYU ’14 said. “The days were so dragged out, I mean maybe that’s because I was there [until] nine, sometimes 10 o’clock every night. I made not one single penny. It was rough. I really would never put myself through something like that again, unless I was getting paid. It’s just unhealthy.” Cases against women’s lifestyle magazines, similar to Tamkin’s scenario, have taken a front seat within the last year. Just last February, accessories intern Xuedan Wang sued Harper’s Bazaar for overworking

her at her unpaid full-time internship. She was made to intern 55 hours a week, entirely without pay. Nobody wants to be that person who bites the hand that feeds them, but eventually someone was going to speak up. Point blank, every undergrad wants to make money — national minimum wage at the least. “Students should most definitely have some sort of compensation to have the motivation to work hard, and act as if they are in that ‘real life setting/job,’ Mary Seaman, a Fairfield University undergrad and former unpaid intern, said via e-mail. “By paying interns it would give them that extra push to work even harder than they do now. Employers are having a hard time realizing that. Either that, or they’re just cheap.” Companies make us feel like interning for them for free is a privilege, and that we should be grateful that they even provide opportunities like these to us students. Companies may also defend themselves by saying that interning is voluntary and that students apply because they want the experience, as well as a bullet point on their resume. No one is forcing them to intern. But again, who can blame us? In this economy, we need all the help we can get to have the possibility of a future job, and if that means working for nothing, students have to do what they have to do.

La La Lush Wins ‘Battle’

Will Open for GroupLove and Andy Grammer at Spring Weekend

LIZZY ZANGHI/ THE RAM

Cashel Barnett, drummer for La La Lush, which won the Battle of the Bands.

LIZZY ZANGHI/ THE RAM

TJ Alcala of The Keating Steps rocks out on the banjo at Battle of the Bands.

LIZZY ZANGHI/ THE RAM

The Keating Steps performed along with nine other bands at Rodrigue’s Coffee House’s annual Battle of the Bands on Friday, April 12.

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NPR Seeks Younger Audience By DANIEL FINNEGAN STAFF WRITER

While hosting a party at the South by Southwest Interactive conference, National Public Radio (NPR) officially started a new campaign, dubbed Generation Listen, which aims to connect with younger audiences. While the packed launch party was successful in spreading word of the campaign, thanks largely to SXSW’s young and energetic fan-base, time will tell if it manages to capture a new generation of listeners, many of whom view radio as an outdated technology. The campaign, which is being run by Danielle Deabler, director of audience engagement and new ventures for NPR, is attempting to fix a wellknown problem for NPR. According to a study from 2009, the median age for an NPR news listener is 52, a statistic that worries many NPR executives who question where their funding will come from in the future. However, with the same study revealing the median age for NPR’s website and podcasts to be around 36, Generation Listen is attempting to reach its youthful target audience through various social media platforms, as well as through special promotional events. Lee Hayden, FCRH ’15 and an employee of WFUV, Fordham’s NPR supported radio station, appreciates Generation Listen’s approach. “While I think it is definitely harder for NPR to reach a younger audience, since most kids do not listen to radio anymore, I do believe they are campaigning the right way, through their Facebook and Twitter pages,” Hayden said. The emphasis placed on social media is extremely important to the goal of Generation Listen, which is to seek and create an online community among their target audience, a community that fosters intellectual conversation among young people, while also establishing a sense of loyalty to the cause of public broadcasting. “NPR should be pushing the fact that they provide lesser known bands and artists with an audience, something many young people would appreciate,” Hayden said, when asked if he believes if there is anything they should be marketing harder. “While most radio stations tend to cater to those audiences who want to hear the top 40 hits, NPR can promote the fact that they provide an alternative to the overplayed music of this generation.” With NPR Music’s SXSW set receiving rave reviews, such as the proclamation by Time that NPR is “pretty much the top tastemaker at SXSW,” Generation Listen’s prospect of reaching its target audience seems hopeful. Between recently placing their app on Google Current, and with numerous promotions from popular actors and musicians, Generation Listen is poised to succeed.


ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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April 17, 2013

TSeersucker Gym Class: Fighting for Fitness he

KEVIN ZEBROSKI I recently went to the theater — paying the usual exorbitant rate for my ticket stub — and saw The Place Beyond the Pines, the latest Derek Cianfrance film. The film opens in a 1990s setting and makes full use of the decade’s oversized drapery and visually dense graphics. Ryan Gosling’s adrenaline junkie motorcycling character, Luke Glanton, epitomizes the era with his oversized Metallica t-shirts that sit well past the shoulder blades (occasionally sleeveless), sweatshirts (always sleeveless) and an inimitable pair of skull print riding pants. Inimitable is a highly operative word here, since this is a character that shouldn’t be mimicked by anyone with less than ten tattoos, one of which should preferably be a face dagger. Still, there is something captivating about the impossible wardrobe, the set you know you could never pull off — or even want to — without living a completely different life. Fortunately, personal reinvention is an optional and exciting part of the human experience. The pursuit of reinvention makes people do crazy things. Britney Spears shaved her head, Andre Agassi shaved his head and Walter White of AMC’s “Breaking Bad” shaved his head and grew a goatee. Hair is perhaps the only part of our face that can be manipulated without surgical intervention, and our facial appearance is a hugely determinant component of our visual style since it is where the socially tactful plant their eyes during any extended conversation. Having control over our clothed appearance is a much easier job, but sometimes the function of clothing has to follow a multitude of lifestyle choices. It does not look right to pose in genre-specific clothing, as clothing should be functional in a way that supports your regular activity. Posing just means wearing something you have no need for, modeling yourself like a mannequin instead of dressing for reality. It looks strange to wear motorcycle leathers, racing gloves and combat boots everywhere while driving a Prius to a desk job. Anything unnecessary in your outfit — with the exception of uniform standard accessories like the necktie — generally creates unwanted noise. The reason that neckties and tie pins get a pass is because they have a traditional niche in business culture, and they look good on just about everyone. The reason for self-portrayal and all forms of personal style is essentially the need for passive communication: to present ideas with an immediacy and clarity that words occasionally fail to conjure. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a body constantly in motion must be worth something exponentially greater, given that the human eye refreshes its view at around 60 frames per second. That is 60,000 words a second if you believe the sketchy logic crossed with pseudoscience you read in a column that is supposed to teach you how to button your jacket.

By ALEXANDRA COUMBIS BUSINESS DIRECTOR

A Fight Club has come to Fordham. Advertisements have been posted around campus. You have probably seen the advertisements, but you do not remember. It is known as Capoeira, a martial art originally from Bahia, Brazil. It is rapidly becoming popular in United States metropolitan areas. The new Rose Hill gym added capoeira classes to the roster this month. “Going into it I didn’t know what to expect,” Jonathan de Guzman, FCRH ’15, said. “I’ve seen Brazilian street fighting, dancing before — it was very fluid motions, and I didn’t think I’d be able to do it. After a few minutes into it, I got the hang of it.” Capoeira is a dialogue between players that combines fighting, dancing and singing. Two players enter the center of a circle composed of other players who sing and clap to the rhythm of the Capoeira music. The two players have a conversation in which they read one anothers’ body language to anticipate the other’s move. Generally, there is not body contact between the players (especially for beginners) — but there is a lot of close contact due to the sweeping movements and defensive ducking. Fordham’s capoeira instructor,

Kamal Robinson, compared capoeira to the film, The Fast and the Furious. “They explore the underground world of racing,” he said, “but then after you see that movie you’re like, ‘Oh! Everybody has these cars! I didn’t notice that it’s everywhere.’ Capoeira is like that.” Robinson has been training in capoeira for eight years. He has practiced in New York, Philladelphia, Delaware and Los Angeles. “He’s a very good teacher,” said de Guzman. “He’s very encouraging. He kept telling us to throw our egos out the door.” “You’d be surprised by how many people actually train in it,” Robinson said. “But you don’t know, because it is an underground world, it’s also like Fight Club, because people have nicknames and their night personality. When you train in Capoeira, you train with all walks of people from all professions. You really have no idea who you’re training with.” In this beginner’s class, students learn the vast presence of Capoeira. “It’s cool! He [Robinson] keeps saying that we’re part of the capoeira world without realizing it,” Kim Naples, FCRH ’13, said. “If we walk into a park and a bunch of people are doing capoeira, we can just join in and it would be totally okay.” Throughout the class, Rob-

inson reiterates the importance of the Capoeira music. He even has the students say the Capoeira position they are practicing in Portuguese and other African languages. Capoeira has become a culture in itself with its own language. At the end of each class, students practice singing a simple Capoeira song. Robinson offered some background on the history of Capoeira. “Capoeira is a combination of fighting and dancing and singing,” he said. “It was born in a resistance, just like karate and other martial arts, but through the years it became a solid game using martial arts techniques.” For people who are easily bored with the standard weight lifting workout, capoeira is something new to check out. “It’s a workout without really being really painful and long. I feel like I get more out of it than I think I’m getting when I’m in there,” Naples said. “I’m sweating a lot, without realizing that I’m working really hard. Until the next day, I wake up and my legs are feeling really sore — it’s my hips and my thighs and even sometimes my arms from throwing them around and jumping around.” “This class is quite challenging and fun and I’ve definitely learned a lot each time I’ve gone,” Mairead Lawyer, FCRH ’13 said. “I walked into it not knowing

what to expect. My friend called me and told me to take this class ‘involves a lot of a squatting.’ Needless to say it was a lot more than that. It’s a class that challenges you.” Many students return to the biweekly capoeira classes. Samantha Marinucci, FCRH ’13, is one of the regulars. “It is my favorite class at the new gym,” Marinucci said, “you really work out your whole body while having a ton of fun. You even get to sing at the end. It doesn’t feel like a structured class, instead you learn how to do cartwheels and crab walks. It is a great time.” “Capoeira is for everybody,” Robinson said. “It’s fighting, it’s dancing, and it’s singing. If you come into dance, then you’ll find your lane in the game. If you come in as a fighter you’ll be able to find your place as well. If you’re a singer and you really like to play instruments, then you’ll be spending most of your time with instruments. It’s really for everybody, all ages, it’s fine. You don’t have to do 20 back flips you can just be the guy that just gingas, when it comes time you sing like a canary.” Check out Kamal Robinson’s Movie at FightDanceSing.com Capoeira classes are offered on Monday at 6:15 - 7:15 p.m. and Wednesday 8:15 - 9:15 p.m. in the Rose Hill gym.

