Who Are Students Voting For?
Lauren Armstrong Co-News Editors
*Due to the content of the article, all individuals will remain anonymous. Harris, Trump, a third party candidate, or not to vote at all. This is the question that is circulating the minds of people registered to vote in this upcoming election. For Villanova students, they are faced with the same dilemma, and time is running out to decide before the Presidential election on Nov. 5th.
While it may seem like everyone is leaning either left or right, there is a signifi cantly large pool of Villanovans who are deciding not to vote at all, in addition to those deciding to vote third party. Villanova students registered to vote spoke to The Villanovan about their plans for election day, and to inform their fellow Villanovans on why they are voting for certain candidates in just six days.
A junior Communication major shared “as of now I most likely will not be voting. This may change as we get closer to Election Day, but probably will not. My main reason for this is that I am not pleased with any of the candidates - I know there is no perfect candidate, but with Harris and Trump, I don’t fully agree with either of the policies and plans, especially looking at
Continued on p. 16
University Named in Financial Aid Lawsuit p. 2
The 2024 Election: How do Villanova Freshmen Feel p. 17
What to Expect on Election Day
With election day just six days away, many Villanovans are preparing to cast their ballots in the 2024 general election. This year, registered student voters living on campus will have the new and exciting opportunity to vote at the Villanova Mullen Center for the Performing Arts, which stands at the intersection of Lancaster Avenue and Ithan Avenue.
While many first-time voters at Villanova are eager to cast their ballots on Nov. 5, some may feel a general sense of uncertainty. What will election day look like? Will there
be a wait to enter the polls? How does the voting process actually work?
Hally Ammons, Assistant Director of Government and Community Relations at Villanova, addressed these concerns, explaining how Election Day will unfold for on-campus voters.
Before entering the Mullen Center, voters will likely encounter individuals or groups near the front of the building. These groups may include Villanova groups, like Let’s Vote ‘Nova, as well as external groups, such as volunteers for political parties or members of campaigns. Ammons clarified that while these groups are permitted to station themselves out-
side the polling place, they must remain 10 feet from the entrance of the building. She also said that while these groups are technically allowed to be in front of the Mullen Center, no voters are required to engage with these external groups.
“You do not have to take anything these campaign workers want to give you, and you don’t have to engage with them,” she said. “You can simply walk into the building, vote, and leave.”
Once arriving at the Mullen Center, Ammons describes what she expects to be a typical voting experience. “When voters arrive, they will come through the front doors of the Mullen Center, and the
two precincts will be set up in the lobby,” she said. “There will likely be tables set up in the lobby where voters can check in with a poll worker. They will give their name and show their ID– this is something that’s really important.”
Ammons emphasized that on-campus voters bring a valid form of identification to the Mullen Center.
“Everyone will need to show an ID,” she said. “A student’s Wildcard, their school ID, is sufficient. You can also use your Pennsylvania driver’s license if you have one, or your passport.”
After checking in, the poll workers will direct voters to either Precinct 1 or Precinct 2.
Continued on p.15
A Villanovan’s Guide to the Ballot
Isabella Balian Political Columnist
With just six days until the election, it’s time to start doing some research on who is on the ballot, what they are running for and what they believe in. Depending on one’s exact address, the eligible candidates to vote for may differ. The Villanovan has compiled a summarized list of the eligible candidates and positions to make this
Villanova to Begin Reusable To-Go Box Program p. 4
VillaVogue Halloween p. 21
process a bit easier. Starting at the top of the ticket, Villanovans will be able to vote for the President of the United States.
With a two-party system, we mostly hear about the main candidates of the Democratic and Republican parties. However, there are more
than two people running. The Democratic candidate running is current Vice President Kamala Harris. Vice President Harris started out as a District Attorney for San Francisco City, then ran for Attorney General of California. She then became a United States Senator for California, and now she serves as the Vice President of the United States.
Harris cites her legislative priorities as cutting Villanovans are casting informed votes on key positions. Courtesy of Shutterstock
Impact of Pro-Life Crosses at Villanova p. 7
Special Olympics Fall Festival Preview p. 22
Continued on p. 17
Securing the Vote: Election Integrity in Action p. 15
p. 29
Zoe Garrett Political Columnist
Villanovans prepare to vote for the presidential candidate in just a week. Courtesy of Villanovan Digital & Shutterstock
Sof Says: Who Cares About the World Series p. 12
Rowing Shows Out at Head of the Schuylkill p. 28
Men’s Basketball Gears Up for 3-Game Week
PUBLIC SAFETY BLOTTER
HARASSMENT
Reported and Occurred: October 9, 2024
DRISCOLL HALL
A university employee reported being harassed by another employee.
PARAPHERNALIA
Reported and Occurred: October 9, 2024
MOULDEN HALL
A male resident student was found in possession of drug paraphernalia.
PARAPHERNALIA
Reported and Occurred: October 11, 2024
DOBBIN HALL
Paraphernalia was located in a residence hall room.
PARAPHERNALIA
Reported and Occurred: October 11, 2024
DOBBIN HALL
Paraphernalia was located in a residence hall room.
RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY, THEFT BY UNLAWFUL TAKING OR DISPOSITION
Reported and Occurred: October 21, 2024
WEST CAMPUS GROUNDS
A staff member reported the theft of a university cooler valued at $200.00. The item was recovered and the responsible parties were identified.
THEFT
Reported and Occurred: October 22, 2024
DAVIS CENTER
A resident student reported that his air pod case was stolen by an unknown suspect while he was working out in the Davis Center Gym. The amount of the loss is $100.00.
CORRECTIONS
THEFT OF SERVICES
Reported and Occurred: October 23, 2024
DONAHUE HALL
A staff member reported an individual left a dining hall without paying for a meal.
HARASSMENT
Reported and Occurred: October 25, 2024
DOBBIN HALL
POL responded to Dobbin Hall for a student reporting online and cellular harassment.
HARASSMENT
Reported and Occurred: October 25, 2024
TRINITY HALL
A female resident student reported harassment by another female resident student after a report was made to Public Safety regarding a violation of university policy.
LIQUOR UNDERAGE, PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS
Reported and Occurred: October 25, 2024
STANFORD HALL
A male resident student, under the age of 21, was evaluated by VEMS and Public Safety for alcohol intoxication.
LIQUOR UNDERAGE, PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS
Reported and Occurred: October 26, 2024
STANFORD HALL
A male resident student, under the age of 21, was found to be intoxicated in a public place.
HARASSMENT, TERRORISTIC THREATS
Reported and Occurred: October 26, 2024
PAVILION
A threatening phone call was made by a subcontractor catering employee to another subcontractor catering employee.
LIQUOR UNDERAGE, PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS, PUBLIC URINATION
Reported and Occurred: October 27, 2024
SOUTH CAMPUS GROUNDS
A male resident student, under the age of 21, was found intoxicated and urinating in public. The student was evaluated by Public Safety and released.
LIQUOR UNDERAGE
Reported and Occurred: October 27, 2024
SHEEHAN HALL
A female resident student, under the age of 21, was evaluated by Public Safety for alcohol intoxication and released.
LIQUOR UNDERAGE, PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS
Reported and Occurred: October 27, 2024
ST. MONICA HALL
A male resident student, under the age of 21, was found intoxicated in public. The student was evaluated by Public Safety and released
DISORDERLY CONDUCT, FALSE ALARMS TO AGENCIES OF PUBLIC SAFETY
Reported and Occurred: October 27, 2024
ST. MONICA HALL
A fire alarm was activated at St. Monica Hall. The cause of the alarm was an activated pull station by an unknown person.
DISORDERLY CONDUCT, FALSE ALARMS TO AGENCIES OF PUBLIC SAFETY
Reported and Occurred: October 27, 2024
STANFORD HALL
A fire alarm was activated at Stanford Hall. The cause of the alarm was an activated pull station by an unknown person.
MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT
Reported and Occurred: October 27, 2024
LANCASTER PROPERTY GROUNDS
A resident student reported the theft of an electric scooter. The amount of the loss is $700.00.
THEFT
Reported and Occurred: October 28, 2024
FRIAR HALL
A resident student reported the theft of a package. The amount of the loss is $60.00.
SOLICITATION
Reported and Occurred: October 28, 2024
MAIN CAMPUS GROUNDS
Public Safety Officers responded to the fountain near Alumni Hall for a report of an individual soliciting . Individual was contacted and transported to train station after being told soliciting was not allowed.
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.
University Named in Financial Aid Lawsuit
Nicole Liddicoat Co-News Editor
Villanova, along with 40 other top educational institutions, has been named in a lawsuit alleging price-fixing schemes that disproportionately affect students from divorced or separated families.
Many prominent universities were cited in the suit, including the University of Pennsylvania, Boston College and Harvard University, among others. All of the universities named are private institutions and not federally funded.
The antitrust lawsuit targets College Board, a nonprofit organization with control over both college financial aid processes and university entrance testing. The issue is specifically with its CSS Profile, which is required for students seeking need-based financial aid from many prospective universities.
The case was filed on Oct. 7, 2024 by Hagens Berman, a global plaintiffs’ rights law firm focused on class action suits. Attorneys Steve W. Berman, Daniel J. Kurowski and Rio S. Pierce have brought the case before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
The lawsuit alleges that College Board has engaged in collusion to intentionally reduce financial aid opportunities for students with noncustodial parents
(NCPs). A NCP is defined as any parent that does not have primary physical custody of their child following a separation.
The CSS Profile’s financial aid counterpart, the FAFSA, a federal financial aid program, does not require the recording of income by a NCP. The lawsuit highlights discrepancies between the two programs, suggesting that private institutions and the College Board are exploiting the private system.
Beginning in 2006, College Board required that students must disclose the financial assets of their noncustodial parents in the application, regardless of their involvement in the students’ education. The alleged anticompetitive behavior has reduced the likelihood that students will qualify for additional need-based financial aid, and keep the costs of college artificially high.
The CSS Profile uses a preset formula based on the financial information provided by the student and students guardians. The lawsuit argues that adding additional finances despite them not being a plausible option for many families, will have a negative impact on aid turn out.
The class action states that on average and in a fair market, affected universities’ costs were $6,200 higher than universities not subject to College Board’s agreement. They are seeking $5 million in monetary damages and a court order to halt the alleged scheme.
Steve Berman, managing
partner and cofounder of Hagens Berman, shared his perspective on the case on the firm’s website.
“The financial burden of college cannot be overstated in today’s world, and we believe our antitrust attorneys have uncovered a major influence on the rising cost of higher education,” Berman said. “Those affected — mostly college applicants from divorced homes — could never have foreseen that this alleged scheme was in place, and students are left re -
ceiving less financial aid than they would in a fair market.”
There is no additional information from Villanova at this time.
Those who have been affected by this may be entitled to regain losses and are encouraged to fill out information provided on the Hagens Berman case page. All details regarding this lawsuit are publicly available there, as well.
University Hosts Support Over Stigma Event
Lauren Armstrong Co-News Editor
On Friday, Oct. 25th, the Villanova Offi ce of Health Promotion and Counseling Center worked alongside senior neuroscience major Colin Nemeth to host Support Over Stigma, an event focused on encouraging conversations regarding substance abuse and working to get those in need connected with help and resources towards sobriety.
Throughout the event, students and campus participants were taught about the importance of Narcan, how to properly use it and about additional resources on Villanova’s campus and in the surrounding communities.
“We were sponsored by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, and they gave us 200 units of Narcan for free of charge,” said Nemeth. “We distributed them to anyone who came up to the table, trained them how to use it and things you need to know about it.”
The Villanova Counseling Center and Offi ce of Health Promotion are working to encourage students to acknowledge that there is help for those in need on campus.
Sean Dinan, LSW, works in
the Counseling Center and specifically works with students battling addiction and usage control issues. The center additionally off ers a substance use and recovery small group for students who are interested.
“It is important to spread education about substance use,” junior Emma Thomas said. “The purpose of the event was to create more awareness on campus to give students the support they need. It also is used to develop allies so those in recovery feel supported.”
Villanova’s campus is not immune to the issues of drug usage and addiction, and neither are the surrounding communities. Whether students are attending a concert in the city, or getting together on campus, it is helpful to be trained on the signs of someone overdosing, and what to look for in others.
“I think most colleges should [speak more about substance addiction] but I do think Villanova is in a unique position,” Nemeth said. “I am not focused on just activity on campus. I am focused on how to educate the people and how this can reach outside the school.”
Nemeth also shared that the University holds extra Narcan that was not distributed during the event and that students who are interested in getting these are able
to access them.
“We hope that beginning to remove the stigma against recovery helps people have a higher likelihood of a successful recovery,” Thomas said.
“I was very surprised and happy about the turnout for the event,” Nemeth said. “Also, the attitude about it. A lot of people would come up and share that they had heard of Narcan but
wanted to learn more.”
Overall, the Villanova Counseling Center, Offi ce of Health Promotion and Villanova students are working towards breaking the stigma regarding talking about substance use and abuse.
For more information visit the counseling center website: https:// www1.villanova.edu/university/ health-services/counseling-center.
Villanovans for Life Present Pro-Life Memorial
Allie Hesler Staff Writer
Last week The Villanovans for Life organization set up a memorial with multiple crosses and a sign that stated each cross represented the 100 abortions that happen in the U.S. every day.
“October is Respect Life Month, so we thought it was fi tting to have a memorial which recognized the lives lost to abortion,” Villanovans For Life President Eileen Sceski said. “It was an opportunity to spark dialogue and conversation among students regarding a diffi cult issue.”
The memorial sparked a lot of debate on campus with many students disagreeing with the way it was presented.
“I do think that the way the memorial is being put up and presented is very disrespectful towards students on campus who may have had to get an abortion for diff erent circumstance,” a student who requested anonymity said, “whether it’s a life saving measure, whether they were sexually assaulted and needed to get an abortion, and it could be very triggering to just be walking to class and seeing something like that so out in the open.”
The student also mentioned how it was unfair for the memorial to be set up with no representation allowed on the other side.
“I do think that the school is in a hard position where we are a Catholic school,” the student said. “It makes it a little bit harder for them to outwardly support both sides. However, I do think
that at the same time, since free speech does exist in the world, it’s a little bit unfair to censor one group while allowing another.”
While Villanovans for Life is able to proudly express its views, it is not the same for all organizations on campus. The Space is an organization with the goal of creating a safe space on campus to advocate and educate students on reproductive health. It is not strictly a pro-choice club, as its main focus is education surrounding reproductive health.
Despite also being a student club on campus, the Space is not allowed to have demonstrations in the same way as Villanovans for Life.
The Space was asked whether the University welcomes free speech from all sides.
“No, not always,” the representative from The Space who requested anonymity said. “There have been instances where we have set up tables on campus to educate students about our organization and we have been asked to leave or alter our word choice. We have hosted events on campus and students from other organizations brought nonmembers of the Villanova community to actively disrupt and oppose our events.” Villanova, as a Catholic University, is allowed to have certain limitations and restrictions on how some views can be presented.
The University directed The Villanovan to the Student Handbook for information.
“Some assemblies and demonstrations may support and defend positions that diff er from Catholic Church teaching,” the
Handbook reads. “The expectation is that they will do so in a responsible fashion, be open to questions and challenges from members of the community, and respectfully acknowledge, and not disparage, Church teaching. If, in the judgment of University offi cials, an assembly or demonstration presents a serious risk of violating these principles, the university may impose provisions and restrictions.”
Religion does play a very prevalent role in almost everything on the University’s campus. However, another student who requested anonymity believes it is not a fair argument when speaking about abortion.
“I think that using your own religious beliefs and pushing them upon other people is not fair in any sense and is literally against the Constitution,” the student said. “I do understand that people are entitled to their own viewpoint and if you are against abortion especially because of your religious beliefs, I respect that and understand that. However, at the same time, I really just don’t think that it’s fair to push your belief on another person.”
Despite falling under Campus Ministry, Sceski believes that Villanovans for Life is not offi cially a religious club.
“We believe you do not need to be religious to be prolife, because all people have the capacity to recognize the dignity of human life, regardless of their religious affi liation,” Sceski said. The Space is also a non-religious affi liated club.
“We are accepting of all
opinions, religions and identities,” the representative said. “We all have complex opinions that come from our backgrounds that aff ect our view on certain policy areas.” The Space also gave its remarks about the memorial set up by Villanovans for Life.
“Every student organization is entitled to their own opinion and expression,” the representative said. “We just wish the University honored every student organization’s passion to represent themselves.”
Despite the Space and some student reactions respecting Villanovans for Life having its own viewpoint, some students decided to engage negatively with the memorial, going as far as taking the signs and knocking down a couple crosses. Scezki and the group responded with frustration, making clear they are open to a free discussion over their viewpoint.
“We are disappointed with the action of taking down and defacing the signs, but we understand the topic of abortion is a hurtful and misunderstood topic,” Sceski said. “As a pro-life group, we love every person not for their actions, but simply because they have human dignity. We would be more than happy to talk to anyone about the memorial or abortion in general.”
The memorial brought along a lot of controversy surrounding religion, women’s rights and free speech. With students from all over having diff erent viewpoints and the upcoming election, the subject of abortion was not taken lightly on either side, and conversation will continue.
Support Over Stigma was hosted at the Oreo this past week. Brian Luppy/Villanovan Photography
Villanova To Begin Reusable To-Go Box Program
Finn Courtney Co-News Editor
Coming soon to a dining hall near you will be the end of the paper to-go boxes that have become a Villanova staple in the past few years in favor of plastic, reusable ones that can be taken back to one’s dorm and returned for future use - a step towards sustainability.
The idea of to-go boxes have been around forever at colleges and universities nationwide, but really took off during the COVID-19 pandemic when students could not physically eat in the dining halls. And as the years have passed, such containers have evolved to where Villanova stands to go now.
The idea for improved sustainability has been thrown around Villanova for years, but was really prompted by the arrival of Villanova’s new Executive Director of Dining Services, Andrew Camuso, who brought the idea of reusable containers with him to campus.
“They’ve evolved to be more robust, now there’s technology to go along with it called Topanga, and it’s
tracking, so you’d sign up through a QR code or Grubhub, since it’s integrated, and you could say I want [food] to-go in a reusable container and if you’re ordering in one of the locations, your food would come to you in the container and it’s tracked to you,” Camuso said.
Another change Villanova students will have to adapt to is remembering to bring back said containers and not simply keep them in their dorm to an indefinite point, as the technology integrated that scans it out also keeps count of all containers.
“After like three days, you’ll get a reminder that you have to return your [container] or there’s a fine associated with it,” Camuso said, “[But] it tracks them so that the reusable containers don’t end up [lost].”
The initial idea of swapping out paper, one-use to-go boxes for reusable ones was then brought to the Student Government Association. Vice President Aleko Zeppos, who quickly came together with Camuso to move forward with this project.
“I originally brought [some samples] to one of our SGA meetings, showed them to our 60-some members and got everyone’s opinions, heard the good, heard the bad [and]
Majors & Minors Fair Recap
Katie Bryda Staff Writer
Outside the Connelly Center on Friday, Oct. 25, freshmen packed together to learn about the different majors and minors at Villanova. Faculty and students manned numerous different tables to help the newest students at Villanova find a possible passion.
The theme of this year’s Majors and Minors Fair was Monopoly, and each student was given a folder with a paper to be stamped by the different tables. From majors such as math and statistics to communication and neuroscience, almost all disciplines within Villanova’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences were present.
