The Villanovan | Volume 114, Issue 16: September 28, 2022

How To Switch Voter Registration

Lydia McFarlane Co-News Editor

According to Let’s Vote Nova, “Villanova’s mission statement calls for a community of people ‘who seek to nurture a concern for the common good and who share an enthusiasm for the challenge of responsible and productive citizenship.’”

Let’s Vote Nova is a nonpartisan organization that provides information to students about voting and voting registration in Pennsylvania. There are several key races happening during this midterm election in Pennsylvania, including contentious races for governor and Senate.

The deadline to register to vote in PA is Oct. 24. Many students are choosing to register to vote in Pennsylvania rather than voting in their home states because of how important the election in Pennsylvania is.

A frequently asked question by many students from out of state is how to change their voter registration to Pennsylvania. Let’s Vote Nova outlines the process in just a few easy steps.

Students need to visit their home state’s voter registration website. This information can be found only through one’s home state’s voter registration website.

After this, all that is left is filling out the Pennsylvania voter registration form. When filling out the form, make sure to check “new registration” in section three titled “reason.”

For more information, go to the Office of Student Involvement in Dougherty 102, where Let’s Vote Nova is housed. For additional resources and information on voter registration and general voter information, visit visit vote. pa.org.

Villanova Celebrates Second Annual Inclusion Week

Hoops Mania Ticket for Day of Service: Service or Incentive? p.9

Lydia McFarlane Co-News Editor

This past week on campus, Sept. 19-23, was the University’s second annual Inclusion Week. Inclusion Week celebrates and embraces diversity on campus while providing several opportunities for students to learn about different cultures.

Through Inclusion Week, the University spreads awareness of advocacy-based groups on campus. According to the University’s student government website, “The Inclusion Week Initiative aims to create awareness for identity and advocacy-based organizations, identify re-

source centers on campus, promote diversity and inclusion education in and out of the classroom, and build a comfortable environment on campus for students of different backgrounds.”

Inclusion is guided by the pillars of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Dr. Terry Nance is the University’s Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the Chief Diversity Officer and a professor in the Communication department.

“Inclusion Week is a powerful statement about what being a diverse and welcoming campus is all about,” Nance said. “This student-run and student-led initiative touches so many areas

on campus, offering information, insights and inspiration for the whole campus. Cornel West famously said, ‘Justice is what love looks like in public.’ I would say the same thing about Inclusion Week.”

There were several information sessions and events throughout the week to raise awareness for advocacy groups on campus as well as celebrate diversity. There were cultural events and performances, an activities fair and to top it off, free merch. The week ended with an Inclusion Week Carnival on Friday, Sept. 23 from 6-8 p.m. at the Oreo.

In addition to a week full of cultural activities and events, dining services had

special menus to celebrate Inclusion Week. Dining Service’s executive chef Chris Wiseley developed and planned the menus for the week.

“The talented chefs on our team produced meals as diverse as the week we are celebrating,” Wiseley said. “Many featured selections will be incorporated into the regular menu rotation and offered throughout the year.”

The menus included South Asian, Hispanic, Asian, Middle Eastern and African food. The Inclusion Week Committee collaborated with Dining Services to present the Inclusion Week menu to students. Kaitlyn Pinedo, this year’s chair of foods for the

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Villanova Celebrates Family Weekend

Vivi Melkonian Co-Editor-in-Chief

Villanova’s annual Family Weekend took place this past weekend. The festivities began on Friday night with the Inclusion Week Carnival and continued through Sunday morning, culminating in a Family Weekend Mass.

Families traveled from all across the country to any

Members of Congress Visit Campus to Speak with Students p.4

Mullen Center Presents “Men on Boats” p.10

available hotel in the greater Villanova area, booking rooms and preparing to see students.

The first event welcoming families was the Inclusion Week Carnival by the Oreo. The green space was

filled with blow up slides and family-friendly activities. This event also marked the end of Inclusion Week, a weeklong effort hosted by Special Olympics to raise awareness for its upcoming Fall Fest event.

Following the Carnival was the A Capella Showcase in the Connelly Center. All eight a capella groups performed: Haveners, Mea-

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CUP OF JOE: Cancel Classes on Election Day p.5

Chinese Department’s Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration p. 12

Satire: The Most Luxurious Spot on Campus p.6

Football Looks to End Two-Game Skid vs Maine p.15

Dining Needs Help With Sustainability p.8

Women’s Soccer Opens Conference Play With Shutout p.17

Inclusion Week celebrates and embraces diversity on campus while providing opportunities for students to learn about different cultures.

Natalie Zickel/ Villanovan Photography

Families tailgate on Mendel Field before the football game. Lydia McFarlane/ Villanovan Photography

COLIN BEAZLEY

VIVI MELKONIAN

TINA

CATE McCUSKER

RACHEL REINIGER

SARAH SWEENEY

SARAH WISNIEWSKI

LYDIA McFARLANE

A.J. FEZZA

ELENA ROUSE CHLOE MILLER

MATTHEW RYAN MEGHANN MORHARDT MOLLY BAKER

OLIVIA PASQUALE

MICHAEL BRADLEY DEENA LEH

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PUBLIC SAFETY BLOTTER

Unauthorized Use of Motor Vehicle

September 23, L-2 SURFACE PARKING LOT

A female resident student reported that her vehicle was taken by her estranged father without her permission.

Liquor Underage/ Public Drunkenness September 24, CAUGHLIN HALL

A male resident student, under the age of 21, was found intoxicated in public, evaluated by VEMS, and released to a sober roommate.

Liquor Underage/ Public Drunkenness September 24, KATHERINE HALL

One male resident student, under the age of 21, was found intoxicated in public, evaluated by VEMS, and released to a sober party.

CORRECTIONS

Disorderly Conduct/ Public Drunkenness

September 24, SOUTH CAMPUS GROUNDS

An unaffiliated adult female was found to be intox icated in public and acting disorderly.

Liquor Underage/ Public Drunkenness

September 25, GOOD COUNSEL HALL

A male resident student, under the age of 21, was evaluated for alcohol intoxication and released.

Liquor Underage/ Public Drunkenness September 25, GOOD COUNSEL HALL

A male resident student, under the age of 21, was evaluated for alcohol intoxication and released.

Liquor Underage/ Public Drunkenness

September 25, GOOD COUNSEL HALL

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

Disorderly Conduct/ Criminal Trespass/ Public Drunkenness

September 25, MAIN CAMPUS GROUNDS

A male visitor appeared in public while intoxicated and displayed disorderly behavior after being con tacted about his presence in a campus residence hall.

Criminal Mischief

September 26, SULLIVAN HALL

An RA discovered damage to the four soap dis pensers in the men’s bathroom on the second floor in Sullivan Hall.

Disorderly Conduct

September 26, A-2 PAVILION REAR LOT

A male resident student acted in a disorderly man ner after receiving a parking citation.

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.

villanovan.eic@gmail.com

committee, helped to select the re gions that the menu would represent. Wiseley worked with Chef Nutrition ist Gail Mitchell to research recipes and source ingredients to create the variety of dishes represented in the menu.

“As a team, we enjoyed work ing with Kaitlyn, and would love the opportunity to work with other Uni versity Committees to showcase their uniqueness through food,” Wiseley said.

Students enjoyed the multi cultural food options throughout the week. Junior Jordan Mastrodomenico tried several of the Inclusion Week Menu dishes while getting dinner at St. Mary’s Hall throughout the week.

“The options were much more varied than they usually are,” she said. “It was good to eat foods that incorporate ingredients that are commonly used in dishes from other cultures.”

Since Inclusion Week is student-driven, many student organi zations as well as individual students took the celebration into their own hands. In Bartley Hall, students drew murals on the chalk walls in honor of Inclusion Week. Alice Ke was one of the students who participated in the drawing of the murals. She has done several chalk murals in the past, including ones for #StopAAPIHate, International Education Week and VSB’s 100th year Anniversary. VSB’s Office of DEI reached out to Ke to

create an Inclusion Week mural. Ke, along with Zakiya Newton and Dr. Aronte Bennett, collaborated to create an idea for the mural that would celebrate and promote the events of Inclusion Week as well as allow the community to participate in the mu ral.

“With the mural we are hoping to recognize and appreciate the things that the community does that makes students feel included while also acknowledging that there will always be room to improve,” Ke said. “With the photo frame on the left hand side that reads, ‘The Future is Inclusive,’ we hope that students will pledge to be a part of the future of an inclusive community at VSB, Villano va and beyond.”

Inclusion Week was a great celebration of diversity and advo cacy at the University. For updates on next year’s Inclusion Week and photos from this year’s, go to Inclu sion Week’s Instagram: @novainclu sionweek. As SGA has on its website, “Through the power of education and celebration, Inclusion Week is a time to grow individually and as a community.”

“Inclusion Week to me signi fies Villanova’s recognition and cel ebration of the diverse backgrounds that the student body comes from, alongside all of the student organiza tions that make these students feel like they have a place on this campus,” Ke said.

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-sure Up, Minor Problem, Nothing But Treble, Sirens, Spires, Super novas and Vocal Minority. Junior Kayla Verga, a member of Sirens, was proud of the result.

“It was such a welcoming and exciting environment that was able to showcase to our parents the surplus of talent that each group possesses,” Verga said.

Following the showcase was Food Trucks on Rowen Campus Green.

Saturday morning began early with the Junior Ring Bless ing, a long-standing Villanova tradition. Junior Victoria Dattilo spoke about her experience.

“We listened to students speak about the importance of the ring, and how it represents a con stant memory of our time here,” Dattilo said. “It reminded me of why I chose to come here and how my time being here will never be forgotten.”

Junior Maggie Graw was glad her parents could witness her ring blessing, as they are proud of their own school rings.

“Both of my parents still have and wear their school rings, so it was special to celebrate receiving mine with them,” Graw said.

The Junior Ring Ceremony was followed by the Multicultur al Student and Family Weekend Reception and the Tailgate on the Green. Junior Victoria Margenat attended with friends and their families.

“I thought it was really cool how so many people were there and getting into it,” Margenat said. “Last year, we honestly did not realize how big the tailgate would be and didn’t do anything, but I am super happy we were able to get a tent and hang out this time. I really enjoyed getting to know my friends' families and running into people who had tents around ours.”

The tailgate was followed by a football game, where Villano va played Monmouth.

Although the Wildcats lost 49-42 to the Hawks, the stands were packed and the energy and excitement of the weekend carried on regardless.

The final event was “An Evening with Colin Jost'' in Fin neran Pavilion.

Comedian Alexander En glish opened the show, followed by Jost at 9:45. Jost did an hour-long set and joked with students about the Villanova-unique pronuncia tion of “Augustine.”

Sunday morning began with the Senior Breakfast for the Class of 2023 on the Rowen Cam pus Green. Senior Marika Yang thought it was the ideal end to the weekend, and, to her four years at Villanova.

“The senior breakfast felt to me like a symbolic event where I was able to share a component of the culmination of my time at Villanova with my parents,” Yang said. “I loved being able to see other people from the class of 2023 with their families and how far we all have come.”

The final event was a Fami ly Weekend Mass in St. Thomas of Villanova Church. Junior Rachel Stanton attended the event with her family.

“It was my mom’s favorite part,” Stanton said. “The Mass on Sunday was a perfect way to wrap up Family Weekend. It was incred ible to share the Villanova com munity with our parents and loved ones.”

Some parents packed up cars while others headed to the airport. Students sulked back to their rooms and caught up on homework, yet looked back on the weekend with fondness.

Many are looking forward to seeing their families soon, as the upcoming Fall Break is just two weeks away.

In the September 21 edition, an article titled “Black Student Union Hosts Black-to-School Cookout” was published. The article stated that the Black Stu dent Union was the sole host of the cookout, when the cookout was a collaborative effort between several Black organizations on campus. The article also refers to a student by she/her pronouns, they use they/them pronouns. The article has been updated to reflect these changes online.

In Bartley Hall, students drew murals on the chalk walls in honor of Inclusion Week.

Courtesy of @novainclusionweek/ Instagram

Armenian Students Organization Promotes Peace

Arden West Staff Writer

This past Thursday, the Armenian Students Organization (ASO) called on Villanovans to take action in response to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict that flared up on Sept. 12, when Azerbaijan attacked Armenian air defense and artillery. Armenian spokespeople report that 135 of their service members were killed and six civilians were wounded. Azerbaijan claims its actions were “retaliatory measures” and that 77 of its service members were killed. The United Nations brokered a cease-fire that started at 8 p.m. local time last Wednesday night. However, the situation remains extremely tense, especially at the border.

“The intention of our event was to inform the greater community about what’s happening in Armenia and to provide them with ways to contribute to peace efforts,” said ASO Secretary, sophomore Isabella Bailain. “As a part of the Armenian Students Organization, we believe it’s imperative that Villanova students take interest in international crises and human rights violations, and that when possible, we can educate ourselves on ways to uphold our Augustinian values of truth, unity and love, and the way that those values have an important place in our activism.”

The table at Connelly Cen-

ter’s main feature was a flier that contained a QR code to a petition form on the March to Justice website. It allowed students to call on their representatives to “restrict military aid to Azerbaijan in light of new unprovoked strikes against Armenia.”

Connecting to the national level, the organization hopes to get House Resolution 1351, titled: “Condemning Azerbaijan’s unprovoked military attack on Armenia” passed. The bill was introduced by the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Sept. 14, and it is sponsored by California representative Adam Schiff.

“Our event’s purpose was not only to invigorate support for Armenia, a religious minority in the Middle East, who is being attacked by a close ally of a nation—who to this day— denies committing genocide against our people, but to also educate them and provide resources for their continued interest in the often ignored region of the world,” explained ASO Vice President, junior Taleen Postian.

“of the 70 fliers [they] handed out on Thursday, each included resources for students to learn more about Armenian issues and starting points for them to conduct their own research on the conflict. Our message is a call to empathy and a call to action. We do not want your pity without effort, we do not want prayers without concrete change.”

Members of ASO also mentioned how most people at the University do not even know that an

Armenian Students Organization exists on campus, and they might not even know that Armenia exists, let alone what’s happening in Artsakh and the prolonged humanitarian crisis that has taken place. To combat this unawareness, ASO hosts countless activities and events around the year ranging from member dinners with Armenian mezzeh, khorovats, Armenian barbecue, lemejoon, Armenian pizza sales, genocide recognition events and various petitions.