Dining Out: Demarchelier

CANTON WINER/ THE FORDHAM RAM

Demarchelier backs up the notion that the Upper East Side is a wasteland of pricey but tasteless restaurants.

By CANTON WINER MANAGING EDITOR

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of my favorite places in New York. I simply love sharing a room with the likes of Picasso, Rembrandt and van Gogh. But, wandering the seemingly endless grand halls of the largest art museum in the United States requires serious fuel. Unfortunately, the Upper East Side neighborhood surrounding the Met is somewhat of a food desert — especially for the cash-strapped college student. Nestled into a comfy niche on East 86th Street is Demarchelier, a cozy French bistro. Whenever my friend and I go to the Met, we are tempted by the chalkboard of delicious-sounding specials sitting

outside the canopied little restaurant. Every week, it seems that the bistro has new specials scrawled on the chalkboard, each sounding more delectable than the last. While not an exception to the Upper East Side price range — the least expensive entrée is $20 — Demarchelier seemed to be worth the splurge. After agonizing over the mouthwatering menu, my friend and I finally decided on our orders: I tried the rainbow trout, and my friend ordered the grilled salmon. The trout looked far better than it tasted. Cooked à la meunière (a light sauce made with brown butter, chopped parsley and lemon), the dish embraced simplicity a bit too fondly. I found myself desperately dousing the fish with lemon juice in an attempt to give it some sem-

blance of flavor. The only actively delicious part of the meal was the sautéed green beans that came as a side. My friend was equally disappointed. Though the salmon looked beautifully pink against its bonewhite plate, it was nothing special. My friend described the dish in one word: “boring.” She did, however, love her side of fresh-cut pommes frites (french fries). Unfortunately, a good side of fries does not make up for a so-so main dish. Bland seems to be the common theme of the food at Demarchelier. Nothing tasted bad, but nothing we ate excited our taste buds. My friend and I give the food a resounding “meh.” Then there was the service; Everyone was friendly enough when

you had their attention. Plus, to the satisfaction of the inner Francophile, the staff had delightfully French accents (and attitudes). First, my friend and I awkwardly waited by the door for about 10 minutes before anyone approached us to take us to table. After finally being seated and deciding on what to order, my friend and I waited another half an hour for our waiter to reappear. Fortunately, neither of us were very hungry, but the wait was slightly frustrating nonetheless. Despite an otherwise lackluster experience, we had a good time at Demarchelier. The restaurant was warm, colorful and comfortable. At no point did we feel rushed, and sitting in the restaurant was downright enjoyable. While the food was not outstanding, Demarchelier has a wonderful ambience for a nice conversation. But, are you really willing to pay over $50 for a space to talk? Demarchelier is an unexceptional restaurant at an all-too exceptional price. If you are hungry on the Upper East Side and you pass by Demarchelier, keep walking. Overall Location Food Quality Atmosphere Hospitality Price $$$ (Out of 4

’s)

Interested in writing restaurant and food reviews? Email: fordhamramculture@gmail. com


ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

April 17, 2013

Editor’s Pick: Emile Sande Our Version of Events By DREW RAPP BUSINESS DIRECTOR

With spring in full bloom, I found myself engaging in a modern take on the spring cleaning ritual. Computer in tow, I made my way to Eddie’s for an afternoon in the sun where I could clear off the virtual pile of assignments on my desktop and organize my thoughts for the final stretch of the semester. But, like many students who take their work outside on the first warm day of the season, I soon became absorbed in the excitement around me. My focus shifted from organizing my work to creating a new summer-y playlist, a soundtrack of sorts to reign in the warm weather. After the obvious first choices of Grouplove and Andy Grammer, the next album I pulled songs from is my Editor’s Pick: Our Version of Events by Emeli Sande. I first heard Emeli Sande last spring on WFUV when she gave her first U.S. radio interview on Words and Music From Studio-A, right here at Rose Hill. Born in Scotland, the young songwriterturned-artist had just released her debut album to critical acclaim and commercial success in the United Kingdom. Our Version of Events is a fresh take on familiar soulful sounds, appealing to classicists while taking a decidedly young approach, both melodically and lyrically, to the genre. Catchy singles “Heaven” and “Next to Me” are exactly the poppy, sing-a-long type tunes Fordham students would find on their Spring Weekend playlist, while more emotional ballads “Suitcase” and “Maybe” demonstrate Sande’s vocal mastery and powerful songwriting ability. Moments in Sande’s lyrics offer a potent perspective on our generation, commenting on Millennials’ restlessness in “Where I Sleep.” She addresses one of the largest is-

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Tribeca Film Festival Where: Lower Manhattan When: Wednesday, April 17 to Sunday, April 28 What time: Varies How much: $8 to $16 (late nights)

Run and Jump, starring Will Forte will premier at Tibeca.

AP

Sande made her live performance debut in the U.S. last year at WFUV.

sues our generation faces, climate change, with politically-charged, socially conscious lyrics elsewhere in the album. The album is striking in its ability to marry a number of genres. Everything from drum-and-bassheavy ‘90s British dance tracks to soul, folk and contemporary American pop are present. Regardless of the style she is drawing on, Sande’s voice is unmistakably hers, adding to the magic of the album. Fans of Mary J. Blige, Macy Gray and Leona Lewis, whom Sande wrote songs for before beginning writing her own songs professionally, will all find something they enjoy in Our Version of Events. I was captivated as much by Sande’s intelligence as by her magnetic vocal performance when I first heard her. In her interview

with WFUV host Rita Houston, Sande credited her parents for stressing the importance of education, even as they supported her passion for art. Sande turned down a record deal and chose to attend medical school in Scotland at age 16. She told Houston that education gives artists power, affording them the freedom to pursue their art without the pressure of feeling desperate to land a contract. Our Version of Events was among my favorite albums of last year and is worth a listen for everyone searching for upbeat background sounds when basking on Eddie’s, or for somber melodies to help get through finals. Whatever the occasion, the listener is in for a treat; the album is meticulously crafted, and Sande’s near-flawless vocals are simply radiant.

COURTESY OF AP IMAGES

If you have been avoiding the crazy-high movie prices in the city this past year, it is time to make an exception. This Tribeca Film Festival was launched after 9/11 to encourage cultural and economic revival in lower Manhattan. Now, it is world-famous, with past films including The Five Year Engagement and Take This Waltz. The festival begins on April 17 and runs until April 28 with laugh-out-loud comedies, chilling documentaries and indie flicks sure to delight everyone, even those who should shell out $20 to attend it. The films are shown on staggered days, so be sure to visit their website to make sure that you do not miss out. Some flicks this year feature beloved stars Paul Rudd (Almost Christmas) and Emma Roberts (Adult World). Don’t miss a chance to mingle with the stars and NYC socialites this week. Who knows, with the right networking, you could be in the films next year.

World Book Night When: Tuesday, April 23 How much: Free What time: All night If your idea of a good time is reading on Eddie’s for hours, or your nickname has been “Bookworm” since you learned how to read, why not spread your love of reading? Last year, volunteers handed out special editions of popular novels to individuals without access to books. As college kids, we take the library and its plethora of options for granted, but many cannot afford the cost of book. This year, join the book lovers hoping to expose poorer readers to all the joys that literature has to offer and hand out titles ranging from Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 to Tina Fey’s Bossypants. This year, you can even meet up with other book lovers and talk fiction over snacks in participating bookstores. Visit worldbooknight.org to sign up.

— COMPILED BY DANIELLE GARRA ND ASSISTANT ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Send tips, event listings or comments to fordhamramculture@gmail.com.