But if one is a freshman and was overwhelmed by all of the tables to walk through, don’t worry. Villanova students are not required to declare a major until the end of their sophomore year, so there is still time to take electives and explore what one might want to do.
“I liked the Major[s] Fair,” undecided exploratory arts freshman Kane Chapman said. “It was helpful for undecided people like myself who have no idea what we want to do to get a better grasp on where our academic career will take us.”
And if one isn’t in CLAS, don’t worry either. While there is a lot of focus on majors at the Majors and Minors Fair, the Minors are also important. Something many students may not know is that one’s minor can overlap between different Villanova colleges, like the School of Business or the College of Engineering.
Each incoming student into CLAS is placed in an exploratory major, either arts or sciences. While some students may come into Villanova knowing what they want to do, the University offers a unique undergraduate experience that allows students to explore a number of their interests. The tables were mostly split between the arts and sciences, but students were free to mingle and explore as much as they wanted, as well as have some pizza and pretzels provided by the Majors and Minors Fair executive committee members.
No one is alone in their stress over what academic path to pick, it is one that almost anyone–freshman, upperclassmen and faculty alike–can understand. So make sure to reach out to advisors, professors and even friends.
In a community based in unity, Villanova is here to help, and there are many resources across campus that can be explored if the fair didn’t provide enough answers for curious students.
we landed on a very good company,” Zeppos said. “Having Andrew on board, he’s been a very big advocate for sustainability in general for dining [and] we are very focused on making sure campus is sustainable overall.”
Within the next semester, a pilot program will begin that would bring the reusable containers to the three all-you-can-eat dining halls on Villanova’s campus (Donahue Hall (SPIT), Dougherty Hall (PIT) and St. Mary’s) with the eventual hope of it being offered at all Villanova dining locations.
“We’re gonna do it small and then, we’ll hopefully get it to the majority of our locations on campus,” Camuso said. “Cafe Nova is a really good opportunity at some point, as well. We’ll slowly kind of build it and just track the success.”
For Camuso, who brings experience and many intriguing ideas for Villanova dining, this was always one of the major things he wanted to tackle as Executive Director.
“One of the big things for me since I started in August, is [my] five pillars, so of the five pillars for me coming here, one of them is sustainability,” Camuso said. “I think one of those easy kinds of takeaways for
us to bring on this project is because there’s going to be a green return, we’re gonna really slow down a lot of the compostable waste. There’s not that guilt [because] of single-used plastics, a lot of waste and [so] we’re not purchasing so many paper goods.”
The to-go boxes mark the first step towards renewed efforts towards encouraging sustainability in all aspects of dining and beyond, for both Camuso and from SGA.
“We’re doing a system that was around back in the mid-2010s, it was a way to track food waste at our all-you-can-eat dining halls, so we’re looking to install that and I think it’s ready to go in SPIT,” Zeppos said. “It’ll say on a TV screen where you throw everything out and tell you [how much waste] you produced today and it’s trending down from today, so you understand that the extra slice of pizza that you took and you don’t eat, that’s contributing to that and you gotta understand where it’s going.”
The program is expected to commence sometime in the Spring 2025 semester, with more updates to come on it as the fall semester continues to progress.
Fall Humanities Lecture
Adeline Arvidson Staff Writer
The Humanities Department hosted its Fall Humanities Lecture on Wednesday, Oct. 26 in the Driscoll Auditorium.
This semester’s lecture, titled “Hard Launch: Getting Serious About Work, Love, and Play” was co-sponsored by both Villanova Mission and Ministry and Villanova’s Honors Department.
Speakers included Humanities professor and Director of the Honors Department at Villanova, Dr. Anna B. Moreland, and Humanities Department Founder at the Catholic University of America and former Director of Villanova’s Honors Department, Dr. Thomas W. Smith.
The lecture, delivered to a full and enthusiastic room, focused on key takeaways from A Young Adult Playbook: Living Like it Matters , co-authored by Moreland and Smith. During the lecture, Moreland described the book as a “labor of love,” and explained that it was inspired by both the speakers’ experiences teaching and mentoring young adults.
While A Young Adult Playbook explores a variety of building blocks in a young adult’s life, the speakers chose to focus on one of those building blocks in particular: leisure.
Describing specifi c sources of anxiety that they have seen in their students and mentees, Moreland and Smith dually identifi ed challenges facing this demographic, including the tendency to base our worth on our productivity level.
“I see successful people often trapped in what we call the ‘productivity machine,’” Smith said.
As part of the lecture, the
speakers asked the audience to report the amount of time that they spend on their phones each day. More than 80 percent of the audience reported using their phone for more than three hours per day. In response to that statistic, Moreland and Smith proposed a solution: redefi ning productivity and leisure and reclaiming free time. Addressing the audience, Smith asked, “Are you spending your free time in a way that makes yourself available to everything that life has to off er you?”
The challenges posed in the lecture had a heavy impact on students in the audience, prompting them to think intentionally about how they are choosing to spend their time.
“It really made me think about how I am spending my free time,” sophomore Jamie Duquette said. “So many students are so focused on being productive that they forget about everything else.”
After concluding their remarks, Moreland and Smith then invited three Villanova alumni to refl ect on their own experiences of redefi ning work, play and love.
After the lecture, the fl oor was open to questions. Many students asked Smith and Moreland for advice on topics such as breaking out of the hustle and bustle of the productivity cycle, dealing with feelings of imposter syndrome and making genuine connections.
Attendees were able to purchase copies of A Young Adult Playbook: Living Like it Matters after the event. The publication is also available for purchase online.
This semester’s Fall Humanities Lecture was a huge success, prompting students to think diff erently about productivity and leisure through both meaningful and tangible advice and lighthearted yet meaningful refl ections.
Villanova held its annual Fall Major and Minors Fair this past week. Brian Luppy / Villanovan Photography
University Hosts Pre-Release Screening of Banned Together
Ava Petrosky Staff Writer
In August of 2024, an educator in the Radnor Township School District, Sue Dahlstrom, notified Dr. Rachel Skrlac Lo, associate professor in the Department of Education and Counseling, of a must-see pre-released documentary film. Banned Together was being screened in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Months later, Villanova hosted its own screening of the documentary.
On Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, Villanova students, faculty, staff, local community teachers, librarians and family members gathered in the Connelly Center Cinema to screen Banned Together, a documentary film about book banning.
The film follows three high school senior activists from Beaufort, South Carolina as they work to combat book banning in their local community, fighting to reintroduce 97 books that were banned from their school libraries. They attend local school board meetings and also travel nationally, gaining the opportunity to speak in Chicago at the Right To Read Rally during the American Library Association’s annual conference.
Villanova’s screening was organized in collaboration with Lo; Dahlstrom; Dr. Adrienne Perry, assistant professor of English and creative
writing and Writing and Rhetoric Program Director; Dr. Glenn Bracey, associate professor of sociology and criminology; Julianna Chen, graduate assistant and student in the Department of Education and Counseling; and Drew Gingrich, an educator in the Lower Merion School District.
“The topic of book bans and challenges is one that affects each of us,” Lo said in an emailed statement. “These book bans, which overwhelmingly target LGBTQ+ and racially minoritized individuals and communities, are impacting whose stories and experiences are included in classrooms. This has negative impacts on our ability to connect with people who are different than us, putting us at increased risk of ‘othering’ people and isolating ourselves from each other.”
Guests enjoyed snacks and light refreshments upon entering the cinema. Before the screening, Chen conducted a conversation with Amy Goldman, President of the Radnor Township Board of School Directors, to provide the audience context surrounding school boards.
The film began shortly afterward and lasted 90 minutes. It was very well-received among the versatile audience of diverse identities and backgrounds.
The organizers of this screening were left with the message to assist young people in their respective journeys for advocacy.
“This film encourages me to push even harder for my students to feel how empowered they are,” Bracey said. “I think a lot of people feel like their power is in the future or their power is only through other people, when, in fact, they have power now. Young people have a great deal of power now. I really want to get across to students in my classes and students all over campus that now is their time. They empower now.”
“I think we should work harder to listen to young people about what matters to them and to see them as partners in the future and not as infants that need to be curated in the future, but really as co-creators of our future,” Lo said.
“I hope that Villanovans take away from the screening that these issues are not out there, they are not abstract, but they are happening in
our communities,” Perry said. “We can’t wait until we feel that it impacts us directly to care about it because it does impact us now.”
“I think the film screening holds a lot of truth because it talks about the power and the meaning behind using your voice,” Chen said.
Lo will research banned books and their effects further, as she continues investigating her thesis on multiracial representation in children’s literature.
“Book bans give us less information to learn about each other,” Lo said. “Do books provide us windows in our worlds? If we remove windows from our bookshelves, when we see people who aren’t like us, we can’t move toward understanding. We then see people different from us and we don’t find common points of connection.”
Fall 2024 Election Series: Voices from the Border
Margaret Miller Staff Writer
On Oct. 22, the Fall 2024 Election Series continued with “Voices from the Border: Immigration Stories, Challenges and Politics.” This panel discussion took place in Bartley Hall and covered many different angles of the immigration discussion.
Included in the discussion were Daniel Cortes, J.D., Director of CARES and professor at Charles Widger School of Law; Andrea Solís Canto, third-year law student at Villanova Charles Widger School of law; and Alondra, an asylee from central America and current perma- nent resident. Andrea Ávila Colón, a sophomore Villanova student working as an interpreter for the Villanova law school clinics, was also included in the discussion.
Cortes started the discussion with a background on immigration law as it is today. He explained that asylum is protected by international
law and has been since the end of World War II.
However, the United States government has put some policies in place to make asylum seeking harder. These include NPP, or “remain in Mexico policy;” Title 42, a policy enacted during Covid-19 that enabled the US to send back individuals to their country due to the pandemic; and CBP1, a new digital process that requires asylum seekers to download an application on their phone and wait for an appointment in Mexico.
Cortes then explained the next steps in the asylum-seeking process.
“If somebody does make it to the border and present themselves then they are able to have either a credible fear interview or a reasonable fear interview to determine if they are afraid to go back to their country, and then they are able to see an immigration judge,” Cortes said.
According to Cortes, these immigration judge meetings are where the Villanova Law School’s
CARES program steps up, helping asylum-seekers present their information in front of a judge and in front of the asylum office.
Canto discussed her experience visiting the border for a service trip sponsored by the Villanova Charles Widger School of Law. For this service trip, eight students from the Law School volunteered at shelters, advising individuals on their rights in both Tijuana, Mexico and San Diego. Canto explained that she “had the opportunity to really get an understanding of what is going on at the border.”
Canto was asked about the most challenging aspect of her experience.
“It was really seeing how stuck a lot of people are currently just waiting to get some sort of opportunity or access to asylum,” she said.
She further explained that there are “a lot of people who really are trying to find a way to find access to a smartphone, the internet, make an appointment,” to do things the lawful way, but that there are a lot of obstacles that make this harder.
Canto also described other challenges that asylum-seekers face at the border, including a myriad of technical difficulties, groups taking advantage of these individuals (such as police, cartels and others) and the incredible challenges of unaccompanied minors.
The focus of the discussion was on Alondra’s experience seeking asylum and the long journey she has been on since 2018 when she first left Honduras. Alondra, as a transgender woman, left her home country of Honduras the “number one reason [being] transphobia.”
Alondra’s journey from Hon-
duras to Mexico took around eight months, traveling through several countries. Alondra described her experience reaching the border and turning herself in.
“They treated me as if I was a terrorist,” she said.
Alondra was interrogated and sent to the Florence Detention Center in Arizona. Here, she went through several emotions and met many different people from different countries.
During her detention, she met with a judge and after initially being told her asylum was not going to be granted, she was told on Dec. 12 that she was being given asylum and she was “happy that [she] was given the opportunity.” After this process, Alondra went through the difficult experience of changing her name.
The next step for Alondra is officially obtaining her citizenship, which comes with its own challenges. This test requires a proficiency in English to around the fifth or sixth grade level, something not easy to accomplish when working or taking care of other tasks.
The event was closed with a discussion of what individuals should take from this discussion. Alondra expressed that “not all [people] come here with bad intentions.”
Canto continued presenting on the information, conveying to the audience takeaways from the day.
“What we see in the news is so incomplete that I think it is always important to make an effort to take a step beyond what you are reading.”
This discussion was sponsored by the Department of Political Science, Charles Widger School of Law, the Center of Peace and Justice Education and the Office of Mission and Ministry.
The 2024 Election Series continued with “Voices From The Border,” hosted in Bartley Hall. Graydon Paul / Villanovan Photography
Members of the Villanova community attended a screening of Banned Together last week. Finn Courtney / Villanovan Photography
48th Annual International Merleau-Ponty Circle Hosted
Leena Krayyem Staff Writer
From Oct. 24 to 26, the International Merleau-Ponty Circle (IMPC) found its home at Villanova University for its 48th Annual Conference. The last time that Villanova hosted this prestigious convention on their campus was in 1988. This year’s theme covered “Arts, Politics and Imagination,” therefore the presenters at this conference consisted of not just philosophers, but also professionals in visual studies, cinema and political science.
The Merleau-Ponty Circle was founded in 1976 to continue the legacy of the renowned French philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty. Each year, a myriad of scholars from six continents meets at a university to discuss “different aspects of Merleau-Ponty’s philosophy as well as its interrelations with recent Continental philosophy and theory,” according to the official Merleau-Ponty Circle website.
Merleau-Ponty is best known for his study of existentialism and phenomenology in post-war France. His most popular publication is Phenomenology of Perception (1945), which argues that perception is a transcendental interaction. He found that the physical body was key to perceiving, rejecting Cartesian dualism of mind and body.
On the first night of the conference, as a part of the “Art” component of the conference’s
theme, there was a collaborative performance by dancemaker and activist Nicole Bindler and experimental trombonist David Dove in the Topper Theater at the Mullen Center.
The performance was advertised by the IMPC and the Greater Philadelphia Philosophy Consortium as “a dark, drony, dreamy evening length duo performance, filled with surprises.”
The conference featured two keynote speakers: Jorella Andrews, professor emerita in visual cultures at the University of London, and Mariana Ortega, associate professor of philosophy and women’s, gender and sexuality Studies at Pennsylva-
nia State University. Andrews’ research and presentation focused around how Merleau-Ponty helped her to understand the idea of grace in the world. Andrews’ previous work intersects philosophical inquiry and art practice, such as her essay “Interviewing Images: How Visual Research Using IPA (Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis) Can Illuminate the Change-Making Possibilities of Place, Space, and Dwelling.”
Andrews’ presentation on Friday evening of the conference was titled “Actuating Phenomenology, Virtue Ethics, and Art to Prefigure a Grace-Filled Politics.” She began by defining the term “grace”
as she used it as “bringing honor or credit to something or someone to dignify.”
In the presentation, she mentioned an anecdote from art school that helped her to see the profound beauty in an unconventionally attractive model. Later, she realized the revelation she had in this class was similar to that of Merleau-Ponty’s upon looking at Paul Cézanne’s artistry. Cézanne was criticized for his unusual approach to portrait making, yet Merleau-Ponty “asserts that Cézanne sought to picture reality as something dynamic that emerges from the interaction between subject and object,” according to an academic article by philosopher Ela Krieger.
Later in her presentation, Andrews dealt with how grace can be found within politics, specifically war-time politics, and mentioned how Merleau-Ponty presented his opinions on the Algerian War. He also spoke openly about colonialism, and how to approach decolonization in Africa.
Andrews reiterated Merleau-Ponty’s point that “[It is important to] stick to what is observable.”
She explained that by utilizing this viewpoint, it allows an objective third party to handle a conflict like this with grace in order to do the best thing for the colonized.
To view more, visit merleauponty.org, where a live stream of the conference will be soon available to the public.
Shrout: The Great Famine and International Philanthropy
Keoni Andrews Staff Writer
On Oct. 24 in the St. Augustine Center for Liberal Arts, an event ensued where Anelise Shrout, associate professor at Bates College spoke about her historical analysis within her book. She gave background about the Great Famine and streamlined that into international philanthropy.
A key background point is the Irish potato crops began to increasingly fail in 1845 to 1849. Those years became a crucial period of Irish starvation, known as the Great Famine. The news of this famine traveled, reaching Great Britain, America and other areas of the world. People then became involved in aid relief for the Irish. Groups such as: lower income people, enslaved people, tenants, southern plantation owners, and politicians were involved. People in powerful positions saw this as an opportunity. That opportunity being, investing in Ireland gave them a political advancement.
This famine is considered to be a trademark for global aid relief. It was new to be helping others across the globe in various ways. Instead of utilizing goodness to help others, people took advantage of it. Notably, enslavers attempted to be seen as benevolent by capitalizing off of the famine.
Enslavers attempted to convey the famine occurring in Ireland as equivalent to their struggles. They wanted to utilize
Irish suffering, to justify slavery and make themselves out to be victims. They go as far to insinuate they are worse off than the Irish, because the Irish could immigrate whereas they could not easily expand slavery.
“Food was often a sight of resistance on plantations,” Shrout said.
Morgan Smith (an enslaver/plantation owner) of LowndesBoro, Alabama called upon enslaved people to give up one meal a day for the starving Irish. He wanted to make himself “look good” to society. The enslaved people decided to say no and stated a different way to help. They would collect money to donate. In doing so they gained back some of their stripped autonomy.
“The money itself had significance,” Shrout expressed to the audience.
It emphasized how taking a stand and saying no to Morgan Smith was noble and dangerous of the enslaved people. They could have faced physical or verbal repercussions for that. Also collecting money was a crime for enslaved people. They were not allowed to be paid for their labor, but they collected the funds anyway. They brought together 50 dollars, which is equivalent to 1000 dollars today. This was an impactful act of selflessness. They could have used the money for personal artifacts, but they found a way to stand up for themselves and give aid to others.
Multiple groups of individuals subjected to their own hard-
ships, still choose to send money to Ireland. The amounts were small, but they were significant. It displays how people saw themselves in the Irish and wanted to give. Making this famine an international relation between others. These donations were not only giving but an act of solidarity with the Irish. They wanted to attempt to help.
A famine that still has distressing affects to this day. Today’s population of Ireland is credited to the famine.
“The island of Ireland’s population today is still less than it was before the famine” Shrout said.
Shrout greatly conveyed a captivating historical analysis of Ireland and humanity. This talk delved deep into selfless action, humanity, crisis, and more. Most of
all it expressed the relevance that it has today. Transnational Philanthropy has a history, which can be connected to modern advocacy of today.
As a student in the audience, it was enlightening to hear of these various topics and intersections within them.
“The talk was very illuminating on the power dynamics at lay in regards to Morgan Smith manipulating the slaves he owned into contributing to the relief and using that to position himself as benevolent and charitable, which emphasizes the argument Shrout made about how people used providing relief for the famine as reflection of the global politics of Slavery,” Villanova upperclassmen, Sonia Singh, said.
The International Merleau-Ponty Circle held their 48th Annual Conference at Villanova. Graham Sukup / Villanovan Photography
The St. Augustine Center for Liberal Arts hosted Anelise Shrout’s event analyzing her book. Pepper Ritchey / Villanovan Photography
OPINION Impact of Pro-Life Crosses at Villanova
Sof Quaglia Opinion Columnist
On Monday, Oct. 21, many Villanova students were greeted by a new sight as they walked to class. Outside of Alumni Hall, there were several small crosses, arranged in some kind of memorial.
According to the sign that was placed next to the crosses, each cross represented a certain number of abortions that took place in the United States this year. The crosses were placed there by Villanovans for Life, Villanova’s Pro-Life Organization.
