10-20-21 by The Pitt News

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‘they’re still clemson’: panthers prepare to welcome tigers Dalton Coppola

Assistant Sports Editor

The Pitt News

After a win, Pitt football head coach Pat Narduzzi typically enforces a “24-hour rule” to enjoy a victory before starting to prepare for the team’s next opponent. But after the Saturday win over Virginia Tech, the next opponent to face the Panthers won’t be just another team, but the annual ACC powerhouse Clemson Tigers. According to Narduzzi, redshirt senior quarterback Kenny Pickett wanted the team to start preparing for Clemson — just 12 hours after beating the Hokies. Pickett said Saturday that some believe the Tigers aren’t as threatening as they’ve been in the past decade, but to him they’re just as good as ever. “They’re a heck of a team,” Pickett said. “I know everyone’s talking about them like they’re not Clemson. They’re still Clemson.” The Clemson Tigers (4-2, 3-1 ACC) are typically one of the most feared teams in the entire country. But after the departure of a couple key offensive weapons, including NFL No. 1 overall draft pick quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the Tigers have found themselves in an unfamiliar position — outside of the AP top-25 for the first time since November 2014. The Panthers (5-1, 2-0 ACC) find themselves in a new position as well. For the first time since week four of last year, Pitt is inside of the top-25, coming in at No. 23. But Narduzzi doesn’t seem to care about what the media, oddsmakers or fans think about his program — he just wants his guys to execute come Saturday. “I don't care about favorites and points and spread and all the rest of it,” Narduzzi said. “Doesn't really matter in my opinion … I just know they are a really good football team and we are going to have to play our best to have a chance to win.” Here are the keys to the game and what will give Pitt the best “chance to win.” Erick Hallett II will need to replicate his performance against VT this weekend In the Panthers’ loss to the Western Michigan Broncos, WMU burnt junior safety Erick Hallett II across the middle with slant routes on run-pass-options on more than one occasion. When the Panthers went down to Blacksburg last weekend for another offense that runs the RPO, some worried that Hallett would get exposed by the Hokies. See Preview on page 2

T h e i n d e p e n d e n t s t ude nt ne w spap e r of t he U niversity of Pittsburgh | PIttnews.com | october 20, 2021 | Volume 112 | Issue 33

Preview, pg. 1 But in a game where the defense shined, Hallett was one of the stars of the game. The safety logged four tackles, two pass break ups and an interception against the Hokies — displaying much growth since the ugly loss to Western Michigan. The performance was worthy of the ACC naming him the conference’s defensive back of the week. Clemson comes into town boasting a spread offense capable of running the RPO. Sophomore quarterback DJ Uiagalelei has not lived up to many fans’ expectations, but he’s shown flashes of excellence this season and is capable of burning offenses with his powerful arm. Narduzzi is well aware that while Uiagalelei may not have the most impressive stat line thus far, that doesn’t mean he can’t expose Pitt’s defense if it’s not ready. “He's got a gun,” Narduzzi said. “He's got a quick release. He can run. We’re going to have to get him down when he does run the football. He can definitely test us down the field … They are going to run the RPOs as good as we've prob-

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ably seen since Western Michigan.” Hallett’s position at free safety is crucial in neutralizing the passing portion of the RPO offense. If the Panthers want to avoid another meltdown like Western Michigan, Hallett is going to have to continue his elevated play of the past few weeks. “He just keeps getting better,” Narduzzi said. “It's called development, and the more snaps you get, the more comfortable you get. And he's just becoming really comfortable back there.” Pitt has home-field advantage for the first time in nearly five years Pitt has played Clemson three times in Narduzzi’s time at the helm, but only once have the Panthers welcomed the Tigers to Heinz Field. The Panthers met the Tigers in Death Valley twice and once in Charlotte for the ACC championship in 2018. But once again, things are different this time around and Narduzzi is looking forward to playing the Tigers in front of a home crowd. “I hope Panther Nation shows up, and we hope it's loud for them,” Narduzzi said. “I ask the Panther faithful to come on out and get loud, and we need