Mimes’ Shape of Things is Bold Production By JOHN BONAZZO THEATER CRITIC

The second half of Fordham’s theater season got off to an exciting start with the Mimes and Mummers’ production of Neil LaBute’s The Shape of Things, an incisively visceral story told with bold staging and great actors. The play tells the story of Adam, a college student moonlighting as a museum guard, who meets Evelyn as she is about to deface a piece of art. Despite this inauspicious beginning, the two hit it off through their shared love of the arts and Adam’s wish to live a healthier life, which Evelyn encourages. She gets off to a rocky start with Adam’s friend Phillip, however, alienating him and placing his fiancée Jenny, a seemingly neutral party, in an awkward position. Different, seemingly small events transpire as the play continues that put the faithfulness of these relationships into question. The four characters wrestle with their differences

COURTESY OF PAM ZAZZARINO

Nora Geraghty co-starred in the Mimes and Mummers latest production.

and loyalties as the play endures, and emotions come to a head at a thesis presentation that gives the play a wholly unexpected climax. Director Max Gosman ensures that the tension and humor in every scene of LaBute’s crackling script comes through crystal clear. To facilitate audience involvement, he has

configured the stage as a “theater in the round,” with the spectators seated onstage so they are right on top of the intimate, tense proceedings. This means that the set is small, utilizing only simple pieces of furniture, but it also makes the show’s impact that much. Different classic paintings are projected on a scream as the play

goes on, to accent the show’s artful themes. This is a more experimental setup than the Mimes are known for, but for this show it works perfectly. The four actors are a tight, terrific ensemble. Nora Geraghty, FCRH ’14, as Evelyn, deftly captures the free-spirited, manipulative nature of many artists; she is reminiscent of Ellen Page, and that sensibility is perfect for the role. Joe Gallagher, FCRH ’15, shows Adam’s transformation from ugly duckling to cool cat with craft and charisma, which makes the character’s ultimate fate that much more tragic. Josh Silverman, FCRH ’16, plays Phillip as someone who, while at times contemptible, the audience feels sympathy for, and this duality is well-portrayed. Marielle Rivera, GSB ’15, shows Jenny’s transformation from innocent to independent woman with real feeling; as an audience surrogate, she shows that the real world of relationships is much rockier than it seems. The Shape of Things is an adventurous step for the Mimes, which they

have pulled off thanks to ingenious staging and a top-flight cast. After this successful first try, the Mimes would do well to look for more ways to push the theatrical envelope in the future. Other audience members were equally impressed by the show’s quality. “I was stunned that actors who had to deal with some pretty dark material still never managed to lose the humor of the few comedic moments of the show,” said Christopher Pedro, FCRH ’15. Patrick McCarthy, GSB ’15, was the set designer for the production. He said the show’s twist ending “got subtly different responses, and it really goes to show that people’s reaction to different pieces of art is subject to interpretation.” Giving Adam and Evelyn’s story an unclear resolution meant “there really is a lot to think about here and that was probably the most important part of our process in putting on this successful show.”


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April 17, 2013

WHO’S THAT KID?

class is also really relevant to life post graduation, so I guess that’s cool too.

about it incessantly no matter how embarrassing it may be.

MELISSA H. FITZGIBBON

What is a personal goal you would like to accomplish over your four years here? My goal when I came into Fordham was to be “Who’s That Kid?” and I can FINALLY consider that mission accomplished. Self-five!

What is the biggest misconception people have about you? That people have misconceptions about me.

A MEMBER OF GSB ‘13 MAJOR: BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION W/ CONCENTRATION IN MARKETING HOMETOWN: SCOTCH PLAINS, N.J. Describe yourself in a couple sentences for the readers. I’m a Hufflepuff, coffee enthusiast and crusader for No. 3 pencils. One time someone called me quiet… That’s not the beginning of a story, literally one time in my life has someone called me quiet. I can wiggle my ears, and I really love music. I’m effervescent and gregarious and also really talented at using a thesaurus.

What is your favorite class at Fordham? Professor Benjamin Cole’s Business Policy class. He is so intelligent and knowledgeable and kind of sassy it is wonderful. The

What show, food, artist or movie would you consider your “guilty pleasure”? I wish I was either shy or had any sort of shame in me to have a guilty pleasure. If I like anything I just talk

What is your favorite aspect of Fordham and why? It feels like home. I recognize that sounds pretty cheesy, but there’s a feeling I get whenever I step on campus, it’s a sense of belonging. I mean that or Dean Rogers’ Miss America wave. That man has got style.

Do you have plans, career or otherwise, for post-college life? You know, I’m looking into the possibility of becoming a professional camp counselor, maybe on a cruise ship or something. If that doesn’t work out you can find me in my parents’ house wrapped in a Fordham blanket crying because my time here is finished. What activities, clubs, projects or organizations are you involved with at school? I’m a Resident Assistant in Walsh Hall where I spend way too much time on my bulletin boards and bake entirely too frequently. You can also find me in the outfield at intramural softball games with, arguably the best team ever, Brokebat Mountain.

If there was one thing about Fordham you could change, what would it be? Buffalo chicken wraps would be bountiful and free of charge.

If you were stranded on a desert island, what would you bring with you? A magic tent much like the one the Weasley’s had in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, then “stranded” turns into “vacation.”

What is your favorite thing to do in New York City? Drink Blue Bottle coffee. It’s a very pretentious coffee shop in Manhattan and Brooklyn, but it’s the best coffee the world has ever tasted. What is something about you that not many people know? I have five different SCUBA diving certifications.

Any insight on the new pope? He seems like a pretty chill dude. Actually, I was thinking of making a viral YouTube video and asking him to be my date to Senior Ball. That would totally work, right?

It’s hard to disagree with Melissa’s food manifesto: free buffalo wraps, for all.

If you could go back to your first day at Fordham, what advice would you give yourself? That 8:30 you’re thinking about taking next semester just to “try it out.” Don’t do it. Mornings are not for you, girlfriend.

in Star Trek Into Darkness. This long-anticipated sequel to the 2008 reboot of the franchise will pit the crew of the Enterprise against a mysterious villain known as John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch, “Sherlock”) and is set to release on May 17. Among the most highly anticipated movies this summer is Man of Steel, the new Superman film being directed by Zack Snyder of 300 fame. Henry Cavill (Immortals) takes to the skies as Clark Kent as he grows to become the greatest superhero of all time, while defending the earth from the likes of General Zod (Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road). This sure-to-be-exciting reboot features an ensemble supporting cast including Amy Adams (Trouble with the Curve), Laurence Fishburne (Predators), Diane Lane (Unfaithful) and Kevin Costner (Dances with Wolves). Man of Steel flies into theaters on June 14. Closing out the superhero set for the summer is The Wolverine, which sees Hugh Jackman (Les Miserables) return as leading man after a brief cameo in 2011’s X-Men: First Class. The film’s story has largely been kept under wraps, so it will be interesting to see what is in store for Logan on July 24. Comedy fans rejoice (or cringe) as The Hangover Part III arrives on May 24, concluding the wolfpack

rounded out by a handful of original science fiction and/or action films. Elysium is director Neill Blomkamp’s first film since the hugely successful District 9; starring Matt Damon (The Bourne Identity) and Jodie Foster (Flightplan), this unique sci-fi tale is sure to excite audiences. Also debuting this summer are Brad Pitt’s World War Z, an apocalyptic action film, and RED 2, a sequel to the 2010 film which stars an ensemble cast including Bruce Willis (G.I. Joe: Retaliation), John Malkovich (Transformers: Dark of the Moon), Helen Mirren (The Queen) and Anthony Hopkins (Hitchcock). Additionally, the R-rated Kick Ass 2, Machete Kills and White House Down are sure to satisfy the hardcore action crowd. Last, but not least, is Guillermo del Toro’s latest, Pacific Rim, which will pit human soldiers piloting giant robot mechs against giant monsters who have risen from the ocean depths. The movie, which mixes throwbacks to classic B-movies with del Toro’s signature artistic style, is sure to wow audiences on July 12. The summer of 2013 is filled to the absolute brim with content for everyone — whether it be tentpole blockbusters like Man of Steel or more niche fare such as Much Ado About Nothing, moviegoers are sure to be in for a treat.

LIZZY ZANGHI/ THE RAM

Déjà Vu: Summer Movie Preview By VINCENT PELLIZZI COPY EDITOR

Did you love The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises last summer? Are you hoping for more of the same this summer? Do you scorn superheroes and instead prefer more original science fiction or action movies? Are you looking to laugh at either raunchy comedies or at more family-oriented films? Whatever your taste in movies, summer 2013 has you covered. Though releasing before the official start of the season, Iron Man 3 leads the pack of summer blockbusters this year, picking right up where The Avengers left off. The film aims to take a back-to-basics approach as Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr., Sherlock Holmes) goes solo once again in a post-Avengers world. This time around, Stark squares off against his arch-nemesis from the comics, the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley, Hugo), and deals with a new technology known as “Extremis.” The movie, which also stars Gwyneth Paltrow (Contagion), Don Cheadle (Reign Over Me) and Guy Pearce (Prometheus), is sure to be a rollicking good time and will hit theaters on May 3. Two weeks later, Captain Kirk (Chris Pine, This Means War) and Spock (Zachary Quinto, “Heroes”) make their return to the big screen

trilogy with a hopeful bang. Phil (Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook), Stu (Ed Helms, Cedar Rapids) and Alan (Zach Galifanakis, The Campaign) are all back for the ride, with Stripper Jade (Heather Graham, Austin Powers) and Black Doug (Mike Epps, Hancock) returning from the first film. Another comedy offering this summer is Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing, a Shakespearean adaptation with a peculiar production process, involving a 12-day shoot entirely in black and white. The film stars plenty of regular Whedon collaborators including Nathan Fillion (Serenity), Alexis Denisof (The Avengers) and Clark Gregg (Thor) and is set to release on June 7. Disney will offer up two computer-animated films this summer: Planes, a spin-off of Cars, and Monsters University, which finds beloved Pixar characters Mike (Billy Crystal, Parental Guidance) and Sulley ( John Goodman, Argo) competing with one another in college. This prequel, 12 years in the making, releases on June 21. Other family films this summer include Dreamworks’ Despicable Me 2, once again starring Steve Carell (Get Smart) and The Smurfs 2, which will sadly be the final film of Jonathan Winters, who passed away last week. The summer 2013 lineup is

