The Villanovan | Volume 115, Issue 5: March 1, 2023

Black History Month Showcase

Tallulah Laska Staff Writer

Villanova’s Black Student Union (BSU) hosted its annual Black History Month Showcase, entitled “I Am Because of You” on Friday, February 24 in the Villanova Room of the Connolly Center. The showcase was an homage to the relatives and ancestors of Black people who have shaped Black Villanovans into who they are today. The show featured a multitude of performances, from dances to a capella to spoken word poetry.

The showcase was hosted by junior Tiane Parris. They put on a fabulous performance of introducing each of the guests and brought great energy to the room. Parris was clearly well loved by the audience, as they received non-stop cheering and laughter.

“We are celebrating those who came before us [and] those who paved the way,” Parris explained as the showcase began.

The first performance was by Amari Rebel & The Movement, a band that focuses on provoking change and freedom through its music. They were singing and rapping over top of sampled songs that the audience knew and loved.

Up next was Wazobia, an African Dance Company. They were full of spins, booty shaking and footwork with tons of energy. Their moves, coupled with the upbeat music, brought an abundance of cheers and whooping from the audience.

Following Wazobia was Ciara Chantelle, a spoken word poet from Philly. She performed a few poems about mental health and well-being.

“See, you’ve been using your childhood trauma / as daily mantras,” Chan-

Continued on p. 9

NovaDance Hosts “Be

Positive” Ball

p. 3

The Last One Standing: Noel’s SZA Ticket Giveaway p. 10

Former Orientation Counselors Call for a More Inclusive Program

According to its website, “New Student Orientation welcomes students to all aspects of Villanova life including academic, communal, spiritual and social elements of what makes our campus and community unique.” While many students look back on their orientation fondly, this is not the case for all students.

Sophomore Kentron White did not have a great experience with his orientation his freshman year, so he decided to

return to campus early this past summer to be an orientation counselor and to make the experience better than his own for those who look like him. As a queer Black man on a predominantly white campus, White often feels unwelcome or uncomfortable in many spaces on campus, and his orientation experience was one of these situations. “I put myself in certain spaces where I can be a changemaker,” White said of his motivation to be an orientation counselor.

Junior Marissa Jarmon became involved with the program for similar reasons.

“The most obvious problem I saw was that there were very few orientation counselors of color,” Jarmon said.

While White was hopeful that he could make a change during this year’s program, he quickly began to regret his decision to be an orientation counselor. Several issues with both the administration and other orientation counselors appeared throughout the course of training that made White, and other orientation counselors of color, feel ostracized and excluded.

Something that stuck out to both White and Jarmon was that

orientation counselors were forced to attend Mass during training.

“As a steering member, I was forced to go to Mass at least fi ve times, and I’m not even Catholic,” Jarmon said. “Little things like that make it hard for a diverse group of students to want to step forward and do the program… When I personally told people not to go to Mass, [if they did not want to go,] administration was upset with me and [was] not accepting of the changes I wanted to make in order to make the program, as a whole, better.” Both students believe the university needs

Continued on p. 3

Swim and Dive Wins BE Championship

Owen Hewitt Co-Sports Editor

Villanova’s women’s swimming and diving team won its tenth consecutive Big East title last weekend at Nassau County Aquatic Center in Long Island, New York. Men’s swimming and diving fi nished fourth of the fi ve teams competing. The women’s team fi nished with a point total of 1,534, good for fi rst place out of the seven teams competing. Second

Pastor Aiden: Hateful Rhetoric on Ithan Avenue p. 4

Augustinians of Villanova: Father Arthur Purcaro p. 11

place UConn fi nished the weekend with 1316.5. The women’s team tallied 21 podium fi nishes over the span of the meet,

11 of which were gold medal performances. Head coach Rick Simpson and his staff were named “Co-Coaching Staff

of the Year,” alongside Butler’s staff . Junior Audrey Pastorek was named “Most Outstanding Swimmer,” as she collected fi ve gold medals over the course of the championship meet. Pastorek took gold in the 200 IM, 100 back and 200 back, while also being a part of gold-winning relay teams in the 200 and 400 medleys. It is the tenth consecutive time that the ‘Cats have won “Coaching Staff of the Year” and “Most Outstanding Swimmer.”

Continued on p. 15

Villanova Named Top Producer of Fulbright Students p.5

Women’s Lacrosse Bests Navy in Double Overtime p. 16

TUGSA Strike Should Inspire Change p. 7

Pryor: Neptune’s Improvement Could Be Seen A Mile Away p. 16

Villanova Literary Festival: Mary O’Donoghue p. 9

BACKPAGE (Crossword, Comic, Ask The Villanovan) p. 19

Lydia McFarlane Co-News Editor

Villanova Orientation group photo 2022. Courtesy of @Novaorientation / Instagram.

Women’s swim and dive after their Big East championship win. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

Liquor Underage

February 22, STANFORD HALL

s: A male resident, under the age of 21, was evaluated for alcohol intoxication by VEMS and transported to Bryn Mawr Hospital.

Defiant Trespasser

February 22, FRIAR HALL

The below non-affiliated male was charged with Defiant Trespass: Robert Earl Jacobs, 32YOA 1037 Springfield Road, Darby, PA 19023

Disorderly Conduct

February, 23 SHEEHAN HALL

A fire extinguisher was deployed without cause inside a residence hall resulting in the activation of the the fire alarm and evacuation of the building.

CORRECTIONS

Liquor Underage/ Public Drunkenness

February 23, DOBBIN HALL

A female resident student, under the age of 21, was found intoxicated in public, evaluated and transported by VEMS Ambulance.

Fire Actual

February 23, KLEKOTKA HALL

A fire alarm was activated within Klekotka Hall. The cause of the alarm was due to a small grease fire on the back burner of the stove.

Indecent Assault

February 24, ST. MARY’S HALL

A staff member reported being inappropriately touched by another staff member. The victim declined to prosecute.

Theft by Unlawful Taking or Disposition

February 24-26, ST. MARY’S HALL

s: A female resident student reported that items valued at approximately $300.00 were stolen while she was in a campus dining hall.

Criminal Mischief

February 26, GOOD COUNSEL HALL

An emergency phone was damaged inside of a residence hall. The amount of the loss is unknown.

Disorderly Conduct/False Alarms to Agencies of Public Safety

February 26, GOOD COUNSEL HALL

An unidentified individual activated a fire alarm inside of a residence hall without a legitimate purpose.

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.

Turkish Bakesale

Anabelle Deasy Staff Writer

Junior Bilge Deniz Koçak, an international student from Turkey, took action on Villanova’s campus in response to the disastrous earthquake that struck in Turkey and Syria. On February 6, 2023, the countries were devastated at the expense of a magnitude 7.8 earthquake, followed by several aftershocks.

While Koçak’s family was not directly affected by the earthquake, she commented how her uncle’s house was destroyed, and her friend lost her father in the earthquake. The estimated death total from the natural disaster was more than 42,000 people, and impacted a region with a population of 13 million people. After learning of the events, many Villanova students turned to the community for help.

Several of Villanova’s international students, Villanova Refugee Empowerment and Villanova International Students Organization worked together to raise money and awareness for this important issue. On February 14, the students spread love by holding a prayer service in Corr Hall for those affected by the earthquake.

“I’m glad I saw some action from the university about the lives lost, but I wish there was more of a response,” Koçak said.

Some of the international students agreed, saying it would be great if the university had sent out an announcement spreading awareness on the issue.

On February 21, the students went to the community, not only to share awareness, but also to share some delicious Turkish desserts. The students made traditional Turkish delights, including a pistachio baklava.

What’s With the Weather?

“I was confused to see pistachios in a dessert, but it was actually so good,” freshman Martina Penelas said.

Through this fundraising, the students were able to send the profits to Turkey and Syria, to help those left homeless or alone.

“One US dollar is about 20 Turkish Liras”, Koçak said. “With five dollars, a person could get a blanket. With 30 dollars, six people could get a tent to live in”.

The students are still advocating for the cause and are accepting donations through Venmo @uchicagotsa and @cenker. Donations are also being accepted directly at Ahbap, a local NGO.

“[The students from Turkey and I were not close before, but this] is something that has brought us together,” Koçak said.

The advocacy and service demonstrated by these students is inspiring, and they will continue to work for the cause.

Nicole Liddicoat Staff Writer

Students may have noticed the unpredictability of this year’s weather, with some unseasonably warm days mixed into the winter climate. Students certainly took advantage of this on Thursday, February 23 by sporting short sleeves and lounging on the grass all afternoon. Yet, students were bundled up by Saturday, February 25, braving the cold and occasional flurry.

A student commented on the difference in weather this year.

“Winter is going by much faster,” they said, referring to the question on everyone’s mind: “Where is the snow?”

Mia Kotulka, a Villanova freshman and Pennsylvania resident, was also puzzled by this month’s chaotic change in temperature.

“I went on a walk two days ago… and a few days later, there is a threat of snow,” she stated.

The inconsistency of the climate is becoming a frequent inconvenience,

“[I] cannot plan for [the weather] anymore [because] the weather app is always incorrect,” Kotulka said.

These frustrations were shared among those interviewed.

“I was super happy with the warm weather and seeing all of my friends having fun outside, only to have to take out my puffer coat again the next day,” another student said.

So far this February, the average temperature in Villanova, Pennsylvania, has climbed to 42.9 degrees, with the mean minimum temperature sitting at 34.4 degrees and the mean maximum at 51.2 degrees. This is a sizable change considering that the monthly average was 36.6 degrees just five years ago. Precipitation levels have also run relatively low this

winter, at an average of 0.12 inches in January and 0.04 inches in February to date.

This issue reaches beyond Villanova, with other parts of the United States also experiencing unstable changes in temperature and climate far from the norm. States in the west, such as California and Utah, have had unusually frigid winters with temperatures roughly 10 degrees below their yearly average. An influx of precipitation and blizzards at high altitudes have come alongside this change, contrary to the shifts in the east.

It is not uncommon for the US to encounter a split in weather patterns during the winter. The La Niña phenomenon, referring to the cooling of ocean water, deviates from average temperatures with strong winds and currents that upwell the Pacific. The jet streams from west to east have taken a dip, causing the westward states to experience extreme cold and rain and the Mid-Atlantic to experience a lack thereof.

As the winds circulate counterclockwise, the storms reach northwest of Philadelphia, explaining the lack of snowfall compared to other cities in a similar region. Though there is no perfect explanation for the change in weather, as unpredictability is the nature of the climate, La Niña can help make sense of the transformation.

In addition, climate change may contribute to this year’s weather patterns. The National Center for Environmental Information released its Global Annual Temperature Rankings, predicting that 2023 will be one of the world’s top ten warmest years. This is already proving true with the January climate breaking warmth records.

With the avid rise in temperatures, somebody should call Punxsutawney Phil; it looks like he might have been wrong this year.

The bakesale for Turkey at the Oreo. Graydon Paul/ Villanovan Photography

Calls for a More Inclusive Orientation Program

Lydia McFarlane Co-News Editor

Continued from p.1 to do a better job of catering to a more diverse group of students.

“I’ve noticed this year a lot of the events… never really cater to Black students or students of color, in general,” Jarmon said. “In regards to activities we had going on, it seemed like everything was catered towards [our] white peers,” White said.

Jarmon also felt that the program as a whole did not focus on the most important issues at hand.

“There was very little focus… on things that actually matter,” Jarmon said. “Instead we set aside time for things like writing songs and making dances. This year, we were all required to do the DEI module that fi rst years were required to do, and there was so much talk about people not wanting to do it because it was stupid or it was too long.”

After dealing with feelings of exclusion, discomfort and frustration throughout the training portion of the program, White, Jarmon and a group of several other Black orientation counselors met with employees from the

Offi ce of Student Life to express their concerns and to hopefully suggest some changes that could make the program more inclusive to a diverse group of orientation counselors in the future.

While they were receptive during the meeting, White said that nothing that was brought up in the meeting was further addressed with the full group.

“From that meeting, literally nothing that we said [and] nothing that we off ered was addressed,” said White. “And that is a problem for me.”

Alicia Dunphy-Culp, the Senior Director of First-Year Experience in the Offi ce of Student Life, has said since meeting with the students that there have been several changes made to the program.

Since then, her department has had several meetings with the DEI and OIA offi ces to make sure the program is inclusive. They have had listening sessions with students to get feedback on the program, as well as off ered an information session specifi cally for BIPOC students for the fi rst time in an eff ort to diversify the orientation staff even more.

One of the largest areas of focus has been recruiting a more diverse staff .

Dunphy-Culp said they are currently focusing on “reframing

[the] selection process on how we can make it a more equitable process for our students.”

Although it was diffi cult to hear of the negative experiences had by these orientation counselors, Dunphy-Culp and her colleagues are taking this feedback as a chance to make the program better for all students.

“We were disappointed to hear about those student experiences but we felt happy that those students felt they could share with us so we can continue to grow and learn,” Dunphy- Culp said.

Sydney Lobosco, the training manager in the DEI department, spoke about the work between Student Life and DEI regarding the new student orientation program.

“The Orientation Program’s Assistant Director reached out to me in early September 2022 seeking consultation on how the Orientation Program could be more equitable in their processes,” Lobosco said. “Since then, we have collaborated on establishing best practices on equitable hiring and selection processes, provided anti-bias training to Steering members involved in selection, and created structures that allowed each chair team within Steering to consult with a DEI advocate.”

Lobsoco explained how their work on the matter has been

done with anti racism and inclusion in mind.

“It was imperative that our work focused on systematic and process-oriented interventions through an intersectional and antiracist lens that will continue to develop the Orientation Program in supporting all students holistically, especially those who have been historically minoritized,” said Lobosco.

Lobosco said they understand the frustration that students felt over last summer and hope that their work with Student Life can help to strengthen relationships between orientation staff members of color and administration as well as their white peers.

“When folks feel ostracized, uncomfortable, and frustrated, like the students coming forward are naming, relationships can be strained,” Lobosco said. “Understanding how trust and restoration can be reestablished is an important aspect of sustainable solutions. I look forward to continuing to support the Orientation Program in restoring some of these relationships through transparency, accountability, and consistency of communication.”