I am not going to get into the biology of when life begins or the morality of abortions right now. I do not agree with the message behind the crosses, but that is also not even what I am going to discuss.
Reproductive rights have been a huge topic since the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June of 2022, and they became an even bigger conversation since the election season began. The topic is incredibly polarizing among most Americans.
The second I heard about the crosses, I was mad, which is a fair response in my opinion. These kinds of things elicit strong reactions in people, and I am no stranger to flying off the handle because of certain political topics.
However, I have calmed down slightly, and I am ready to share my less-angry opinions on the matter.
I do believe in freedom, which is one of the many reasons I am pro-choice to begin with, so I do not want to say that you cannot have a demonstration. I support
peaceful protests, even if I do not agree with them. I support standing up for your political beliefs, even if I do not agree with them.
With the election coming up, many Americans are using this time to speak out for their beliefs. One of the main issues on this year’s ballot is reproductive
rights. It begs the question of if this demonstration is supposed to be a political move, or if it really is just to remember the fetuses.
To me, it feels incredibly politically-charged. Honestly, the whole thing just kind of feels abhorrent, for the lack of a better term.
Reproductive rights are such a huge issue in this year’s election, and to boil them down to what abortions do to fetuses is completely arrogant and immature in my opinion. It is so much more than that, and I think a lot more people understand that than are willing to admit.
I think that the biggest issue most students, including myself, have about the crosses is their proximity to the church. Even though there is a small sign depicting the meaning of the crosses and who put them there, it does feel like Villanova and the church stand by the meaning behind the crosses.
Religion is always going to be brought into conversations about abortion, making the conversations surrounding it almost impossible sometimes. Not every religious person interprets teachings the same way. Not every Christian interprets the bible the same way. Not every Christian is pro-life.
“God would want what is best of his creation, and sometimes, that might mean an abortion,” sophomore Peter Fabietti said.
With Villanova being a Catholic school, it is obvious that Catholic messages are going to
be around campus. There is no fighting that. However, while the Catholic Church itself is pro-life, it is not the job of the Catholic Church to force these beliefs on everyone.
I do think that the placement of the crosses is a problem, but, honestly, I think if they were anywhere on campus, it would still reflect on Villanova and its beliefs.
“If I was a high school student on a tour and I saw that, I would not come here,” sophomore Samantha Whitehair said.
There is already a hesitancy around going to a Catholic school for a lot of prospective students, and a demonstration like this might give off the wrong message.
There is something to be said about being inclusive to all beliefs, but when your belief shames and potentially endangers women, it becomes very complicated. And when you display these beliefs in such a prominent place on campus, it becomes that much more complicated.
Again, I support the concept of a demonstration, even though I really could not disagree with this one more. If it was up to me, I would say let’s keep the crosses, but let’s also put up a cross for every woman who has died because she was refused care. Keep the crosses up but add one for every rape victim who is forced to carry a baby that was forced upon her. Keep the crosses up, but let’s remember the women whose lives were lost, and all the lives that will be lost if we continue down the path we are on in this country.
The pro-life display can be seen outside Alumni Hall. Hannah Sweeney / Villanovan Photography
Each cross represents 100 abortions performed everyday in the United States. Kailey Fahy / Villanovan Photography
EDITORIAL BOARD LETTERS TO THE EDITORS
EMMA CAHILL
Editor-in-Chief
HANNAH SWEENEY
Editor-in-Chief
BROOKE ACKERMAN
Associate Editor-in-Chief
AVERY CHALK
Opinion Editor
KAILEY FAHY
Opinion Editor
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.
POLICY
The unsigned editorial that appears is the opinion of The Villanovan as determined by the majority of the Editorial Board. Other columns, letters and artwork represent the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of The Villanovan.
Embracing School Spirit with Villanova Merch
Zoe Schack Staff Writer
Two months ago, when the first week of classes began, I loved seeing all the carefully curated outfits Villanovans would wear around campus. A perfectly blend of the latest trends (think jersey-print or American-flag graphics, chunky gold jewelry, slicked-back updos and a mix of oversized and fitted items) and every person’s unique style choices, the combinations other students put together inspired me to try and put my best foot forward each day. However, as the weather has gotten colder, our workloads have increased and the prospect of doing laundry seems less and less bearable, a new campus uniform has re-emerged: Villanova merchandise.
Unlike the cynics I’ve overheard on campus, I’m a supporter of merch as an underrated option for on or off-campus attire. Number one, as temperatures drop and we refuse to layer up in bulky winter coats, sweatshirts from the bookstore or online shop can be a convenient happy medium between heavy layers and the warm-weather clothes we opted for just last month. Next, most merchandise can be easily dressed up or down
Lexie Scibilia Staff Writer
Every October, a familiar debate haunts Villanova’s campus: when should Halloweekend be celebrated? While some argue for celebrating the weekend before Halloween, citing convenience and Villanova’s Special Olympics (SpO) event on the following weekend, this early celebration risks draining the night of its magic.
Halloween isn’t meant to be shoved forward on the calendar. It’s a one-of-a-kind event steeped in mystery, costumes and a magical, electric thrill that belongs only on Halloween night and the weekend that follows.
Halloween isn’t just another holiday to check off . It’s the culmination of an entire season of anticipation. For weeks, students pick costumes, make plans and embrace the spooky spirit. By Oct. 31, that excitement has brewed to a boiling point, and there’s an undeniable energy to Halloween night that the weekend before simply can’t match.
“If Halloween is closer to
depending on how it’s paired with other clothes. Some of my favorite outfits I’ve spotted on campus are as follows:
For a run to Holy Grounds or a day at Suburban Square with friends, a vintage Villanova crew neck with baggy jeans. For game days, a
Villanova graphic baby tee with a tennis skirt and blue-and-teal Adidas Sambas that match the iconic school colors.
One of the perks of our merch, too, is that our colors are pretty wearable and don’t clash. Not to mention that the popularity of our
How to Celebrate Halloween
the weekend, it makes more sense to do it that weekend instead of a week before,” sophomore Ally Lombardo said.
Forcing Halloween festivities into an earlier slot not only feels off , but it also dilutes the experience. Halloween is meant to be celebrated when it’s in full swing, not as an afterthought to convenience.
Sure, some students see value in stretching the holiday across two weekends, especially with Halloween falling on a Thursday.
“With Halloween falling on a Thursday this year, I’m celebrating the weekend before and on Halloween itself,” junior Elisabeth Roche said.
For those who celebrate twice, it’s an attempt to balance early convenience with Halloween tradition. Yet even for those doubling up, there’s no denying that the weekend after Oct. 31 has the truest Halloween energy. Splitting the celebration robs it of the singular anticipation that builds up to the season’s peak on Halloween night.
There’s also a fear that SpO responsibilities may interfere with Halloweekend plans, but this
has always been part of Villanova’s community spirit.
Those who truly want to enjoy both will fi nd a way to strike that balance. Halloween isn’t just any holiday to be hastily rescheduled. It’s a night to savor, and trying to cram it in on a weekend early disrupts what makes it special in the fi rst place. Halloween night and the weekend after provide a full experience that honors both Halloween and Villanova’s SpO commitment.
And let’s be real: Halloweekend isn’t just about putting on a costume. It’s a whole weekend of thrill, of ghostly energy and of letting loose in a unique, seasonal atmosphere. Why water that down by celebrating early? Halloween deserves to be celebrated at the height of the season when excitement and anticipation are at their peak.
At Villanova, Halloween has always brought students together, creating a rare opportunity to fully relax and enjoy the season’s spirit. The weekend after Oct. 31 off ers the ideal time for Villanovans to experience the holiday vibe in its entirety, balancing Halloween traditions with SpO commitments. It’s not an
merch on campus is a testament to Villanovans’ spirit for their school.
“I think a lot of students wear Villanova merch to classes, so it’s definitely a good option, because it builds a sense of community,” junior Phoebe Swiatek said.
However, merch can oftentimes be expensive for someone on a budget who is already paying for tuition, a meal plan, books and other necessities. While it can be a convenient, popular option, many students have weighed these benefits against the costs of what seems to be a high price for Villanova pride.
“I love wearing my Villanova merch, and I wish I had more I could wear, but some of the prices are just not in a range that I can afford at the moment,” freshman Juliet Cimaglia said, echoing the sentiment that remains a barrier for a significant number of Villanovans.
However, there are plenty of alternatives online for anyone looking to get their fix of Villanova-themed gear. Along with the bookstore’s website, Depop provides a range of vintage wear from previous championships and other events, while shops like Tillies, Hollister and Urban Outfitters are great go-tos. All in all: if your outfit incorporates some Villanova spirit and looks stylish, too, you can’t go wrong.
“either-or” situation. Halloween can be fully celebrated on its own weekend without compromising other commitments.
Halloween is best enjoyed the way it’s meant to be: on Halloween night, followed by a Friday and Saturday of celebration. There’s a reason this holiday has always held a sense of mystery, excitement and thrill that can’t be replicated a weekend early.
Villanova should honor the true spirit of Halloween by celebrating on Halloween night and the following weekend—three days to revel in the season’s magic without diluting or rushing it.
So let’s keep Halloweekend where it belongs, saving the full celebration for the weekend after Halloween. This way, students can experience the holiday in its enitrety while also being able to spend time with friends admist a stressful fall semester. Students need this chance to fully enjoy the holiday.
The excitement, mystery and energy of Halloween night deserve to be honored and extended, not hurried. Villanovans need to fully embrace this holiday and revel in the thrills this holiday has to off er.
Villanova students can often be found wearing merch around campus and to games. Kailey Fahy / Villanovan Photography
No One Wants to See Your Ugly Halloween Decorations
Peter Fabietti Staff Writer
Picture this: a beautiful, sunny, 65-degree day in October. The autumn leaves glisten with kaleidoscopes of red, orange and yellow, beautifully contrasting with a brilliant blue sky and the occasional emerald of evergreen trees. The air is crisp. The leaves are crunchy, and the smell of pumpkin spice wafts through every corner one turns. Despite your soul-crushing midterms, you’re the happiest you’ve felt in weeks. Everything is perfect, everything is calm and everything is pretty.
Then, BOOM. You walk by a house that has the most intricate, undead, straight-out-of-a-horrormovie display you’ve ever seen in your life. Life-sized skeletons, grim reapers, possessed children and blood-stained zombies overtake your once delightful vision. The combinations of white, black, gray, blood-red and neon green contrast horrifically with the incredible mosaic of colors you were seeing beforehand. You know you’re not really scared, but somehow, you don’t fully believe yourself. Also, you really don’t feel like looking at something ugly right now. Your day is ruined, and you walk home in utter disgust. October is so pretty. Why would anyone want to interfere with that?
As such, no one wants to see these ugly and horrifying displays outside people’s houses. Well, I can’t exactly say no one. I’m sure there are some people who enjoy these displays for whatever reason. But if you’re a sensible, normal person, there’s no way you would enjoy looking at these ridiculous displays.
“I was walking off-campus the other day,” sophomore Isabella Ruzzo said. “And some of my friends and I walked by a house with tons of Halloween decorations outside. It’s safe to say we immediately felt uncomfortable. One of the neighbors was sitting outside and noticed our uneasiness. And they told us that their neighbors are quite ‘expressive’ people. Was that supposed to make us feel better?”
This is exactly what I mean.
Regardless of the fact that these Halloween displays are obviously not actually going to kill you, it still feels like something’s wrong every time you walk by them. You can’t help but feel an eerie panic, immediately wanting to move on and forget the hideousness you just witnessed.
Some students, however, seem to have the opposing opinion.
“I personally like them,” sophomore Sof Quaglia said. “I enjoy
holiday whimsy.”
“If you don’t like Halloween decorations, you hate fun,” sophomore Fatima Salman said.
“It makes my life feel magical, whimsical and fun,” resident assistant Kaitlyn Walker said.
While I’m not sure “whimsical” is the right word to describe the effect of these Halloween decorations, I guess there truly are some people who enjoy looking at Halloween displays. However, as I mentioned earlier, if you’re a sensible, normal person, you wouldn’t actually enjoy looking at abhorrent Halloween displays. Maybe the people who do enjoy them should seek some help – therapy, perhaps?
I’m just kidding, of course. Everyone can like whatever they like, regardless of my opinion. I’m not saying that I’m not going to judge you, but I can’t exactly stop you. These extreme Halloween displays simply freak me out, and I truly do believe that they ruin the beauty that October has to offer. But to each their own, I guess. won’t. Some of us like looking at these displays and some of us really just have proper judgement. Caviar and DoorDash. Also, you will see other Villanova students there, as it is a popular place for students to eat out.
I highly recommend Minella’s Diner to students and families of Villanova students because of the easy access from the University, the wide range of both breakfast and dinner options, the prices that will save you money, the high quality food, the long hours and the different methods of ordering one’s food.
So, the next time you consider where you want to eat, go to Minella’s Diner because you will be satisfied.
Students often decorate their dorms for Halloween. Courtesy of Shutterstock
The Genius of the Electoral College
Julianna Burke Staff Writer
The Electoral College ignites a quadrennial debate among citizens, scholars and even the elected officials participating in it. Despite being a mainstay in American politics for approximately 237 years, the Electoral College remains an enigma shrouded in misunderstanding. However, to someone who has taken a keen interest in the unique dynamics of the United States political system, it is an enigma shrouded in tremendous foresight and genius.
Critics of the Electoral College speak of its perceived complexity and the occasional discrepancy between the popular vote and the number of electoral votes received. Although the Electoral College does require a basic understanding of American geography and the intentions of our leaders immediately after the American Revolution, it is simple in its purpose. The persistence of the Electoral College in our nation demonstrates our steadfast commitment to providing balanced representation for an extremely diverse population. Additionally, this unique political system seeks to support the sovereignty of individual states through the preservation of local interests.
The Electoral College is responsible for the individualized and intensive pursuits candidates must embark on to win the presidency. Put simply, without the Electoral
College, politicians would have little to no incentive to visit the majority of less-populated states. Instead, we would likely see candidates visiting only a handful of densely populated areas - namely cities - and campaigning on a platform that does not serve the interests of the average rural or suburban voting bloc.
Moreover, the Electoral College serves to moderate the candidates presented to the American voter. Due to the broad support needed to secure the presidency, candidates are less likely to push for policies that alienate the largest block of voters in our electoral system: independents. This moderation is beneficial in the short term and serves as a catalyst for
long-term stability, as it encourages parties to form coalitions around central ideas that appeal to a wide array of the electorate.
Perhaps one of the most appealing advantages of utilizing the Electoral College is the clarity and swiftness it provides in election outcomes. If the United States were to employ the popular vote as a method of determining electoral results, split votes and divided loyalties would lead to widespread distrust in the accuracy of vote tabulation. Clear-cut outcomes serve to strengthen democratic legitimacy.
To deem the Electoral College a relic of the past is to ignore its timeless protection against majority
tyranny and the disenfranchisement of those who might feel their votes did not carry meaningful weight. Fighting the legitimacy of such a well thought-out system with the weak argument of “But, democracy!” overlooks the true definition of how a democracy functions. (And the fact that the United States is a constitutional republic rather than a pure democracy, but I digress.)
The foundation of a democracy lies not only in voter access and participation but also in stability and the practical functioning of government. To those who deny the efficacy of our unique voting system, it is important to assess whether your criticism hinges on an idealistic view of democracy that ignores the polarization and potential conflict a contested popular-vote election could create.
By exploring the nuances of the Electoral College, we can better appreciate its role not merely as a tool of electoral mechanics, but as a reflection of a nation with diverse people, interests and ideas. To overturn or oppose the Electoral College is to challenge an indispensable component of the American electoral process.
In an ever-polarizing nation that continues to struggle with creating a strong, comprehensive identity and governance, retaining this ingenious system ensures a precious safeguard that promotes the voices of all Americans in our great “democratic” (again, constitutional republic, but I digress) experiment.
Fair or Flawed? All About Villanova Registration
Srihi Surapaneni Staff Writer
As students returned to Villanova after a week of Fall Break fun and rest, they had something to dread in the near future: class registration.
Having a successful class registration process is largely dependent on what registration time a student receives. As registration for the Spring 2025 semester will run from Nov. 4 to Nov. 14, there is a range of possibilities for students’ outcomes. While those who have an early registration time can easily pick the classes they need, those who have to wait until the later days will likely have to watch their intended classes fill up and the schedules that they so carefully prepared in Nova Schedule Builder be destroyed.
Of course, registration times are not picked and assigned randomly. As irritating and anxiety-inducing as the process may be, there is a mostly effective system in place to keep things organized. The first few days of class registration are reserved for seniors and eventually, we reach the last few days, which are meant for the freshmen registering for the first time.
This system clearly makes sense. Seniors, who have already suffered the terrible registration times, and who have the least amount of time before they have to graduate get priority pick over newer students who have more time to get the many curriculum requirements out of the way.
Freshman Araceli Basaldua, who will be registering on the very last day at 8:30 p.m., said that the registration process is “fine in itself,” but she is also aware that she will “probably end up having to remake schedules multiple times over the course of the registration period.”
Freshman Abigail Dinsmoor echoed the same sentiment.
“It’s stressful because I’ve made a few schedules already that will be impossible to get by the time I register,” Dinsmoor said.
Both Basaldua and Dinsmoor spoke about the importance of the assigned faculty advisors in the registration process, highlighting two contrasting experiences.
“The advisors are helpful because they work with students’ individual needs to create a schedule that meets their goals,” Basaldua said.
Dinsmoor also saw the value of the advisors, but was less optimistic because her advisor “never responded” to her emails.
Within the grade levels, registration times are based on how many credits students have completed already. As many students start out their first semester here completing about 15 credits, AP credits often help to differentiate students to spread the schedule out evenly. While the core requirements that need to be completed for graduation usually cannot be replaced by AP credits earned in high school, these credits can go a long way in helping students get ahead during registration. For instance, if a student took AP Biology in high school, that provides
them with eight credits here, which is equivalent to two courses, potentially getting them an earlier time.
“Even though a lot of Villanova students took AP courses and exams in high school, not all students had the same kind of opportunities to take those classes,” sophomore Emma Cote said.
College Board reports that the percentage of students taking these courses has increased, with 34.9% of public high school graduates taking at least one AP class in 2021, compared to 28.6% of public high school graduates in 2011. Additionally, AP courses have made their way into nearly 23,000 high schools across the country. But even with these promising numbers, the success of AP’s expansion has not been equal. Less funded schools in lower income districts tend to offer fewer AP courses than those in wealthier districts, and some offer none at all.
And between schools that do offer AP exams, College Board data illustrates that there are huge varia-
tions in what AP courses get offered where. So some students, who were previously unaware of how credits help in the registration process, may not have taken more APs in high school if their school mostly offered those that were unrelated to what they were planning on pursuing in college.
The AP credits system makes sense as a way to organize students into registration times, but until AP courses are offered more equally across the country, there may be a number of students who will automatically be at a disadvantage in the registration process through no fault of their own.
Unfortunately, the class registration process is never a fun or easy one, no matter what one’s registration time is. And that is by no means a Villanova-specific problem. While the period of class registration may be one of the most stressful times of the semester, maybe even rivaling midterms week, the system in place seems to be the most practical way to handle the chaos.
