The Villanovan | Volume 115, Issue 11: May 3, 2023

Senior Column: It’s Cool to Care

Rachel Reiniger Former Digital Editor

College teaches you a lot. Everyone knows the cliches: self-discovery, independence, career opportunities, the list goes on. But the lesson that truly changed my college experience is not as widely talked about: the best thing you can do in life is care more.

We start out life knowing this and somehow lose it along the way. In elementary school, the harder you tried, the more you were rewarded. You add more stickers to your classmates’ Valentines, sign longer notes in the back of your neighbor’s yearbook and make your best friend a matching friendship bracelet.

Middle school slowly introduces the concept of perception. Cliques ran rampant and cattiness followed suit. Suddenly you enter high school learning it is no longer cool to care.

Then college comes, and you’re told, “Put yourself out there!” “Say yes to everything!” and “Leave your door open and chat with anyone that passes by!”

I quickly learned freshman year would be much easier if I had been thrown in as a fi rst grader. No guards up, wearing my heart on my sleeve, probably in a sequin High School Musical t-shirt.

Instead, I, like many others, let the stress of being perceived as “too much” hold me back freshman and sophomore year. I was too scared to ask the same person to dinner two nights in a row or send a text afterwards saying how much fun I had.

There comes a point in college when you realize it may not be about

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Villanova Program at SCI Phoenix Prison

p. 3

The Villanovan’s Year in Review Spread p. 12-13

Students Share Summer Plans and End of Year Sentiments

It is hard to believe that yet another academic year has come to an end; students at Villanova are beginning to pack their bags and say their goodbyes, longing for the warm summer days again, yet secretly counting down the days until coming back to campus in August. While the campus may be emptying out for the summer, ‘Nova students are staying just as busy with their summer plans and starting to prepare for their fi nal exams.

Students such as

junior Bella Lentini will be “studying abroad in Florence for the fi rst half” of the summer.

“[I will] most likely be working as an assistant teacher in a special needs class like I did last summer,” Lentini said. “There aren’t really many internships for what I want to do [speech pathology], so this experience is good.”

Villanova hosts a variety of summer study abroad programs, the most popular ranging from 10 weeks abroad in Ireland to the joint, 10-week internship and class study abroad at the London School of Economics.

“[I am] excited

for [my] classes abroad,” junior Katelyn Dougherty said. “The one is taught by a Villanova professor arranging the trip abroad and the other is at the London School of economics and should be a fun experience.”

In addition to studying abroad, a large number of students will be participating in internships this summer. Sophomore Jane Maleady shared that she will be interning in investment banking. Maleady is very excited to be working in New York City this summer and is “super excited to gain exposure within the industry.” Junior Megan Moore will be in-

terning and “teaching at a summer school as part of a student teaching program.” Moore is also excited to have the summer to “destress and enjoy time with [her] hometown family and friends.” Freshman Emma Thomas is excited for her summer plans, which include “[attending a] Taylor Swift concert [and] shadowing in the Pediatric emergency department.” While the countdown to summer is gaining the attention of all the returning students, for the Class of 2023, graduation is on the horizon. Senior Shannon Kauber is a political science and communications double major with

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‘Nova Takes the 4 by Mile Championship

Jacob Artz Staff Writer

The Villanova men’s track and field team ended the Penn Relays with a finish to remember.

Junior Liam Murphy closed from ninth place to first place during his anchor run to help the team claim the 4-bymile Championship of America with a time of 16:14.08 at Franklin Field in Philadelphia on a wet Saturday afternoon.

The other three

University Receives

$20m Grant for Posse Partnership p. 3

Villanova Buildings as Taylor Swift Songs p. 15

runners who preceded Murphy in the team effort were sophomore Sean Donoghue, who ran a 4:01.24, graduate student Charlie O’Donovan,

who clocked in at 4:01.80 and senior Sean Dolan, who had a time of 4:00.80.

The fashion in which the team won and the stage in

which it accomplished it made the victory special.

“This will never get old,” Dolan said via Villanova Athletics. “This is my favorite meet, and it is the best track meet in the world in my opinion. Nothing beats Franklin Field this weekend. It is a big deal for us, and to bring home a wheel where it belongs is a huge honor.”

Murphy avenged the distance medley race in which the Wisconsin runner overtook him in the last 100 meters of

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Satire: Hell Week is Worth Savoring p. 5

Women’s 4x800 Impresses at Penn Relays p. 17

Senior Columns: Meghann Morhardt, AJ Fezza, Tina Aron p. 6-7

Full Page of Ask The Villanovan p. 21

Letter From The Editors: Your Mental Health Matters p. 9

BACKPAGE: Crossword and Series Finale of Mr Wildcat! p. 15

Lauren Armstrong Staff Writer

Students look forward to summer as spring blooms around campus. Graydon Paul / Villanovan Photography

Members of the track team celebrate their win. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics.

Rape/Sexual Assault

March 17, GOOD COUNSEL HALL

A Campus Security Authority reported that a student reported that she had been raped by a known actor on campus in a residence hall.

Disorderly Conduct

April 26, CONNELLY CENTER

A resident student was causing a disturbance in the Connelly Center.

Paraphernalis/Possession of Marijuana

April 27, SOUTH CAMPUS GROUNDS

A group of students fled from VU police and discarded various items of drugs and paraphernalia.

CORRECTIONS

Theft by Unlawful Taking or Disposition

April 28, S-4 SPRING MILL GARAGE

A faculty member reported a catalytic converter stolen off of his personal vehicle.

Liquor Underage

April 29, GOOD COUNSEL HALL

A resident student, under the age of 21, was in possession of alcoholic beverages.

Criminal Mischief/Harassment, Strike, Kick, Shove

April 29, DOBBIN HALL

A female resident student reported she was pushed by another female resident student during an argument. During the course of the encounter

an audio speaker was damaged.

Liquor Underage

April 30, SHEEHAN HALL

A female resident student, under the age of 21, was evaluated for alcohol intoxication and transported to the hospital.

Theft by Unlawful Taking or Disposition

April 30, DAVIS CENTER

A male resident student reported the theft of his Air Pods. The amount of the loss is $119.00.

Factual errors are corrected as soon as they are brought to The Villanovan’s attention. Please send an e-mail to villanovan.eic@gmail.com to report errors.

Students’ Summer Plans

essays when you need to study for an actual test. Also go for walks outside or exercise if you like, that helps me destress.”

“Food News” Group Chat

Nicole Liddicoat Staff Writer

concentrations in media production and journalism and a minor in computer science. Kauber is excited for her post-graduation position.

“[I will be working] in corporate communications for Weber Shandwick, a public relations agency, in Manhattan following graduation,” Kauber said. She shared that she also is looking forward to traveling with her friends and family after graduation.

While the anticipation of summer has begun, there can not be summer vacation without finals. To help prepare for these exams, fellow students were eager and willing to share some of their favorite study tricks with the rest of the Villanova community.

“I wish that I knew my studying style, take time to figure out how you learn best,” sophomore Kayla MacKinnon said. “Whether it be with another person, rewriting notes, teaching someone else or flash cards, find out how you learn best and use it to your advantage. That, and sleep. Sleep eight hours and eat healthy food, and drink water.”

“It is crucial to remember that while this is a stressful time balancing final exams, papers, and projects, in addition to packing up and saying goodbye to your friends, hallmates, roommates and dorm it is also important to ensure you are taking care of your body and self,” freshman Betty Dorsey said. “It is okay to be stressed, but when that stress is taking over your well being, that is when it is time to step back and reapproach the situation.”

Lentini is “feeling okay” about her exams coming up.

“Stress is definitely building but I feel like it’s better this semester than in the past,” she said. “I’m trying to start my essays now so that I’m not swamped then. [I believe in] starting things early. You don’t want to be writing your

It is sad to see another year come and go, but the accomplishments of Villanova students do not go without recognition. The hard work put in throughout the past 10 months has been incredible, thus leading to a much deserved summer break. While as a community Villanova is sad to see the Class of 2023 leave, without a doubt there are the other Villanovans extremely proud of this graduating class, and cannot wait to see all they accomplish. Villanova is also eager to welcome the Class of 2027 to campus starting August 19th, and the rest of the returning Villanova community for the first day of classes on Wednesday, August 23rd. Have an amazing summer, Villanovans. We deserve it.

The food waste epidemic has become an increasingly intense problem, contributing to food insecurity nationwide and high levels of methane gas released from landfills.

Food waste piles on fast, and college campuses create favorable circumstances for excess food from random events and meetings to go unnoticed. Food waste’s environmental and social impact burdens universities, and students are attempting to do something about it.

The Villanova Sustainable Leadership Council has developed branches of its initiative, namely the Student Sustainability Committee (SSC), which focuses on making student life more sustainable by fostering leadership and action to create real change campus-wide.

The SCC has noticed the surplus of food that gets thrown away by the school. In an effort to help prevent food insecurity and minimize food waste, they created a group on the messaging app “GroupMe.” The “Villanova Food News” chat is a curated space built to advertise free food around campus that would otherwise go unnoticed.

The group’s founders have encouraged the addition of as many students as possible, with the member total now reaching roughly 1,060 people, an impressive feat for a group that began in September of last year. The guidelines pertaining to the group are straightforward. The group’s pinned comment explains that the chat “pertains to free food, fundraisers for a positive cause or topic relating to those things.” Food information is at the forefront of this initiative.

The student contribution to this group is impressive, with frequent notifications of food that can be found all over campus. From extra pizza and

fruit to leftover catering from events, students will update with pictures and captions detailing what is up for grabs and exactly where to find it.

Patrick Carney, a current junior and co-chair of the SCC, helps to promote and maintain the group and its efforts.

“The SCC-founded group aims to help combat food waste on campus in any way possible,” Carney said. “Prior to the group’s founding, any extra food on campus from group meetings or events would often be thrown away or wasted. Now, [they] estimate that the group has diverted over 500 pounds of food waste and counting.”

The average Villanova student does not realize just how significant of a problem food waste has become on campus, as multiple students who joined the chat commented on the high volume of posts.

“I was surprised to see how much leftover food there is from on-campus events. It is nice to have a group where this food might not go to waste,” one comment read.

The chat has become an established campus society. With people adding their friends, it has become a recognizable name for a good cause. Eliminating food waste is an essential element in combating food insecurity, and if this can be done by giving away leftover food for free, no college student would complain.

“Who doesn’t want free food?” numerous students expressed.

“There was a whole box of free pizza in Bartley that would have gone to waste… and I was happy to help eat it,” an anonymous member said.

The “Villanova Food News” chat is a first-hand look at students creating change on campus regarding food waste and sustainability initiatives. The group has grown tremendously and is not looking to quit any time soon.

Lauren Armstrong Staff Writer

Continued from p. 1.

Students enjoy nice weather ahead of summer. Brian Luppy/ Villanovan Photography.

Villanova Program at SCI Phoenix Prison

Arden West Co-News Editor

About thirty minutes away from Villanova University lies the SCI Phoenix, a maximum security State Correctional Institution. While most Villanovans have never heard of the local prison, to over one hundred incarcerated people, Villanova represents their future.

Since 1972, Villanova University has offered the only degree granting program in Pennsylvania for incarcerated individuals. The Villanova Program at SCI Phoenix, which formerly was the Graterford Project, is one of the oldest programs of its kind that allows incarcerated people the opportunity to earn a college degree “teaching the same critical thinking, life-long learning and moral reflection skills that are hallmarks of a traditional, on-campus Villanova education.”

The University’s long and continuously running partnership with SCI Phoenix is rooted in “its Augustinian Catholic values and belief in the inherent worth and dignity of every individual.”

On June 30, 2022, the graduating class of 2022 received bachelor’s degrees earned from Villanova University as family,

friends, staff, and special guests celebrated the eight graduates. University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A, Ph. D. conferred the degrees alongside Program Director Katherine Meloney, SCI Phoenix School Principal Matthew Schwenk, and special guest speaker, Congresswoman Madeleine Dean, who represents Pennsylvania’s 4th District.

The graduate that spoke on behalf of the class began his experience within the Villanova program thirteen years ago. He recognized that his involvement with the program granted him the opportunity to become a better version of himself.

The PA Department of Corrections wrote, “In his speech, he thanked his mother for her unwavering support. His voice cracked with emotion when he told her how it made him feel to give her something to be proud of, and — perhaps for the first time — to be proud of himself.”

His reflections are common ones amongst the approximately ninety graduates that the SCI Phoenix partnership has, as it celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022.

Nancy Kelley, an esteemed PhD Professor at Villanova, began working with the program in 2006, when she was asked to teach Villanova’s infamous Augustine

and Culture Seminar class (ACS) to Charles (Chuck) Zehring, who is incarcerated for life.

When they began working together seventeen years ago, her student-teacher relationship with Chuck revolved around letter-writing, which was the only way they were able to communicate. Luckily, as time passed, they were able to call each other, and a friendship quickly blossomed.

“It did not take me long to recognize just how vibrant [Chuck’s] mind is and how hungry it is for knowledge,” said Kelley. “He graduated summa cum laude from Villanova University, and I could not have been prouder.”

With his graduation from the program in the past, Kelley still takes at least thirty minutes every two weeks to talk with Chuck about intellectual ideas and current events.

“It is the easiest way I can live the Beatitudes,” added Kelley. “It represents what we can do for others, and how we can provide a critical need to those who need it most.”

In sharing this, Kelley speaks to the value of education and the value Villanova places on the sharing of intellectual ingenuity. Luis Gonzalez, who also enrolled in The Villanova Program at SCI Phoenix in 2006 and graduated summa cum laude 10 years

later, earned a minor in history and a marketing certificate. “For him, a college education is about more than just getting a job— it was also about learning to be a better person and leaving behind who he was.”

“It was education that liberated women, it was education that liberated slaves, and it is education that’s going to liberate us in due time,” said Luis Gonzalez.

According to a 2013 study from the RAND Corporation, individuals who participated in prison education were 43% less likely to reoffend and 13% more likely to secure employment.

The Villanova Program at SCI Phoenix sees this impact on the students that experience it. “Alumni who return to their families and communities often flourish—obtaining jobs and using their education to give back to the community,” says the program mission,

Also, a Villanova study found that students frequently develop “social capital and community-building skills, which allow alumni to develop relationships and become engaged democratic citizens—whether they remain incarcerated or re-enter society.”

Thirty students are currently enrolled in the Villanova Program at SCI Phoenix and are working toward their degrees.

University Receives $20m Grant for Posse Partnership

Katie Reed News Columnist

According to a press release issued on April 24th, the University received its largest philanthropic gift to date, when $20 million was endowed to the Posse Foundation. The University has had a partnership with Posse since 2019.

