The Villanovan | Volume 114, Issue 3: February 2, 2022

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 2, 2022 www.villanovan.com @thevillanovan

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VOLUME 114 | ISSUE 3

How to Improve Mental Health

A Spring 2022 Update from Dining Services

Abby Faeth Staff Writer

This time of year is tough for a lot of reasons.

If you’re feeling particularly down, know you’re not alone. The freezing temperatures, lack of sunshine, and work all weigh on one’s mental health. Many Villanova students deal with seasonal depression. Even if you don’t, this time of year feels repetitive and takes a toll on college students’ wellbeing. As said by The Office of Health Promotion, it is essential to “know your limits (both physical and mental) and set boundaries.”

Putting yourself first goes a long way.

I try to be intentional during the winter, and all year, to do things to improve my mental health.

Any small change can boost your mood. I want to mention a few areas of life where I try to be intentional in order to improve my mental health.

First, find light in your life. Sun is minimal in the winter, and the human body craves sunlight. A lack of sunlight causes decreased serotonin levels in your body. This chemical decrease is scientifically proven to drop your overall mood.

You can bring light into your life in a variety of ways. I recommend taking a Vitamin D supplement, which boosts the body’s nutrient levels.I also enjoy spending time looking out the window and feeling the sunlight coming in when it’s too cold to be outside.

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McGuckin explained Dining Services wishes to meet as many concerns expressed by the student body as possible.

Courtesy of @soldmysoultothespit

Kylie Horan Staff Writer

This week, The Villanovan sat down with Michael McGuckin of Dining Services to discuss food plans for the Spring 2022 semester. We figured the beginning was as good a place to start as any: our return to campus.

“We were hoping for a much different beginning of the semester than we had with the presence of omicron,” McGuckin said. “We were already a bit short on workforce and we are trying to work with Human Resources to increase our applicant pool,

but the initial COVID issue from opening back up has hampered us. We are over the hump now and expect to be in much better shape in that regard.”

Short-staffing is not a problem exclusive to our campus, though. The entire hospitality industry has been severely impacted

by COVID-19 across the country. From labor shortages to supply gap issues, the food service industry in particular is fighting to stay afloat. McGuckin spoke to this point, stating that “every manufacturer and distributor is having issues getting supplies out to everyone, as you can see in grocery stores.”

His approach to remedying this nationwide problem on a campus-wide scale has been to contact new vendors and explore as many options as possible to supply University students with high quality, nutritious meals that are up to Dining Services standard.

In keeping with this spirit of doing right by students, Dining Services wishes to meet as many concerns expressed by the student body as possible.

McGuckin invited anyone with questions or an interest in discussing anything regarding Dining Services to meet with him and have an open dialogue. For

those who prefer an online option, the University Dining Services website has a “Feedback” tab in which students, faculty, staff and guests can express its thoughts through the “Speak Out” form. Dining Services will respond to submissions via email or telephone and if helpful suggestions are provided and accepted, it will try its best to implement them.

The dedicated people who serve our meals must not go unmentioned, though. McGuckin emphasized how hard the Dining Services staff has been working to keep students fed and happy. Many employees work

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Ryan Henry Performs One-Woman Show Julia Stanisci

Staff Writer

On Jan. 26 and 27 at 6 p.m., audience members gathered in the Garey Studio for “Turn Me On,” a one woman show in which Ryan Henry explores the various different versions of herself that she “turns on and off” depending on her surroundings.

The versions performed were the softball player, the funny friend, the emerging artist and the

grieving granddaughter, each of which contributes to the larger performance of being Ryan Henry. In her Director’s Notes, Henry explained that

over the course of her four years in Performance studies at Villanova, she’s learned that “the art of the performance is not limited to the stage, it

Henry explored versions of herself in her one woman show “Turn Me On”.

Courtesy of Graydon Paul/Villanovan Photography

is something that narrates the human condition,” which she illustrates beautifully in “Turn Me On.” Throughout the show, Henry alternated between playing each character, or version, of herself. The transitions between each were smooth and clear, and the audience knew which version was being portrayed due to simple props like a softball bag, a stand-up comedy microphone and different seating positions. Characters were also supplemented by Continued on p. 11

Supreme Court Justice Breyer Retires p. 2

Business School Programs Receive High Ranks p. 3

University Hosts Annual Spring Career Fair Remotely p. 4

Nova Should Test Students for Tickets p. 5

The Yak is Back…and Better p. 7

The SAT is Moving Digital, Enough to Keep it Relevant? p. 8

Pulitzer Prize Winner Jericho Brown Visits Campus p. 10

Villa-Vogue: Haute Couture Spring 2022 Rundown p. 11

Athlete of the Week: Sade Meeks p. 13

Men’s Tennis Preview p. 15

2 | The Villanovan

News Opinion Culture Sports

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VOL. 114 | ISS. 3 www.villanovan.com @thevillanovan

COLIN BEAZLEY Editor-in-Chief VIVI MELKONIAN Editor-in-Chief TINA ARON Associate Editor-in-Chief CATE McCUSKER Senior Editor RACHEL REINIGER Digital Editor SARAH SWEENEY News Editor SARAH WISNIEWSKI News Editor BELLA IRWIN Opinion Editor JACKIE THOMAS Opinion Editor A.J. FEZZA Culture Editor ELENA ROUSE Culture Editor CHLOE MILLER Culture Editor MATTHEW RYAN Sports Editor MEGHANN MORHARDT Sports Editor MOLLY BAKER Copy Desk Chief OLIVIA PASQUALE Photography Editor MICHAEL BRADLEY Advisor DEENA SMITH Advisor CONTACT villanovan.eic@gmail.com

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

NEWS

PUBLIC SAFETY BLOTTER Liquor Underage January 28, STANFORD HALL A male resident student, under the age of 21, appeared in public and was evaluated for alcohol intoxication.

Liquor Underage January 29, FARLEY HALL Multiple students, under the age of 21, were found to be in possession of alcohol.

Disorderly Conduct January 29, GOOD COUNSEL HALL Resident students were acting disorderly inside a University building.

Liquor Underage January 29, SOUTH CAMPUS GROUNDS A female resident student, under the age of 21, appeared in public and was evaluated for alcohol intoxication.

Disorderly Conduct / Public Drunkenness January 29, FINNERAN PAVILION Two male visitors, over the age of 21, intoxicated and acting disorderly were escorted from the Finneran Pavilion.

Dating Violence / Harassment-Repeated Communication January 31, WEST CAMPUS GROUNDS A female resident student and a non affiliated male were involved in a verbal altercation.

Theft By Unlawful Taking or Disposition January 29, JACKSON HALL A resident student reported a theft of ski boots. The value of stolen property is approximately $300.00.

Liquor Underage January 30, ST. MONICA HALL A female resident student, under the age of 21, appeared in public and was evaluated for alcohol intoxication.

Paraphernalia / Possession-Marijuana January 31, KATHERINE HALL Three male resident students were found in possession of drugs and paraphernalia.

CORRECTIONS 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.

COVID-19 TRACKER CONFIRMED CUMULATIVE CASES AS OF 6:00 P.M. TUESDAY, JANUARY 25

1192

43

Cumulative Cases Estimated Active (From 1/5) Cases

13.47K

Total Number of Tests (From 1/5)

687

Residential Students

326

Non-Residential Students

179

Employees

ASK THE VILLANOVAN “Euphoria opinion? Is it worth it to binge and catch up with everyone?”

“Where is the best place for underclassmen to go out for birthday dinners?

Yes, yes and yes. Between the all-star cast, love triangles, and intricate story lines, Euphoria is a can’t-miss show. Plus everyone’s gonna be talking about it anyway, so don’t you want to be able to chime in? How are you gonna participate in the Cassie vs. Maddie debate without watching!

El Limon for your classic college-town cheap Mexican food, Crust if you’re looking for something a little nicer and some truly mouth watering pizza (get The Crust — you won’t be sorry!), and for milestone dinners we love a good sushi night at Azie on Main!

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six days a week in this high stress environment to compensate for the acute labor shortage, but from their attitudes, one would never know it. As anyone who has dined at University facilities can attest, the people who work there are some of the friendliest, warmest faces on campus. McGuckin expressed extreme gratitude for their efforts and encouraged students to be extra kind to the workers who keep our food service operating.

Despite facing all these challenges, Dining Services has remained committed to providing new and intriguing meals since our return to campus. On Tuesday, a special celebratory dinner for Lunar New Year was offered to students across all areas of campus in Dougherty, Donahue and St. Mary’s dining halls. The menu featured items such as Kung Pao chicken, Buddha’s Delight, beef lo mein, garlic green beans, sticky rice and a dumpling station. Other specialty meals planned for the month of February include a special dinner for the Super Bowl, as well as a new Valentine’s Day entree and dessert. Dining Services also plans to celebrate Black History Month by featuring the cuisine of a different prominent African-American chef each week. Students can look out for pop up items, such as the meatball panini at Dougherty. Be sure to keep an eye on the menu, accessible through the Dining Services website or the @villanovadining Instagram page to see what delicious options will be making their way to our dining halls throughout the rest of our Spring semester.

“How do I tell my roommate to stop leaving her half eaten meals on her desk without telling her to stop leaving her meals on her desk?

“I’m taking out the trash, are you done with that?” Passive aggression, baby. That’s the name of the game.

“How do you talk to your class crush?

Step 1: memorize where they sit.

Step 2: sit next to them (it’s not creepy, it’s dedicated).

Step 3: ask if you had homework due, gripe about the class, small talk is your friend!

Step 4: hit ‘em with the follow request, and repeat steps 1-3 until they ask for your contact information ;)

Supreme Court Justice Breyer Retires Isabella Balian Staff Writer Long standing Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer will step down at the end of his current term. Breyer is 83 years old and served on the court for more than 27 years. He currently serves as the court’s oldest member.

Breyer was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1994 by President Bill Clinton and became one of the court’s moderate-to-liberal members.

Breyer is known for his optimism and pragmatism and is highly respected among his colleagues.

Associate Justice Elena Kagan described him as a “brilliant and wise judge whose vision of law will remain of great importance” and that he “believes in making institutions work; to strengthen this one, he listens to other views with care and generosity, and does everything he can to find common ground.” Breyer’s goal was to enforce democracy and to supply workable legal principles for a sprawling and diverse nation.

With that said, civil rights measures were extremely important to Justice Breyer, and he wrote many court decisions in favor of protecting those rights. Breyer wrote the court’s decision to expand speech rights for students, and in another major case he wrote the court’s decision tossing out a

challenge to the Affordable Care Act. In 2016, he wrote the court’s abortion decision striking down a Texas law that closed half of the clinics in the state without any demonstrable safety justification. Breyer largely believed in abolishing the death penalty, as he believed it was unconstitutional. He wrote that the death penalty “significantly undermines the rationale for imposing a sentence of death in the first place.”

Brett Kavanaugh, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett and John Roberts are the current Supreme Court Justices holding the conservative majority. Breyer is one of three remaining liberal justices on the court, in addition to Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor. In order to maintain the current six to three ratio between conservative and liberal judges, Biden must appoint a liberal successor to replace Stephen Breyer.

Liberal activists wanted Breyer to retire because Democrats hold the White House and Senate, so it would be up to Biden to replace Breyer. Last year, when liberal Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died during Donald Trump’s presidency, she was replaced with a conservative justice, Barrett.

“The timing of Breyer’s retirement is actually connected with Ruth

Bader Ginsburg,” said Villanova Political Science professor Frank Pryor.

“I think President Biden wanted the opportunity to replace Breyer as he was nearing the retirement age before the November midterm elections.”

During his campaign trail, Biden promised to nominate a Black woman if he were to replace someone on the Supreme Court. Biden says that the person he nominates will be “someone with extraordinary qualifications, character, experience and integrity.” That person will be the first Black woman ever nominated to the United States Supreme Court.

Biden’s promise received lots of support from many other politicians, specifically Senator Patty Murray of Washington. She believes that “the court should reflect the diversity of our country, and it is unacceptable that we have never in our nation’s history had a Black woman sit on the Supreme Court of the United States.”

According to CNN, there are some guesses as to who Biden will nominate. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, California’s Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger and South Carolina’s U.S. District Court Judge J. Michelle Childs are some of the early favorites.