Cover by Pamela Smith | Visual Editor the home-field advantage … But it's our house and we've got to play like it. And we've got to cheer like it. We've got to show up like it.” Pitt’s athletic department has also branded the game the “Roc the Royal” game, imploring fans to unite in wearing the team’s royal blue colors. With demand for tickets high, many sections of the lower bowl have already sold out and the average ticket price for a nonstudent ticket is north of $100 on ticket website SeatGeek. Pickett looks to build NFL Draft and Heisman resume Pickett has vaulted the Panther offense into the country’s top tier with his performance thus far. And while the team’s performance is obviously a more important aspect of the program, this game could make or break Pickett’s case to be a Heisman trophy winner and first-round draft pick. Pickett put up monster statlines early on this season. But, as critics were quick to point out, these teams weren’t ACC foes and were clearly less talented than

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Pitt. Since the Panthers started their ACC schedule, Pickett has silenced these critics and thrown for 592 yards and six touchdowns in two straight wins over respected defenses. Sports Illustrated’s most recent NFL mock draft predicts Pickett will be the first player selected. The redshirt senior said one of the reasons he came back for another year was to play in big games. A big performance in a big game will certainly boost Pickett’s already exponential upward trend. Prediction — Panthers stay hot, win 17-7 The Tigers may have two losses, but their defense has impressed all season long. While the Clemson offense ranks last in the ACC, Pitt’s defense is ranked No. 1 and has been able to keep the Tigers within striking distance in each of its games this season. Narduzzi said he thinks Clemson’s defense will be a real test for his offense. “We're playing the best defense in the country in my opinion,” Narduzzi said. “I mean, maybe Georgia is right there. But this is a top-notch defense that we've got to be able to pick up all the pressures.” Don’t expect a shootout at Heinz Field this weekend. Rather, look for a defensive chess match between Narduzzi and Clemson’s defensive coordinator, Brent Venables. If Pickett and the offense can get the Panthers two touchdowns, it may be enough to win the game. The defense will look to bring a new level of energy this week because, according to redshirt sophomore Calijah Kancey, they’ve got some unfinished business to tend to. “We’re going to play hard again,” Kancey said. “We’ve got some unfinished business with Clemson. They did some things to us [last year] that we want to make up for.” The game will kickoff Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at Heinz Field and air on ESPN.

PRESSURE IS A PRIVILEGE: EMBRACE EXPECTATIONS OF CLEMSON WEEK

Stephen Thompson Sports Editor

At heart, I’m an anxious person. I overanalyze about as often as I breathe, which made being a Pitt fan a natural fit. Anxiety is a way of life for Panther fans. We're self-loathing people, even when things are going well, because disaster is expected. These heartbreaks are plentiful in Pitt lore. Scottie Reynolds. Mardy Gilyard. Tyler Ennis. The 25-point blown lead from the 2014 Armed Forces Bowl. Early NCAA Tournament exits in consecutive years to inferior opponents for volleyball. More recently, Pitt football has endured a 51-6 home drubbing at the hands of rival Penn State and collapsed on the goal line in a 17-10 loss at Happy Valley the following year. Even this season, which has been a resounding success to date, includes a 44-41 home loss to the MAC’s Western Michigan as its lone blemish. Ask any seasoned Pitt fan and they’ll be able to rattle off a lifetime’s worth of letdowns — instances when the Panthers had every reason to win yet failed. But this season, something’s shifted. You can feel it in the air. Driven by a high-flying offense and led by a quarterback that has been the face of the program ever since toppling then No. 2 Miami in 2017, the Panthers have confidence and they should because they are facing their toughest test at the right time. They’ve already defied self-deprecating expectations by finally beating a Power 5 team on the road and, just last weekend, defeating Virginia Tech thoroughly in a hostile environment at Lane Stadium while favored by nearly a full touchdown. When the ACC released the full schedule in late May, Pitt fans ran through different scenarios as their eyes drifted through the non-conference slate and beginning of ACC play. UMass, New Hampshire and Western Michigan all seemed likely wins. Ten-