“We also believe it’s important to pay attention to America’s contribution to international crises, as we do play a larger role than what is visible to citizens on the surface,” Bailan said.

Her point could not be further proven by this situation. Recently, Speaker Nancy Pelosi sparked intense controversy when she visited Armenia to demonstrate support for the country and to say that the violence “was initiated by the Azeris.” While some argue that Speaker Pelosi traveled to Armenia solely to model the diplomatic strength of the United States House, the issue is even more complex since Armenians have historically been backed by Russia, and Azerbaijan has received support from Turkey—a country in NATO.

To many Villanovans, this conflict, along with many other complicated ones in the East, seem non-existent because of physical distance and lack of connection to the region. However, to many of our

peers here, Armenia is home.

“It is very difficult spending hours talking at your fellow students to no avail,’’ Postian said. “Saying, ‘would you like to take action to prevent genocide?’ And hearing a mumbled ‘no’ in response is not only depressing, it’s aggravating. We are meant to be immersed in the teachings of Augustinian tradition and values at Villanova. We as Armenians are yelling the truth, and apathetic responses are not demonstrative of the traits we have had ingrained in us since freshman year. We as Armenians ask you to do better. All we want is that you start by listening and opening up your mind to learning.”

Colin Jost Provides Comic Relief at Parents Weekend

Katie Reed News Columnist

This past weekend, loved ones traveled from near and far to spend time with their favorite Villanovans for the annual Family Weekend at the University. On Saturday, Sept. 24, families attended events such as the Junior Ring Blessing, the Tailgate on the Green and the football game played against Monmouth, with the closing event that day being “An Evening with Colin Jost,” a comedy show at 9 p.m. in the Finneran Pavilion.

Villanovans and their families may recognize Jost from Saturday Night Live (SNL), where he has been a writer for 17 years and the co-anchor of the “Weekend Update” segment alongside Michael Che for eight years, or better yet, as the husband of Scarlett Johansson.

Alex English, a fellow member of SNL who is starting his second season as a writer for the show, opened for Jost at the event. His jokes ranged from poking fun at the University as a predominantly white institution, to the death of the queen, to therapy, to homophobia in the barber shop, as he delivered a provocative punch line and then watched the audience’s reactions, as many were seated in between their parents.

“I thought [English] was pretty funny,” senior Sofi a Sim said. “I think he was pretty bold.”

Though English did get some laughs, some of his jokes were a little uncomfortable.

“Overall, I don’t believe Alex English read the audience well,” senior Morgan Torre said.

“While some of his jokes had the potential to be funny, sitting between my parents…[it] wasn’t necessarily the most comfortable experience.”

When it came to Jost, people seemed to enjoy his performance, especially the jokes that were specifi c to the University or common college experiences. For instance, Jost name-dropped and critiqued a few key locations on campus, like Spit, Pit, Sheehan, Sullivan and the Oreo.

“Colin Jost was funnier than I expected him to be,” senior Fiona Gavin said. “I thought it was really funny when he couldn’t pronounce St. Augustine’s name and the audience corrected him, because that was very on brand for Villanova.”

“I thought Colin was funny,” Sim echoed. “I’ve seen him on the Weekend Update, and I like that, so I was excited to see his stand-up. I liked how he laughed at some of his own jokes, it made the environment less awkward and showed how it was supposed to be fun.”

Sim also mentioned a couple of her favorite jokes of the night.

“I really enjoyed Colin’s joke about roommates and how one would try to be quiet but actually was very loud,” Sim said. “I also found his joke about buying a whole chicken to be funny and something college kids can relate to.”

Both comedians capitalized on the fact that it was Family Weekend, so many of the jokes were a little more risqué to add more humor to the situation.

“I was sitting between my roommate and my sister during the performance, so luckily I didn’t have to feel any awkwardness when it came to certain jokes and my parents,” Gavin said. “My family was defi nitely entertained by his jokes, and my parents are big SNL fans, so they were excited to see him.”

“It was fun to get to share some of the jokes with my family and friends,” Sim said. “It’s fun that diff erent class years and families were there to create a shared experience. Other jokes were a little awkward to hear in front of my parents.”

However, many also off ered pertinent and powerful critiques of Jost’s performance.

“I wish he had been a bit more prepared in terms of knowing about Villanova,” Gavin said.

“Freshman year, John Mulaney found a copy of The Villanovan and used it to get most of his material for his performance, and I think that went over so well because everyone in the audience could enjoy his jokes. Also, can’t say I appreciated his jokes about the R word or his continuous use of the word.”

“Colin Jost had some good moments, but I also didn’t feel like he was super prepared,” Torre said, emphasizing Gavin’s thoughts and alluding to the way that Jost kept looking down at notes. “Villanova’s whiteness remains the butt of jokes, raising the question, when will we stop laughing and start acting?”

Season 50 of SNL premieres this week, so tune in to see if Villanova makes it onto Weekend Update.

The University hosted “An Evening with Colin Jost” on Saturday night.

Courtesy of Getty Images

Students tabeled for Armenia. Courtesy of @villanovan.armenians

Members of Congress Visit Campus to Speak with Students

Isabella Balian Staff Writer

Last week, Villanova Democrats hosted Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon and Congressman Joseph Neguse on campus to facilitate a discussion regarding issues that matter to them and their experiences in Congress. The event began with brief introductions, followed by a discussion of a wide range of topics and ending with a Q&A session where students were able to hear directly from the representatives.

Congresswoman Scanlon represents Pennsylvania’s 5th District and has a long history of advocating for children and families from her time as a pro bono attorney to her time serving in Congress. Some of her main advocacy areas include voting rights, common sense gun reform, education and combating hunger. Scanlon serves on many caucuses, some including LGBT Equality Caucus, Black Maternal Health Caucus, Women in STEM Caucus and many more. Additionally, she serves on the House Judiciary Committee, the House Committee on Rules, and she is the Vice Chair of the House Administration Committee.

Congressman Neguse represents Colorado’s 2nd District. Prior to serving in Congress, he was a member of the University of Colorado’s Board of Regents. He made history when elected in 2018 as the fi rst African American member of Congress in Colorado’s history.

Some of his most passionate areas of interest include fostering a more aff ordable college education, economic opportunity for all, green energy and environmental protection. Representative Neguse serves on many committees and caucuses including the House Judiciary Committee, the House Natural Resources Committee, the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus and the ProChoice Caucus. Neguse is also a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, which is dedicated to ensuring that African Amer-

Majors Fair Preview

Katie Reed News Columnist

Now that Villanovans have made it through nearly a month of classes and adjusting to being back on campus, it is time to turn their attention toward the annual Class of Liberal Arts and Sciences Majors and Minors Fair and, if they haven’t already declared, start thinking about what they are passionate about studying.

Senior Julia Micklo is running the event, which will be held this upcoming Friday, Sept. 30 from 1-4 p.m. She has been working alongside the Majors Fair Committee to ensure that it will be successful and enjoyable for students.

“[The Majors Fair Committee] is a small group of students who work, with the help of our faculty advisor Andy Bove, to decide on theming, location, booking outside vendors and communication with all CLAS departments to put the event on,” Micklo said. “We have a great team, and I am so happy to be working with them all.”

The fair will take place around the Oreo should the weather cooperate, but if it does not, the rain location is set to be

the Villanova Room in Connelly Center.

Additionally, the theme this year is “Choosing a Major Has Never Been So Sweet,” so students who attend the fair can expect to see and enjoy plenty of treats, such as ice cream.

It can be overwhelming to think about picking a major or deciding what one wants to do with four years at the University, but there are many great options available to Villanovans that can help them narrow down their interests. Micklo encouraged students to have a positive mindset and to start taking the time to consider those options.

“Come with an open mind and make the most of it,” Micklo said. “This is a great opportunity to start finding your unique academic path.”

Overall, the Majors Fair presents an engaging environment full of students and faculty who care deeply about the disciplines they are there to talk about, so if one has any questions or wants advice on what majors or minors best suit their interests, be sure to stop by the fair. Students from all grades are encouraged to participate in the fair. Be sure to take advantage of this time, since the fair only happens once in the Fall sememster.

Come for the treats, and stay for meaningful conversations.

icans and other marginalized communities in the United States have the opportunity to achieve the American Dream.

Neguse told the students about how his parents immigrated to the United States from Eritrea 40 years ago. He discussed the way in which his parents’ history has led him to be an active participant in democracy and give back to his community through public service. Scanlon and Neguse discussed their joint service and work in the House Judiciary Committee, which put them at the forefront of the many critical challenges facing our democracy today.

When asked about the importance of diversity within Congress, both Neguse and Scanlon expressed their belief that a diverse and inclusive body of Congress provides the chance for more success.

They stated that a diverse Congress allows attention to be directed to a larger range of issues, and gives light to ideological diversities even within the Democratic group. Scanlon brought up the Black Maternal Health Coalition and the way it fostered a larger range of attention to lots of diff erent communities. The Black Maternal Health Caucus is organized around the goals of elevating the Black maternal health crisis within Congress and advancing policy solutions to improve maternal health outcomes and end disparities.

The session ended with Neguse posing a question to students. He asked what college students considered the most important political issues polarizing the country.

Students responded with a variety of answers, including the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade, forgiving student debt and issues surrounding gun violence.

Both Neguse and Scanlon ended by giving the students a piece of advice: they encouraged the students to advocate for public policy change by becoming passionate about political and social issues and making the most of opportunities at the University.

Law School Fair

Julia Butch Staff Writer

Aspiring law students met virtually with more than 50 law schools and LSAT prep companies last week, as the University hosted a virtual law school fair.

Admissions recruiters from schools such as Duke Law, Boston College Law, Liberty University Law School and many more answered questions from students in one-onone sessions and group information sessions. Students also had the chance to speak with the directors of elite prep companies such as The Princeton Review and TestMax.

“The opportunity for students who are interested in attending law school to participate in law school fairs is one not to miss,” said Kate Szumanski, Director of Professional Development in the Office for Undergraduate Students (OUS) in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “Meeting one-on-one or in small groups with representatives from law schools allows students to ask questions and learn more about specific schools beyond information that can be found online or in printed ad-

missions materials. I advise students contemplating applying to law school to attend law school fairs to get their questions answered, and to explore schools that might not have been on their short lists.”

Many recruiters also offered fee waivers for applicants to fair participants.

“This is incredibly advantageous for students seeking to save some money,” Szumanski said. “And let’s face it, most students want and need to save money wherever and whenever they can.”

Alex Karlesses, Assistant Director of Career Development and Pre-Law Advising, says that although law school fairs are not unique to Villanova, she is “truly impressed by just how many law schools wish to speak to Villanova students alone. Our fair draws a similar number of schools as an entire regional fair, which I believe speaks to the reputation of Villanova students and how eager law schools are to speak with them.”

“Law school applications are competitive by nature, so any chance that you have to speak with an admissions representative, and one-on-one no less, will be important,” she added.

Congressman Neguse represents Colorado’s 2nd District and visited the University to discuss political issues. Courtesy of Franmarie Metzler

Congresswoman Scanlon has hosted discussion tables on campus in the past. U.S. House Office of Photography

OPINION

CUP OF JOE: Cancel Classes on Election Day

Joe Adams Opinion Columnist

Nova Nation, it is almost time for one of the most important days of the year: Election Day. Although we are not voting for a new president, this election is still extremely critical to see what kinds of legislation will be passed on both the federal and state level. In Pennsylvania, besides voting for our local Congressperson, we will also be voting for a new Senator and Governor. But for many, being able to vote might be a challenge this year.

It is no secret that Villanova students are extremely busy. Whether it is classes, internships, club meetings or just homework, we do not have a lot of free time. In an election that is so important, I wondered why we even have classes on Election Day.

Perhaps we should not have class at all on Election Day — period. No questions asked. Midterm elections come once every two years, and presidential elections come once every four years. It is not a lot to ask for classes to be off on these significant days, as we are deciding the outcome of our futures.

Many states give employees time off from work on Election Day to go to the polls and perform their civic duty. Nationwide, students have been pushing for years to have the day off to focus on the election. Not only would it be beneficial during the day to be able to vote, but having time

at night to actually watch the results and see what the future holds is also important.

According to a survey conducted by YouGov, in 2016, 47% of college students did not vote because they were “too busy or had a conflict.” This is extremely problematic and troubling to read, and it made me passionate about learning more on this matter.

Hally Ammons, the Assistant Director for Government & Community Relations at Villanova who is involved with the “Let’s Vote Nova” initiative, has been critical for voter registration at Villanova. I spoke to her to see if I could gain any more insight into the role that voting plays on Villanova’s campus. According to Ammons, Let’s Vote Nova was started a few years back.

“Let’s Vote Nova serves as a central, non-partisan, civic engagement initiative to provide Villanova students with timely and accurate information on voter registration and election information,” Ammons said. “During the presidential election of 2020, Let’s Vote Nova was critical in voter education, registration and mobilization for Villanova students.”

Ammons also spoke about the importance of registering to vote, especially if a student decides to vote in Pennsylvania.

“Villanova is currently divided into four voting wards,” Ammons said. “This means that students may have to change their address and

re-register to vote each time they move from one residence hall to another – or off campus. Let’s Vote Nova volunteers can help students by checking their registration status and ensuring their registration forms are filled out correctly.”

Finally, Ammons talked about Election Day in Pennsylvania and having a plan to vote.

“The deadline to register in Pennsylvania is Oct. 24, and the general election is Nov. 8,” Ammons said. “Registration deadlines vary from state to state, so be sure to use the resources available on Let’s Vote Nova’s website to check deadlines around the country. Shuttles will be departing from Connelly Circle to polling places and volunteers will be present to help students confirm their registration status and polling place location.”

Ammons made it clear that voting for Villanova students was an easy process, but I wanted to find out more about whether having no class on Election Day was a probable idea.

I reached out to Allyson Levin, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication, who teaches Media & Politics this semester, to see what she thought about the matter.

“Faculty have an exciting opportunity to encourage their students to engage in the political process by having conversations about the importance of civic engagement and its relevance to our courses, as well as directing students to on-campus

resources such as Let’s Vote Nova,” Levin said. “Villanova’s campus is split into four different polling places, all of which are off-campus. Let’s Vote Nova has produced useful materials to help students navigate voting and provides free-of-cost shuttles to assist with getting students to the polls on Election Day.”