The Villanovan | 3

NEWS

Wednesday, February 2, 2021

Business School Programs Receive High Ranks Sarah Wisniewski Co-News Editor The University’s School of Business received high ranks in the annual U.S. News & World Report.

The Online Graduate Business Programs were ranked #5 in the nation and the Online MBA Program was slotted #16 among other top programs.

The online graduate business program has consistently been ranked highly in the annual report for about eight years now.

In 2014, the Master of Science in Analytics (MSA) and Master of Science in Church Management (MSCM) program, were recognized as some of the best programs in the nation.

The MSA program allows students to develop analytic skills and have a complete understanding of the analytics in a variety of contexts.

The program enables students to gain universal skills that are applicable in many business functions.

Students therefore can keep up with the everchanging world and remain informed.

The University describes the program as a “one-of-a-kind two-year business program.” The program is unique in its focus on empowering church leaders and encouraging such individuals to apply stable business principles into the management of

churches and parishes.

The programs are also respectful in the sense that each were built from scratch at the University. Industry experts provided insights in order to develop the programs and create an application-based experience.

The MBA program has also received recognition. The honor exemplifies the ability of the University to provide exceptional education regardless of modality.

“As an undergraduate student, I have seen the ability of the business school to provide the same high quality education over Zoom and outside of the physical classroom,” junior Natalie Persaud said. “I am in the process of deciding whether to continue my education and earn a master’s degree so knowing I have the option to continue my education remotely eases my mind. I think having the option to be located elsewhere will allow me to take other opportunities outside of the Philadelphia area but still have the education of a great business school with me.”

The online MBA program brings together the experience of being in-class and gaining a great deal of academic knowledge with exceling in a workplace. The program aims to prepare its students with handling real-world problems in their respective industry.

The online program serves

to offer the same curriculum, expert faculty and alumni network as students who complete the program in-person.

The business school’s MBA program has also been featured on other lists of top programs for several specialty areas. These include #19 in Best Online General Management MBA Programs,

#15 in Best Online Finance MBA Programs and #21 in Best Online MBA for Veterans.

Overall, online programs are even more popular in the times of the COVID-19 pandemic and the University has successfully provided top quality education to those who are more comfortable in an online course.

Bartley Hall houses the University’s School of Business.

Courtesy of Sarah Jones/Villanovan Photography

The Division of Student Life Postpones Winter Gala

concerns.

“The Villanova Winter Lydia McFarlane Gala is going to be great./But Staff Writer COVID numbers are high, so we postponed the date./It’s only Over winter break, students two more weeks until the fun can received invitations to the Winter commence./Tell your friends Gala to be held on campus upon to get tickets if they are still on returning. the fence,” the poem read in the The Winter Gala is open email. to all students and tickets are free.

The gala was originally scheduled for Friday, Jan. 21, the second Friday of the spring semester.

After successfully completing the 2021 Fall semester through the pandemic, the Division of Student Life wanted to do something for students to congratulate them on a healthy and safe fall semester and wish students luck at the start of the new semester.

After receiving the invitations in the mail, many students jumped to reserve their free ticket for the formal.

However, disappointment struck when the Division of Student Life sent out an email on Tuesday, Jan. 18. In the midst of the Omicron spike of the coronavirus, at the University itself as well as globally, numbers of positive COVID-19 cases were too high to safely host the Winter Gala for the student body.

In the email, the new date of the Gala was announced: two weeks later than originally scheduled, on Friday, Feb. 4.

To reassure those who were upset by the postponed date after looking forward to the formal on Jan. 21, the Division of Student Life included a poem called, “The Rescheduled Gala: A Poem” in the same email to address everyone’s

For students who were worried about the validity of the tickets they had already reserved, the email assured that existing reserved tickets would remain valid for the new date.

The Winter Gala will now be held from 9 p.m. until midnight on Feb. 4 in the Connelly Center.

Shuttles will run from

Students at the Winter Gala in past years.

Courtesy of Villanova University

South and West Campus throughout the duration of the formal for students who do not want to walk in their formal attire.

Although postponed, there is still much to look forward to regarding the Winter Formal.

Students attending can anticipate a night full of food, drinks, dancing, live performances, casino games, a DJ, other various entertainment and mingling with fellow students.

Also, for students who are 21 and older, beer, wine and champagne will be available.

As it is a Winter Formal, formal attire is requested for those in attendance.

For those wondering what formal attire entails, an article from The Shift titled, “The Ultimate Guide to Formal Attire,” can be helpful.

The article states that there are various expectations for different situations.

“The formality of a dress tends to depend on length and tailoring. Typically formal dresses are floor-length,” the article read.

So, for those planning on wearing dresses to Winter Formal, a floor-length dress is the way to go.

An article from The Knot says, “Men can wear a tuxedo, but they don’t have to—a dark suit and tie are also appropriate. Dress shoes fit the bill when it comes to footwear.

Consider patent leather loafers for a tux or laced oxfords for a suit.”

Despite the need to delay the gala due to concern of rising COVID cases, students can now enjoy a night of fun with their peers in a safe environemnt.

4 | The Villanovan

NEWS

Wednesday, February 2, 2021

University Hosts Annual Spring Career Fair Remotely for Another Year Kathryn Fair Staff Writer The University will be hosting the Spring 2022 Career Fair virtually this week.

Registration opened on Handshake on Jan. 25 and will remain open throughout the fair.

Students have started to prepare for the career fair, especially juniors looking for summer internships and seniors seeking jobs after graduation.

This spring’s virtual career fair will help students gain an understanding of their industries of interest, explore opportunities that stretch their limits, and get to know individuals that hold positions in companies that intrigue them.

Career fairs aren’t just about getting jobs – they are also great for career exploration and network expansion.

Employers featured include Deloitte, KPMG, EY, Viacom, Stitch Fix, Adobe, Johnson & Johnson, Tufts Medical Center, Mainstay Engineering Group and nearly one hundred more.

Student may ask what a virtual career fair looks like.

The University has been hosting its career fairs online since the fall of 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though it has not been possible to bring recruiters to campus for the event, students are still able to

make connections through Zoom.

Within Handshake, each company offers an info session, as well as a five to 10-minute appointment alone with the recruiters to ask questions and get to know each other. This appointment is a significant benefit of a virtual career fair, because students are able to have the recruiters’ full attention without interruption for the full five minutes.

Junior Chris Mark is eager to attend sessions for his majors in Finance and Real Estate.

“I really look forward to the opportunity to connect with professionals in the industries that I am interested in by asking them questions about what they do,” Mark said. “I also like to ask them specific industry questions in order to express greater interest.”

Junior Mike Cuocolo has already secured a full-time position for this summer working as a financial analyst at Verisk Analytics.

“Even though I already have a position lined up, the industry I want to continue working in is very network-based,” Cuocolo said. “I like to expand my network at any chance I get, so I will be making appointments with recruiters to get to know them and their line of work.”

Cuocolo hopes to follow-up with a LinkedIn connection with these recruiters, which helps create opportunities for subsequent video calls.

Career fairs can be very

exciting but also nerve-wracking, especially in one-on-one appointments with recruiters. Preparation is pivotal to having a successful interaction with these recruiters, and Mark has made sure he will make the most of his appointments.

“I’m preparing by doing some research on the companies going to while also trying to connect with other people from those companies,” he said.

Brian Langa is looking to attend law school directly after he graduates in 2023, but he still values the opportunities the career fair offers.

“I’m looking forward to the career fair because I want to expand my network and learn about different resources that I can utilize after graduation and in law school,” Langa said.

The University’s Career Center has been sending out newsletters with tips for preparation.

Some tips include: don’t book sev-

eral back-to-back appointments to allow yourself time to prepare and connect with each recruiter, send a thank you note or email to the recruiter afterwards and update your Handshake and LinkedIn profiles beforehand.

Past virtual career fairs have been beneficial to students, and the University is excited for another.

“The career fair really helped me when I had questions last year about my industry,” junior Alex Allen said. “I was able to understand the companies in my industry more and ask them questions to understand what a typical day at work will look like.”

These students have prepared for this event and are excited to see what they can learn from the event this week.

Registration information can be found in email inboxes and on the Villanova Career Center website.

Deloitte is one of the major companies at the fair.

Courtesy of ERP Today

Reminder to Responsibly Dispose of Masks on Campus going mask waste on campus, a representative of the office exLydia McFarlane plained it had found a company Staff Writer that handles them responsibly. The office told Proctor that it would be Amid the public health willing to fund a recycling solution crisis that is the coronavirus panas long as he was willing to collect demic come issues of sustainability the masks. and environmental consciousness.

On his first day of collecting Mask litter has become masks throughout the duration a nationwide problem, reaching of his daily run, Proctor expected even our own University. to find around 50 masks but was This waste has a negative shocked when the daily totals of impact, like most pollution, on the left behind masks were sometimes environment and wildlife. Pertopping 60. In under a month, he sonal protective equipment waste had collected over 400 disposable threatens already at-risk parts of masks. As of Jan. 13, Proctor had the environment, specifically the collected 729 disposable masks, ocean and the life within it. and 65 reusable ones. These numAccording to a study done bers are staggering, and he intends by the MIT News Office, “The to bring awareness to students and Covid-19 pandemic is estimated faculty alike across campus to put to generate up to 7,200 tons of a stop to this waste. medical waste every day, much of “It is my hope that bringwhich is disposable masks.” ing awareness to students could As the University navihelp them be more mindful of gates particularly high numbers their own impact,” Proctor said. of coronavirus cases as a result of In a post uploaded to the the Omicron variant in the first Falvey Memorial Blog, Proctor few weeks of this spring semeswrote, “In a community of thouter, the emphasis on masking has sands, nearly 800 masks left on the increased, but consequently so has ground is completely avoidable. the mask litter.

If our community can be mindful Shawn Proctor, a Commu- of their masks and reuse them, or nication and Marketing program discard them when they are worn manager at the University’s Falvey out, we can reduce the issue, at Memorial Library, decided to take least in our small community.” matters into his own hands and Proctor called the Universicontact the sustainability office on ty community to action, urging evcampus. When he asked, “What ery member to take responsibility can we do?” to prevent the onfor their own mask and dispose of

them properly. As long as people stay mindful, the community can collectively put a stop to the mask waste.

Proctor compared the way we should keep track of masks to avoid waste to the way we already do keep track of our phones. If someone left their phone behind, they would go back for it. Make sure to keep this same attitude when it comes to disposable, and even in some cases reusable, masks. Clean up after oneself so to make a cleaner, more environmentally conscious and more sustainable community on campus.

Proctor ended the blog post by saying,“Villanova can be a model for how sustainability can succeed beyond campus. And working together to make small changes, just as we have to ensure campus environmental health and safety, we can model how to make a big difference in our world.”

In the words of University President Rev. Father Peter M. Donahue, O.S.A., Ph.D., “V’s up and masks on,” but be mindful where the masks are going after using them. Let’s take Proctor’s advice and keep the mask waste to a minimum to make for a cleaner, greener campus.

Masks have been found all over campus.

Courtesy of Shawn Proctor

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

The Villanovan | 5

OPINION

OPINION

‘Nova Should Test Students for Tickets Colin Beazley Co-Editor-in-Chief On Nov. 12, thousands of UCLA students waited hours in line to secure a ticket to that night’s basketball showdown between two of the top five teams in the nation, as their Bruins prepared to take on Villanova.

On Jan. 21 at Duke, a record 174 tenting groups piled onto the floor of Cameron Indoor Stadium to take a test on Duke basketball. The test-takers hoped to be among the top 70 scorers guaranteed to have a “tenting” spot, the first spots in line for tickets to their school’s basketball game against archrivals North Carolina on Mar. 5.

Meanwhile, Villanova’s ticketing process is a simple lottery, with priority supposedly given to students who attend sporting events for other Villanova sports. However, this advantage rarely shows itself, and tickets are hard to come by for even the most passionate Villanova fans.

“It feels like no matter how many points you get it doesn’t really matter,” senior Jack Roberge said. “I have friends in the top 50 who still barely get tickets, I wish they’d make it more transparent how the distribution actually works.”

The student section seats roughly 2,000 students, nearly 30% of the student population, yet it can be difficult to find that 30%. Often, lottery winners aren’t those who have attended “Bonus Lottery Games,”

where students earn points towards the lottery for attending.