One of White’s main problems with the program is that he felt tokenized as a Black orientation counselor.

“They only wanted a per

NOVAdance Hosts “Be Positive” Ball

Lauren Armstrong Staff Writer

Year after year, students fill the Jake Nevin Field House for 12 hours full of dancing, singing, playing and fundraising for the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation through NOVAdance. The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation is named after Andrew McDonough, who fought his battle against leukemia for 167 days before passing away on July 14, 2007. McDonough was a soccer star from Wilmington, Delaware. His blood type was B+, which quickly became his motto and mindset throughout his fight. “Be Positive” represents how Andrew lived his life, and now serves as inspiration and the backbone of the NOVAdance organization.

On February 24, 2023, NOVAdance held its annual B+ Ball at the Villanova Inn. Students, professors, alumni, family and heroes and their families came together to recognize the hard work and dedication to the cause, as well as raise awareness for the organization.

Through silent auctions, live auctions and the 50/50 raffle, money was raised for the B+ Foundation. Those in attendance heard beautiful stories and testimonies from the Matz and Henry families, as well as from Hugh McLaughlin III, the program director for the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation.

There was not a dry eye in the room after B+ Hero Ellie Matz spoke at this year’s event. Ellie is 14-yearsold, and was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of five. On campus, Ellie is paired with Alpha Chi Omega and still comes to campus often for events, parties, fundraising events and the

annual dance marathon. Ellie recalled how, before she was diagnosed, she would constantly lose her appetite, her stomach and elbow would always hurt and she would wake up with a fever every night. After experiencing this, her parents took her to get blood work done, as well as exams done on her stomach and elbow. Instead of being able to go home and play with her sisters, Ellie was rushed to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), and she was there for two weeks before being allowed to go home. For eight months, Ellie had to receive chemotherapy. After those first eight months of treatment, Ellie was moved to long-term treatment, which consisted of treatments once a month and spinal taps once every three months. Ellie finished this treatment on March 13th, 2017.

“Being paired with Alpha Chi Omega helped so much,” Ellie told the audience. “We came to Villanova for parties, to play games, eat junk food and gain lots of attention from the sisters. The B+ Foundation gave me and my sisters a way to feel supported and special, even during the hardest parts of treatment”.

Following Ellie’s speech was that of Kate Henry, the mother of NOVAdance’s Forever Hero, Blair. Blair passed away at the age of three from brain cancer. Blair was paired on campus with Delta Gamma, and was loved and adored by the entire NOVAdance community. Her mother recalled finding a note written to Blair and read it outloud to the audience.

“Dear Blair, you are not afraid to be yourself,” the note said. “To live your true self always, no matter your circumstances. We find that exceptional and inspiring. Your vibrant expression of yourself and who you

are shines so bright that it ignites a light in others. You light a fire within us, you inspire us so fearlessly to be who we are, to dance in the rain, to live our lives out loud. Thank you for teaching us what it means to believe in your brilliance. We hope you continue to share your light. Love, your NOVAdance family.”

The same day the Henry family was contacted about being paired with NOVAdance and Delta Gamma was the same day that Henry and her husband, Mike, had to make the impossible decision to take Blair off treatment. Blair was able to spend the next seven months with Delta Gamma and NOVAdance, being allowed the freedom to be a kid for the last months of her life.

McLaughlin came to the B+ Ball to share how impactful the work of NOVAdance and the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation truly is. He shared that, in 2022, the organization raised more than five million dollars to support families and children in need. From helping to pay for gas money to get to and from doctors’ appointments to helping remove mold from homes so that children could rest without the risk of getting more sick, this money is being used to make a difference in the lives of these families.

He shared the story of Davi, a boy from Brazil who needed to travel to North Carolina with his mother in order to get surgery to remove his tumor. From arriving in the United States on Monday, to needing the surgery on Friday, the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation was able to raise the $100,000 the family needed in order to help Davi, and the surgery was a success. The hospital was able to remove the tumor, and Davi was able to travel back home to his family.

The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation is the largest provider for families battling childhood cancer in the nation, and NOVAdance is proud to be part of this fight.

This year’s dance marathon is on Saturday, March 18 and will be from 10 a.m to 10 p.m. NOVAdance, as well as a multitude of organizations on campus, is blessed to be paired with its very own B+ heroes. The NOVAdance B+ Heros are Lilly, Frankie, Ellie, Sebastian, Blair, Jack, Rebekah, Jibby, James, Tony, Harry, Danny, Correll, Christos and the original forever Hero, Andrew. Everything done for NOVAdance is “For The Kids,” which means the world to the families involved in this fi ght against childhood cancer.

A B+ (super) hero drives through campus. Olivia Pasqwale / Villanovan Photography

Pastor Aiden: Hateful Rhetoric on Ithan Avenue

John Dugan Staff Writer

It was a cold, rainy Friday afternoon on Villanova’s campus as students looked forward to kicking back for another peaceful weekend in Radnor Township. The campus was full of life and positivity until around 4:45, when a controversial group appeared on the sidewalk adjacent to Bartley Hall on Ithan Avenue.

Led by the man who calls himself Pastor Aiden, a group of individuals, including two children, held signs containing homophobic and anti-Augustinian remarks. The group possessed a megaphone, allowing members to spew their hateful rhetoric loudly as police stood by.

Students were notifi ed of the group’s arrival on February 23, when Kathleen Byrnes, the Vice President for Student Life, sent an email informing the school of their presence.

“We wanted to make you aware that an individual, who refers to himself as Pastor Aiden, is exercising his fi rst amendment right to free speech on public property near campus this afternoon,” the email read. “This person is known to be infl ammatory and communicate hateful messages that run counter to the University’s Augustinian Catholic values.”

Students were advised not

to engage with the individual, but knowing that someone had to cover the event, I stepped outside to hear the hurtful remarks being made by Pastor Aiden and his crew.

As I stood listening to the messages being pushed by the group, which included the ideas of strictly abiding by the Bible’s teachings and to stop sinning in secular culture, a growing group of students had begun to emerge. As Aiden and his acquaintances preached their disturbing world views, students used their voices to push back and drown out the group. Police offi cers on the scene tried, repeatedly, to disperse

students from the area, but, while some students listened, others, like myself, hung around to make sure what we were hearing was real. Sophomore Baron Alt was also present at the scene, and bore witness to an engagement in a civil conversation with one of Aiden’s group members.

“Some of the stuff that was talked about focused mainly on rights needing to be stripped from homosexuals, which is a pretty far out belief in today’s era,” Alt said. “The man that I overheard [being talked to] didn’t really want to hear [people] out. It was like he was stuck in this echo chamber of radical beliefs. I believe the fi rst amendment is important for sure,

but it defi nitely is annoying to have to hear such hateful language in the Villanova community.”

Pastor Aiden and his crew didn’t just stop at pushing forward hateful ideologies, though. One specifi c individual in the group, who was wearing a “Fear God” hat, began hurling insults at students walking by, causing for some tense exchanges. The hate in his voice was overly clear.

“What would you do if I were to tell you that some of my best friends are homosexuals, sir?” he was asked by a student.

With little hesitation, the man calmly responded, “I would say that you can think what you want about them being your friends, but you need to know that they won’t be saved when Judgement Day comes. Their place is in Hell and that’s the truth.”

For a school that focuses heavily on maintaining Augustinian values and pushing Catholic social teachings, to have a group like Pastor Aiden’s present near campus was a disturbing reminder of the ignorance and a lack of empathy some people still display. Students returned to their weekend routines after some time, but the group’s messages were left lingering in the Villanova air for students to wrestle with.

Students were disturbed by Pastor Aiden’s hateful rhetoric and wondering if the University could do anything to stop this from happening again in the future.

Communication Department Hosts Journalism Panel

Matt Ryan Associate Editor-in-Chief

On Thursday, February 23, Villanova’s Communication Department hosted its second annual journalism panel in Garey Hall. The panel was moderated by Michael Bradley, an assistant instructor in the Communication Department.

This year’s event focused on TV Journalism. Students heard from Fox 29’s Alex Holley, 6ABC Action News’ Corey Davis and CBS News Philadelphia’s Jessica Kartalija and Pat Gallen.

For the fi rst hour, Bradley presented a wide range of questions to the panel, from their personal journeys to the current media landscape.

“What I have learned is, the best thing is for me to ask a question, and then get out of the way,” Bradley said. “Let them talk. And we had a lot of good banter between them, and they played off of each other, and that’s what makes a good panel discussion.”

The fi nal 30 minutes opened questions to the audience, in which there were about 50 people. Some of the main topics discussed by the panelists were the need for versatility and paying your dues. Everyone on the panel began at a lower level position, something that was pivotal in helping them get where they are today, and they all preached that companies are looking for well-rounded employees.

One of the students in attendance was senior Meghann Morhardt. Although Morhardt is majoring in mechanical engineering, she is pursuing a career as a print journalist.

“I thought it was really interesting,” Morhardt said. “As someone who doesn’t know much about what it takes to be a TV journalist, I thought it was cool to kind of hear their perspectives. And I also thought it was cool to see the crossover between TV and written journalism. So I still thought that it was benefi cial, even as someone who doesn’t necessarily want to be on TV.”

The four panelists come from various roles in TV journalism.

Since 2014, Holley has been a host on Fox 29’s “Good Day Philadelphia,” which takes place in the morning from 6:00 am to 10:00 a.m. Holley also has a big presence on social media with more than 319,000 followers on Instagram and more than 100,000 followers on Twitter.

Davis has been a reporter for 6ABC Action News since 2019, and previously spent time working in Florida. For two years, Davis was his own team, writing, shooting and editing his own stories.

Kartalija, who has been on TVfor over 20 years, is an anchor on CBS News Philadelphia’s evening news. She has worked in Philadelphia since 2018, after coming from CBS Baltimore, where she anchored the 5:00 p.m. news.

Beginning in 2016, Gallen became a sports anchor and reporter for CBS News Philadelphia. The Philadelphia native has covered high profi le events such as the Super Bowl, World Series and NCAA Final Four.

“I wanted to have a diverse group of positions,” Bradley said. “Their experiences were all the same, but diff erent, if you know what I mean. And they were able to give the students diff erent looks on what people have to do on TV. They think, ‘Oh, you’re on TV, all you do is talk to a camera.’ There’s a lot of diff erent things that go into the diff erent roles.”

Bradley noted that this will be an annual event going forward, and, each year, the panel will fea-

ture diff erent journalists.

“It was a big success,” Bradley said. “They were very expansive with what they talked about. They were receptive to the students’ questions. And they provided a lot of good information, and some tips that I think everybody was able to use.”

Pastor Aiden stands on Ithan Ave. with hateful signs. Graydon Paul / Villanovan Photography

The panelists at the TV Journalism Panel. Graydon Paul/ Villanovan Photography

Villanova Named Top Producer of Fulbright Students

Katie Reed News Columnist

On February 10, it was announced that Villanova was named a top producer of Fulbright U.S. students for the 15th year in a row, according to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Aff airs.

“In the current Fulbright application cycle, 45 of Villanova’s 69 applicants have been named semi-fi nalists for the award and will be notifi ed over the next three months if they are selected to go abroad during the 2023-2024 academic year,” the press release from the university stated. “The Fulbright Program was established over 75 years ago to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries and is the world’s largest and most diverse international educational exchange program.”

The Center for Research and Fellowships (CRF) at the University spearheads the Fulbright application process. Kelsey Fenner, the Assistant Director of CRF and Villanova’s Fulbright Program Advisor (FPA), provided some insight on what this process looks like.

“The formal process includes a fi ve-month guided process where students explore Fulbright opportunities, write and edit application materials and participate in advising and feedback

consultations,” Fenner said. “Fulbright applicants work with CRF to secure University endorsement (an additional letter of support), which means that the university has a structured process for guiding students through this specialized type of application.”

Having this honor bestowed upon the Villanova community is a monumental feat, which Catherine Stecyk, the Director of CRF, emphasized.

“We cannot overstate the pride we feel for all our Fulbright applicants and recipients, past, present and future,” Stecyk said.

“We need their optimism, talent and desire to promote mutual understanding as they build a more just and peaceful world. We express our deep gratitude to all for these 15 years of support and encouragement.”

Fenner echoed this sentiment.

“As we refl ect upon this milestone, we note the years of hard work that go into preparing an application for a Fulbright grant — rigorous coursework, undergraduate and graduate research, international study, senior theses, performances, volunteer work, campus leadership, community engagement, advocacy and mentorship,” Fenner said. “Villanova students are amazing.”

Fenner also highlighted the tireless work of the CRF, who have played a critical role in helping both students and the university pursue this path and maintain

this well-earned reputation.

“Over the last 15 years, CRF and the fellowships team have refi ned the Fulbright application structures and created an advising system that prepares us to support students and alumni through this intensive process,” Fenner said. “We also rely upon our committed faculty and staff who are instrumental partners in identifying, encouraging and mentoring students interested in the Fulbright Program.”

To further illustrate the impact that the Fulbright Program has and the wide array of paths open to Villanova students, Fenner provided some examples of what past recipients have achieved. This legacy includes Sabrina Verleysen, who started a girls’ literacy non-profi t in Indonesia; Joe Zinno, who is studying industrial design engineering at Lappeenranta University of Technology in Finland; Talia Charidah, who is researching cultural loss in Syrian refugee populations in Turkey; and Julia Nema, who is teaching English in the Czech Republic.

For those who are interested in applying for a Fulbright in the future, Fenner off ered some advice.

“The Fulbright Program selects thoughtful, conscientious and interesting students, regardless of their GPA or academic discipline,” Fenner said. “That means that any student that graduates from Villanova has a chance to secure a Fulbright award to study,

complete research or teach English overseas. If you have any interest in Fulbright, or even just want to learn more, come talk to CRF. You can fi nd us on Handshake.”

In closing, to echo the words of our University President, we are proud of all our Fulbright students and wish them good luck throughout the rest of the process.