Karen Hill I had already deleted his number when I got a text from an unfamiliar area code which read “I need to talk.”I hoped it was a wrong number. We hadn’t been seeing each other long, but it had certainly run its course. This anecdote of my misfortune epitomizes for you the two most popular ways of approaching a breakup. There is the shady “let me fade away and erase you from my life,” or at least “delete my contact list” approach, which is my most recent approach. Then, there is the daunting and mature “we should talk.” Both methods get the same point across, but choosing which one is right for your situation and when to act is difficult. Prolonging the process is possibly the most painful option of all. For the shady “let me fade away,” the key is that you actually fade away and do not just entirely stop talking to the person. Granted I deleted the lad’s number, but I built up to that. I sent sporadic texts and snapchats partially trying to feel out our situation, and also partially out of boredom. This way of ending things is really self-explanatory. You just pull away and let the communication dissipate like your feelings for the other person. Most people can get the hint that when you send a text and don’t get a response after an hour or more for the hundredth time, things must be as over as Selena and Justin. The downsides to this approach are plentiful. It is undeniably immature, petty, mean and somewhat rude. It will most likely leave the other person bitter and wondering “what did I do?” While a little selfish, this option could be best for both parties if what you had was not particularly serious. If you were only seeing the person anywhere from a couple weeks up to a couple of months and decided it was not right, having a conversation might not help. Either way; you probably won’t be friends despite that cheesy “we should still be friends” line. Telling the other person you aren’t interested anymore or are interested in someone else is like pouring hydrogen peroxide on a wound. It might be the healthy and appropriate thing to do, but the anticipation is unnerving, and when the acid hits the wound, it burns like hell. I prefer to avoid that burn on top of the existing pain. Talking it out, however, is mandatory in some cases. Sometimes things just do not work out, and that is obvious, which is why it would be okay to pull away. In a relationship of one semester long or more, however, a talk may be necessary. If someone is doing something wrong in the relationship, try to work out what the issues are. From there, you have a better guage of where to take it from there. Having the talk in serious relationships is an ultimate necessity, just like cleaning out those big nasty stitch-worthy gashes. Those only get worse before they get better. Breaking up isn’t fun, and it isn’t easy, but it is a part of life and learning. Do what is best for you and what will make you the most happy, because after all, it is your life. Happy break-ups y’all!


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April 17, 2013

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Ram Reviews Theater Review

Motown: A Hit Filled With Classic Hits By JOHN BONAZZO COPY EDITOR

One of the most common genres on Broadway over the last decade has been the “jukebox musical,” in which the catalog of a song or record label is used to score a show. The result can either be inspired, as in the long-running classic Jersey Boys, or disastrous, as in the Bob Dylan flop The Times They Are A-Changin’. Thankfully, Motown: The Musical, now playing at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, falls squarely into the former category, using a great score to augment its story of musical legends. The show tells the story of Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records. Growing up poor in Detroit, he works as an auto mechanic but really wants to enter the music business. His songwriting career does

not work out, so he borrows money from his family to open Motown Records. The label attracts up-andcoming artists like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and the Jackson Five, all of whom Gordy helps rocket to stardom. His greatest professional and personal success is with Diana Ross, who is not only the label’s biggest star but also Gordy’s longtime love interest. Director Charles RandolphWright marshals all the action onstage effectively, making sure solo and large group numbers both get their moments in the sun. He has also given the design team excellent guidance, as the lighting, costumes and sets all have a fun ’70s vibe. Berry Gordy wrote the book himself, which is a mixed blessing. In the show’s early sections, he gives a bit too much background on his own

life, which the audience really does not care about. Thankfully, in the second act, he allows the music to take center stage so the audience can be enveloped in the classic Motown

Motown: The Musical Directed by Charles Randolph- Wright Starring Brandon Victor Dixon, Valisia LeKae sound. The member’s of the cast expertly portrays their real-life counterparts. Brandon Victor Dixon (The Color Purple) is a charismatic lead, making the audience care about Gordy’s journey and nailing his few songs. Valisia LeKae (The Book of Mormon) has Diana Ross’s charisma and a voice to match, shown to great effect in the audience participation number “Reach Out and Touch.” Newcomer Bryan Terrell Clark emotionally shows Marvin Gaye’s journey from entertainer to activist in songs like “I Heard It Through The Grape-

COURTESY OF AP IMAGES

vine” and “What’s Going On.” Jibreel Mawry is the spitting image of Michael Jackson and leads his onstage brothers in spirited renditions of “ABC” and “I Want You Back.” Ryan Shaw has only one scene as Stevie Wonder, but his performance

Movie Review

of “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” steals the show. Motown the Musical is a toe-tapping good time, charting the rise of the record label through its classic songs.

Music Review

42 is a Baseball Story at the Core Wolf Barks and Bites By JAKE KRING-SCHREIFELS

By JOE VITALE

STAFF WRITER

ASSISTANT OPINION EDITOR

42, directed by Brian Helgeland, does not capture the far-reaching effects and totality of Robinson’s career. It does not touch on his time in UCLA or the majority of his successful stint with the Dodgers. Instead, it dwells on his two-year height of adversity on the front lines of racial intolerance when he was the man who led the charge into breaking the color barrier. Bookended by archival footage of civil rights struggles and facts about Jackie’s life, the film begins in 1945 when young Robinson (Chadwick Boseman, The Kill Hole) is playing in the Negro Leagues for the Kansas City Monarchs. The twiddling fingers, the hopping off first base and the climactic feet first safe slide into second are documented here. Although it is clear he is bound for greater things, the movie opens with a version of Jackie not yet aware that soon he will play for much more. That’s where Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back) steps in and decides Jackie will be the first player he will attempt to integrate into the Brooklyn Dodger organization. In this rendition of the story, Branch Rickey knows the burden he bears in picking the right baseball player to break the color barrier. Anyone less than a humble star would have inflicted a mutiny. Winning was the ticket; it changed everything. It helped an intolerant team see Robinson as more than a black man and gave hope to the African-American population that saw him as a hero. Every hit, every slide, every shoulder shrug, every knowing glare towards an unjust umpire built his confidence in an era where helmets were not instituted and getting hit in the head was a strong likelihood. Jackie’s wife Rachel (Nicole Beharie, Shame) is his emotional rock, present at every home game. She hears every fan’s jab but also

COURTESY OF AP IMAGES

42 Directed by Brian Helgeland Starring Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford triumphs with her husband’s every at-bat. Director Brian Helgeland has experience with underdog stories, the height of which came most notably in A Knight’s Tale, in which a peasant played by Heath Ledger unlawfully enters a jousting competition, a sport of nobility. Historical anachronisms aside, he conjured the same kinds of highly emotional brotherhood relationships seen in 42. Robinson gave his teammates a chance to display their changed racial attitudes to their intolerant friends during their numerous road trips. Before a game against Cincinnati, Pee-Wee Reese races across the field and puts his arm around Jackie for the whole world to see. Ultimately, this is a baseball movie, which means certain facets of the game must be shown, namely home runs cracked with regularity, clunky broadcasting quips and CGI baseballs to match a CGI stadium

re-creation. That does not necessarily mean some of those moments are not potent, but they are noticeable, isolated staples of the game and films about the game. There is something for everyone, specifically the younger generation, which is the ultimate mission for a biopic like this, but that means it also leaves out scrupulous detail, which for stat heavy baseball nerds is a criminal offense. Baseball films rarely, however, ever capture the true nature of baseball, a sport defined by imperfection. Robinson rarely is shown struggling in his at-bats, except for one crucial game against the Phillies, in which Philadelphia manager Ben Chapman (Alan Tudyk, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story) tosses just about every racial epithet in to Jackie’s direction in the batter’s box. Afterwards, Robinson sprints into the dugout tunnel. Away from his teammates, he saws a bat in two against the concrete wall. He thinks no one is watching, but then Rickey appears from the shadows, ready to embrace a belittled man. “Why did you do this?” Jackie asks him later to which Rickey responds, “I want to see baseball played at its best.”

Tyler, the Creator’s journey thus far has involved mixtapes, albums, music video awards, television shows, Twitter fights and everything in between. Now, as his underground hype begins to simmer and his talents begin to soar, it is exciting to see the now 22-year-old inspire, be inspired and put together his best effort yet. With his latest release, Wolf, Tyler chooses tighter beats, boosts the production quality and creates an interesting and detailed storyline filled with more characters and more emotion. The result exceeds his past two solo efforts as each track has a great variety of sound, with obvious influences coming from artists such the hip-hop jazz trio BADBADNOTGOOD, hip-hop heroes Public Enemy and his Odd Future crew. On Wolf, Tyler introduces new characters and paints a vivid story just as in his previous releases Bastard and Goblin. On Wolf, for example, he plays three main characters Wolf: Sam and Dr. TC, who are constantly interacting throughout the album at Camp Flog Gnaw, a rehabilitation center. “Pig,” a track at the album’s midway point, clues us into the story as to why Wolf is actually at the camp with the line “Grab a couple friends, start a couple riots.” There are also some moments where Tyler continues to struggle with typical teenage business, such as on the track “Awkward,” where he talks about kissing his crush but then not knowing what to do

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Wolf Tyler, the Creator about it (“Then we awkwardly stared until our lips locked/Then we awkwardly stared because our lips locked”). Also, on the track “PartyIsntOver/Campfire/Bimmer,” he capitalizes on his selfconsciousness with the line “Um, I said, the party isn’t over/We could still dance, but I don’t have no rhythm.” With so much coming from Tyler himself, it becomes easy to look past some of the fantastic vocal contributions on the album. Tyler often features his fellow Odd Future members (namely Earl COURTESY OF AP IMAGES Sweatshirt and Frank Ocean) but comes through with a great Nas sample on “48.” There are also a sprinkling of beautiful female vocal samples from Syd the Kidd on “Answer,” Erykah Badu on “Treehome95,” and Tallulah on “Tamale.” The two best features by far, though, are Hodgy Beats’ verse on “Jamba” and Domo Genesis’ verse on “Rusty.” Both of them bring the tracks home with their smooth flow and hungry lyrics. While the storyline in the album does stray at times and there is some repetitive subject matter, Tyler continues to show his potential as a lyricist and producer. After a good listen, any intent music fan will find Wolf to be an intricate puzzle. It takes patience and thoughtfulness, but, even by the end of the last track, you will come to know that its Creator is still not showing all of his cards.