Levin also shared her thoughts on changing class schedules around for Election Day and offered a slightly different approach than canceling classes altogether.

“Faculty may wish to consider an alternative class option on Election Day to help make it as easy as possible for students to vote,” she said. “I am not advocating for all classes to be canceled but have merely invited others to consider alternative class options, such as a recorded class or alternative assignment.”

This is key in the argument against canceling classes altogether on Election Day. I think that if students are given time to vote outside of class and are able to complete an assignment or watch a shorter lecture on their own, while not having to worry about attending class that day, it would be a great way to meet in the middle and have both professors and students get what they want.

It is time for the University to step it up and demonstrate that the 2022 Midterm Election holds the same importance as a class session. Now is the time to act and set a precedent for future elections to come.

Colin’s Comedy Set Was Jost What This Weekend Needed

Carter Smith Staff Writer

I was hyped going into Family Weekend. Even though my parents were not making the trip out from Washington this year, there was going to be a lot to do. Listening to and performing at the a cappella showcase on Friday night was bound to be a blast, and surely the football team would hand a sizable “L” to Monmouth University, a school that my friends and I had never heard of before.

But there was something I was looking forward to even more than both of those things: An Evening With Colin Jost. One of my favorite comedians was coming to my school, and I got a good seat. To say I was excited would be an understatement.

The a cappella showcase went pretty well and the football game went less well, so it would come down to Jost’s comedy show to make this weekend truly stand-out for me.

And I was not disappointed.

Alex English, the opener and one of Jost’s fellow Saturday Night Live writers, owned his time on the stage. Even though much of the audience likely could not relate to his life experiences as a gay, Black man, which formed the basis of much of his material, he packaged and presented those experiences in such a way that everybody could get something from it and laugh along with him.

His perspective is one that we do not hear from often at Villanova or in comedy in general, and through his easily-followable style, we were able to

hear more about it.

The length of his set was perfect. He had enough time to get his points across and deliver a complete set, while not staying up so long as to out-stay his welcome as an opener.

When Jost started out with the “Vanilla-nova” joke, I knew his set was going to be great. He made jokes about the same things we joke about as Villanova students: the absurdity of calling our dining halls “Pit” and “Spit,” the ordinariness of the name of our basketball arena and how unfortunate it must be for the sculptor of “The Awakening” to have his statue be downgraded to cookie status (“The Oreo”). Those jokes were nice to hear and helped audience members less-familiar with Jost understand his style of stand-up with a familiar topic.

Content-wise, it was clear Jost knew his audience and was not just relying on previous material. As one who watches Saturday Night Live and

his stand-up and has read his book “A Very Punchable Face,” I knew a couple of the stories he told already, such as the pot cookie and his experience as a Russian language major. However, hearing the stories again straight from his mouth and in a stand-up context was no less amusing.

On top of the Villanova-related jokes, taking cracks at certain majors, opening up for audience questions and telling stories like “the roommate” showed to me that he took the time to get to know his audience and develop a set for us. Even if we were “just another gig,” it did not feel like that as a listener.

Jost’s style as more of a storyteller comic had no trouble keeping my interest and that of the audience throughout his set. Along with narrating stories relevant to the parents and students, it was easy to identify with him while bawling at the hilarity of the situations he has found himself in.

Both English and Jost’s sets were a lot more risqué than I thought they were going to be. On Weekend Update and in his normal sets, Jost does not often touch on the most controversial topics, but some of his stories can go to places that I would not describe as school-appropriate.

I cannot speak for English’s work because I have never seen or heard him do stand-up, but I was a little worried that the university would restrict certain topics and force both comics into censoring their material. I am so glad I was wrong.

When English detailed his sexual experiences and Jost targeted Catholicism or said something was “pitch black…so the opposite of Villanova,” I felt the uncomfortable energy permeate the arena with a tide of nervous “oohs.” It’s hard to do comedy and not make some people uncomfortable, but I think both comedians did a good job with walking the line. Some risqué statements and jokes were made, but it was clear to me that they were in good fun and not meant to insult or cause controversy.

Those mixed reactions and nervous laughs, along with both comedians acknowledging the questionable nature of what they said made the night for me. I would not have enjoyed the event as much if they were forced to sanitize their sets, it would have seemed much less genuine.

Overall, seeing one of my favorite comedians do stand-up at Villanova with an amazing opener has been one of the highlights of my year thus far. Jost was what this weekend needed.

Colin Jost of SNL fame performed a stand-up routine at Finneran Pavilion on Sep. 24. Courtesy of @novanationer

Satire: The Most Luxurious Spot on Campus

Isabella Ledet Staff Writer

Nothing says “Welcome to Villanova” like living in its dingiest corner — the little white houses that comprise most of what is known as “fresh-main.”

Those who have not earned this high distinction and must face living in Fedigan Hall can, for all intents and purposes, ignore this article.

Those little houses are what make up the real fresh-main, and let me just say, what a luxurious spot. The picturesque views of busy Lancaster Avenue and the dingy backside of CampCo are simply breathtaking, and if that is still not enough, the orange caution tape of a construction zone completes the lovely spectacle. Occasionally, one may even be able to catch a glimpse of a random man in a brightly col ored vest chopping down a 100-foot tall pine tree in the middle of a snow storm. And for even more spectac ular outdoor entertainment, watch the largest dump trucks and front loaders the world has ever known move in progressions of inches, interrupted by incessant beeping. Really, the outdoor entertainment is ceaseless.

If the views from the win dows are not enough to sell The Cluster of White Houses, just hear of how to arrive there. There is absolutely no car access, so one must use the bumpy, virtually unlit walk

way through the heart of the CEER construction zone. That’s right, not even Public Safety can get through. And, for an extra luxurious finish, the path is almost always covered in muddy sludge from the construction zone, much like a red carpet. What a beautiful way to be welcomed home each evening.

Still not sold? How about mold? Nothing says “fresh-main” like “polluted-air.” Simply enter the laundry room on the second floor of O’Dwyer Hall and inhale for a high

er likelihood of future lung disease. And if that is not stinky enough for one’s liking, the dumpsters right out side the front door of Simpson Hall will certainly do the trick. In fact, since no car access is allowed to this ideal location. No garbage trucks are allowed either. Simply wait around, and one will surely spot the tiny golf-cart-like garbage vehicle that is slightly too big to pass anyone on the muddy path. That thing has all of the delightful smells, with the extra upgraded stench of exhaust.

Tolentine Hall and CEER are just out the back door, and if this walk appears easy and hassle-free, that would be a false notion. Cut ting through the construction site is prohibited, the main reason being the giant pit of dirt. Instead, one must walk nearly to the church, cut through the grass, and loop all the way back around to get to Tolentine or CEER. Have no fear about being just shy of daily step goals, as this surprisingly time-sucking walk will certainly help achieve them.

It truly is a wonder that Vil lanova does not send all of the fresh men to live in this lap of luxury. In fact, the inhabitants of The Cluster of White Houses are almost always forgotten, despite the fact that nearly every room is tripled. Have a light that does not work? Fill out a main tenance request and watch it remain unfulfilled for the entire duration of the year. Want the bathrooms to be cleaned? There is only one custodian, and he is not allowed in the women’s restrooms. And finally, want some food from the Villanova meal plan? Take a 10 minute hike to Pit where there is a singular open station, while friends at Spit enjoy a wide array of gourmet options. Late night? What on Earth is that?

I would not trade my expe rience living in fresh-main last year for anything, except maybe having the opportunity to live on South Campus last year. And I ask of all the students living at this institution: do not neglect those dwelling in The Cluster of White Houses.

When Will Racial Preferences in College Admissions End?

Chad Woerner Staff Writer

Beginning Oct. 31, the Supreme Court will begin to hear arguments from Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fel lows of Harvard College. Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), a non-profit comprising more than 20,000 students, is suing Harvard and the University of North Car olina at Chapel Hill (UNC) on allegations that they have violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by considering race as a factor in admissions.

Title VI of the US Consti tution reads that “No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

Harvard and UNC are sub ject to Title VI because they both receive federal funds. However, the consideration of race as a factor in college admissions has been con sidered legal for decades, according to court precedent.

A key question in the case that SFFA is rightly proposing to the Supreme Court is whether or not Grutter v. Bollinger should be overturned. Grutter v. Bollinger is a 2003 case which established the precedent that admissions decisions involving race are legal under the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment so long as race is not

used as the sole deciding factor.

SFFA is also asking why UNC’s admission policies are not considered obvious violations of Title VI and how Harvard’s racial preferences are not a violation of the ban on racial quotas in univer sity admissions (made illegal in the 1973 case Regents of the Universi ty of California v. Bakke).

The data from admission files at Harvard showing that the university desires to achieve a par ticular racial makeup is extremely compelling. From 2014 to 2019, compared to other racial groups, Asian-American applicants to Harvard had significantly high er average ratings for test scores, grades and extracurricular activ ities. Yet they ranked among the bottom for their personal score, which is intended to evaluate soft qualities such as kindness, humor or respect. SFFA’s analysis showed that even though Asian American students were the most qualified applicants, they had the lowest chance of admission of any racial group. Duke Economics Professor Peter Arcidiacono has testified that according to the admission data, should an Asian applicant have the test scores, scores and extracur ricular activities that would give them a 25% chance of admission, a Black applicant with the same qualifications would have a 95% chance of admission.

Arcidiacono also found through evaluation of nearly 60,000 UNC applicants, in-state Black applicants were 33 times more likely to be admitted than

in-state Asian applicants of com parable qualifications. Out-of-state Black applicants were 10 times more likely to be admitted than similarly situated whites. Such admission benefits were also shown in Hispanic students compared to Asian and white students. In violation of Title VI, UNC has admitted to recruiting low-income and first-generation students as a means to achieve “adequate” racial representation.

SFFA is not only right to ar gue that race preferences in admis sions are illegal, but that they are also impractical. Race-conscious admission policies are not only unfair to deserving and qualified students that are denied admission due to their race, but they also tend to hurt minority groups by placing less-qualified students among a more-competitive admitted class merely to fit racial quotas.

After the elimination of racial preferences at UCLA in 1998, while the number of Black and Hispanic students fell on campus in the following years, the number of them ultimately grad uating remained the same. This was possible because UCLA was admitting better-matched Black and Hispanic applicants than their previous counterparts who had lower qualifications but still got in due to racial preference.

Moreover, doing away with racial preference does not have to mean doing away with the recruit ment of a diverse student body. Universities should still be selecting students who bring a variety of

different ideas and experiences to contribute to an intellectually-ro bust university environment.

The majority of Americans agree with the concerns that SFFA brings to the court. According to a Pew Research Survey conducted in 2019, 73% of Americans be lieve race should not be considered when universities make admissions decisions.

The Supreme Court is also in a prime position to overturn Grutter v. Bollinger. While newly appointed Judges Neil Gorsuch (appointed 2017), Brett Kava naugh (2018) and Amy Coney Barett (2020) have never ruled on cases involving affirmative action, it would be difficult to imagine them siding with precedent, given the judicial views each of them bring to the court. Gorsuch is a strict constitutionalist, Kavanaugh assisted the Bush administration in their stance against the use of affirmative action at the University of Michigan, and Barrett attributes much of her inspiration to justices that have previously voted against upholding race-conscious admis sion practices.

After SFFA begins to pres ent its case at the end of October, the court will continue to hear arguments in the following months. A failure for the court to side with SFFA in early 2023 would continue to fuel the hyper-focus on race in higher education and lead to more missed opportunities for thousands of perfectly qualified applicants whose talent is being turned away in the name of racial diversity.

O’Dwyer Hall is one of three freshmen residence halls referred to as “fresh-main.”

Courtesy of Isabella Ledet

Villanova Must Do Better For Gluten-Intolerant Students

Leah Cardinale Staff Writer

Students who are gluten-intolerant on campus are calling for reform after the Freshmen Leadership Communitas Dinner held on Sept. 7. The event celebrated the start of the academic year as a learning community with a gourmet buff et and a special guest speaker, but dinner proved disastrous for freshmen Karissa Shamah and Julianna Petrelli. “I would characterize it as uneducated,” Shamah said. “It took us six people to fi nd out what we could and could not eat.”

The dinner was supposed to be a change of pace from the regular dining hall food, but when the pair went to make their plate, they were told to eat salad.

“It was terrible,” Petrelli said. “A guy was telling us to eat pasta that was not gluten-free and when we asked another worker about it, they said ‘we don’t know, just eat salad. Six people told us all the wrong information and we didn’t know what we could eat, so we fi nally decided to fi nd the Head of Dining Services and ask. The pasta wasn’t gluten-free.”

Both students have severe gluten intolerances, but for people with Celiac disease, these mistakes are potentially life-threatening. Mislabeling or not labeling gluten allergens altogether is common for dining halls on campus.

“In Spit, signs will say gluten-free, and when you ask, it’s not,” Petrelli said. “I get a ‘Thanks for catching that,’ but mislabeling is no joke. You aren’t the one experiencing the digestive discomfort.”

There are people in the dining halls willing to help, but according to Shamah, it is hit-ormiss.

“You’ll fi nd opposites,” Shamah said. “Some people want

to learn and help you and will bend over backwards to get you the food you need, whereas other people don’t want to help.”

As someone with a more common allergy to peanuts and tree-nuts, I sympathize with my friends. Unlike them, I don’t have to wait 30 extra minutes for my food to be made in the dining hall.

“If I want something like a sandwich or a wrap, I can’t get it when I am eating with other people because by the time my food comes out, everyone is done eating.” Petrelli said. “Online it only tells you if the food is vegan. You don’t know what they have that you can eat until you get there.”

“If you can’t eat anything, you need to order and wait which, makes it impossible to eat with others,” Shamah added.

Recently, Shamah visited a friend at Thomas Jeff erson University, and the diff erence she felt when it came to dining was

astounding.

“At Thomas Jeff erson, someone stood at the allergy section and guided you,” Shamah said. “There was a gluten-free toaster labeled as gluten-free and someone was constantly sanitizing it, every sign is explicit and specific. I was more confi dent in what I could eat there for one night compared to the whole time I have been here. When I go into the dining hall, I don’t trust the signage or that people know what they are talking about when it comes to allergies.”

There is hope, according to both students, that Dining Services becomes more educated and makes gluten-free food more accessible and appetizing, given the helpfulness of staff such as Gail Mitchell, Nutritionist for Villanova Dining Services.