“Congratulations to this year’s Fulbright award recipients,” University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD said in the press release. “I am continually in awe of how our students use the knowledge and skills they have acquired at Villanova and go out into the world to make a positive diff erence. Year after year, our Fulbright recipients are remarkable ambassadors for Villanova, and I wish them the best of luck in their placements.”

Decarbonizing Villanova: What Has Been Done So Far?

Emily Attisano Staff Writer

On January 25, the Student Government Association passed a resolution in support of divestment from fossil fuels. With the increasing severity of climate change, pursuing sustainable energy sources over fossil fuels is crucial.

This resolution called on Villanova University, The Board of Trustees and Father Peter to divest Villanova’s $1 billion endowment from fossil fuels, which is an important step towards reducing the University’s carbon footprint.

In Section I(a) of the resolution, the SGA compelled the university to “divest immediately from all holdings, including direct and indirect, in fossil fuel companies.”

This SGA action also urged Villanova to “commit to a new policy of transparency about the principles and monitoring practices that govern Villanova University’s investment approaches.”

The resolution called on Villanova University to “align our investment processes with University President Rev. Peter M. Donahue, OSA’s public commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.” Ultimately, this SGA resolution was a powerful way of conveying the student body’s hope for a campus-wide shift towards sustainability.

The Villanova community also expressed its support for divestment from fossil fuels through a petition which has accumulated a tremendous 354 signatures. This petition echoes the concerns of students, faculty and parents who urge Villanova to do their part to mitigate the devastation of climate change.

Those who signed the petition shared their hopes that the University will shift to green energy, lead by example, protect local and global communities from harm and pursue carbon neutrality.

As divestment becomes a crucial issue on the campus agenda, students voice their demands for divestment, decarbonizing Villanova and carbon neutrality.

“I believe Villanova has an obligation to divest from fossil fuels, and switch to green energy,” junior nursing student Sally Ketterer said. “It is [Villanova University’s] responsibility to make sure [they are] not worsening climate change, or harming the environment or local communities. We need sustainable energy sources and carbon neutrality.”

On January 27, as an expression of these demands for divestment and sustainability, students, faculty and professors organized a campus-wide town hall meeting on decarbonizing Villanova’s campus. In tandem with the Student Government Association’s resolution and the Divestment Petition, this town hall meeting was a step in positioning divestment

as an undeniable priority for the university. Eight speakers shared their insights on divestment, sustainability, climate change and the economic aspect of the university’s endowments.

These speakers included Professor Jeans Lutes, Sharielle Rodruiguez, Jessica Mengistab, Professor Pali Singh, Professor Jonathan Doh, John Chaimanis and Joseph Miscimarra.

The town hall raised visibility on Villanova’s endowment investments, conveyed information on climate change, discussed sustainability and expressed the tremendous community support for divestment.

In response to the Student Government Association, the petition for Villanova’s divestment and the Decarbonizing Villanova Town Hall, the Villanova University Board of Trustees met on February 13 to discuss divestment.

As the Board of Trustees manages the university’s endowment fund and investments, this meeting was another important step towards decarbonizing Villanova.

As climate change worsens, the Villanova community is dedicated to fi ghting for a more sustainable future. Through campus-wide initiatives, our community continues to build public pressure in the hopes of motivating University offi cials and the Board of Trustees to make strides towards sustainable energy and divesting their $1 billion endowment fund from fossil fuel companies.

Members of SGA during the meeting. Graydon Paul/Villanovan Photography

SGA general body meeting. Graydon Paul/Villanovan Photography

Villanova Church across Lancaster Ave. Graydon Paul/Villanovan Photography

Calls for a More Inclusive Orientation Program

Lydia McFarlane Co-News Editor

son who looked like me there to falsely advertise,” said White. “We preach diversity, we preach inclusiveness, but that’s not what was going on.”

After their experiences, White, Jarmon and their other Black peers involved in New Student Orientation will not be returning to the program. While White appreciates the relationships he was able to build with his orientation group, the stress and frustration that came with dealing with the orientation was too much for him to consider returning.

“What I got out of orientation is what I could do for my students,” White said. “I am here, I am doing this, but I felt unseen, I felt out of place and I felt uncomfortable.”

“I am not returning to orientation this upcoming summer… because of how mentally draining it would be to try to make all these changes,” Jarmon said.

Kathy Byrnes, the Vice President of Student Life, gave a statement to The Villanovan in response to the students who have spoken out regarding their experiences with New Student Orientation.

“I am grateful for the students that came forward to share their concerns with the program, and I am sorry that some individuals did not have a positive experi-

ence,” Byrnes wrote. “Orientation heard the concerns that were expressed and have taken many steps to respond, including working with the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to implement change from a diversity, equity and inclusion lens with a focus on the selection process, potential bias, training and the intense August schedule. Some of the new practices include hosting an informational night for students of color and additional DEI training for Orientation steering committee members. These updates are already in process and happening now. Orientation is a foundational program with the goal of welcoming new students through an in-

clusive and enthusiastic program. We are committed to this goal and work each year to continually improve and evolve so that every student will know that they are a valued member of the Villanova community.”

Students hope that the conversations being had can lead to real and positive change within the Univeristy’s largest programs, such as New Student Orientation Program.

“Representation matters so much and having faces and expereinces that new students can see during their first few weeks of campus is super important,” said Jarmon.

Orientation counselors during the summer 2022 program. Courtesy of @Novaorientation / Instagram.

Orientation leaders at a meeting. Courtesy of @Novaorientation / Instagram.

OPINION

TUGSA Strike Should Inspire Change

Isabel Choi Staff Writer

On January 31, 2023, graduate students at Temple University in North Philadelphia went on strike, demanding better pay and benefits, as well as improved working conditions.

The “Temple Graduate Strike” is actually part of a larger wave of labor activism in the United States, as workers across various industries have been demanding better treatment and compensation.

Graduate students have been at the forefront of this movement, as many universities rely on them to perform essential research and teaching duties, yet often pay them only a little over minimum wage.

Months prior to the strike, Temple University Graduate Students Association (TUGSA) had been negotiating with the university, but was met with no change.

TUGSA had several demands, including a raise in minimum pay, more comprehensive health insurance and increased support for students with families.

Temple initially refused to meet these demands, leading to the strike. The only contract it offered was to raise salaries to $22,000 by 2026. This contract was quickly shut down by the Student Union, which had been demanding salaries of around $32,000, a $13,000 increase from the original salaries of $19,000.

During the earlier period of striking, classes were canceled or relocated, and some undergraduate students even joined the picket lines

in solidarity with the graduate students.

“The strike has caused major disruption on campus,” Temple undergraduate student Molly Sabol said. “The strike has been going on for a few weeks at this point, such that students have been left without instructors for their classes.”

Sabol also noted issues surrounding the replacement workers and their own compensation.

“In some cases, the university hired scabs [non-union workers taking the strikers’ places] to take over the striking TAs’ classes,” Sabol said. “The scabs are reportedly making more money than TAs were originally.”

In response to the graduate strike, the university has removed tuition remission and even healthcare benefits for striking students.

The strike received significant media attention, both locally and na-

tionally, with many pointing out the irony of a university that claims to value education and research failing to support the very people who make those things possible.

“The university makes so much money, and I do not think it is unreasonable to provide grad students with better working conditions, higher pay and increased parental leave,” Sabol said. “Every day that I walk to class, I see a huge group of grad students on the picket line.”

Sabol and other Temple students are optimistic to see the talk surrounding the strike.

“It is really inspiring to see how much attention and support this strike has received,” she said. “I hope Temple does the right thing by listening to the grad students’ concerns and working with them to ratify a fair contract.”

Although TUGSA is exclusive to Temple, the demand for

higher pay is prevalent at Villanova, as well. Thus, students should not take the news of the Temple graduate students’ strike lightly.

With Pennsylvania adhering to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour since 2009, and increased inflation in recent years, there is certainly tension between overworked students and their low wages.

Student workers at Villanova are also discouraged by low wages for their campus jobs. Despite the recent increase for Dining Services workers’ pay to $17.50 per hour, the wages for most jobs on campus remains at $10 an hour, no matter how the tasks vary.

With a large student population coming from different states and countries, it is natural to compare the Pennsylvania minimum wage to that of one’s home state or country. Originally from the state of Maryland, with the minimum wage having been recently raised to $13.25 in 2023, I also felt disdain towards the wage I make as a student worker at Falvey. Although my job is not particularly physically taxing, it still requires a certain level of creativity and contribution.

Other student workers share similar opinions about the disparity between their work and their pay. Compared to Villanova’s tuition rate, the money earned from minimum wage jobs for student workers amounts to only a tiny fraction. One thing is for certain: the TUGSA strike will not be the last student strike in this country, as more and more student workers rightfully fight for fairer wages.

So, How About That Weather?

Isabella Ledet Staff Writer

Several weeks ago, Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his burrow, and we all anxiously awaited his reaction to the sunlight. This year, he saw his shadow, letting us know that we would experience six more weeks of winter.

At fi rst, he seemed to be quite mistaken. In greater Philadelphia, the weather has been gorgeous. It got so warm, in fact, that I had to ask for my mother to ship me my lighter-weight coat, since I had not brought it, thinking that the temperature could not possibly reach into the 60s in February.

Back home in Albany, NY, schools are still getting snow days and activities are being canceled due to inclement weather. But, here in Philly, one can fi nd students lounging around the Oreo, soaking in the sunlight and warmth.

We were all beginning to lose faith in our friendly neighborhood groundhog, until we checked our phones to see the weather for the Wells Fargo tailgate and game on Saturday, February 25, and discovered that it would be below freezing.

What is going on?

When I was watching the news one evening at home over Winter Break, one of the local weathermen reminded me of an important distinction that I often forget. “Weather” is the short term event of what is happening outside, whereas “climate” is the long-term trend of an area.

Typically, the weather in February in Philadelphia varies, but, much to my surprise, I have found that it does occasionally dip into the 60s at this time of year. This is particularly shocking to

me because I am used to winter extending fairly far into March, regardless of what the groundhog might see on February 2.

It is true that Philadelphia is certainly farther south than my home town of Albany and thus rests in a diff erent climate – its weather is historically warmer overall, not just day-by-day. So, when I see people bundled up in huge coats when it is in the 40s, I fi gure that they are simply from somewhere south or southwest, where it is always warmer.

Conversely, people wearing shorts when it is in the 20s must be from Maine, Canada or Alaska. I cannot imagine how people become immune to the cold in this way.

However, although the February climate here in southeast Pennsylvania is so predictably unpredictable, the buildings around campus can never seem to get it right. The other morning, my classmates and I realized that our classroom in St. Mary’s had reached a balmy 79.9 degrees, and there was nothing any of us could do about it.

Since the weather can fl uctuate so much during this time of year (which has been verifi ed by trends for years), I wish there was some kind of better climate control system in buildings that could be adjusted more easily. One day we might be baking, and then the next we are icicles.

I think that it is wonderful that the weather can get so warm during this time of year here. I really enjoyed working outside a few days ago; it makes everyone on campus excited and hopeful that spring really has sprung. This phenomenon is exciting, until the ever-fl uctuating climate of this region hits tailgaters with a “32 and snowy.”

This unpredictable weather gives us nice days by the Oreo one day and frozen tailgates the next. Brian Luppy/Villanovan Photography

TUGSA’s demand for higher wages should inspire students nationwide, including at Villanova. Courtesy of Noel Chacko / The Temple News

EDITORIAL BOARD LETTERS TO THE EDITORS

Editor-in-Chief

Editor-in-Chief

Associate Editor-in-Chief

Opinion Editor

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

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

Women’s Nova Sports: Why We Should Care

Loghan Hirkey Staff Writer

On February 18, Villanova students packed the Finneran Pavilion for the highly anticipated women’s basketball game against UConn. Everyone was buzzing with excitement about having entered the lottery and won, because who can remember the last time there was a lottery for a women’s sporting event?

The Villanova versus UConn women’s game was the first game that included a lottery, not just this season, but in recent years. I went to the PinkOut game where the Wildcats defeated Marquette, 73-54.

It was an exciting game, and I was shocked to see how many empty seats there were, especially in the student section. For years, a common excuse for a lack of student attendance has been, “Well, the women’s sports don’t do as well as the men’s,” but in terms of basketball, our women’s team is nationally ranked.

This year, the Villanova women’s basketball team is ranked much higher than the men’s in their respective divisions and have been performing better. In general, playing a Division 1 sport is difficult, and given the strength of our women’s team, they should be getting as many packed seats as the men’s.

Women’s basketball is not the only sport that does not get the recog-

nition it deserves.

When thinking of Villanova sports, a person hardly hears about field hockey, women’s lacrosse, women’s soccer- the list goes on. Sure, people go to the games, but most of the time it is to collect enough points to win lotteries for men’s basketball games.

Oftentimes, people leave after the first half of the game because they received their points and do not really care to stay for the outcome of the game. I am sure it is discouraging for Villanova’s female athletes to see such a lack of support from their peers given how hard they work.

In response, Villanova should make it so students can only scan and receive their points at the end of a game.

That way, people can not

leave halfway through a game after receiving points, and students can give their proper attention and support to our deserving womens’ teams.

Villanova senior and avid women’s sports supporter Gabby Slentz gave her opinion on student recognition of womens’ sports at Villanova.

“I totally think women’s sports are underrated,” Slentz said. “These athletes are just as talented and put in the same amount of time. It is super frustrating to see them not get the hype.”

Slentz also shared her positive experiences with women’s sports and how we need to care more. “One of my favorite memories, ever, was being invited onto a Notre Dame women’s basketball bus to meet the team after they won,” Slentz said. “The girls

were so nice and took pictures and chatted with us. It is so important for young girls to have role models who inspire them to be better people and to work hard.”

The Villanovan also spoke to sophomore Corrine Wilm, and asked what she thinks would help the women’s sports teams at Villanova recieve the same support from students as the men’s do.