In fact, going to other games is no guarantee that you will get tickets at all. One recent post on message board site YikYak said, “I’m literally rank #4(!!!) and didn’t get a ticket to either game like tf.” Another YikYak agreed, saying, “Points don’t matter in the lotteries. They probably just have an orangutan picking lottery balls to determine tickets.”

Although it’s good that all students have the opportunity to go to games, the blind system means that the students who want to go most can often miss out. Villanova has lost just three times in the Pavilion since Feb. 25, 2017, but if the most spirited students could get tickets, Villanova’s vaunted home-court advantage would be even more extreme.

One solution to the problem is implementing a first-come first-serve system. Lining up for tickets would ensure that only the most dedicated students would get inside. With frigid Philly temperatures, those who make the sacrifice to wait in the cold would likely be the more spirited students.

“I’d absolutely stand outside for basketball tickets,” sophomore Enrique Moel Miranda said. “I’d even give up a semester’s worth of not eating General Tso’s chicken.”

However, the UCLA game showed the hazards of this system, as their 12,829 capacity Pauley Pavilion seats significantly more than the Pavilion. The line was not adequately

staffed, and students were pushed into those in front of them, creating a potentially dangerous situation.

“There was a series of waves caused by pushing in the back of the line, which rippled through the crowd,” freshman UCLA student Cole Zickwolff told the Los Angeles Times. “It was quite terrifying; I could hear the murmurs and noises coming before I even felt any motion. It reminded me of the way a tsunami sucks out water into the ocean before it crashes on shore.”

A better system would be doing what Duke does. Traditionally, for the biggest games on campus, Duke utilizes a system known as “tenting,” where students form groups and camp out outside the arena for the best spots in line in an area known as “Krzyzewskiville.”

Tenting is strictly regulated, with consistent checks to ensure that there is always a minimum of two students in each tent. There are a maximum of 70 tenting spots, so whenever demand exceeds the number of reserved spots, a test is given to the students on Duke’s basketball team, focusing on the current team so that upperclassmen are not favored.

The Duke basketball team posted several excerpts from this year’s test on Instagram, which was at least 67 questions and “not necessarily designed to be completed in an hour.”

Two of the questions were “To the nearest thousand, how many Instagram followers does Paolo Banchero

have?” and “What school did Duke play (and by some sources, beat) in a secretive preseason scrimmage? What was the date? In what city was it played? [2 points each]” (The answers, by the way: Villanova, Oct. 23, 2021, Washington DC.) All devices were locked in Ziploc bags and monitors patrolled the floor for cheating.

Villanova does not have a grassy area outside the arena, meaning that tenting isn’t possible, but this would be a beneficial way for the most spirited, educated Villanova fans to secure consistent tickets to some of the sporting events. At the first few games with student attendance this year, many students did not know Villanova student section traditions.

Similarly, at games at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, when nearly every student who applies for a ticket gets one, often the student section fails to live up to lofty expectations. After his first game at Wells Fargo, freshman Tyler Moore said “Everyone just had no clue what was happening… I wanted to go insane.”

However, if at least a small portion of tickets was reserved for the best scorers on a Villanova basketball culture test, it would ensure that the Villanova student section is always rowdy, and that those who show the most dedication are rewarded with consistent tickets.

Villanova’s student ticketing needs an overhaul; the deciding factor should be dedication, not sheer luck.

The FDA’s Invisible Graveyard During the Pandemic Andrew Ceonzo Staff Writer The current US drug approval process handicaps our ability to respond to pandemics. As the Operation Warp Speed demonstrated, modern pharmaceutical companies can rapidly develop products to fight novel pathogens. Yet even when these firms have products doctors and patients are ready to use, the current FDA regulatory regime unnecessarily delays patient access, leading to preventable deaths.

Economist Alex Tabarrok refers to these preventable deaths as the “invisible graveyard.” When someone dies of COVID-19, they are laid to rest in a physical graveyard. If a drug would have saved them but they were blocked from taking it doing so by the current approval process, then they are also a victim of the “invisible graveyard.”

The case of Pfizer’s antiviral drug, Paxlovid, is instructive. Pfizer released interim results on Nov. 5, concluding Paxlovid is 89 percent effective at reducing hospitalization or death in high-risk individuals.

In fact, it was so effective that the FDA ended the study because giving more patients a placebo would be unethical.

Yet, the FDA did not issue an Emergency Use Authorization for the pills until Dec. 22, 48 days after the study was paused. Thus, while the FDA determined it was

The FDA must approve every drug for wide use in the United States.

Courtesy of the Food and Drug Administration

unethical to deny patients in the study the drug, it continued to block every American from accessing the 65,000 available doses for another six weeks. That delay likely cost thousands of lives and added to the toll of the “invisible graveyard.”

Similarly, both Pfizer and Moderna released interim findings for their vaccines in November of 2020, but authorization and administration of the first doses were delayed for approximately six more weeks.

Asked by Brent Borrell for The Atlantic about how many lives this unnecessary FDA delay might have cost, Claus Kadelka, an Iowa State mathematician, estimated that an earlier vaccine rollout to just nursing homes would have saved between 6,000 and 10,000 lives.

The current system’s rationale is that the FDA’s onerous

approval process reassures the public of a drug’s safety and efficacy, guarding against dangerous drugs and snake-oil salesmen. However, millions of Americans’ continued reluctance to take the vaccines demonstrates that skepticism of safety remains even after a drug clears the FDA’s overburdensome gauntlet.

By blocking access for everyone until it issues an EUA, the FDA prioritizes attempts to persuade skeptics over benefits to those who would accept the risks and take the potentially life-saving drugs before it grants final clearance.

Lawmakers should create a pathway during public health emergencies for patients and doctors to access potentially life-saving treatments as soon as clinical studies indicate their basic safety before the laborious approval process. The best

way to do this would be to allow preliminary use with an explicit warning that the FDA cannot guarantee its complete safety and efficacy at that time.

In fact, such a pathway currently exists: compassionate use.

Unfortunately, gaining permission for compassionate use is also extremely burdensome. Compassionate use should generally be expanded, but at a minimum lawmakers should allow for a streamlined compassionate use process during a pandemic so that it can be used on a more widespread basis.

Under this new system, some people would be hesitant to use a product without FDA approval and later uptake might be slower.

That’s fine. They can “wait and see” the traditional EUA. But patients and doctors willing to accept the uncertainty of preliminary data in the face of a novel pandemic virus should not be stopped by sclerotic Washington bureaucracy.

More than 830,000 Americans have died in the coronavirus pandemic. We could not have prevented all their deaths, but many for whom treatments arrived unnecessarily late could have been saved.

There will be a next pandemic, and when it reaches America’s shores, we should have a legal pathway to release life-saving drugs from regulatory purgatory so that fewer of our fellow citizens are laid to rest in the FDA’s “invisible graveyard.”

6 | The Villanovan

EDITORIAL BOARD

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS

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

COLIN BEAZLEY Editor-in-Chief VIVI MELKONIAN TINA ARON BELLA IRWIN JACKIE THOMAS

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

OPINION

POLICY

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.

Improve Your Mental Health Through Your Intentions Abby Faeth Staff Writer continued from p. 1 Additionally, add some light to your room to make the space feel happier. Try fairy lights, a neon sign or a salt lamp. Really, anything works.

Light can come from your surroundings, friends or from within. I try to be intentional to bring light to all areas of my life.

Secondly, move your body in a way that works for you. I know working out isn’t everyone’s favorite thing. However, whether someone is working out to see results or not, physical activity makes a difference in one’s mental health. Go to the gym, go on a run or walk outside on a warmer day, do a YouTube video workout or try a new workout class near Villanova.

I have recently started doing power yoga at Bulldog Yoga in Villanova. It currently has an amazing deal of $25 for 25 days of unlimited classes. Bulldog is a great place to move your body and keep your soul warm (since it’s also hot yoga).

It’s advertised as “yoga for people who hate yoga,” so even if you don’t think yoga is your thing, I recommend giving it a try.

Barre3, which is right down Lancaster, is another option to get your body moving. Barre class-

Students should prioritize their mental health in their routines this winter season.

Courtesy of Olivia Pasquale/Villanovan Photography

es are a fun, unique way to work out while improving balance and strength.

Overall, trying an activity that challenges your comfort zone is good for the body, will boost endorphins and will improve your self-image as you push yourself in a new way.

Third, find something that makes you smile every day. The little things do matter this time of year. Small changes make a day

meaningful and bring happiness.

Personally, plants make me smile, so I have a windowsill full of them. Seeing them every day and taking care of them brightens my day. Check out garden store-slashrestaurant Terrain for succulents for your dorm or head over to Trader Joe’s at Suburban Square for less expensive plants.

Trying to do something happy every day is so important this time of year. For example, I

love watching a show every night with my roommate. Having a small routine like this always improves my mood.

Listen to a favorite podcast or make time to call a friend from home. Stop by Rosie’s to try a new drink or get a fun snack, or plan something for the weekend with your friends to have something to look forward to.

Lastly, get in touch with your inner self. Validating yourself and your feelings is the deeper way to help your mental health.

Though planning small intentional things is a simple change, for the long term, it may be worth thinking about more significant steps. Getting to know yourself will validate your feelings and give you room to grow as a person this time of year.

Journaling is a great way to come to a deeper understanding of yourself. Meditation is another useful, applicable tool. The app Headspace is an easy resource to use to get started. Getting in touch with your inner self starts from seeking self-compassion and putting your first this winter.

Be kind to yourself this time of year and be gracious with your feelings. Sometimes feelings are uncomfortable or unwanted. I always try to remind myself that I can be intentional about bringing small joys into my own life, which is worth so much.

Booster Requirement Brings Questions Lauryn Hayes Staff Writer We are two years into the discovery of COVID-19 and its arrival in the United States. Since Mar. 13, 2020, our lives have transformed more than we could have imagined.

Education and work went remote, participating in our favorite group activities have become a challenge, we have lost loved ones and we are still not at the end of this.

In 2021, people who live in the United States were presented with three options: get vaccinated to protect themselves from contracting COVID-19, get vaccinated against COVID-19 to be eligible to work an in-person job or not get vaccinated and face the consequences. Yes, the last option is harsh, but that’s the reality.

If one does not get vaccinated, they run the risk of catching COVID-19 and dealing with severe symptoms that could result in hospitalization or death. One could also lose their job or never have one again (if they were previously

laid off because of the pandemic). These are the options in the outside world, but what about for college students?

Villanova mandated the COVID-19 vaccine for all students (undergraduate and graduate), faculty members and staff in June 2021, even though the vaccine was released to the public only a few months prior. Any person who planned to attend or work in person needed to receive the vaccine

by Aug. 1.

The University released this initial statement not long after the Center for Disease Control (CDC) reviewed the concern for myocarditis in young males between the ages of 18-25.

This left me in a tough spot as an undergraduate student who wanted more time for the vaccine to run its course through the larger American population to determine short and long-term side effects. I could not help but feel the anxiety this mandate brought, having to choose between my education or my health.

Fast-forward to now: there are multiple variants of the virus, and the CDC is recommending

people who received their first two doses of the mRNA vaccines to get boosted with a third shot five months after the initial two to build even stronger protection against the virus’s variants. This is a lot to take in, all in under a year of the vaccine being released to the public.

There have been countless breakthrough infections among the fully vaccinated. Look at our COVID-19 Campus Dashboard as an example, with 1,167 positive cases since the beginning of January from students, faculty and staff.

Though the dashboard does not break down the percentage of those who are vaccinated and unvaccinated among the positive cases, the community was informed in mid-August of 2021 that 93% of the school’s population is vaccinated. Therefore, we can infer there is a large percentage of breakthrough infections among the Villanova community.

On Jan. 3 of 2022, just three weeks after encouraging members of the Villanova community to get boosted, the COVID-19 booster shot was mandated for the community, giving people until Jan. 31 to receive it. We remain unsure

of the consequences for not complying.

Concerning students who did not partake in arrival testing, the University stated, “If this requirement is not met by this Friday, January 28, a hold will be placed on your academic records on Monday, January 31 which will prevent you from registering for classes, receiving grades or a transcript, or receiving a diploma.” With this new mandate for the booster, we can expect similar consequences for students.