“Gail Mitchell is sweet and will walk you through everything, and I wish more people were like

that, but when people like that aren’t in the dining hall, what do you do?” Petrelli said.

“I think that they defi nitely try,” Shamah said. “I don’t think it’s a lost cause or that they don’t have a desire to please but I think, especially seeing other schools, that there is area for improvement.”

Dining Services needs to open a conversation about improving gluten-free dining for students like Shamah and Petrelli.

“They should be asking for more feedback from us,” Petrelli said. “They have their head and hearts at the right place. We just need a voice to provide input on choices they are currently and could be making.”

A gluten-free club is in the process of being formed by sophomore Belle Wronko. The creation of the club will hopefully bring about change for the gluten-free community at Villanova.

Why It Is Sometimes Okay to Be a “Bystander”

Isabel Choi Staff Writer

In our fast-paced world of instant connections and updates, we are constantly checking our phones and constantly being fed information – regardless of whether it is the truth or not. The media has all of the power over the masses. It feels ironic to be writing this article against the overwhelming quantity of the media, knowing that this too will also only become a part of that impossible collection. Therefore, I urge you to read this opinion with an eye for criticism and doubt, as all things should be read with.

In theory, social media provides an avenue for the spread of ideas, the connection of people from diff erent areas and a global culture, and it has been doing all of these amazing things for as long as its existence. We can see and read about almost every single topic imaginable online and stay connected with friends and family. Social media can also unite people

for a greater cause.

However, not many talk about the darker side of the perfect vacations, infographics and “gym bod” pictures on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and other popular social media platforms. The image people make of themselves online is usually a saturated version of their life that captures only the most picturesque moments — myself included. Similar to our edited, cropped and manipulated pictures of ourselves, this occurrence is also applied to social justice issues.

In the wake of the prominent #BlackLivesMatter Movement in 2020, my Instagram feed was fl ooded with reposts and shares on people’s stories about the violence imposed on Black Americans and beautifi ed infographics that displayed statistics, general information and links. The infographics were often reposted on stories with diction that imposed guilt on those who saw the post but did not share it publicly to their platform. The general consensus was that if you did not repost, you were racist and did not care

about the cause. This was true not only for the Black Lives Matter Movement, but also for the Stop Asian Hate Movement, the Me Too Movement and other societal issues that arose during the turbulence of the pandemic.

Every day, I checked my phone with anxiety, scared to come across a post that would shame me if I did not share my concern online for everyone to see. It was easy to give in to the pressures of liking, reposting, tagging and creating, but what I realized in the midst of this overload of media was that I truly did not understand what exactly I was supporting or why I was doing it. I was a fi sh in an ocean of information and while everyone was advocating to “stay woke” and support charity, the problem with woke culture is that it is temporary and contributes only to our egos without truly helping any cause.

Our story reposts disappear within 24 hours, and we usually read one infographic, sympathize with its words and repost without a second thought. This performa-

tive activism only feeds into the maze of misinformation and excess content that people have to fi lter through. Because we are seeing everything all at once, it becomes impossible to cater to every cause and every event. We as human beings are not meant to keep up with every single person we have met in our lifetime nor support every single humanitarian crisis. There will always be revolutions, disruptions and problems in each moment of each day, and it is simply not within our ability as individuals to come to the aid of every single one.

Instead, it is our duty as consumers and people of the masses to educate ourselves about the causes we truly resonate with and research as much as we can before taking any actions, for action without sound education can be more dangerous than complacency. Oftentimes, the media shames “bystanders” for being hesitant to share publicly about briefl y generalized social justice issues, but the label “bystander” is an issue within itself, calling for superfi cial awareness rather than educated support.

Many students are disappointed with the University’s lack of gluten-free options at dining halls and events. Natalie Zickel / Villanovan Photography

We’ve Officially Reached the End of COVID

Andrew Gins Staff Writer

In a recent interview with “60 Minutes,” President Joe Biden de clared that the pandemic is over. This statement doesn’t come as a surprise, given the recent changes in peo ple’s general attitudes and behavior toward the virus over the past year or so. Today, masks are no longer as common a sight as they were in 2020. Universities, schools, workplaces and businesses have relaxed mandates and restrictions on mask-wearing and social distancing. Policy changes too have also reflected a shift in norms. The CDC reduced the recommend ed time for isolating to five days in 2021.

In light of these official developments, we can perhaps now say with a sense of assurance that the pandemic we have all suffered through for the past two years can finally be put behind us. While COVID-19 is still around, advance ments in science have enabled us to control the virus through vaccina tion and treatment. Hospitalization and mortality rates have decreased as scientists learned more about COVID-19 and developed treat ments to combat it.

We should take the Presi dent’s declaration as a celebration. The pandemic robbed us of our grad

uation ceremonies, birthdays, travel plans and time spent near friends and family. The effects of lockdowns which were quickly accepted as necessary proved to be more harmful than helpful. 2020 saw a huge spike in the murder rate. Millions were left unemployed as businesses shut down. The opioid crisis dramatically worsened as overdose figures climbed to record highs. Kids who stayed home faced hurdles returning to the classroom after millions fell behind in their learning after being out of school for so long. Despite these costs, there was little to show for it.

In January of 2022, a Johns Hopkins meta-analysis was released, find ing that lockdowns had little to no effect on COVID-19 mortality. The authors concluded lockdowns should be rejected as a policy instrument due to their enormous social and economic costs. People need connec tion to others, their community and

their families. When we forcibly tear them apart from their natural sense of human connection, we shouldn’t be surprised that the phenomena of deaths from despair and crime come about to fill that void.

In the fall of 2020, Biden was elected as the economy faltered and a new wave of COVID-19 swept over the nation. For Biden, the pandemic was a major reason he was able to get into office. Voters took a gamble on his ability to deal with the virus. Things worked well for the president for his first few months in office. Approval ratings stayed favorably high before the Delta and Omicron waves damaged his reputation for handling the pandemic well. With midterm elections coming up in a few months, a crime wave that has yet to cease and soaring inflation is hurt ing chances for Democrats to retain control of Congress, making things harder for Biden to advance his legis

lative agenda.

At the very minimum, Dem ocrats need to abandon being asso ciated with unpopular COVID-19 restrictions if they wish to stay in power. While it is clear that a political incentive exists for Biden to declare the pandemic over and done with, it should not stop us from commending him for finally abandoning bad poli cy. Americans are tired of restrictions that severely curtail their ability to live. In fact, it would have been op timal if the government transitioned out of the pandemic phase of dealing with this virus when vaccination up take became widespread.

The end of dealing with COVID-19 as a pandemic is ulti mately a good thing. It allows us to live with the virus, instead of pretend ing we can fully eradicate it. Chi na’s zero-COVID lockdowns have frustrated its population and show no end in sight. Every other country that has accepted COVID-19 and is equipped to deal with it better by realizing the virus has entered its endemic stage. COVID-19 antibod ies are almost universally prevalent in the population through vaccines or previous infection, meaning the virus is no longer as much of a lethal threat as it was when it first emerged.

Taking this into consider ation, we should confidently resume our lives without living in unneces sary fear.

Dining Needs Help with Sustainability

Kai da Luz Staff Writer

According to Dump and Run, Inc., college students average about 640 pounds of solid waste annually. This includes about 500 disposable cups per student. A school like Villa nova with an undergraduate student body of about 7,000 would produce more than 2,000 tons of solid waste. Those who participated in the Cat Cabs on 1842 Day know that amount of waste is equivalent to roughly the weight of the Oreo, 72 times over. Furthermore, a school the size of Villanova would amass more than 3.5 million cups annually, cups that are used once and then discarded — just like that.

Climate change and envi ronmental degradation are at the forefront of problems in society today.

A species that sometimes treats an incredible but limited planet as unlim ited is making more efforts to focus on sustainability.

Villanova Dining Services seems to take sustainability very seriously. Donahue, Dougherty, St. Mary’s and even the convenience stores display signs promoting sustain ability. They even had Veggie Mania in March last year, which saw the fea turing of three nutritional vegetarian dishes. But to be honest, these signs and gestures to push sustainability are closer to wishful thinking than efforts to make real change.

All of the dining halls on cam pus continue to use disposable plates, bowls, cups, lids, boxes and utensils. With many students eating three meals a day in the dining halls, at least three plates or bowls, three cups and three sets of utensils are used per student and are then sent to a landfill. I cannot tell you how many times I

have been walking around campus and have seen waste bins overflowing with plates, cups and take-out boxes.

There was a small period last year when permanent ware (reusable ware) returned to Donahue, as stu dents woke up to a dining hall boast ing reusable blue bowls and glistening white plates. Sadly this was not to stay, as disposable ware was brought back after what was only a week or two.

According to Dining Services, nothing would delight them more than to return to using permanent ware, but they are limited by staff vacancies, specifically in their “Util ity Associate” positions, which are responsible for dish and pot washing operations.

“We are currently working with Human Resources in developing strategies on how we can attract ap plicants to fill these important roles for us,” said Director of Dining Services Michael McGuckin.

Another issue raised was the lack of plant-based food offered by the dining halls.

“There are definitely some options right now, but they are not available at all of the dining halls and are usually not advertised to stu dents,” senior Shannon Brown said. “Additionally, students that do know about them have to ask. The burgers and chicken sandwiches in Dougherty are usually out front and center, but you have to ask for a veggie burger.”

Brown spoke on behalf of the Student Sustainability Commit tee (SSC) and the efforts it has taken working with dining to push for a more sustainable campus.

“I hope to see a return to us ing dishes, silverware and cups, but I understand that they are a bit under staffed right now and that it is hard to make that a priority,” Brown said.

Brown explained that dining has been very receptive to SSC con cerns in the past, except for its desire to give plant-based food a greater presence in the dining hall. Brown and the SSC were excited to see the arrival of beyond burgers to Belle Air Terrace, but they believe there is still more to be done in offering more plant-based eats.

There is also the issue of sustainability blunders concerning dining. The first is the brown agave straws that can be found all over the University. While their environmental benefits are obvious, it only takes one use to realize that every straw some how already has multiple cracks and holes.

The second is the recently introduced and then modified “sip py” cup lids at Holy Grounds. Senior Jackie Carroll recently wrote an article denouncing this sustainable “innovation.”

To Dining Service’s credit, they eventually responded to both issues this month, bringing back func tional clear straws that are still envi ronmentally friendly, and replacing the dreaded lids that would stain your Sunday best with tighter fitting ones.

With these examples, we can see that some changes with sustain ability in mind fall short. Still, there is so much that can be done.

“Composting and putting out more recycling bins would be help ful,” sophomore Carter Smith said. “There are a lot of things we get from Belle Air Terrace that can be recy cled.”

Sustainability is a priority for Smith, as he and his family compost and use reusable items whenever possible. Other than switching to per manent ware, Smith believes there is a way that sustainability can continue outside of the dining halls with take

out.

“In the future, Villanova could set up drop-off locations in residence halls for students to deposit Tupperware and other items used for take-out from the dining hall,” Smith said.

There are plenty of things we can do more sustainably in dining. But Dining Services cannot do it all.

“Sometimes the issues come from higher up areas in the universi ty that Dining Services cannot solve directly,” Brown said.

It seems that sometimes, Din ing Services has its hands tied, which would help explain its slow reaction to problems like the Holy Grounds lids.

If we want a more sustainable campus in the future, if we want to do our part in reducing the damage we are doing to the planet, we need to be more conscious about the sheer quan tity and frequency with which we use and then discard single-use items.

This requires a holistic effort, one that cannot be completely left to Dining Services. As an entity, it must continue to take steps to reintroduce permanent ware to the dining halls and strive to provide more plantbased dishes. As a University, we need to allocate more resources to assist Dining Services in making this happen and make sustainability an integral part of what we do here, rather than just something we put on signs and social media. As a student body, we need to make a conscious effort towards small sacrifices here and there, utilizing reusable ware of our own whenever possible, but also by speaking up and making our voices heard.

As a Catholic university, we are called to be stewards of creation, all the more reason to take steps today into becoming the sustainable univer sity we know we can be.

President Joe Biden declared the pandemic is over in a recent interview. Courtesy of The Atlantic

Hoops Mania Ticket for Day of Service: Service or Incentive?

Loghan Hirkey Staff Writer

Last Tuesday, we all received an email that everyone would receive an automatic Hoops Mania ticket if they signed up for the Day of Service, along with entering the ticket lottery. For many, this was the best news they have received all semester, but honestly, I am appalled.

Villanova University prides itself on community and service, similar to our main role model, Saint Augustine. However, how are we following the Villanova mission if the only reason for helping those in the community is to receive a basketball ticket? I love Villanova basketball, don’t get me wrong, but giving incentive for a day that is supposed to be out of the kindness of our hearts seems wrong.

It also logistically does not make any sense. If everyone signs up for the Day of Service, how will there be enough seats in the Finn? I think the solution to this was having an opportunity to enter the Finn early for Hoops by attending the volleyball game before it, but only 1,000 people get that privilege. Say you are guaranteed the ticket because you are doing Day of Service. Say you go to the

volleyball game but are not the first 1,000 to arrive. Say you are towards the back of the line entering Hoops. Well, you’re out of luck, because when the Finn is full, they’ll close the doors.

Now for the moral aspect. How are they going to keep track of who actually went to the Day of Service or who just signed up? Surely, they cannot track down every person from every group, as that would take longer than the duration of Hoops Mania. Even if they can track that

down, how many students are going to sit on a curb with their friends while the two people in the group that don’t care for basketball do all the work?

There will be at least one pair in every group. If people are not working, then the Day of Service is not reaching its full potential of Villanova students helping the community in a huge way simply through kindness. I feel this Day of Service may not be as well received as the previous 16.

The Villanovan gathered insight from other students on campus

on their thoughts about receiving a Hoops Mania ticket for participating in the day of service. Here are what others had to say.

“I think it’s a little messed up. Doing something good for others shouldn’t have an incentive, it should be something you want to do out of the goodness of your heart.”

“I think a Hoops ticket is a good incentive for the day of service. However, I hope it doesn’t mean that students will either not show up or put in the bare minimum just so they can attend Hoops. I think tickets should be rewarded for a solid effort in this community-wide engagement, rather than just for signing up.”

“I just think they could have come up with a better event to award students a Hoops Mania ticket. The day of service just doesn’t seem like the right event.”