“Making the women’s basketball games have lotteries for each one will make it have that special feeling the men’s games have,” Wilm said. Lotteries get our student body excited, so why can’t both teams have one?

Outside of Villanova, we see this imbalance in women’s sports everywhere. Everyone gets excited for the Super Bowl, World Series and countless other men’s playoff games, while women’s sports are rarely even aired on TV.

Women work just as hard in their collegiate sports as men and deserve support, not only during college, but in their future careers as well.

We need to care more about Villanova’s women’s sports and set a new standard that both men’s and women’s sports are entertaining and worth watching.

Young girls need role models, and strong women in sports who get support from their fans are the perfect fit. To do our part, we need to give Villanova’s women’s sports just as much recognition as the men’s.

Jimmy Carter’s Life and Legacy

Brian Luppy Staff Writer

Last week, the Carter Center released news that former president Jimmy Carter has entered hospice care. While the news is sad, it presents the opportunity to reflect on his life and legacy.

Carter was born and raised in Plains, Georgia. When he was a young adult, he joined the United States Navy, serving in the submarine force as an officer. After serving in the military, he returned home and took over his family’s peanut farm.

Meanwhile, Carter became involved in politics, opposing racial segregation at a time when it was rampant in the American South. He served in the Georgia State Senate for four years, and then became the governor of Georgia.

As a dark horse candidate, Carter won the Democratic presidential nomination and faced incumbent Gerald Ford in the 1976 election.

After narrowly defeating Ford, Carter took office, and imme-

diately stepped into a tumultuous US political landscape. Distrust in the government was at an all-time high following Nixon’s Watergate scandal. Inflation rates were also at extreme heights. Record-breaking inflation during his time in the oval office, coupled with an inability to suppress unemployment, began to plague his public perception.

The 1979 United States energy crisis was, perhaps, the most decisive moment of his presidency. During the Iranian Revolution, production of oil in the Middle East sharply declined, causing oil prices to spike. The results were apparent at the pump. Long lines and high prices frustrated Americans throughout the country.

Meanwhile, Carter dealt with the Iranian Hostage Crisis overseas, where more than 50 American diplomats were held hostage by Iranian Revolution supporters in the US Embassy in Tehran.

Going into the 1980 election, Americans were tired of the effects of a weak economy, and, therefore, Carter’s presidency as a whole.

Ronald Reagan, meanwhile, promised to restore the economy, as well

as bolster military strength at a time when most Americans thought that defense spending was too low.

After receiving just 49 electoral votes, compared to Reagan’s 489, the public voice was clear: Carter’s time as president was up.

The Villanovan spoke with Frank Pryor, a political science professor at Villanova.

“By and large, I wouldn’t call it a failed presidency, but probably a mediocre one,” he said.

To best understand Carter’s legacy, it is imperative that we also remember his time out of office.

After leaving the White House, Carter became a diplomat for the US, taking trips to Egypt and North Korea. In 1982, he founded The Carter Center, a non-profit that advocates for human rights around the world.

He has also worked with Habitat for Humanity, an organization that builds homes for the underprivileged. Additionally, he has written three books, is a deacon, was a Sunday school teacher and has been a tenured professor at Emory University in Atlanta for 37 years.

Carter has been married

to his wife, Rosalynn, for 77 years, giving the two of them the title of “Longest-Married Presidential Couple.” Carter is also the longest living president, at 98 years old.

“All future presidents should be judged by his post-presidency,” Pryor said. “That should be the benchmark. That should be the standard.”

Such an outstanding post-presidency has transitioned Carter’s once negative reputation into a positive one. Once deemed largely a failure of a president, we can now look back at his presidency with a clearer understanding that he stepped into office at a difficult time.

With a perfect track record since leaving office, including several charitable endeavors, Carter is a president with a strong moral compass.

As we reflect on the life of Carter, during what could be his final days, we must look at all 98 years of his life, not just his four as president. There, we will find that he was a man of selflessness and integrity.

“A moral leader in an immoral time,” Pryor said. That should be his legacy.

Villanova’s women’s basketball team has had an incredible season. Gabi Frank/Villanovan Photography

CULTURE

I Am Because of You: Black History Month Showcase

Tallulah Laska Staff Writer

-telle recited. “And have the nerve to look at karma like she’s doing something wrong / Like she’s the problem.”

Chantelle’s recitation of poems evoked strong feelings from the audience. There were audible gasps and sighs as she spoke about trauma and deep emotions, and how to work through them.

After Chantelle was Nova Step Nation, the first official step team at Villanova. Step Nation performed synchronized stepping and clapping, both with a beat and without. Step Nation is also hosting a “Stepping for Black History” workshop on Tuesday, February 28.

Up next was The SaxMan, Noel Haye. Haye combined smooth saxophone jazz with modern music. Haye played on top of beats, which had the audience dancing and singing along.

An a capella group followed The SaxMan. The group, The Inspiration, is an a capella group from the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn). It focuses on education through people of the African diaspora.

After their performance, one of The Inspiration’s soloists stayed on the stage and was accompanied by Dr. Hollis, a rapper also from UPenn. The two of them sang a few songs, alternating between singing and rapping. Then, Dr. Hollis continued by himself by rapping to beats from DJ Nana, who had been deejaying the entire showcase.

The last performance of the night was by VU Superlative, an all-style multicultural dance team. When the Superlatives began their performance, the room erupted with cheers. Their energy was like no other. With their high kicks and big smiles, the Superlative ended the showcase with a bang.

One student attendee, Lauren Amoo, really enjoyed the showcase. Amoo sported a stunning red gown and was dancing and cheering the entire night.

“The event was truly amazing,” Amoo said. “It was such a great showing of Black excellence and I loved seeing the Black community come together and have so much fun. It would not have been possible without all of the hard work from BSU, and I am so appreciative of them and their drive to put on fun events for our community.”

Parris brought energy to the show through their encouragement of audience participation. They were able to get thunderous applause for each of the performers and overall put on an incredible show for the audience.

“I really enjoyed hosting the event,” Parris said. “The turnout was very good and there was a variety of performances that really touched on so many parts of Black

culture. I always enjoy hosting events like this because I think contributing to the expression of Black culture at Villanova is important.”

Parris closed out the show by inviting the audience up onto the dance floor to dance to DJ Nana’s music. There was much laughter and smiles radiated off of everybody. BSU could not have put on a better show to close out Black History Month.

Villanova Literary Festival: Mary O’Donoghue

Sara Hecht Staff Writer

This past Thursday, February 23, marked the kick-off event of the 25th Annual Villanova Literary Festival. Walking into the Connelly Center, one could not help but feel transported to the Emerald Isle, as lively Irish music and spirited discussions flowed from the President’s Lounge.

The event celebrated renowned poet, translator and novelist Mary O’Donoghue, who serves as the 2023 Charles A. Heimbold, Jr. Chair for Irish Studies. Published by independent Irish presses, O’Donoghue’s works include the novel “Before the House Burns,” as well as two collections of poetry, entitled “Among These Winters” and “Tulle.”

Prior to her reading, O’Donoghue’s talent was commended by Villanova’s President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Ph.D, who joked of their shared last name, although he quipped he lost the “g” of “O’Donoghue”’ somewhere along the journey from Ireland to Pennsylvania.

Fr. Peter also had the honor of introducing Irish Ambassador to the United States, Geraldine Byrne Nason. Having assumed the role this past August, Nason is the 19th Ambassador of Ireland to the United States. Nason hails from County Louth, and shared that her visit to campus on Thursday evening felt like a homecoming.

The final opening speakers were senior Molly Carriero and junior Kylie Horan, who were selected to introduce O’Donoghue to the festival’s audience.

“Fiercely intelligent, O’Donoghue’s stunningly extensive vocabulary invites readers to stretch the limits of how they engage with language,” Carriero said. “Her poems illustrate how diction can elevate poetry to an entirely new plane and play. To read Mary O’Donoghue is a pleasure for all senses. It is an intellectual journey for the mind, skipping to keep up with her nimble word choice, breathtaking allusions and storytelling.”

Upon taking the podium, O’Donoghue demonstrated deep gratitude to Carrerio and Horan for their lovely and warm words. O’Donoghue reiterated this appreciation to The Villanovan.

“My favorite moment was to be presented to the audience by students of ‘Authors On & Off the Page,’ Kylie Horan and Mollie Carriero,” O’Donoghue said. “Their close readings of my work were full of intellectual and creative integrity. I was moved by their attention. Not all writers are as lucky to receive this kind of introduction.”

The reading itself began with O’Donoghue’s translation of the Irish-language poem “Gramadach” by Louis de Paor. O’Donoghue then read her poem “My Daughter in Winter Costume,” which was inspired by John Storr’s statue. In a short essay O’Donoghue read, introducing this piece, she dedicated the reading to her step-daughter, and shared that the piece is one of her most cherished poems. She concluded with the short story entitled “The Rakes of Mallow,” which captivated the audience with its rhythm repetition

of “we,” and evocatively nostalgic description.

Earlier in the afternoon, O’Donoghue visited the “Authors On and Off the Page” English course, taught by Dr. Adrienne Perry and Dr. Tsering Wangmo, which runs in collaboration with the Literary Festival.

During this meeting, O’Donoghue graciously offered many words of wisdom to students. She answered each student’s question with such honesty and eloquence that one could not help but be enraptured by the poeticism and musicality of her words.

O’Donoghue expressed her own joy in visiting and speaking with the “Authors On and Off the Page” class.

“It was revelatory,” O’Donoghue said. “Yet it was not surprising, because I have come to know Villanova English students and Irish Studies students as fine close readers. But nonetheless: to be returned to my work, as prompted by their inquiries, only deepened my resolve that writing is my practice—and what I want to do.”

Likewise, the students of the course revealed how honored they were to read O’Donoghue’s work and to meet her in-person. Junior Rachel Rhee reflected on this special experience.

“It was so magical to have Mary O’Donoghue visit our ‘Authors On and Off the Page’ class,” Rhee said. “She brought another layer of warmth, love and joy to the poems we’d been studying for the past two weeks. I loved hearing about her journey and it was so lovely to hear her words of

encouragement to us, as aspiring writers.”

Horan shared her own reflection on her time with O’Donoghue’s poetry collection “Amongst These Winters” with the audience at the festival.

“Her poetry is a raw, honest and relatable love letter to intellectualism and the everyday,” Horan said.

Senior Ava Lundell offered her thoughts on what it was like to attend the festival itself, meeting new people in both the Irish and English departments.

“The Literary Festival event with Mary O’Donoghue was a wonderful opportunity for Villanova’s Irish Studies Department and English Department to collaborate, creating a meaningful experience for both students and faculty,” Lundell said. “O’Donoghue’s writing is beautiful, and to hear her read from her work was a once-ina-lifetime opportunity.”

As part of her work as the 2023 Heimbold chair, O’Donoghue teaches her own English course, entitled “20th-21st Century Irish Literature & Culture.” This course focuses on Irish-language literature, and the practice and intricacies of translation. In fi nal refl ection on the evening, O’Donoghue shared one more noteworthy moment from the night’s events.

“If I looked somewhat windblown at the podium it was because I was driven to the event by Fr. Peter… along with the Irish Ambassador to the United States… in a golf cart,” O’Donoghue said. “I will never forget that adventure!”

The BSU Showcase featued many dance groups, as shown above. Courtesy of @novabsu on Instagram

VSMT’s “It Shoulda Been You”

Bailey Quinn Staff Writer

The Smith Lab of Villanova’s John and Joan Mullen Center puts a spotlight on Jenny Steinberg (sophomore Jackie Bubnis). She sings about the woes of weddings and never wanting one, only to have her mother, Judy Steinberg (sophomore Ainsley Williams), interrupt her musings loudly. Villanova Student Musical Theatre’s It Shoulda Been You, directed by senior Aidan Fecko with junior Musical Director Minh-chau Scott and freshman Stage Manager Calum Huang, was a sold-out show these past two weekends. We follow Jenny as the co-maid of honor in her sister’s wedding. The bride, Rebecca Steinberg (senior Kiana Carbone) is jittery, especially in the presence of her mother, Judy. However, her sister Jenny is an unwavering source of support.

Jenny makes a mistake when she accidentally calls her sister’s ex-boyfriend and her own ex-childhood best friend, Marty Kaufman (junior Patrick Calhoun). Calhoun’s character is ecstatic upon hearing his ex-girlfriend is getting married, ecstatic, that is, to crash the wedding and prevent them from making it down the aisle, let alone to their first dance. However, he is not alone on this mission to stop the wedding, once he arrives, the Steinberg family welcomes him.

The Howard family feels the same way as the Steinbergs, and they too are making moves to prevent Rebecca from marrying their son. Georgette Howard (junior Olivia Pistella), is a vision in pink and her sickly-sweet composure proves to be near-lethal in social circumstances, yet it does nothing to sugarcoat her distaste for no longer being the only woman in her son’s life.

“In four years of VSMT shows, I think that It Shoulda Been You has been the absolute most fun show to perform and rehearse,” Pis-

tella said. “Through Aidan’s fantastic direction, the cast has been able to bring these characters to life in a show full of twists and turns with a happy ending for everyone.”

Pistella does a stellar job grounding herself in her character, as she is a constant showstopper, and her cutting remarks are a spoonful of sugar laced with emotional arsenic that knocks even her husband to the ground when in a disagreement.

Meanwhile the groom, Brian Howard (freshman Jeremiah Mathews) tap-dances with his father, George Howard (freshman Joey Klieman), as they navigate emotionality in masculine relationships, only to find out that his father wants him to give his future wife a prenuptial agreement to sign.

Klieman and Pistella prove to be a hilarious couple, coyly trying to maneuver their way to their own version of a happy ending. However the Steinbergs, primarily Judy with the (slightly reluctant but nevertheless doting) support of her quieter husband, Murray Steinberg (Mike Ferlisi) are keen on blunt honesty. Williams steals every scene she enters, her character Judy casting snarky remarks she thinks are refreshing and kind, but are in fact insulting, leaving her audience guffawing, eagerly waiting for the next time she callously inhales a breath to begin again.