The pandemic has been a trying time for people across the world. We understand that the governments are doing the best they can to keep us safe and healthy, just like the Villanova administration.

However, there are still many things we do not know about COVID-19, the vaccines and the booster shots’ long-term effect.

Members of the Villanova community have expressed concerns about the vaccine and booster mandates, but the University has made its stance clear. Despite some community reservation, the University remains firm and encourages students to get vaccinated.

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

The Villanovan | 7

OPINION

The Yak is Back...and Better

Zoë Kim Staff Writer Unless you’re living under a rock, you’ve heard of YikYak. This past year, it has taken over Villanova’s campus and there is no question as to why. Whenever there’s a story on campus, you can always find an opinion of it on YikYak. Not only has it become a way to put off work, but it has also become an integral part of Villanova’s student culture.

YikYak is a service that brings you and your herd, those within a 5-mile radius of you, together to share random thoughts as well as discover what is happening in the community. Students can yak whatever their hearts desire. It could be one’s deepest thoughts or an absurd, spontaneous observation.

And within seconds, it can receive an “upvote” or “downvote” from the herd.

No other service lets one “yak” without tracing it back to a person, which is part of the joy of it all. In other words, YikYak is just like Twitter but completely anonymous, giving students a bizarre but liberating experience to voice their thoughts.

For many first-years, YikYak is a roadway to understanding the Villanova culture. It can be difficult to find one’s place in the first and second months here, but first-years did it with the help of YikYak. One can find out what’s happening around campus within seconds. If

one is not sure if there is a big game this week or what the dining hall is serving tonight, ask YikYak - you would be surprised by how many people will answer.

YikYak can also be a way to express oneself. Every day, there are yaks from students who are nervous about their presentations, upset with their friends or who can’t wait for the weekend. YikYak gives you a greater perspective of what other students around you reflect on. But where did YikYak come from?

YikYak was created in 2013

by Furman University graduates Tyler Droll and Brooks Buffington.

It was a hit and campuses around America became obsessed with itfor a reason. YikYak was different from any other service out there, so by no surprise, it was said to be worth $400 million. But its immediate success declined in early 2017.

YikYak started out as a place to promote creativity and community, but soon became a source of bullying and threats. The University of Missouri found YikYak messages targeting Black students. Though the threats were not acted upon, it raised the question of whether YikYak should have a place on college campuses.

The MU Police were brought in, but due to YikYak’s anonymity, they weren’t able to trace it back to any student. Similar incidents occurred on college campuses around the country. Universities tried banning students from it, and thousands of officials spoke out

YikYak is important to the student culture at Villanova.

Courtesy of Olivia Pasquale/Villanova University

against it. For better or for worse, YikYak was over, bought by Square, a new company, for only $1 million.

Four years later, the Yak is back. Before its rebirth, Square made sure that YikYak would foster a welcoming and non-threatening community.

When asked why it brought back the app, Square said, “We’re bringing YikYak back because we believe the global community deserves a place to be authentic, a place to be equal and a place to connect with people nearby.”

Square has also released a statement saying that it does not tolerate hate speech and bullying to any degree. But how will Square truly be able to prevent any negative use of YikYak, especially given that

it is an anonymous app?

There is no way for Square to tighten the reins when it comes to what students yak. While it could flag certain language and words or limit the number of yaks one can post, if they were to do this, YikYak would lose its appeal to students.

We need to be careful when it comes to YikYak. There is no doubt that YikYak can be used for bullying, but it also invites a sense of community.

There is no better herd than the one I found at Villanova. The jokes are what bring us together.

Where else could we, as a student body, express our admiration for Holy Grounds and the 80’s hits that the Connelly Center plays on repeat?

It Should Be Easier to Swoop Some Hoops Tickets Carter Smith Staff Writer We have all been in this situation: the next men’s home basketball game is going to be a good one. The visitors will be a tough match up, but you are excited to see your favorite player land some threes, shatter some ankles or dunk on some fools.

Your Villanova gear is selected. You’re strategizing with your buds on what time to show up, and best of all, there are no classes tomorrow. The night is going to be crazy.

Then you get the day-ruining notification: you lost the lottery. You stare at your phone in despair. Your homies laugh at your misfortune. You are about to miss the game of the season. You drop to your knees, screaming in agony, praying to anybody who will listen that there is some other way to get a ticket.

Sadly, nobody has an available ticket. All hope is lost. If only there was a way you could have guaranteed a win to the game of your choice that does not require you being a practitioner of black magic.

Let’s say that you really want to go to the next home game, and you have a few points to spare on the tickets app. What if you could dump some points into the lottery to guarantee that you won?

We students can gain points in the Villanova Student Tickets App by going to one of our athletic

teams’ games/matches and getting our QR code scanned upon entry.

When we enter the lotteries for the men’s basketball games, the more points we have, the higher the likelihood it is that we will win tickets to that game. However, no matter how high your point total goes, your odds of winning can never be 100%, so it is likely that you will miss out on a couple of good games.

There are many of us who love to attend any game that we can make it to, especially men’s basketball. So missing out on a game sucks, especially if we know it is going to be a close game, if we are playing a good team or a historic rival.

What if we could spend some points to guarantee that we make it to that game?

The price would have to be high enough so that those with high totals can’t abuse the system to be able to buy their way into every game, but it should also be low enough so people who haven’t been able to go to many games could be able to make it to the one or two games a season that they really want.

This could look something like another box next to the “Enter” button in the app, which could be titled something similar to “Guaranteed Admittance (-x points).”

Or, if Villanova Athletics really wants to keep the points as a ranking system and not necessarily as a currency, what if every

Villanova should change its ticket lottery system.

Courtesy of Olivia Pasquale/Villanovan Photography

student was entitled to one or two of these guaranteed wins every season? That way, even if you have not gone to a single other athletic event this year, you could still make it to a couple of the most hyped up events on campus or get into that one game with all your friends.

I think we are pretty limited as to how we spend our points.

The only way we can really lose or “spend” them is if we get a ticket, then don’t show up, which makes our total points more of a rank.

If Villanova Athletics really wants them to be “points,” we should be able to spend them on something.

What if you won tickets to a certain game, but instead of having to stand in one of the student sections, you could fork over some of your points to get one of the actual seats? Or maybe you could pay a

nominal fee of points with every lottery win to get early admittance, so you could be certain that you would get a good spot in the student sections.

The fact that Villanova students can attend almost any athletic event at the school free of charge is a beautiful thing, especially when men’s basketball is as good and popular as it is.

The lottery system is good in that it allows all of us a (kind-of) fair chance to attend any of the games in the Finneran Pavilion or Wells Fargo Center, but it could use some improvement with respect to the student’s ability to choose.

I personally believe that attending Villanova men’s basketball games have been some of my favorite moments on campus, and it would be amazing to be able to see more people experience them.

8 | The Villanovan

OPINION

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

The SAT is Moving Digital, Enough to Keep it Relevant?

Kara Miller Staff Writer In an education system built on burning out teenagers by the time they graduate, taking the SAT exam marks millions of kids’ coming-of-age.

There is truly no feeling quite like sitting down on a cool Saturday morning, a pack of Goldfish and a #2 pencil in hand, to take an exam that will determine the fate of your college applications.

The experience itself is so grueling it is almost laughable. No matter how impressive one’s grades are, how dedicated to after-school activities one is or how perfect an essay one writes, if a student’s SAT score is not in the range of their dream college, they’re fresh out of luck.

However, this trademark of the American education system may be headed toward extinction, thanks to COVID-19. The proof lies in a statement released by the College Board this past Tuesday regarding the future of the SAT. According to College Board’s Newsroom, the SAT will have some “Student Friendly Changes” launching in 2024, which include moving the SAT to a fully virtual exam, shortening the exam time to two hours instead of three, shorter reading sections with fewer questions as well as a fully

calculator-friendly math section.

Since March 2020, the SAT has been administered by the College Board either fully or partially online. With the future of the pandemic still highly unpredictable (especially after the most recent Omicron surge), College Board’s decision to move the SAT completely online seems like an obvious one.

Yet, because many students did not have access to SAT testing or normal education during the pandemic, many universities across the country have decided to become test-optional, which has drastically impacted the annual figure of students taking the exam.

The Class of 2020, though impacted by COVID-19 near the end of their senior year, mostly took the SAT pre-pandemic and reported about 2.2 million students having taken the exam at least once.

However, for the Class of 2021, only 1.5 million students were reported to have taken the SAT. Villanova was one of many universities to offer test-optional applications for the classes of 2025 and 2026, with 44% of students in the class of 2025 applying test-optional.

Despite this, Villanova was still able to hit its target class size of 1,675 (with an extremely competitive 25% acceptance rate for the Class of 2025) while enforcing the test-optional policy.

The University’s Executive Director of Undergraduate Admission, Michael Gaynor, about the future of standardized testing with Villanova admissions.

“We are extending our test-optional policy through at least next year’s cycle (Villanova Class of 2027),” Gaynor said.

“There are ongoing conversations about the future of standardized testing in our admission process beyond our 2022-23 admission campaign.”

If universities like Villanova continue offering test-optional applications, which save students time and stress from taking the SAT, the exam has the potential to become obsolete within the next decade.

Gaynor’s mention of “ongoing conversations about the future of standardized testing” within Villanova’s admissions processes seems to acknowledge that this may very well be the case.

This threat is most likely what triggered the drastic SAT exam tweaks. The College Board may be able to win test-takers back by making the exam more accessible and easier.

The question remains: if universities have proven that they can offer test-optional applications successfully, what is the advantage of taking the SAT at all?

Although the main argument in favor of the SAT is that there is no other way to equally gauge students’ academic capabilities across the country besides

standardized testing, there is clearly no “equality” when it comes to the SAT. Success in this exam is largely based on acquiring a certain set of skills or techniques with respect to reading comprehension, grammar and mathematics, not to mention that the exam itself costs $52.

Students from wealthier families have an obvious advantage here, as they can hire tutors to teach them such techniques, purchase costly SAT practice workbooks and afford to take the exam multiple times.

In addition, all school districts do not have the same curriculum or quality of teaching, so a lower SAT score does not indicate lower capability for college success, but rather larger inequalities in our education system.

Overall, the infamous SAT taken for generations will never be the same. Is the transition from paper to digital a necessary consequence of modern times? Or is it a last-ditch effort to keep the exam relevant for the profit of the College Board?

Only time will tell. However, we must also consider whether the way we as a country distribute opportunity, such as with standardized testing, is even equal from the start. Test-optional college admissions is a step in the right direction for a bigger movement for equality within the American education system.

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

The Villanovan | 9

CULTURE

CULTURE

Student Podcast Highlight: “Meant for Big Things” Pruett has spent the last year promoting, creating and growing her podcast into a brand. She aimed to make her podcast intimate and meanYou may have met junior ingful, so she decided to put herself in Grayson Pruett in line standing at the the position of her audience. dining hall or Holy Grounds. Maybe “If someone approached me you have even seen students on campus with a podcast, how would I want to donned in a “Meant for Big Things” interact with it?” Pruett asked. “That set sweatshirt. the precedent for my marketing plan.”

If one has ever met Pruett, After the initial episodes of they would agree that the one word “Meant for Big Things,” Pruett wanted to describe her would be “joy.” As it is to branch out and foster a community her mother’s favorite word, Pruett has among her listeners and fellow peers. followed the motto to “seek joy in evTo do so, she began to host meetups on erything” throughout her study abroad campus for listeners to attend. At the experience in Switzerland, at Villanova inaugural meetup, Pruett brought in and ultimately throughout her entire life. Camille Mormon, a friend and public Pruett was highlighted in The speaking coach. She had attendees make Villanovan in Feb. 2021. Now, almost a gratitude cards for their friends and set year later, Pruett has found wild sucup pumpkin painting, all while fostering cess with her podcast “Meant for Big relationships between the listeners of her Things” and celebrated the podcast’s podcast. one-year anniversary on Jan. 24, 2022.

“It is really focused on building The podcast is available on Apple relationships and peer-to-peer learning,” Podcasts and Spotify and with over 450 Pruett said. followers on the podcast’s Instagram, Additionally, Pruett has hosted Pruett is making waves. meetups highlighting various Villanova For Pruett, the name of the pod- students including Jack Palermo, an cast was based on one of her strongest Electrical Engineering major with a beliefs. minor in Philosophy, who spoke to the “My whole thing is that everygroup about the importance of journalone is meant for big things,” Pruett said. ing.