Regardless of if you are excited about the Hoops tickets by signing up, you must admit it is a little messed up to receive the ticket as an incentive for the Day of Service. Villanova should revert to the lottery system again starting next year to avoid questions about the integrity of the Day of Service and this University. Just know if you didn’t sign up for the Day of Service, you probably are not getting a Hoops Mania ticket.

The Importance of Driving Out the Youth Vote

As the 2022 Midterm Elections are rapidly approaching, Congressional and Senate candidates on both sides of the aisle are solidifying their bases in every way possible in order to ensure that they make it across the finish line come November. Indeed, this midterm cycle in particular is geared to be one of those most important ones in modern American politics, as not only will this determine which party holds control of a current evenly-divided Congress, but it will also serve as a strong indicator of how the 2024 elections will play out. As such, this year’s slate of candidates hopes to gain ground with as many voters as possible by attempting to reach out to a voting group notorious for having the lowest turnout rate: the youth vote.

It is no secret that eligible voters under 30 are the least likely to wait at the polls to cast a ballot or to even send in a mail-in ballot,

as this has been the case for a while now. However, following the 2016 election cycle, youth votes have been significantly on the rise as candidates adjusted their platforms to keep up with the times we now live in.

According to data gathered by the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, the 2018 midterms saw about 28% of young voters casting a ballot in some form, more than double the percentage of the 2014 midterms. Likewise, the 2020 presidential election saw half of eligible young voters casting a ballot, up 11 points from the last presidential election and one of the highest rates of youth electoral participation since the ratification of the 26th Amendment in 1971. From political memes and news pages on Instagram to the rising popularity of political podcasts and conference events, it is clear that the youth vote is on the minds of both political parties as they hope to continue this upward trend this year.

This is great news and a trend that should be celebrated by all, regardless of political affiliation. The many freedoms and opportunities granted to us, including the right to vote, were ones that were fought for by the Founding Fathers and the many soldiers that believed in land founded on the premise of liberty. As such, voting should not be taken for granted, and it should be a process where every eligible voter participates, as it is your way of voicing concerns so that they may be considered. In addition, while one vote may not seem like it will make any difference at all, this is far from the case. Especially now where the growing political divide seems to have no end in sight, the days of an electoral Ronald Reagan-like victory are far in the past. As shown in the last few years,

most notably in 2020 with former President Donald Trump only being about 200,000 votes short in three key states that would have the counterproductive mentality of your vote being worthless is far from the reality.

Going beyond the civic duty to vote, many of the issues that we find ourselves confronted with are ones that will primarily impact the next generation. Issues such as abortion, climate change policies, big tech influence and censorship guidelines, healthcare and several more are ones that will be left up to the next generation of leaders to solve. Even the most apolitical people find themselves impacted by at the very least one of these issues, and as such, it should be the voices of younger voters that are willing to speak out on these issues and work towards potential solutions. However, both registering to vote in conjunction with making an informed decision based on some amount of research on key issues is what makes for a healthy democracy.

Oftentimes when I am out, whether I am walking around campus or even back in my hometown, I hear people around my age complain about how the government is useless or how they do not seem to ever get anything meaningful done nowadays. Believe me, this is a sentiment that I more or less feel as well, but these same people are also ones that are likely to not cast a ballot at all. I have several friends that fit into this description, and some are not even registered to vote. It truly baffles me as to why this is the case. I get that politics is a fringe topic, and it may not seem like something that I want to talk about in public, and that is totally fine. Voting does not need to be a public activity, and no one has to know how you vote or where you stand on hot-button issues. Howev-

er, if you are one to complain about paying taxes or high inflation jacking up prices of common household items, it may be worth knowing the fundamentals facts surrounding these issues at the very least and from there create your own opinions and choose who you feel will best represent your concerns in D.C.

I am happy that Villanova is already ahead of the game when it comes to helping to drive up youth voter participation, as there are several events that help students navigate the voter registration process. Helping to encourage in-person voting by having shuttles the day of the midterm elections is definitely an initiative that will see students show up to make their voices heard in the state of Pennsylvania this year.

However, beyond efforts to allow students to get to the polls, I hope to see voter enthusiasm increase as we approach election day. Regardless of party affiliation or political beliefs, I hope that in this very important midterm cycle that everyone makes their voices heard at the ballot box.

The Republican party’s symbol of an elephant. Courtesy of the BBC

The Democratic party’s symbol of a donkey. Courtesy of the BBC

Students put their “V’s up” at the Finneran Pavilion at 2021 Hoops Mania. Olivia Pasquale / Villanovan Photography

Steven Makino Staff Writer

CULTURE

Let’s Hear It For Villanova Band

Tommy Lynch Staff Writer

They have been seen at football, basketball and volleyball games. Their sound fills St. Mary’s Hall every Monday and Tuesday evening. They are at Orientation and Fall Festival, dressed up in loud uniforms and performing their hearts out. They are the members of the Villanova Band.

Operating as one of the largest communities on campus, with more than 100 members, the band is a group of students united in their love of music. There are no auditions for the program. If one wants to play an instrument, they’re invited to join.

“The Villanova Band has always been built on the idea of fun and passion,” band president Chris Leonard said. “None of our members are music majors, nor is anyone obligated to commit to band. All 100 of our members choose to be a part of band due to their passion for musical excellence and strong community bonds.”

“In part due to the fact that we’re open to everyone with no auditions and also that our commitment level is as much or as little as you want, it’s really clear that everyone is there because they want to be,” added the band’s secretary, Emma Giancola.

During football season, the band is at every home game, rain or shine, performing during timeouts and halftime. Every halftime show is unique and learned the morning of the game.

“It really helps us expand our musical library and showcase many of our different sections each show,” Leonard said. “With the amount of rehearsals we have before each show being a limited amount, we are able to put on

an entertaining and fun performance for the audience that is unique each game”.

In lieu of being a marching band, the Villanova Band is what is known as a scramble band. Instead of keeping time and changing formations on the field during songs, the band takes the time in between songs to move around and get to the next formation. This is not limited to walking or running, as members partake in cartwheels, games of “Rock-Paper-Scissors” and even staged CPR. As long as members reach their spots before the next song, they may do anything.

“They’re an extension of us,” said Mark Jackson, Vice President and Director of Athletics at Villanova. “Everybody connects to the energy that they bring.”

For band newcomers, a weeklong camp the week before the semester starts presents an opportunity to get to know other new members to the program.

“I was able to make friends very quickly and [the band] has made me feel more than just a cog in the machine, but rather an integral part of the Villanova University experience,” freshman drumline member Nick Williams said.

“Band has allowed me to meet some of my closest friends here and it has given me a family on campus,” freshman trumpet Eva Grzech said. “Definitely one of my best decisions.”

The band is heavily student-run. There is a board filled with elected students who work with the director. Further, assistants to board members, section leaders and band managers all work together to keep the band running smoothly.

“The band is a student-run organization, so it all comes down to the

help and support of the students,” said Mark Faverzani, one of five band managers. “The band managers rely heavily on the other positions to make sure that we have everything accounted for, and it makes for smooth performances and an overall better band.”

It is hard to find any member who is not looking forward to the 202223 basketball season. Donning fun pep jerseys voted on by the members, the band gives its all to every aspect of the game.

“Our basketball uniforms (“pep jerseys”) are all student-submitted ideas that the students then vote on,” Giancola said. “These opportunities for fun and creativity are unlike any other band that I personally have seen before.”

Once March rolls around, a select group of members get the opportunity to travel to the Big East Tourna-

ment in New York City, where the band performs at Madison Square Garden alongside the team. Come March Madness, the core band travels with the basketball team. These incredible experiences give the band attention on campus and television features.

“Being on TV was such a cool experience,” said Brian McFarland, Vice President of Fundraising. “I received so many texts from family members saying they spotted me…and then many of my classmates were telling me about it as well the following week.”

If one is interested in joining the band, they can contact Beth Sokolowski, Director of Music Activities, at Elizabeth.sokolowski@villanova. edu

Follow the band on Instagram @villanovaband or on Facebook at Villanova University Band.

Mullen Center Presents “Men on Boats”

Catherine Gunther Staff Writer

On Sept. 22, the cast and crew of “Men on Boats” by Jaclyn Backhaus brought the audience from the Court Theatre at the John and Joan Mullen Center for the Performing Arts to the Canyon of the Colorado River in 1869. This fast-paced story follows the historic government sanctioned voyage of Major John Powell and nine crew members through what is now called the Grand Canyon. Despite the title, each voyager is represented by a non-male actor establishing as soon as the lights go down that this play is not meant to serve as a factual account of events, but rather as a provocative interpretation within a historical context.

Each actor brought to life a uniquely eccentric character. The balancing of 10 personalities, which become more exposed with each setback, provides an opportunity to raise questions regarding human nature. Each actor had their work cut out for them, balancing modern vernacular with the adoption of a quirky persona.

The cast of caricatures draw in the audience literally, as those in the front row are engaged from their seats. Director Kristy Dodson has an

extensive background in acrobatic performance. This experience makes them uniquely positioned to direct a show which requires significant use of movement and physical cues to communicate plot and setting to the audience. This, along with the dynamic staging and lively dialogue, serve to both celebrate adventure and bravery, while also calling the accuracy of the events into question and exposing the raw humanness of the historical figures it follows. These aspects help

convey the emotions and hunger of the explorers portrayed. And though the source of the events is expedition leader John Wesley Powell’s personal journal – a possibly less than exact account – the emotions and trials described appeal to the realities of hope, pride and the desire for legacy.

The show utilizes an interesting balance of comedy and drama as it aims to address major social issues and movements of the 21st century. The dialogue addresses issues of

ableism, racism and colonialism and the ways the American government fails its citizens, especially the most vulnerable.

“Men on Boats” especially emphasizes the context of the geological expedition, which claimed to be the first to successfully navigate the canyon while acknowledging that the Native people living in surrounding lands had been navigating these waters for many years prior. With a clear distinction that the expedition is not in fact what it claims to be, the audience is asked to consider the motivation for a mission which is founded on a falsehood.

The costumes in “Men on Boats’’ play a pivotal role in highlighting each character’s personality, role and most significantly, the loss experienced throughout. Janus Stefanowicz and her team expertly styled the players, making their clothing functional, historically accurate and, most importantly, unconcerned with hiding the gender identities of the cast.

One student commented that the show was “goofy,” and it is this use of comedy and modern language which brings the story to modern relevance. The audience is encouraged to find entertainment in conjunction with social commentary, sometimes through a direct address of political

Villanova Band performs at a football game. Courtesy of Sideline Photos

“Men on Boats” shows at the Mullen Center through Oct. 2. Courtesy of Villanova Theatre

Villanova NROTC Hosts its Annual Fall Parade

Tallulah Laska Staff Writer

The Villanova Navy Reserve Offi cer Training Corps (NROTC) held its annual Fall Parade at Mendel Field on Friday, Sept. 23. The parade featured the fi rst-year candidates’ company, called India Company, and its ceremony for becoming Midshipmen (MIDN). Alongside the ceremony, a few Midshipmen were honored with awards and grants. There were also remarks made by the Guest of Honor, Admiral William J. Fallon, USN (ret.).

The set-up of the parade included the Battalion Staff closest to the audience, with the adjutant in front of them facing the battalion. The battalion was split into Papa Company and Whiskey Company on either side of the color guard. The Villanova Band was stationed to the side of Mendel Field.

MIDN 2/C Ryan Wall, USMCR, acted as the adjutant for the parade, instructing the battalion. Typically, there is a special ceremony during the parade that signifi es the candidates’ transition to Midshipmen. This year, the India Company was so small that the separate ceremony for it was eliminated.

“This year is diff erent because we got smaller, so the candidates were offi cially integrated into the battalion at the end of the

parade,” Wall said.

Wall was awarded the Barclay-Morrison USMC Memorial Scholarship, which is given to an individual who embodies exceptional leadership skills, physical fi tness and academic achievements. The other two awards, the Betelle Award for Mission Accomplishment and the Liberty Bell Award, were given to two fi rstyears, MIDN 4/C Matthew Bauer, USNR, and MIDN 4/C Allyson Cutter, USNR, respectively.

The Guest of Honor, Admiral William J. Fallon, USN, gave remarks about his time at the University and how it benefi ted him during his service in the Navy. He also spoke directly to the battalion, giving them his best pieces of advice.

“To the Midshipmen, each and every one of you…there is no greater honor than to lead [your] people,” Fallon said. “But it starts here, in your training for leadership. You got a taste of teamwork, but now you’re going to see more of it. Collaborating with others to get the job done, together, for the common good.”

Admiral Fallon served in the U.S. Navy for 40 years following his Villanova graduation and commissioning in 1967. He honored a Villanova classmate and good friend P.J. Harrington, who gave his life during the Vietnam war, with words of wisdom for every person in the crowd, not just the battalion members.

“Don’t waste time…be as good as you can be,” Fallon concluded. “Enjoy what you do. Enjoy your lives.”

Following Fallon’s speech, the battalion, with its newly integrated Midshipmen, conducted its Pass in Review. This consists of the fi nal march around Mendel Field. Once the march was complete, the ceremony was concluded. The battalion was dismissed and each Midshipman could fi nd their friends and families. There were also post-parade refreshments, including Mission BBQ.

The Villanova NROTC put

in a lot of hard work for the Fall Review Parade. MIDN 2/C William Higgins, USNR, is a member of the Battalion Staff who led part of the parade. Higgins refl ected on the training over the past few weeks leading up to the event, showing his pride in NROTC and his fellow Midshipmen.

“It took us a lot of training and early mornings, but we ended up executing it very well,” Higgins said. “I’m proud of everyone.”

Congratulations to all the newly inducted 4/C Midshipmen and the three award recipients for their accomplishments.

Quizzo’s Exploding Popularity Amongst Villanovans

Emma Cahill Staff Writer

Q: Why has Quizzo’s audience exploded?

A: No one knows!

Quizzo, the trivia game hosted every Thursday night by Villanova’s Campus Activities Team (CAT), has had record breaking high attendance rates. Why that is, no one knows. The host of Quizzo, sophomore Will Thompsen, does not even know. The Villanovan spoke with Thompsen to get the rundown of the hosting experience and to possibly solve the mystery of these exploding attendance rates.

Thompsen fi rst became interested in the position of Quizzo host when he was applying for the CAT Executive Board position last spring. He was intrigued by this position because of its humorous and entertaining nature.