“The Posse Foundation partners with top universities and colleges from across the country to empower student leaders who transform communities, the nation and the world,” the press release stated. “Posse Scholars are selected from an extensive pool of academically exceptional students who might otherwise be overlooked through the traditional admissions process, including young leaders from diverse cultural, socio-economic, racial and religious backgrounds.”

This foundation was created in 1989 by Deborah Bial, with its name originating from a student who stated, “I never would’ve dropped out of college if I’d had my posse with me,” emphasizing the organization’s dedication to community-building and providing support to students.

The donation comes from Bancel Philanthropies, run by Brenda and Stéphane Bancel, who are dedicated to “creating equitable access to education, increasing food security, reducing health inequities, bolstering interfaith initiatives, reducing racial inequities, supporting trauma survivors and vulnerable communities, improving youth mental health and social isolation and stewarding

sustainable conservation and food systems” through fundings, which makes their gift to the Posse Foundation one that greatly aligns with their goals and values.

“Stéphane and I believe that access to education helps students reach their full potential,” Brenda Bancel said in the press release. “The combination of Villanova and Posse will surely be a recipe that will launch these students into future leaders. We are grateful to both of these outstanding organizations for their commitment to develop, mentor and walk alongside the next generations of Posse fellows.”

At the University, the first group of Posse Scholars will graduate in May of 2024, with the group being recruited from New Orleans. With this gift from Bancel Philanthropies, it is expected that Villanova will be able to support 50 Posse Scholars over the next five years through covering the cost of their education.

The University’s Provost, Patrick G. Maggitti, also expressed in the press release how critical both the partnership with Posse Foundation and the gift from Bancel Philanthropies are to the Villanova community.

“Villanova’s rich academic environment is enhanced by intellectually curious and driven students with a diversity of experience and thought,” Maggitti said.

“This gift from Bancel Philanthropies helps to advance academic excellence at Villanova, ensuring that exceptional students who otherwise may not have joined our University community have the opportunity to do so.”

Further, on the same day, Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, Ph.D., sent an email to the entire community informing it of this monumental gift endowed to the University. In the email, he reiterated the important work of the Posse Foundation and emphasized how the gift from Bancel Philanthropies aligns with other initiatives on campus that hold the University accountable to promoting access to education and furthering efforts of diversity, equity and inclusion.

“Exceptional academic environments require intellectually curious and driven students with a diversity of experience and thought,” Donohue stated. “This remarkable gift from Bancel Philanthropies helps to advance academic excellence at

Villanova and furthers a key area of our Strategic Plan— Rooted Restless—in making a Villanova education more accessible to deserving students.”

Further, to close out the email, Donohue thanked the Bancel family directly for their gift, acknowledging the role it will play in carrying out the mission of the University to “ignite change.”

“On behalf of the entire University, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Bancel Philanthropies, the family philanthropy of Villanova parents Brenda and Stéphane Bancel,” Donohue stated. “It is clear that the Bancels share our commitment to educating the next generation of exceptional student leaders who will ignite change in their communities and beyond.”

The University recently received a grant towards its partnership with Posse. Brian Luppy/Villanovan Photography

OPINION Teacher Spotlight: Dr. Angelo Armenti

Maddie Schieder Staff Writer

Villanova is full of amazing professors, in every college. However, Dr. Angelo Armenti is one professor who exudes what being a Villanovan truly means.

Armenti is a physics professor at Villanova, but he is much more than that.

Not only did he attend Villanova himself, but he created the Physics of Sports course that all Villanovans know and love. Armenti is also the founder and president of the Pennsylvania Association of State Colleges and Universities.

While speaking with Dr. Armenti on his success and path to teaching, The Villanovan got a glimpse of why he is so passionate about teaching.

“It begins with my experiences as a student in the classrooms of caring and accomplished teachers in high school and continued into college and graduate school,” Armenti said. “Although I didn’t realize it while it was happening, upon reflection years later I knew that certain teachers had changed my life for the better by the way they taught and the example they set.”

Armenti expressed that in

high school, he doubted his intelligence, yet his math and physics professors made him realize how much he was capable of. His passion is rooted in honoring his previous teachers, and he hopes to impact his students the way they impacted him. He has found that many students at Villanova choose life paths based on professors that

made them love the subject.

“I think it is extremely likely that Sister Marie David and Father Girolami were not the first caring and accomplished teachers to appear on Earth,” Armenti expressed. “It is much more likely that they received the gift of teaching from exceptional teachers from an earlier generation, who

passed it onto students of my generation and who now pass it on to students of today’s generation.”

For students who feel grateful for help received from one of their professors, Armenti suggested that a proper “thank you” is due, and can be expressed in the form of helping students that come after you.

“Aspire to be the best you can be in your chosen profession, and you will be accomplished,” Armenti said. “Be caring to those who come after you by being generous with your time and encouragement. In that way, you will prepare them for the debt they will owe to all the caring and accomplished humans who came before them.”

As a current student of Armenti’s, I can attest to the passion he has for his profession. He is always in favor of helping his students succeed, no matter what that may entail. Something that also makes Armenti’s teaching style so memorable is his ability to tell stories in relation to the material he teaches.

His familiarity with his craft is unlike any professor I have ever seen. I am not a physics major, yet I find his class to be so stimulating based on who Armenti is and how much he cares for his students.

‘Nova’s Catholic Values Warrant Environmental Progress

Majo James Staff Writer

In his encyclical Laudato Si (Our Common Home) Pope Francis proclaimed, “Humanity is called to recognize the need for changes of lifestyle, production and consumption, in order to combat this warming or at least the human causes which produce or aggravate it.” And yet, despite being a Catholic institution, Villanova is not doing enough to combat humanity’s greatest natural existential threats.

In response to the University’s inaction, a group of students called Fossil Free Villanova led a demonstration on Friday, April 21st. Students of the organization enthusiastically responded to a request for comment.

“We are demanding that Villanova University commit to creating a Sustainable Endowment Plan and establish a policy of transparency with the campus community regarding Villanova’s investment practices,” a member explained.

In accordance with the wishes of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the University’s own values, the administration has divested from industries it deems immoral, including birth control, abortion, contraceptives, stem cell research, tobacco, gambling and recreational cannabis. Despite this, Villanova continues to have 4% of its $1.2 billion endowment (which should come out to around $48 million) in the fossil fuel industry.

Granted, the Catholic Church has publicly taken stances against the sectors that Villanova has divested

from. However, the Church has also championed action against climate change. As I discussed earlier in the article, Pope Francis even published an encyclical urging action and supporting the scientific consensus. So, why is it that the fossil fuel industry is deemed less of an evil than any of these other ones?

This being an opinion piece, I am empowered to say that in my eyes, divesting from those other industries but not the one that has the potential of bringing about the extinction of humanity is absolutely ridiculous.

The students of Fossil Free Villanova reported that when they confronted the Investment Office regarding this, the CIO said, “it is not our responsibility to create a world in which we do not have to use fossil fuels in our day-to-day lives…How

are we expected to find sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels when the developing world isn’t?”

It is our responsibility. As an Augustinian Catholic University, are we not called to be stewards of the Earth? This lack of personal responsibility is the reason climate change has gotten so bad in the first place. Corporations are the primary drivers in emissions and several other environmental catastrophes around the globe, and yet individual responsibility is heralded as the means to save the planet. Carpooling and turning off the lights when you leave the room only goes so far. It is only by pushing restrictions on corporations that climate change can be slowed, and hopefully its effects reversed.

As to the second statement, is Villanova really so reactionary that

we will only take initiatives once it is popular to do so? If anything, we should be leading by example. It is through our firm commitment to our values that we show the world that it is possible and necessary to take action even when it goes against the status quo.

Shifting toward renewable energy sources is difficult at first, no one denies that. However, the benefits it provides far exceed the trouble institutions must initially go through. Shedding dependence on oil would end American reliance on foreign oil, as well as the most obvious benefit: a lasting and healthy solution to the energy crisis.

This is not to say that Villanova is doing everything wrong. The Climate Commitment that University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, Ph.D. signed in 2007 set 2050 as a deadline for achieving carbon neutrality. The University’s website states, “Villanova will invest in improving campus infrastructure efficiency, as well as purchase carbon offsets and renewable energy for the energy required to run campus operations.” The University’s emissions continue to fall every year as more and more renewable options are pursued.

More work must be done in order for us to properly live up to our values of Veritas, Unitas and Caritas. Villanova must completely divest from the fossil fuel industry and properly empower student organizations who raise their voices against injustices on campus. It is only through cooperation and action that we can inspire others to do the same.

Mendel Hall is the academic home to many great Villanova science professors, including Dr. Armenti. Ryan Sarbello / Villanovan Photography

While positive steps have been taken, there is still much work to be done for sustainability at Villanova. Gabi Frank/Villanovan Photography

EDITORIAL BOARD LETTERS TO THE EDITORS

Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief Associate Editor-in-Chief

Opinion Editor

Opinion Editor

POLICY

The Villanovan encourages all members of the Villanova community to voice their opinions. Letters to the editors may be submitted via e-mail to villanovan.eic@gmail.com. Letters must not exceed 500 words and must be signed. No anonymous letters will be published. All submissions become property of The Villanovan and are subject to editing for clarity and space.

Satire: Hell Week is Worth Savoring

Carter Smith Staff Writer

The end of the 2022-23 academic year at Villanova is quickly approaching. With our seemingly expedient entry into May, it is nearly time for students to take final exams, say goodbye to friends and pack up dorms.

While the promise of completing classes and heading home for a summer filled with friends, relaxation and possible work is tantalizing to most students, another aspect of the end of the year goes extremely underappreciated.

The period known as Hell Week, the week before finals begin, when everybody seems to have at least one final project or paper due in every class, is truly the highlight of the year for me.

There is truly no better feeling than striding into a crowded Falvey Library the week before finals. The scents of coffee and energy drinks waft through the air. My ears drink in a cacophony of sound: a combination of fingers clicking on keyboards, pencils scribbling on paper and classmates debating the answers to review questions.

The stress in the air is palpable. It would take a reasonably buff lumberjack at the top of his game with the highest powered chainsaw on the marker to cut through all of the tension.

And I live for it.

Despite seemingly being in the minority of Villanova students

Isabella Ledet Staff Writer

Most people say that sophomore year is the most insignificant. Freshman year is the beginning, junior year is the beginning of being an upperclassman, and senior year is the rush to the finish. Sophomore year gets lost in the shuffle.

But college is so short that it would be stupid to chalk an entire year up to “the year in the middle.” Sure, at the end of the day, sophomore year is just the year in the middle, but it is just as real and important as any other year.

Freshman year is world-building. College is a new horizon that just keeps expanding and growing, making that first year feel longer simply because of all the changes.

So, since most things are already established by sophomore year, it moves far faster than its predecessor. I still feel like I just

who dread the arrival of Hell Week every year, I welcome it. Crave it, even. It gives me life.

The level of satisfaction I get from scheduling out my daily activities down to the half-hour is unbeatable. It is all about making sure I can complete my Mount Everest-sized pile of assignments, while still making it to class for those incredibly important finals review sessions.

Even during Hell Week, the “work hard, play hard” mentality still applies. Seeing as many of Villanova’s

Graydon Paul/Villanovan Photography

student organizations decide to have formals that week, going to those and spending time with friends before the summer must be factored into the Hell Week schedule, as well. Being pressed up against the wall on every single paper or assignment because there is one due each day of the week sends such a volume of adrenaline coursing through my veins that my heart pounds in my chest nearly 24/7. Sleep is overrated compared to constant stress-induced anxiety.

A Sophomore Year in Review

moved in to film orientation like it was a few weeks ago. I have lived in this room almost as long as I occupied my room in O’Dwyer last year, but I feel like I have only lived here for the blink of an eye. I feel like syllabus day just passed, and there is still so much time to get to know the mysterious classmates that sit behind me in Advanced Calc and to write more opinion articles for The Villanovan Sophomore year is the year where everything is supposed to be figured out. Most colleges have undergraduates declare their majors after the completion of sophomore year, as if people have any clearer idea of their future than they did the year before. But what have I done? What has been accomplished in the blink of an eye that was this year? I was promised plot developments. Where were they?

And yet, as I look back at this year, I realize how much has really happened. I realize how different of a person I have become since last year. I realize that even

though this year did not have the world-building like freshman year did, it built so much more.

Freshman year was the foundation. It was putting up the forms, pouring the cement and letting it dry to form something solid. And while that feels like a lot, it is not a house, it is not a home.

A solid foundation is important, which is why the gravity of freshman year is so great, but sophomore year is getting the wood and doing the framing. It does not take very long to frame a giant building, but that does not mean that it is close to being finished. The lumber has been assembled rapidly and has now formed something that generally resembles a building.

Junior year will be putting the finishing touches on the exterior, perhaps weather-proofing the thing so that the inside can be decorated and the home can be completed by senior year.

So, sophomore year is not the year that can just get written

So, what about sleep? Please, sleep is for the weak. There will be time to sleep in May. While “healthcare professionals” and “productive members of society” might recommend that you get seven to eight hours of sleep a night, don’t bother listening to them. What do they know about the lives of college students?

There is nothing better to do during the generally warm, sunny days of late-April and early-May than to have your butt parked in a classroom or the library reviewing for finals or finishing assignments.

What would you all rather be doing with some of your final evenings on campus, participating in some extracurricular activities with your friends, or being glued to your laptop finishing papers?

Your comrades may call you fake for ditching their superficial activities to get your study on, but who will be laughing after finals when you make the Dean’s List and they are struggling to explain to their parents why they have 2.7 GPAs.

If one were to ask most Villanova students what their favorite parts of the year are, the most popular answer would be something like a club formal or Special Olympics—events that involve having a good time with friends.

Unfortunately, those people are wrong. If one or more of your friends would answer similarly, I would recommend distancing yourself from them immediately.

The complicated, chaotic and multifaceted nature of Hell Week is an experience like no other, and it is one to be savored.

off. Without framing, there can be no home. It would not exist. So, maybe sophomore year did not have all the plot developments that I would have wanted it to have, but it had what it needed. I strengthened the connections that I had already made. I made incredibly strong new connections. So, in that sense, I have come very far.

If I take a moment to look back to the beginning, to think about the sunlight pouring through one frosted window and one regular window, and the yellow-shirted orientation counselors wandering around outside, I realize just how incomparable this year really was. I simply cannot truthfully say that nothing happened.

I return to the words that keep me going day in and day out: everything happens for a reason. Unfortunately, I cannot see the full blueprint as this home is being built. All I can do is to continue to frame upon my strong foundation, make the house bigger and build on it until it is a home.

Why consider a night at Kelly’s this week when you could be enjoying stress and studies?

The unsigned editorial that appears is the opinion of The Villanovan as determined by the majority of the Editorial Board. Other columns, letters and artwork represent the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of The Villanovan.