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Sports Fordham Baseball Last In A-10 After Being Swept by URI

Page 19

April 17, 2013

By DOMINIC KEARNS STAFF WRITER

As the temperatures hit 80 degrees on Tuesday, April 9, the Rams offense heated up for season highs in hits and home runs in a dramatic victory over Rutgers. However, the team cooled with the weather over the weekend and dropped another conference series to Rhode Island. The Rams faced Rutgers on a gorgeous April day, and both teams displayed fiery offenses. Fordham jumped out to a 6-0 lead, scoring three runs each in the first and second innings. Fordham got its first three runners on base in the first, with senior Mike Mauri’s RBI single starting the scoring. The Rams added two more runs on a throwing error and an RBI groundout. In the second, Fordham benefitted from Slater McCue’s wild pitching. The Rutgers starter allowed a walk and hit two batters before getting pulled. He recorded just four outs and allowed six runs. The Scarlet Knights rallied with three run innings in the third, fifth and sixth, as Fordham starter J.C. Porter did not last five innings. The third inning started with a Fordham error, and Rutgers then added three hits to plate their runs. In the fifth, the Knights tied the score at six without recording one hit. Porter surrendered four walks and a balk before exiting with one out, and Joseph DeVito’s error allowed Rutgers to tie the game. The Fordham bats woke up with four runs in the bottom half. Mike Mauri’s single gave him two more RBI, and Chris Galiano plated another with his single. But, junior Jonathon Reich allowed three more Rutgers scores in the sixth after a leadoff error. Vinny Zarrillo tripled into right field to make the score 10-9, and Reich needed a key line-out double play to preserve the lead. Rutgers completed the rally with four seventh-inning runs. Matt Tietz blasted a three-run double into left field, and the Knights scored their 13th run on a wild pitch. The Rams scored one run in the seventh, but Rutgers countered with an eighth inning tally. In the bottom of the eighth, Rutgers brought in Howie Brey in after Fordham got its first two hitters on base. The inning continued, however, with hits from Tim Swatek and Runco. Swatek scored the tying run on a wild pitch, and the stage was set for Ryan McNally with two outs and runners on the corners. Remarkably, the go-ahead run scored on a balk. Rich Anastasi closed out the ninth, and the Rams savored a 15-14 win. “It was good to see us battle back after losing the lead,” head coach Kevin Leighton said. “It does show that we are capable of producing.” The following day, Fordham traveled to West Point in hopes of starting a winning streak, but the Army Black Knights exploded for eight runs in the third and fourth innings of an 8-2 win. The Rams took a 1-0 first-inning lead when Tim Swatek and Runco led off with consecutive leadoff hits. Freshman starter Cody Johnson started nicely, but ran into

SAMUEL JOSEPH /THE RAM

A trio of losses to Rhode Island dropped Fordham’s A-10 record to 1-8. The Rams still have 15 regular season conference games left to play this season.

trouble during the third inning. With the bases loaded and one out, Patrick Mescher delivered an RBI single, and the Knights edged ahead with a Fordham error and another RBI single. Army sealed its victory with four more fourth-inning runs off Johnson. Harold Earls plated three runs with his bases-clearing triple, and Mescher added another RBI single to complete the scoring. Freshman Ryan Fedak provided four scoreless innings of relief, but the Rams were only able to score once more in a blowout loss. Fordham welcomed the Rhode Island Rams on Friday, April 12, and the teams engaged in a fierce battle. Rhode Island pounced on senior Joseph Charest in the first inning, getting its first four hitters on base. The inning could have been much worse for Fordham, but Charest induced a flyout and double-play grounder to limit the damage. Rhode Island scored once in the fourth inning on Joe Landi’s two out single, but Fordham responded with Ryan McNally’s RBI groundout. The Fordham Rams scored two additional runs in the fifth inning to gain a 3-2 edge. The Rams had four consecutive hitters reach base, and Anthony Galiano gave Fordham the lead with his RBI groundout. The lead was short-lived, though, as Rhode Island knotted the game at three. Shane O’Connell drove a game-tying RBI single to right field, but the Rams stranded two more runners in scoring position. The score remained 3-3 until the ninth inning, when Rhode Island broke the deadlock. Leighton left Charest in to start the ninth, but Charest left after leaving runners on the corners with one out. Tim Swatek entered in a sticky situation, and a passed ball allowed Rhode Island to make it 4-3. Fordham gamely fought back in the bottom half, as Swatek singled and stole second. With one out, Runco beat out a chopper to first, but Swatek made a costly baserunning gaffe. Instead of holding at third with just one out, he tried to score from second, but pitcher Mike Bradstreet relayed the ball home in time to retire Swatek at the plate. Fordham could only muster

a groundout after that, and Rhode Island escaped with its 4-3 win. “Joe was able to settle down after a shaky start and give us the quality start that we needed,” Leighton said. “He deserved to be in the game in the ninth to try to finish what he started, in my opinion. Unfortunately, he got a little squeezed on the leadoff hitter and then the swinging bunt to make it first and third with one out. Those are the breaks.” Saturday’s contest was another tight battle, with Rhode Island again notching a close win. After Rhode Island stranded two runners in scoring position, Fordham used a two-out rally to jump to a 2-0 lead. Senior Dan Sorine provided the first RBI with a massive double to right field, and Ian Edmiston doubled the advantage with his run-scoring single. Rhode Island pulled one back in the third frame with Tim Caputo’s RBI single, but the Rams stranded the tying runner on third. Rhode Island went to work again in the fifth. With two on and two outs, Mike LeBel drilled a three-run homer into left center field. The blast gave Rhode Island

a 4-2 lead and changed the game’s complexion. Both pitchers settled down after that, and runs were difficult to come by. Fordham finally broke the offensive drought when freshman Sam Carreccia drilled a two-out double down the left field line. The hit reduced the Rhode Island lead to 4-3, but Joseph DeVito struck out to end the threat. After freshman Rich Anastasi completed a scoreless ninth, Rhode Island closer Bobby Dean retired Fordham’s hitters in order. Fordham turned to freshman Jimmy Murphy on Sunday, but his efforts were not validated in another defeat. Rhode Island allowed a run in the third inning, when Steve Moyers issued four walks, including three consecutive free passes with two outs. Moyers exited the game after walking Mike Mauri, but Fordham left the bases loaded when Chris Galiano struck out. Meanwhile, Murphy retired the first 14 Rhode Island batters in five scoreless innings. In the sixth, Rhode Island finally broke its scoreless streak. Pat Quinn tied the game with his two-out single, and

Mike LeBel followed with a tworun homer. In a matter of moments, Fordham suddenly trailed, and its offense could not fight back. Rhode Island added another two-out tally in the ninth when Edmiston could not control a pickoff toss by Tim Swatek. Fordham did create some drama in its last at-bat, but could not overcome the deficit. With two outs, Ryan McNally made it 4-2 with his RBI single, and the Rams loaded the bases with consecutive walks. Joseph Runco stepped to the plate, but his strikeout ended the game and preserved a 4-2 Rhode Island victory. “It’s just a matter of executing and getting a couple of big hits in these close games,” Leighton said. “We just need a few breaks to go our way. The goal is the same, to make the playoffs …and the goal doesn’t change because we’ve had a tough start.” Fordham now stands at 12-23 with a 1-8 conference mark. The Rams host the George Washington Colonials this weekend in another three-game A-10 series.

SAMUEL JOSEPH/THE RAM

Freshman Jimmy Murphy recorded eight strikeouts in the final game of the Rhode Island series but took the loss.


SPORTS

Page 20

April 17, 2013

NBA Blog

Kobe’s Spectacular Season Ends In Injury By MICHAEL DAUBER STAFF WRITER

It was a glorious and cataclysmic end to a season riddled with unfulfilled promises, unrivalled highs, crushing lows and reason-defying feats that made even the most experienced spectators marvel at the work being done by one 34-yearold athlete. Friday night, in a close game against the Golden State Warriors in which he scored 34 points, including two consecutive three pointers to bring the game close, and after playing every previous moment of the game, Kobe Bryant tore his Achilles tendon to pieces, ending his season and potentially altering his future forever. Achilles injuries are quite problematic for a basketball player, for anyone who isn’t familiar with the injury and the physics of jumping. Obviously any foot injury is an issue for a basketball player due to the excessive running required, but more importantly, the Achilles tendon is the muscle which enables athletes to gain power in their jump. Essentially, an Achilles injury could take away any player’s ability to dunk or make athletic plays. Indeed, a doctor speaking of Bryant’s particular injury claims it could take about two inches off of his vertical leap if Bryant rehabs perfectly. The rehabilitation process will take at least six and up to nine months, and Bryant may never be the same player again. So what does that mean for his future? Nobody is quite sure. Bryant had claimed he might retire after next season, but he retains the potential to opt into a one-year extension if he chooses. I tend to think the injury will prolong his career. Sure, he won’t be able to dunk, but his jump shot will still be there. If we’ve learned anything from watching years of grit from the Black Mamba, it’s that he does not like to be cheated. This injury is an ignominious insult to his feats from this season, and he will certainly want revenge on the basketball world, and to fight back against Father Time and the basketball gods for a chance to end his career his way. What better way to show this resolve than by making both free throws that he was awarded after the injury? He staggered back to the line, swished the two shots on one leg and hobbled off under his own power, grimacing all the