“When I interviewed for a position on CAT’s board, I mentioned that I would want to be Director of Quizzo,” Thompsen said. “When I found out I got that position, I knew that I wanted to host because I have always enjoyed being behind a microphone and making people laugh. The previous host (Andrew Mister) is very funny, and I wanted to follow what he had done the past few years.”

Upon receiving the position, Thompsen knew it was the perfect fi t for him. He integrates his personality into the role, while also trying to fi t inside the mold of

what it is like to be a Quizzo host.

“I think it just comes naturally to me because I am a naturally dry but energetic person (and super humble),” Thompsen said.

“I feel like I try to think about what I would think is a good host and try to be that person. It mainly just involves keeping the trivia fl owing at a good pace and keeping the mood light and fun.”

To prepare for Quizzo, Thompsen shared that he is in charge of choosing the dessert or food options for each event, as well as the prizes, which is all the more incentive to go to Quizzo. Additionally, there are a few indi-

viduals within CAT who work to create unique and exciting themes and questions for this weekly trivia game.

“I am a part of an incredible writing team including Ava Giaquinto, Vix McCoy and Jonah Gavino,” Thompsen said. “So, that leaves a lot of room for new ideas and new additions to improve the Quizzo experience.”

During Quizzo each week, Thompsen has a blast being the host. He shares his favorite moments from the trivia game, which revolves around his interactions with the students. As the students form teams and compete against

each other for the winning prize, there is a mix of excitement and disappointment, which Thompsen particularly enjoys.

“I always love the reaction when people get an answer right and the cheers that follow,” Thompsen said. “However, I also love the groans when people feel confi dent only to get the wrong answer.”

So, why have Quizzo’s attendance rates exploded? Well, even Thompsen himself is not exactly sure.

“I have no idea why the attendance has increased so much,” Thompsen said. “My best guess is that it is such a consistent program on campus (Thursdays at 9 p.m.) so people can plan their Thursday around it and they know it will be there. So I would say it mainly consists of regulars and depending on the theme we will get more people to come and put their skills to the test.”

If one thing is clear, it is that Quizzo is an amazing outlet for students to let loose, enjoy some treats and have fun competing in this fun trivia game. CAT has some great ideas coming up in the future, such as a Taylor Swift Quizzo later in October and a Night of Champions in December. CAT is open to any new ideas for future trivia themes.

“If anyone has any ideas for future Quizzo themes or are curious about future CAT events, follow @villanovacat on Instagram AND TikTok and let us know,” Thompsen said.

Villanova NROTC Midshipmen at the Fall Parade. Maggie Graw/Villanovan Photographty

Quizzo fans pose at a recent Quizzo event. Courtesy of Will Thompsen

Chinese Department’s Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration

Yulin Mao Staff Writer

On Sept. 17, a Mid-Autumn Festival performance was held at the Mullen Performing Art Center on campus.

The Mid-Autumn Festival has its roots in the celestial cult, which evolved from the worship of the moon in ancient times. Later, its date (8.15 in lunar calendar) coincided with the phase of the full moon. Due to the “fullness” of the moon’s circle shape, the festival was given the meaning of reunion. Similar holidays are celebrated mainly in East Asia and Southeast Asia.

“Chinese study has held the celebrations for autumn festival and Chinese New Year since 2008,” said Hailin Zhou, Villanova’s Asian Studies director.

At Villanova, the Mid-Autumn Festival is not only about fun.

“We want the students, not only the Chinese students, but the whole school to know more about Chinese traditions, and of course we want our students,” Zhou said. “Through the food and performance, the students of Villanova learn more about Chinese cultures.”

One part of the show was a skit written and performed by students in the Chinese department. Creative elements were incorporated into the process, such as homophone and poems.

Patrick Riss, one of the performers and hosts, discussed an interesting detail.

“Jennifer [organizer, host] devised a prank for us to pull on Mitch [host] where I would recite an old Chinese poem and Mitch would,” Riss said. “It was a very interesting session.”

“The skit turned out really well, as it got the audience to laugh quite a bit,” Becca Wang, another skit planner, said.

The success of the Mid-Autumn Festival Event also belongs to international students.

This celebration featured performances by a number of international students, including a choir of graduate students and some undergraduates, as well as musical instruments and dance performances.

The core of the team is Luyu Zhang, Villanova Visiting Scholar from China Conservatory of Music, who rehearsed the Graduate Student Choir and played the Alto and Guqin.

Luyu wrote in an interview that she had been thinking about this performance for half a year.

As a professional music scholar, she chose traditional Chinese music for the show, including folk songs from various Chinese provinces.

Activities organized by the Chinese department for the Festival gave the students a sense of belonging. The Chinese students club in Villanova (CSSA) was temporarily closed during the

pandemic until it just restarted this semester, so events held by the Chinese Department are opportunities for students to connect.

In addition to the student performances, the traditional arts and food act as one of the best parts of the celebration. For example, mooncakes, the traditional

snack of the Mid-Autumn Festival, are frequently featured in various Mid-Autumn related events.

The Chinese Department will release the performance video after getting permission from all the performers. If interested in, stay tuned to the Chinese and the Asian Studies department.

Kendall’s Column: The Enigma of Kelly’s Mug Night

Kendall Hayes Culture Columnist

Disclaimer: Only patrons above the age of 21 can purchase Kelly’s Taproom mugs.

Two weeks ago today, I walked in my pajamas down County Line Road, ready to go to Kelly’s Bar and Taproom. I was not in the mood to go out that night, but I was on a mission: a mission to secure my mug. Mug Night season had begun, and I was ready.

I was not alone in this venture at 9:15 p.m. on a Wednesday night. It was almost comical looking around and seeing other over 21 Villanova students doing the same exact thing: heading to Kelly’s at a ridiculously early hour (in terms of going out) to make sure they would not be left behind in the adventures of Mug Night.

For the owners of Kelly’s Bar and Taproom, it all started last year with the intention of creating a slow night at Kelly’s, a night where Villanova students weren’t standing body-to-body trying to get a vodka soda.

Oh, how that is no longer the case. Mug Night is now one of the most crowded nights of the week. Mug Night creates an exclusive night at Kelly’s, when only the most committed Kelly’s goers get to experience a night out on the Bryn Mawr town. Riveting.

The experience does come at a price. To become a part of

Mug Night, one must be willing to pay $40 in cash. From afar, this may seem steep, but for the people dedicated to the cause, Mug Night is worth it. Not only are people buying a great souvenir and getting half-off drinks that night, but they are also buying their membership to “Kelly’s Members Only Mug Night.”

I asked one of Mug Night’s biggest fans, Mia D, about why Mug Night is her favorite night, and probably day, of the week.

“$4.50 Vodka Sodas, on lock,” she said.

The owners of Kelly’s have had to endure complaint after complaint about the exclusivity of the night and why they won’t just order more mugs.

I talked to one of Kelly’s owners to try and understand the idea behind the exclusivity of Mug Night.

“To be exclusive, you can’t just completely off er mugs all the time,” they said. “It’s something where there is a method. We ordered our mugs months ago and we are almost out. So, it is going to be pretty exclusive here soon. It’s really to kind of make it so that mugs aren’t always available, because then you lose the lure of the exclusivity of it all.”

I asked the owner how many mugs originally were ordered and how many are now left.

“We like to keep that a secret,” the owner said. “Don’t ask what number we are at. Just act like it’s the last one.”

So, there you have it. If

I were you, I would stop what you are doing and run to Kelly’s, because who knows? The mug you

buy may very well be the last one of the season, and you don’t want to miss out on Mug Night.

The Chinese Department held the Mid-Autumn Festival on campus. Courtesy of Daniel Donaldson

Over 21 patrons frequent Kelly’s Taproom Mug Night. Courtesy of Gene and Angie Mitchell

Villanova Junior Runs The London Marathon

Molly Carrerio Staff Writer

On Sunday, Oct. 2, junior Joe Adams will kick off his third marathon. For this race, Adams will run across the pond in Lon don, England.

The London Marathon will be Adams’ third world major mar athon, after Boston and New York City. Adams wants to accomplish his goal of running the six world major marathons. With London being number three, Adams will be halfway to his six-star finisher medal with Abbott World Major Marathons. If he completes all six, Adams will be one of only a few thousand people to complete the world major races. After London, Adams’ eyes are on the Tokyo, Berlin and Chicago events.

“This race gives me a chance to go abroad for a few days and check out London, which I’ve never been to before,” Adams said. “Marathons let me explore new places in the world and give me something to look forward to in my busy life.”

Adams first began running in high school. After playing var ious sports, he settled on running in the spring of his freshman year. Though he hated the first practice and wanted to quit, he stuck with it. He ran throughout the rest of high school, and he was captain of both his cross country and winter/spring track teams. When COVID-19 hit his senior year, Adams never had the opportunity to have his “final race.” Though COVID-19 may have deterred Ad ams’ high school running career, it propelled the marathon-running journey he is on today.

“In April 2020, I felt so cooped up in my house during quarantine that I decided to run a half marathon in my backyard, which was 700 laps,” Adams said. “It was crazy. But I knew I wanted to run a real race, and in May 2021, I ran my first offi cial half marathon in Portland, Maine – and somehow won the race. I got an email in June 2021 about an opportunity to run in the 50th NYC Marathon with the B+ Foundation, telling me they had one spot left. I thought, ‘An op portunity like this comes once in a lifetime. Why not?’ From then on, I trained, I ran in NYC, and I got addicted. Boston came next, and now I’m onto London.”

When asked why he runs marathons, Adams spoke about his desire to challenge himself and inspire others.

“I was in no way born a runner,” Adams said. “Nobody in my family really ran a lot, so it took a ton of hard work to get to where I am in my running journey. After every race, I always tell peo ple that anyone can run a mara thon. I know that is hard to grasp and might seem cliché, but I truly mean it. I was once that kid that could barely finish a mile around my neighbor hood and who hated running more than anything in the world. I hope one day, I inspire others to run marathons. I

want to be that seventy year old guy you see running in your neigh borhood like he’s twenty. Imagine how cool it would be to be in shape when you’re old.”

Running marathons is also a way for Adams to see the world, build memories,and do something both challenging and momentous while he is young.

“I was in no way born a runner,” Adams said. “Nobody in my family really ran a lot, so it took a ton of hard work to get to where I am in my running journey. After every race, I always tell peo ple that anyone can run a mara thon. I know that is hard to grasp and might seem cliché, but I truly mean it. I was once that kid that could barely finish a mile around my neighborhood and who hated running more than anything in the world. I hope one day, I inspire others to run marathons. I want to be that seventy year old guy you see running in your neighborhood like he’s 20. Imagine how cool it would be to be in shape when you’re old.”

On a personal level, run ninghelps Adams with his personal mental health at college.

“Running allows me to clear my mind and give myself an hour every day to have to myself away from the hustle and bustle of Villanova life,” Adams said. “It has helped me clear my head and keep me on the right track, and I have come to rely on it, especially with everything else going on in my life.”

Beyond running mara thons, Adams, who is a Commu nication major specializing in media production and journalism, pursues his passion for media and video-production on campus.

“I love making videos, and am the news director for Villanova Television this year,” Adams said. “I also am in the Social Justice Documentary class, and a week after London, I will be going to Kenya for two weeks to film a documentary with my class. That experience is one I am looking for ward to a lot to expand my knowl edge of social justice abroad. I

am on the media team for NOVA dance, which is a ton of fun, and I also write for the opinion section of The Villanovan.”

Currently, Joe is working as a post production intern for PBS for its documentary series “FRONTLINE,” which he re marks has been an amazing expe rience.

For this marathon, Adams is running for St. Michael’s Fellow ship in London, an organization that helps disadvantaged children and families. The organization works directly with families to build confidence, skills and com munity. Adams is raising money for St. Michael’s Fellowship until race day. One can find the link to donate in his Instagram bio @ joeadams_27.

To track Adams through out the race, download the TCS London Marathon App and search for “Joe Adams” under the partic ipant tracking section. Using his bib number 31831, one will see live updates for where he is along the course.

Adams runs to push himself and inspire others. Courtesy of Joe Adams

SPORTS

Football Looks to End Two-Game Skid vs. Maine

Owen Hewitt Staff Writer

The No. 14/15 Wildcats (2-2, 0-1 CAA) will look to snap a two-game losing streak when they visit Maine on Oct. 1 at 1 p.m.. The Black Bears are without a win on the season so far, though it is worth noting that two of the three games the Black Bears have played were against FBS opponents New Mexico and Boston College.

The Wildcats dropped five spots in both the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 and the FCS Coaches Poll after being upset by Monmouth, 4942, at home on Sept. 24. That loss, paired with the loss at West Point the ‘Cats suffered the week before, marks the first time the Wildcats have lost two in a row since 2019.

Maine has not proven to be much of an issue for the Wildcats in recent years, as since 2006, the ‘Cats hold a 9-3 record over the Black Bears. The most recent result was during the 2020-21 shortened pandemic season, where the ‘Cats easily defeated the Black Bears, 44-17.

However, the season has not exactly gone to plan for head coach Mark Ferrante and the team through the first four games. Junior quarterback Connor Watkins has thrown seven touchdown passes on the year but has also thrown eight interceptions, completing 63% of his passes.

The ground game has emerged as the main source of offense for the ‘Cats, with the backfield hosting three 200-yard rushers on the season. Graduate running back Jalen Jackson had one of his best games against Monmouth, as he rushed for 187 yards and three touchdowns in the loss. Look for Jackson, senior running back TD Ayo-Durojaiye and senior running back Deewil Barlee to be serious threats against a Maine defensive front that is surrendering 4.3 yards per carry and nearly 190 yards per game.

The Black Bears’ offensive attack hasn’t been very potent throughout the season so far, as they are averaging 286 yards per game. The Black Bears only average 75 rushing yards per game, which should be a welcome change for a Wildcats defense that has been struggling against the run since the Army game. Maine senior quarterback Joe Fagnano, who is a native of Williamsport, Pennsylvania along with Watkins, has thrown for three touchdowns over the Black Bears’ three games. Fagnano has completed 53% of his passes, throwing

three interceptions.

It is important to keep in mind that even though the Black Bears haven’t looked great over their first three games, their level of competition has been fairly high. While Boston College and New Mexico aren’t exactly college football playoff contenders, they are still FBS opponents. Villanova learned the quality of FBS opponents firsthand with its loss at Army.