We see the two mothers face off as they get their hair done for the wedding, and they share snipes about one another’s families, religions, and physical appearances. Their stark repulsion from one another is even represented in their costumes, with Pistella in warm tones and Williams in cool tones for the entirety of the show (a choice masterfully made among many other brilliant decisions by co-costumers Abigail Maroun and Madeleine Brooks).

When the prenuptial agreement news is dropped by none other than Marty, it appears, for a

moment, that the wedding is truly doomed. However, Albert the wedding planner (Lily Panunto) swoops in as a self-ordained “Nuptial Houdini,” backed by the vocals of his two assistants, Walt (Wilcox) and Mimsy (senior Jess Cherubino), and reminds Jenny that prenuptial agreements before weddings in New York state are not legally binding. This news sends Jenny running after her sister, and ultimately getting her down the aisle.

As we cut to the newlyweds and their loved ones dance in and out on the left side of the scene with mixed reactions, and Jenny lingers the most in the shadows, insisting she has never dreamed of having a happily ever after such as her sister’s; and all the while we watch our newly-weds get interrupted by their friends, co-maid of honor Annie Shepard (freshman Madison Romano) and best man Greg Madison (freshman Ethan McGrath) with a bottle of champagne. We watch with increasing tension as the Carbone and Mathew’s characters whisper and worry about getting caught, but it is not until the newly-weds part ways and join hands with their respective member of their wedding party that we realize that the bride and groom are, in fact, gay.

Annie and Greg are masters of subtlety, and declare that they are going to sing for the newlyweds during the reception. What ensues is a cringe-worthy and extremely obvious confession of love to their partners that causes waves of discomfort.

Rebecca pleads with Jenny to understand, only for her sister to stalk out of the room, feeling hurt that Rebecca did not trust her enough to share her secret. Consequently, Jenny breaks into song, deciding in a whirlwind of feminine rage.

Jenny runs into Marty and kisses him. Jenny hides, and Marty runs after her, and reveals he never loved her sister, and he was coming to the wedding to stop her from getting married. While they express

their feelings for one another and kiss once more and then leave to stop Rebecca from coming out to her family, this exposure of Rebecca’s sexuality was overheard by drunk Aunt Sheila (Cherubino) and one of the wedding staff, Walt (Wilcox), who was cornered by the intoxicated relative.

“The talent [on] display is something else,” Wilcox said. “Everyone brings something unique to the table, which lifts the whose cast’s performance to a new level.”

After Aunt Sheila stalks in and announces that Rebecca is gay. Rebecca confesses this to be true. What ensues is a revelation involving an accidental pregnancy between the bride and groom, a marriage based on an economic proposition to gain access to the Howard inheritance, and a wedding multiplied by three, including the two queer couples and now Marty and Jenny.

While the last couple goes back and forth about getting married, with Jenny especially worried, Judy has a shining moment of empathy and vulnerability, using her brutal honesty for good. Judy comforts her daughter, and you can feel a sigh of relief radiate from the enamored audience when Jenny takes Marty’s hand and runs to get fitted into a wedding dress, of which Albert has somehow foreseen the need.

“It’s always so much fun getting to perform different characters with your best friends, but it makes it even more fun when the theme is something so real, like in this show,” Fecko said.. “In directing this show, I really tried to have the performers try to find something that they related to. The characters that shape this story are based on such authentic experiences, and it was my goal to have the performers relate to this story on a personal level so that we could bring this show to life, and have so much fun doing it.”

The Last One Standing: Noel’s SZA Ticket Giveaway

Emma Cahill Co-Culture Editor

How far would you go for SZA tickets? Villanova student and Tik Tok sensation Noel B. Doherty put this question to the test on Villanova students this past Sunday February 26th.

Junior Alex Tessendorf heard Noel B Doherty was planning on giving away tickets. Assuming that it would be a straightforward trivia quiz, Tessendorf began studying up on her SZA facts. When she arrived at the Oreo at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, she was met with a challenge much different than what she originally thought.

Outside the Oreo, Doherty drew a chalk circle and offered a challenge to students passing by: whoever was the last person left in the circle would win tickets to a SZA concert. A seemingly simple challenge, many students clustered inside the circle, ready to camp out for the concert tickets that had been so difficult to obtain for many. Many had their laptops open to study, friends delivering them snacks, and a determination to last hours in the challenge.

“I had no idea what I was getting myself into,” Tessendorf said. “Noel did not tell us what the challenge to win the tickets was going to be. I did my best to stay as long as I could, but eventually lost a challenge, thus getting kicked out

of the circle.”

These challenges, as Tessendorf alludes to, were unbeknownst to participants. In the circle, Noel B. Doherty had quite a few tricks up his sleeve to intensify the competition. In addition to the mental and physical strength required to stay in the circle, Doherty put together games to weed out participants. Freshman Lauren Armstrong, one of the participants in the giveaway, reflects on the different challenges she experienced during her time in the circle.

“Through the process there was trivia, games, contests and twists involved,” Armstrong said.

“In one round I had to sing SZA on a TikTok live in order not to get voted out. I was in the circle for a little over four hours and made it to the top 13 contestants. My friend Marissa Bastian and I were in it together and both tried to stay in as long as possible. We both unfortunately got out during the challenge of trying to balance on one leg.”

Despite their persistence to win, many others faced the same fate in Noel’s challenge. Another contestant who faced a similar outcome was sophomore Julie Soutter. Even though Soutter did not win, she still cherishes the experience she had.

“I lasted for around two and a half hours in the challenge before I was unfortunately voted out during one of Noel’s twists,”

Soutter said. “Even though I had the opportunity to save myself, I chose to back out in hopes that my friend who was still in the competition would take home the win. I am glad that I participated because it will definitely stick with me as a fun memory, despite not making it to the end.”

Keeping everyone on their toes, Doherty describes his inspiration for the competiton.

“The challenge was heavily inspired by Mr. Beast,” Dohert said, “He has done videos where the last person to leave a circle wins a big prize. I studied and took notes on one of his videos in preparation for the SZA contest. I enticed them with lemons and money to step out of the circle. One girl got three lemons and one guy got $100.”

In the end, there was ultimately one winner whose perseverance won them a live performance of the hit album “SOS”. Sophomore Mari Beneti, who spent over four hours, describes her experi-

ence in the circle.

“I did not even know what the challenge was, let alone that I was going to win it,” Beneti said. “I was sitting in the library when my roommates dragged me to the Oreo and I just kinda went with it.”

In spite of this, Beneti stuck it out and was able to take home the win. Beneti describes her excitement after winning the challenge, and explains what she plans to do with the tickets.

“I do not think there is anyone in the world who is more excited for this concert than me,” Beneti said. “I cannot wait to share this moment with my two roommates, Mia and Maya, and my friend Maddi, who stayed by my side through the whole challenge. I could not have done it without them.”

To see how this challenge went down, tune into @noel.b.askin on TikTok to see some of the shenanigans that went down.

Students congregate around the Oreo for Noel’s SZA challenge. Graydon Paul/ Villanovan Photography

Club Spotlight: Cats in the Kitchen

Zoe Manning Staff Writer

If you are looking to learn how to cook basic meals on your own, or simply to perfect your existing kitchen skills, Cats in the Kitchen is the club for you.

Cats in the Kitchen runs weekly cooking sessions in the kitchen of Dougherty Hall. Each session is centered around a specific meal, with around 10 to 15 students in attendance for each meeting. Past meetings included training sessions for meals such as omelets, pizza, stir fry, burritos and pasta. The meetings are led and instructed by three chefs who work within Villanova Dining Services. These chefs are Gail Mitchell (Chef Nutritionist), Chris Wiseley (Executive Chef of Residential Dining) and Jose Gonzalez (Executive Chef of Donahue Court). They are responsible for the technicalities of each meeting, as well as instructing each training session. Members of Cats in the Kitchen are encouraged to reach out to the chefs or the club’s executive board with any ideas for future training courses, though there are exciting courses coming up in the near future.

Fortunately for students, membership and courses are free, and no prior equipment is needed. However, due to the importance of safety in the kitchen, students must sign waivers and abide by a dress code that includes wearing pants and closed-toed shoes, which are the only prerequisites.

President Nicholas Barone shared why his own background in cooking inspired him to start Cats in the Kitchen.

“Like many other students, I grew up spoiled by my parents’ cooking, but never really put in the effort to learn how to do so independently,” he said. “I lived on campus with a meal plan my first three years at Villanova, but I knew that my senior year would have me off campus and without [a meal plan]. Naturally, I looked into joining whatever student organization was going to teach me how to cook. To my surprise, there were over 130 student organizations at the time, but not one of them was centered around cooking. I saw the vacancy as an opportunity to start something worthwhile.”

Barone had three goals for his vision of what Cats in the Kitchen would entail.

“First, I wanted something that was easy to join for any students with legitimate interest,” he said. “Secondly, I did not want the club to be seen as a laborious commitment; rather, something fun and lighthearted that people can look forward to. And lastly, it needed to be informative and educational, involving handson training. Fortunately, all of these qualities were made possible once we partnered with Villanova Dining Services.”

Chef Chris Wiseley, the Executive Chef, Resident Dining Halls for Villanova Dining Services, oversees the culinary operations in Doughtery Hall, Donahue Hall and St. Mary’s Hall while working with chefs and managers in the dining halls. He explained the benefits for students of joining Cats in the Kitchen and attending training sessions.

“The benefits for students joining Cats in the Kitchen is to introduce them to basic skills techniques, and equipment in the kitchen that they can carry with them the rest of their lives,” Wiseley said. “It also introduces them to the fun that can be had in the kitchen and not to be afraid in the kitchen to try new recipes and ingredients.”

Furthermore, Gail Mitchell, Chef Nutritionist for Villanova Dining Services, shared that “[Students] will learn simple kitchen techniques to create an array of dishes in their own homes. It’s also a fun way to connect with other students who have an interest in learning how to cook.”

Cats in the Kitchen welcomes everyone, with members having a wide range of kitchen experience. People who already know how to cook a few meals and have some culinary skills in their back pocket are welcome to come and add to their skillsets. On the other hand, those who have absolutely no experience in the kitchen can learn the basics during training sessions. All the chefs who instruct the training sessions are able to work with students with a range of abilities and are very understanding, so they “truly could not be easier to work with,” Barone stated.

Although Cats in the Kitchen does not have any social media presence yet, students who are interested can reach out to Nick Barone via email at nbarone3@villanova.edu or text at 347-838-0579. Club membership has expanded in recent months, and members of the executive board are thrilled see it grow.

Augustinians of Villanova: Father Arthur Purcaro

Olivia Sabalaskey Staff Writer

“As Augustinians, we try to build community,” Father Arthur Purcaro, O.S.A., said. “This world has become very individualistic. Every person is in it for themselves. Instead, we must be there for one another, particularly when another is sick or in need of company. We are called to build relationships in God’s name, particularly with those who may not like us or those who don’t have the advantages we have. That is true solidarity.”

This week, Fr. Art offers Villanovans a glimpse into the Order of St. Augustine at Villanova University in the Augustinians of Villanova Column.

From a very young age, Fr. Art felt that he was called to serve, not only God, but the larger community, as well. His father, a humble New York City policeman, was an inspirational figure throughout his life, particularly when Fr. Art was just nine years old.

“One Christmas morning, my siblings and I came home from Mass, eager to eat my dad’s famous pancakes and open our gifts,” Fr. Art said. “To our surprise, my dad told us to get our coats, and that we were going to share our gifts with the local orphanage. He told us that, while we got gifts for Christmas, we had the opportunity to share what God had shared with us with others who didn’t have anyone to share with. I’ve never forgotten that.”

Determined to pursue God’s calling, Fr. Art attended a minor seminary and was ordained a priest later, after years of study and prayer. Novitiate, Chicago’s Province of the Augustinians, decided to open up a mission in Chulucanas, Peru.

“They were looking for Augustinian volunteers,” Fr. Art said. “After my junior year here at Villanova,

I volunteered. I knew nothing about Peru and I had never gone before, but I was so eager to go.”

In 1975, Fr. Art traveled to Northern Peru, where about 85% of the population was illiterate, due to the lack of schools. Fr. Art joined missionary priests and nuns from 13 different countries to train health and educational representatives among 85,000 Peruvians. While some missionaries worked primarily in the Andes Mountains, Fr. Art first worked in the larger desert region alongside his beloved friend and Servant of God, Father John McKniff, O.S.A.

“Although it took over 30 years, we built a parish from scratch and got electricity for a hospital in the major town of the diocese,” Fr. Art said. “This region of Peru is an entirely different reality compared to the United States where people live at a subsistence level. However, rather than resent how we were more privileged than them, we were grateful and shared everything we could.”

Fr. Art, Fr. John and other missionaries’ primary concern was to help the Peruvians live a full life. Despite their religious focus, the mission-

aries also sought to enhance Northern Peru’s education and healthcare. For example, they taught one representative from each village how to treat and prevent disease. Also, the missionaries taught village representatives how to read and write so that every Sunday they could celebrate Mass and serve as catechetics for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation and more.

“When I left in 2015, there were 44 Diocesan Peruvian priests,” Fr. Art said. “We even started a seminary over there. Last I checked, there were about 25 Augustinian Peruvian priests.”

Fr. Art worked in Peru from 1975 until 2015, except from 1995 to 2007, during which he served as Assistant General in the central government of the Order of St Augustine in Rome. Despite having to travel frequently to Latin America, Asia, Africa and Northern America, Fr. Art continued to support the Augustinian mission in Peru from afar.

The United Nations now reports that all village members are registered as literate, a true testament to the missionaries’ fifty years of hard work. According to Fr. Art, helping

one another and building community is the Augustinian way of life.

“God is community built on relationships and harmony,” Fr. Art said. “Undeniably, everyone is different. However, it’s not about uniformity, it’s about unity. One of the topics I get into with students during class is Toxic Charity, or service we do for, not with. True Augustinian community is doing acts of service with others. By sharing with one another, we are all enriched.”