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nessee presented a road challenge, but the Volunteers were a three-win team in 2020 and are still breaking in a new head coach. Georgia Tech — another rebuilding project still in its relative infancy — was the last thing that stood between the Panthers and a mid-October trip to Blacksburg against the preseason top-25 Hokies in Week Seven, their first true test. Everyone paused when they reached Week Eight and that iconic and infamous orange paw print appeared. When Pitt fans saw the Clemson Tigers, a golden standard of college football dominance and the ACC’s equivalent of the Death Star, would visit Pittsburgh on Oct. 23, they dared to believe. The schedule unfolded such that the Panthers could conceivably meet the Tigers on even footing, not an afterthought as they had in previous matchups, but no one imagined how these first seven weeks would play out. You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who would have predicted that Pitt would be favored, in this game and in the race for the ACC title, while Clemson struggles to maintain their grip on a winning record. Pitt lost to Western Michigan in a heartbreaker, but has responded dominantly, winning the next three games by an average of 41 points. Meanwhile, the preseason top-two ranked Tigers have fallen dramatically from their perch atop the conference and country. This is not the Clemson of Deshaun Watson, Trevor Lawrence, Christian Wilkins, Mike Williams, Travis Etienne and superstars too numerous to name. The Tigers are shockingly ordinary this year, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, but are nonetheless loaded with top-end talent and coached by one of the sport’s all-time great football program builders. They are still a national brand and a win on Saturday will do just as much for the culture and psyche of Pitt football as it would if Clemson was the juggernaut of past seasons.

Clemson brings their ACC-leading scoring defense while the Panthers will defend home turf with their league-best offense. It will be strength-on-strength, an unstoppable force vs. an unmovable object. In front of a national television audience on Saturday afternoon, Pitt will play one of the most anticipated home games in recent memory with a chance to announce themselves as one of the elite in college football this year. This kind of opportunity would usually terrify Pitt fans, but it shouldn’t. Cleanse your minds of the cynicism and embrace this moment for what it is — a chance to be the exception among a decades-long pattern of mediocrity. As tennis legend Billie Jean King said, “pressure is a privilege — it only comes to those who earn it.” There’s a lot riding on this weekend’s game, but Panthers should wear that as

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a badge of honor. They have earned the weight of expectations, manifested in this opportunity on Saturday afternoon. All that’s left is to keep winning and compound the pressure further. Pitt and Clemson will kickoff their marquee matchup at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at Heinz Field. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

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Rep. Mike Doyle to retire; SGB meeting pittnews.com

Pitt faculty vote to form union by wide margin

Rebecca Johnson, Martha Layne, Jon Moss and Alexandra Ross The Pitt News Staff

Researchers and professors from across all Pitt campuses have voted by a wide margin to form a faculty union, according to a copy of an election returns document The Pitt News obtained, setting the stage for changes in the relationship between faculty and administrators. Out of a total of 2,203 faculty members who voted in the election, according to the document, 1,511 voted to form the union, while 612 voted against it. There are 80 challenged ballots, which isn’t enough to affect the outcome of the election. Roughly 3,000 faculty were eligible to vote in the election. Alex Peterson, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, confirmed the vote totals Tuesday evening. The faculty union will be affiliated with the United Steelworkers’ Academic Workers Association, which has supported the unionization effort since 2016. The Steelworkers have helped faculty unionize at other local universities, including Robert Morris and Point Park. Marian Jarlenski — an associate professor of health policy and management, as well as a union organizer, — said she’s “thrilled” with the election results. She said the large margin of victory demonstrates how much hard work the Faculty Organizing Committee put into the election. “I'm really excited. And I'm just so proud of our organizing committee and the literally thousands of faculty who put in time and effort to make this happen,” Jarlenski said. “I'm really confident it's going to improve our University.” Moving forward, Jarlenski said the union will elect a “representative and inclusive” bargaining committee to identify issues on which to negotiate with the

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University. She said union representatives will also speak with colleagues who voted against forming a union to hear their concerns and if they might have changed their minds about unionization. Faculty union organizers ran on a number of issues, ranging from health benefits to academic freedom. Some of the campaign’s highest priorities included improving pay, job security and trans-

1.25% progressive pay raise in this year’s budget, a change that some faculty said was not enough. Melinda Ciccocioppo, a psychology lecturer and union organizer, said she’s “excited” to form a union and “grateful” for support from the organizing committee’s allies. A Pitt spokesperson said the University is evaluating next steps following the

election results. “While the formation of a faculty union may change how our community works together,” the spokesperson said, “it will not change our longstanding commitment to partnering with faculty members to advance their pursuits of excellence in teaching, scholarship and research.”