while. There is no truer statement, no more fitting a moment to represent Bryant’s career and the legacy he will leave behind. Bryant has played through broken fingers, torn labrums and a slew of ankle and knee injuries. None surpassed his indomitable will. Even Bryant’s severe injury could not stop him from having the last laugh and hitting free throws that turned out to be the differecnce in the game. Yet, even in that triumphant moment, a bitter feeling hung in the air. The season saw Bryant shoot more efficiently than he ever had before; it saw him play point guard for almost half the season, and perform better than some of the greatest in history. Most unequivocally of all, it saw Bryant snatch victories from the jaws of defeat more times than ever before. How many games were won off of that man’s weary legs? How many times did he take over the fourth quarter and bring the listless Lakers back from the brink? Did he really dunk over 6’9’’ Josh Smith with 17 years in the tank to essentially win the game? Did he really hit a trio of threes in the last two minutes and get the game winner in overtime to beat the Raptors? Did he really play 48 minutes against Portland and score 47 points? Bryant laughed at time and all of its empty promises right through to his last shots of the season. Even then, his Achilles could not take away what he had done, what 11 other men had not been able to do: he pulled his weight, bit the bullet and made the shots. Nobody knows what Bryant will look like when he returns. Many say he is finished. Indeed, his teary eyes at the post-game interview did not signal much hope for the future, nor did his Vicodin-fueled Facebook rant that evening. Yet, if there is one thing to be taken away from this season, it is this: Father Time gets everyone in the end, but you can never be sure when that end will come. For some, it comes with a massive injury. For others, it comes a year or two after the injury, when they sit in the locker room and can no longer face the prospect of another long campaign to try for a ring. And for still others, it comes after years of astonishing work, after colossal triumphs and crippling losses, and after finally returning to the NBA’s throne. Nobody knows how it will end. Not even Kobe himself. But one thing is for sure: count on Kobe.

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

Kobe Bryant suffered a torn Achilles tendon and will be out for six-nine months.

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Varsity Scores & Stats Men’s Tennis Fordham Hofstra

4 2

Women’s Tennis Fordham Army

5 2

Fordham 3 Geo. Washington 4 2 5

LIU Brooklyn Fordham Baseball Fordham Army

2 8

Rhode Island Fordham

4 3

2 3

Rhode Island Fordham

4 3

Fordham Butler

Rhode Island Fordham

4 2

Softball Lehigh Fordham

6 1

Men’s Track Metropolitan Championship 5000m J. Annelli 1st- 15:19

Lehigh Fordham

7 1

Fordham St. Louis

4 3

Fordham St. Louis

1 2

Women’s Track Metropolitan Championship 5000m A. Arsenault 1st- 17:49

Fordham Butler

3 0

10,000m A. Arsenault

3000m J. Annelli

1st-9:24

10,000m Q. O’Connor

1st-32:47

1st- 37:33

Athletes of the Week Each week The Fordham Ram’s Sports editors honor one male athlete and one female athlete for their on-field performance as its “Athletes of the Week.”

Jonathan Annelli

Anisa Arsenault

Sophomore

Junior

Track & Field

Track & Field

Annelli helped Fordham capture the team title at the Metropolitan Championship by winning both the 5000m and 3000m events. His 3000m time of 9:24 was his best of the season.

Arsenault led the Rams to a second place finish at the Metropolitan Championships, winning both the 5000m and 10,000m events. She won the 5000m in 17:49.24 and the 10,000m in 37:33.50.

News & Notes • Three members of the Fordham women’s basketball team have been honored by the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association. Head coach Stephanie Gaitley was named Coach of the Year, redshirt junior Erin Rooney received First Team All-Met honors and graduate student Marah Strickland was named Second Team All-Met. • Senior Jaimie LaBovick homered in each of the Rams’ softball games against Butler, extending her hitting streak to 28 games, the longest in A-10 history. • Fordham’s 1963 4-mile relay team will be added to the Wall of Fame at the Penn Relay Carnival on the 50th anniversary of its record breaking run. The team of Matt Cucchiara, Norb Sander, Joe McGovern and Tom Kenney ran 16:42.7, a time 29 seconds faster than the previous record. • Senior wide receiver Greg Wilson has scheduled workouts with the San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants of the NFL. Wilson is a California native who played high school football at San Ramon Valley in Danville, California. • Senior quarterback Ryan Higgins has also had a workout with the New York Giants. Higgins was a participant in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl earlier this year.


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Smith Says The baseball season is still very young. At this point, win/loss records mean almost nothing. There have been less than 15 games played by each team, so there’s no reason to panic or give up if your team isn’t doing too hot to start. The season will get better, I promise, unless you are one of the select few who is a fan of the Miami Marlins. Just 12 games into the season, it is already clear that the Marlins are going nowhere. This has happened to this franchise before, and it’s time Major League Baseball did something about it. The Marlins need to be taken out of South Florida and given to a community and an owner who cares. The Marlins are a fairly new organization. They started playing in 1993 and found success early on, winning the World Series in 1997 and then again in 2003. Two championships in 10 years isn’t too shabby. Whenever they build up these winning teams, though, they go on a winter fire sale and dump everyone because they can’t afford them. This wishy-washy style has caused many fans to lose interest, leading to some of the worst home attendance numbers in baseball. Before last season started, there was a lot of excitement around the club. They brought in Jose Reyes, Heath Bell and Mark Buehrle, and nearly reeled in Albert Pujols during free agency. With the pieces they already had in place and a brand new ballpark in Miami opening, it looked like they would be back to World Series form. Unfortunately, the team couldn’t mesh, and, once again, the roster was blown up and people stopped caring in South Beach. This season, the team has a payroll of around $40 million and their roster looks more like a Triple-A club. There is one shining ray of hope still alive in the drudgery that the Marlins have become, and that ray is Giancarlo Stanton. For my money, Stanton is one of the best pure hitters in the game and will become a bona fide superstar. He’s only 23 years old and still learning how to play at the major league level, but he has amazing pop in his bat that we haven’t seen the likes of since the steroid era was halted. If you don’t believe me, check the video of the grand slam that he demolished off of Jamie Moyer, which took the left-field scoreboard as a casualty. There have been rumors lately that Stanton will be shipped out of town soon, and as much as I don’t want it to happen, I don’t see any way that they can keep him. The Marlins have been toying with their scarce fan base for years and I believe the franchise needs to be moved to a city that has fans that will appreciate a pro team and an owner who has the money to create a winning team that lasts. Making the Marlins the first major sports team in Las Vegas doesn’t sound like a bad idea. It’s a gamble (pun intended), but it’s better than leaving the team out in the sun for too long in Miami and letting them fry in the South Florida heat. — Alex Smith

SPORTS

Senior Profile: Mike Mauri

DREW DIPANE/THE RAM

Mauri led the Rams in hitting last season, batting a robust .325 while starting in 54 of the team’s 56 games.

By DOMINIC KEARNS

MM: [Laughs] Yeah.

was the best.

STAFF WRITER

Mike Mauri is a senior from Massapequa, N.Y. He plays first base, and led the team in batting average last season at a .325 clip. On Tuesday, April 9, he drove in a career high five runs in Fordham’s victory over Rutgers. Mauri will complete his finance major this spring, but not before finishing one final season at Houlihan Park. The Fordham Ram: What is the most exciting moment of your career? Mike Mauri: Um, I would say when Brian Kownacki jumped over the catcher in 2011. I was on the bench, but I was pretty excited. TFR: That definitely went viral. I saw it.

TFR: What are your hopes for the rest of this season?

TFR: What has been your favorite road trip?

MM: I mean, it’s been rough in early conference, but I hope we can come back and go on a tear, and hopefully make the NCAA Tournament.

MM: We’ve been all over. I mean Richmond’s fun, Charlotte’s fun, but I wasn’t playing then. But if I were to give you one place I really enjoyed playing at, probably Richmond. I’ve been down there twice in my four year career. Last year we actually had a big battle with them, so it was fun down there.

TFR: What has been your favorite year on the team so far? MM: Probably last year because it was my best year. It was my first year actually playing every day, and I had a good year, so that was fun.

TFR: The weather is nice and warm down there. MM: Yeah, the weather is nice.

TFR: What was your best game here? MM: Best game…I don’t know if I can pick one. I mean, two days ago, three days ago, I had 5 RBIs for a career high, so I guess that

TFR: And what are your plans after graduation? MM: After I graduate, I’ll probably be living at home, probably working.