Fr. Art serves as the Assistant Vice President for Mission and Ministry, and is an adjunct professor in Theology and Religious Studies. Specifically, Fr. Art teaches THL: 4100-100 Justice & Sustainability and THL: 5003-001 Liberation Theology. In the classroom, Fr. Art’s passion for sustainability and building community is infectious.

“Fr. Art is one of the most profound professors I have ever had at Villanova,” one of Fr. Art’s senior students said. “He brings much life experience and wisdom to the table, which he uses to facilitate meaningful dialogue between students. He doesn’t tell, he asks. He doesn’t declare, he questions. This creates an environment where students develop their own perspective and become more open to those of others.”

Outside of the classroom, one can find Fr. Art in Corr Chapel, admiring the stained glass windows. Given his many years of close friendship with Fr. John and Servant of God Father Bill Atkinson, O.S.A., Fr. Art finds joy and solace sitting among the pews in prayer or during daily 12:05 mass.

“It feels good to be in Corr Chapel because I’m surrounded by my family,” Fr. Art said. “I’ve known both Fr. John and Fr. Bill deeply. Like them, every one of us is called to be a saint. Sainthood is truly caring for one another. As Augustinians, that is what we try to instill and live as much as possible here at Villanova.”

Fr. Art serves as the Assistant Vice President for Mission and Ministry. Courtesy of Olivia Sabalaskey

Kiana Carbone’s “Branch of a Tree”

Julia Stanisci Staff Writer

On February 22 and 23, at 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., the Performance Studies Area in the Communication Department presented its third show of the Spring 2023 season: “Branch of a Tree.” Nearly 100 audience members gathered in the Garey Hall Black Box Studio to see the performance. The show was written by senior communication major Kiana Carbone and co-directed by Cammie Norman with Assistant Director Dr. Evan Schares, Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the Performance Studies Area. Carbone’s performance was centered around archetypes. According to Carbone’s director notes, the archetype is “the original model that can be copied endlessly: in literature, in film, on the stage and in each individual person.” In the show, which is Carbone’s senior project for the major, she explores the relationship between her own archetypes and her life experiences.

A key feature of the performance was a painted “archetypal wheel,” located on the ground center stage. The wheel is an interpretive tool that lists each of the 12 archetypes (The Innocent, Everyman, Hero, Outlaw, Explorer, Creator, Ruler, Magician, Lover, Caregiver, Jester and Sage). When audience members first entered the studio, they were invited to write their favorite superhero on a Post-It Note. They then had to place their note on the section

of the wheel they felt they most aligned with.

Throughout the performance, Carbone moved around this wheel as she explored each of her own archetypes and how they inform how she interacts with herself, others and the world. She explains that she sees her archetypes and herself like a giant tree — her roots are the experiences she’s had that cannot be changed, she herself is the trunk, the branches are her archetypes and the roles she plays on stage and in life are the leaves, which “have nowhere to go and no depth behind them without the archetype.” In her performance, she becomes this tree as she tells the audience that “discovering what [her] archetypes are was like watching a tree grow from a small sapling to a lumbering being with leaves and flowers and fruit.”

The Villanovan spoke with Carbone to learn more about how and why she decided to create this production.

“I decided to do a performance for my senior project, as I felt that portraying something that is so deeply ingrained in literature and art, like archetypes that a performance would be the best way to convey that,” Carbone said. “Also, having so much experience in theater and the performing arts I felt that the culmination of my education would be best shown on a stage. There is also something that people get from audience art that they do not get from just reading words on a page. I could have just shared my personal findings in the form of a paper, but having the words be embodied through my

voice and movement brings another level of intimacy to the words, and connection to the audience.”

Carbone has been studying archetypes for the last seven years with a theater teacher of hers. Because of this, she wanted to utilize the knowledge that everything we do will mean something to someone to the stage. When asked what her favorite part of the process was, Carbone chose the writing.

“I have performed on stage, made set pieces and done just about anything you can do to put on a performance before, but writing something of this length was completely new to me,” Car-

bone said. “Having the chance to write something that was a significant length, and completely me was exciting, also very helpful with how introspective this piece was it allowed me to really put my thoughts into words.”

Carbone hopes to one day work professionally in show business, as well as teach in a college setting. While her future with performance won’t involve being on stage, she assures that she won’t be leaving the world of performing arts any time soon. After her graduation in May, she hopes to pursue an MFA in Stage Management or Production Management.

The Handyman University Workshop at Villanova

Katie Formato Staff Writer

Looking to get down and dirty? If you have an interest in construction schools, Handyman University is the course for you.

Villanova offers a variety of different courses designed for different majors. However, unknown to many, there is also an honors, one-credit enrichment program called Handyman University, open to all students.

Handyman University is taught by Dr. Mike Ellis. The class has a size of 14 students and once six honors students have signed up, the remaining eight spots are open to all students. The class is a semester long and consists of five classes, each three hours long.

The Villanovan spoke with Ellis, who talked about how he got involved with teaching the class at Villanova.

“I was offering free handyman classes in Phoenixville as a way to give back to the community and share,” Ellis said. “My friend saw my Facebook posts and shared it with her daughter, Jaime Haughton, who is the honors program coordinator here at Villanova. The rest is history. It’s the greatest job in the world.”

The class is composed of workstations, where students can choose how much time they want to spend at each station.

“[So far,] we’ve learned carpentry, drywall, spackle, electrical, plumbing, door hardware, tiling and grouting,” Ellis said.

“During breaks, we tried Bob Ross painting, vehicle maintenance and some team-building exercises with a game board I created.”

“It’s great to see students step up and teach other students

what I’ve shown them,” he said. “All part of the team building.”

Besides the hands-on activities that students work on during class, outside of class there are tests that are open book, open note and open discussion based on what was learned in class.

“I feel students retain information much better when it’s shared and discussed,” Ellis added.

Ellis uses requests from the students to help create the curriculum of the course, since this class

helps students learn about different aspects of their life where they can be “handy,” in and around their homes.

“The students really want to learn so I continue to offer them everything I can in my field,” Ellis said. “As a no-stress class, I demand a lot of smiles and questions. I am also big on creative solutions. I think students are much more creative than they give themselves credit for.”

Furthermore, Ellis spoke about changes that he hopes to see for the class in the future.

“I’m happy with bigger classes,” he said “I’m [also] hopeful to share with other classes as a seminar or team-building experience.”

This class is very unique and it offers students the opportunity to learn about the “handy” work that they can do in their lives. Students are able to work at different stations to learn many useful skills that they can utilize in their personal lives.

If you are interested in learning more about Handyman University, visit @vuhonors on Instagram to see pictures of projects that the students have worked on. You can also reach out to the honors program coordinator, Jamie Haughton, by emailing her at jaime.haughton@villanova.edu.

Kiana Carbone presented her performance “Branch of a Tree in the Garey Hall Black Box Studio. Courtesy of Villanova University

Students in the HandymanU course pose with their logo. Courtesy of Dr. Mike Ellis

Horoscopes- Week of February 28

Chloe Miller Co-Culture Editor

Aries- Smooth sailing is the name of the game, Aries. While it may be comforting to see everything you want fall into place, don’t let that distract you from the goals at hand. Little bumps in the road may come about soon, but rest assured knowing that you have all the tools you need to succeed when you face them.

Taurus- It is time to press pause. All the doubts that have been going through your head are straying you farther and farther from the truth. Take time to be still. Be mindful with this time and let nothing interject within it. In order to truly find resolution, you must first face these issues head-on. Stop running away.

Gemini- You may feel as though your mind is going a million miles an hour this week. While that can be overwhelming, change the narrative for yourself. Use these fresh ideas to create meaningful change. With this, you will see a boost in productivity as well as well-being.

Cancer- You have been going through it recently, Cancer. Finally, you feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel. New opportunities, budding relationships, and inner peace are upon you. Take this moment and harness it. What can you do to continue this momentum?

Leo- Your bravery has always brought you to a place of comfort and peace with your

decisions. You may find yourself approached with a difficult decision where one option aligns with your heart, and the other, with your head. Lean into your innate bravery to find ultimate solace.

Virgo- You are always supporting those around you. While it feels good to be the voice of reason and the reliable friend, don’t forget to be that for yourself. This week, focus more on time for you and make decisions with yourself at the forefront. This will allow you to better serve others.

Libra- You may find yourself saying “Why can’t things just be simpler?” This week, focus on remembering that the journey needs to be rocky in order for the destination to feel rewarding. When you find yourself faced with challenges, bask in the excitement that you are getting one step closer to your goals.

Scorpio- Things may be getting a little mundane. You feel like you are in the hamster wheel of life. Pause-how can you intentionally bring about more joy in each day? It does not need to be big to be impactful. Find the small moments that make life worth living.

Sagittarius- You may not be feeling at your best. Whether it’s physical, mental, or emotional, something isn’t quite right. Do not waste your time trying to figure it out, hypothesize or attempt to fix it. Rather, let it wash over you. Sit in the discomfort. Learn that leaning into what you might not want might be exactly what you need.

Capricorn- You may feel like you are biting off more than

you can chew. When this happens, it may feel easier to try to cut down and decrease the pressure. Challenge yourself to not give up. Instead, get creative. Different outlooks produce different results. Give it a try. You’ve got all it takes. Aquarius- The people closest to you have lifted you up while you were down. It is time to give that unwavering support back to them. This week be intentional about your relationships. Having lunch with a friend? Stay present. Calling a loved one? Make sure

to ask how they are doing. These small acts will mean so much to the people around you. When you need their support down the line, it will come back tenfold.

Pisces- Stop looking so much for validation in others. What you yearn for from a partner is what you need to satisfy within yourself. You cannot truly love and uplift someone without being sure of your relationship with yourself. Take the time to get to know who you are on the inside. Then, love will fi nd its way.

Villanova Main Line Men’s Ultimate Frisbee

Sofia Krzewicki Staff Writer

On Sunday, Villanova Main Line Men’s Ultimate hosted a home scrimmage against Drexel University on the soccer fi elds on West Campus, beating their opponents in two consecutive games. Although the team has existed since the 1980s, not much is known about the sport, itself, or the organization, including their two-time East Pennsylvania Conference championships from 2017 and 2018. The sport itself has a fascinating history dating back to the 1960s as a child of the American counterculture movement.

“I always have a lot of fun playing frisbee with the team,” said Bo Spinnler, President of Villanova Main Line Men’s Ultimate and one of the team captains. “It was nice to be able to host a team like Drexel and get to experiment and refi ne our strategies and systems.”

Noah George, a sophomore, comments similarly.

“We usually only play other teams during tournaments, so it was a great opportunity to play against a section rival in a non-competitive environment,” George said. “I think both teams had a lot of fun and I hope we can do it again soon.”

Once understood, following a game is simple. Beginning with

a pull, the defense throws the disc to the off ense to commence play on a rectangular fi eld with two endzones. To score, the off ense must catch a pass in the defense’s endzone. Teams switch directions after every goal, and the next point begins with the ‘pull’ by the team that just scored. The disc moves up and down the fi eld via passes from player to player. Movement of the disc changes if a pass is intercepted, the disc falls to the ground or is knocked down by a member of the defense.

Although crowd support was minimal, Men’s Ultimate brought the energy themselves, acting as their own cheering squads, during pulls, especially.

The beginning of the two-round crusade against Drexel began with a sway-like huddle and the rhythmic chanting of “El Camino,” in reference to the infamous Chevrolet vehicle—station wagon in the front, pickup truck in the back. Other team traditions include the announcing of a pull: as the disc is released into the air,

the team shouts, “main,” concluding with “line” as the disc is caught by the off ense. It seemed like a fun and creative way to bring energy, but keep every player off the fi eld, especially, involved in the game.

From a spectator perspective, Ultimate combines many aspects of diff erent popular, professional games, including American football, soccer, and basketball. The element of communication, while important for all sports, is incredibly and intensely crucial for Ultimate. From the sidelines, players egged on their own teammates to talk to each other. Each play requires careful consideration of strategy, coordination, and trust in one another.

The collective sentiment from the team is that Ultimate should gain popularity amongst athletic supporters on campus and notoriety as a legitimate club team.

“If people know what it really is, not just tossing a disc around,” sophomore player Ryan Kryscnski says, “then it would be appreciated more. [It] has all the action we love in sports: tons of emotion, athleticism, amazing displays of skill, and tight, dramatic contests between teams.”

More attendance at home scrimmages and tournaments, along with following the team on social media can help increase crowd support and provide the sport with the attention it deserves.

Villanovan horoscopes for the week of February 28th. Courtesy of The Cut

Villanova Main Line Men’s Ultimate hosted a home scrimmage on the West Campus fields. Sofia Krzewicki / Villanovan Photography

Men and Women Have Success at Indoor Track and Field Big East Championships

Jacob Artz Staff Writer

Last week, Villanova men’s track and fi eld head coach Marcus O’Sullivan said it was his goal to make it on the podium of the Big East Championships.

With 98 points at the Dr. Conrad Worrill Indoor Track and Field Center in Chicago in the two-day event on Friday and Saturday, the team accomplished just that, earning second-place at the meet. UConn would fi nish in fi rst with 199.5 points.

“Second for us was, in our mind, a huge win because we were more on a comparable terms with some of the other teams,” O’Sullivan said.

The second-place fi nish was in doubt until the last event of the 4x400 meter relay, when DePaul placed second and ‘Nova placed third, securing its runner-up result.

Saturday, the second and fi nal day of competition, was full of gold medal fi nishes by the men and women.

Graduate student Malik Cunningham claimed gold for the Wildcats in the triple jump, with a leap of 15.98 meters, blowing out the competition by more than a meter. This is the third straight indoor gold medal for Cunningham in this event.

“Get me on the board as a team, and then, do what you need to do,” O’Sullivan said about Cunningham’s duty. “I think he stretched himself as the competition unfolded.”

Graduate student Charlie O’Donovan won the mile event with a meet record time of 3:58.07, and junior Liam Murphy passed Providence’s Patrick Thygesen going into the fi nal lap, to win the 3000-meter race in a time of 7:55.53.