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Union-eligible professors and researchers received election ballots and instructions starting on Aug. 27, and the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board accepted all ballots returned by mail before Oct. 12 at 5 p.m. Ballots were not counted if they arrived late. Vote counting started Tuesday at 10 a.m. and board officials completed counting that afternoon. The campaign to unionize Pitt faculty formally launched in January 2016, though unofficial conversations between faculty union organizers and their colleagues started years earlier. Faculty officially filed for a union election with the PLRB in January 2019. A Pitt News investigation found Pitt had included hundreds of administrators and retired professors on its list of union-eligible faculty, which is used to determine whether the required 30% threshold has been met. PLRB hearing examiner Stephen Helmerich ruled in June 2020 that the Pittsubmitted list was “factually and legally inaccurate,” and ultimately ruled on the eligibility list in April. Over the course of the union campaign, the University declined to take a formal stance on a desired outcome of the election. Pitt has paid more than two million dollars to Philadelphia-based “union avoidance” law firm Ballard Spahr between 2016 and 2020, which union organizers had called “shameful.” Organizers and Pitt also argued throughout the campaign on whether faculty from the School of Medicine should be included in the union’s bargaining unit. PLRB officials ultimately ruled the SOM faculty would be excluded from the union. The campaign to unionize more than 2,000 Pitt graduate students continues, despite the PLRB upholding an April 2019 vote against unionization. Union organizers have said they plan to appeal the decision.

‘You’ve got to be personable’: Pitt students canvass for Gainey across Pittsburgh Staff Writer

The last thing Will Allison expected to hear when he knocked on a potential voter’s door this month was a bird squawking — but sure enough, when the resident opened his door, he had two parrots perched on his arm. “We were like, ‘Oh, hi, we're canvassing for Ed Gainey for mayor.’ And he's like, ‘Oh, I like Ed Gainey, you want to hold the parrots?’” Allison, a sophomore political science major, said. Joining Allison in Bloomfield that day was junior political science and English literature double major Isabella Veneris, who said one of the birds’ names was Ziggy Featherdust. The two Pitt students work as fellows on progressive Democrat Ed Gainey’s mayoral campaign team, where they do phone banking, create social media posts, help organize events and canvass doorto-door. Tony Moreno, Gainey’s Republican opponent in the Nov. 2 general election, said he does not currently have any Pitt student volunteers on his staff, though he said his campaign has student volunteers from Robert Morris and Duquesne universities. While campaign workers canvass for the purpose of convincing potential supporters to come out and vote for their candidate, Reiss Veltri, a junior political science major who is also a fellow, said the goal isn’t to attack or debate an individual voter’s political views. “I think people come with that conception, when they're working a campaign — ‘I'm gonna be arguing with people’ — it's really not that way,” Veltri said. “It's really like, you’ve got to make connections with people, you've got to be personable.” Veltri and Allison both said they got involved with Gainey’s campaign before the May 18 primary election — working as unpaid fellows before it became a paid position at $15 an hour. Veneris said Allison recruited her to join the team in early September. As a political science student, Veltri said he had been looking for opportunities to get more involved with local politics before he joined the Gainey campaign. He said he has enjoyed the work he’s done with the campaign and hopes to continue with others in the future. “I would love to work on other campaigns,”

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Veltri said. “It's so cool. I'd love to slowly climb the ladder of campaign staffing and figure out what it is and try to make a difference individually.” Veneris, who works as a barista at a local Starbucks besides completing her coursework, said she doesn’t have any trouble finding the time for the fellow position. She said she must work at least 10 hours each week, and she is able to fit them into her schedule without issues. “I do think this position is really flexible,” Veneris said. “It allows me to work whenever I'm able to get away from school, and it doesn't impede on my ability to actually go through my assignments and do any work.” Sharing the same political stances and values as Gainey — such as supporting unions and challenging UPMC’s tax-exempt status — makes it easier to talk about his platform passionately, Veneris said. She said those who wish to work on a political campaign should take the time to find a candidate they truly be-

lieve in. “I would say if you would love to get involved in a political campaign, make sure you really care about the issues and make sure you pick a candidate that you think represents you and your values,” Veneris said. Allison said the Gainey campaign staff has an equal and free-flowing exchange of ideas, and more experienced staff members encourage student workers to contribute meaningfully to the campaign. “People from above are very willing to listen to ideas from people below,” Allison said. “For example, if I have an idea, I feel very open to suggest it to … the field organizer. And she’s very willing to consider or put into place an idea that one of the interns [fellows] has had.” Veltri said he volunteered for Joe Biden’s presidential campaign for two weeks last fall. Compared to a national campaign, he said there is more personal connection, but fewer resources and less structure in a local mayoral campaign.