Senior Column: It’s Cool to Care

Rachel Reiniger Former Digital Editor

continued from pg. 1 finding a new identity, rather, it’s about dismantling the one you wanted in high school. Maybe it’s even reverting all the way back to elementary school.

Yes, we all want to hang on to that idea of entering college with a fresh slate and a second chance at reimagining our cool, mysterious image.

You know exactly what I am talking about, “Nothing phases me, I can’t remember the last time I cried and I am totally not the jealous type.” But college is the time for facing the inevitable: you care.

Embrace being the person who cares and feels deeply. Invite that friend to dinner every night. Send the text. Say exactly how you feel. Share personal things. Ask personal questions. Hand out

valentines. Sign yearbooks. Make friendship bracelets. It is not easy, and sometimes it is not fun. It’s definitely

not cool or mysterious. But, I would not advise doing college any other way. I am leaving Villanova

knowing that there are people here who have seen all parts of me (the antithesis of the middle school cool girl) and still want to be my friend.

They answer my personal questions with intent and vulnerability. They tolerate me sending sappy text messages and even wear the friendship bracelets I’ve made them. They have seen me after a perfect first date and sobbing after a heartbreak.

We should all aim to have the same pure drive we did in elementary school, to be the person who never stops caring. Both the risk and the reward are feeling deeply.

The risk is hurt, but the reward is people who better understand you’re hurting.

I am forever grateful that college taught me it is okay to be the person who tries hard and for introducing me to the people who are always there when it doesn’t work out.

Senior Column: From Involvement to Fulfillment

Meghann Morhardt Former Sports Editor

As the days until graduation tick down, I can’t help but think about one rainy day during the first week of classes my freshman year.

I sat in my Good Counsel dorm after class, debating whether I was going to attend the Involvement Fair with my orientation group. I was tired from a long first week and was feeling overwhelmingly homesick.

Little did I know, the decision to get out of bed and make the walk from South Campus to the Oreo would lead me to an organization that would forever impact my Villanova experience.

As a Mechanical Engineering student, writing for the school newspaper was never on my radar. But, as I walked around the circle of tables, I was instantly drawn to The Villanovan

I’m not sure if it was the energy amongst the editors at the table or the talk of the sports section, but something told me that I needed to write my name on the sign-up sheet.

I attended every Monday night sports meeting, but it took me months to speak. Despite everyone being nothing but welcoming and encouraging, I sat quietly in the back corner of the Corr basement office, never volunteering for an article until the Basketball Magazine came along, when all I had to do was sign up on a spreadsheet.

Even though it was just four small blurbs on Marquette and Creighton basketball, that first writing experience had me hooked. After that, I slowly noticed my confidence growing. I began to raise my hand for articles, any sport that was available. I just wanted to write.

For the first two and a half years of my time at Villanova, writing was just a hobby of mine

that I fit into my grueling engineering schedule. I found myself rushing through homework assignments just so I could have time to write.

In the fall of my junior year, I started to realize that this may not just be a hobby. With low expectations, I applied for the CoSports Editor position, hoping to become even more involved with The Villanovan

One Friday afternoon in December, I was sitting in St. Mary’s Hall when I saw an email with the subject line “Congratulations!” The pride and joy that I felt in that moment is all I will

ever need to remind myself that I am making the right decision to pursue journalism.

Now, as I wrap up my time here at Villanova, I can confidently say that I found my passion.

For a long time, I thought that I knew what I wanted to do. I had always loved math and science, hence why I applied to engineering school. But once I felt that love for journalism, I knew that what I felt for engineering would never compare.

Finding this passion has brought joy and fulfillment to my life like I never imagined. It is a feeling that I hope everyone gets

to experience at some point.

Today, there is an immense amount of pressure to know what you want to do with the rest of your life when you’re just 17 years old and applying to colleges. That pressure is the reason that I failed to accept and admit how much I loved journalism until my senior year.

It may feel like it’s too late to change your mind. I know I felt like that. But I truly believe that is never the case.

It may sound cliché, and I’m sure you’ve been told this a million times, but get involved. Try out different clubs. Put yourself out there. Even if it’s something that you never imagined liking, you never know what is going to stick and open doors that you didn’t even know existed. Don’t get me wrong, it won’t be easy.

There will be people with opinions, plenty of them judgmental, but it’s your path. Only you can decide what that will look like.

I’ve had my fair share of people tell me I’m crazy for leaving engineering behind after graduation to pursue journalism, but I choose to hold on to that feeling I had when I first got that “Congratulations” email.

The Villanovan has been a safe space for me over the last four years. It gave me an outlet to chase my passion, taking me to places like the men’s basketball Final Four game in New Orleans and the women’s basketball Sweet 16 game in Greenville.

It brought me some of my favorite people at Villanova and allowed me to meet others in the sports journalism field who I admire. And it grew my confidence more than I knew possible.

Whether you are finishing up your freshman year or graduating in two weeks, I encourage you to search for your passion. You will know when you’ve found it.

I will forever be grateful that I found mine at The Villanovan.

College is the time to unlearn “cool” carelessness. Courtesy of Rachel Reiniger

Find your home on campus, like Meghann did with the Villanovan, by getting involved. Graydon Paul / Villanovan Photography

Senior Column: Thank You to the Humanities Department

A.J. Fezza Former Culture Editor

I came to Villanova in 2019, and I hated it. Very early on, I toyed with the idea of transferring to another university. I couldn’t help but compare my initial college experience to that of my friends having fun at other “cooler” and less-demanding schools.

I endlessly complained about Villanova’s suburban setting, its insularity and, especially, its core requirements. But like a true procrastinator, I did not apply to transfer. In this instance, my indecision worked in my favor.

Soon, everything would be different. Outside of the classroom, I made great friends and dove into student journalism and media production. Inside the classroom, my life would be forever changed by those very same core requirements that I originally saw as a waste of time.

In my first semester at Villanova, when I enrolled in ACS 1000 and saw a syllabus full of Plato’s Republic, Augustine’s Confessions and Aquinas, I thought that I would be falling asleep in class. But I could not have been more wrong.

The most surprising thing about all of college might be how deeply I was impacted by 2,000-yearold texts. As I turned each page, I felt like the authors were talking directly to me, telling me what I needed to hear. Plato, in particular, united morality and knowledge in a way that I had never considered before. Some of

the insights I gained from Plato even went beyond the particular subjects discussed.

The manner of speaking in Plato’s dialogues demonstrated a straightforward and earnest search for the truth among friends wherever it may lead, rather than truth being merely a projection of power.

Also, the simple fact that Plato’s writings were so ancient and yet so wise helped dispel the notion that knowledge is just a function of unidirectional technological progress. It made me realize that the past is not to be discarded.

I could go on to describe at length the impact that a large number of texts have had on me over the course of my college education, but it would suffice here to state that what I discovered is a passion for truth. And this was not truth in a purely empirical sense or in a purely subjective, emotional sense, but it was truth in an all-encompassing, objective and yet elusive sense.

After completing Villanova’s Augustine and Culture Seminar and Theology core requirements, I knew that my foray into these subject areas could not end. I needed a way to keep the part of me ignited by these courses alive, and I found it in Villanova’s best-kept secret: the Humanities Department.

The Humanities Department emphasizes philosophy and theology in its curriculum, but it is primarily in the business of creating good and full human beings. There is no other department quite like it. Its Gateway

courses (which are called “God,” “Society,” “World” and “Human Person,” to the confusion of many non-humanities peers) draw upon history, literature, art, politics and more in order to help students discover the meaning of existence and their place in it.

The special ingredient that makes the Humanities Department so spectacular is the people. The professors are passionate not only about their subject areas but about connecting with their students. Their incredible enthusiasm, intelligence, humor, wit and moral character shine through in their teaching. And these qualities don’t go unnoticed. Humanities students are well-aware that they are in the presence of greatness. It seems that no students on campus are as in love with their area of study as are humanities students. Each humanities student brings a unique personality and experiences to the department. One of the things I will miss most about Villanova is unwinding with my peers in the humanities lounge in SAC 304, where shooting the breeze can turn into a conversation about the tripartite soul in an instant.

In the modern university landscape, the humanities are in decline. Where departments still exist, they are pressured to cater to student desires or brand themselves as useful for the professional world. Both of these strategies make the existence of such departments more viable from a consumer standpoint.

Yet, the Humanities Depart-

ment is not great because it has an appealing course selection or because it gave me critical thinking skills that are useful for the workforce (even if both of these things are true). It is great because it shaped me as a person. It gave me things that money can not buy: a new outlook on life and a rediscovery of my religious faith.

Of course, I have had stellar and formative experiences outside the Humanities Department. I seized every opportunity to pursue my interests in journalism and film, both inside the classroom in the Communication Department and outside the classroom in The Villanovan and Villanova Television. But even these experiences are put into perspective by the worldview I acquired upon reading humanities texts.

I no longer understand the passions I pursue to be mere tools for my personal advancement or mechanisms for ramping up my dopamine production. I understand them to be an attempt at flourishing — a pursuit toward the divine.

After nearly four years at Villanova, I can say with confidence that I have not merely acquired knowledge, but been shaped as a person by my experiences in humanities.

Not everyone that takes Villanova’s core requirements can (or should) declare a humanities major and take the path I took. Nevertheless, I hope that the University remembers the importance of its core requirements, especially in Philosophy, Theology and ACS, and that future students take them seriously.

Senior Column: There Are Places I’ll Remember

Tina Aron Former Opinion Editor

As a geography major, it was only right to refl ect on my time at Villanova through a sense of place. We have place to thank for virtually every memory we make, which is why, when we come back to campus in a couple years, we’ll be overwhelmed with nostalgia. So, for my fi nal article for The Villanovan as a student, I have written about some of my most meaningful places.

First year move-in may have been the hottest day of the summer, and I’ll never forget the fi ve fl ights of stairs we had to climb in Stanford to move everything in. I remember one of the counselors talking to me about orientation.

“I don’t know how they pick the groups, but it’s not random; you’ll meet really special people,” she said.

Her sentiment did, in fact, come true. I met one of the most important people in my life the next day, and it did not feel like it was left up to chance. I would never have found the people I know today if it weren’t for that experience. So, here’s to Stanford, as corny as it sounds, where it all began.

The following year, I lived in the Quad with a girl I barely knew. Sullivan Hall, during Covid, left a lot to be desired, and I had no idea how living with a room-

mate in a shoebox during the lockdown would go.

Little did I know, I would meet one of my best friends and current roommate in that dismal room. Eating to-go dinner on the fl oor of our room was not the most glamorous dining in the world, but it did leave me with some of my favorite memories with my best friends.

In my junior year, we braved the fi rst normal year back at Villanova on West Campus in Gallen Hall. Aff ectionately known as Gallen 307, we spent hours and hours talking, watching movies, celebrating birthdays, playing games, baking and making the most of our renewed sense of normalcy.

Gallen 307 will forever be home to “It’s time for him to go,” and “Why does it feel so good and hurt so bad?”

Much of my junior year was spent in the basement of Corr Hall, and while that may sound odd, it houses one of the biggest hidden treasures on all of campus: The Villanovan Offi ce. The offi ce was meant for putting the paper together, but it was much more often used as a social space for the editorial staff .

The digital editor and I could often be found there drafting photoshopped edits of the EIC or scheming up texts to send in the group chat to stir the pot. I have the offi ce to thank for not only the best club on campus but the best people.

It’s bittersweet to part with

the academic spaces at Villanova, as I’ve had some of my highest of highs and lowest of lows on the ground fl oor of Mendel or Falvey Holy Grounds.

Again, used as more of a social space than a work area, I have the GEV department to thank for bringing me and my peers closer. Quickly, my fellow classmates became more than just “friends from my major.”

Finally, we found ourselves living off -campus as seniors in our singular apartment, “the prop.” The prop is way more than just our apartment, now a casual term for our collective roommates as an entity.

The prop can often be found at one of our favorite plac-

es: The Grog, at trivia on Wednesday nights, where we consistently lose to Montgomery Ave. Condo Association.

The Grog was one of our most frequented establishments this past year, and our week would look much diff erent without it. Despite the lease ending in May, the prop is forever.

In the various geography courses I’ve taken, we’ve learned how geography is not only about the earth’s environments, but the people who live there. While each place is unique to itself, it could never hold the same value if it were not for the people that accompanied it. So, thank you, Villanova, for giving me the place and the people.

Senior Tina Aron reflects on her four years at Villanova University. Ryan Sarbello / Villanovan Photography

The Wildcat Thrift: Student Sustainability Efforts

Bella Irwin Co-Opinion Editor

Jackie Thomas Co-Opinion Editor

The annual Wildcat Thrift took place Friday, April 28th outside of the Connelly Center. Despite a torrential downpour, Villanovans showed up to the thrift tent to support the Villanova Sustainability Committee and the vendors by browsing and buying nice, preloved clothing items.

The Wildcat Thrift displayed a range of clothing from vintage Villanova sweatshirts to Alo yoga pants, giving students the chance to shop trendy clothes in a sustainable fashion. The event was a success, as students gathered around vendor tables, shopping minutes away from their dorms.

The Wildcat Thrift does more than just provide students the opportunity to shop, but also is a form of student sustainability, which was readily welcomed by Villanovans.

Sophomore Katie Jandrasits was one of the many Villanovans who attended the Wildcat Thrift.

“On Friday, I happened to stumble upon the Wildcat Thrift going on behind the Connelly Center and I could not have been more thrilled that I did,” Jandrasits said. “The tent was filled with trendy items that were well-kept and cheap. I walked out of there with new items that I can’t wait to wear and a

smile on my face because everyone was so kind and friendly.”

The success of this event shows the popularity of thrifting among our generation, and bodes well for a potential decrease in the primacy of fast fashion.

Although Shein and Zara seemingly reign supreme, it seems that more and more Gen Z shoppers are looking to implement more second-hand and vintage items into their wardrobes. This is a good trend, considering fast fashion’s harmful effect on the environment.

Indeed, fast fashion has a massive negative impact on the planet, consuming the second-most water out of any global industry and emitting 10% of all carbon emissions on average, according to the United Nations Environment Program.

Additionally, the clothing industry is currently among the major contributors to waste in landfills. Of course (and unfortunately), this makes sense. After all, the current state of the industry must cater to the ever-shortening trend cycle and attention spans of consumers.

As new ideas are constantly pushed out to buyers via ads and social media, companies seek to keep up with and even anticipate each and every emerging trend. This business model, while perhaps financially sustainable, is quite the opposite for the environment.

Thrifting, on the other hand, is good for the environment, remedying many of the detriments of fast fashion and buying clothing firsthand.