“He’s a natural racer that way,” O’Sullivan said. “If you’ve got great leg turnover at the end of a race, you can let the race go whichever way you want.”

Senior Sean Dolan claimed his second straight 800-meter title with a time of 1:47.66.

“It was a good run, you know, nice and even pace, and ripped the end there,” Dolan said to the Big East Network. “So, I felt good. A little shaky in the prelims yesterday, but the whole goal is to come out with a win and get ten points for the team.”

In the last event of Friday night, the quartet of redshirt freshman Devon Comber, freshman Ronan O’Neil, graduate student Evan Addison and Murphy captured gold in the distance medley relay in 9:36.28.

The women’s track and fi eld team performed well, placing fourth as a team in the champi-

onships with 89 points, but not well enough for the standard set by years of success. UConn would fi nish atop the women’s championship meet as well with 169 points.

“It’s been quite a few years since we’ve missed out on the top2, but that’s just kinda the nature of the sport, and you have to have those rebuilding years,” women’s track and fi eld head coach Gina Procaccio said.

Despite the fourth place fi nish, there was still some success to be excited about this past weekend.

Senior Madison Martinez claimed the 800-meter title for a gold medal with a time of 2:05.31.

“Coming around the turn, I was thinking stay strong, just fi nish all the way through, pump my arms and raise my knees,” Martinez said to the Big East Network after the race.

Another golden run turned out to be the best of her career for senior Jane Livingston, who won the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.52 seconds.

“Any race is the same, just go out there and compete,” Livingston said to the Big East Network. “That’s what you have to do to win, and that’s what you have to do to get better, so that’s what I do.”

Her coach cited the Villanova spirit in Livingston to grab the win.

“She was not expected to win that,” Procaccio said. “She just got determined and ran a great race.”

Livingston also produced a silver medal in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.40 seconds.

After the successful weekend, the men and women will now prepare for the NCAA Championships in two weeks on March 10 and 11 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The qualifying times will not be set until Tuesday, and O’Sullivan will base his direction on what the times determine can be the strongest areas for the ‘Cats to excel in.

“It’s the best level, like completely the best level,” O’Sullivan said.

For the women’s team, Martinez is on the bubble for qualifying in the 800-meters and will have to wait until Tuesday to see results. If she does qualify, she will have a clean mindset heading to New Mexico.

“It would be her fi rst time qualifying as an individual, so she has nothing to lose,” Procaccio said. “She can just go in there, fi ght, try to make it into that final.”

The rest of the women’s team will focus on resting as the indoor season closes out and they look ahead to the upcoming outdoor season.

Water Polo Goes 2-1 at Princeton Invitational

Camden Wright Staff Writer

This past weekend, Villanova’s women’s water polo team traveled to New Jersey for the Princeton Invitational, and went 2-1 at the DeNunzio Pool.

On Saturday, February 25, the ‘Cats took on St. Francis College Brooklyn, where they faced their only weekend loss with a score of 12-8. Sophomore Emily McKenzie led the team in goals with a hat trick, while junior Stella Byles and senior Lauren Picard each scored two.

The team started off being down, 3-0, in the fi rst period, and got on the board with just 16 seconds left with a goal by Picard.

A quick goal from Byles put the team up within the fi rst minute of the second period, but St. Francis fi nished the quarter up, 9-4.

Despite a strong second half performance, the Wildcats were unable to break through, as the game ended in St. Francis’ favor.

Sunday, February 26 was the most successful day of the tournament for the ‘Cats, with a 21-5 win against Chapman University and a 13-7 win against Bucknell to close out the weekend.

Success against Chapman marked the highest-scoring lead

for Villanova in the last two years. Much of this scoring success came from a shutout in the fi rst half to put the Wildcats up, 9-0, at the break.

Freshman Gracin Kerry contributed to the success in net,

making seven saves in the fi rst half, four of which were made during Chapman power plays. Villanova went on a 12-0 run to start the Chapman game, and another 5-0 run in the third period.

As for their second game of

the day, the Wildcats were hoping for a revenge win over Bucknell after having lost to them, 10-9, in their last tournament.

The rematch was a successful one for Villanova, as it pulled away with a 13-7 victory over the Bison.

Sophomore Sarah Shaw started the game for Villanova, and Kerry took their place in the second half, with each goalkeeper making six saves.

Bucknell kicked off with a 2-0 lead three minutes into the fi rst period, but Villanova responded with McKenzie and freshman Coco Jones, who each scored a goal to make it 2-2 going into the second period.

Villanova had the lead in the third period, being up, 10-6, holding Bucknell off from having a breakthrough moment as the Bison only scored one more goal off a power-play, with less than fi ve minutes left in the game.

This tournament pushed the Wildcats’ record to 4-7, with a shooting percentage of .364 on the season.

Looking forward to their competition over Spring Break, Villanova will travel to Claremont, CA and Los Angeles, CA from March 3 to March 11 for the Convergence Tournament, and then it will head to San Diego, CA for the Aztec Invitational.

Water Polo beat Chapman and Bucknell over the weekend. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

Women’s Swimming and Diving Wins Tenth Straight Big East Title

B cut time of 2:14.31, good for fourth-fastest in school history.

fi nishes.

Continued from Pg. 1

Pastorek swam a 1:56.30 in the 200 back, giving her the eighth-fastest time in Villanova history in the race. Freshman Katie White also raced in the 200 back and logged the ninth-fastest time in school history, with a 1:59.19.

Freshman Winnie Jalet won the 200 breast with an NCAA

Villanova also swept the relays, winning gold in all fi ve events. Junior Cara Stapleton won bronze in the 100 free, while senior Kaitlin Gravel also took third in the 1650 free. Freshman Claire Feick won silver in the one-meter dive.

The men’s team totaled 464 points, good for fourth place. Third-place Seton Hall accumulated a point total of 721.5 over the span of the meet. The men’s team totaled three podium

Junior Nolan Danus had the team’s lone silver with a 1:48.20 fi nish in the 200 IM. Danus also posted the fi fth-fastest time in the 200 fl y in Villanova history, but the 1:47.93 time was only good enough for fi fth.

Sophomore Nicolas Jubilee won bronze in the one-meter dive, and senior Jake McIntyre placed third in the 1650 Free with a 15:18.08 NCAA B cut time. McIntyre now has seven of the top-10 times in program history for the 1650 free.

Softball Goes 2-3 in Boca Raton

Katie Lewis Staff Writer

This weekend, Villanova’s softball team took the fi eld in the Joan Joyce Classic in Boca Raton, Florida, fi nishing the tournament 2–3.

The Wildcats claimed wins over Power Five teams North Carolina and Boston College. The Wildcats now hold a 6-9 overall record.

“[This is a] step in the right direction,” head coach Bridget Orchard said.

On Friday, the Wildcats kicked off the tournament with a 5–1 victory over North Carolina. Bats were hot across the lineup, with four players — junior Tess Cites, freshman Lilly St. Jean, sophomore Ava Franz and senior Ally Jones — each notching two hits, including a sixth-inning home run from Jones.

Graduate student Peyton Schnackenberg also pitched a complete game, striking out two and allowing North Carolina only four hits and one run.

In the second game of the day, Villanova fell, 5–2, to the host team, Florida Atlantic. Freshman Kat Gallant was perfect through the fi rst eight batters, until the fourth inning, when FAU scored three runs off four hits and an infi eld error. The Owls’ lead stretched to three in the fi fth inning, and the Wildcats lacked the fi repower to stage a comeback.

“With pitchers throwing 65 to 67 miles per hour, we’re not used to seeing that type of speed and it was good for our hitters to be challenged by that,” Orchard said.

On Saturday afternoon, Villanova took another loss, falling 3–2 to Wisconsin. Schnackenberg again took the mound for the Wildcats, holding back the Badgers with eight strikeouts and allowing just three runs on fi ve hits and two walks.

Junior utility player Brooklyn Ostrowski led off the second inning with a single, eventually scoring Villanova’s fi rst run of the game on an RBI from her sister, freshman outfi elder Madison Ostrowski. St. Jean muscled a double, bringing home Franz for the Wildcats’ second run.

However, despite a strong eff ort at the plate, Wisconsin tied the game in the fi fth inning, and took the lead for good in the seventh, handing the Wildcats their second loss of the weekend.

On Saturday night and Sunday morning, the Wildcats played back-to-back games against Boston College to fi nish the tournament.

Gallant led the Wildcats from the mound during the fi rst game, throwing a two-hit, complete game shutout for a 5–0 win.

Another key player in the fi rst matchup against Boston College was graduate catcher Ryan Henry, who smashed two home runs and earned all fi ve of Villa-

nova’s RBIs.

However, the Wildcats did not see the same hitting and pitching success in their rematch against the Eagles the following day, as they fell, 5–1, and were handed their third loss of the weekend.

The game remained scoreless for the fi rst two innings, until a string of Villanova miscues in the third inning — including an error, wild pitch and passed ball in the frame — all of which gave Boston College opportunities to score and gain a 4–0 lead.

Although Cites, Henry and senior third baseman Chloe Smith delivered four hits for the Wildcats throughout the game, only Smith reached the plate in the seventh inning to fi nish the last game of the tournament.

As the Wildcats head into another week of training before going on the road again to the West Coast next weekend, standout rookie performances on both off ense and defense demonstrated the team’s potential.

“This weekend we defi nitely showed some improvements,” Orchard said. “Hitting is pretty contagious, and every game they’re getting more experience. Those were sparks of what we’re capable of doing.”

The Wildcats will head to Stanford, California this coming weekend for the DeMarini Invitational, where they will take on Miami University on Friday, March 3.

Feb. 22- Feb. 28

Wednesday, February 22

Women’s Tennis @ Penn

L 0-7

Women’s Lacrosse vs La Salle

W 16-7

Thursday, February 23

None

Friday, February 24

Women’s Tennis @ St. John’s

L 0-7

Men’s Tennis @ Coppin St.

W 7-0

Softball @ Joan Joyce Classic vs North Carolina

W 5-1 @ Florida Atlantic

L 2-5

Baseball @ North Florida

W 2-1

Women’s Basketball vs Providence

W 67-50

Saturday, February 25

Men’s and Women’s Swim @ Big East Championship

Men: 4th of 5

Women: 1st of 7

Men’s and Women’s Track @ Big East Championship

Men: 2nd of 8

Women: 4th of 9

Women’s Tennis @ Brown

L 0-7

Men’s Tennis @ Navy

L 1-6

Men’s Basketball vs No. 19 Creighton

W 79-67

Softball @ Joan Joyce Classic vs Wisconsin

L 2-3 vs Boston College

W 5-0

Baseball @ North Florida

L 11-13

Women’s Lacrosse vs. Navy

W 11-10

Men’s Tennis vs. Fairleigh Dickinson University

L 0-4

Water Polo @ Princeton Invitational vs St. Francis College Brooklyn

L 8-12

Women’s Tennis vs Providence

W 5-2

Sunday, February 26

Softball @ Joan Joyce Classic vs. Boston College

L 1-5

Men’s Lacrosse @ No. 10 Delaware

W 13-12

Baseball @ North Florida

L 7-9

Water Polo @ Princeton Invitational vs. Chapman

W 21-5 vs. Bucknell

W 13-7

Monday, February 27

Women’s Basketball @ Seton Hall

W 83-56

Tuesday, February 28

Men’s Basketball @ Seton Hall

W 76-72

Women’s swimming and diving has claimed 15 Big East titles since 1992. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

Owen Hewitt Co-Sports Editor

Anders Said It: Kyle Neptune’s Improvement Could Be Seen A Mile Away

Anders Pryor Staff Writer

People fear change and fear causes panic, but, for Villanova’s men’s basketball, panic feels like it is at a low point.

Kyle Neptune being hired as the head coach of Villanova men’s basketball was emotional, as the ‘Nova Nation said goodbye to beloved Jay Wright. But, the change was easy to understand. With such a long track record of the same concepts and culture, an in-house hire seemed like option number one, even if it came sooner than preferred.

Although the highs have been high and the lows have been low, everything about the journey to this point feels like it makes sense.

The story of Neptune’s fi rst year as head coach can be divided into fi ve chapters.

Chapter one is the early reality check. Without Cam Whitmore and Justin Moore, the reality was that the Wildcats simply didn’t have the talent or experience to overcome what were perceived at the time as more complete rosters in Michigan State, Iowa State and Oregon. Neptune’s inexperience leading against unfamiliar non-conference was largely excused.

Chapter two was Villanova’s entire campus riding the high of the arrival of Cam Whitmore.

The Wildcats won fi ve straight games at the beginning of Whitmore’s campaign, including two double-digit performances against Penn and Boston College. There was no collegiate footage of Whitmore, so preparing for him was a task that had challenges, regardless of how talented we knew he was. Whitmore gave the team a spark — in the statsheet, on the court and psychologically — a spark that the team, and their fans, so desperately wanted. All of the criticism that was stored for Neptune had seemed to disappear.

Chapter three was Moore’s absence, which exposed blindspots left and right. Once conference play began, all of the usual opponents who knew the Villanova roster up and down were able to fi gure out how to take advantage of Moore’s injury. That was a fi ne excuse for Neptune for a while, but then a number of close losses to weaker Big East teams began to show some serious fl aws in his situational coaching, roster adjustments and play drawing — things that could not be simply patched up by Moore. Most games felt like a coaching mismatch, making the wanting of Wright’s return go from one of nostalgia to one of preference and need.

Chapter four was the return of Justin Moore, which was the moment everyone part of the ‘Nova Nation had anticipated. They didn’t know when it would happen, but they knew that once it

did, they would start to feel a sense of normalcy. But, after the celebration came a hard focus on Neptune. He has all the pieces and it’s time to make it work. And at fi rst, it didn’t. Instead, the frustration reached a new high. All the blame understandable, and arguably appropriately, went on the coach. This was an idea that Villanovans never thought they would have to grapple with.

And here we are, at chapter fi ve: the last surge. Everything is clicked. In the past two victories against ranked opponents in Xavier in Creighton, Neptune showed

his best situational coaching in his career, ranging from one close win by a single point to a blowout that he kept to the very end.