“I never got to meet Biden in person — I get to meet Gainey every once in a while,” Veltri said. “They were really concise with how we were getting things together and stuff. For our campaign, a lot of people are newer and stuff, and so we're still feeling out the correct methods and stuff with organizing … we don't get as many volunteers, so we have to make do with what we have.” Canvassing in Pittsburgh means connecting with people from communities that have been neglected by the City government, according to Allison. He said it was heartbreaking to see the way the City had treated predominantly Black communities such as the Hill District, Homewood, California-Kirkbride and MarshallShadeland. “I'll go into places and you'll see half the homes are vacant, or you'll see these buildings that were condemned 20 years ago and nothing has been done with them,” Allison said. “I mean, that's criminal. Like it's, it's seriously, it's criminal.”

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Opinions

Halloween is our fall semester savior pittnews.com

The Nov. 2 elections are important

India Krug

Senior Staff Columnist Did you know we have an election on Tuesday, Nov. 2? If you didn’t, you’re not alone. While Pennsylvania’s appellate judicial elections do not receive nearly as much attention as others, they are vitally important. If you’re worried about your right to privacy or your right to vote, you need to cast a ballot in this election. Absentee and mail-in ballots must be requested by Oct. 26 at 5 p.m., but it’s recommended to request and return them as soon as possible. Absentee ballots are for those who will not be in their municipality on election day, and mail-in ballots are available to anyone, but must still be applied for every election. They must be received by your county election’s office by 8 p.m. on Nov. 2. For those who wish to vote in person, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 2, and you can find your polling place online. If it is your first time voting at a polling place, you must bring proof of identification. It’s important to have a voting plan, whether that means scheduling time to go around classes or figuring out the bus route beforehand. Voters can view a sample ballot beforehand. All registered voters in Pennsylvania are able to vote for judicial candidates, and a lot is riding on these elections. The loudest calls to organize come during presidential and midterm elections, but I would argue that voter turnout is even more important in judicial elections, when the decisions that come out of them have the power to influence our lives in very direct, harrowing ways. For example — those of us with uteruses. The best protection right now isn’t a condom, it’s a vote for judges who have a track record of defending reproductive rights. We know that Pennsylvania is probably not very far behind Texas when it comes to abortion access, considering multiple pro-life bills

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have been introduced and voted on in the General Assembly. One even passed, only to die at Gov. Tom Wolf ’s desk. Wolf has been the main safeguard against the state’s Republican-controlled General Assembly, vetoing recent bills such as mandatory voter ID and the prohibition of pan-

tisan balance of the court, as there are currently five Democrats and two Republicans, with one Republican retiring and leaving an open seat. Judge Maria McLaughlin is running for that seat. She currently sits on the Superior Court, and serves as the liaison to the Penn-

Shruti Talekar contributing editor demic safety measures. If Democrats are unable to obtain a majority in the legislature or elect a governor in 2022, such bills could become law and the courts would take on a much more prominent role. That means it’s imperative that we elect dedicated and progressive judges to do the work of protecting our rights. There are a total of four Democratic candidates running for seats on Pennsylvania’s Supreme, Commonwealth and Superior courts. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is the highest in the state and, in recent years, rejected the legislature’s gerrymandered map and upheld Gov. Wolf ’s COVID-19 mitigation strategies. Justices serve 10year terms, and can hold their seats if they win a retention vote. This is true of all three courts. This election will not change the par-

sylvania Bar Association. McLaughlin is running to protect, among other things, women’s rights and voting rights. Her campaign is centered on how her experience as a first-generation college student and single mother influences her public service. The Superior Court is one of the two intermediate appellate courts in the state. It rules on civil and criminal appeals, but unlike the Supreme Court, does not have discretion over which cases it hears. This makes it the busiest court in the state. One Republican on the court is retiring, leaving open the possibility of a Democratic majority. Judge Timika Lane is running for that seat. Currently, she is a judge of the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas, and previously served as chief counsel to State Sen. Anthony Williams. A graduate of How-