The Electoral College has been a topic of great contention in recent years. Courtesy of Shutterstock
Many students lament the fact that some AP scores did not warrant Villanova credit. Avery Chalk/Villanovan Photography
Fall or Spring? The Study Abroad Dilemma
Molly Duffy Staff Writer
Studying abroad is supposed to be a magical and life-changing experience for college students, but it comes with an abundance of stress and decisions to make. Though this decision is not the end-all, be-all for most students, it is a tough one to make and takes a great deal of thought for students who are considering studying abroad during their junior year. Should they study abroad in the fall or in the spring?
As a person who carries a considerably hefty weight on her shoulders regarding this question, I have come to the conclusion that, for me, it only makes sense to go in the spring. Now I know this may be unpopular or unimportant to many students, but I am taking the stance that the spring is the perfect time of year to go abroad.
The fi rst thing that helped me start to make up my mind was the fact that after the spring semester is over, I will be able to spend the summer at home and not have to worry about going right back to school at Villanova, despite the opportunities that that may carry with it. Along with this, if a student is studying abroad in the spring and fi nds that they are really loving it or they fi nd a great internship or job opportunity in their chosen region, then it is just that much easier to stay abroad and soak in the sights of a foreign country.
We all know how everyone on campus reacts on the fi rst warm spring day of the year. People fi nd themselves lying on any patch of grass they can fi nd, the campus is alive and everyone knows that summer is about to bloom. Now, imagine having this feeling while exploring the coast of Italy. Just some food for thought.
Another thing I considered when deciding to go in the spring was the holidays. Fall holidays, such as Halloween and Thanksgiving, are far too important for me to miss, but someone could argue the same thing for Oktoberfest, which is supposed to be fabulous in Europe. I do not think that I could go without the frequent breaks in the fall that allow me to go home and see my family.
The spring semester on campus is already set up with fewer breaks, so students would already be acclimated to that if they were to go abroad in the spring. At fi rst, I was worried about missing St. Patrick’s Day in the spring, but then I remembered that I could simply go to Ireland and have an amazing celebration there. In the end, there are many variables to consider when deciding when the right time is for you to go abroad.
Here at Villanova, most of the students that I have talked to plan to go abroad in the fall for various reasons. One event that sways many of my friends’ opinions is spring Greek life recruitment. This is a huge event that is very important to many Villanova
students, as 30% of students take part in Greek life. Along with this, many students who plan to study abroad in the spring are fearful of missing the basketball season, which is such a valuable part of Villanova culture. Despite how memorable a basketball season or a week of recruitment could be, there is a strong chance that being in a foreign region will create even stronger memories that will shape one as a person.
Ultimately, we are so lucky as Villanova students to have easy access to practically any study abroad program that we could imagine and the Offi ce of Education Abroad is incredibly approachable and open to any questions one may have. It is most important for everyone to make the right decision for them and to take advantage of the easy access to opportunities that the University provides.
Brooke Ackerman and Manoela Kawasaki, Villanova students on a trip to Morocco. Courtesy of Brooke Ackerman
Sof Says: Who Cares About the World Series?
Sof Quaglia Satire Columnist
The following content is purely satirical and entirely fi ctional. Don’t believe everything you read!
For the second year in a row, there is not an ounce of my soul that cares about the Major League Baseball World Series, which is heartbreaking considering that I love baseball. So, no, I do not actually care about the World Series, and I am not going to be watching it. However, like all Philly sports fans, I am going to give my opinion, even when I am mad and especially when it is unwanted.
This year’s World Series features the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees, which is cool for them, but I do not care.
The biggest thing about the Dodgers is Shohei Ohtani. He’s this super-mega talented, double-threat who the Dodgers will pay more than any other baseball player in the entire league. It was his fi rst season with the Dodgers, and they are going to the World Series. There might not be a direct correlation there, but it can be argued.
I don’t think anyone should be paid $70 million to do anything, but I guess he’s good at his job and breaks some records. It’s supposed to be this super big deal that he can hit and pitch, but I also did that when I played softball in middle school for free.
Now, listen, I was actually fl ying into LA when the Dodgers won the NLDS and moved onto the NLCS, and I saw the fi reworks erupting as I fl ew over the city. It was really cool, and that is the
only positive thing you will be getting out of me on that front. Also, I do actually really like Freddie Freeman. But, whatever, I don’t care about the Dodgers.
I actually didn’t know that people still liked the Yankees. I thought it was just a thing for old Italian men. Like something that used to mean something “back in their day,” but nobody actually cared about them anymore. I thought the team won its 27 titles, and that was enough for them. It was news to me that was not the case.
I am not kidding when I say that I know nothing about the Yankees. Like, I know some of the names (Anthony Rizzo, Giancarlo Stanton, Juan Soto), and that’s only because they sound like every other man from New York City.
You could tell me that Anthony Volpe was a character on The Sopranos, and I would have to believe you.
I have no idea if the Yankees are actually good. They might be. They might not be. I don’t know. They were good a million years ago, but are they now?
Above all else, my biggest problem with this year’s World Series is that it is exactly what you would expect it to be. The two teams fi ghting for the top spot are the biggest dynasty in all of baseball and a team who has the fi fth-highest paid athlete in the entire world.
Of course they are the two teams in the World Series.
Of course a team that has won a million times is going to win again.
Of course, a person who is paid more than God himself is going to perform well and bring his team the win. That’s just not fun, and it’s not exciting. I don’t want to see that. I want to see some emotion. I want to see something I have never seen before. I want to see the Phillies. Win. The. World. Series. I wasn’t going to bring them up, but I really can’t refrain myself any longer. You want to know why? Because the Phillies are the greatest team in baseball. They have all the potential. They have the star players. They have the big bats and the golden gloves. Most importantly, they’re all pretty and funny and nice, and I love them. They deserve to win.
I deserve to watch them win. I spend six months watching 162 games (give or take a lot), and they give me nothing back. I’m sick of it. This is a toxic relationship. I’m never going to stop loving them, and they are never going to stop hurting me. I know something is wrong, but I’m not going to leave them.
If you really want to know who I want to win the World Series, I will tell you. I don’t think you’ll be surprised by my answer, actually. Whom do I want to win the World Series? The Dodgers. Because the fi reworks and Freddie Freeman and my love for the city? No. Because I think they’re the better team? Also no.
I want the Dodgers to win the World Series because the last time the Yankees won the World Series, it was in 2009 against the Phillies. It’s time for my revenge, even if I am still super mad at those losers.
COP29 Controversy: Armenian Students Condemn Azerbaijan
Isabella Balian Political Columnist
In November of 2024, The United Nations Climate Change Conference will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan. This is the same country responsible for committing ethnic cleansing against the indigenous Armenians of Artsakh.
The meeting is intended to accelerate action related to tackling the climate crisis. World leaders from governments, businesses and civil society will adjourn to advance solutions to climate change.
Azerbaijan claims its commitment to developing renewable energy potential and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2050. This is the same country that used cluster munitions, drones, artillery rockets and white phosphorus bombs that scorched forests and burned soldiers and civilians, tactics which amount to war crimes.
The deforestation in Artsakh can be attributed to the activities conducted by Azerbaijan during the war. The use of white phosphorus against Armenians in 2020 led to the deforestation of Armenian forests. Greenery in Armenian forests in Artsakh is gone for good.
How is a country responsi-
ble for such climate wrecking war tactics eligible to host one of the most important meetings in the world? Azerbaijan conducted the intentional deportation and ethnic cleansing of indigenous Armenians of Artsakh. Azerbaijan’s war on the Armenian people mirrors the Armenian Genocide of 1915. The world turned a blind eye to the forced migration of indigenous people from their homes and a proximity of another genocide.
Azerbaijan’s government under Aliyev’s leadership has been accused of cracking down on media and civil society activism. Azerbaijani authorities detained a human rights defender and climate advocate, Anar Mammadli, accusing him for criticism of the government and activism.
Azerbaijan is a country with restricted media and civic freedoms. Not only did the country displace more than 100,000 indigenous Armenians from Artsakh, but they jailed their own journalists.
Alongside thousands of Armenian students nationwide, we express disappointment over universities’ choices to send delegations to the COP29 this November. The overseeing national chapter of Armenian Students Associations expresses the hypocrisy with having the conference in Azerbaijan and sending students to attend.
Armenian students call out Villanova University, Queen’s University, University of Washington and Northwestern University for their decision to send student delegates.
As students and educated members of society we understand the necessity of facing the climate crisis and implementing sustainable development. The environment in Artsakh is destroyed after the climate wrecking war tactics enacted by the Azerbaijani military.
We strongly advise universities and students to learn about
Azerbaijan’s atrocities against Armenians and their human rights violations.
If universities are planning to send student representatives to the COP29, we urge them to pledge opposition to Azerbaijan’s arbitrary holding of Armenian POWs, Armenian political prisoners, and imprisoned Azerbaijani journalists.
As Armenian students and Villanova students, we strongly condemn any violations of human rights and the environment.
Dodger Stadium, home to the Los Angelas Dodgers. Courtesy of Shutterstock
Next month, The United Nations Climate Change Conference will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan. Courtesy of Shutterstock
ELECTION SPOTLIGHT
What to Expect on Election Day: On Campus Voting
Zoe Garrett Political Columnist
Continued from p.1
“You will go to your precinct, you will check in, the poll workers will hand you your ballot, and they will direct you to a table to fi ll out your ballot,” Ammons said.
The paper ballots will resemble Scantron sheets used for standardized tests, and voters will fi ll them out behind privacy screens to ensure confi dentiality. Once completed, voters will scan their ballots using a machine that Ammons compared to a copier, which will confi rm that their vote has been cast.
Voters who request a touchscreen voting system for accessibility purposes will be able to utilize available equipment to cast their ballot.
“After you cast your ballot, that’s pretty much it,” Ammons said. “You can get a sticker and leave after
your ballot has been confi rmed.”
In terms of wait times, Ammons hopes they will be minimal, but advises that voters to plan accordingly.
“The way that the polls work, lines usually move very quickly,” she said. “With that being said, part of making a plan to vote is carving out time in your day just in case there are lines. So if you’re planning to vote that day, make sure you’re not going fi ve minutes before your class starts.”
To minimize wait times, on-campus voters can ensure that they come prepared with a valid ID, as well as take the time to review a sample ballot before election day.
“You can view a sample ballot on the county’s website so you have an idea of what the ballot looks like and how you’ll fi ll it out– give some thought to how you’re going to vote before you arrive,” she said. “That way, when you receive your ballot, you are not presented with information you haven’t seen before.”
In her view, Ammons pre-
dicts that election day at the Mullen Center will be a generally smooth and positive experience.
“People want to see you, voters,” she said. “I have been volunteering at polls for about ten years now, and in that time, I have had almost zero negative interactions. Defi nitely come into the day with a positive mindset.”
For more information on voting in Pennsylvania, visit vote.pa.gov. For Delaware County-specific voting information and to view a sample ballot, visit delcopa.gov/vote.
For more information and answers to frequently asked questions specifi c to voting at Villanova University, students can visit Let’s Vote ‘Nova’s website.
Securing the Vote: Election Integrity in Action
Nicole Liddicoat Co-News Editor
On Wednesday, Oct. 23., Let’s Vote ‘Nova sponsored a voter information session held in the Connelly Center. The event, focused on election security, featured James P. Allen, the Director of Election for Delaware County.
The event aimed to address growing concerns about the safety and integrity of the electoral process, especially as the upcoming election approaches.
Most of the conversation focused on how Delaware County is ensuring a safe and fair election process, highlighting both the technological measures and the human support involved.
With an election site being brought to Villanova’s campus for the fi rst time this year, the community is coming together to emphasize the importance of student participation. The election center wants students to know that their votes not only matter but are also safe and secure.
Misinformation, especially in the media, about voting processes, security and results can be a signifi cant barrier to voter participation. Allen addressed several key fallacies.
Misconceptions about voter fraud often center around absentee ballots, despite the strict security measures in place to prevent misuse and ensure authenticity. Each absentee ballot requires a verifi able ID and a signed application from a registered voter. A clear chain of custody follows, with rigorous signature reviews and bar-coded envelopes adding further layers of security against tampering or abuse.
Many people worry about the risk of individuals attempting to vote more than once. However, Allen addressed this concern, not-
ing that it’s challenging enough to “get people to vote just once,” and that the extensive security measures in place eff ectively prevent duplicate voting.
Additionally, he acknowledged fears that poll workers might tamper with votes. To prevent this, there are multiple cameras in place and locks on ballot boxes. Allen debunked myths about previous elections, noting that in the pivotal swing state of Pennsylvania, the 2016 election was decided by just 44,000 votes and the 2020 election by 80,000 votes.
While these small margins can raise concerns, he argued that it would be illogical for such a signifi cant number of votes to be miscounted or subject to fraud, especially given the stringent security measures in place. Furthermore, votes totaled during recounts typically diff er by only a few from the original tally.
Allen was not involved with Delaware County elections in 2020, a year from which he hopes to learn and improve future processes. He expressed full confidence in the upcoming elections.
“We’ll do better, and here’s why: fi rst, we don’t have social distancing anymore,” Allen said. “Second, we have much more familiarity with the systems. It was a perfect storm last time—a presidential election with higher turnout, all-new voting equipment, and 100,000 ballots returned by mail for the fi rst time. It was bad. When issues arose at the start of the day, they didn’t have some of the testing procedures that we have now.”
Allen emphasized to the public that there are several contingency plans in place to ensure that everyone can still cast their votes, should something go wrong.
Overall, Delaware County’s approach to election security aims
to build public confi dence in the electoral process while maintaining the integrity of each vote.
Delaware County is actually looking at a decrease in mail in votes this election cycle. It has sent out roughly 95,000 to 105,000 absentee ballots and is expecting to receive roughly 78% of these back.
The Villanovan had the opportunity to speak with Dan Griffi n, Director of Villanova’s partnership with Catholic Relief Services, about his commitment to working at the polls on Election Day this year.
He underwent a rigorous, three-hour training and an exam to be best equipped to serve at the polls. Griffi n noted that his initial perception of election security was vastly diff erent from reality.
“The level of security is impressive but not obvious,” he said. “I always thought of voting as little old ladies slowly scrolling through huge paper registers in a school gym, more like a bake sale than an auditable process, but after learning about the protocols used throughout the process- mul-
tiple assigned observers, redundant and transparent reporting, documented chain of custody, and procedural response to anomaliesI recognize the same scrutiny and security I’ve seen while handling sensitive information, criminal evidence, or bio-hazard samples.”
Griffi n explained that while the public sees a welcoming, user-friendly face of the voting process, the reality behind the scenes is much more complex.
“Few people see...the entire process that involves seals, cages, lights and cameras in a setting that more resembles a correctional facility than a church lobby or school gym,” he said.
With this being the fi rst time voting in a quadrennial election for many Villanova students and the fi rst time a polling place has been brought directly to Villanova’s campus, Griffi n shared impactful advice, encouraging students to turn out to the polls.
“In the end, not exercising your right to vote has the same impact as not having it,” he said. “It is your voice, your country, your future. Vote like it.”
Polling will take place on campus at the Mullen Center for the first time this Election Day. Ryan Sarbello/Villanovan Photography
Delaware County is breaking down
Who Are Students Voting For in the Presidential Election?
Lauren Armstrong Co-News Editor
Continued on p.1
past and present policies supported and implemented by both candidates. I also don’t believe that I should vote for one candidate just to vote against another. I don’t find that productive.”
A freshman exploratory arts major, planning on majoring in criminology,is planning on voting for Chase Oliver, the candidate for the Libertarian party.
“I believe in less government control,” the student said. “I also believe that Oliver’s plan for criminal justice reform is wonderful, as someone who is an advocate for peace. He plans on pardoning everyone imprisoned for victimless crimes. As someone who’s family has been affected by imprisonment of victimless crimes, this makes me hopeful for a reformed future under the leadership of individuals who are working for the betterment of the United States citizens. In addition to his great ideas on prison reforms, I also really like his stance on immigration. He believes that it should be easier for individuals who want to come to America to start a better life for themselves to do so, and I agree. By providing health and criminal checks to those trying to come into the nation, we will ensure that it does not take people years to come to America, but instead only days.”
“While I normally would have no problem voting for a third
Natalie Hyde Staff Writer
party or independent candidates I haven’t done enough research on them and what I do know I’m again not too confident in,” the junior communication student said.
“With third parties and independents, we all unfortunately know they don’t have a big enough backing. Hopefully that changes in our future and we have more candidates for presidential elections - to actually win the election. However, I’m aware that they could make an impact on swing states, which is mainly why I’m still considering voting, even though this chance is small.”
Yet, there is still a majority of individuals on campus planning on voting for either Harris or Trump in just a few days.
“I will be voting for Harris in this upcoming election,” a senior biology student said. “As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I believe her policies and political
platform will benefit me and my community more than Trump’s will. I am fearful of living in a nation being run by a president who does not believe in equal rights for all, and that is why I am voting for Harris-Walz this November.”
“I will be voting for Harris-Walz this upcoming election,” a sophomore psychology student said. “As a woman, I can not stand to vote for a candidate who has spoken so poorly about women in the past, and is standing to take away reproductive rights from us. As a child born through IVF, as well, I think it is inhumane for the Republican Party to be backing a man who wants to take these options and decisions of different ways to start a family away from the parents, and to make the decisions for them. I am forever grateful for the amazing life my parents have given me through IVF, and could never stand behind
a man and his supporters wanting to rip that away from parents in the future who are struggling with natural conception.”
On the contrary, a sophomore business student supports Trump in the election.
“I am voting for Trump in this upcoming election,” the student said. “I believe his plans for the economy are better than Harris’, and that is the issue I believe is the most important for me, as whoever is elected now will be president when I join the workforce. When looking at the economy, it is without a doubt that it was stronger under Trump than it currently is under Biden, and that is concerning to me. I also believe that Trump’s stance on gun-control is more aligned with the Second Amendment rights within the Constitution.”
A senior economics student agreed.
“I am graduating this year with a job lined up in a good company,” the student said. “I do not trust the Democrats to withhold a strong enough economy while I enter the workforce. We saw what happened under Democratic control in the 2008 recession, and I cannot afford for the same to happen while I balance moving to a new city, starting a new job, and while paying off student loans, this is why I plan on voting for Trump this upcoming election.”
The election is just a few short days away, yet there is still time to research the candidates.
To find who will be on your ballot on Nov. 5, visit BallotPedia’s website.
Heart of the Matter: The Election
polarized, they do not want to risk a friendship in this election.
From guns to global warming to immigration to abortion, the issues on the 2024 presidential election ballot are of massive importance. With the election being less than a week away, and matters near and dear to many, are relationships strained by the pressure of the same vote? With the hope of anonymity revealing answers, students were asked how they navigate election season. Are political differences ruining roommates’ relationships? How do friends talk about politics?
Universities are a historically sacred place for discussion and competing ideas, a unique hub perfect for discussing this election. And yet, the culture of students does not indicate a flow of ideas, intellectual debates or even peer conversation. Instead, it indicates one of silence and walking on eggshells. Students, for the most part, avoid the topic of politics. The election is a taboo subject with outcomes that can only lead to rifts, so some Villanovans seem to steer clear of it.
“I certainly don’t talk about it,” one student said. “And I think that’s the case for most people. Sometimes people make vague comments, but never clear enough to definitively pinpoint their view.”
The student elaborated that because politics has become so
“There’s really no need to talk about it,” they continued. “I’m not going to argue with people because I just don’t think it is worth it.”
This sentiment that politics should not get in between friends persisted through the majority of the students interviewed. Some students are politically uninvolved or uninformed, making comments such as, “I almost missed the voter registration deadline,” and “I’m not sure I’m even going to vote.” Others care deeply, but leave it as a topic that does not come up.