Going into the Big East Tournament, this is just as good a time as any for us to see the emergence of chapter fi ve. With two winnable games left, the Wildcats have the chance to end their once shaky season on a high note. As for Neptune, he has the chance to change his image, turning himself into a guy who can win big games, while gaining the support and love of Villanovans as March quickly approaches.

Women’s Lacrosse Bests Navy in Double Overtime

able to capitalize on their offensive opportunities, sending the game into a second overtime.

After a midweek victory over La Salle, the women’s lacrosse team continued its win streak on Saturday, when it defeated Navy in double overtime, 11-10.

While the Wildcats were victorious, they started the game from behind, quickly finding themselves down, 2-0.

After a slow start, the Wildcats regained their momentum with a goal from sophomore midfielder Sami Carey in the third minute of play, which put Villanova on the board heading into the second quarter.

In the second quarter, the Wildcats went on a scoring streak. The first goal came from junior attacker Kayla Gulmi, followed by back-to-back goals from sophomore attacker Sydney Pappas, resulting in a 4-0 run.

“Once our team trusted themselves and trusted the system, things started to click,” head coach Jill Batcheller said. “Our defense did a good job of holding [Navy] to low numbers and that allowed our offense to adjust.”

Despite their streak of goals, the Wildcats lost the lead just before halftime, when Navy went on a scoring run of their own, going up, 6-4.

“I think down the line we’ll be better at holding the lead,” Batcheller said. “I think this was a really great test for us to work on getting the lead and then keeping it.”

Down by two goals at halftime, the Wildcats looked to adjust.

“We talked about how we needed to get back to playing our game and not feeding into Navy’s,” Batcheller said. “We had so many cards in the first half, and I think that was us playing into them so we just used halftime as a reset and made adjustments in the attack.”

Coming out of the break, things started slowly, until junior attacker Jessica Lee scored a goal in the fourth minute. Lee’s goal was the momentum the team needed, as freshman midfielder Maddie Luer contributed on the offensive end, tying the game with two minutes left in the third quarter.

As Villanova headed into the final quarter of play, Lee helped to regain the Wildcat lead after a goal on a free position just a minute into play. Moments later, Pappas doubled the lead and completed her hat trick with a goal in

the ninth minute of the quarter. While it seemed like the Wildcats were about to pull away, Navy’s aggression intensified. After seeing Navy trim the Wildcat lead, Batcheller called her final timeout.

“I wanted to make sure that everyone was good with their spots in our offense,” Batcheller said. “The timeout was a way for us to reset and work on finishing out the game.”

Despite the timeout prompting a reset, Navy’s momentum was too strong. In the final minute of play the Mids tied the game, 10-10, forcing overtime.

“One of our messages [going into overtime] was to stay loose, relaxed and have fun with it,” Batcheller said. “We talked about what we were going to be running offensively and defensively and tried to send the message that we trust [the players] and we trust the decisions they are making.”

The first overtime saw back and forth play, with neither team

With a few key saves from graduate goalkeeper Olivia Conquest, Cary was able to bring the ball down the field. She scored a goal with just over a minute left to play, crushing any hopes Navy had of returning to Annapolis with a win.

“Olivia is amazing,” Batcheller said. “I think in the moments at the end of the game she showed her experience and gave our team a lot of confidence.”

The Wildcats will head to California this coming weekend to play USC on Sunday, March 5, and San Diego State on Wednesday, March 8.

“USC plays a zone defense and that’s going to be the first time we see this,” Batcheller said. “We schedule these teams because we know it’s going to prepare us for the teams we see in our conference. The physicality is at another level, and the gamesmanship when playing teams in the top 20 is always different.”

For Batcheller, and the rest of the Wildcats, Spring Break will provide an opportunity to grow even closer as a team.

“A lot of the seniors on the team have never had a Spring Break trip because of Covid,” Batcheller said. “To be able to have the opportunity all together, [we are] so excited because it allows us to play lacrosse against a top opponent from a different region while gaining more exposure for our program.”

Kyle Neptune coached the Wildcats to a win at Wells Fargo this past weekend. Graydon Paul/Villanovan Photography

Elijah McDow Staff Writer

Women’s lacrosse defeated Navy in double overtime this past weekend. Graydon Paul/Villanovan Photography

Tough Week Results in Sweet Ending for Women’s Tennis

Lauren Armstrong Staff Writer

Villanova’s women’s tennis team played Penn on February 22, St. John’s University on February 24 and both Brown and Providence on February 25. It ended the week going 1-3.

The team began the week in Philadelphia, taking on UPenn, losing 7-0. In doubles, Emma Brogan and Valieriia Kornieva took on Sabine Rutlauka and Eileen Wang (UPenn), losing, 6-2.

Emi Callahan and Caitlin Fisher played against Iris Gallo and Maya Urata (UPenn), also losing, 6-4.

“Emi Callahan competed hard and played some of the best tennis I have seen this season,” head coach Steve Reiniger said.

The last doubles duo was Bella Steffen and Amanda Rivera-Gonzalez who were defeated, 6-1.

In singles, Brogan took on Rutlauka, but fell in two sets, 6-1 and 7-5. Callahan also went down in two against Wang, 6-4 and 7-6. Kornieva played against Gavriella Smith, and lost in two, 6-3 and 6 -1. Bella Steffe held a strong fight against Urata, but lost in two sets, as well.

Fisher faced Iris Gallo and fought well, yet lost, 7-6 and 6-1. Rivera-Gonzalez held Claire Zhang to a hard-fought three-set match, losing in three, 6-3, 1-6 and

10-6.

After their hard fight against UPenn, the ‘Cats traveled to Queens, NY, to take on St. John’s. Villanova suffered another 7-0 loss, and then again when playing in Providence, RI against Brown.

Despite the loss, “Brown [was] the best doubles of the season so far,” Reiniger said. “We were getting two players to the net more often than any other time this season. The girls are really stepping up their game this season.”

While the stat sheet showed losses, the ‘Cats were gaining momentum in their play as they took on Providence, pulling away with their first and only win of the week.

The match started off looking rough for the ‘Cats, as doubles pair Brogan and Kornieva faced Katie Mulvey and Vannelie Melendez, losing, 6-3. Callahan and Fisher challenged Darah Ross and Mae Abreu, also losing, 6-4.

It was not until Steffen and Rivera-Gonzalez stepped onto the court that the Wildcats saw their first win of the week, 6-3.

This strain of success continued, with five wins in singles matches for the ‘Cats. Brogan won in two sets, 6- 4 and 6-4. Kornieva won in three sets, going 6-3, 2-6 and 7-6. Steffen won in a swift two sets, 6-3 and 6-2.

“Emma is playing her best tennis of the season. Her and

Valieriia were very similar to their opponents but held to it and were able to come out successfully,” said Reiniger.

Fisher also had a successful match going up against Mae Abreu, and winning, 6-4 and 6-1. Rivera-Gonzalez had an incredible match against Lauren Carson, taking home an easy 6-3 and 6-0 win.

Despite the hard week, the Wildcats now look ahead to this coming weekend as it travels to Florida to take on Creighton and Butler over Spring Break.

“It will be a very exciting experience for the girls and we are hopeful for a lot of success,” Reiniger said. “I could not be prouder of how everyone played.”

Baseball Goes 1-2 In Hard-Fought Weekend

This past weekend, Villanova’s baseball team headed down to Jacksonville, Florida, where it went 1-2 against the University of North Florida in a three-game set.

The first game took place on Friday, February 24, when Villanova secured its first win of the season in a close 2-1 victory that came down to the pitching and defense.

The Wildcats put up the first run of the game in the second inning, due to a fielder’s choice by senior catcher John Whooley. Senior first baseman Jack O’Reilly went on to give Villanova its second run in the fourth inning after hitting a deep double. O’Reilly finished the game, 2-3, with a walk, one RBI and one run scored, proving to be the standout hitter in a game that didn’t involve much offense.

Grad student pitcher Sal Fusco got the start, and he went for the first two innings, allowing one hit and recording two strikeouts. Senior pitcher Chic DeGaetano earned the win after replacing Fusco. He pitched well for 3.1 innings, recording one strikeout and allowing one run on four hits.

The pitching staff allowed no more runs for the rest of the game. Junior pitcher Patrick Montfort was also awarded a 2.1 inning save as he shut the Ospreys down with his four strikeouts and only one hit allowed.

The defense proved to be the crucial factor of this victory as

they made some key plays down the stretch.

“[It was a] great win,” head coach Kevin Mulvey said. “[It was a] great bounce back especially from the pitching staff. Offensively we did not execute the plan, but we played great defensively throughout the whole weekend.”

While the Wildcats walked away from Friday’s game with high hopes for the weekend, they were met with disappointment as they fell to the Ospreys, 13-11, on Saturday.

This was an action-packed game filled with some huge home runs on both sides. Freshman center fielder Collin Quintano got the scoring started with a two-run blast in the second inning. This was Quintano’s first collegiate home run

on a day where he finished 2-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

Grad student shortstop Craig Larsen kept this trend going in the following inning when he hit a solo homer. He went on to have the best performance of the day for the Wildcats as he finished 3-5 with four RBIs.

However, despite their offensive efforts, including another homerun from O’Reilly, Villanova couldn’t come back from the 9-6 lead.

The Villanova pitching staff allowed nine runs with no errors from the defense.

The last game of the weekend was on Sunday, where the Wildcats fell again to the Ospreys, losing, 9-7.

Villanova scored one run in the second inning off a Larsen single, marking the first run of the game. Larsen had another huge performance, going 3-5 with one RBI.

The Wildcats made it competitive all game partly due to homers from Grad student left fielder Luke Mutz and junior second baseman Cameron Hassert. Mutz filled the stat sheet, going 1-1 with four walks, two RBIs and three runs scored. Hassert made a great overall contribution as well as he went 2-5 with three RBIs.

The pitching staff once again was disappointing as nobody gave a standout performance. The best outing came from starter Fusco, who opened another game with two innings. He allowed one run on one hit with three strikeouts.

It’s no secret that Fusco has been used in a unique way this season.

“That’s how we used him the first weekend as well,” Mulvey said. “[We are] hoping to get him comfortable with starting and getting ahead of hitters. Hoping he can settle into the role of opener or settle in and go [five or more] innings and become a traditional starter.”

While the weekend came with two tough losses, Villanova did pick up their first win of the season, and is now 1-5.

After playing Towson on Wednesday, March 1, the Wildcats will head to California to take on the University of San Francisco in a three-game weekend series.

Villanova ended weekend with a big win over Providence. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

James Haupt Staff Writer

Villanova picked up their first win of the season this weekend against UNF. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

THE BACKPAGE

Across

4. Wildcat who wears #43 on the hardwood

7. Luxury vacuum and hair tool brand

9. Wells Fargo parking lot event

10. Mediterranean restaurant close to campus

11. Six attempts to guess a fi ve-letter word

13. Staff member who keeps the order in dorms

14. Verb you do on Twitter

15. Eat fresh

16. First name of Swedish environmental activist

18. Slang term for South campus dining hall

19. Magazine who names the annual “sexiest man alive”

20. What sororities and fraternities urge you to do

ASK THE VILLANOVAN

I forgot my friend’s birthday, and I feel so bad. They always remember mine and I’m not sure what to do.

This defi nitely sucks, but you gotta just take the L. Let them know you forgot and apologize a few times. Give them a card and a pretty nice gift, and it’ll all be okay. If they don’t forgive you then they’re not a real friend. #JustBeingReal

All my friends are going on a Spring Break trip, but I wasn’t invited. I’m really trying to forget about it, but they keep bringing it up in front of me. What should I do?

First you have to ask yourself if these are really your friends. Would your friend purposefully leave you out of something and then throw it back in your face?

If you really think these people are worth your time, then the next step would be to confront them. Ask them why they didn’t include

you and see how they respond. Sometimes the best way to face an issue that is aff ecting you is to face it head on.

I got assigned to a random Big who I’ve only met one time. All my friends got people they wanted and I’m just so upset. What do I do?

You’re both in the same sorority for a reason, so you likely have similar values. Pardon the cliché, but you have to look on the bright side of things. Give them a chance and see what happens.

I’m so stressed with midterms but none of my friends have any. They’re all going out, and I have such bad FOMO. What should I do?

You gotta take care of business. You’ll be able to go out with your friends whenever, but taking a Moderns test is a once in a lifetime opportunity. #GetBackToTheGrind

Down

1. Band who sings 2000 hit “Yellow”

2. Main campus dorm with a basketball court in it

3. Last name of actor who attended Villanova for one year before transferring to Georgetown

5. Small piece of sticky paper meant for reminders

6. Netfl ix original show that just released its third season

8. Cutting off communication with no explanation

12. Singer who had a controversially bad version of the National Anthem before an NBA All-Star game

17. Hungry hungry

Courtesy of Rachel Reiniger

Villanova Dining Services

Spring Break Hours of Operation

ST. MARY’S HALL

St. Mary’s Dining Hall will close after lunch on Friday, 3/3/23. They will remain closed through Spring Break and will re-open on Sunday, 3/12/23 for dinner.

DONAHUE HALL

Donahue Hall will close after dinner on Friday, 3/3/23. They will remain closed through Spring Break and will re-open at 10:00am on Sunday, 3/12/23 for brunch.

DOUGHERTY HALL

Dougherty Hall will be open for brunch from 8:00am to 2:00pm on Saturday, 3/4/23. They will then close for Spring Break and will re-open for brunch at 10:00am on Sunday, 3/12/23.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

• Meal Plans close on Saturday, 3/4/23 & re-open at noon on Saturday, 3/11/23. Second Storey Market will be open to accept MPEs on Saturday, 3/11/23 from noon - 8:00pm.

• Select Retail Operations will remain open during Spring Break. If you are on campus during the break, you can use your Food Points and Guest Meals in open Retail Operations.

Enjoy

http://www.villanova.edu/villanova/services/dining/hours/springbreak.html

http://www.villanova.edu/villanova/services/dining/hours/springbreak.html