By keeping clothes in circulation, less waste is going into

landfills and there is less demand to produce new clothing and drain valuable resources, like water, used in clothing production. Eco-friendly, sustainable, while also featuring cool clothes not often found in brand stores? Wildcat Thrift does it all.

Junior Erin Costa occupied one of the booths at the Wildcat Thrift.

“It was great seeing so many organizations and students showing up to the Wildcat Thrift,” Costa said. “It felt nice knowing that people wanted to shop sustainably and support campus groups such as the Student Sustainability Committee and the Geography and the Environment Student Association.”

Importantly, however, there are legitimate concerns surrounding affordability with this issue. For all the damage it does, fast fashion does provide an accessible, affordable way to get clothes that are on trend.

While this may be true, thrift shops and second-hand stores can also be affordable options in that regard. Heightened prices are a potential issue, especially with the rise in thrifted fashion in recent years, but public scrutiny and lesser known stores help this be less of a problem.

Thrifting is a classic way to act according to the “reduce, reuse, recycle” motto we have heard for years. A simple yet valuable way to do our part for the environment, and look good while doing it.

The Wildcat Thrift is an important outlet for students to participate in this win-win situation.

New, but Not Improved: Mississippi’s Jim Crow Laws 2.0

Isabel Choi Staff Writer

In February of 2023, representatives of Mississippi passed bills in the House and Senate that some are referring to as “Jim Crow 2.0,” and rightfully so.

Jackson, Mississippi, the state’s capital, has an 85% Black majority population, and this has been the case since its colonial establishment in 1821. Mississippi has a difficult and complicated history of enslaved labor, racism and segregation.

It was part of the 11 Confederate states during the American Civil War, and Jackson, specifically, was captured five times by the Union before the Confederacy surrendered in April of 1865.

Since then, Jackson has become the most populous city in Mississippi, and although reforms have been made to combat the insistent issue of discrimination in the Deep South, the city remains riddled with remnants of antebellum America.

In recent years, Jackson has faced a water crisis, along with racially coded bills that promote disproportionate police power while demoting Black voices within a majority Black municipality.

For example, according to the Institute of Black World 21st Century, SB 2343 gives Capitol Police “jurisdiction relative to the enforcement of all laws of the state of Mississippi within the boundaries of the City of Jackson, Mississippi.”

The law also removes jurisdiction from the city over event permits,

including those for protests, in the area near the Capitol.

Although proponents of this bill claim that it is for the purposes of combating the overwhelmingly high homicide rates in Jackson, this bill targets Black lives. The infamous George Floyd case comes to mind, but this injustice is not unique, as unjustified police violence against Black persons can be identified as a pattern in modern society.

Adjacent to this bill is HB 1020. Put simply, as introduced HB 1020 will create two new courts within the Capitol Improvement District (CCID), with each judge to be appointed by the Chief Justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court.

Currently, the Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice is Michael K. Randolph, a white Republican male, not at all representative of the 85% Black population of Jackson nor of Mississippi as a whole. After this bill was amended in the Senate, the original two courts were redacted, but it still authorizes the Supreme Court Chief Justice to appoint four special circuit judges for the city of Jackson.

This new system of appointed judges will replace the previous method of voter-elected judges. Therefore, Randolph and his appointees (most likely also white, male and conservative) will have the power to dictate the political atmosphere of Jackson for decades going forward.

Both police-focused SB 2343 and discrimination based HB 1020 are set to become laws in July of 2023. While at face-value these bills may appear not to have any racial biases, upon further investigation, it

becomes evident that these laws stem from discriminatory racial ideologies.

And yet, the scariest part of these “new” legislations is that they are not new at all. Alongside these racially-targeted bills were others just like it that either died in committee or in one of the branches.

One bill that would improve racial awareness and honor Black history in America that unfortunately died in committee was HB 595, which would require the Mississippi State Board of Education to implement a “comprehensive curriculum and courses in African-American studies and racial diversity” in public high schools as an optional elective.

If the legislators in Mississippi truly cared for the well-being and education of their citizens, this bill had no reason to die, especially in a state with such a large Black population.

Although it may seem farfetched watching from the sidelines, Mississippi’s new “Jim Crow Laws” are likely to influence other state legislatures to enact similar laws, especially now that landmark case Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022 and more conservative policies are being enacted on the federal level.

Villanova, Pennsylvania is not away from the dangers of racism in Mississippi. Here, students are required to take at least two DEI courses as part of the curriculum, but racism is an ideology that does not change after a couple courses in diversity, although the classes may help.

As Villanova students, I believe we have the responsibility to deeply care and acknowledge the core values of the institution – unitas, caritas and veritas – as part of one’s own daily narrative.

Villanova’s Sustainability Committee hosted the annual Wildcat Thrift on Friday, April 28. Courtesy of @villanovasustainability/Instagram

Mississippi House and Senate members passed a new bill resembling Jim Crow laws. Courtesy of Ken Lund

Tucker Carlson Firing Questions Future of Journalism

Zoë Kim Staff Writer

It has been a long week for Tucker Carlson. Fox News Media and the host agreed to part ways this past Monday, a move that comes after Fox paid $787.5 million in the largest media settlement in history with Dominion.

In a statement, the news outlet thanked him for his service as a host and contributor. Carlson was the network’s highest-rated primetime show, with more than three million viewers. His departure has put Fox in the hot seat with the Republican Party, and it has faced a plunge in ratings.

The big question is— why? There is buzz and debate over what pushed Fox to fi re Carlson, who is seen as one of the leading fi gures in American media and politics for the right wing.

It has been said that Fox owner Rupert Murdoch fi red Carlson for his vulgar language towards female executives, and a lawsuit fi led by his former producer alleging Carlson’s “misogyny” only sealed the deal. Videos have surfaced in the past week, backing these claims of misogyny.

In one video, the rightwing host was heard-off camera asking whether his “postmenopausal fans” would like how he looks. In another one, he calls a woman “yummy.”

Carlson’s vulgar language

and behavior towards female producers and viewers are disturbing and troubling but not too surprising. Well, to everyone but Carlson.

In a Twitter video, he threw his past employer under the bus, ranting that television debates are “stupid” and that you can see who is “nice” when “you step away from the noise for a few days.”

The news anchor went so far as to say that liars are silencing those who speak the truth and are honest. By the end of his rant, the “agreed upon” break-up that Fox had announced was looking less and less “agreed upon” from Carlson’s point of view.

Carlson was Fox’s superstar because of his love of controversy. Carlson never stepped back in his debates, which garnered him a reputation as a liar and a bully.

For 14 years, Carlson has used infl ammatory language towards immigrants, healthcare workers, civil rights activists, liberal women and anyone in America who disagreed with him. This worked for right-wing mainstream audiences, but to anyone outside the network and its viewers, Carlson represents the downfall of American media and news.

Last week, his three-part documentary surrounding the January 6th insurrection began airing. The documentary peddles falsehoods and infl ammatory claims of the insurrection being a “false fl ag” and “honey pot.”

The public was outraged by this, calling for action to be taken. Faced with lawsuit after lawsuit and now this scandal, Fox fi nally fi red Carlson. The question is why it took Fox 14 years.

Power, greed and hubris are the short answers. When it came to it, Fox acted less like a news network and more like a business. Carlson was the network’s biggest star, not because of his prowess as a journalist but because of the high ratings and yearly revenue he would bring to Fox.

Since his departure, Fox has reported a loss of $800 million in market value and a 50% drop in daily views.

His heated, conspiracy-driven (and falsehood-driven) rants were profi table for the network competing for viewership in a world with hundreds of media outlets. Carlson gave Fox an edge

that other right-winged networks did not have.

However, Carlson’s career shows no journalistic responsibility or accountability. As a staff writer for a student-run newspaper, I am held to a higher standard of truth-seeking and reporting than Carlson was at Fox News, a $15.89 billion television and news channel.

With news being more readily available, media consumers should not have to doubt or fact-check what they hear or read. We often take for granted the credibility we give these big media conglomerates and assume that debates on air are articulated with statistics and facts.

This can easily be the turning point and end of false news. The question that remains is: “What is next for American media coverage and journalism?”

Letter from the Editors: Your Mental Health Matters

Finals season is supposed to represent a culmination of all the knowledge one has acquired over the course of a semester. But when the steady workload one has become accustomed to managing throughout the semester suddenly intensifi es into a mountain of uncompleted “to-dos,” “overwhelming” becomes an understatement. It’s somewhat ironic that the most stressful, anxiety-inducing time of the year coincides with Mental Health Awareness month. “Take care of yourself” isn’t exactly conducive with a 10-page essay, and at Villanova, a student is hardpressed to fi nd a person who is not involved in 100 diff erent things on top of their school work.

A crescendo of obligation, coupled with an insatiable lack of time, is overwhelming for everyone. There is a clear end in sight, but it still feels just out of reach when one is swamped with tests, projects, essays and goodbyes from every angle. The key word here, however, is “everyone.”

Mental Health Awareness teaches us that expecting anyone to manage a multitude of feelings and responsibilities without any support is unreasonable. It’s why we structure ourselves in communities – big and small – to create environments of support and mutual encouragement. As cliché as it may be, you are not alone.

Everyone is unique in how they manage stress and anxiety, especially at its peak. One may not have the same courses or workloads as their friends, but that

doesn’t mean their experience is any less valid. There’s no prescription for how to succeed during this time. One thing that’s applicable to nearly everyone, however, is a need for balance and support.

As social creatures, we are not designed to operate and thrive by ourselves. We rely on social interaction and emotional release. It’s easy to beat oneself up for not studying every waking hour, but the reality is it’s unnatural for us as humans to adopt this habit. One cannot get through these especially diffi cult and stressful times in the absence of social support.

Needing support is not a sign of weakness. It merely indicates that one is human. Setting goals and expectations is important to stay motivated and accomplished, but they should not

exist without practicing grace for oneself.

Increased discussion of mental illness and health is not refl ective of growing weakness but rather the expansion of science. There are newfound opportunities and resources to dismantle societal stigmas surrounding mental health. Of course, the hoopla and noise — from ads to personal testimonies — surrounding mental health awareness can be overwhelming itself. But it all speaks to the same testament: you are not alone.

There are people in this world who love you and want nothing more than to see you be happy. Your friends, family and teachers alike don’t care about any grade, award or recognition more than they care about your hap-

piness. There is always someone who wants you here.

You are designed to lean on others, but sometimes it’s hardest to open up to the people closest to you, which is why resources are in place. The Villanova Division of Student Life has partnered with Uwill, which is a platform to bring free, online mental health counseling to college-age students, available 24/7. Additionally, the Counseling Center continues to be open for appointments throughout the end of the semester.

One test, essay or fi nal grade says nothing about your worth or the person you are. We wish everyone the best of luck and are always here to listen. Everything will work out how it’s supposed to. You are wanted. You are loved.

For more information on mental health services at Villanova, call 610-519-4050 or visit https://www1.villanova.edu/ university/student-life/health-services/counseling-center.html.

National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

SAMHSA’s National Helpline (substance abuse and mental health): 800-662-HELP (800662-4357)

Trevor Lifeline for LGBTQ youth: 866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678

Controversial Fox news anchor Tucker Carlson was fired following Fox’s large defamation settlement. Courtesy of Gage Skidmore

Students are encouraged to take time for themselves during finals season. Graydon Paul/Villanovan Photography

CULTURE

Augustinians of Villanova: Father Allan Fitzgerald

Olivia Sabalaskey Staff Writer

“Follow your star, whatever it is,” Father Allan Fitzgerald, O.S.A., said. “Recognize that there is a huge inclination today for people to forget about their own humanity. There is so much good still to be done. Most of it is just a matter of being kind.”

This week, Fr. Allan offers Villanovans a glimpse into his life as an Augustinian at Villanova University in the Augustinians of Villanova Column.

Fr. Allan grew up in a household with three sisters, one older and two younger. Interestingly, half of his family house lay in Washington D.C. while the other half lay in Maryland. Having grown up in a devout Roman Catholic family, Fr. Allan attended the Order of Saint Augustine’s Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington D.C. from 1955 to 1959.

“There were 35 Augustinians living in the monastery at my high school,” Fr. Allan said. “They all cared for one another deeply.”

During his time at Carroll, Fr. Allan enjoyed science courses; in particular, physics. He enjoyed physics so much, in fact, that Fr. Allan applied for the U.S. Naval Academy, hoping to help build nuclear submarines.

“I applied to the Naval Academy, but I was rejected because my left eyelid was too droopy, and it wasn’t fitting as an officer, apparently,” Fr. Allan said. “So, I really owe my vocation as an Augustinian to a droopy eyelid.”

Although becoming a navy man was not in the cards for Fr. Allan, he sought other opportunities to receive a college education. At Carroll, the Augustinian faculty selected a graduating senior to receive a four-year scholarship to attend Villanova University, an Augustinian Catholic university. Although the scholarship was first awarded to his friend who lived down the street, Fr. Allan was chosen later given the first

candidate’s decision to enter into the Novitiate as an Augustinian.

“I came to Villanova as a physics major,” Fr. Allan said. “My physics teacher from high school, A. J. Mullen, happened to transfer here the same year, and he became Dean of Electrical Engineering. Sometime in October, we happened to cross paths in front of Jake Nevin Field House. Casually, he asked me when I was going to become an Augustinian. Prior to this moment, it had never crossed my mind, but all I can remember is that I automatically responded, ‘I don’t know, one of these days.’”

One week after their serendipitous meeting, Fr. Allan went to visit the Vocation Office. About nine months later, he joined the Augustinians and was one of four lucky Augustinians chosen to travel to Rome, Italy to continue studying theology.

“I was there at the time of the second Vatican Council,” Fr. Allan said. “I’ll never forget it. At almost 1:00 p.m., the steps of the Basilica turned a bright red because there were so many bishops headed to get their lunch. It was almost like blood flooding the steps.”

Not only did Fr. Allan travel to study theology overseas in Rome, but he also spent four years in Paris, France. Most notably, Fr. Allan received his doctorate in theology. One summer, Fr. Allan journeyed by train to a town near Madrid, Spain with his fellow Augustinians. While in Spain, they lived with the Spanish Augustinian community members.

“I didn’t speak any Spanish when I got there,” Fr. Allan said. “I was able to pick up Italian and French in Rome and France, respectively, but Spanish was a bit trickier. When I came back to Italy after the summer, I got goosebumps because I felt like I was back home. I knew Italian so well by then.”

In 1972, Fr. Allan returned to Villanova as a professor in the Department of Theology. He taught introduc-

tory courses to Roman Catholic theology, as well as general religion courses. Given that his primary field of study in theology was Christian worship, he taught upper level courses focused on this area, as well.

“Most professors who taught theology back in the day were Augustinians,” Fr. Allan said. “The lay theologian was not the most prominent professor. Today, the Department of Theology is much more balanced. We have both men and women, Augustinians as well as lay theologians.”