“I would rather talk about school or formals, not two bad candidates,” a student said.
The most common answer was that the student would not like what their friend had to say and therefore would rather leave it in the unknown. This is an “ignorance is bliss approach,” and they do not want to tempt fate and risk seeing their friend in a different light.
“It is better to just not know and blindly believe they have the same views as me,” one student said.
This was especially the case in considering roommate dynamics. Students felt even more wary of bringing up politics, as it could jeopardize the easy flow of their living arrangements.
However, some students disapproved of this theme of avoidance.
“If you are friends with someone, you are supposed to love them for who they are and that includes
what they believe,” a student said. “No topics should be off-limits in relationships. It leaves such little room for growth.”
This student finds that conversations around politics can, and should, be done in a respectful manner. To them, these discussions are crucial to fully understanding each other.
Another believes politics should be talked about, but as a means of weeding out friends of different views.
“At the end of the day, politics translates to values, and values are the core of a person and a relationship,” one student said.
This student believes the people they are spending time with should be people of the same principles.
“Politics is who they are,” they continued. “You see, I care about women’s reproductive rights. If my socalled friend doesn’t, I’m not sure how I can ever get past that.”
Viewing politics as an offshoot of their morals, this student finds that at a time when friends can be truly chosen, not ones that were grown up with like before, politics should be taken into account. Yet, this viewpoint seems to be in the minority. With various political beliefs across campus and peers of all backgrounds, most opt for a don’t ask, don’t tell mentality.
The countdown until the election is on. With Let’s Vote ‘Nova tables at the Oreo and social media posts in full swing, the election is on everyone’s mind. Just maybe not on some students’ conversation docket.
Students gear up to cast their vote in the Presidential Election. Courtesy of Shutterstock
Politics can be a difficult subject to navigate among friends, roommates and peers. Courtesy of Shutterstock
A Villanovan’s Guide to the Ballot
Isabella Balian Political Columnist
Continued from p.1
taxes, protecting reproductive freedoms, making communities safer from gun violence and supporting American workers.
Her campaign website also notes her wishes to protect and strengthen Social Security and Medicare programs, make rent more aff ordable, lower energy costs and tackle the climate crisis. Harris chose current Minnesota governor, Tim Walz, as her vice presidential candidate.
The Republican candidate running is former United States President Donald Trump. Former President Trump has served as the President of the Trump Organization since 2017, and in 2021, became the owner. He then served as the President of the United States from 2017 to 2021 alongside his former vice president, Mike Pence. Trump cites his legislative priorities as sealing the border, ending infl ation, large tax cuts, defending the Constitution and preventing World War III. His campaign website also notes carrying out the largest deportation operation in American history and making America the dominant energy producer in the world. Trump chose current Ohio Senator, JD Vance, as his vice presidential candidate. Libertarian candidate Chase Oliver, Green Party candidate Jill Stein, and Independent candidate Cornel West are also running for President of the United States.
For the Pennsylvania Senate race, incumbent Bob Casey is running against Republican
candidate Dave McCormick. Senators are responsible for writing and passing legislation, approving presidential appointments and ratifying treaties with foreign countries. Other third-party candidates are Erik Mesina, Bernard Selker and John Thomas. Senator Casey cites his legislative priorities as protecting our rights and freedoms, supporting veterans, fi ghting greedfl ation, standing up for rural communities and expanding aff ordable healthcare. Republican candidate McCormick cites his legislative priorities as securing the border, stopping violent crime, growing Pennsylvania’s energy sector, educating Pennsylvania’s children, ending China’s free rein and standing up for American values.
The majority of Villanova is seated in Pennsylvania’s 5th Congressional District, which is currently represented by Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon, a Democrat. Congressional representatives begin the legislation process, off er amendments and serve on committees. Scanlon’s legislative priorities include voting rights, access to justice, education, supporting economic growth for her region, common sense gun safety, women’s rights and ending hunger.
The Republican candidate, a former Philadelphia police offi cer Alfi e Goodwin, aims to focus on removing politics from policing, protecting Constitutional rights, ensuring Social Security stability and keeping neighborhoods and kids safe, according to her campaign website.
For the Pennsylvania Auditor General Race, Republican incumbent Timothy DeFoor is running against Democratic
candidate Malcom Kenyatta. Third-party candidates include Eric Anton, Alan Goodrich and Reece Smith. As the chief accountant for the state, auditors check the fi nancial records of a state and make certain its accounts are being managed correctly.
For the Pennsylvania Attorney General Race, Democrat incumbent Eugene DePasquale is running against Republican candidate Dave Sunday. Third-party candidates include Robert Cowburn, Justin Magill, Eric Settle and Richard Weiss. The Attorney General is the chief legal advisor and chief law enforcement offi cer of the state.
For the Pennsylvania Treasurer race, Republican incumbent Stacy Garrity is running against Democratic candidate, Erin McClelland. The PA State treasurer is responsible for tracking budgets, managing investments and receiving money deposits for the state.
Incumbent State Senator Amanda Cappelletti is running unopposed for State Senate District 17. State Senator Cappelletti has served as Pennsylvania’s State
The majority of Villanova is seated in the 168th District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, which is currently represented by Democratic incumbent, Lisa Borowski. State Representatives are members of the state’s lower chamber, as part of the state’s bicameral legislature. State representatives are responsible for voting on bills related to public policy matters, levels for state spending, raises or decreases in taxes and whether to uphold or override gubernatorial vetoes. Representative Borowski has served as State Representative for the 168th district for one year and is running for re-election. She cites her legislative priorities as public education, common sense gun reform, workers’ rights, the right to choose, public safety and protecting the environment. She is running against Republican candidate Kathryn Buckley. Buckley supports protecting taxpayers, restoring election integrity, job creation, protecting senior citizens and supporting law enforcement.
The 2024 Election: How Do Villanova Freshmen Feel?
Katie Bryda Staff Writer
With just about a week until the 2024 Presidential Election, campus is stirring. Campaigns like Let’s Vote Nova and outside organizations have been all over campus, encouraging students to register to vote and get involved with civic activism. And while for a number of people, this will be their fi rst Presidential election, a select group on campus will be voting for the fi rst time ever: freshmen.
Surveying a number of freshmen over on South Campus, everyone I spoke to was registered to vote. The campaigns across campus have been extremely successful in getting students to learn about the voting process. Though, many of these students registered to vote are hours away from home by train, car, and even plane. So, what is Villanova doing to ease this voting experience for those who cannot return home?
This year, the Mullen Center for Performing Arts will be Villanova’s on-campus polling place. Open all day long, students who are far from home who chose to register through the state of
Pennsylvania (one of this elections prime swing states) will be able to cast their vote during their normal school day. And this option has been signifi cant for the freshmen on campus. Of those asked to fi ll out a quick survey, 50% of freshmen were registered to vote on Villanova’s campus, the other 50% choosing to vote within their home state.
But one freshman and Pennsylvania native, Maggie Alexander, commented that “my home state is Pennsylvania and I live close to Villanova, but if I didn’t, I would vote on campus.”
Many freshmen fi nd this option to vote on campus crucial to getting them involved in the civil process. For many of them (83.3%), this on-campus voting experience will be the fi rst time they have ever voted in their life.
But some fi rst year students have a completely diff erent experience to the majority.
Some freshmen on Villanova’s campus cannot even vote. One of these freshmen is Tao Le, who immigrated from Vietnam to the United States at age 11, and attends Villanova as a Nursing major. She is in the process of working for her US citizenship, and so she fi nds that “[I] don’t
feel [like I] belong, since everyone was talking about ‘Where do you register?’ or ‘Have you registered to vote yet?’ or ‘Who do you vote for?’” She explained how her journey has left her feeling detached from the voter campaigns on campus, saying that it “...has pushed me away from the conversation with my friends (...) just because I’m not a citizen yet.”
Each Villanova freshman brings an incredibly unique experience to campus, and that is
highlighted through this election process this year. While the election is essential for our political voices, it also voices the stories we may not hear often, and gives each Villanovan their own place to be heard.
So whether or not you are confused about the election process, either staying here or going home, or even not voting at all, the Villanova community is here to support each student on their journey.
Senator for District 17 from 2019 to now.
Some freshmen will have the opportunity to cast their very first vote this election cycle. Olivia Pasquale/Villanovan Photography
Villanovans will come together to vote on November 5th. Courtesy of Shutterstock
Villanova Democrats Endorse Kamala Harris
VU Democrats Club Contributors
The Villanova College Democrats would like to endorse current Vice President Kamala Harris and her running-mate, the Governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, for the 2024 presidential election. We believe that she is the candidate most aligned with our policy stances and the most willing to tackle the issues that are affecting us and our communities.
As young students, one of the issues that weigh most heavily on our minds is that of student loans and ensuring education becomes and remains accessible to all. Kamala Harris plans to provide student debt relief if she is elected to office, and her running-mate, Walz, has a background as a public-school teacher. They know the ways in which the school systems are currently struggling to support their staff and students and will work diligently to amend this ever-growing problem.
Further, Harris and Walz will fight climate change once elected to office by fighting for policies that will reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions that are heating up our planet. The issue of climate change affects us all as the city of Philadelphia set a record high temperature for this time of year this past week. To protect our futures and ensure that there is a future for the next generations to fight for, action must be taken on
climate change, and Kamala Harris is willing to act.
Yet, another significant topic that emerged over the past few years as we attempt to recover from a global pandemic is that of healthcare. Whether it is specialized healthcare for women or something as simple as having access to a covid test, Harris will work to make sure that everyone can afford and have equal access to potentially life-saving healthcare, regardless of background or wealth.
Finally, one of the issues we find the most important in this upcoming election is that of protecting
rights. Regardless of gender, race, sexuality, ability, religion, or immigration status people deserve to be treated with respect and kindness.
In the US, we like to believe that we give everyone the same opportunity to seek freedom and liberty, but how can certain marginalized groups achieve this freedom if they are not even viewed as people? Harris and Walz believe that everyone is deserving of respect and should have their rights to freedom protected.
Ultimately, what this final point brings up is the emphasis on kindness, respect, and empathy for
our fellow human beings that Harris has and will continue to practice if she is elected. She believes that we can come together despite our differences and create communities based on mutual respect and love for one another. And, right now, we know that bringing people together is one of the most important and necessary qualities for the leader of our wonderfully diverse country.
On Tuesday, November 5th, if you are able, please exercise your right to vote for the next US president, but do not forget to research and vote for the candidates down the ballot, too. Your voice matters!
Villanova Republicans Endorse Donald Trump
VU Republicans Club Contributors
The Villanova College Republicans endorse a fully Republican ticket, top to bottom. This starts with President Donald J. Trump, running for a second term, for his leadership and dedication to building a stronger, more resilient America.
Donald Trump has proven himself to be the voice for ordinary Americans, consistently advocating for peace in our nation and the world, growth of business, and a thriving middle class. His commitment to prioritizing American interests fostered prosperity and security during his fi rst term, making him the ideal candidate to lead our nation again.
Dave McCormick, running for U.S. Senate, embodies the forward-thinking leadership Pennsylvania needs. His vision is to create opportunities for future generations, including college students like us. With a deep understanding of Pennsylvania’s challenges and the experience to address them, McCormick will fi ght to build a brighter future.
Our endorsement extends across the ticket to Alfe Goodwin for Congress, whose extensive background in law enforcement, military service, and education makes her uniquely qualifi ed to address Pennsylvania’s needs.
Furthermore, our support
extends to Kathy Buckley for State Representative, bringing a business-savvy perspective to build up our community.
We stand behind these candidates as they work to protect our freedoms, ensure economic growth, and uphold American values.
We invite you to join us in supporting President Donald J. Trump, Dave McCormick, and this outstanding Republican ticket for a victorious November!
Vice President Kamala Harris at a recent rally. Courtesy of Shutterstock
Former President Donald Trump at a rally in Georgia. Courtesy ofS Shutterstock
A 2024 rendition of Trump’s campaign flag. Courtesy ofS Shutterstock
The Villanovan Endorses Kamala Harris
The Villanovan Editorial Board
This election will be one of the most significant in American history. If Kamala Harris is declared the winner, the United States will witness a landmark event: the inauguration of its first female president and first president of Black and South Asian heritage.
Given the importance of this election, the editorial staff at The Villanovan finds it important to endorse a candidate for president. The decision on whom to endorse was determined by an anonymous vote and the results were in support of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.
Pennsylvania plays a pivotal role in the results of this election, with 10 of the last 12 presidential election winners securing victory there. Consequently, voting in this battleground state holds significant importance. As students and eligible Pennsylvania voters, we urge our readers to exercise their right to vote. More than that, we encourage readers to educate themselves on the candidates and what they stand for.
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are running their campaign with compassion, integrity, and a commitment to the American people, qualities that are noticeably absent in their opponent, Donald Trump.
The Villanova n believes that Kamala Harris is best suited to address the issues that impact college
students.
Throughout her time as Vice President, Harris has worked as part of the Biden administration to develop student loan forgiveness plans that alleviate student debt, a stressor for many students and a common barrier to education. These plans include income-driven repayment plans, debt cancellation and programs benefiting historically marginalized institutions. As part of her campaign, Harris has expressed her support for continuing these initiatives.
With the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that overturned Roe V. Wade and limited a woman’s right to have an abortion, reproductive
health is another key issue in this election. A recent KFF survey indicates that abortion is now the most important issue for women under 30. Kamala Harris and Tim Walz have continuously pledged to restore reproductive freedom nationwide and reinstate protections for women’s autonomy.
As said best by Michelle Obama, “If we don’t get this election right, your wife, your daughter, your mother, we as women, will become collateral damage to your rage.”
Kamala Harris has an extensive history of advocating for climate change. This includes expressing support for the Inflation Reduction Act and proposing a $10 trillion plan for the develop -
ment of a carbon-neutral economy, during her 2020 presidential campaign. Additionally, as former Attorney General for California and District Attorney of San Francisco, Harris has held companies accountable for violating environmental laws. As climate change worsens, we urge the election of a president who believes in science and recognizes the importance of protecting our planet.
As we weigh the critical issues at stake in this election, it becomes increasingly clear who is best fit to run this country.
In hopes of protecting our democracy, our rights and our future, The Villanovan endorses Kamala Harris and Tim Walz for President and Vice President.
Vice President Harris and Governor Walz at a campaign event. Courtesy of Shutterstock
What’s At Stake For Reproductive Rights in This Election?
Lauren Armstrong Co-News Editor
It goes unsaid that one of the most contested topics in this upcoming election is reproductive and women’s rights. Under former President Donald Trump’s appointed Supreme Court Justices, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, Roe v. Wade was overturned in June of 2022. Trump’s appointments came by turning the bench to six conservative judges and three liberal judges.
Roe v. Wade, which was originally passed in 1973, ruled that states could not completely ban women from having an abortion. Due to Texas having created a state ban, the Supreme Court came together in a 7-2 vote to rule in favor of women’s rights. This created a privacy clause protecting women under the 14th Amendment.
In the 2022 Supreme Court case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Court considered the rights of the state of Mississippi to ban abortions after 15 weeks, execpt for medical emergencies and fetal abnormalities. In a 6-3 vote, the Court decided to rule to allow the state to make this decision. This led to then reevaluating Roe v. Wade, and in 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court decided to overturn the original ruling and bring abortion
decisions back to state regulation. This has led to many states stripping women’s access to abortions and reproductive health care.
There are currently 13 states that have total abortion bans. In some of these states, there are exceptions in cases of sexual assault, incest and if someone’s life is in danger. However, this is not the case for all total ban locations.
Often, it is hard for women to even know they are pregnant within this limited window. Most pregnancies are not known until six to eight weeks, leading women
to make rushed decisions, or miss the deadline of when they can receive these procedures.
In the past, Trump has stated that he disagrees with the state of Florida’s six-week abortion ban, stating that it does not allow enough time for women. However, when held accountable by other Republicans, he backtracked and said he would not vote in favor of expanding the state’s abortion ban.
Harris, has vowed to sign into law a piece of legislation that gives back federal regulation for abortion rights, if a bill as such
was to be passed by Congress.
“Ours is a fi ght for the future, and it is a fi ght for freedom, like the freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body and not have her government tell her what to do,” Harris stated at a campaign event in Georgia.
With the court already being quick to make these harmful and impactful decisions, it goes without saying that if the Republican Party is in offi ce for four more years, it will continue to make decisions that harm women’s access to reproductive rights.
It is critical for individuals planning on voting in this election to not only vote for President, but also for local and federal representatives. Without a Congress and representatives that prioritize the rights of women, girls and those who can reproduce, we as a community are at risk of our health being controlled by the government, instead of by our personal decisions and our doctors. No woman should have to travel across multiple states to receive medical care. It should be accessible and aff ordable to all who need it.
Therefore, I urge everyone who cares about the women in their life to vote for candidates who pledge to protect human rights. Being able to make decisions about our own bodies is a right that should be left to the individual.
Are Villanova Students Engaged in the Election?
Kaitlin Lawrenson Staff Writer
Late United States President John F. Kennedy once said, “The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all.” The attitude that each of us takes towards the election, will affect every single one of us. Someone’s vote may determine who leads our country. This is why it is so important for Villanova students to discuss the election with one another.
I have found that in my experience, most students are afraid to discuss politics with one another, and understandably so. Politics is one of the most conflicting topics one can discuss, and we are often taught not to bring up such a sensitive topic. However, I believe there is a world in which we can make others aware of the election and the importance of their vote, without arguing over which side anyone will take. Villanova is one community, and it doesn’t matter what the opinion is of each student, no matter what we are all still one family. Thus we should be able to have these necessary conversations with one another and educate each other about our political climate.
Many friends and peers that I have spoken with have informed me that while they are registered, they don’t plan on walking to the polls on Nov. 5. Others never ended up registering at all. I believe that if this was a more common conversation among Villanova students, students would feel encouraged and inspired to register and take a role in our
country’s political landscape. By not wanting to create strife among one another, we are impairing our democracy and hindering the value of the votes of the Villanova students who are passionate about the election.
When I try to discuss the important news headlines or recent debates, an uncomfortable shift automatically sits in the air. However, as young adults learning how to be on our own in this world, we need to be able to speak with one another about these important topics and make one another aware of why our opinions are so important. Villanova has created a community in which even though our opinions are different, we support one another and encourage one another to express our opinions, no matter how different they are. I think that by not speaking up and pushing one another to read articles, get registered and have these conversations, we are doing our fellow Villanovans a huge disservice.
Among my group of friends, I have continued to be a proponent of the conversation, and in turn, that has helped to make the topic feel less outlandish or foreign. We have been able to sit down and watch the debates and send one another articles to keep each other up to date with election details. All of us have different perspectives and different opinions, that is not the purpose of having these discussions. The purpose of discussing the election is to make one another aware of our duty to vote and help empower one another to use our privilege.
We are so blessed to live in a democracy and Villanovans need to
remind one another of that. There are many nations in which they don’t even have the freedom to discuss these topics let alone vote for their leader. In my opinion, these privileges should not be gathering dust but rather utilized by every Villanova student, and while many students exercise these opportunities, I know many who do not.
“While I haven’t experienced any political debate within my classes so far and don’t talk about politics much myself, I do feel that politics is an avoided topic due to the fact that it can bring up a lot of tension especially with the intensity of this particular election,” freshman business student Sylvia Barresi said. “I will say though that I was happily surprised with the amount of volunteers and support around getting students to register to
vote on campus.”