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ard University, she has been endorsed by labor unions and advocacy groups, such as the Pennsylvania chapters of the AFL-CIO and National Organization for Women. The Commonwealth Court is the other intermediate appellate court. It handles legal matters involving state and local government and regulatory agencies. It is composed of nine seats with a wide Republican majority, and two positions are open. Judges Lori Dumas and David Spurgeon are running for these seats. Dumas currently serves on the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas. Her campaign is centered on her long career in anti-violence and justice for Philadelphia’s children and families. Spurgeon currently sits on the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. His campaign is centered on his experience with domestic violence cases and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges has named him a Judicial Fellow for his leadership. I wish I could say that judicial elections shouldn’t be partisan. But they are, and as long as there are social justice issues on the table, it’s good to know who will fight for you. Republicans know that, otherwise they wouldn't be proposing new judicial districts that would be easily gerrymandered. Judicial decisions and local governing have the most influence over our day-today lives, and yet “off-year elections” tend to have terrifyingly low turnout. In reality, there are no off years when the stakes are this high. I know that we’re all tired from last year’s dumpster fire of an election, but get your fire extinguishers ready, because there’s more to put out! India is The Pitt News’ informed rebel girl. Write to her at ilk18@pitt.edu or follow her on Twitter @indialarson_, but you better like her tweets.

Culture‘just so much fun’:

pitt’s salsa club spices up students’ sundays

Sarah Demchak For The Pitt News

About 40 salsa dancers can be found in room 501 in the William Pitt Union on Sunday afternoons, moving in a fast series of patterns and spins. They work individually and in pairs, swiftly gliding across the room. Pitt’s salsa club offers these dance classes every Sunday from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. The first hour consists of a lessonbased class — learning basic steps for different dance styles other than salsa, such as bachata and cha-cha. The second hour focuses on the club’s dance team, where they practice a choreographed routine. Both hours are open to non-experienced members. Alex Marcks, the club’s president, did not have any dance experience when she joined the club her first year. According to Marcks, the club creates an inclusive atmosphere where anyone can join — no special dance shoes, dance partner or salsa experience necessary. She said everyone learns and dances together with the help of their two professional instructors, Agustin Garcia and Nicolette Garcia-Pawlowski. Garcia-Pawlowski said salsa's impact resonates with the members even after they graduate from Pitt, and they often return to visit the club years later. “When we do teams, we really see people building and growing steadily throughout the whole semester, and a lot of them stick around,” Garcia-Pawlowski said. “Even after they graduate, they come back to come dancing at our socials, so it’s just amazing to see how the dance really affects people and, for a lot of them, sticks with them.” Garcia-Pawlowski, co-owner of Los Sabrosos Dance Company, encouraged all students to move their bodies and take a break from their busy, work-filled

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Sundays. She said inexperienced dancers should join even if they’re unfamiliar with salsa. “No one is born walking. No one is born dancing,” Garcia-Pawlowski said. “When anyone starts out, every single person feels crazy and strange and weird when they start dancing initially — and

dance style. “A lot of times, people from the club and I will go down for that, which is fun because you get to dance with strangers from around Pittsburgh or people that dance at their studio and have been dancing a long time,” Marcks said. “So you get to learn new things from that as

Members of Pitt’s salsa club practice in room 501 in the William Pitt Union. Image courtesy of Pitt Salsa Club that’s normal.” Along with their weekly practices, the salsa club hosts other special events. In the past, they coordinated with other Latinx groups on campus to hold a joint dance club meeting with food, drinks and dancing in the O’Hara Student Center. According to Marcks, the club intends to host more collaborative events to allow people from different organizations to interact and connect. The club currently participates in open salsa nights at Los Sabrosos every first and third Saturday of the month. Marcks said these interactions aid in becoming more well-rounded in the salsa

well.” In the future, the salsa club is looking to advance its dance team with competitions outside of Pittsburgh. Currently, the team performs their choreographed routine with formal outfits and some partnered dancing at the end of the semester, at both Los Sabrosos and on campus in the O’Hara Ballroom. To choreograph the team’s routine, Garcia-Pawlowski breaks the chosen song into chunks — focusing on various aspects of the music. She also listens to the song on repeat while driving, watches other dancers’ choreographies and refers to fellow instructors’ choreography-

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related ideas to gain inspiration for her routines. Dayon Ketchens, a junior double majoring in German language and cultural studies and linguistics, said he was initially nervous about joining the club, but encouraged others to ignore those feelings, because of how happy he was after he joined. “Just do it, honestly,” Ketchens said. “I was skeptical too. I didn't want to dance with people. I didn’t want to touch people. I thought it was going to be awkward. But it is so much fun. It’s a tightknit community that we have.” Ketchens said members don’t have to be at every practice to join the club. People can pick and choose which weeks they want to attend, with recurring and new faces each Sunday. Marcks said this flexibility allows members to obtain the stress reliever on whichever Sunday they need it most. She said it helps her refresh her mind to continue working on homework from the morning. “It’s a very good stress reliever and it’s just so much fun, you can’t be upset and salsa dance at the same time — it’s the serotonin boost you need,” Marcks said. “You’re fresh of mind to go back and do your work.” Garcia-Pawlowski said the music’s energy greatly helps students accomplish their busy work-filled schedules. “There’s something about the music, there’s something about the energy of people that it makes you feel you have,” Garcia-Pawlowski said. “Even for that one hour, a great mental break from everything to be able to jump right back into the craziness of school work.”