Men First, Women Second at Met Championships By RYAN SCANLON STAFF WRITER

The Fordham men’s and women’s track and field teams were in action over the weekend, competing in the Metropolitan Championships hosted by Ramapo College in Mahwah, N.J. “Met’s” is a meet comprised of tri-state area schools, normally headlined by heavyweights Columbia, NYU and Fordham. However, Columbia and NYU were absent due to their participation in other invitationals over the weekend, making Fordham the clear favorite to dominate on the men’s side and to compete favorably on the women’s side. The men won the team title with a total of 167 points from many different contributors. The Rams needed all the points they could get with second place finisher Southern Connecticut State University finishing only two points away at 165. Sophomore Jon Annelli was a major player over the two-day meet. The former student at high school cross-country powerhouse Xavier High School posted two victories in major distance events: the 5000m run, which he won in15:19, and the 3000m steeple

chase, which he finished in 9:24. To complete Fordham’s dominance in distance events, freshman Quincy O’Connor took the victory in the 10,000m run in 32:47. Upperclassmen took care of business as well. Graduate student Kevin Fitzgerald captured gold in the 800m run with a time of 1:52.12, out-running four other runners separated by less than a second. One of those four was senior John Cosgrove, who finished third in 1:52.81. Junior Ryan Polo put in work in the 1,500m run, grabbing a second-place finish in a time of 3:54.10 and netting eight points. Fordham’s sprinters and jumpers also contributed. Junior Sean Collins and senior Sean Atkinson finished first and second, respectively, in the 400m hurdles, finishing far ahead of the third and fourth-place athletes. Collins hit 53.43 while Atkinson clocked in at 53.51. Finally, junior David Fajoyomi contributed in both the 200m dash and the high jump. The Hungarian finished second in both the dash and high jump in a time of 21.85 and a best jump of 6’8.25”. The Lady Rams shared success as well, finishing second, to the

very prominent St. John’s women’s team. Junior Anisa Arsenault mirrored Annelli by winning two major distance events to bolster Fordham’s score. Arsenault took the 5000m run in 17:49 and the 10,000m run in 37:33. Sophomore Mara Lieberman continued the distance strength with a win in the 1,500m run, finishing in 4:40.16. Junior Titi Fagade won noter race for the Rams, receiving gold in the 800m run, hitting a time of 2:13.29. Other contributors included sophomore hurdling pair Kristen Stuart and Melissa Higgins. The two finished second and third, respectively, in the 400m hurdles; Stuart came in at 62.76 and Higgins in 64.09. Senior Courtnay Newman did well on the high jump mats and notched some points for the Rams as she normally does: eight points for a second place finish and a best jump of 5’5”(1/2). Finally, the 4x800m relay team, which had so much success during indoor, won the women’s race in a time of 9:12.94. This team consisted of Higgins, Lieberman, sophomore Jillian Brooks and freshman Danielle Rowe. Next on the schedule for Fordham is the Princeton Invitational on April 19 and 20.

April 17, 2013

Matt’s Minute Hockey is admittedly not my area of expertise when it comes to sports. In fact, even though hockey is one of the four major sports in America, I find myself ignoring it most of the time. This is partly (or probably solely) due to the fact that I was unfortunate enough to be raised an Islanders fan. For almost my entire life, the Islanders have been one of the worst franchises in professional sports. This fact was instilled in me at an early age: whenever my dad would take me to Islander games, more than half the arena was filled with empty seats, and the other half basically paid money to watch a team that had fallen into the deepest, darkest recesses of despair and irrelevance. To call the Islanders a horrible team was a severe understatement. The New York Jets are an example of a team that is simply horrible. The common NFL fan knows all about Mark Sanchez’ infamous “butt fumble” and other mishaps surrounding the team. The plague that befell the Islanders was much worse: their horrible play quickly submerged the franchise into a state of irrelevance. This seems like a major generalization, but I would bet money that 90 percent of New Yorkers don’t even know the Islanders exist. It is the sad truth for a franchise that once dominated the sport, capturing four Stanley Cup championships in a row and cementing themselves as one of the most dynamic dynasties in sports. I’m not going to dwell on the various reasons why the Isles fell into obscurity, but instead focus on their recent resurgence into the realm of respectability. They have taken a giant leap forward this year: with only six games left, they are currently seventh in the Eastern Conference and have a very good chance of making the playoffs for the first time since 2007. The fact that they are even in the playoff conversation is cause for celebration for Islander fans. It finally hit me while watching the Isles-Rangers game on Saturday night: after spending many years in the cellar of their conference, the Islanders have finally started to regain some respect in the NHL. There was definitely playoff-esque intensity at the Coliseum, and even though the Rangers won, it is absolutely great to see the Isles play meaningful games in April and hopefully in May. I can’t remember the last time my heart was practically in my mouth while watching a hockey game, and the disappointment I felt when the Isles lost can actually be viewed as a positive: Islander games matter once again. Of course, there has been almost no major media coverage of the Isles’ resurgence, and that is to be expected. They will have to keep up their high level of play for a much longer period of time if they want to continue to garner respect in the NHL and sports world in general. This season has proved, however, that they have definitely made major strides towards accomplishing this goal. Hopefully by this time next year, the Islanders will have regained a fraction of the respect they used to command. — Matt McCormack


SPORTS

April 17, 2013

Page 23

Women Win on Senior Day, Heads into A-10 Tournament By TARA SLEDJESKI STAFF WRITER

The Fordham women’s tennis team closed out its regular season this past week with two wins and one loss. Both wins came at Fordham, in the Rams’ final two home matches of the season. Both Army and LIU struggled to beat the Rams’ strong singles play at home. The Rams started out the past week with the home match against Army on April 10. The match was a 5-2 victory. Things started out slowly for the Rams after they failed to win any of their doubles matches and thus did not pick up the doubles point. But, things picked up after the Rams won five of their six singles matches. Angelika Dabu, Julie Leong, Anika Novacek, Sarah Ali and Bella Genkina all won their singles matches. “Our win against Army last Wednesday was huge for us,” Dabu said, “and I believe it created some momentum leading up to the final days of our season.” The Rams have struggled in the past against Army, so it was huge for the team to finally get a win against them. Coming off of their home victory, the Rams traveled to George Washington University on April 13, where they came up just short of another win. The Rams lost 4-3, in a match that came down to the final singles match of the day. Once again, the Rams began their day by missing out on the doubles point after losing two of three doubles matches. In singles play, however, the Rams came out strong again. Simidian, Leong and Novacek all picked up wins in singles. The day was not a complete disappointment for the Rams despite the loss. “The 4-3 loss to a team like GW proved that we are capable of taking down some of the top teams in our conference,” said Dabu. The Rams finished up their regu-

lar season on April 13, at home against LIU. Before the match began, senior Simidian was honored with a special Senior Day ceremony to mark her last home match as a Ram. The day would only get better for Simidian after the Rams pulled out the 5-2 victory. After struggling at doubles all week, the Rams opened up this match by taking the doubles point and winning all three doubles matches. Simidian and Ali won first doubles, Novacek and Genkina won second and Angelika Dabu and Leong won third. On the singles side of things, Simidian won her first singles match in comeback fashion to close out her home career for Fordham. Ali, Novacek and Dabu also won their singles matches. With the conclusion of the regular season, the Rams now look forward to the Atlantic 10 Conference Championships, which begin Thursday April 18 in Charlottesville, Va. Fordham will face Duquesne in the first round of the A-10 tournament. The Rams finished their spring season with a 9-7 record, with six of the nine wins coming in their last eight matches. Coach Bette-Ann Liguori is looking forward to the championships after her team’s performance to end the regular season. “We won six out of the last eight matches and the team is gaining confidence with every win,” Liguori said. “My players are starting to believe in themselves as a team now and are looking forward to the conference championship this week.” Dabu also stressed the confidence the team has gained. “Our season started off a little rough, but we have gradually become a stronger, more confident team in preparation for the final stretch.” The Rams are looking to do better in the tournament than they did last year when they lost in the first round to a lower-seeded team.

MATT SLOCUM/AP

Adam Scott defeated Angel Cabrera on the second playoff hole to become the first Australian to win the green jacket.

By MAX PRINZ ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

This past weekend I took in that “tradition unlike any other.” I am referring, of course, to the Masters, the first major tournament of the PGA tour’s year. Augusta National was just as beautiful as ever, despite the rain that fell during Sunday’s final round. I took away two main points from the weekend at Augusta. The first is that Adam Scott played a brilliant 18 holes on Sunday. His birdies on the 18th and the second playoff hole were excellent. He was exuberant, yelling “C’mon Aussie,” but still remained gentlemanly, hugging Angel Cabrera after securing the victory. Scott is the first Australian to win the Masters, and he absolutely deserves that green jacket. The second point: Tiger Woods is not back just yet. To no one’s surprise, Woods became the story of the tournament when he took a bad drop on the 15th hole during the second round. He signed an incorrect scorecard following that bad drop and was assessed a twostroke penalty. Signing an incorrect scorecard is an action that, before 2012, would have resulted in disqualification. New rules enacted by the United

States Golf Association allow penalty strokes to be added afterward if facts were not reasonably presented at the time of scorecard signing. The USGA, for the most part, got this right. There was no need for Woods to be disqualified. Woods’ bad drop was brought to attention by a television viewer. The USGA did not catch Woods. Someone watching on their couch did. The USGA messed up by not monitoring Woods’ drop. There should be an official with a clipboard telling Woods that his drop was illegal, not someone with a remote. This rule was put in place to protect the players. It has clearly succeeded. Fans cannot be able to change the outcome of a tournament. Tiger, just like every other player, deserves the protection of rule 33. Though he did not deserve disqualification, Woods does deserve some criticism. He is still not the player he used to be, no matter how much he wants to pretend he is. He has reclaimed much of the glory he had before his infamous scandal., but there is still a ways to go. Woods has yet to win a major tournament since the 2008 U.S. Open. He has played in 15 of the 19 majors since then without a victory. It has been nine years since he

last won at Augusta. Yes, Tiger is again the No. 1 ranked player in the world. Yes, he just scored impressive victories at Doral and Bay Hill. He is even in a stable relationship with Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn. It is not enough. This latest controversy at Augusta shows a sense of arrogance. Many believe Woods was aware of his bad drop. His victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational is not a sign that he has regained his old form, and he should not act like it. Woods used to be able to strike fear into other golfers. In all 14 of his major wins, he has had the lead or a share of the lead going into the final round. His opponents knew that he would seal the deal. Woods’ confidence used to be able to take away all hope. That confidence is now turning into arrogance, and he will not regain his old form if he keeps that up. Tiger Woods was once the undisputed champion of golf. There was a time when I was certain that Woods would someday win his 19th major tournament and surpass Jack Nicklaus. That conviction is long gone. His major tournament drought and negative attitude are troubling. He needs to start winning majors again and soon.