“I wholeheartedly believe that in every “I have been able to pinpoint single sense.” one thing that makes one of my amazing

Chloe Miller Co-Culture Editor

friends so special and have been able to share that with everyone else,” Pruett said. “It has been really fun to showcase my friends and one of their strong suits.”

Pruett created a GroupMe for listeners to join where she gives them an opportunity to meet each other, go on coffee dates and find a new support group on campus.

The community of “Meant for Big Things” listeners does not stop at the meetups. Over the past year, Pruett has designed t-shirts and sweatshirts to promote her podcast. Highlighting anyone on campus who is wearing the merchandise on any given day, Pruett uses the merchandise to bring people together.

“I love connecting people,” Pruett said. “I always feel like you are one connection away from meeting your best friend or someone who could change your life. If I can facilitate that through an article of clothing, it’s amazing.”

Keep your eyes on the lookout as Pruett is planning a new merch drop within the next few weeks with colors perfect for the spring season.

There are no plans for Pruett to ever stop working on her podcast.

“I started the podcast because there is a section missing in the market,” Pruett said. “There is a disconnect because of the age gap in the self-improvement podcast market. This podcast seems to fill the gap.”

Along with new merch, Pruett has big plans for the future of “Meant for Big Things.” With the exploding popularity of TikTok, Pruett is expanding onto the app soon. Guiding her is Noel Doherty, student at Villanova and TikTok star. Giving Pruett tips and tricks, Doherty has become a friend and mentor.

Furthermore, Pruett’s largest plan for the podcast and the brand is to eventually create an app. Pruett envisions the app as being totally customizable and personalized to each individual’s goals. The users would set their goals or areas to work in, and Pruett’s app would give them challenges, such as “compliment the person in front of you.”

One of the main goals in Pruett’s life is to connect people. Whether that be strangers, her best friends or her listeners. “Meant for Big Things” has given her a tangible brand to do so.

Although, the most inspiring part about Pruett is her attitude towards life.

“If I just do these things, then I think I will be okay: if I continuously meet new people, if I work hard and have a positive mind,” Pruett said. “I can figure anything out then.”

Constantly updating her followers and posting challenges, one can find Pruett’s business account on Instagram @meantforbigthings.

Villanova Student Photographer Interview Maddie Schieder Staff Writer John Lackey sees life through a certain lens. His trusted camera lens, that is. A passionate photographer, the junior political science and history major spends his time finding the perfect shot, using his skills to inspire him on his career and college journey. The Villanovan sat down with this campus photographer to talk to him about this passion and just how his photography journey came to be.

The Villanovan: How did you get into photography?

John Lackey: As any passions start, I always had an interest in photography since I was a kid.

During high school, I got my first real digital single-lens reflex camera, or DSLR, which reignited my interest.

At the time, though, I only saw it as a hobby. I would go out with my friends and take pictures of them, but it was nothing spectacular. It started with urban photography. We would go into Atlanta and find abandoned buildings to explore and take pictures of.

Along the way, we would make friends with people in the area that knew the secret places or with people doing exactly what we were doing. I then transitioned from portrait and street photography to more nature/landscape and astrophotography as this is what interested me most as a kid. This became my true passion. Since then, I have traveled around the country, usually by car or RV, looking for the darkest skies. It has taken me to 15 national parks so far, and I have the goal of going to every national park in the United States. It’s even led me to

John Lackey is a skilled photographer and student at Villanova.

Courtesy of John Lackey

buying a bus and working to convert it to an RV in pursuit of these national parks. Currently, I focus on landscape and astrophotography the most.

TV: What are some ways you have improved your skills?

JL: The best thing you can do is practice. I don’t mean just go out and shoot, but go out and shoot with purpose. Focus on one thing to improve every time you go out. Do the research and find all the intricacies of your camera. Learn the technical ins and outs, as well as learn your own style (your style will come naturally).

That’s what I have done for the past six years or so, and I’ve noticed the most improvement when I’ve gone out and shot with purpose. I think when you do this you can see the improvements, and it fuels you to want to get even better.

TV: What do you photograph on campus?

JL: On campus, I primarily do portrait photography, more specifically for sorority and fraternity formals or events. Using this as my job on campus has allowed me to earn money to go to all the amazing places that I’ve been. It’s a way by which I can improve at photography that allows me to work towards my main passion, being landscape and astrophotography. I do love going to events and seeing how happy the pictures make people. I know how much it means to have those memories as well as how appreciated it will be later in life.

TV: Besides the emotion evoked from your photography, what do you love most about it?

JL: I would say I have different loves, based upon which medium.

For astrophotography, I love being able to see what we can’t normally see. The number of times I’ve had

people ask me how edited my night sky shots are and the shock when I tell them ‘not at all’ is priceless. Our eyes are capable of only so much. I think there’s so much out there that we usually miss, and photography can help to bridge that gap. For landscape, I think I love to bring appreciation to the world we live in every day. People don’t realize how amazing nature can be, even nature in our own backyard.

The United States is one of the most beautiful places in the world and you can see awe-inspiring things without even leaving the country. Further, I think conservation is extremely important and things such as landscape photography can help to bring awareness of the beauty and fragility of the environment. As a last little tidbit, I love film photography because it has a look that isn’t achievable by any other form of photography. It’s also the most technical form of photography so there’s something even more special when you get amazing shots.

TV: Do you seek a future in photography?

JL: I do have hopes for photography in the future. My plans are very tentative, but I have put considerable thought into going into the movie industry. I am extremely lucky to have had the opportunity to do work on various movie and show sets in the past.

Most recently, I have done shadow work with the camera operators, still photographers and cinematographers on the show “Ozark.”

Getting to see the everyday work and the process that goes into these films and shows has made me consider that line of work much more.

10 | The Villanovan

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

CULTURE

Pulitzer Prize Winner Jericho Brown Visits Campus

“‘The Tradition’ questions why and how we’ve become accustomed to terror: in the bedroom, the classroom, the workplace and After his visit to campus, poet the movie theater,” the website said.

Jericho Brown can confidently say he “From mass shootings to rape to the has won not only the Pulitzer Prize, murder of unarmed people by police, but also the hearts of Villanovan liter- Brown interrupts complacency by loary lovers. cating each emergency in the garden Brown is the first guest speak- of the body, where living things grow er of the English Department’s annu- and wither—or survive.” al Literary Festival. The festival takes Jessica Laino, a junior and place each spring semester and brings student in the class, spoke of her in a group of inspiring poets and experience reading the collection and fiction writers to speak to students. then speaking to Brown.

Brown’s visit was the first in-person “I was so nervous in class, event to occur in two years. That about to be face to face with a Pulitfact, along with his poetry collections’ zer Prize winner which has always success, infused the crowd of listeners been one of my dreams,” Laino said. with lightning bolt energy.

“I expected him to be an untouchThree poetry collections, able, imposing figure, but when he “Please,” “New Testament” and his came in he was so warm, so welcommost recent and Pulitzer Prize Wining. He sat in our circle of desks like ner “The Tradition,” give Brown he was one of us and we were able his notoriety. He has won multiple to have such an open conversation. other awards for his work as well, He made me feel like it was possible including the American Book Award, for me to be a writer like him, and I’ll Anisfield-Wolf Book Award and the cherish that.”

Paterson Poetry Prize. Currently, he After the conversation with is the director of creative writing at students in class, covering topics like Emory University. his writing process to specific moThe event took place in the ments in his collection, the group mireading corner of Falvey on Thursgrated to the open reading at Falvey. day, Jan. 27, but Brown’s first appear- The room was packed with interested ance was beforehand, when he came faculty and students, all buzzing to to a classroom for the class associated hear Brown speak. The excitement with the Festival. “Authors On And had stable grounds: when Brown Off The Page,” taught by English rose to speak after being introduced professors Alan Drew and Lisa Sewell, by students Caroline Sweeney and is offered each spring. In the class, Lindsay Gallagher, his charm swept students read the work of the Literary over the crowd.

Festival guests, then get the opportu“When it comes to authenticinity to meet the authors and discuss ty and truth in writing, Jericho Brown their work in depth. is in a league of his own,” Sweeney For Brown’s visit, students in said. “To have such a vulnerable and the class read Brown’s “The Traditalented poet speak to us as creative tion.” writing students was inspiring; I feel The collection of poetry more willing to put myself forth in covers a multitude of thought provok- my own writing because of what ing, prevalent issues best described by he gives to his readers. Hearing his Brown’s own website. work in his own voice was powerful.

Elena Rouse Co-Culture Editor

It completely changed the cadence and the percussiveness of each poem in my mind and allowed me to better understand what each piece was trying to do.”

Sweeney also had the chance to get dinner with Brown after the reading.

“When we went out to dinner after the reading, it was plain to see that Jericho is so deeply rooted in his work,” She said. “He encouraged me, Lindsay, and Kye to keep pursuing writing, and spoke authentically about his journey as a writer.”

For some, this experience was foreign, something audience member and Authors On And Off The Page student, junior Graciela Petrelli, spoke on.

“This was the first poetry

reading I’d ever been to at Falvey, and I feel so privileged to have had my first experience spent listening to Jericho Brown,” Petrelli said. “Brown is a force of nature. I could have listened to him speak for hours on end.

He is personable and funny, but writes and delivers his poems with a power and resonance I’ve never seen before.

Brown’s reading was an emotional and spiritual ride, and I came away from it with a newfound appreciation and understanding of poetry as a means of addressing and expressing the world and one’s place in it.”

Leaving poets, writers and lovers of literature all with eyes glowing, it was clear that Brown touched Villanova not only with his profound writing, but also with his exuberant and infectious presence.

Jericho Brown charmed the audience during his live reading.

Courtesy of Maggie Graw/Villanovan Photography

New Year and A New Genre For Emerging Adults Bailey Quinn Staff Writer As we embrace the New Year and attempt to uphold our New Years’ Resolutions, many of us are attempting to work out more, dye our hair new colors or, in some cases, read more. While having the goal of “reading more” feels incredulous to any Villanova student as they reflect on the amount of reading they have due just this week, the problem does not actually lie in when we will read, but what.

With the majority of undergraduate students being between the ages of 17 and 23, we are quick to find that the books we once loved do not hold the same weight. Young Adult (YA) novels feel frustrating to flip through. We are no longer looking for teenage love stories to aspire to as we enter high school or comforting stories of navigating puberty in junior high. On the flip side, there are very few of us that are eager to read the next James Patterson novel or delve into the histories and biographies that line our parents’ bookshelves.

This is where a new genre is born. New Adult (NA) Fiction is known as a newborn area of fiction made for adult readers between the ages of 18 and 30. These stories can

still be just as fantastical of the stories of our childhood, but now the issues felt and experienced are more appropriate and relatable to our age group.

Experiences can include but are not limited to adult romances, career choices, personal growth, higher education experiences and mental health.

When a group of English majors were asked for their opinions on the genre, it was clear that many not only held an interest in it, but also were eager to give their own recom-

What will you be reading this year?

Courtesy of Elena Rouse/Villanovan Photography

mendations of new adult fiction. “[I] definitely definitely agree with Sally Rooney,” said one anonymous English major in response to another’s recommendation. “‘Conversations with Friends’ is my personal favorite of hers and it’s being adapted into a TV show, so it’s rather timely.

I also loved ‘Bunny’ by Mona Awad, and I would totally recommend it to any English major, as it follows the main character through a Creative Writing MFA program.”

“I really enjoyed ‘People We Meet on Vacation’ by Emily Henry and ‘Beautiful World, Where Are You?’ by Sally Rooney,” said a Villanova English major alum.

Other recommendations that were shared included the “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series by Sarah J. Maas, “My Year of Rest and Relaxation” by Ottessa Moshfegh, “Fangirl” by Rainbow Rowell and “Hex”

by Rebecca Dinerstein Knight.

Ultimately, this genre offers an opportunity to connect with literature in a way we have not felt since we read “Percy Jackson” or “Harry Potter.” While we are not slaying monsters or running off to schools of wizardry, we are growing up, which has a magic of its own. We are facing new obstacles that we assume Annabeth Chase and Hermione Granger have faced before, but we have no way of knowing because their stories ended right where we left them, frozen in their teenage years.