In 1986, the Augustinian founder of the semi-annual journal on Saint Augustine, Augustinian Studies, passed away. Fr. Allan volunteered, eager to study more about Saint Augustine, and he took over as the journal’s editor in 1989.

“My doctoral thesis was on Ambrose, so fourth century Italy, essentially,” Fr. Allan said. “In the early 1990s, I got an email asking me to write an encyclopedia of Saint Augustine. They thought that I was an expert on him given my work for the journal. I was far from an expert, but I knew several people in the area who were.”

Fr. Allan’s book, Augustine Through the Ages: an Encyclopedia, is one of his many written accomplish-

ments. It took him about six years to complete the 900-page book.

Later, the Order in Rome asked Fr. Allan to return as a teacher, not a student. In 1997, he started his 12 years of teaching one of his favorite religious figures, Saint Ambrose, in Rome.

“The persecutions of the early fourth century led many Christians to deny their faith,” Fr. Allan said. “Many said that you couldn’t be forgiven in the eyes of God, but then others would remind them that Saint Peter was after he denied knowing Jesus. I focused a lot of my work in Christian forgiveness.”

In 2009, Fr. Allan returned to Villanova from Rome to serve as a teacher in the Department of Theology. He also assumed the Office of the Provost’s role, Director of The Augustinian Institute, a department at Villanova that serves to infuse Saint Augustine’s teachings and values into the University’s efforts.

Fr. Allan continues to work for the Office of the Provost at Villanova, now as the Director of Special Projects. Given his fluency in the French language, Fr. Allan also says a French Mass once a month at Rosemont Chapel in Bryn Mawr. The next Mass will take place on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 14th.

Villanova Professor Turns Board Game Creator

Katie Formato Staff Writer

Board games are signifi cant parts of our lives. Whether played with family or friends, they are great activities that can be enjoyed by all. There are so many board games in our lives that we grew up playing, but new ones are always being created.

Recently, Villanova’s Handyman University professor, Mike Ellis, created two board games called Slanguage and Fruzzle.

“Slanguage has some elements from a series of books I had published, titled Slanguage,” Ellis said. Ellis created the board games on his own, but he received feedback from his students on how to improve the games and make them more fun and challenging for the players.

“The goal of slanguage is to learn and say slanguage phrases while moving round a game board,” Ellis said. “Slanguage can be regional, colloquial or sport related.” Secondly, the goal of Fruzzle “is to have fun learning fractions while moving around a game board.”

The games require two teams of at least four players per team.

To showcase his board games to students and faculty, Ellis met with the administration of Nova Entrepreneurial College. They worked together to create an event for students to test Ellis’ games. The events occurred at 7:30 p.m. on April 7th and April 27th, where students played the two game boards and discussed game coding. The event was held at The Idea Lab in the Basement of the Falvey Library, which is part of The Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. It lasted about one hour and thirty

minutes, but Ellis added that “if you play with two dice and three teams, a round can be played in about an hour.”

When Ellis spoke with people at the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE), they had mentioned that “game testing would be a nice way to share [his] work and give the students experience while having fun. They introduced me to The Game Testing student group, and we arranged a meeting.”

To share the news to more students, the event was publicized in “Campus Currents” and “The Wildcat Newswire.”

At the event, students were able to play the games and provide feedback on how to improve the game. Ellis said some feedback he received was about “logic, timing, strategy and content.”

Ellis described the games as “pretty loud and very interactive.” He mentioned that it is great for students because “team

building is important to win.”

According to Ellis, the events were a huge success. The students had an amazing time playing the games and it was a great way for everyone to come together.

At the fi rst event there were about ten attendees, three who will be in Ellis’ Handyman University class in the fall semester.

“Testing will continue,” Ellis said. “It inspires me to create more content.”

In the Handyman University class in the fall, Ellis has added diff erent activities for students to partake in, including game testing and team building.

“Maybe I will create and sell a game board pdf,” Ellis said about the possible future of the game.

To learn more about the event or the IIE program, visit the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship on the Villanova Website.

Father Allan is a writer, professor and Augustinian at Villanova University. Courtesy of Olivia Sabalaskey

Saying Goodbye to Kendall’s Column

Kendall Hayes Culture Columnist

To Villanova and the People it Gave Me:

I fell in love with Villanova when I was 16 years old. It was love at first sight. The first school I toured, the first school I saw myself at and the first and only school I loved every aspect of. (Okay, maybe not every aspect; come on, people, we need to bump up that food quality.)

On the first night of college, I sat on the floor of my room in Katharine Hall with three other girls. One of them was my roommate. We all spoke for hours about our lives, what we wanted out of Villanova and our fears about leaving home. We all felt comfortable with each other. It was as if I had known the three girls around me for years, and I had a gut feeling that these girls would be in my life for all of college. We all just fit with one another. As the months and years went on, more people would be added to our friendship puzzle, but it was that night when I knew this was where I belonged, and, trust me, I know how rare that is.

I am thankful that now, flash forward almost four years, I am sitting next to my freshman year roommate on our senior house’s couch as I write this article. (Hi, Mia, I am very excited for Grog with you later). Two other girls from my room that night, Abigail Lukas and Tara Nichols, are also scattered about our home. A few days later, we would meet Izzy Creedon, who would become a necessary piece to all of our Villanova puzzles. You all make our house a home.

When you go to college, or maybe I should say when you look back on college, you start to think certain things happen for certain reasons.

I am thankful that my first

Villanova class registration was absolutely atrocious. Fall of 2019, what a pleasurable experience. I received the last registration time, and I did not get into a single class I wanted. I had to take a Moderns class that had no reviews on ratemyprofessor. com (I know, the horror), and I did not get into either of the Communication courses I needed to declare my Communication major. I am almost positive the night of registration I ended up enrolling in an Irish Poetry class just so I had enough credits. But, I became the course registration website’s biggest fan. I checked maybe every 10 minutes for two weeks straight to see if someone had dropped any Communication courses.

And just like that, I enrolled in Public Speaking and Survey of Communication Studies, where I would meet two more pieces to my Villanova puzzle, Cameron Castelli and Anna O’Keefe. Thanks, you two, for understanding me, and proving that three people can be best friends.

I am thankful that it was so difficult to get back to Seattle, and Lanie Martin spent the beginning of quarantine with my family.

I am thankful that my freshman year roommate Mia Dell’Orto and I decided not to live together sophomore year, as I was randomly connected with my next puzzle piece, now one of my best friends, for a sophomore year roommate. Alyssa Paster, thank you for being the roommate and friend of my dreams. I could not be more excited to bring Sheehan 302 to New York City next year.

I am thankful that freshmen year I was playing music too loud and Jessica Laino came knocking on my door to turn it down.

I am thankful that I joined a sorority (my short-lived experience with Greek Life) and met some more

pieces. Carlie Romano, you are always absolutely yourself in the most beautiful way, and I could not imagine my life without five FaceTime calls from you every day. Boston is about to get the best girl in the whole world.

I am thankful that I begrudgingly agreed to go to the Outer Banks the summer going into my junior year with some people I had never met before that I now could not imagine my life without. Juliana Russo, your laugh brings me the purest form of joy. Thank you for coming into my life and staying in it. I cannot wait for this next chapter with you.

I am thankful that my best friend, twin flame, roommate and partner in crime is a genius and got into New York Medical College. The day you got into medical school may have been the happiest day of my life. I will always be your number-one fan. Tara Nichols, thank you for always being there. I would not be me without you.

Last but not least, thank you to Villanova for being my first love,

completing my puzzle and bringing these amazing human beings to me. Thank you for showing me that writing was my passion and what I wanted to do with my life. Thank you to Julia Stanisci for asking Emily Cox to look at my application to be a culture writer for The Villanovan. Thank you to Elena Rouse for being my sounding board and reading every article I write before I send it in. Thank you to Vivi Melkonian for being the badass editor-in-chief you are and seeing the potential in me before I even see it.

And finally, thank you to Michael Bradley. You made my Villanova education and experience what it is. More professors and people like you should exist in the world. As I embark on this next chapter of my life, I will listen to the wise words of our good friend Jerry Garcia: if I get confused, I’ll just listen to the music play.

Officially signing off with so much love,

Kendall Hayes

A Love Letter to Junior Year at Villanova

Tallulah Laska Staff Writer

Dear Junior Year, Hi. I’m writing because I cannot believe that finals are upon us. Somehow, my third year at the best college in the world is coming to an end. This year has probably been the most insane, fun and entertaining year yet.

I lived on West Campus, in Gallen 313 (how is that already past tense?), with some of my best friends. We truly made our apartment feel like home, from always having homemade flower arrangements on the dining table to hosting our friends over for big group dinners.

I definitely had my fair share of struggles. Even though this year was the hardest so far, I am devastated that it is over. In the last nine months, I traveled to two new countries, learned a new language, made more friends than I can count and more. I even got to fly an airplane over campus (literally, I took the wheel for a few minutes).

Right now, we are all going through the thick of finals. The hardest part of the year makes me long for the day I can turn in my last exam and drive home. But somehow, every so often, I am reminded of how quickly college is passing by.

I am living in an off-campus house this summer and throughout my senior year, so these are my last few days of living

on campus. Though I say I will not miss the late-night chicken tenders from St. Mary’s, I know one day I will be longing for this. Ending junior year is weird as I am not quite nostalgic for college because it does not feel like it is almost over. At the same time, I am about to be a senior. My grandparents keep asking me when they can book a hotel for graduation next year. (You are

joking, right? I am not graduating next year. No way.)

I guess what I am trying to say is that I am going to miss you, Junior Year. You were good to me. We had our ups and downs, from watching the women’s basketball team make it to the Sweet Sixteen to failing a test. I would fail a test one hundred times over if it meant having a junior year this wonderful.

To the seniors, I am sorry you have to say goodbye to Villanova so soon. I cannot believe I will be in your shoes in just one short year. To my underclassmen friends, do not blink. Before you know it, you will be moving off campus and preparing for graduation. Everyone says college goes by fast, and it really does. You just do not notice until it is almost over.

In the words of Taylor Swift, I was enchanted to meet you, Junior Year. You were magical. Everything I wished for and more. I cannot believe you are over already. I love you; I miss you; thank you.

All my love, Tallulah

The Villanovan Culture Columnist Kendall Hayes reflects on her time as a senior in her final article. Courtesy of Emma Cahill

The Villanovan staff writer Tallulah Laska reflects on her junior year at Villanova. Courtesy of Tallulah Laska

Ode to the Quad

Emma Cahill Co-Culture Editor

Sophomore year in the Quad is a rite of passage for many Villanova students. After spending a year in either of the twin dorms, Sullivan Hall or Sheehan Hall, Villanova sophomores reflect back on their experiences spent in the Quad. Many students will dearly miss the Quad and the memories made in these residence halls.

The Quad is often regarded as the heart and soul of campus. Many students appreciate the Quad’s ideal location on main campus near many academic buildings, dining halls and student centers. Because of this, it is often a gathering place for sophomores on campus who like to throw around a football or grab lunch outside on the stone benches.

Sophomore Meredith Sheftel admired this part of her experience living in Sheehan, appreciating the Quad’s prime location.

“It is the most convenient place to live on campus since it feels so central to everything,” Sheftel said. “It makes campus feel so lively, especially when it’s nice outside and everyone is sitting outside playing music and just enjoying our time together.”

The Quad’s vibrant energy and role as a gathering place for sophomores also makes it a great people-watching location. Sophomore Marin Hillis’ dorm room is

home to a great people watching spot, and she will greatly miss this next year.

“Living in the Quad has been such an experience and has been especially great, as my room is arguably the best people watching spot on campus,” Hillis said. “Although I’m excited for next year, I am definitely going to miss my home in Sheehan Hall.”

Since the Quad is home to most sophomores on campus, there is always a friendly face strolling down the hall. Many

students appreciate this interconnectedness in their residence hall.

Sophomore Ella Forese discussed her experience living in the Quad and enjoyed that aspect of community in her hall.

“Living in the Quad has been great because every time I walk through my hall, I see friends and familiar faces from classes and my sorority,” Forese said. “I will definitely miss the sense of connection to the sophomore class that you feel when you live in the Quad.”

At the end of the day, Sullivan Hall and Sheehan Hall are not just residence halls; they hold core memories for Villanova sophomores. It is truly a bonding experience having all sophomores live together, and it fosters a strong sense of kinship in each hall of these dorms.

Sophomore Ainsley Klein regarded her time in the Quad as one of her favorite memories at Villanova. Klein recalled her experience with friendship during her time living in Sheehan Hall.

“Some of my greatest memories have been in the Quad,” Klein said. “From late night conversations to movie nights to playing cards, I could not imagine my college experience without these experiences and friends. Although it’s a small space, it is so nice being near all of the other sophomores and it really does help strengthen your friendships.”

Living in the Quad is a quintessential part of many students’ experience at Villanova. As the school year wraps up, Villanova sophomores will have a hard time parting ways with Sullivan Hall and Sheehan Hall. The ever vibrant and lively setting of the Quad will always be there to allow students to reminisce about their sophomore year as they go through Villanova. But for now, it is time to say goodbye to the Quad and appreciate all the memories it has brought Villanova sophomores.

The Quad is home to Villanova sophomores who live in Sullivan and Sheehan Hall. Graydon Paul / Villanovan Photography

Villanova Buildings as Taylor Swift Songs

Emma Cahill Co-Culture Editor

As the campus Swifties get ready for the end of finals and Taylor Swift’s arrival to Philadelphia, this article describes which Taylor Swift song represents various buildings at Villanova.

Connelly Center- “Holy Ground” For all students grabbing their morning bagel or their mid-day caffeine kick, the Connelly Center Holy Grounds is one of the most popular hot spots on campus for meals. So, it is undeniable that the Connelly Center is associated with this famous song off of Taylor Swift’s fourth album, “Red.” Pop in your headphones, and listen to this song when hopping in line for coffee; it is a major mood booster and will not disappoint.

Stanford Hall- “Fifteen” Stanford Hall, the largest freshman dorm on campus, is home to the origin stories of many friendships on Villanova’s campus. Whether it is home to fabulous memories with your roommate or a spontaneous friendship with your next-door neighbor, many Villanovans can reflect back upon a time where they met their dearest friends in this building. “Fifteen” tells the sentimental story of Taylor Swift growing up and meet -

ing her best friend, Abigail. This song has the vibe for all the nostalgic memories made in Stanford Hall.

Falvey Library- “This Is Me Trying” Picture this: it’s 3:00a.m. You have three exams and a paper due tomorrow. You’re just trying your best to keep it all together. We’ve all been there before, feeling stressed and overwhelmed, leading to a few tears being shed on the third floor of the library. This song is the anthem for all stressed Villanovans pulling late-night study sessions in Falvey. Don’t worry, Villanovans; finals will soon be over and you’ll take a well-deserved vacation. But for now, you’ll be jamming out to this depressing tune in Falvey.