Meanwhile, in my math class, our professor has made it a point to discuss the importance of voting in this election. I find that there are many inconsistencies in the opinions and views of students on campus regarding the importance of voting. As a community, we should come together to encourage one another and hold one another accountable because our votes matter. Most students will be voting in their first election and we have the power in a swing state, like Pennsylvania, to turn the tide and decide how this election will go. Thus, I believe we need to turn the conversation from inconsistent to consistent and show one another that as Villanovans it is our responsibility to have these conversations.
The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 in a 5-4 decision. Courtesy of Shutterstock
Villanova students have the opportunity to vote on campus in the Mullen Center . Courtesy of Shutterstock
CULTURE
VillaVogue Halloween: What’s In and What’s Out?
Ciara Dursee Staff Writer
Boo! We are nearing the 31st of October and we all know what that means: it’s time to evaluate the ins and outs of this year’s Halloween costume selection. Halloween is a unique holiday that allows us to transform into a different character for a night or two. While this is an eccentric opportunity to be adventurous, the stress of finding a costume can overwhelm the excitement of collecting a handful of chocolates.
Don’t be spooked. I am here to help. Here is what I like to call, “The New, the Overdone and the Unprepared.” As I am a victim of participating in each category every year - sometimes twice - it is only appropriate to expose the costume spectrum from iconic to lacking in creativity. Ultimately, Halloween gives people the opportunity to dress how they choose, so take my suggestions with a grain of salt.
THE NEW
It’s always exciting to scroll through social media and find the unique, bold and inspirational ideas people have come up with. Consequently, pop culture seems to have a monumental impact on the favorable costumes this year so let’s take a peek.
Carrie Bradshaw:
With Sex in the City taking flight on Netflix, Sarah Jessica Parker’s beloved character in the show, Carrie Bradshaw, has taken quite a rise in pop-culture media. The costume resembles Carrie’s classic tutu-look from the show: a pink bodysuit, a white fluffy tutu, white heels and a highlight on her curly, voluminous hair.
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders:
Credit to the Netflix documentary America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, replicating this cute cheerleader look has been a mission for many this year.
The Menendez Brothers:
A controversial choice, maybe, but also a head-turner. With the television series Monsters bringing the Menendez case to light more than 30 years after the murders, creativity sparked in the spectators’ eyes. While the story is gaining popularity in the media and being released years later, this particular costume, while innovative, is a risky one to pull off.
Sabrina Carpenter:
It’s no shock that with her music gaining traction, attempting to embody this rising star is a no-brainer. From Carpenter’s music video to her hit song “Espresso,” one can choose to wear a chic dress, heels and the classic headscarf to top off the look.
THE OVERDONE
Unfortunately, we all know the handful of costumes that are “so last year.” I think we can all agree these costumes are overproduced and have lost their credibility. These choices are all very doable, however if one is motivated they are lacking in originality and must be retired.
Vampires:
To clarify, a frightening version of this costume is acceptable.
Barbie:
A safe option of course, but also one that you will see upwards of 50 times in the night.
Prisoners:
Picture the orange, baggy pants with a white tank top and fake tattoos. Enough said.
Devil and Angel:
The classic duo of an outfit in red head-to-toe, a headband with little horns and a mirror image with your partner but in all white and a halo. We all know and love it. But we can do better.
THE UNPREPARED
If you are anything like me, every year you claim you will coordinate a costume ahead of time, but realistically it turns into a search for accessories and picking through your closet to compile a semi-acceptable get-up. This panic to find a costume allowed me to scroll through several options of quick, easy and inexpensive costume choices for Thursday.
Catwoman:
Pair a black romper or mini-
dress, a quick cat ear delivery from Amazon, add some whiskers and you have accomplished a simple, yet flattering costume.
Party Animals:
Take any animal print piece of clothing you have and add a party hat. Does not get simpler than this. The best part is you can pursue it with as much effort as you would like. Nevertheless, a cheetah print shirt, a black mini skirt and a cone hat will get the job done.
Tom Cruise in Risky Business:
A great excuse to wear a pair of boxer pajamas out in public. With a white tee and oversized button-down you can find at a thrift store near you, anyone can achieve this silly costume.
CatAppetite: Queer Food for Food Matters Week
Blair Hollyday Staff Writer
Nothing brings Villanova students together like free food, and this year’s Food Matters Week was no exception. It served up slices of “Big Fat Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie,” while offering a fresh look at food and identity.
In her talk, Food Matters: Queer Food, Dr. Megan Elias, an associate professor of gastronomy at Boston University, introduced students to the idea of queer food. She explained that food can be more than just a meal. Elias shared how even small food choices can support or challenge stereotypes. For example, steak is often seen as masculine, while fruity cocktails are viewed as feminine. Drawing from her recent Queer Food Conference, she showed Villanova students how queer food traditions can break the mold and create space for everyone.
Students left with full stomachs and a new perspective on food as a celebration of diversity and belonging. The Queer Food Conference Cookbook, which showcases recipes and stories from queer culture. The speaker also shared a video by Antoni Porowski that discussed food as a love language.
Elias’s talk challenged the common assumptions about who food is for and how it reflects cultural norms. She traced the significance of queer figures in the culinary world, such as James Beard, and talked about early queer cookbooks that went against traditional roles. Elias encouraged the audience to rethink cooking and see its connections to identity, inclusion and expression.
The idea of “Queer Food” began for Elias in her Food and Gender class. In that class, they discussed traditional roles, like how women are often expected to cook, even when ordering takeout. She pointed out that many cookbooks, like The Delineator Cookbook, were made for straight families. This raises an important question for the queer community: are traditional cookbooks designed in
ways that exclude queer people?
Beard was a key figure in American cooking and an inspiration for Elias’s research. A closeted gay man for most of his life, he came out in 1981 during a difficult time in LGBTQ+ history. That same year, he released a new cookbook. Elias used this example to show how Beard encouraged food freedom, comparing it to the personal freedom he found in coming out. Beard believed that cooking for someone is less about the dish itself and more about the love and intention behind it. This message is very inclusive and resonates with the queer community.
Elias’s recent conference on queer food at Boston University received mixed reactions. Some people were excited about the topic, while others questioned why queer-
ness should be connected to food. In reflected upon these responses, she highlighted the ongoing cultural tensions in discussions about queer identity and everyday experiences like cooking.
Elias highlighted The Gay Cookbook (1965), the first queer cookbook published at a time when few men were writing cookbooks. The few who did often made misogynistic comments, showing men as artistic chefs while reducing women to simple cooks. In contrast, queer cookbooks have developed to include humor and inside jokes, creating a shared language for the LGBTQ+ community while playfully excluding straight audiences.
The discussion also covered other scholarly approaches to queer food, including how food memories shape identity, the heteronormative nature of nutrition advice and how individuals undergoing gender transition may change their diets.
Throughout her talk, Elias emphasized that cooking and sharing food with others is a powerful love language. She pointed out that when people exclude certain identities, that connection is weakened. Despite dedicating her entire career to learning, teaching and discussing food, Elias humorously admitted that she does not consider herself a good cook.
Throw together a simple Carrie Bradshaw themed costume with a sparkly skirt and kitten heels. Maggie Fitzgerald/Villanovan Photography
Students who attended the talk were able to enjoy some themed treats. Blair Hollday/Villanovan Photography
Special Olympics Fall Festival Preview
Lilly Semprevivo Staff Writer
During the peak months of autumn, excitement fi lls Villanova’s campus as the leaves change color in October and early November. This upcoming weekend, from Friday, Nov. 1 to Sunday, Nov. 3, the University will host athletes, coaches and volunteers from across the region for the annual Special Olympics Fall Festival, one of four major statewide Special Olympic events.
Fall Festival promises to be a weekend fi lled with fun, competition and meaningful connections and creativity. Villanova students who have participated in past events for Special Olympics are eager to attend and reconnect with returning athletes. They will gather to cheer on participants competing in Olympic-style sports such as bocce, long-distance running and walking, soccer, volleyball and fl ag football. One way to get involved early is by attending athletic practices leading up to the weekend, and all are welcome to join in on the competition during those sessions.
As the weekend approaches, Villanova students prepare to take on roles, serving as coaches, friends and more throughout Fall Festival. In past years, the commitment and enthusiasm of the volunteers have been palpable as they cheer on the many athletes
Cali Carss Staff Writer
As the end of October approaches, Halloween festivities are livening up campus at every turn. While trick-or-treating might not be high on many college kid to-do lists, candy is certainly still an integral part of spooky celebrations. If you’ve ever wondered what Halloween candy matches your zodiac sign, look no further. In the witchy spirit of the holiday, let astrology dictate your candy choices and find out if your favorite candy fits your personality.
Aries: Red Hots
Bold and intense, just like Aries. These cinnamon candies are fiery and adventurous, capturing Aries’ energetic spirit. The unpredictability of a spicy candy speaks to the nature of an Aries, who is definitely looking for excitement on Halloween.
Taurus: Snickers
Taurus loves indulgence and comfort, so Snickers, with its mix of chocolate, caramel and nuts, is the perfect luxurious treat. It’s a classic for a reason, which matches the mellowness of a Taurus perfectly.
Gemini: Twix
With dual personalities, Gemini gets two treats in one with Twix. The split between caramel and crunch mirrors a Gemini’s dynamic nature. A Gemini is also sure to get a kick out of the “Pick a Side” debate, making everyone around them weigh in on the superior side of the candy bar.
Horoscope: Halloween Candy
Cancer: Milky Way
Soft and comforting, Milky Way’s creamy caramel and nougat blend is a perfect match for the nurturing and sensitive Cancer.
Leo: Skittles
Bold, colorful and attention-grabbing, Skittles embody Leo’s lively and radiant personality. Ever fun and popular, Skittles never shy away from the spotlight, much like a Leo, especially when they have a costume to show off.
Virgo: 3 Musketeers
Simple yet satisfying, 3 Musketeers matches Virgo’s no-fuss, detail-oriented nature by giving them the best of a candy bar in one bite-sized square. A 3 Musketeers might not be the most obvious first choice candy, but a Virgo appreciates its consistency and knows that it is delicious no matter what.
Libra: KitKat
With its balanced layers and harmonious taste, a Kit Kat fits Libra’s love for symmetry, sharing and all aesthetically pleasing things.
Scorpio: Candy Corn
Scorpios have a reputation for being the mysterious sign, but at their core they are honest and loyal people. Candy Corn is perfect for this oft-misunderstood sign, as it is a dependable mainstay of Halloween festivities. Plus, what could be better for the sign Oct. 31 falls under than a universal symbol of Halloween?
Sagittarius: Sour Patch Kids
Fun and unpredictable, these candies start sour and end sweet, just like Sagittarius’s adventurous and spontaneous nature. A Sagittarius would be the first to step
and help facilitate certain activities. It is a rewarding experience that captures the joy on athletes’ faces as they participate, compete and celebrate their successes.
Throughout the weekend, people will see support from the Inclusion Crew Cubes, LPHs and general volunteers interested in helping and getting involved. The IC Cubes off er Villanova students a chance to sign up and participate by creating groups dedicated to specifi c sports taking place throughout the weekend, such as volleyball or soccer. Led by Volunteer Coordinators, these IC volunteers cheer on the athletes during events and provide familiar faces throughout the weekend, especially at the fi nal awards ceremony on Sunday. Consider following their activities and perhaps joining one next year.
Be sure to visit O-Town, located throughout the quad, where one can explore various booths and activities. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet the athletes. Additionally, one can sign up for general volunteering at any point during the Fall Festival at the designated tent.
Join Villanova University this weekend, Nov. 1 to Nov. 3, to create another unforgettable Special Olympics Fall Festival. Whether one is an athlete or volunteer, participation will make a meaningful impact on the lives of many throughout the world.
away from traditional Halloween chocolates to explore something more exciting.
Capricorn: Smarties
Capricorns are quite literally the “smarties” of the zodiac chart. They’re intelligent, no-nonsense people who definitely appreciate the fun and organization of this little sleeve of candies.
Aquarius: Nerds
Quirky and unique, Aquarius matches with Nerds because of
their unconventional shape, variety and bold flavors. As far as candy goes, Nerds are a novelty, and Aquarius is the same on the zodiac chart.
Pisces: Swedish Fish Swedish Fish are a perfect fit for the imaginative and emotional Pisces, with their soft texture and sweet flavor. A whimsical candy perfect for a Pisces with their head in the clouds. Plus, what water sign can resist a fish-shaped candy?
Consider partaking in the Special Olympics festivities this weekend. Maggie Fitzgerald/Villanovan Photography
What Halloween candy will you be indulging in this season?
Maggie Fitzgerald/Villanovan Photography
Charlotte Kyles Staff Writer
It’s offi cially “Halloweek”, and fall is in full swing. True crime has taken the media by storm, and popular Netfl ix series like Monsters and Dahmer have captivated crime lovers. These series tell the gripping stories of two of the most notorious crime cases that the U.S. has ever seen. If you don’t have time to binge these tv shows, fear not because this week’s featured podcast will give you your true crime fi x just in time for Halloween.
Criminal , a podcast hosted by Phoebe Judge, delves into some of the lesser-known crime cases from around the world. Each episode goes into detail about true crime stories ranging between murders, disappearances and captures. The episodes are narrated by Judge and often a guest expert specifi c to the crime. There is a lot of research and preparation that goes into each episode, and in addition to the spooky story, there is often historical relevance and law that helps to set up the crime scene.
Criminal is a low-commitment podcast since there is no chronological build up, so one can start with any episode. Under each title there is a one or two sentence description, so one can pick one depending on their interest to
Bump in the Night: ListenUP!
kickstart some Halloween spirit.
“Big Fish” is the story of a series of unlikely felonies that took place during fi shing tournaments in the U.S. Judge brings Jason Fischer, a fi shing competition host, onto Criminal to discuss a recent $30,000 attempted robbery. Two men in his competition were found
guilty of tampering with fi shing contest results, leading to a year of probation and a $2,500 fi ne.
The two men who were part of Fischer’s competition had been found putting lead weights down the throats of the fi sh they caught to win the competition. While this may seem like a petty crime, the
Division of Wildlife as well as state governments take these crimes very seriously. “Big Fish” explores the other big fi shing crimes that have happened in the U.S. and why this crime even matters. “Trouble in Flamingo” discusses the severity of the plume bird hunting that took place in the early 1900s. Judge invites bird expert Paul Gray to discuss the Florida everglades and their unexpected relationship to crime and murder. In the early 1900s, plume bird hunting was an extremely popular sport that happened to produce an unlikely large sum of profi t. The feathers from this bird were shipped up to New York and sold to clothing designers for feather hats. Judge tells the unfortunate story of conservationist Guy Bradley, who was brutally murdered by hunters after attempting to save hundreds of plume birds from being shot on Key West.
These two episode descriptions are only a glimpse into the hundreds that Criminal has to off er. They open one’s eyes to unlikely crimes while also teaching lessons about law and history of the U.S.
If crime is not your thing, Criminal also has a spin off podcast series called This is Love, which addresses diff erent mysteries for listeners such as “How To be Alone?” “How to Live Forever?” and “How to Wait, How to Worry, and Yes, How to Love?” Judge does it all. Happy listening.
Halloween Nights at the Eastern State Penitentiary
Madison Ostrowski Staff Writer
What was once home to infamous criminals such as Al Capone and Willie Sutton now hosts one of the nation’s most renowned Halloween attractions. Eastern State Penitentiary, considered to be the most haunted prison in the country, is just a 25-minute drive from Villanova’s campus, drawing in Villanova students every fall.
Halloween Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary takes place in the heart of Philadelphia. This event features five haunted houses with a variety of terrifying thrills. For those looking for less fright, there are live dance performances every 30 minutes, ghost stories paired with s’mores and a walk-through sound and light show in Kaleidoscope Hall.
For history junkies, there are several opportunities to learn about the Penitentiary’s past, including a hospital flashlight tour available for an extra charge. Visitors in need of a break can explore the themed bars, lounges and festival food. VIP ticket holders even have access to a speakeasy at Al Capone’s cell.
For thrill-seekers, the first haunted house is called Delirium. Participants are given 3-D glasses for the vibrant colors and spinning tunnel. Next is Big Top Terror, followed by Machine Shop and Nightmares, building intensity with each stop. Around the corner is the Crypt, the longest and most intense house. Visitors are free to enter each haunted house as many times as they would
like and in any order they choose. While visitors are prohibited from touching the performers, walls and props, they can opt for a more interactive experience by wearing a glow necklace. Those wearing the glow necklace may be grabbed by the “monsters,” sent into hidden passageways and temporarily separated from their group.
Senior Alexa Raphael opted to wear the glow necklace with her friends. While the cost of the tickets may be daunting for a college student, the experience was worth it for her.
“When we went to the Crypt, my friend got taken away by an actor because she was wearing a glow necklace,” Raphael said. “I waited back with her and we ended up being the only ones in the haunted house. It was genuinely terrifying because the actors were not only jumping out at us, but following us, as well. My heart rate was through the roof by the time we made it out of there. The Crypt alone made it worth the money.”
At the entrance, staff reminds guests that if they are feeling too overwhelmed by the performers, they can say “Monster, be good,” and the actors will back off. Some people make it their goal to have performers break character without the key phrase, but these actors rarely budge.
Beyond the performers and props, the penitentiary’s eerie history enhances the experience. Eastern State Penitentiary closed in 1971 due to overcrowding issues. It was the first prison designed to encourage rehabilitation through isolation. When the inmates entered the facility, they were escorted into the prison with an
eyeless hood placed over their heads. From that point on they endured solitary confinement. Prisoners were subject to physical abuse and many died from cold and starvation.
For many visitors, the setting adds an extra dimension of terror. Freshman Lexi Kobryn shared how the historical atmosphere enhanced her experience.
“The history of the Penitentiary added a haunted feel, which made my experience more frightening,” Kobryn said. “It was also very cool to see the setup of the old prison. It made the jump scares and props feel that much more real.”
Halloween Nights welcomes all ages, with guests ranging from middle schoolers to adults. Groups of local students, couples on dates and families all enjoy time together at the Penitentiary. A staff member noted that the event is especially popular
with college students.
“There are a lot of college students that come,” the staff member said. “I think that they all like it. Even if you don’t like scary things, there’s something for everyone.”
Parking for Halloween Nights is available at the Philadelphia Zoo garage, with a shuttle providing transport to the venue. The event runs through Nov. 9, with half-hour entry windows available between 6:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.. Tickets are roughly $50 and are available to be purchased online.
With its blend of haunted houses, live performances and great food, Halloween Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary offers a memorable Halloween evening. Set in one of America’s most notorious prisons and just a short trip from campus, the event provides an unforgettable, spooky experience.
Consider tuning into a good podcast on a casual fall walk on campus. Maggie Fitzgerald/Villanovan Photography
Walk with caution through the eerie halls of the Eastern State Penitentiary. Courtesy of Madison Ostrowski
Alex Pultz Staff Writer
Amidst the hustle of school work and the busy fall semester, it is crucial to take time to unwind and relax each day. I like to end my night reading a book, but sometimes I am even too busy to fit that into my schedule. Falvey Library has introduced a BYOBook club, with a much different take on the common acronym. The BYOBook Club provides members with an opportunity to take time to read during the hectic semester. This club is different from a traditional book club or group. Instead of an assigned book, members bring their own, allowing them to freely choose a novel of interest. On Oct. 22, the club hosted its first meeting at Falvey Library.