Our comfort characters are passing off the baton, and we could not be in better hands. We just have to trust the fact that we are not alone in this world, even if we, at times, can only find that kind of affirmation in stories that resemble our own. By all means, if you have to pick a new habit to claim 2022 as your year, let exploring New Adult Fiction be it.

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

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CULTURE

Ryan Henry Performs One-Woman Show “Turn Me On” Julia Stanisci Staff Writer continued from p. 1 on-screen media, such as a softball highlight reel and an emotional video montage of Henry’s late grandparents.

Henry’s “turning on and off” of each different character showed the audience how we all perform each and every day of our lives, whether we mean to or not.

In sharing her innermost thoughts, Henry represented not only herself but also humanity, as we all have different versions of ourselves that we share with different people.

While the show was entertaining and hilarious, it was also a commentary on the tendency of people in our society to self-disclose with caution and build up walls to guard themselves against pain and judgment depending on their audience. The performance also shed light on important social justice issues such as mental health in collegiate athletics, sexism in comedy and so much more.

Henry spoke about this decision to put on this performance and tell this story in such a unique way.

She wanted to do a show

Henry performed “Turn Me On” at the Garey Studio on Jan. 26 and 27.

Courtesy of Graydon Paul/Villanovan Photography

from the second she declared a Performance Studies specialization, as “the essay and presentation life is not for everyone,” but she also knew she wanted to do a comedy bit due to her lifelong passion for comedy.

“I always knew comedy was really important for me to

present, but to be completely honest, I credit my therapist for helping figure out this story structure,” Henry said. “During my sessions, I always said that I felt the need to turn on certain personas for different situations and slowly discovered over time the power and sometimes damaging elements

these characters have in my life.

‘Turn Me On’ lets me play those roles in a safe space I can control and share the story I want.”

In her Director’s Notes, Henry also shared how the experience of putting on this performance has been for her.

“This piece has been one of the scariest yet hopeful experiences in my life,” she said. “Never would I have thought that the innermost thoughts in my mind would have had the chance to finally speak. The conversations shared throughout the creative development process have really changed my perspective on how I choose to perform in the world and I hope the show [allowed audience members] to do the same.”

Henry also said that working with Dr. Evan Schares, a Performance Studies professor, was her favorite part of the experience. “[Dr. Schares] has honestly changed my perspective as a performer and person,” Henry said.

“His guidance and grace throughout the entire process was so much fun.”

After her graduation in May, Henry plans to return to Villanova to pursue a Masters in Theatre while using her extra year of athletic eligibility.

Villa-Vogue: Haute Couture Spring 2022 Rundown Kaelin Trombly Staff Writer The term haute couture is terrifying. It is a terrifyingly frightening term full of complexity and intimidation that seems to only be fit for fashion’s brightest minds.

What most do not know is that haute couture does not need to be treated as an enigma but rather an art form for the general public’s enjoyment. Whether one is a well respected house designer, a fashion nerd like myself or just simply curious, haute couture is to be appreciated and understood by everyone. So without further ado, let’s break down Paris’ Spring 2022 Haute Couture Fashion week.

This year’s haute couture week was full of escapism, fantasy and unconditional beauty amongst every Paris runway. Craftsmanship seemed to be an apparent theme this year as high end fashion houses like Dior, Valentino and everything in between created show stopping pieces that did not disappoint. Needless to say, when my jaw dropped, it hit the floor.

Fendi: Palais Brongniart was adorned with all things inspired by Roman temporality this past week as models walked the catwalk in embroidered capes and beaded gowns. Artistic director Kim Jones impressed the A-list guests from the light show of the fashion houses’ headquarters upon arrival to the embellishment statements on every piece. Every pattern created was adorned with the most intricate of details.

Valentino: Among the wide array of fashion houses presenting at this year’s haute couture show, Valentino may be my favorite. Valentino titled its spring 2022 collection “Anatomy of Couture”

with its main purpose being to highlight the diversity that comes with high fashion. Pierpaolo Piccioli did a staggering job at recasting the social convention of what haute couture is, leveraging through a collection featuring a variety of body shapes and sizes, as well as age in the models casted. It is time we bring diversity back on the haute couture runways and Valentino did just that. Not to mention, every model was dressed in beautiful, bright hued gowns and suits that did not disappoint. Whether the ensembles were monotone or a variation of colors, each piece was full of joy and modernity.

Franck Sorbier: Rather than sticking with the Frank Sorbier tradition of having live, performance-based haute couture shows, the French haute couture brand stuck to a digital collection this year. Every ensemble presented in the editorial videos and lookbooks was made of silk organza with sculpted flowers, ruffles and feathered trims.

Jean Paul Gaultier: I have never seen corsetry made the way Jean Paul Gaultier does it. For those who have ever been lucky enough to try on one of his corsets, all the power to you. The 2022 spring collection incorporated corset mastery into beautiful, show stopping gowns adorned with intricate fabric patterns all the way through. When we thought it was impossible to turn Jean Paul Gaultier into street fashion, the model Sara Grace Wallenstedt proved us terribly wrong through the usage of a tan Gaultier corset top paired with a long denim pleated skirt. If one is a fan of the fashion style of the hit show “Euphoria,” Jean Paul Gaultier takes it to the next level.

Viktor & Rolf: This year, the label created 25 looks for its

Valentino’s Spring 2022 collection is called “Anatomy of Couture.”

Courtesy of L’Officiel Austria

spring 2022 collection, all inspired

by Dracula himself. The show’s statement was “fear can be overpowering.” From the powdered faces to the black lipstick and padded houlders, the Viktor & Rolf show was certainly eerie. Among the emphasis on fear, there was a beauty driven through juxtaposition, as every ensemble brought a sweet sense of calm through the usage of soft lace and grosgrain fabrics.

Chanel: The 2022 spring Chanel show was, simply put, very Coco. After the death of Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel has introduced the fashion world to its newest replacement, Virginie Viard. Despite the stress of having big shoes to fill, Viard impressed all those in attendance. From her entrance on horseback to a lifetime supply of tweed and the incorporation of

fashion from many past decades, the Chanel vision carries on.

Christian Dior: The Spring 2022 Dior show took place at the Musée Rodin this year, which was set against tapestries created by artists Madhvi and Manu Parekh, a collective in India that Dior frequently works with. Every piece presented took 380 artisans and 280,000 hours to embroider.

Talk about dedication. While many fashion houses are now relying on NFT and Metaverse production, Dior’s creative director Maria Chiuri is a strong supporter of hand craft in order to “honor the bond between human relationships and handmade objects.” That being said, the collection was completed with the embroidery of organza and tulle fabrics, a collection that was ultimately tactile, simple and wonderfully human.

12 | The Villanovan

CULTURE

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

University Hosts Seventh Women in Tech Conference Kendall Hayes Staff Writer This past Saturday, Jan. 29, the University hosted its seventh Women in Tech Conference at the Inn at Villanova. In person for the first time since 2020, the conference pulled off a successful hybrid format with a theme based around quantum computing.

The VU Women in Tech Conference brings Villanova students, faculty, alumnae and staff together from all of its different schools across campus. The conference gives women the opportunity to imagine a future career in technology, to network across schools, professions and generations and to truly become part of a conversation centered around technology.

The day began at 8 a.m. with breakfast at the Inn at Villanova. At 9 a.m., introductions and keynote speakers began, which was followed by two sets of breakout sessions and a closing speaker. The conference ended at 2 p.m.

Speakers included both Villanova and non-Villanova alum. From members of the FBI Cyber Squad to Microsoft employees to experts in their fields, the conference had it all.

Director of VU Women in Tech, VSB Professor Alicia Strandberg, spoke about the conference this year, its origin and why it is important to have a conference such as this one on this campus.

The conference began eight years ago when Sue Metzger, a pro-

Dr. Alicia Strandberg currently serves as President of Villanova University Women in Tech.

Courtesy of VU Women in Tech

fessor at Villanova School of Business, took a group of students to a tech conference in Philadelphia. Metzger took charge and led a small group of students there. The conference blew them all away and made Metzger ask herself why this only had to happen one day a year. This idea that Villanova could have the potential to host its own tech conference is what led to the start of Villanova’s own Women in Tech conference.

Strandberg explained that Metzger knew exactly what she was doing when she created her committee for the Women in Tech conference.

“She was very intentional,” Strandberg said. “She did not want it to only be a school of business endeavor, so she teamed up with her friends across campus. We have somebody from every college on the committee.”

The conference was not always at the Inn at Villanova. During its humble beginnings, the event took

place at Bartley Hall. Strandberg explained a little bit about the first Women in Tech conference at the University.

“We said let’s do it on a Saturday and if we can get 50 students or 50 people to show up, we’ll call it a success,” Strandberg explained.

“Well, that Saturday we had 100. It was a nice day. We actually ran out of lunches and started buying people lunch at the Curley Exchange. We pulled it together and we saw the immediate interest.”

In the early days of the Women in Tech Conference, themes were kept very general, with a focus on accidental technologists: Women that had degrees, but did not expect their careers to take them into tech yet ended up there. As time went on and the conferences got bigger, the committee tried to tackle something new. Conferences had themes such as blockchain, financial technology and now quantum computing.

At this year’s conference,

due to the theme, many of the speakers discussed quantum computing.

Jessica Pointing from the University of Oxford was one of these speakers who is considered an expert on quantum.

Students who felt that they needed a more basic description of quantum made their way to Denise Ruffner’s breakout session, as she has written a children’s book on the subject.

Katelyn Tsai, one of the students on the committee, spoke about why conferences such as this one are important for Villanova students.

“As technology is the industry of the future and women are glaringly underrepresented within it, this conference empowers, motivates and inspires women in tech to be leaders in our field,” Tsai said. “Attendees have the unique opportunity to learn from experienced professionals who inspire us to be forward-thinking and innovative.”

Strandberg made it clear that a main goal of this conference is that Villanova students can not only be a part of the conversation on technology, but also feel truly comfortable with it.

“It’s good to be in the know,” Strandberg said. “When you graduate, I want you to feel comfortable.

I want you to not lose your love of learning.”

Strandberg did not fall short of this goal this year, as 117 people and people attended the 2022 Women in Tech conference this past Saturday. For those who did not catch the conference, links to all of the speakers will be on the Women in Tech website by the end of this week.

Book of the Week: “It Ends With Us” by Colleen Hoover Caleigh Beaton Staff Writer If you are like me and are on “BookTok,” the book side of TikTok, then you have heard of Colleen Hoover and her novel, “It Ends With Us.” Released in 2016, Hoover’s “It Ends With Us” was an instant hit. Those who follow Hoover know of her heartbreaking, yet beautiful writing. “It Ends With Us” was no different and was arguably one of the more heart wrenching of her books thus far.

The book, already popular, soared with its explosion on TikTok, as people were posting their reactions to the book. There were videos of readers crying as they read and sharing their love for the novel in many forms. Even Hoover herself has taken to TikTok and has popularized herself as an author,

gaining a large audience of readers worldwide.

“It Ends With Us” follows Lily Bloom, both as a teenager living with her parents and as an adult living in Boston. Lily did not have the easiest upbringing, but she is nonetheless one of the strongest, most determined and relatable characters I have ever read. She is the type of character that a reader roots for from start to finish. Readers will find themselves crying when she cries, smiling at her triumphs and holding their breaths in her trying moments.

It is not only two parts of Lily’s chronological life that are told in the book, but also two love stories, one in the past and one in the present. They intertwine in an intense, yet alluring way. Atlas Corrigan is the boy from Lily’s past who shapes her life in an undeniable way. Ryle Kincaid is the new man in Lily’s life, who takes her by

surprise. Although a love story, this book is more of a nontraditional romance that depicts love in a unique way.

The book explores sensitive topics that may be triggering for some readers, but it is also relatable.

Many will find that they themselves have had similar experiences to those of Lily’s and even had similar thoughts and feelings, which is what makes this book so compelling.

Hoover has admitted that “It Ends With Us” mirrors experiences from her own life, which is one of the aspects that makes her writing so profound and real. This book will stay with readers long after finishing it because it grips onto one’s heart and somehow warms it simultaneously. In just 384 pages, Hoover shows us that love does not look the same for everyone. Sometimes, the one who loves you the most is also the one that hurts you the most.