The Commons- “Gorgeous” The Commons: beautiful stone buildings on Lancaster Ave. that were recently built in 2019. All who live there bask in the luxury of living in one of the nicest buildings on campus. Taylor Swift’s song “Gorgeous” is the anthem of all who live in the Commons’ beautiful environment.

Moriarty Hall, Delurey Hall and O’Dwyer Hall - “Exile” Known for their location on the outskirts of campus, it is undeniable that Moriarty Hall, Delurey Hall and O’Dwyer Hall are somewhat in exile compared to the rest of campus. Eek. My

sincerest apologies to all who had to manage with the longer walks to class. The distance to Campus Corner is a plus, though. To all residents of these dorms, grab an order of Zilly fries and jam out to this relatable tune.

Tolentine Hall - “Long Live” There is a reason why people say “If you don’t take a class in Tolentine, you won’t graduate.”

As the oldest and largest academic building on campus, Tolentine Hall has been a Villanova staple for quite some time now. So, long live all the classes that Villanova students have braved over the years in this iconic building. Whether it was the four flights of

Eras Tour Survival Guide

Taylor Swift is currently on one of the most famous tours in music history, cleverly titled “The Eras Tour,” representing her 10 albums as “eras” of her life. An all-stadium tour with 52 shows, the Eras Tour quite literally broke Ticketmaster when tickets were on sale. Swift broke the record for the most concert tickets sold in a single day during just the pre-sale period. Tickets for the public were never even put on sale.

Taylor Swift fans, dubbed “Swifties,” have been pooling tips in order for fans to have the most enjoyable experience at the Eras Tour. As a Swiftie, I am here to give future attendees some tips so they can have the best night of their life. My credibility? I flew to Phoenix, Arizona on March 17th to attend the very first night of the tour.

Because of TikTok, often known as SwiftTok, I was worried about seeing spoilers for the show before going in May. I contemplated deleting the app, but I was just so worried about seeing spoilers everywhere else. I wanted to go into the show with a fresh mind and zero expectations.

On March 15th, two days before the first show, I pulled up the Delta website in one tab and Stubhub in the other. I managed to find a cheap resale ticket, and I was lucky enough to have a flight credit on Delta. I rescheduled the test I was supposed to take that day and booked my flight. I flew to Phoenix and was there for only eight hours total, landing at 5:00

p.m., attending the show and departing again on a red-eye flight. It was the greatest experience of my life.

There is a lot that goes into having a great experience at the Eras Tour. First things first, people need to arrive at the stadium early. Traffic is crazy. It took me over an hour to drive just a few miles to the stadium. I recommend taking an Uber or public transportation, getting dropped off far from the stadium and walking (bring walking shoes).

If a person wants to buy merchandise, they should plan to arrive at the stadium at least a few hours before the doors open to the stadium. Merch goes fast at these shows. When I got in line, every single sweatshirt was sold out.

Make sure to get into the stadium early to be first in line at the booth. I recommend buying merch inside the stadium rather than at the truck, which is parked in the parking lots.

The show, including openers, is almost five hours. Swift is on for three hours, with a 44-song setlist. This means water, snacks and bathroom breaks need to be planned out. At the first show, the stadium actually ran out of water bottles, so be sure to buy those earlier rather than later.

Without revealing any spoilers, the show itself is truly magical. Swift takes the crowd through her “Eras,” with dozens of costumes and set changes. Swifties have little chants and inside jokes with Swift herself, so

stairs climbed early in the morning, or a required Spanish class, all Villanovans can raise tribute to a class they have taken at Villanova in Tolentine.

The Quad Dorms“I’m Only Me When I’m With You” Twin dorms Sullivan Hall and Sheehan Hall would be lost without each other. Together, they make up one of the most iconic places on campus: the Quad. This song, featured on Taylor Swift’s debut album, is the perfect anthem for these two buildings, whose connection to each other makes them a hot spot for sophomores and one of the best places on campus.

make sure to learn those beforehand. The two most famous are during the songs “Delicate” and “Bad Blood.”

Of course, take pictures and videos, but also, do not forget to live in the moment. Also, people should have someone take a picture of them and their group at the show. I am so happy to have a photo of myself with the stage in the background.

Fast forward to about 11:15 p.m., when the show ends. I am warning now: there is no encore. Confetti will pop during the last song, and that is it. Once the show ends, people need to make a break for it. The foot traffic leaving the stadium is crazy. People need to do their best to weave around others, because the sooner people get to the exit, the less traffic they will be sitting in.

If parked at the stadium, try to drive out fast. If using rideshare services, walk at least 15 to 20 minutes away and then order the car. I heard people had to wait hours for Ubers to become available, and they cost hundreds of dollars. One’s best bet is definitely to take public transportation. It does not matter if someone is the biggest Swiftie in the world or a casual listener of her music. They will enjoy the show. It is a wonderful experience, regardless of if one knows all the songs or chants. Swift knows how to entertain a crowd. She is bubbly, her dancers are energetic and the crowd is electric.

For any Villanovans gearing up to see Swift at Lincoln Financial Field in the coming weeks, get ready to be blown away.

Want to know which Taylor Swift song represents each building on campus? Tune into this article. Hayden Karnes / Villanovan Digital

Tallulah Laska Staff Writer

Many Villanova students will attending the upcoming Eras Tour in Philadelphia. Graydon Paul / Villanovan Photography

‘Nova Takes the 4xMile Championship at Penn Relays

Jacob Artz Staff Writer

continued from pg. 1

the anchor leg.

It was a lesson learned for Murphy, as he timed his move correctly to have the extra boost needed to cross the finish line first. The finish was one for the photographers as six teams crossed the line within two-thirds of a second of each other.

“They said to wait as long as you can,” Murphy said via Villanova Athletics. “If you’re the last one to go it will pay off. That is what I did, and I had a little left compared to yesterday.”

Head coach Marcus O’Sullivan praised Murphy for his hard work in the last 12 months and his ability to learn from the narrow loss in the distance medley the day prior.

“I’m amazed at how much he pulled back for the last 50, 60 meters of the race, you know, it’s just incredible,” O’Sullivan said. “It was so exciting.”

Graduate student Josh Phillips won the 5000-meter event on Thursday night to tally ‘Nova’s first individual Penn Relays distance championship since 1964. Phillips ran to a time of 13:45.85 to earn the title. This time puts him 25th in the East Region standings after the race on Thursday. This was also the

fifth-fastest time in the Big East this season.

“For him to do something on his own merits in the distance evening from Penn is terrific, and I’m very happy for him,” O’Sullivan said.

Graduate student Haftu Strintzos placed runner-up in the same event with a season best time of 13:47.54. This time was over six seconds faster than what he posted less than two weeks ago at Princeton.

Strintzos already ranks 10th in the East Region in the 10k. With this time, he moved up to 32nd in the 5000-meter standings for the East Region.

“That was [the] best looking Haftu I’ve seen in a while, since cross country,” O’Sullivan said. “That was a good moment for him to be right there.”

The distance medley relay team put its school record breaking performance to the test on

Friday against the best the country has to offer, and it came up one spot short.

Villanova came in second with a time of 9:34.83 with the same lineup that broke the record with O’Donovan, freshman Jimmy Milgie, Dolan and Murphy.

Villanova and challengers Wisconsin and Virginia were all poised to win with the mile anchor run to conclude the race. Murphy posted a time of 4:03.65 and with 200 meters to go, he made his attempt to close out the race. He was passed by the Wisconsin runner and finished second.

“With 200 meters to go there were guys on the outside and I didn’t want to get boxed in, so I felt like I had no choice but to make that move,” Murphy said.

Graduate student triple jumper Malik Cunningham garnered a silver medal with a mark of 16.08 meters, which is the third longest mark of his collegiate

career. This performance moved him up to ninth in the East Region standings.

“He’s been knocking on the door on the 16 meters all spring,” O’Sullivan said. “It was good to see him do well.”

Last week, O’Sullivan said that graduate student Ryan Cutter needed a stronger time at this meet to put himself in a better position to qualify for the East Region. Cutter placed third in the 10,000 with a time of 29:02.11. This shaved over seven seconds off the time he made at the Raleigh Relay, and moved him comfortably into the East Region at 35th.

“He came back really strong, and I think that should get him really close,” O’Sullivan said about Cutter’s chances of getting into the East Region.

The Villanova men now have 120 t itles overall in the Penn Relays, including eight Championship of America titles under O’Sullivan, which are the DMR, 4-by-800 and the 4-by-mile.

Up next for Villanova is the Big East Championships, which it will host in two weeks at Villanova Stadium.

The expectations are the same for the ‘Cats as they were indoors. Connecticut simply possesses too much depth for the other Big East schools to compete.

A second-place finish is the aim for ‘Nova, as O’Sullivan said that would be a “great outcome.”

Men’s Lacrosse Falls to Georgetown in Last Regular Season Game

On Friday, April 28th, No. 12 Villanova men’s lacrosse (10-4, 5-2 Big East) fell to No. 8 Georgetown, 12-8, in its last conference game of the season.

Fifth-year attackman Patrick Daly had another standout performance, scoring goals in the first, third and fourth quarters for his 11th hat trick of the season.

Georgetown opened up scoring in the matchup with a goal in the opening minute of play, before fifth-year midfielder Matt Campbell tied the score, 1-1, for his 35th goal of the season.

The remainder of the first quarter was back-and-forth play, with Daly scoring his first goal of the game at the 4:16 mark in the first quarter to put Villanova within one goal of the Hoyas.

The second quarter saw more of the same competition, as the teams traded goals for the remainder of the half. Fifth-year midfielder Austin Fraser scored with exactly four minutes left before halftime to send the Wildcats into the locker room down 5-3.

“I thought we played a pretty good first half,” head coach Mike Corrado said. “It was close. We had a two-goal game.”

The Hoyas started to gain some separation in the second half,

using a four-goal run over eight minutes spanning the third and fourth quarter.

Heading into the fourth quarter, Georgetown led, 8-6, and pushed its lead to 12-6 halfway through the final quarter.

“I thought we missed a lot of really good opportunities at the offensive end,” Corrado said. “We just didn’t shoot great.”

The Wildcats scored the final two goals of the game, making the 38th time this season that Villanova has tallied consecutive goals that came less than a minute apart. However, the clock expired before the ‘Cats could capitalize on their final push.

“[Georgetown is] playing their best lacrosse right now,” Corrado said. “When you get opportunities against them, you have to take advantage of that, and I don’t think we did that on Friday night.”

Despite struggling offensively, the Wildcats had strong defensive efforts, led by senior faceoff specialist Justin Coppola and fifthyear goalie Will Vitton.

During the game, Coppola broke the Wildcats’ career record for ground balls. He won 11 faceoffs and had 12 ground balls to bring his career total to 335. This puts Coppola three ground balls ahead of Chris Colliniates (200407), marking the second time this

season that Coppola has set a new Villanova career record. Last weekend Coppola broke the Wildcat record for career faceoff wins in Villanova’s win over Marquette.

Vitton had 12 saves in the matchup, including eight in the first half. This is the ninth time this season and the third time in conference play that Vitton has made 10+ saves, bringing his career total to 654 stops.

“I thought Will was great,” Corrado said. “He kept us in the game early, and I thought that it was one of his best games of the year.”

With the loss, the Wildcats end their regular season with the No. 3 seed in the upcoming conference tournament.

“I think overall we had an outstanding regular season,” Corrado said. “To win 10 games with the schedule we had is quite an accomplishment. I’m really proud of our guys.”

Villanova will open up its Big East Tournament play against No. 11 Denver on Thursday, May 4th.

“We’re gonna tweak a few things [for Denver] — some things we did well against them, some things that didn’t work out as well,” Corrado said. “We’re four months into our season, so we may change a couple little things, but we just have to go out and play the best 60 minutes we can.”

Brooke Ackerman Co-Sports Editor

The Wildcats clinched a No.3 seed in the Big East heading into the upcoming conference tournament.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

The Wildcats clinched a No.3 seed in the Big East heading into the upcomong conference tournament. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

Baseball Falls to UConn in Two-Game Series

James Haupt Staff Writer

This past weekend, Villanova fell to Big East rival UConn in two games, losing 7-3 and 9-1. With the two losses to the Huskies, the Wildcats now have a 11-30 record on the season and 5-9 in conference.

Due to weather, Villanova’s first game of the series took place on Saturday. The teams’ scheduled Sunday game was postponed due to rain.

The Wildcats got the scoring started early in the first inning of the first game with a two-run home run by senior catcher John Whooley.

Whooley had a strong individual performance, finishing two for three with two RBIs and a walk. However, the lead was cut short as UConn scored six unanswered runs going into the seventh inning.

The Wildcats then got back on the board with a solo homerun by graduate student shortstop Craig Larsen.

Overall, the pitching staff had a solid day in game one, despite allowing seven runs and a loss. Only four runs were earned. Junior pitcher Cade Udell was given the loss, but had a decent outing, posting two strikeouts over 2.1 innings and only allowing two earned runs on two hits.

Senior Luke Dziados had

the best pitching performance of the game. Dziados threw 3.1 innings and allowed one run, zero ERs, two hits and recorded three strikeouts.

“We pitched the ball well and that gave us a chance,” head coach Kevin Mulvey said. “Pitching did a good job especially in the later half of this game.”

In the second game of the series, the trend continued of getting behind early for the ‘Cats. This time, the Wildcats allowed nine runs and didn’t score their first run until the bottom of the ninth inning. This lone run was another solo homer by Larsen.

Larsen finished the game, 2-4, proving to be one of the only

WEEKLY SCOREBOARD

April. 26 - May. 3

Wednesday, April 26

Thursday, April 27

Men’s Track @ Penn Relays

No Team Scoring

Women’s Track @ Penn Relays

No Team Scoring

Friday, April 28

Men’s Golf vs Big East Championships

3rd of 10 (Day 1)

Men’s Track @ Penn Relays No Team Scoring

bright spots in this game and the weekend as a whole.

On the mound, junior pitcher Devin Rivera struggled. In game two, Rivera allowed six earned runs on eight hits in six innings.

“There’s no such thing as an eight-run home run,” Mulvey said. “You have to go out there and try to get it back pitch by pitch and get some momentum going. It’s happened in the past, but unfortunately the pitcher made it difficult on us.”

Looking ahead, the ‘Cats will now begin their final week of play, starting with a matchup against Saint Joseph’s on Wednesday, May 3, followed by a threegame series against St. John’s.