The first 45 minutes are spent with independent silent reading. Forgot a book? No worries. The club conveniently meets next to Falvey’s “Popular Reading” collection. The collection is packed with books selected by a committee and students that are catered to what’s trending right now. I settled down with a tea and pumpkin donut provided at the front to relax during my reading. My book of choice was Sally Rooney’s Normal People, which I finished during this time. After the allotted time, each person participated by sharing a little synopsis of their book or something they have read recently. While not everyone was familiar with each book, members were able to find similarities and a common ground between the books or authors.
When reading a book I always want to connect with someone that has read it, and this was a perfect place to discuss my thoughts immediately after reading. From here, a giant book conversation emerged. Participants were sharing their favorite series, movie adaptations and new novels. One is sure to emerge with many ideas of new books to read.
BYOBook Club was an amazing chance to find like mind-
Shelf Care: BYOBook Club
ed readers and cultivate a space of positive discussions. All the stress of school was put on hold for an hour and a half to relax and talk about a shared love: books.
The Villanovan asked the creators of BYOBook Club, library staff members Erin Palmer and Danielle Dempsey, a few questions about this new club.
What inspired the creation of this club?
We are certainly not the first to plan a “Silent Book Club” event. I became aware of silent book clubs during lockdowns in 2020, when some silent book clubs went virtual, as a way to create a community space while we were all stuck at home. The idea stuck with me. I loved the idea of sharing space with other readers without the pressure to prepare for a more formal book club. We all get to read whatever is speaking to us on that particular day and enjoy each other’s company, then discuss our recommendations with one another. I always leave bookish spaces with so many wonderful additions to my TBR list. The Popular Reading Collection seemed like a perfect way to facilitate such a space on campus. We invite students to drop in for whatev-
er time they have and read anything they want, including print books, e-readers, audiobooks, whatever. -
Dempsey
The BYO-Book Club started as an event to showcase our Popular Reading Collection here at Falvey. Our collection here is student-driven, meaning that the books you see on the shelves were selected by them. This event became an opportunity for those students, as well as others interested in the prospect of a campus book club, to meet up with fellow book lovers to chat about the reads they’re passionate about. The “bring your own” aspect of the book club allows for participants to read whatever they’re interested in at their own pace without adding another deadline in the already busy lives of our Villanova students. - Palmer
What do you hope this club will bring to campus?
Above all, we hope that the BYOBook Club events are a super low-stress way for readers to create community. We know the life of a student (or staff or faculty) can be busy, and we hope that students find a little slice of peaceful, dedicated time for decompression. It would also be so wonderful if readers were intro-
duced to something new because of what the person sitting next to them brought to read. - Dempsey
How do you envision the future of this book club at the University?
We hope to continue organizing about a couple of meetings per semester with snacks and seasonal book recommendations. This isn’t a club in the traditional sense. There is absolutely no obligation to come consistently to meetings or stay for the whole time, though of course we hope that folks will want to. And for students who’d like even more involvement, we encourage you to consider joining the Popular Reading Selection Committee, so you can choose the books that go on our shelves. - Dempsey
Do you have any favorite moments that stand out from the meeting?
I was nervous about interrupting our readers halfway through the event when it was time to shift from reading to discussion. Everyone looked so focused and invested in their books, which is amazing. But when we did, the discussion, which included staff and students, felt very natural and easy. I was shocked by how the time flew by. Seeing students talk about why they loved a certain book, or being excited to recommend one of their favorites definitely felt like a win. - Palmer
What qualities do you think make a good book club that are implemented/present in BYOB?
The BYOBook Club aspect of not having an assigned reading keeps the event casual. There are no deadlines to meet, no worries about a plot line being spoiled if you didn’t finish the book before the meeting. Instead, each participant gets to shine a light on something they’re interested in, and others may discover books they’d never heard of before. We really liked this format. - Palmer
Villanova Theology Class Offers Trip to Rome
Jasmine Srivastava Staff Writer
This past fall break, a group of students and faculty traveled to Rome as part of a theology course in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: the Church and Transformation. Offered for the first time this year and taught by professors Dr. Kathryn Getek Soltis and Dr. Jaisy Joseph, the class had the opportunity to embark on this unique pilgrimage.
The Church and Transformation talks about the historical changes within the Roman Catholic Church with a main focus on Synodality.
“This class is running at an opportune time when the Synod is currently in session in Rome,” senior Mary Swartzberg said.
For the past three years, the Catholic Church has been engaged in a process known as the Synod on Synodality. This process helps the members of the Catholic Church engage in dialogue and listening to examine how the Holy Spirit leads the Church.
“Together, we prayed for the Catholic Church and discussed our hopes for how the Synod could transform it,” junior Ailish Wilson said.
The group of Villanova students traveled to Rome as part of CENTERS, a group of Catholic colleges that is dedicated to studying the Catholic Church’s ongoing Synod on Synodality.
“We were able to experience, in a very real way, the content and impact of the conversations occurring in our Church,” Swartzberg said.
The students met with Synod delegates and moderators and discussed how to converse with them and engage in conversation regarding Synod. Additionally, the students had the chance to visit the Synod Hall in the Vatican and meet several Synod leaders.
“I felt so lucky to be part of that experience and so grateful that the Synod leaders included us young people,” Wilson said.
Additionally, the students got to participate in communal prayers, teach-ins, explore the cuisine, guided tours and be in attendance with Pope
Francis himself.
“On Wednesday morning, we got up before sunrise to wait in line and then we attended [Pope Francis’s] general audience,” Wilson said. “When he drove around the audience, we were all squished against the barricade waving to him.”
“Whether providing food to individuals experiencing homelessness or joining in prayer with the Roman community, it seemed to me that our whole group was deeply changed by this experience,” Swartzberg said.
The students also shared how this trip was a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the Catholic
Church and Synodality in general.
“I personally was inspired to bring the synodal spirit back to campus-to be radically inclusive and to always listen to the stories of my brothers and sisters,” Swartzberg said.
Overall, the trip helped the students connect more with the Catholic Church and the concept of Synodality and brought them closer together as a class as they embarked into the city of Rome.
“I really enjoyed having this literal once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in something with this much importance,” sophomore Amos Colocho said.
Falvey Library held the first meeting of the BYOBook Club on Oct. 22. Courtesy of Maggie Fitzgerald
The students who attended the Church and Transformation trip to Rome over fall break. Courtesy of Jasmine Srivastava
Cultural Studies Highlight: the People’s Kitchen of Philadelphia
Christopher Brown Staff Writer
“We believe, as the richest country in the world, none of us should go hungry.” Those words were shared with the Villanovan community by April McGreger, a member of the Executive Board of Directors from the People’s Kitchen of Philadelphia on Oct. 21. Faculty, staff and students were invited to Falvey 205 that evening as McGreger gave a presentation about the necessity of food justice for Villanova’s Cultural Studies Food Matters Week.
As students readjust to their routines and fill in the seats of their lecture halls, Villanova hosted multiple events advocating for food justice in America this past week. Food justice refers to a social justice movement that advocates for all American citizens having legal, unfettered access to all foods. Food justice claims that regardless of differences between individuals, all humans deserve the right to food that is nutritious and culturally-respectful.
The People’s Kitchen functions as a non-profit collaborative between various volunteers from Philadelphia, including chefs, students, farmers and community members. They have spent the last couple of years cooking free, freshly-prepared meals for citizens in need.
What started as a labor rights issue later became more dour. Philadelphia citizens who were unable to work lost their jobs, lost their sources of income and likely spent nights worrying if they would make it to
the next plate of bread. The People’s Kitchen’s wholehearted form of activism exhibits the brotherly love the city is known for with its respect of food security and food sovereignty.
According to McGreger, food security refers to whether one feels secure in his or her supply of food. To be secure, people must possess enough food to feel confident about where their next meals are coming from. Food sovereignty is about people having power over their food access.
One must ask multiple questions to determine whether he or she has freedom over their next meal, such as “Do I have access to foods that are important to me culturally, or am I forced to eat foods that may not feel appropriate to me?” and “Do I come from somewhere where the food is very different from a part of
my university?”
Food sovereignty goes beyond the ethos of giving people the products they deserve. It is also about individuals having control over how they produce and distribute their food, which includes someone being able to grow crops in his or her backyard.
The People’s Kitchen has respected this with its lustrous community gardens, which grow crops from all different cultures with knowledge of its chefs and devoted community numbers.
This cultural diversity in the garden is present among their chefs, as well, which lets them build a variety of creative meals. Perhaps the most notable is a crab dish from the Caribbean with a side of callaloo, a traditional Jamaican or Caribbean plant used in popular dishes. There was also
a time in which they turned lime into watermelon pickles.
In addition to meals and gardening, the People’s Kitchen has also participated in protesting for land rights and access to green space, especially for struggling immigrants in poor and racist neighborhoods. With the help of these immigrants and other community helpers, the People’s Kitchen refurbished multiple empty lots in southwest Philly. Together, they cleaned up the lots, removed all trash and remediated the soil to take out all the heavy metals inside it.
“Food is, by its nature, very multidisciplinary and it is something that really brings people together, because we are all eaters,” McGreger said.
With all this information about the People’s Kitchen in mind, it is clear how strongly it represents the ideologies of Veritas, Unitas and Caritas synonymous with Villanova. It represents a shining example of service, commitment and cultural respect that all can learn from.
The People’s Kitchen offers internships and training for both high school and college students who are interested in participating. Further information about the People’s Kitchen of Philadelphia can be found on the official website, or the collective’s official Instagram page, @peopleskitchenphilly.
Students can look forward to additional events that Villanova’s Cultural Studies program cooks up for the Villanova community. These events provide rich opportunities to immerse oneself in the various phenomena that give our world the diversity that makes it so special.
Stress Management Coping Strategies for Students
step-by-step.
Stress is a common experience for many college students. There are numerous coping skills that can help to support stress management, and raising awareness of more mentally and physically beneficial tactics for coping with stress is critical.
For those who are creative or interested in arts and crafts, taking up activities such as painting or coloring can be helpful. One specific type of painting for relieving stress is painting by numbers, as it allows you to focus more on filling in each section of the work rather than on stress. Creativity can also be expressed in the kitchen, as cooking or baking is another beneficial way to manage stress. Whether through trying a new recipe or making a comforting dish, the experience will uplift your spirits, and your mood brightens the second the dish delights your palate.
Creativity through arts and crafts or cooking are time-consuming activities that can provide students with the space and time to escape their stressful thoughts and re-enter with a clearer mind. After engaging in such activities, students will gain the ability to approach their stressful situations
By playing music in the background, students can enhance the experience of stress relief. Another auditory recommendation for stress management is listening to podcasts. Podcasts can introduce the implementation of a double stimulus to your routine. If you want to be mentally removed from stress, but find a walk outside is not satisfactory on its own, listening to a podcast introduces an added layer to the experience. Podcasts are a beneficial way of heightening your awareness and moving your attention to experiences and topics outside your stress.
Expanding on walking as a coping skill, getting outside or participating in gentle movement is a productive way to deal with stress without overexerting oneself. Rather than immediately resorting to an intense run, a HIIT workout or spending three hours at the gym to escape stressful thoughts, engaging in calmer movement is a beneficial way to exercise mindfully and intuitively.
The most important aspect of approaching any coping skill for stress is to avoid relying solely on or fixating on just one method. A widely-practiced technique is referred to as the stacking method, which keeps students’ minds active and occupied. Many therapists use the stacking method to provide their patients with flexibility
and freedom in their approach to stress management. For example, I have found it beneficial to start by engaging in cooking to manage my stress, then playing comforting country music during engagement in gentle movement after I finish eating. By combining these two methods, I calm my mind to a point where it has escaped the
initial intensity of stress. I encourage everyone to brainstorm which coping skill combinations may work best for them. Take the list you create and produce a plan of how such activities can be combined using the stacking method to relieve your stress. We all experience stress, but there are always creative options of strategies that can be used to relieve it effectively.
April McGreger of the People’s Kitchen of Philadelphia presented at Villanova on Oct. 21. Courtesy of Christopher Brown
Felicia Froio Staff Writer
Schoolwork and other stressors can cause students to need creative relaxation techniques. Brian Luppy/ Villanovan Photography
SPORTS
XC’s Murphy, Swim’s Lonati Named BE Athletes of Week
Amanda McKean Staff Writer
Cross Country
Last week, graduate student Liam Murphy earned his second recognition as Big East Male Athlete of the Week for his performance at the Princeton Fall Classic.
At Princeton, Murphy finished as the runner-up in the men’s 8,000 meter out of 234 runners with a time of 22:36.8, the second-fastest time ever recorded by a Villanova runner in that event. This title is the sixth Big East weekly recognition in his career and just one of the many awards Murphy has collected over his time as a Wildcat, including Villanova’s Senior Student-Athlete of the Year Award in 2023-24.
“[The Big East recognition] shows you the work you’re putting in is paying off,” Murphy said. “But I do not think it impacts my mindset too much. I still got to get on the line the next time and have the same exact starting point as everyone else. I celebrate a little bit with my family and we get excited about it. But after that, it’s just about focusing on the next race and seeing what I could do when it comes down to it.”
As the record holder for five school records, including the absolute school record in the 3000 meter (7:42.51) as well as indoor 5000 meters record (13:21.20), Murphy has cemented himself as one of the top distance runners Villanova has ever seen.
“I think, for me, one of the biggest things I like about running is just seeing how far I could push myself,” Murphy said. “I enjoy seeing how far I could take it and how far I could keep going. Once I’m in the race, it’s all just second nature.”
Heading toward the end of the season, Murphy is preparing for his last big outdoor competi -
tions as a Wildcat, with the Big East, Mid-Atlantic, and NCAA Championships all taking place throughout November.
“For myself, I definitely want to win the Big East next weekend and try to repeat my title that I won last year,” Murphy said. “ Following that it’s regionals and trying to qualify as a team. Hopefully I can defend my title there again as well. Just doing that, I think will set us up really well for Nationals mentally, and then just giving everything we got at NCAA [Championships] in Wisconsin.”
Although the men closed out the regular season at the Princeton Invitation, the women’s cross country team took part in one last event over the weekend to try to prepare itself for the Big East Championships on Friday, Nov. 1 in Leesburg, Virginia.
Competing in the Haverford Invitational, graduate student Lizzie Martell ran unattached in her second race of the season, clinching the women’s 5000 meters, ahead of 63 runners with a time of 17:48.4. In the same race, freshman Bella Walsh slotted third (18:00.5), junior Kinsey Pogue finished fourth (18:19.3) and senior Alex Stasichin finished fifth (18:29.4), ahead of Navy and Penn. Sophomore Caelen O’Leary placed 17th overall with a time of 19:21.9.
Swimming and Diving
The success for Villanova Athletics did not stop there, as sophomore swimmer Martina Lonati was recognized as the Big East Female Athlete for her performance in the Wildcats’ season-opening meet against UConn last week, which they won, 172128. For her part, Lonati contributed three top-three finishes for the Wildcats, taking home the 100 butterfly with a time of 56.53 seconds, as well as claiming third in the 200 free (1:35:57) and 100 free (52.90).
Although only a sophomore, Lonati has been gaining recognition since her debut as a Wildcat last year, being named to the Big East All-Academic Team last season and qualifying for the Championship final in two events at the Big East Championships.
“It was definitely unexpected,” Lonati said. “I know what is expected of me, and I feel like I know exactly what I’m doing. Last year was more of an exploratory phase where I needed to figure out how things worked. This year, I’m more focused on my academic and swimming career, and it’s definitely better knowing what you’re expecting.”
A native of Guglionesi, Italy, Lonati was unable to visit Villanova before she committed. She relied heavily on talking to the coaches and looking online to find a school that matched her academic interests.
“The kindness of the coaches was the thing that made me realize that maybe [Villanova] was my kind of place to be,” Lonati said. “I also have a classical background for high school, so I studied Latin and ancient Greek. So I felt that I was really familiar with the Villanova culture, the Augustinian culture, and I felt that was sometime that could resonate with my background.”
Lonati and the women’s team continued the success they had at UConn in Villanova’s meet against Georgetown last weekend. Results were split: the women finished with a score of 215-85, while the men fell short, 149-151.
“One of the things we always repeat as a team is that we swim for the people that came before us,” Lonati said. “We have such a great tradition of women that achieved so much for so long, I feel that we have this power and confidence and also kind of duty to make sure that continues. When it’s a victory for us it’s also a victory for the people that came before us.”
In diving, junior Alexa Fegley won first place in both the one-meter (247.88) and three-meter (247.50) events, sophomore Meghan Scott took second in the one-meter (232.95) and third in the three-meter (237.68) and sophomore Michelle Kasulka secured second in the three-meter (244.95).
On the men’s side, senior Nicholas Jubilee placed third in the three-meter (283.28).
In the swimming relays, the women’s team won both the 200 (1:45:15) and 400 (3:30.42), while the men’s team took second in the 200 but won, 400 (3:04.89).
“We all felt great,” Lonati said. “I think it was one of the highest-energy meets that we ever had. Even though we were super sore because we’re in the middle of the season and practicing really hard, I felt it was great to have everyone cheering on. That plays the biggest part when it comes to actually getting up and racing.”
In the freestyle, the women’s team dominated over the Hoyas in each event. Sophomore Marlene Blanke took the 1000 and 500 (10.24.97 and 5:05.57), sophomore Riley Kudlac finished first in the 200 (1:52.15) and the 100 (51.72), and graduate Lexi Elkovitch claimed the 50 (24.14). For the men, freshman Owen Nye clinched the 1000 (9:38.98) and junior Gavin Jones took the 200 (1:41.20).
In the backstroke, the women struggled in the 200 but Arabelle Lee (57.42) won the 100. In the men’s backstroke, senior Aubrey Bowles finished first in the 200 (1:54.40), and sophomore John Seidman took the 100 (52.58).
In the breaststroke, freshman Annie Honkamp won the 200 (2:21.71), and junior Winnie Jalet captured the 100 (1:04.76) while the men did not place highly in either event.
In the butterfly, both teams excelled, with the men and the women claiming first in both the 100-yard and 200-yard races. Junior Katie White won the women’s 100 yard butterfly (2:04.26) and Lee won the women’s 200 yard butterfly (56.48). For the men, sophomore Justin Nowicki won the 200-yard (1:50.65) and freshman Melson Arquillano won the 100yard (50.55).
The women claimed a commanding victory over the Hoyas, 215-85. The men lost by two, 151-149.
For its next competition, Villanova will go to Rider University on Wednesday, Oct. 30. Then, the team returns home to face NJIT on Friday, Nov. 1.
Graduate Liam Murphy secured a second place finish at the Princeton Fall Classic (22:36.8). Courtesy of Villanova Athletics
Sophomore Martina Lonati had three top-three finishes against UConn. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics
W Soccer Falls to No. 23 Georgetown, Draws Providence
James Haupt Staff Writer
As Big East play nears its end, Villanova women’s soccer (56-6, 2-2-5 Big East) has continued competition against its conference rivals. The Wildcats went 0-1-1 on the weekend, with a 3-0 loss at home to No. 23 Georgetown and a 3-3 draw at Providence, in which the ‘Cats scored all three of their goals in the last 10 minutes.
Villanova is now in seventh place out of 11 teams in the Big East. The ‘Cats are on the outside of the six-team Big East tournament bracket, but jump into the sixth seed with a win over Butler and a draw between Providence and DePaul on the league’s final matchday.