That said, it’s very hard to get a read on just how good or bad this Maine team is. Will the ‘Cats see the Maine team that was shut out in Albuquerque? Or will they see the team that hung tough with Cornell? Maine was predicted by the CAA Preseason Poll to finish eighth, so in theory, the Wildcats would handle them easily, but in that same CAA preseason poll, Monmouth was picked to finish tenth.

Fortunately for the ‘Cats, the Black Bears’ rushing attack is not as strong as Monmouth or Army’s, but the problem of run defense is something that the ‘Cats will need to address if they want to get back into the discussion of championship contenders.

Villanova will look to answer the question that is posed by the loss to Monmouth: was it just a bad Saturday, or was the loss emblematic of a larger problem? The ‘Cats are certainly hoping that the answer is the former and not the latter, but they’ll have to prove it against Maine.

Field Hockey Gets Two Weekend OT Wins

Brooke Ackerman Staff Writer

Villanova fi eld hockey came out of this past weekend 2-0, defeating Temple in a thrilling 3-2 double overtime game on Friday and then beating its second Big 5 opponent of the weekend La Salle, 3-2, in another exciting overtime match on Sunday.

In the Wildcats’ highly anticipated game against Temple, the Owls got themselves on the board quickly, scoring just nine minutes into play. But the Wildcats answered back just a few minutes later with a goal from sophomore midfi elder Emma Schwarz, her fi rst of the season.

The Wildcats saw a similar pattern in the second quarter, as the Owls scored again to make it 2-1. The team countered back, as graduate transfer Noor Van de Laar tied the game back up heading into the second half.

The remainder of regulation was low scoring but intense. Shots on goal in the third quarter were tied 1-1, but in the last quarter of the game, the Owls were aggressive on the attack. They forced Villanova goalkeeper Emma Leppert to come up big with four saves, forcing the Owls into overtime.

The fi rst 7v7 overtime was high energy as ‘Nova pushed hard

to keep up with an aggressive Owl lineup. The Wildcats kept their momentum going as they headed into a second overtime, when they kicked it into gear.

With just over two minutes left on the clock, junior back Sabine de Ruijter shot the ball outside of the arc as it made contact with senior forward Maggie Mick’s stick to launch the ball into the back of the net. The goal earned the Wildcats their fi rst win over the Owls in nearly four years.

“We’ve been waiting for this game for a year because of our loss against them last season,” head coach Joanie Milhous said. “It was just an absolutely fantastic game. Every single person on our team was a part of that win. We really are one team, one heartbeat, and you could tell that energy, you could feel that excitement.”

Coming off the high of the Owl defeat on Friday, Milhous wanted to ensure that the team stayed in the right mindset heading into their matchup against another Big 5 school.

“After a big win, you normally see a dip and a drop,” Milhous said. “We knew that we were gonna be tired from Friday night, physically and mentally. So, we really talked about that big time – about being ready, about being prepared, and not taking anything for granted at all.”

With this outlook in mind,

the Wildcats returned to their home turf again on Sunday to take on the La Salle Explorers.

While the fi rst quarter was scoreless, the Wildcats saw a familiar name on the stat sheet for them in the second quarter. Meghan Mitchell scored off a corner, assisted by the pair of sophomore midifi lers, Raina Smolji and Schwarz, to get Villanova on the board.

The Wildcats headed into the second half with a 1-0 lead, but La Salle came out with high energy, scoring just seven minutes into the half to tie the game.

The last quarter of regulation was a back and forth battle. La Salle took the lead for the fi rst time in the game to go up 2-1, and the Wildcats felt the pressure building as they had to score at least one more to force the game into overtime.

“When we were down in those last few minutes, I knew that we were gonna get it done,” Milhous said. “That’s just the feeling our team has—when a team scores on us, we respond by getting more determined…you could see the sense of ‘alright, fi gure it out, let’s get it done, we need to put the ball on goal,’ and that’s exactly what our girls did to help us get that tying goal.”

That tying goal came from Mick, a big name for the Wildcats this past weekend after her winning goal over Temple. After the

Wildcats tied it up, they ran out the clock to force overtime for the second go around this weekend.

However, this time the Wildcats only took a couple minutes to capitalize on their momentum. Sophomore midfi elder Anne Drabbe made her way into the arc, slipping the ball through both her and her defender’s legs to connect with none other than Mitchell, who directed the ball into the goal for the second Wildcat win of the weekend.

After the two Big 5 matchups this past weekend, the Wildcats still remain undefeated at home and in overtime games, something Milhous attributes to the culture of the squad.

The core values of the team are passion, growth and accountability, which, according to Milhous, “every single person on the team has bought into.”

“This team has it,” she said simply. “You can see that we are one complete unit, with everybody giving absolutely everything they have. It’s awesome, it’s refreshing, it’s fun, and the girls, as well as us coaches, are all enjoying it.”

This team culture has helped the Wildcats to earn themselves a 7-2 record as they head into another week of play.

The Wildcats are scheduled for another away Big East matchup against 6-2 Old Dominion on Friday, Sept. 30 at 1 p.m.

TD Ayo-Durojaiye (above) has 200 rushing yards on the season. Christopher Taylor/Villanovan Photography

Men’s Tennis Competes in WP Invite

James Haupt Staff Writer

After a disappointing end to the Villanova Invitational, the men’s tennis team came back into action at the 12th annual Saint Joseph’s Invitational. The fi nal day of play may have been canceled at the last invitational due to inclement weather, but the men showed up this weekend ready to play.

The Saint Joseph’s Invitational is a yearly fall event for the Wildcats hosted by the fellow Philadelphia school at its tennis complex. This year, it took place from Sept. 24-26 and consisted of four single fl ights and two double fl ights. Each bracket contained 16 players or duos to compete for the championship and consolation. There were multiple teams alongside the Wildcats and Hawks, including Delaware, NJIT, Jeff erson University, Marist and Morgan State.

The Invitational was highlighted by freshman Tighe Brunetti for Villanova. He had a standout performance with a big win in the Flight 2 singles championship. He earned a 7-5 victory over Jeff erson’s Germán López Andújar that resulted in Andujar’s retiring in

the end. Villanova head coach Brad Adams was very pleased with Brunetti’s performance, as he exceeded expectations and demonstrated the great potential of himself and this team. This was a breakout weekend for the rising star, and he plans to build on this performance.

Adams was also satisfi ed with the doubles team that reached the fi nals of its competition. Senior Will Gatti and junior Ryan Nguyen displayed their experience this weekend as they advanced to the Flight 2 Championship bracket fi nals. They would ultimately be defeated in this fi nal match in a 7-5 nail biter by Marist’s Alex Thompson and Carlos Vazquez. Despite this loss, the veteran duo had a great overall performance.

In the Flight 2 doubles consolation bracket fi nals, Villanova’s duo of freshman Cooper Gordon and senior Justin Suarez fell short to the second seeded NJIT, 6-3. Senior Alex Kim also took part in the Flight 3 singles consolation bracket fi nals, losing to Jeff erson’s Hannibal Borg, 8-2.

Despite several teams and individuals falling just short on the fi nal day, the Wildcats were ultimately successful this weekend. Adams viewed this tournament as a “building block towards the

Spring Championships,” as the team displayed great improvement.

Some other notable performers included junior Noah Winton and the doubles duo of Brunetti and sophomore Trey Fourticq. Winton was the fi rst seed in the Flight 4 singles bracket, and he ended up reaching the fourth round. He fell just short to Delaware’s Nicholas Gore in a tough match. They ultimately lost to the NJIT’s duo of Amine El Kholti and Pablo Perez Ramos, 6-4. Despite exiting the bracket earlier than they hoped, the young and promising duo played well.

The Invitational was a challenging tournament, as each team proved to be a worthy opponent to the Wildcats.

“The quality of all the teams were great,” Adams said. They were equal across the board.”

Adams also believed that despite this, the Wildcats had a great showing, and many members of the squad exceeded expectations. It was a valuable weekend for the Wildcats as they demonstrated their chemistry and skill in both doubles and singles matches.

The team will return to the court this weekend when it travels to Bethlehem, PA for the Lehigh Invitational.

Anders Said It: Soccer Duo Leads Way

Anders Pryor Sports Columnist

Villanova’s men’s soccer team posted a dominating win on Friday against St. John’s, 4-0. Three of the goals came within rapid succession in just 19 minutes in the fi rst half. Senior defender Viktor Benediktsson once again provided excellent leadership and awareness that allowed him to put the game out of reach. Graduate goalkeeper Kent Dickey posted 11 saves in the opening week of the season and continues to act as an essential piece to the winning 3-22 record after posting a clean sheet against St. John’s. It was Dickey’s third shutout of the season.

With Benediktsson and Dickey, men’s soccer could be on pace for one of its best seasons in fi ve years.

Last week, both players were honored by the Big East for their early accomplishments. Dickey received Big East Goalkeeper of the Week, while Benediktsson, who had goals in back-to-back games entering Big East play, earned a spot on the Weekly Honor Roll.

Both players were an essential part of Friday’s victory. Benediktsson’s goal came from a corner kick by junior midfi elder Dominic Cyriacks, an exchange that head coach Tom Carlin was especially pleased with.

“The service we have gotten on the corner kicks the last few games has really made a diff erence,” Carlin said to Villanova Athletics.

And he gave Benediktsson the credit he deserved.

“Tonight, it was Dom serving a great ball into Viktor,” Carlin said. “Viktor’s been open in there before but we weren’t always fi nding him. We’ve found him these last few games, and he’s a handful for the defense to deal with.”

The impact of both Dickey and Benediktsson has shown over time. When eliminating the shambles of the COVID-19 year in 2020, the amount of wins the team has posted has increased each year one of them has been

present on the team: eight wins in 2018, nine in 2019 and 12 wins in 2021. This season could be the one for them to break 15 wins.

Benediktsson’s leadership has always been a present and essential part of the team’s pursuit. His vocal nature has earned him respect by the coaches and players, and it was a vital part of what got Villanova to the NCAA Tournament last year and what will hopefully propel it this year.

When a reporter asked senior midfi elder Josh Belluz a couple weeks ago about Benediktsson’s vocal leadership, he was straight to

WEEKLY SCOREBOARD

Sept. 21 - Sept. 27

Wednesday, September 21

Thursday, September 22

Friday, September 23

Women’s Tennis vs. West Point Invite

No Team Scoring

Men’s Tennis vs. West Point Invite

No Team Scoring

Field Hockey vs. Temple 3-2 W

Volleyball @ Xavier 0-3 L

Men’s Soccer @ St. John’s 4-0 W

Saturday, September 24

Women’s Tennis vs. West Point Invite

No Team Scoring

Men’s Tennis vs. West Point Invite

No Team Scoring

Football vs. Monmouth 42-49 L

Sunday, September 25

Women’s Tennis vs. West Point Invite

No Team Scoring

Men’s Tennis vs. West Point Invite

No Team Scoring

Field Hockey vs. La Salle 3-2 W

Women’s Soccer @ Seton Hall 2-0 W

Volleyball @ Creighton 0-3 L

Monday, September 26

Men’s Golf vs. Wildcat Fall Invite 3rd of 6

Tuesday, September 27

Men’s Golf vs. Wildcat Fall Invite 3rd of 6 (Final)

the point.

“Viktor is one of a kind,” Belluz said to Villanova Athletics. “Everywhere I have played, I never had that vocal of a person on my team. Having that, I think, is a really good thing. I think it just adds more confi dence to the team. We have a diverse group of personalities and Viktor keeps us locked in. As a player, he’s fearless.”

Villanova should be in store for an exciting season that could see Benediktsson taking on a role of leadership that exceeds anything he’s experienced since becoming a member of the program. His and Dickey’s experience should be able to propel the team into a space they haven’t seen in some time.

Last season, Villanova saw itself in the NCAA Tournament and secured an opening round 1-0 victory against Vermont. This season, a tournament run led by the two sensational upperclassmen could see several wins instead of one.

Villanova will face Penn State on Wednesday at 4 p.m. before going on a long stretch of Big East play. The Nittany Lions are 4-2-2, and the Wildcats will need every bit of Benediktsson and Dickey to defeat the Big 10 powerhouse.

Viktor Benediktsson (above, right) has three goals on the season. Chris Taylor/Villanovan Photography

Women’s Soccer Opens Conference Play with Shutout

Victoria Newsome Staff Writer

On Sunday afternoon, Villanova women’s soccer made a Big East Play statement, shutting-out the Seton Hall Pirates, 2-0, at Owen T. Carroll Field. Senior forward Makayla Stadler sparked the momentum after scoring the first goal around the 10th minute of the game from a corner kick assisted by junior midfielders Lauren Ashman and Emma Weaver.

As the Pirates’ struggled to maintain their possession of the ball, the Wildcats defense showed grit and passion to maintain the lead throughout the entire game.

The Pirates remained scoreless and prone to fouls (eight), and the ‘Cats sealed the deal after the half with their second goal by Ashman on an assist from Weaver. Since 1994, Villanova leads the all-time series history 18-9 against Seton Hall. The most recent win over the Pirates was last season, but the performance by ‘Cats continues to keep them in the winning column of the series.

The outcome of this game would not have been achieved without graduate goalkeeper Megan McClay, who had six saves as well as

the defensive efforts from everyone on the team.

After 11 days of preparation, the ‘Cats were ready to set the tone for Big East play. The match between the ‘Cats and the Pirates’ was particularly unique since both head coaches are in their first year coaching at their respective schools. After the game, Villanova head coach Samar Azem mentioned how proud she is of her team’s fight in its performance. Azem also included how their training has worked in their favor in establishing a process that everyone can invest in.

“We talk about it all the time: every single player contributes to what this team does on game day, and every single day at training every player has been invested and involved,”Azem told Villanova Athletics. “What we want to do, how we want to play, how we want to create goals, and so, to come out here and then to see the stats sheet is with a number of different players in a couple different ways.”

This game marked many firsts for the ‘Cats season. It marked the first win in the Big East Conference for them since last season versus Creighton on Oct. 10, 2021. In addition, it was the first time the ‘Cats scored multiple goals this season, as

well as it being the Pirates’ first time allowing multiple goals this season.

Stadler shared that the team has found difficulty scoring goals this season, so it was a special feeling when she scored the first goal to build the momentum for the game.

“I think it was a super uplifting moment for our team,” Stadler said. “Every day at practice, we spend time focusing on set pieces, so to score such a great team goal off a set piece was really amazing. It just goes to show that the work we put in at practices translates into the games.”