“It Ends With Us” was released in 2016.

Courtesy of colleenhoover.com

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

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SPORTS

Softball Looks to Defend Big East Crown graduate Brittany Husk.

Rauch joins Giampolo in the record books, holding career and single season records in home runs, Following the first Big East on base percentage, batting average title in program history, the Villanova and slugging percentage. Last year, women’s softball team has high expec- Rauch finished with a team-high .417 tations entering the 2022 campaign. batting average, 13 doubles and nine The Wildcats went 37-15 overall in home runs. She was the first player 2021, including 15-2 in Big East play, in Big East history to sweep Pitcher marking a new program high for con- and Player of the Year in the same ference winning percentage at .882. season, with a 21-4 record, 2.12 ERA, In the Big East Preseason 189 strikeouts and a program record Coaches Poll, the defending chamnine shutouts to back up her hitting pions received six-of-nine first place success. votes, marking them as favorites to “It’s an honor,” Rauch said repeat their title run this year. when asked about the accolades. “I “I think the biggest thing for think it’s just consistently working us is we’re going to have a target on with them and trying to balance, like our back, which is kinda cool because if I didn’t have a really good day on I think no one really worried too the mound, maybe work on pitching much about Villanova in the past,” a little bit more that practice or I head coach Bridget Orchard said. didn’t hit, well, let me stay, you know, “We also understand, and I talked to an extra hour and hit off a tee. I think them about it, but it’s just a preview it’s really just all about balance and and it doesn’t mean anything. It’s just staying consistent and not getting based off of last year’s team. This comfortable or content with where year’s team needs to work to maintain I’m at now.” that. It’s an awesome honor and they Rauch and Giampolo were deserve that recognition, but at the not the only standout members of the same time, it doesn’t really matter lineup last season. They were joined where you start, it’s where you finish.” by junior Ally Jones and seniors Ryan The team returns 16 players Henry and Megan Kern. Henry was from the 2021 roster, including two a First Team All-Big East selection fifth-year veterans in Angela Giampo- last year, while Jones and Kern were lo and Paige Rauch. Giampolo scored selected to the Second Team. The 39 runs last season while recording a catcher duo of Henry and Jones .962 fielding percentage. The second served as reliable support for Rauch baseman currently sits in second for behind the plate, as Henry finished most runs scored in school histothe season with a perfect fielding ry with 136, just 20 away from the percentage and Jones followed close all-time record of 156, held by 2018 behind at .984.

Meghann Morhardt Co-Sports Editor

Catherine Browne Staff Writer

“Everybody was really working for each other,” Orchard said. “It was the first time honestly I think our team really came together and had one common goal, and that was to win. We really had like eight or nine different people stepping up in different ways. We had a lot of homeruns, a lot of runs scored, but even big defensive plays or baserunning that really went well.”

The Wildcats also welcome six freshmen to the roster this season.

Given the large group of experienced upperclassmen, it may be hard for them to break into the lineup, but Orchard has high hopes for one newcomer in particular.

“Ava Franz, an incoming freshman, she’s played like every position, on the field other than pitch,” Orchard said. “Right now, we’re asking a lot of her, and it’s going to be a lot of pressure and stress on her to perform right away, but it’s also really exciting. I know she’s excited to play with Paige and Angela. Normally when we recruited her, they would’ve been gone but she has that opportunity to take advantage of learning from Angela in the infield, and learning from Paige from an offensive standpoint.”

The Wildcats open their season with four tournaments on the road, two in North Carolina and one each in Florida and Georgia, before returning home to start Big East play in March. Notable non-conference opponents include Duke, Florida and Louisville, all three historically successful programs, but Rauch and her

teammates are up for the challenge.

“I’m excited to play ranked teams,” Rauch said. “We didn’t really have the opportunity to do that [last year]. It’s been two years since we played ranked teams. We got to play Liberty and Notre Dame last year, but it’s really fun when you upset them.

At the same time, it’s fun when you do get your butt kicked every now and then because it just makes you feel more mentally prepared for conference.”

In Big East play, Villanova will have to face its two toughest opponents, UConn and DePaul, on the road. The Blue Demons (first in 2021) and Huskies (third) were picked to finish second and third respectively.

The ‘Cats went 2-1 against DePaul and swept the regular season series with the Huskies last year. They went on to beat UConn twice on its home field to secure the conference title.

Orchard and her squad have all the right pieces to repeat their conference championship and make a further run in the NCAA tournament, but it will all come down to execution.

“I just think our offense should be through the roof and again, on paper, we look really good,” Orchard said. “We talk to them about it too, on paper, it’s there, you know, but can we go out and can we perform?”

“I think we are fired up and excited to prove everyone right, that we deserve to be number one,” Rauch said. “Just prove everyone right and remain number one for years to come.”

Athlete of the Week: Sade Meeks

Through hard work and dedication, graduate transfer Sade Meeks started her first season with Villanova track and field as a record breaker.

Meeks began her collegiate track career at the University of Jacksonville in 2018, where she competed in the shot put, hammer throw and discus.

Following her last outdoor season in 2021, Meeks’ decision to transfer to Villanova was heavily influenced by academics, but the hiring of throwing coach Peter Koumlelis allowed her to have the best of both worlds.

“The specialized Masters program lured me to the school, but Coach Peter sealed the deal as far as making sure I had a good coach to develop me and make sure I have the best, last year I could possibly have,” Meeks said.

Since becoming a Wildcat, Meeks senses a piece of her original alma mater here at Villanova, as she feels that “the whole community in general just sucks you in.”

Throughout her four years at Jacksonville, Meeks was involved in many endeavors that only enhanced her strengths, which she could later apply to her athletic and academic pursuits. Specifically, she was Student Body President and the founder of an organization called

tinued to show their support when she decided to transfer to Villanova, especially being that she is now much closer to her home in New York.

Since arriving at Villanova, Meeks has not skipped a beat, fitting in with the team and having success from the start. In her first indoor meet on Jan. 15 at the Penn-10 competition, she broke the 20-year school record in weight throw with 17.98 meters. The following week, at the Villanova Invitational, Meeks shattered her own record and threw Sade Meeks has found much success in her first season as a Wildcat. a personal best of 20.88 meters, Courtesy of Villanova Athletics which is currently ranked 13th in on the same day, she tore her right the National Association of Black the nation.

ACL and was forced to get surgery Accountants.

Meeks feels as though her “I took the leadership expe- two days before the country was put performance thus far competing as into lockdown. rience from these roles and carried a Wildcat is “a testament to everyAlthough this injury was a it into my sport at Jacksonville thing [she] has been working on,” “huge setback” for Meeks in the and at Villanova,” Meeks said. “I from overcoming injuries, to trainmidst of a very difficult time in learned how to lead from an acaing throughout the fall season and demic and community standpoint.” history, she acknowledges the silver keeping herself healthy.

Meeks also spoke to the fact lining that she did not have to watch Meeks shared that the that through her heavy involvement everyone’s life continue on while hardest part is the off season where her life seemed to have come to an in many clubs and organizations there are no competitions and meets on the Florida campus, she learned abrupt halt. She was able to focus to work up to. The public does not how to lead by example and how to on herself and recover back to her see the hard work and training that full strength. make an impact in both her athletoccurs building up to the actual sea“2020 was not a good year ics and academics. son. They just see the headlines with for me,” Meeks said. “But, I was Similar to the many other the record breaking scores. able to focus on my recovery so athletes, Meeks struggled with the In less than a year, Meeks COVID-19 lockdown during which much more because of the fact that has made an impact on the Villanoeveryone was isolated.” she was unable to compete in the va community through her academLike in Jacksonville, Meeks spring 2020 season. ic and athletic pursuits and she will Meeks broke the Jacksonville has found a support system in her continue to prove her hard work family, friends and community here and dedication throughout the rest record for the weight throw and indoor shot put in February 2020, but at Villanova. Those close to her con- of her indoor season.

SPORTS

14 | The Villanovan

Swim Swept in Final Regular Season Meet

Sophomores Ethan Brown and Richard Nolan both were on the third-place 400-yard free relay team, and both had third place Both the men’s and women’s finishes in the 200-yard back and swim teams traveled to State Col200-yard breast. The fourth memlege on Friday, Jan. 28 to face off ber of the third-place team, junior against the Nittany Lions in their Jake McIntyre, had a third-place finlast official event before the Big East ish of his own in the 500-yard frees. championship meet. Both teams lost Junior Reid Hutcherson was on the their respective matchups, with the first-place team in the 400-yard free men falling, 215-81, and the women relay, while also finishing third in the suffering a 202-91 defeat.

200-yard free. In diving, freshman The teams were only able to Nicholas Jubilee set a new personal combine for three first place finishes, best score of 290 to earn him a sectwo of which came in relays, across ond-place finish in the 1-meter dive. the 32 total events. Senior Kelly On Sunday, Jan. 30, VillaMontesi was the only Wildcat to win nova held its annual Swimfest. This an individual race, taking first in the event is used as a time to honor the 200-yard individual medley. The seniors on the team and also give men and women both swept the po- the swimmers one last run before dium in the 400-yard freestyle relay. going into the Big East meet. There On the women’s side, Monis no scoring, but times are official. tesi also put up top three finishes “What I personally like in the 200-yard back, 50-yard free about this event: no stress,” head and the 200-yard medley relay. coach Rick Simpson said. “While Senior Nicole Welch joined the I’m here, without a score, I just get first-place team in the 400-yard free to let them race.” relay while also taking second in the This year, Villanova honored 500-yard and 1000-yard freestyle. nine senior swimmers. The swimGraduate student Milly Routledge mers honored Sunday were Holtz, was also on the 400-yard free relay Montesi, Routledge, Welch, Elizateam and finished third in the 100beth Bailey, Abbey Berloco, Grace yard and 200-yard freestyle races.

Wielar, Michael Ackert, Sam FanatiSenior Andrea Holtz took third in co and Jesse Marsh. the 1 meter dive.

Of the nine seniors, MonteThe men were led by sophsi’s departure is undoubtedly going omore Nolan Danus, who finished to be the biggest hit for the Wildcats second in the 200-yard fly, third in next season. Last season, Montesthe 200-yard IM, and was on the si was a Big East champion in six third place 400-yard free relay team. events and was named the Most relay.

Outstanding Women’s Swimmer of Zac Tipton Staff Writer

last year’s Big East Championship.

“I mean, she is going to be a Hall of Famer here at Nova, that’s pretty much a given, given her accomplishments over the years,” Simpson said of Montesi.

This year, La Salle took part in Swimfest, racing in 23 events excluding the diving portion. When the final race was done, there was a cool down before the big All-Sports relay.

The All-Sports relay is where athletes from some of the teams on campus participate in a four by 100yard freestyle relay to see who gets bragging rights. The Simpson family, other varsity swim coaches and the divers participate as well. In the first heat, the varsity swim coaches dominated with Rowing, beating out the rest of the sports teams in that heat. In the second heat, women’s water polo upset the divers.

Up next for Villanova is a three-week break where the teams start preparing for the Big East championship meet, which starts on Feb. 23 in East Meadow, New York.

The Big East on the men’s side is always competitive. It is never clear who is going to win, and the champion usually triumphs by a slim margin. The women’s side is also competitive but has become much more difficult to win since UConn returned to the conference.

“It’s going to be a competitive meet,” Simpson said. “Whoever happens to have the lead after the last event is going to walk home with the trophy.”

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

WEEKLY SCOREBOARD Jan. 26 - Feb.1

Wednesday, January 26 None Thursday, January 27 None Friday, January 28 Women’s Basketball vs Butler 59-44 Men’s Swim @ Penn State 215-81 L Women’s Swim @ Penn State 202-91 L Saturday, January 29 Women’s Water Polo vs Harvard 20-11 L, 16-4 L Women’s Water Polo vs Iona 21-14 L Men’s Track @ Sykes and Sabock Challenge No Team Scoring Men’s Basketball vs St. John’s 73-62 W Sunday, January 30 Women’s Basketball vs Xavier 82-57 W Women’s Tennis @ Navy 6-1 L Monday, January 31 None Tuesday, February 1 None

Men’s Tennis Prepares For Smoother Season Noah Swan Staff Writer In a new season, the Villanova men’s tennis team will look to shake off last year’s mediocrity in search of greater consistency.