Women’s 4x800 Impresses At Penn Relays

Jacob Artz Staff Writer

Last week, Villanova women’s track and field head coach Gina Procaccio gave some insight into what events she thought would be the best chance for the Wildcats to perform well at the Penn Relays.

“I think we are going to be really competitive in the distance medley relay and the 4-by-800-meter relay,” Procaccio said. “We have two very solid teams there, so [we are] excited for those.”

She was right.

The quartet of sophomore Alex Stasichin, freshman Micah Trusty, sophomore Maya Dorer and senior Madison Martinez posted a time of 8:30.42 to earn a bronze medal in the 4-by-800-meter relay.

Staschin led off with a time of 2:08.96 with Trusty taking the baton next and racing to a time of 2:07.39. The third woman to race was Dorer and she clocked at 2:08.35. Martinez then ran the fastest of the four, with an anchor time of 2:05.74.

“This is a young group,” Martinez said via Villanova Athletics. “We have a freshman and two sophomores, so we have a lot to look forward to in the future. This was a great experience.”

Procaccio was also pleased with the young group.

“I was really happy with their performance because they are a young group,” Procaccio said. “I said to them afterwards, ‘We’re gonna come back next year and win it next year.’”

In addition to the 4-by-800 team, the distance runners did their damage on the first day of the Penn Relays.

Senior Anna Helwigh ran the second-fastest time of her career in the 3000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:03.51 This set a new personal best by almost two seconds. This time puts her 16th in the East Region.

“I thought she held her own and did really well,” Procaccio said of Helwigh against the strong field.

Helwigh now owns four of the top-10 times in school history for the 3000-meter steeplechase.

Sophomore Sadie Sigfstead made her first race at Franklin Field one to remember with a personal best time of 16:17.19 in the 5000 meters. This time beat her old personal best by over four seconds.

Sigfstead already holds a spot to qualify for the East Region in the 10000 and this improvement in times in the 5000 is allowing her to perform better in the 10000.

“For her to still run, [while being sick], a time like that really bodes well for what she’s capable of,”

Procaccio said.

Graduate student Ariana Gardizy blew past her previous personal best on Thursday, and especially her best time previously at Franklin Field, with a time of 34:25.62. She slashed nearly 20 seconds off her previous time that she ran at Franklin Field almost two years ago to the day.

“We’re just hoping, fingers crossed, that that time will hold up enough for her to qualify for the NCAA First Round [East Regional],” Procaccio said.

She would marginally be on the inside of the cutline at 47th, with the top-50 runners qualifying for the East Region.

The distance medley relay team of Dorer, Trusty, Martinez and graduate student Lydia Olivere finished the race at 11:12.22 on Friday. This amounted to a ninth-place finish for a squad that competed against five teams that qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships earlier this year.

“We had a lot of the top national competition that made it to [NCAAs] indoors so we wanted

Women’s Track @ Penn Relays No Team Scoring

Softball @ Seton Hall

6-2 W

Softball @ Seton Hall

4-2 W

No. 12 Men’s Lacrosse @ Georgetown

8-12 L Baseball vs UConn

Postponed

Saturday, April 29

Men’s Golf vs Big East Championships

5th of 10 (Day 2) Baseball vs UConn

3-7 L

Men’s Track @ Penn Relays No Team Scoring

Women’s Track @ Penn Relays No Team Scoring Baseball vs UConn

1-9 L

Sunday, April 30

Men’s Golf vs Big East Championships

T-5th of 10 (Day 3)

Softball @ Seton Hall

1-9 L Baseball vs UConn

Canceled

to compete tough and see where we could be,” Olivere said via Villanova Athletics.

Dorer led off in the 1200 with a time of 3:26.40, Trusty was next in the 400-meter dash and recorded a time of 55.77, Martinez ran the third leg in the 800-meter in 2:08.34 and the anchor, Olivere, posted a time of 4:41.72 to finish the race in the mile portion.

“It’s always good, to face the great competition, and kinda just see where you are,” Procaccio said.

Graduate student Ashley Preston again eclipsed the four-meter barrier at a height of 4.03 meters indoors, this time due to the wet conditions at the Hecht Tennis Center, earning her a tie for fifth place. This was the second consecutive meet that Preston cleared four meters.

“That’s really good that they did that because they had to move it inside because of the weather,” Procaccio said.

In two weeks, Villanova will host the Big East Championships at Villanova Stadium.

“I thought we did really well this weekend,” Procaccio said. “It just sets us up well for [the] championship season. Having the Big East at home, gives us more fuel for the fire to just really go out and put on a show.”

The young 4x800 Wildcats had a third place finish at the Penn Relays this past weekend. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

The Wildcats are currently 5-9 in the Big East. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

Four Wildcats To Compete In USA Basketball 3x Nationals

Elijah McDow Staff Writer

On March 24th, 2023, Villanova’s women’s basketball team saw its season come to a heartbreaking end in Greenville, South Carolina at the hands of the Miami Hurricanes.

After the final buzzer sounded, one of the biggest questions to arise was whether Maddy Siegrist would return to Villanova or go professional.

That question has since been answered. Forty-two days after playing her final game as a Wildcat, Siegrist is now a member of the Dallas Wings of the WNBA.

Without an all-American on the squad, head coach Denise Dillon will now rely on other players to step up in the 2023-2024 season.

Fortunately for Dillon, four of her returning players will find themselves back on the court sooner than expected.

On Wednesday, April 26th, it was announced that junior guard Maddie Burke, sophomore forward Christina Dalce and sophomore guards Lucy Olsen and Zanai Jones will be traveling to Colorado Springs, Colorado to compete in USA Basketball’s 3X Nationals.

According to Dalce, playing in 3X Nationals is something that has been in the works since the NCAA tournament.

“I kind of knew during March Madness,” Dalce said. “In my meeting [Coach Dillon] was like you,

[Zanai], Maddie and Lucy are going to USA basketball, so I kind of had the inside scoop before the other girls did.”

Per USA Basketball’s office website, “3X Nationals will serve as an evaluation for selection to various 2023 USA Basketball 3x3 men’s and women’s national teams, including the 2023 FIBA 3x3 World Cup, set for May 30-June 4 in Vienna, Austria and roster spots for USA Basketball World Tour, Women’s Series and U21 and U23 Nations League teams.”

The competition, which runs from May 5th to 7th, will feature 16 women’s teams, highlighted by Duke, Indiana, Maryland, Tennessee, UCLA and Big East rivals Creighton, Seton Hall and St. John’s.

While some of these teams have previously played in this com-

petition, this will be the Wildcats’ inaugural trip to 3X Nationals.

“Honestly I’m going into my senior year, and this has never happened before” Burke said. “Being able to go out to Colorado is a great opportunity and really exciting.”

Dalce echoed Burke’s statement and gave credit to Maddy Siegrist for putting the team in this position.

“It’s very exciting being able to put my name out and put the University’s name out,” Dalce said. “I think after this season Maddy Siegrist did a great job of putting us on the map, and I feel this is just going to be a continuation of elevating us for the upcoming year.”

The last time that Burke, Dalce, Jones and Olsen laced up, it was for a spot in the Elite Eight. This

time, however, the rules, vibe and pressure will be different.

Instead of the normal 24-second shot clock or full-court play, the Wildcats will find themselves playing half-court with a 10-minute clock and a 12-second shot clock. To win the game, the Wildcats or their opponents must be leading at the end of regulation or be the first team to score 21 points.

“The different rules are going to be a little bit difficult but I’m okay with that,” Dalce said. “So far in practice, [the different rules] have been forcing me to move faster but I also think they are helping me learn how to be more controlled.”

Despite the rule changes 3X nationals is an invaluable opportunity for four key players to work on their game and get closer as teammates.

“For off the court on the court bonding, it’s a great opportunity to fly out there in smaller groups and spend some quality time together,” Burke said. “Going to Colorado is awesome. It’s beautiful there and I’m sure it will be a good trip overall on the court and off the court.”

As of Tuesday, May 2nd, USA Basketball has yet to announce the time of games, matchups, or brackets. Once times and opponents are confirmed, all games will be available to stream on USAB.com + YouTube. While their opponents are TBD, the Wildcats can travel to Colorado knowing they will most likely be facing a team from the ACC, SEC, PAC-12 and potentially one from their own conference.

Softball Goes 2–1 to Win Seton Hall Series

Katie Lewis Staff Writer

This weekend, Villanova’s softball team (32–20, 15–6 Big East) returned from a series on the road with two wins and a loss against Big East No. 2 Seton Hall.

Following this second-to-last series in the team’s regular season, the Wildcats currently maintain their third-place position in the Big East conference.

Villanova opened the series with a 6–2 victory in the first half of Friday’s double-header.

Freshman Kat Gallant earned the win for the Wildcats, striking out three and surrendering just five hits during her 5.1 innings in the circle.

Junior Caroline Pellicano relieved, allowing only one hit.

After a scoreless first two innings, the Wildcats recorded four runs in the third. Senior outfielder Dani Dabroski hit a leadoff single, then a walk and single by senior third baseman Chloe Smith loaded the bases. Another hit by senior catcher Ally Jones brought in the first run. With two outs and a 1–2 count, sophomore infielder Ava Franz cleared the bases with a powerful double.

The Wildcats then opened the fifth inning with back-to-back singles from Smith and Jones. Another hit from graduate catcher Ryan Henry gave Smith an opportunity to sprint home, adding another run.

In the sixth inning, junior center fielder Tess Cites doubled to score a runner, putting Villanova up, 6–0. Seton Hall responded with a two-run

homer in the bottom of the inning, but the Wildcats maintained their lead in a scoreless final inning.

Friday’s second game resulted in another win for the ‘Cats as they won, 4-2.

Sophomore Kelsey White picked up the win, pitching five innings and striking out two, while allowing just three hits. Pellicano returned to the circle in relief, recording two more strikeouts.

The Wildcats racked up an early lead, with a leadoff walk and Smith single putting runners on the corners. Jones singled to bring in Villanova’s first run of the game, followed by two more walks that resulted in another run. Jones took advantage of a wild pitch to gain a 3–0 lead.

In the third inning, Franz blasted a home run to bring the advantage up to four.

A fourth-inning home run and a pair of fifth-inning hits put two Seton Hall runs on the board. Pellicano earned the save, preventing the Pirates from scoring again in the last two innings.

“We jumped on them early and scored runs that got the momentum going right away,” head coach Bridget Orchard said. “But in the third game, we couldn’t get anything started, got behind quickly, and it stayed that way.”

The final game of the series was on Sunday. The Wildcats took the field in poor weather conditions, falling, 9–1, to the Pirates in five innings.

Gallant was Villanova’s starter and received the loss, surrendering four runs. White and graduate pitcher Peyton Schnackenberg each appeared

in the circle for one inning of relief.

Despite two strikeouts by Gallant, a pair of doubles brought the Pirates a 1–0 lead in the first inning.

The Wildcats notched their only run of the game in the second inning after a Franz double and White sacrifice fly.

In the third inning, Seton Hall increased the lead to 4–1 following a base hit, a Villanova error, and a tworun homer.

The Pirates added four more runs in the fourth inning, despite a rain delay that interrupted play. The game ended in the fifth inning, when a single and three walks allowed Seton Hall to score a final run, inducing the eight-run rule.

The Wildcats finished the weekend with two Big East accolades. Franz was awarded Player of the Week and Pellicano was awarded

Pitcher of the Week.

Looking ahead to the rankings, there is still an opportunity for the Wildcats to rise to second place in the Big East.

“We’re still holding out hope for Seton Hall to lose one of their games against Butler this weekend,” Orchard said.

Villanova’s last series before entering the Big East Tournament will take place at home next weekend against Big East No. 7 Providence.

“We’ll have to sweep Providence as well to be the two seed,” Orchard said.

“All the six teams in our conference are pretty even, so it’s going to be pretty much anyone’s tournament to win,” Orchard said. “We’re playing well at the right time, so we just have to hope everything comes together in the next few games.”

Maddie Burke, Christina Dalce, Lucy Olsen, and Zanai Jones will represent Villanova. Graydon Paul / Villanovan Photography

The Wildcats are currently ranked No. 3 in the Big East. Brian Luppy/Villanovan Photography.

Golf Finishes Tied for Fifth at BIG East Championship

Zac Tipton Staff Writer

When Villanova came into the Big East Championship at Riverton Pointe in South Carolina, it was ranked last in the Big East by Golfstat.com.

However, the Wildcats did not look like that team come Friday and Saturday.

Villanova was top three in the Big East after the first round and was still hanging around the top five after the second. However, due to harsh wind that affected most of the field, Villanova was not able to make a run and finished tied for fifth. Marquette took home the championship thanks to an eight-under second day.

Head coach James Wilkes was very impressed by this team the first two days.

“Looking at the fact that we were the last ranked team going into this tournament, we showed right from the first round that we were ready to play,” Wilkes said. “We were able to get ourselves in the mix with a solid first round and we were even in the final pairing going into that first round.”

Villanova shot a combined 25 over par over the three rounds, including 20 over par in the third round. They shot three over the first day and two over the second. Villanova was led by junior Peter Weaver, who finished tied for fifth for the tournament with a score of one over

through three rounds, including a 69 on Friday. On Saturday, Weaver shot an even par 72, with a 76 on Sunday. He only finished four shots behind the winner, Marquette’s Bhoom Sima-Aree. Wilkes knew what he was going to get out of his player.

“Peter was there in this tournament, just like he has been in every tournament,” Wilkes said. “He knew he had a chance to contend for that title and he put himself in that position all week. He was a member of the All-Tournament team being top five.”

Jason Lohwater finished tied for 12th with a 54-hole score of four over. Ryan Pamer shot eight over. Vimal Alokam shot 15 over. Josh Lavely only played two of three days but shot 13 over.

Friday was a very good day for Villanova, with the Wildcats shooting three over. Weaver had his strong round of 69 to put himself in a tie for the lead after day one. Weaver had six birdies on the day, but had a costly double bogey on the sixth hole. Lohwater shot a 73, while Alokam shot a 74. Lohwater had 15 pars on the day, with his lone birdie being on the 15th hole. Alokam had a near perfect first 12 holes, shooting two under, but had four bogeys in the last seven to drop to 74. Pamer, who shot 75, had an even par back nine, but had a rough stretch of four holes on the front, where he went bogey, double bogey, birdie and bogey to finish with a three-over front nine.

On Saturday, Weaver shot an

even par 72 and was the third best player on the team. It was Pamer’s time to shine in the second round, making five birdies opposed to two bogeys and no blow-up holes to give him a 69 and bring his score back to even par for the tourney. Lohwater also shot a one under at 71 with three birdies paired with two bogeys and no bad holes. Weaver is next, shooting a rough three-over performance on the front nine. Weaver made back-to-back-to-back birdies on 12, 13 and 14 to shoot even par. Alokam would shoot a 78. Wilkes was very impressed with his players, who might not have had the best year, but played their best when it mattered most.