Gussy’s Bagels and Deli brings homemade bagels to Oakland Ebonee Rice-Nguyen For The Pitt News

With bright orange walls and 75-year-old Italian ovens right inside the store, owner Scott Walton said Gussy’s Bagels and Deli aims to make customers feel right at home. Gussy’s is located at 3606 Fifth Ave., between Atwood Street and Meyran Avenue, and offers a variety of homemade bagels and sandwiches for customers to choose from. Gussy’s specializes in bagels, but also offers sandwiches and breakfast options for less than $20. Customers can choose to have their bagel topped with lox or served with a sweet or savory flavored “schmear” spread. Walton bought the building for Gussy’s Bagels and Deli on July 1 and spent the summer turning it into his vision. The shop officially opened at the end of September. Before the bagel shop, Walton was a wellknown figure in the fine dining scene. He served as the executive sous-chef of Magnum’s Prime Steakhouse in Lombard, Illinois, and the executive chef at Stoney Point Grill in Moneka, Illinois.

Walton opened Markethouse — a restaurant that used to be located in Chicago — in 2009, where he worked as the executive chef. Walton eventually made his way to Pittsburgh, where he opened Acorn, a modern American restaurant located in Shadyside, in 2017. However, Acorn’s fine dining didn’t transfer easily to takeout during the COVID-19 pandemic, and at the same time, Walton didn’t want to compromise his craft. “Our food there didn’t travel, it has all kinds of finishes,” Walton said. “It was never going to be a good representation of how we cooked, doing to-go food. Nor did I want to do chicken sandwiches or burgers.” Walton came up with bagels as a solution to keep Acorn afloat. He said they were perfect for pandemic takeout and always in high demand. While Acorn originally sold a single batch of about 40 to 50 bagels per weekend at the start of the pandemic, it quickly grew to 1,600 bagels. While the bagels were a success, Walton said he was still missing something in his happiness

— his family. As a chef in fine dining, Walton said he barely had the time to see his two young daughters. Along with many Americans, Walton said the COVID-19 pandemic made him realize the importance of those closest to him. “The pandemic was good for me. It gave me a different perspective of life and outside of work life. I’ve worked 12 to 15 hours every day of my life. I got a couple of little girls. I realized for me over the past five years I don’t know them,” Walton said. “The pandemic gave me a new view on what could be a healthy work relationship. That’s all I wanna do is spend time with them.” With new insight gained, and a new trade, Walton left his 25 years of fine dining experience behind him and split with his partners at Acorn. Walton said while he may not be in the fine dining scene anymore, he takes the same philosophy from his previous restaurants to the bagels he serves at Gussy’s. “Making a perfect bagel is no different than seven courses, when you see it come out of the

oven and all the steps it’s gone through,” Walton said. “There’s the three-day fermenting process, the rolling before, the rolling after. It’s still labor with love.” Walton said he prefers to take a personal approach to the baking process. With a 75-year-old Italian oven and a 55-year-old mixer, he said Gussy’s bagels have a genuine feeling. “It’s all about giving them something real, and fair and of value that they can enjoy. It’s all about the experience,” Walton said. “I don’t care if it’s fine dining or anything. You’re still trying to create an experience for someone.” Anna Bagwell, a sophomore environmental science major, felt the difference that Gussy’s brings. Bagwell said the family feel of the restaurant is comforting to customers. “There’s two little girls, the owner’s daughters, giving people their orders, that’s a big difference,” Bagwell said. “It’s like a family.” While places such as Einstein Bros. Bagels

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October 20, 2021

De’Jovia Davis leads in all corners of campus life Stephen Thompson Assistant Sports Editor