“[There’s] been a lot of progress this year,” Villanova head coach Samar Azem said. “We technically only lost two games so far against number one and number two. [The] tough part is we tied a lot of games.”
Georgetown met expectations as a nationally ranked opponent, managing to take 26 shots and limiting Villanova to just three shots.
Junior goalkeeper Hannah Dickinson made seven saves on ten Hoya shots on goal to keep her team close. Dickinson made five first-half saves, holding Georgetown to a 1-0 lead going into the half. The Hoyas scored twice in
the second half, including a late goal to put the game on ice with less than five minutes remaining.
Villanova’s two shots on frame came from senior midfielder Susanna Soderman and graduate midfielder Lauren Ashman. There were no other opportunities that posed a threat from the Wildcat offense.
“Every game there are lessons,” Azem said. “We’re either going to learn through failure or success. We didn’t perform like ourselves.”
In the opening 10 minutes of Sunday’s match with Providence, it seemed like it would end similarly to the Georgetown game, as the Wildcats conceded two goals in the opening 11 minutes of the match. A third for the Friars piled on in the 48th. With the lead being 3-0 late in the game, there wasn’t much hope for Villanova, which was facing a second 3-0 loss of the week.
“Georgetown is a very good team,” Azem said. “They imposed a lot of that on us, but we also helped them impose it on us. A little of that was still lingering on us against Providence. Two goals against us early. That was the catalyst where the team said enough is enough.”
The Wildcats scored three goals in the last 10 minutes to level the score and secure a point. Graduate midfielder Alex Fava scored their first goal of the game in the 80th minute off an assist
from sophomore midfielder Gabby Koluch.
Ashman followed this up with a goal of her own, assisted by Koluch along with senior forward Lauren Belcuore in the 87th minute. Less than a minute later, Soderman scored the equalizer, assisted by Fava. In the span of eight minutes, Villanova was in the position to win the game.
“They [the players] started to recognize what was happening at Providence and they went back to taking more of a role of who we want to be and how we want to play,” Azem said. “They knew what they’re capable of. The credit goes to them. We made adjustments, but it really was the players that brought that game to life. They were so committed to get at least one point, and by the end they thought we could win it.”
Time was not on Villanova’s side, as the game ended before Villanova could find another goal. Despite this, it was an impressive finish for the team that proved they never give up.
“We’re a young team,” Azem said. “We’re going to have to crawl our way up. We made so much progress. It’s unsatisfying in a lot of ways because we’re not failing but not succeeding in outcomes.”
The Wildcats will face Butler (9-4-4, 4-2-3 BE) on Thursday, Oct. 31 in Indianapolis in their final regular season contest of the year.
Volleyball Goes 1-1 Over Week
Madison Hodges Staff Writer
Villanova volleyball had a mixed week, rebounding from a 3-2 road loss (25-18, 25-23, 1925, 20-25, 15-11) at St. John’s on Wednesday night with a straightsets victory (25-23, 25-22, 25-16) over Butler at home on Saturday. The Wildcats are 13-8 overall and 6-4 in Big East play with eight regular season contests remaining.
“I don’t know if we played our smoothest match,” Villanova head coach Josh Steinbach said. “I thought we got better as the match went on. We struggled a little bit in the first set offensively, and then I thought we cleaned it up as the match progressed.”
Vilanova struggled in the opening set, with Butler commanding an 8-3 lead over Villanova. The ‘Cats were able to storm back with a six-point run to take a 10-9 lead. The lead changed hands again, but the ‘Cats were able to pull off set one win in a close 25-23 win.
The second set was tied early, 5-5. Butler was able to take an 8-6 lead over Villanova thanks to impressive play from Butler’s outside hitter, Elise Ward, who ended the night with 12 kills. The ‘Cats were eventually able to take a 16-12 lead.
With the help of outside hitters sophomore Abby Harrell and freshman Cat Young and freshman middle blocker Campbell McKinnon, Villanova extend -
ed its lead to 22-16. But Butler capitalized off of a few Villanova errors to get back within one. Butler’s surge back was not strong enough, and Villanova was able to close out set two, 25-22. The Wildcats never trailed
WEEKLY SCOREBOARD
Oct. 23 - Oct. 29
Wednesday, October 23
Men’s Soccer vs Georgetown 3-3 T
Volleyball @ St. John’s 2-3 L
Thursday, October 24
Men’s Golf @ Big 5 Championship 3rd of 6
Women’s Soccer vs #23 Georgetown 0-3 L
Friday, October 25
Field Hockey vs #19 Temple 3-0 W
Women’s Cross Country @ Haverford Invtiational No team scoring
Saturday, October 26
Women’s Rowing @ Head of the Schuylkill No team scoring Swim vs Georgetown Women’s 215-85 W; Men’s 149151 L
Men’s Soccer vs Providence 0-1 L
Football vs New Hampshire 14-6 W
Volleyball vs Butler 3-0 W
Sunday, October 27
Field Hockey vs Fairfield 4-3 W
Men’s Basketball vs Robert Morris (exh.) 87-73 W
Women’s Soccer @ Providence 3-3 T
Monday, October 28
Tuesday, October 29
Men’s Soccer vs Drexel 1-1 T
to our full potential. So today, it felt like everything clicked again, and we were back to getting close to our peak and working together really well as a unit. I am really happy with the result, and getting a sweep at home is huge.”
Earlier in the week, the Wildcats traveled to Queens to take on St. John’s. The Red Storm took the first two sets, 25-18 and 25-23, before the ‘Cats rattled off two set wins, 25-19 and 25-20, in the third and the fourth. The ‘Cats came back from an early 8-3 deficit to win the fourth set.
The ‘Cats claimed a 7-5 lead in the first-to-15 tiebreak set, but St. John’s was able to make a late set surge to take the set and the game, 3-2.
in the final set, pulling away for a 25-16 victory.
“I think [today’s game] went awesome,” senior libero Elizabeth Feczko said. “I think we have had a couple of matches in a row where we haven’t played
Next week, Villanova will face some tough competition on the road. They will play at Marquette (15-6, 9-1 Big East) on Friday, Nov. 1, and then travel to Omaha, Nebraska, to play No. 6 Creighton (19-1, 10-0 BE) on Sunday, Nov. 3. “It will take a really clean performance from us [to get a win],” Steinbach said. “We are going to have to play our best matches in order to get a win. That is the goal, and we will worry about one match at a time.”
Villanova has eight remaining regular season contests. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics
Rowing Shows Out at Head of the Schuylkill
Casey Healey Staff Writer
On Saturday, Oct. 26, Villanova rowing had an impressive 202425 season opener at the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta. The Wildcats posted a total of two fourth-place finishes and five top-20 finishes overall.
“We’ve become the program that we have been striving to become,” head coach Carissa Adams said.
Gianna Zajac, Maggie Coyne, Kira Capaldi, Sarah Robillard and Cecilia Jenkins finished fourth, only three seconds shy of third place with a time of 14:05.249 in the Championship Fours. They set the standard for the rest of the day, leading all five boats to top 30 finishes.
Zajac, Coyne, Capaldi, Sylvia Marks, Jalyn Colon, Jadyn Ramos, Jenkins, Robillard and Bailey Bryan crossed fourth of 22 boats in a Championships Eights field, posting a time of 13:02.174. They came 21 seconds from a top-three finish.
Kate Shipley, Marks, Bryan, Ramos and Colon crossed in 14:39.943 for 13th-place in the Fours, along with Abby Shang, Grace Quirk, Silvana Torres, Olivia Weglarz and Mary Tracy posting a 19th-place finish in 14:49.981 and putting both groups in a top-20 finish.
Villanova’s Eights boat landed a 12th-place finish out of a field of 48, with rowers Cate Donnelly, Peng, Torres, Quirk, Sumnar, Weglarz, Thorne, DeJong and Tracy crossing
the finish in a speedy 13:40.158 in the Club Championships race.
Despite some not-so-ideal conditions, such as heavy wind, this race was considered to be one of the most successful for the rowing program since Adams took over in the 2015-16 season.
Adams said athletes handled the conditions well, with no complaints and strong attitudes all around. Aadams attributed the success to the team’s group effort, along with the support of parents and staff, saying it was “an overall team effort, and everything went really smoothly.” The Wildcats had a full setup of tents and
help from each team member who was not competing.
The ‘Cats had been anticipating the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta since arriving back at Villanova in August, as it was considered to be their main focus of the fall season.
The regatta gave the team a good preview of where they stand within their conference, as they were able to top each one of their conference rivals this past weekend.
Adams was able to bring in 11 new freshmen for the 2024 recruiting class, and it paid off well. The freshman made an excellent contribution in their first race of their collegiate
careers, as Adams had them in all of the boats for the competition.
“[The freshmen] have been really contributing and I believe that they are part of the difference,” Adams said.
The team plans to hold on to the momentum gained from this past weekend and bring it into their winter training, which will last until their first scrimmage at Jacksonville University on March 9th.
The Wildcats have one more competition for the fall season, as they will travel up to Lewisburg for the Bucknell Invitational on Saturday, Nov. 11.
Men’s Soccer Finishes Home Slate with Senior Day
Elijah McDow Staff Writer
Over Fall Break, Villanova men’s soccer fell to Akron 3-2 and Creighton 3-1. On Wednesday, Oct. 23 Villanova tied Georgetown 3-3, followed by a 1-0 loss to Providence and a 1-1 tie with Drexel.
The game against Providence came just three days after an intense battle with Georgetown. Against the Hoyas, the Wildcats scored a go ahead goal in the 76th minute but conceded a goal eight minutes later in the 84th minute.
When the Wildcats took the field on Saturday, they did so determined to avenge a draw that should have been a win.
Despite a hard-fought battle, the Wildcats failed to secure an equalizer or win.
Although the Wildcats missed out on three points, head coach Mark Fetrow remained positive.
“I thought we played really well,” Fetrow said. “I think Providence has clinched a playoff berth with that win and to be honest I thought we were the better team for the majority of the game.”
The Wildcats had a good spell of possession early but the windy conditions at Higgins got in the way of several good chances.
Even in tough conditions, graduate defender Branden Johns provide good service from the right side while senior forward Vincent Petrera looked to capitalize in front of goal.
The service from Johns and
the good spell of possession eventually paid off when senior midfielder Jordan Canica was fouled in the box and the Wildcats were awarded a penalty.
Graduate midfielder Jorge Garcia stepped up to take the penalty but was unable to score. His shot hit the outside of the post and led to a Friars counter attack.
Moments later, the Friars scored off a deflection. Providence graduate midfielder Israel Neto was credited with the goal.
Following Garcia’s missed penalty and Neto’s goal, the Friars began to dominate possession which put pressure on the Wildcats defenders.
At the heart of the backline was graduate defender Cole Knapp. Knapp has missed the majority of the season due to injury but returned against Georgetown and had a big impact on Saturday.
Even with injury, Knapp’s leadership has been invaluable to a team that is struggling.
“[Knapp’s] an older guy and an older voice,” Fetrow said. “You need that out of the center back position. We’ve been taking steps to solidify ourselves defensively and Cole’s been a big part of that.”
Knapp and the backline were able to avoid conceding a second goal. At the end of the first half the Wildcats went into the break trailing 1-0.
The second half was back and forth with the Wildcats having several key chances on the attack. The Wildcats drew a number of set pieces but they were unable to capitalize.
The second half also saw Fetrow bring on a number of substitutions who each made a big impact in
the push to find an equalizer.
Changes included freshman forward/midfielder Karson Vasquez, freshman forward Jasper Zulman and graduate forward Colby Raymond.
“We knew [Raymond] would want to check down and was gonna hold the ball for us, and [Zulman] and [Vasquez] are really athletic so that gives them the ability to stretch,” Fetrow said. “I thought it worked really well and they raised the level.”
Despite changes that boosted the Wildcats offense, they were unable to find the goal they needed. At the final whistle, players fell to their knees or kicked the ground in frustration.
If weather conditions had been better or Garcia had converted the penalty, Saturday may have resulted in a Wildcat victory.
A little more than 72 hours later, the Wildcats were back on the pitch, for a bittersweet game.
The senior day game against Drexel marked the final time that
senior forward Vincent Petrera, senior midfielder/defender Kyle Dixon and senior defender Tommy Johnson would play in front of a home crowd.
Although it was senior day, the game against Drexel was also a special game for Fetrow as it was a matchup against his former program. Fetrow was the head coach of Drexel in 2023 and recorded nine wins.
Despite there being a personal connection, Fetrow made it clear on Saturday that the focus on Tuesday would be on the seniors.
“It’s all about our guys who have been in the program and spent so much time and effort trying to make this program better,” Fetrow said. “Outside of that it’s just another opportunity to go and fight for three points.”
The Wildcats have one regular season game remaining. On Saturday, Nov. 2nd they will visit Seton Hall in West Orange, NJ. Kick off is scheduled for 2pm.
The Wildcats had a competitive showing at the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta, posting all top-20 finishes. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics
Villanova men’s soccer has one game left in its schedule against Seton Hall on Nov. 2. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics
Football to Face Hampton on the Road
Jon Hunn Staff Writer
Villanova football (6-2, 3-1 Colonial Athletic Association) will head south to face the Hampton Pirates (5-3, 2-2 CAA) at Armstrong Stadium in Hampton, VA this Saturday, Nov. 2nd at 1 p.m.
Villanova heads back on the road after defeating New Hampshire, 14-6, last week in the Homecoming game. The hometown Wildcats were able to put points up on touchdown passes from senior quarterback Connor Watkins in each of the second and fourth quarters to secure the victory. The Villanova defense held New Hampshire out of the end zone for the entire game.
With the win, Villanova stayed at No. 13 in the FCS poll.
After the unsightly blowout at the hands of the University of Maine a week prior, Villanova’s defense rebounded against New Hampshire.
The Wildcats allowed under 300 total yards of offense and created turnovers and key stops in important moments to secure the victory. Junior linebacker Shane Hartzell registered a career-best 20 tackles, earning FCS National Defensive Player of the Week.
This version of the Wildcat defense will be necessary against Hampton, as the Pirates have scored at least 41 points in their last three games.
After recording his first turnover of the season in the loss to
Maine, Villanova quarterback Connor Watkins bounced back and led the Wildcat offense to a turnover-free performance against New Hampshire. As the team leader in passing yards, with 1068, and passing touchdowns, with eight, Watkins will need to keep the momentum against the Pirates.
On the ground, the Wildcats are led by freshman running back David Avit, who leads the team’s rushing attack with 556 yards and five rushing touchdowns.
Hampton has had an up-anddown season, but is coming off two
straight blowouts in which they scored 59 points at NC A&T and 41 points at home against Elon.
Senior quarterback Malcolm Hays leads the Pirates’ aerial attack with 779 passing yards and nine passing touchdowns, compared to just one interception.
The rushing duo of senior running back Elijah Burris and junior running back Ja’Quan Snipes lead the way for the Hampton ground game. Burris is first on the team in rushing yards with 488 and second in rushing touchdowns with four, whereas Snipes comes in second for the team lead in
yards with 366 but paces the team in touchdowns with five.
Villanova and Hampton most recently clashed at Villanova Stadium on October 29, 2022. In that contest, Villanova emerged victorious by a final score of 24-10. Villanova scored a touchdown on the opening drive when Connor Watkins took the second play from scrimmage 75 yards for a touchdown and the ‘Cats never looked back.
The ‘Cats hold a 2-0 record vs Hampton all-time. They will look to make it 3-0 this Saturday. The game will be live-streamed on FloSports.
Men’s Basketball Gears Up for Three-Game Week
Finn Courtney Co-News Editor
After an underwhelming 2023-24 campaign, head coach Kyle Neptune and the Wildcats are looking to get the 2024-25 season off to a fast start.
Villanova will test its stamina by playing three games in five days next week. Lafayette, Columbia and the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) will visit the Finneran Pavillion.
Villanova’s first matchup of the week will be against Lafayette on Nov. 4 at 8 p.m.. The ‘Cats have never lost to the Leopards in program history, with six wins since the first matchup in 1999.
Villanova’s last meeting with Lafayette was a lopsided 104-57 victory for Villanova on the road in Allentown. Lafayette has not made the NCAA tournament since a 2015 16-seed berth, when it was bounced out in the first round by one-seed Villanova.
Last season marked a poor performance overall for Lafayette, which started the season 1-12 and finished with a dismal 11-21 record. A bright spot arrived in Patriot League conference play with a 10-8 record, including a 7-0 start.
Lafayette started last season 1-12, with its only non-conference win coming against DIII Wilkes. The Leopards were able to finish 11-21 after going 10-8 in Patriot League play. Lafayette was third in the Patriot League.
This season, Lafayette’s sec-
ond-year head coach Mike McGarvey is hoping for better results, as the Leopards were picked to come sixth place in the Patriot League.
The Leopards lost two starters but returned all-Patriot League third team selections senior center Justin Vander Baan and senior guard Devin Hines, their leading scorers from a season ago at 9.8 and 9.3 ppg respectively along with several talented freshmen.
Next on the docket for the ‘Cats is Columbia, out of the Ivy League. The game will take place Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. Villanova has won its past four meetings with the Lions. Its singular loss occurred 55 years ago in the 1969-70 campaign.
Columbia is coming off an up-and-down season that featured a solid start, but the Lions faded as conference play came around (4-10 record and six consecutive losses to end the year).
The Lions do return both of their leading scorers and minute-getters, including graduate student Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa, who put up 14.4 ppg on 44% shooting from the floor and 40% from beyond the arc.
If the Wildcats’ issues in defending three-point shooting rear their head, as they did in the first half of their exhibition against Robert Morris, De La Rosa might be a problem to stop offensively.
Ninth-year head coach Jim Engles will try to lead the Lions to the Ivy League tournament for the first time in school history. Columbia is also looking for its first appearance in the NCAA tournament since 1968.
Finally, for Villanova, it’s the NJIT Highlanders, led by former Seton Hall player and Kevin Willard disciple Grant Billmeyer. The Wildcats last played NJIT in 2014, and have a pristine 2-0 record against the Highlanders. They hope to make it 3-0 this Friday at 8:30 p.m.
NJIT is coming off a disappointing campaign in the 2023-24 season, when it won just seven of its 29 games and finished dead last in the America East conference. This season, it hopes to surpass expectations of being picked second-to-last in the preseason conference poll.
The Highlanders return their leaing scorer from a season ago, ‘2324 America East Rookie of the Year Tariq Francis. While just starting 11 of 27 games, Francis averaged 14.8 ppg, 4.1 rebounds per game and 2.6 assists per game. Billmeyer also brought in a solid 2024 recruiting class, with five freshmen joining the Highlanders’ ranks. While three games in just five days is a tall task for any team, Neptune’s roster is strengthened by a balance of experienced veterans, talented newcomers and developing freshmen to hopefully kick off the year in impressive style.
Junior linebacker Shane Hartzell registered a career-best 20 tackles in Villanova’s 14-6 win over New Hampshire Courtesy of Villanova Athletics
The Wildcats will open up the season with three games at the Finn. Graham Sukup / Villanovan Photography
The Backpage Comics:
Crossword Answer Key:
Crossword #24, Themeless
The Crossword
Scan here to join the crossword section:
Villanova Dining Services
1st Prize - iPad (10th Generation)
2nd Prize - AirPods Pro 2
3rd Prize - $100 Visa Gift Card
Starting Tuesday, October 29
Meal Plan Participants: Be on the lookout for an email with details to take the survey
Non-Meal Plan Participants: Pick up a survey postcard from any Dining Services location