“We were really happy to see guys who had put all that work in put it together at the highest level,” Wilkes said. “Vim, Josh and Jason all shot better than their season average, so they put together their best golf at the most important time of the year.”

Sunday was the day that really hurt every team. Wilkes wasn’t used to the weather.

“It was one of the windiest days I’ve ever seen in my career,” Wilkes said. “It felt like it was gusting at least 30 miles an hour at times. Balls were being blown on the green while players were putting.”

Many teams shot 15 over for the day or more. Villanova was one of those. Weaver shot a 76, despite getting three straight birdies on holes 2, 3 and 4. He made two doubles and fell out of contention for the Big

East title. Lohwater also shot 76 with a different approach. He made a triple bogey on hole 6, but shot +1 the rest of the day to shoot his 76. Lavely had a very adventurous outing with three birdies, four bogeys, two double bogeys and an eagle, the only eagle by any Villanova member all weekend. Alokam shot 79, and Pamer shot an 81 with no birdies.

Villanova will now head into the offseason. However, the good news for Villanova is that it is getting Weaver back for another year. Wilkes is excited to have Weaver back for another season.

“He was able to break his own season scoring record,” Wilkes said. “He broke half the records in that record book that year. So, to have him coming back and make another run at all those records he broke is exciting.”

Weaver will now have a chance to set more records come next season and compete for the Big East crown. Villanova will let its current team finish out their years before getting on the recruiting track, where Wilkes states they will continue their trend of looking outside just the region of the Northeast for top tier players.

“We tend to recruit regionally,” Wilkes said. “But, if you look at the past three years and the guys coming in, you can see we have been reaching out to guys from the Midwest. We are literally touching all parts of the country for the next great Wildcats.”

Anders Said It: Campbell Will Lead ‘Nova in BE Tournament

Last year, Villanova’s men’s lacrosse team had a crushing, 8-7, loss to Penn, and the winning goal was scored with less than one second left on the clock. It was a brutal defeat that put a screeching halt to all of the ‘Cats’ early momentum.

This year, the Wildcats got their rematch. Despite a third-quarter surge from the Quakers, a back-and-forth fourth quarter ended in a 9-8 victory for Villanova. The tying goal came from fifth-year midfielder Matt Campbell, who has been a vital leader on the team for several years. His journey to glory will come to a close this year, as he looks to repeat history with vengeance against a familiar opponent in Georgetown.

Campbell is used to greatness. That’s the simple way to put it. Earlier this season, Campbell broke the Wildcats all-time record for both goals scored and points earned, cementing himself as one of the program’s greatest players ever.

In the last game of his fifth and final year on Friday, April 28th, he scored the first goal of the game against Georgetown to tie the score, 1-1. That was his only goal of the game, and the last of his regular-season career, before Villanova fell to the Hoyas, 12-8. It was just his fourth outing of the entire season with one or

fewer goals, and just his sixth with three or fewer total points. A weak finish, by Campbell’s standards, at least.

Villanova’s strong season last year came to a disappointing end at the hands of the same

Georgetown team in the 2022 Big East Championship game. The ‘Cats had a late 8-3 surge in the end, but it wasn’t enough to cover the deficit as they lost, 14-12.

Campbell had three goals and five points in that game, an

astounding performance, and another day at the office for him that seemingly went to waste. It would have been a sorrowful end to his historic career in a lacrosse helmet, but thankfully, it wasn’t.

Campbell’s fifth year has been strong from start to finish, and the best part is that the final chapter could be poetry. Georgetown will be the No.1 seed in the Big East Tournament this year, while Villanova will be the No.3 seed, the same seeds both programs were last year.

That means that there is a path for a rematch in the final. And what better way for Campbell to finish off his career than to get revenge on the Hoyas and send the Wildcats to the postseason?

Villanova is ranked 12th in the nation and is 10-4 on the year, yet its spotlight still seems small. The team’s record has improved every year for the past few years, going from 7-5 to 9-6 to 10-4, but still it has not received the same buzz from students as other ascending teams like women’s basketball or softball. A crowning moment for Campbell to finish off his career would grant himself and the team the attention they’ve deserved for so long.

Georgetown has won 10 straight games against Villanova and has a lead on the all-time record, 21-20. Campbell can be the one to break the streak, tie the record and immortalize himself and this year’s Wildcats, while solidifying himself as one of Villanova’s all-time greatest athletes.

Anders Pryor Staff Writer

Matt Campbell (above) is Villanova’s all time leader in goals scored at 152. Brain Luppy/Villanovan Photography

Rowing Takes on Bucknell and UConn

Lauren Armstrong Staff Writer

On Saturday, April 29th, Villanova’s women’s rowing team headed to the Susquehanna River to take on Bucknell and UConn in the final regular season competition of the year.

“I thought that we did a great job executing our plan,” head coach Carissa Adams said. “We were setting out to improve against UConn in the Varsity Eight and we were able to do that. The team overall had some last-minute illnesses so we made some last minute changes to the lineup, and they were very adaptable and did a great job.”

In a close running race, the ‘Cats Varsity Eight ended the season with a 10-second win over the Huskies. The team focused their energy into ensuring a win against the Huskies in order to help build momentum and motivation to take on Bucknell.

The day started with a senior luncheon to celebrate the seniors’ last regular season race of their college careers. This year’s seniors are Erin Welch, Ellie Falk, Kelechi Onuigbo, Madeline McCarthy, Alexandra Petrozzi, Olivia Krause, Caroline Shea, Kara Dempsey, Sheila Joyce and Sofia Lopez, six of whom competed in the line-up of the Varsity Eight.

“All the seniors are very special to me, and we have gone through so much together… I have nothing

but gratitude for all of them,” Adams said. “All of the seniors shine equally and they all have contributed and have set a very strong foundation for our future. This was a terrific opportunity to revisit the growth we have experienced over the course of the year and to get pumped up for our races.”

The energy from the luncheon carried throughout the rest of the day, with the Varsity Eight coming in with a time of 5:57.97, beating UConn, which came in with a time of 6:07.87.

The Wildcats set a new team-

best record of the season with this time, due to Cate Donnelly, Welch, Shea, Maggie Coyne, Krause, Joyce, Dempsey, Isabella Thorne and Falk’s performances.

The other three boats finished behind the Huskies in very close head-to-head races.

In the 2V8, Madison Girard, McCarthy, Jadyn Ramos, Julia Kreisl, Petrozzi, Frizzell, Jillian de Merlier, Anna Flynn and Sarah Robillard launched with a strong start before falling back into a close battle, crossing four seconds after the Huskies with a final time of 6:16.08.

Photos: Athletics in Action

The V4 team of Sabrina Pauli, Lopez, Rose Baker, Grace Quirk and Gianna Zajac turned in a 7:10.85 time, while the 2V4 of Cecelia Jenkins, Onuigbo, Addison Wittnebert, Jenna Nolan and Olivia Kachurak finished in 7:15.77.

All of the boats racing against the host Bison came in behind Bucknell, with the V8 narrowly edged out by two seconds despite a strong push in the sprint, ending in 6:03.73.

There was a closer contest with the 2V8 with Villanova closing the gap to finish 1.96 seconds behind Bucknell at 6:17.99.

The V4 turned in a 7:19.37 finish, but the 2V4 had to scratch due to illnesses with the rowers.

“I am proud of these athletes’ efforts today and how they attacked on the water even with the adversity they faced,” Adams said. “Their adaptability is admirable.”

The team is getting ready to compete in the CAA Championships in Saratoga Springs, NY, with the league regatta being scheduled for May 12th.

“This past weekend was a good confidence boost for this meet,” Adams said. “We still have nine more practices before this regatta and I think we are trying to take advantage of every opportunity between now and then to sharpen up and gain some speed to do the best we can at CAA. We have three boats racing and we want to emphasize that we are racing as one Nova Nation.”

Villanova celebrated Senior Day against Bucknell and UConn. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

Graydon Paul/Villanovan Photography

Olivia Pasquale/Villanovan Photography

Brian Luppy/Villanovan Photography

Brian Luppy/Villanovan Photography

The Villanovan

All my friends are going to Atlantic City, but nobody asked me. I know it sounds dumb, but I’m so upset I won’t be there. How can I feel better?

Listen, Atlantic City, at its core, is nothing more than the worst hangover you’ll ever have. Nobody is having as good a time as you think. What people post online and relay back to you is probably only the highlights of their experience. Yeah, it’s fun to be with people and go to a venue and see if there’s a spark with your date, but just remember it’s less than 24 hours.

That said, the FOMO is real. So avoid it! Mute your social media for the night. The biggest thing here is you’re not alone, and BM (Bryn Mawr) is REALLY where the fun is. Make a movie night plan with your best friends or go to dinner. Before you know it, everyone will roll back into town, plagued by the worst hangover they’ve ever experienced, now tasked with studying for their exams.

I’m really struggling to stay motivated and focused ahead of finals. I want to prepare early and be on top of my work, but I feel like I’m incapable of this. How can I focus?

A lot of what’s hard with prepar-

ing early for finals is the lack of instant gratification. You don’t see the good grade right away, and it just seems like a mountain of work ahead with little reward. So, create little ways to reward yourself for bits of work. You finished your study guide? Take a two-hour break and watch TV. You outlined an essay? Order your favorite dinner! It’s easier to procrastinate and be motivated by adrenaline, but that level of stress isn’t good for anyone. It’s all about balance.

I’m a junior now, and all my friends are seniors. I’m so scared for next year and not sure what to do. Help.

Yeah, it’s going to suck, but that’s just life. Treat it like an opportunity. There are so many people on this campus that you haven’t met before, so get to know some new people! Try to talk to someone on the first day of school or reach out to people you think you’d like over the summer. Even though it might feel like this is going to ruin your college experience, it will probably make it even better in the long run.

I’m in a situationship and we haven’t defined things, but everything is going really well. I’m not sure what to do before summer.

You just have to have a conversation and reflect on what you want. If everything is really going well then I’m sure you guys are in a place to have a talk. In all likelihood, they want to talk too, so this

convo will just be beneficial for both sides. And if things don’t end up working out, at least you know before the summer and can act accordingly.

I’m going home for the summer, but I feel like I’ve outgrown all of my friends. They’re making plans, but I don’t really want to join.

I think you need to just slowly separate yourself from them. Spend time with the people you want to be around, not the people you should be around. While at home, find some hobbies and spend time with your family. Make sure you’re keeping in touch with the people you like, and eventually the ones you don’t will get the hint.

My brother has graduation on the same night as a Taylor Swift concert and I really wanna go see T Swizz. What should I do?

Skip your brother’s graduation. You can have multiple brothers but there’s only one Taylor Swift. If somebody heard that you had Taylor Swift tickets and weren’t going, it would be a mess. You fought for those tickets. You earned those tickets. Go and slay.

I’m graduating in two weeks, and I really don’t know what to do. All my friends have plans after college, and I have nothing. I’m gonna go home and live with my parents, and I’m really embarrassed about

it. What should I do?

That’s totally okay. Not everybody works on the same timeline. Even though your friends have stuff lined up, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you should, too. Just take some time to figure out what you want to do. It’s totally okay to live with your parents, and it’s really a smart decision because it will help out financially.

I’m moving to a totally new city for my internship, and I know nobody there. I don’t know what to do. Please help. Again, this could be another great opportunity. Since you don’t know anybody, you can really step out of your comfort zone and try to meet new people. Make sure the first couple of weeks you’re not just staying inside and doing nothing. Try to go out and find something fun to do, and that’s when you might meet people!

All my friends have internships this summer, but I have nothing going on. All I’m going to do is go home, hang out with my friends and just chill. Is that bad?

It’s not bad at all. It’s important to do things that make you happy, and if you weren’t able to find an internship or didn’t want one, that’s totally fine. Try to find some productive things to do this summer like start reading or networking. Don’t let what your friends are doing impact how you view yourself.

THANK YOU SENIORS

The Villanovan has nine members of the Class of 2023. We could go on for countless pages about the greatness of each and every editor, but to ensure that we actually produce a newspaper this week, we’ll keep it brief. Each and every editor deserves more.

To Cate McCusker, the former Editor-in-Chief who taught us all so much, thank you. You’ve helped made this paper great, and we hope we’ve built upon the foundation you laid.

To Molly “Mollu” Baker, who ran the copy desk and edited countless articles over the years, thank you. Just knowing you is an honor, and we’re so grateful for all you’ve done.

To Olivia Pasquale, our Photography queen and possibly the nicest person on the face of the earth, thank you. Everyone who has gotten to know you is lucky, and those who adventured with you are the luckiest.

To AJ Fezza, the jack of all trades and most interesting man in the world, thank you. Getting to know you was a pleasure, as every story was better than the last.

To Tina Aron, the steady

presence no matter the circumstance, thank you. You’re always there with advice or a quip, and we’re more thankful than you know.

To Sarah Wisniewski, who knew everything on this campus and was always funniest in the room, thank you. You brought so much to the newspaper, and we’re always here for you.

To Elena Rouse, who we’ve always said is the coolest person we know, thank you. No matter how much time we spent with Elena, we always wanted more, because that’s just how fun she is to be around.

To Meghann Morhardt, who kept the sports section running and brought unparalleled coverage to Villanova’s women’s teams, thank you. You’re a forever friend to all, and we can’t wait to see what you do.

And to Rachel Reiniger, who was and still is the culture, thank you. Your dedication is matched only by your friendship, and we’re all lucky to have a Rachel in our lives.

To our seniors: thank you. We love you all, and wish you all the best on everything. Rush The Villanovan, now and forever.

CATE MCCUSKER

MOLLY BAKER

OLIVIA PASQUALE

AJ FEZZA

TINA ARON

SARAH WISNIEWSKI

ELENA ROUSE

MEGHANN MORHARDT

RACHEL REINIGER

Across

1. Recently added New York Jets QB

7. Pennsylvania state symbol

8. Nostalgic sneaker with built in wheel

9. Form of online shade that doesn’t directly tag them

12. Steamy Regency era Netfl ix original 15. The Bachelor franchise’s fl ower 16. Location of a song about whiskey 17. First name of Lionel Richie’s recently married daughter 18. First U.S. president to live in the White House

Down

2. An anonymous last name

3. Cartoon that features words like jinkies and jeepers

4. First name used to describe a cup of coff ee

5. West campus building between Farley and Jackson

6. Viral yodeler

10. Voice actor for Nala in 2019 Lion King

11. On a Florida license plate

13. The worst part of your day, sharp

14. Fashion fundraising benefi t hosted on the fi rst May Monday

MISTER WILDCAT

by Matthew Gaetano (‘23)