McClay’s ability to stay focused for anything and bounce back physically and mentally from each save was key for the Wildcats.

“Staying in the present and the trust that I have in my teammates helps me stay calm,” McClay said. “So, I can have their backs when I’m called upon in the game. I’m most proud of how organized we were defensively.

“Obviously making saves feels good, but there was a lot of work done defensively that prevented opportunities for Seton Hall. So, moving into the next games, just continuing to communicate and help the back line remain organized.”

The ‘Cats improved to 2-3-2 and 1-0 in Big East play. They will face Xavier on Thursday at Higgins Sports Complex as they look to build on their momentum.

Softball Takes Advantage of Fall Ball Opportunities

Aphrodite Dimopoulos Staff Writer

As the fall season comes to a close, Villanova softball played a triad of games at home this past weekend. The Wildcats went 1-1-1 on the weekend, beating St. Joseph’s and losing to Lehigh on Saturday, and tying their game against Princeton on Sunday. Refl ecting back on the past few weeks of non-conference play, head coach Bridget Orchard believes that the team has accomplished the most out of the out-of-season play. This includes increased team camaraderie, a focus on developing new talent and overall fl ow of team dynamic.

In the fi rst game of two on Saturday, the Wildcats played extremely well. Coming off of its success from last weekend in which it beat both Army and St. Peter’s on the road, the team kept up its momentum and beat St. Joe’s in a resounding 7-1 triumph. Notably, sophomore pitcher Kelsey White hit a grand slam in the fi rst inning that set Villanova apart from the competition. This immediate 4-0 lead created an advantage that St. Joe’s could not overcome.

This momentum did not carry throughout the entirety of Saturday. The Wildcats’ matchup against Lehigh resulted in a 13-2 loss. In the words of Orchard, “Anything that could have gone wrong went wrong.”

The team went through fi ve pitchers and played 22 players. That said, Orchard believes that it is games like this that make the fall season so important.

“Just some growing pains and learning mistakes, but overall I think it was a really good day for us,” she said. “We won one, lost

one, but we got a lot of people playing time and a lot of people got their at bats. We made a lot of mistakes but this will help us eventually grow.”

Behind all sports are two critical aspects: the physical and the mental. Playing at the Division I level forces all competitors to be in great shape physically to perform. However, of equal importance is the mental component. Orchard believes that resilience and the ability to “pick oneself up” is a critical mental component towards success.

“It sucks losing, but now the girls get it and know they never want to feel like that again,” Orchard said. “I was impressed by their ability to rally going into Sunday, and that mental component is what excites me about this team.”

And rally they did. The Wildcats entered their matchup against Princeton and saw problems early on. In the second in-

ning, the team was already behind 7-0, a defi cit that seemed almost impossible to overcome. Then, the team’s resilience kicked into high gear. In the next two innings, the Wildcats managed to score eight runs and tie up the game at eight by the fourth inning. Due to inclement weather, the game was called at this point, and the team left with a tie under its belt. While it wasn’t a numerical win, the mental strength of the team allowed it to close out the weekend on a positive note.

Looking forward, Orchard feels good about the last game of the fall season that will be played next weekend against East Stroudsburg.

“I feel the girls are ready to grind and get back into it,” she said. “There is a lot of traveling so it’s nice to be home. It will be one 10 inning game, which will get everyone live at bats, umpires calling and ample playing time. East Stroudsburg is a Division II

team but a well-run program so the game should be great.”

Out-of-season play is a crucial part of getting a team ready to perform to the best of its ability. While the time spent on the fi eld and in the gym is a major component, this team has a unique approach due to its youth. Having just graduated many of its starters, Villanova softball is looking towards a season of new players taking control. This can often be a cause for concern, but Orchard is excited for what is to come.

When asked about what in the fall season has benefi tted her team the most, Orchard sees camaraderie and relational skills as a primary component.

“Getting to know each other has been such an important part,” she said. “Especially as coaches, we need to learn each player: What makes them tick? Do they need to be yelled at? Encouraged? Who is healthy? Who has a sore body? As a coach I am getting to know what the girls need to be at their best.

“On top of that, we have been learning who can perform and who can’t in pressure situations. We are just learning everyone’s mental game and their strengths and weaknesses. All of them are diff erent and I can see it in the dugout how they react, especially after a mistake. I think the upperclassmen are starting to understand that with the freshmen too. The freshmen still aren’t comfortable yet, but it is still so early. They are getting ready and more used to playing the game at this level and each other.”

Looking ahead to the spring, it will be interesting to see these new Wildcats and what is to come of the two-time defending Big East Champions.

Megan McClay had six saves in the win. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

Softball hosted St. Joe’s, Princeton and Lehigh for their first home fall ball game.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

Volleyball Goes 0-2 to Start Big East Schedule

Zac Tipton Staff Writer

Heading into last weekend, Villanova (4-10, 0-2 Big East) was looking to make improvements against two of the top Big East teams to gain some confidence and momentum for the rest of the year. But it was unable to capitalize on the opportunity, losing in straight sets to both Xavier (9-3, 2-0 Big East) and Creighton (10-3, 2-0 Big East).

Villanova was 4-8 heading into the first weekend of conference play. It lost six of its last seven and was heading on the road to face an Xavier team that had just upset Cincinnati and a Creighton team ranked #23 in the country.

Villanova lost to Xavier on Friday in three sets (25-19, 2521,25-19) and lost to Creighton in three sets (25-17, 25-15, 25-18), with the closest set being the second in the match against Xavier, where it reached 21 points. It was the only time all weekend Villanova put 20 or more points up in a frame.

From the start, Villanova was in for a tough match against Xavier because of the amount of offensive production from everyone in the lineup. Four women on Xavier had nearly 10 kills in the

match. The former Big East Offensive Player of the Week, Carrigan O’Reilly, continued her strong play with seven kills in 11 attempts and 38 assists. Villanova head coach Josh Steinbach knew O’Reilly was going to be tough to beat.

“She’s Offensive Player of the Week because she runs that offense,” Steinbach said. “She’s their point guard. She can score as a setter. She is an extremely offensive setter. She’s also just a very good locator.”

O’Reilly wasn’t the only one putting up a lot of points for the Musketeers. Delaney Hogan led the way with 11 kills, and MaryAnn O’Toole had 10 kills herself, while Anna Taylor finished with nine.

Villanova tried to keep up with this offense as senior Kathleen Johnson, junior Kiera Booth and sophomore Rose Crist combined for 30 of Villanova’s 37 kills.

Villanova did not lead in many categories, but one it did was aces. Villanova had five aces in this game, including two from senior Maddie Schieder.

During the match, Villanova never held a lead in the first or third sets, but in the second, it held the lead for most of the frame, before finally losing it due to multiple errors in a row.

“This is the best Xavier

team I’ve seen in the past four to five years,” Steinbach said. “I think they are really skilled and physically really tough.”

Villanova then had to face Creighton on Sunday. The ‘Cats have only beaten the Bluejays once in the past nine matches, and that did not change Sunday. Villanova only held one lead in the entirety of the match.

“They have a great team.” Steinbach said, “They have a kid who is a Player of the Year candidate in Kendra Wait and Norah Sis. They also have a girl who was Freshman of the Year a couple of years ago in Keeley Davis.”

Crist led the Wildcats with eight kills, while Homer and freshman Tara Garvey both had six. Villanova overall had a .090 attack percentage compared to Creighton, who had an attack percentage of 0.320 and multiple players with more than 10 kills, including Sis with 12 and Ava Martin with 11. Davis had eight kills as well, while Wait, the leader of the team, had 34 assists, five kills and two aces.

Creighton held the lead in every statistical category during the match and sent the Wildcats back home with a 4-10 record, now 0-2 in Big East play.

Villanova will be back home this weekend to play St. John’s

(11-4, 2-0 Big East) and Seton Hall (11-3, 2-0 Big East). It will be the first conference home games of the year and will be played prior to Hoops Mania, so the team expects a crowd.

“Friday night is going to be really fun,” Steinbach said. “We are looking forward to having a big crowd in here. Playing in Nevin with the gym packed is one of the most fun experiences our athletes get to have.”

It starts with St John’s, who is coming off wins over Providence and UConn, and are home to recent Defensive Player of the Week, graduate student Rachele Rastelli.

“I got into them a little this morning,” Steinbach said. “They are streaky, but they can be really tough, and they are physical.”

The Seton Hall matchup is on Saturday. The Pirates are coming off of a pair of five set thrillers versus UConn and Providence as well. They have a strong attacker in junior Bianca Bucciarelli who against Providence led the team in kills, blocks and digs.

“Everyone picked Seton Hall to finish last in the Big East, but they are 2-0 right now,” Steinbach said. “That will be a fun match on Saturday afternoon.”

Women’s Tennis Competes in West Point Invitational

Amanda McKean Staff Writer

On Friday, the Villanova women’s tennis team went to West Point Academy to play in its invitational, which lasted until Sunday. The tournament consisted of about 20 schools. The lineup for the Wildcats consisted of 10 players in total, which fl uctuated due to injuries throughout the weekend.

“We were allowed four doubles teams and eight singles players, so two players only got to play singles and two players only got to play doubles,” head coach Steve Reiniger explained. “During the fall, I try to get everybody to play just for practice and to see who’s gonna help out more in the lineup come springtime.”

The singles play did not start strong for the Wildcats on Friday. Sophomores Valieriia Kornieva and Emma Brogan both lost in the early rounds of Flight A. Additionally, senior captain Caitlin Fisher and junior Bella Steff en both failed to make it past the second round of Flight C.

Only three of the Wildcats made it to the quarterfi nals or beyond. One of these players was freshman Savie Seebald, who after losing the fi rst set of her fi rst match, battled back to win the second set. She would eventually win the third set but only after winning the 10-point tiebreaker. This was a similar scenario for her on Saturday. She won the fi rst set by a large lead, lost the second set and then won the third set in another 10-point tie-breaker. She eventually lost in the quarterfi nals.

“She had her fi rst taste of

college tennis and had some really good comebacks,” Reiniger said of Seebald. “After losing the fi rst set in both her fi rst two rounds, she ended up pulling the matches out. Came up against an Army girl who won her fl ight so I was pleased. She played well.”

In addition, senior captain Amanda Rivera-Gonzalez went very far in the tournament in Flight D. On Friday, she advanced through the second and third rounds and defeated her opponents in two sets each. On Saturday, she did the same thing and breezed through the quarterfi nals in two sets but fought hard to win the semifi nals in two sets, each with a score of 6-4. Finally, Rivera was beaten in the fi nals by an Army West Point player in two sets.

However, the biggest standout of the tournament was fresh-

man Maggie Gehrig.

After getting through the fi rst couple of rounds, Gehrig was tested in the quarterfi nals, which was her fi rst match that went to three sets in the tournament. The third set was decided by a 10-point tiebreaker that Gehrig won. After winning another tie-breaker in the third set of the semifi nals, Gehrig was off to the fi nals on Sunday.

“Maggie Gehrig had an excellent tournament,” Reiniger said. “She lost in the fi nals of the B Flight and was very competitive. She could have won the B Flight actually. She had opportunities to win the fi rst set, she was up 6-5. She won the second set and then lost a really close tiebreaker 11-9 in the fi nals. She played about as well as you could play.”

As for doubles, the Wildcats paired Gehrig with freshman Emi Callahan. The pair lost in its fi rst

match in the single-elimination doubles and faced off against the team that would eventually win all of Flight A for doubles. This same thing happened to the pair of Brogan/Kornieva.

“They did well,” Reiniger said. “They played a tough Army team and actually had match points but didn’t convert, ending up losing in a tiebreaker. Our other doubles team Emma Brogan and Valieriia [Kornieva] did the same thing. They played an Army team and pushed and lost, 6-4, which is about as close as you could get. We lost our serve in the very last game. We were served 4-5 and got broken. But I was very pleased. They’re defi nitely doing a lot of stuff that we didn’t do last year which is great.”

The best doubles team for the Wildcats consisted of Fisher and River, who made it through the fi rst couple of rounds on Saturday. Although they won the quarterfi nals Sunday, 6-3, they ended up losing in the semifi nals for Flight B, 6-3.

Overall, the tournament helped Reiniger with his creation of a lineup for the spring season.

“There is still time left, but I have a much better idea of the lineup now,” he said. “Our spring season is a little diff erent this year. We have 10 spring matches before spring break, so there is an urgency for me to have a lineup done or a strong idea of a lineup coming into the spring. I don’t have all of the lineup fi gured out yet, but most of the singles and most of the doubles.”

On Friday, Sept. 30, the Wildcats head to Annapolis, Maryland to play in the Navy Blue and Gold Invitational.

Amanda Rivera-Gonzalez (above) made it to the Flight D singles finals. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

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Down:

1.when a writer attaches a fake name

“I started talking to someone I met on Tinder, but I’m embarrassed to tell my friends where we met. What should I tell them?”

taking it to the next step and pursing it.

2.team Villanova men’s basketball lost to

There’s nothing to be embarassed about. Nowadays, there’s a lot less stigma surrounding the use of dating apps. While I understand where you are coming from in terms of telling your friends how you met, I think you should totally own it.

There’s also the option of telling your friends you met through a “mutual friend.” In this case, Tinder is the mutual friend. No one has to know.

Otherwise, just tell everyone a diff erent story and let them fi gure out the rest.

I think the best way to go about it

“I fi nally kissed my crush, but they hasn’t asked me to do anything since. Where do we go from here?”

The same way you don’t want to seem too eager with them is probably what they are thinking about you. Both of you are probably holding back because you are waiting for the other person to reach out to you.

March Madness

a planet and an

“How should I soft-launch my partner on Instagram?”

comedian who can’t pronounce St.

Mirror pictures where your phone is covering their face is the fi rst step. Never tag them, obviously.

upcoming basketball pep rally

Next step is taking a picture of their food when you both are out to eat. Again, no tag.

Now, keep them guessing and post romantic picture of fl owers or a gift that they got you.

hall on Villanova’s campus that serves burrito bowls, pizzas, and chicken parm

the conversation (or tea) next to you is so intriguing you can’t help but

Take the initiative and ask them. Sometimes, the person might have some hesitation with

Finally, the last step in your soft-launch is to include them in a photo dump, but, it still needs to be a friendly photo. Never show all your cards. Best of luck.

type of Villanova’s