It’s hard to be at Pitt — whether as a prospective student or head coach of the women’s basketball team — and not cross paths with De’Jovia Davis, a senior urban studies major known to friends as Jovi. Panther fans have certainly enjoyed the fruits of her labor while cheering on the women’s basketball team at the Pete, or taking in a Pitt band performance at Heinz Field. Potential Panthers have been on her tours around campus, and incoming students have met a figure who is helping them get used to college life. To some, it seems like Davis is using superhuman effort to create time for a myriad of jobs and activities. But to her, it doesn’t feel Herculean. Davis composed a loaded schedule gradually, integrating jobs and clubs as she grew into herself at Pitt. Now she has extended her reach all across campus and beyond, from mentoring to community service to athletics. “I’m able to do what I love,” Davis said. “I love going to practice. I love going to band. I love giving tours for Pathfinders. So everything I do, that

I’m busy with, it’s not like I have to go here. I want to go here and I’m the type of person that likes to be busy.” Davis is deeply involved with each organization she’s affiliated with. Davis is a four-year member of the Pathfinders, Pitt’s tour guide group. She’s also a First Year Mentor, working with young students to help them get adjusted to Pitt and college life in general. She has two hands in Pitt athletics, as an assistant drum major — the first Black woman to ever hold that position — and head student manager of the women’s basketball team. All of her work culminated in a proverbial crowning achievement this fall. During the Homecoming football game vs. New Hampshire on Sept. 25, Davis won the Spirit of Pitt Award, which honors two students at Pitt who “display a commitment to academic excellence, community service and the Pitt Alumni Association’s values.” When Davis accepted the award while standing on the 50-yard line of Heinz Field, she had the Pitt band — a collection of some of her longest-held and closest friends — at her back, and

her family, who made long trips to meet in Pittsburgh for that special day, in the stands cheering along with the rest of the stadium. Her parents and sister Deonnah came from their hometown of Savannah, Georgia, and her other two sisters, Danielle and Diazmyn, trekked from their respective schools — Kennesaw State University and the University of Kentucky. The moment was years in the making and began when Davis auditioned for the band prior to arriving on campus in fall 2018. Chrissy Shannon, a 2020 Pitt alumna and the first female drum major in the band’s history, and Davis were close during their shared time in the Pitt band. Shannon was Davis’ “big brother” in Kappa Kappa Psi, a band fraternity that, according to Shannon, seeks out and tries to foster future leaders within the band as a whole. When Davis joined during her first year, Shannon, a trailblazing drum major herself, instantly recognized that Davis had the kind of magnetism and leadership qualities that are necessary to be successful in such a role. Davis initially showed interest in following in Shannon’s footsteps as a drum major “late in the

game,” according to Shannon. But when the burgeoning band star did, Shannon was immediately supportive. And when she finally earned the position of assistant drum major and followed in Shannon’s barrier-breaking footsteps, feelings of hope turned to joy and pride. “It’s a relief, first of all, that it wasn’t just oneand-done then go back to the way things were,” Shannon said. “But I think she’s the perfect person. I just trust her. I don’t worry about anything. She’s perfect for the job. … It’s not shocking. It’s really nice and I’m really proud of her.” Those skills translated well to her role as a basketball manager, which Davis picked up in the fall of her sophomore year. She saw a flyer hanging around campus and contacted the program’s director of operations, Ali Horsely. Like Shannon, Horsely was immediately struck by Davis’ intangibles. Horsely said she was professional, instinctive and had an x-factor that endeared her to the players and coaching staff immediately. She’s detail-oriented as well, Horsely said, remembering and maintaining even the smallest of routines, like how head coach Lance White enjoys his iced tea with extra ice. She was an obvious choice to take over the role of head manager in her junior year, according to Horsely. “In her second year with us, we promoted her to head manager,” Horsely said. “She just displays a ton of leadership qualities. She is super organized and dedicated. She gets the basketball world in the sense that we move fast and you have to keep up and anticipate.” Davis’ duties primarily involve overseeing the other managers, but she also plays a direct role herself, helping set up practice, acting as a liaison for program staff and traveling with the team, among other constantly changing, daily tasks. Horsely and Davis have become close over their time working together. Horsely, along with the rest of White’s coaching staff, arrived at Pitt at the same time as Davis, in fall 2018. They’ve had to learn the ins and outs of campus life simultaneously. Now, as Davis prepares to graduate, she said Horsely is taking an active role in teaching about how a college sports program is run. Davis hopes to attend graduate school after this year but college athletics is a career field she is interested in, so she’s trying to absorb all the knowledge that she can.

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October 20, 2021

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October 20, 2021