Upcoming Varsity Schedule Home games in CAPS

Friday Apr. 19

Saturday Apr. 20

Sunday Apr. 21

Baseball

GEO. WASH. 7 p.m.

GEO. WASH. 4 p.m.

GEO. WASH. 12 p.m.

Softball

DAYTON 3 p.m.

DAYTON 12 p.m.

Men’s Tennis Women’s Tennis Rowing Track & Field DREW DIPANE/THE RAM

Angelika Dabu and the Rams begin postseason play on Thursday, April 18.

Golf

Thursday Apr. 18

Monday Apr. 22

Tuesday Apr. 23

Wednesday Apr. 24 COLUMBIA 4 p.m.

IONA 3 p.m.

at Richmond 11 a.m. Atlantic 10 Tournament Charlottesville, N.C. Kerr Cup Philadelphia TBA Princeton Invitational 10 a.m. Peacock Invitational 10 a.m.

HOFSTRA 6 p.m.


Sports

Page 24

April 17, 2013

Softball Goes 2-2 on Weekend After Pair of Walk-Off Losses By MATT ROSENFELD SPORTS EDITOR

After dropping both ends of a non-conference double header to Lehigh last week, the Fordham softball team had to bounce back quickly. In four conference games this past weekend, the Rams managed two series splits with Saint Louis and Butler. Fordham took its furthest conference road trip last Thursday as it traveled to the Gateway to the West to take on the Billkens on Friday and Saturday. The trip started well for Fordham, which defeated Saint Louis 4-3 in the Friday matchup. Saint Louis took a two run lead heading into the fifth inning. The Rams had been getting hits but were unable to convert until the top of the fifth. In the inning, senior Chelsea Palumbo led off with a single. After a fly-out from sophomore Paige Ortiz, sophomore Sammi Smith singled to give the Rams first and second with one out. Fordham finally got the clutch hit it needed when senior Jamie LaBovick doubled driving in one run to cut the deficit to 2-1. Then, as she has all year, junior Elise Fortier delivered at the plate. Fortier drove a double to right center that scored LaBovick and Smith and put the Rams ahead. A fielding error from Saint Louis gave Fordham another run, ending the inning with a 4-2 lead. “We have hitters one through nine, so it’s not always the same person who gets up and gets the hits,” head coach Bridget Orchard said about her team’s clutch hitting. “I think they’re used to hitting in tight situations and they don’t seem to get rattled at all.” Sophomore Michelle Daubman gave up a home run in the bottom of the sixth that made the game 4-3, but that was where it would end. Freshman Patti Maloney was called

upon in relief and shut down the Billikens in the final two innings. “[Maloney’s] performance was huge,” Orchard said. “Proving to us that she can come in under pressure and get big outs against some big hitters was big. She did a great job.” The second game saw Maloney back on the mound for the Rams. She, along with Billikens freshman Brianna Lore, pitched four scoreless innings to start the contest. The scoreless tie was broken in the bottom of the fifth, when Saint Louis freshman Elizabeth Everingham hit a solo home run to put the Billikens up 1-0. Fordham remained resilient though. In the top of the sixth, the Rams answered. LaBovick singled up the middle, extending her hit streak to 26 games at the time. That led Fortier, Fordham’s biggest hitter up to this point in the year, to hit an RBI double, tying the game at one. Daubman took over for Maloney in the bottom of the sixth inning and shut down Saint Louis in the sixth. After Fordham failed to get a run across in the top of the seventh when they had a runner in scoring position, Saint Louis took advantage of its opportunity to get a win. A lead off single from senior Laura Bohning followed by a walk set up the walkoff single by senior Erin Harcar. Her single to left center scored Bohning and gave Saint Louis a 2-1 win. Fordham went from Saint Louis right to Indianapolis, where it took on Butler in an Atlantic 10 Sunday doubleheader. The Rams took the first game of the day 3-0. Fordham received a great performance from the top of its lineup. LaBovick, Fortier and junior Gabby Luety (one, two and three in the Fordham order) combined to go 6-10 with all three RBI for the team. All of the scoring came in the first two innings. LaBovick led the game

off with a solo home run to left field, immediately giving Fordham a 1-0 lead. In the second, an RBI single from Fortier and a sacrifice fly from Luety gave the Rams all the runs they would need. Daubman threw a gem in the early game, pitching a complete game shutout and giving up only six hits and no walks in the game. She picked up her 14th win of the year in the victory. Coach Orchard knew her team would respond to the tough loss at Saint Louis less than 24 hours before. “They wanted to get out there and play again,” Orchard said. “The good thing about softball is you don’t have to wait a week to play another game, so I think with us, the team was excited to get back on that field after the loss.” The final game of the weekend would be another heartbreaking loss for Fordham. Maloney toed the rubber for the Rams and held the Bulldogs scoreless in the first three innings. In the bottom of the fourth, Butler put together a double and an RBI single with two outs to put them ahead 1-0. Fordham answered quickly, however. Following Butler’s run, the Rams came up in the top of the sixth and scored one of their own. Another LaBovick home run, her sixth of the year and second in the double header, tied the game at one. The home run also extended LaBovick’s hitting streak to 28 games, the longest in A-10 history. Neither team would score in the seventh as the game carried into extra innings. In the extra frame, Fordham scored a run on an RBI double from Fortier. Unfortunately for Fordham, it could not manage to get an out in the bottom half of the eighth. Butler led off with two singles, the second of which led to a throwing

error by Daubman in left field that allowed the tying run to score and the winning run to advance to second. With the game tied and Butler holding all the momentum, senior Devin Dearing delivered an RBI double that gave the Bulldogs a 3-2 win. After this past weekend, Fordham is 25-16 overall, sitting at 9-5 and fourth in the A-10. While the Rams had a couple of good wins over the weekend, they are not sitting in the best spot when

it comes to postseason play. “We should have been 4-0 over the weekend,” Orchard said. “Coming out 2-2 was a little bit tough because we’re on the cusp of possibly not making it into the A-10 tournament. We have the two toughest teams coming up in our schedule still, so we have to knock off one of those tougher teams.” The Rams have a doubleheader with Siena on Wednesday, April 17 and then host conference foe Dayton on April 19 and 20.

DREW DIPANE/THE RAM

Jamie LaBovick’s 28-game hitting streak is the longest in Atlantic 10 history.

Men’s Tennis Improves to 8-10 With Wins Over Quinnipiac and Hofstra By MAX PRINZ ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

The Fordham men’s tennis team defeated Hofstra on the road this past weekend. With the win, the

team improves to 8-10 on the year. Before the Hofstra matchup, the Rams played a weekday match with the Bobcats of Quinnipiac. It was the last home match of the season for the Rams, and senior day for

Ben Kelly and Alex DeRienzo. The match began with doubles play. Sophomores Max Peara and J.J. Tauil teamed up at first doubles, winning their match 8-6. Juniors Matty Najfeld and Kuba

ALLY WHITE/THE RAM

Fordham has one match remaining in the regular season before the A-10 tournament begins on April 25 in Mason, Ohio.

Kowalski blew away the competition at second doubles, winning 8-0. Fordham secured the doubles point, gaining that always important momentum heading into singles play. “It was really significant that we took both doubles points from both Quinnipiac and Hofstra,” said senior Ben Kelly. “The doubles point was pivotal in the 4-3 win and helped us close early against Hofstra. Our doubles play has really picked up in the last few weeks and we’re making sure it carries over into A-10 conference play at the end of the month.” Najfeld led off the singles play with a 6-3, 6-2 win, giving Fordham a 2-0 lead in the match. Kowalski lost his fourth singles match 6-1, 6-3 to put Quinnipiac on the board. Sophomore Srikar Alla next won at first singles, with sophomore Michael Puntillo following suit. Those wins at first and sixth singles sealed the deal for Fordham, and the Rams defeated Quinnipiac 4-3. The Rams next traveled to Hempstead, N.Y. for the match with Hofstra. The Rams yet again opened the match taking the dou-

bles point. Kowalski and Najfeld notched an 8-0 second doubles win. Peara and Tauil held on for an 8-6 third doubles win, giving the Rams the doubles point and a confidence boost. Singles play brought the Rams more success. Najfeld got singles play started with a 6-4, 6-2 second singles win. Peara, playing at sixth singles, did his job as well. He defeated Pedro Gimenez 6-1, 6-2. Alla was unable to secure a Fordham victory, losing a tough threesetter to Ari Richman 7-6, 1-6, 6-3. Kowalski made the match even closer, losing his match 7-6, 6-2. But Michael Puntillo pulled out a three set win to give the Rams the victory. He defeated Ryhaan Gill 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, making the final score 4-2 in favor of Fordham. “The memorable takeaway from both Quinnipiac and Hofstra was that both victories were clinched by Mike [Puntillo],” said Kelly. “It’s great to have Mike finishing the season very strong for us.” With the two wins Fordham improves to 8-10 on the season. The Rams face off with Richmond on Saturday April 20 in their last match of the regular season.


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