In last year’s pandemic-interrupted season, 10 cancellations or postponements riddled the Wildcat schedule. A young team slogged through a bumpy schedule to a 9-11 record, including a first-round exit against Marquette during the Big East Championships. Now a junior, Alex Kim bore the brunt of the team’s schedule as the top player for the Wildcats, and his record reflected the difficult year.

The doubles lineup failed to find a level of consistency necessary for nurturing successful partnerships.

Coach Brad Adams played 14 different doubles partnerships throughout the previous season, continuing to tinker with combinations throughout the regular season. Only two doubles teams finished with winning records among those who played more than three matches.

However, the youth of the team last year is now beginning to grow into experience which is engendering ambition.

“Hungry. For sure.”

That’s Adams’ one-word response to how he would describe this year’s team.

The five freshmen from last year are now sophomores with one year of experience against some of the toughest-ever-conditions faced by college tennis players. The sophomores are now juniors with double

Senior Matthew Jones will lead the ‘Cats in both singles and doubles this season.

Courtesy of Olivia Pasquale/Villanovan Photography

the number of challenges faced under their belt. The expectations should not be necessarily for perfection, but certainly growth.

Sophomore Josh Robinson is one of the key players to monitor at the start of the team’s season. Despite the team’s below .500 doubles record a year ago, Robinson and senior partner Matthew Jones found great success finishing with a 12-5 record.

As one of the few players with an established history of match-play, that doubles partnership could be an important variable in the Wildcats’ winning formula this season. The duo played to a 3-4 record during exhibition matches in the fall, but the competitive experience from last season remains encouraging.

On the singles side, Robinson ranked among the top players last season alongside current sophomore Eitan Khromchenko. The pair finished with identical 10-8 records in the singles column, gaining vital experience in their first season as Wildcats. Many Villanova wins last

season necessitated big matches from Robinson and Khromchenko as Kim struggled against much older and stronger competition. Both Robinson and Khromchenko continued their strong showings from a year ago, finishing with .500 or better records during fall exhibitions.

It is more challenging to point to a senior player as a major contributor to this team, as both seniors this season saw little match play during the previous campaign. While Jones excelled in doubles, he and senior Collin Klumb played a combined one singles match last season. That may be set to change following the fall term. Jones battled to a team-leading 11-4 singles record during the exhibition stretch, a potential signal to Coach Adams that the senior is ready for a greater role in the singles lineup this season.

“Matt had a very impressive fall season,” Adams said of the senior.

“He’s a guy who’s improved basically every practice. He’s really done well making sure everything we do

is locked in. He deserves a chance to start in the first match against Jefferson.”

On team loaded with sophomores and juniors, this year’s freshman class has amounted to two players: Lukas Choi and Trey Fourticq. Choi will likely spend much of his time on the practice courts this season if the fall exhibition playtime is any indication of his status. Hailing from Los Angeles, Fourticq provides some greater intrigue. Despite the competition for matches in the lineup, the freshman put up the second-best singles record on the team during the fall. While it is likely both freshmen factor little into this year’s team, both deserve recognition as developmental pieces in the Wildcat talent pipeline.

While this team certainly has more experience than last year, an interesting wrinkle that could prove challenging comes in the team’s west coast trip during early March. Villanova will travel to California for four matches and a doubles tournament before returning to local competition through the second half of the season.

“The California stretch, we’re playing a lot out there,” Adams noted.

“We have to win three matches in a row to win a conference championship. I think the California stretch is a huge measuring stick as far as where the team is halfway through the season.”

Both Adams and the team subscribe to the lofty heights of a Big East title. With another year of experience, and a tough early schedule, a team previously defined by youth finds itself one year older and one step closer to postseason success.

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

The Villanovan | 15

SPORTS

Women’s Tennis Falls to Navy, 6-1

Noah Swan Staff Writer The Naval Academy Mids sunk the Villanova women’s tennis team in the Wildcats’ second match of the spring season on Sunday, Jan. 30. The ‘Cats grabbed a sole point in the 6-1 loss moving them to 0-2 early in the season. Navy provided a staunch challenge for the Wildcats, with the Mids moving to 4-0 on the season after the match.

“It was better than our first match,” head coach Steve Reiniger said of the performance. “That’s important. The team played better. Navy is a tough team.”

The doubles points, for the second straight match, were swept by the opponent. At the top spot, the senior duo of Annalise Klopfer and Emily Strande lost by a 6-2 margin, as did the #3 team of Olivia Kapp and Bella Steffen. Emma Brogan and Sabina Grigorian came closer in a 6-4 loss for the senior-freshman combination.

“It was a better showing in doubles,” Reiniger said. “Going forward, we’re not definitely set on the doubles combinations. I’ll probably look at that in the next week or so leading into [our match against] Delaware.”

The early struggles for the doubles teams reflect remnants of uncertainty from the fall season. Reiniger experimented with numerous lineups during the exhibitions, and the third doubles spot seemed ambiguous throughout much of the pre-

season. Klopfer and Strande, as the only senior partnership, need to be the standard-bearers for the doubles performances for the team. Reiniger will look to his leaders in upcoming matches to right the ship in the doubles points.

Despite the doubles woes, Klopfer came away from the match with a dominant straight-set victory over Jillian Taggart to secure Villanova’s one point from the day. A Navy transfer and former Mids team MVP, Klopfer and her early success may be key points in the winning formula for Villanova going forward.

One thing Reiniger stressed about operating in a non-scholarship program among fully backed Big East giants was the importance of strengthening the top end of the lineup. A lack of scholarships can deter some top players, yet Klopfer fell for the Villanova program, providing the ‘Cats with the high-end strength needed to compete throughout the year.

Her 2-0 start at the #1 singles position indicates an early momentum that could signal future success.

Strande fell to 0-2 in singles from the #2 position in a straight-set loss to Kacey Moore. Despite the early struggles, Strande has never ended a season with a losing record. Brogan finished the day with the same seasonto-date record. As the highest-ranking freshman on the team, Brogan deserves more match experience before inducing negative judgments, as her team-best 5-1 record in the exhibitions remains as evidence against her current two-match slate.

Junior Caitlin Fisher fell just

Annalise Klopfer (above) had Villanova’s lone win on Sunday Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

short in a three-set battle with Samantha Johns at the #4 position. The 10-7 margin in the third set illustrates the narrow margins for the junior as Fisher works to rediscover herself from two years ago, when she ran through her competition during her freshman campaign en route to a 15-1 overall record. Her hot start slowed during the sophomore season, where she could muster just three wins in a pandemic-altered season. In her third year, with a win and a narrow loss to her name, Fisher’s prospects for the future seem tentatively bright.

Steffen has cemented herself at the fifth spot in the singles lineup but has yet to find her feet in the new season. A 6-3 record during the previous season evokes both positivity and a small sample size for the sophomore.

A close loss in her first match against Bucknell inspires confidence despite the result at Navy.

Junior Amanda Rivera-Gon-

zalez lost in three sets at the #6 position by a 10-5 score in the third.

After not playing during the previous season, the junior lacks significant match play, despite her age. But, a win in the first match combined with a tight loss signifies an emerging solidity at the tail end of the singles lineup.

Looking ahead, the Wildcats have a slight break before their next match. During the period, the main point of emphasis will be on getting the right doubles teams sorted.

“First focus is to take a look at the doubles combinations and to make sure that the right combinations are there,” Reiniger said of his team’s goals for the following week. “The goal is to get the team prepared for both singles and doubles, and the first priority would be to look at doubles.”

The Wildcats will look to bounce back in their next match against the University of Delaware on Friday, Feb. 11 at noon.

Three Runners Record Sub-Four Minute Miles Jacob Artz Staff Writer The Villanova men’s track and field team traveled to University Park, PA on Saturday to compete in the Sykes and Sabock Challenge, where senior Charlie O’Donovan, junior Sean Dolan and redshirt freshman Liam Murphy all ran the mile in under four minutes.

“The collection between Penn State and us [Villanova], you know, you get a pacemaker in there to keep the race going, so everyone kinda knows before that it’s an attempt at four minutes,” said Villanova head coach Marcus O’Sullivan. “There was enough competitiveness in the field that five guys went under four minutes, and we had three of them.”

Murphy joins O’Donovan and Dolan from the current roster as the 44th member of the sub four-minute club for Villanova men’s track. O’Donovan and Dolan each have two of the top-10 fastest indoor mile times in school history.

“Two weeks ago, he ran a 4:04 at Ocean Breeze,” O’Sullivan said about Murphy. “He finished in 28 seconds for his last 200 out of 4:04, so I felt like there was a lot more room in there for him, but still, to even go from 4:04 to even 4:02 to 3:59, they’re big steps.

You know, it’s different to run 4:04 and then to come run 3:59. So, the training was indicative he could do it, but you still, it’s the maturity. It’s the confidence, and so before the

Sean Dolan (left), Charlie O’Donovan (middle) and Liam Murphy (right) all ran sub-four minute miles.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

race with Liam, I said ‘just don’t get into trouble, just stay off the back of the lead group that was formed.’ There were two groups formed, and I said ‘do as much relaxation and rest as you possibly can to conserve energy,’ and in many ways, that’s the difference of just slipping under four and being just over four.”

The Saturday race at Penn State was a competitive one among the trio, as all three runners were separated by just over two seconds.

O’Donovan bested Dolan and Murphy with a time of 3:57.46 to finish second in the field of 37 runners. O’Donovan was only 0.31 seconds off of the winning time, set by Penn State sophomore Evan Dorenkamp. Dolan finished third in the race, 0.13 seconds behind O’Donovan, with a time

of 3:57.59. Murphy earned a fifth place finish, with a time of 3:59.63.

O’Donovan and Dolan are currently ranked 13th and 15th, respectively, on the season’s NCAA Division I Indoor Qualifying List.

The top 16 declared athletes in each individual event contested at the NCAA Championships will be selected for the national meet in March.

In addition to success in the mile, Villanova had entries in the 600 meters and the 3000 meters.

Junior Miller Anderson impressed again on Saturday, recording the seventh fastest 600 meters time in school history at 1:20.04. The time was a personal record for Anderson and was enough for second place in the heat.

In the 3000 meters, Villanova entered five runners, in-

cluding the trio of senior Josh Phillips, junior Haftu Strintzos and redshirt freshman Jack Jennings, who all registered personal bests and finished in the top 10. Phillips broke the eight-minute barrier for the first time in his career, with a time of 7:59.44, placing him in fourth out of 31 runners. Strintzos finished in sixth place, with a time of 8:00.77, while Jennings placed ninth, with a time of 8:16.22, beating his previous high school personal best by nearly 40 seconds. “[Jennings] went out too hard,” O’Sullivan said. “He got burned on the back end of that race. He’s got a bigger race, I think, if he gets into the right pitched race.”

The other two runners in the 3000 meter race were graduate student Ryan Cutter, who recorded a time of 8:26.11, to finish in 13th place, and senior Ben Seiple, who followed right behind in 14th, with a time of 8:26.31.

The men’s track and field team had to adjust its plans last minute, as Villanova was originally scheduled to compete in the John Thomas Terrier Classic in Boston.

But when Winter Storm Kenan blasted the East Coast, the team switched to the Sykes and Sabock Challenge at Penn State.

After having the weekend off, the women’s team will rejoin the men’s squad as they break into groups and compete at both the Doc Hale Virginia Tech Elite Meet and the Dr. Sander Invitational/ Columbia Challenge in New York next weekend.

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DINING SERVICES

Villanova Dining Services

Tuesday, 2/8/22

recipes from Rufus Estes

Louisiana Cod Fried Eggplant Fritters Scallop Tomatoes Bacon Spinach Fried Corn Pineapple Cream Pie

Tuesday, 2/15/22

recipes from Matthew Raiford

Cocoa Rubbed Fillet Calypso Pork Loin Citrus Candied Potatoes Gullah Rice Chow-Chow Brown Sugar Pound Cake

In celebration of Black History Month, Donahue, Dougherty, & St. Mary’s will feature recipes from renowned Black chefs across the country each Tuesday during dinner!