The Villanovan | Volume 111, Issue 14: Wednesday, October 21, 2020

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 21, 2020 www.villanovan.com @thevillanovan

STUDENT-RUN SINCE 1916

VOLUME 111 | ISSUE 14

COVID-19 Tracker p. 2 Public Safety Blotter p. 2

Nnenna Lynch ’93 Named Co-President of the Association of American Rhodes Scholars

Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Confirmation Hearings p. 2 Frischmann Receives NSF Grant p. 3 Behind the Scenes: Community First’s Wonder-Fall p. 3 Two Townhalls, One Night p. 4 Georgia’s Instances of Voter Suppression p. 5 Midterm “Week” Left Students too Stressed p. 5 George Floyd’s Killer Released: Examining the Impact p. 6 The Ghosts of Villanova’s Campus p. 7 Bobby Sanderson’s Café Aromático p. 7 Ridiculum and CAT Host Stand-Up Commedy Show p. 8 Club Spotlight: Villanova Pastoral Musicians p. 8 CAT Discusses Fall Events and Activities p. 9 Student-Athlete of the Week: Volleyball’s Mallory Potts p. 10 Softball’s Paige Rauch Relives 2019-20 Success p. 11 Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach Kyle Neptune Receives Recognition p. 11

Chloe McAloon Staff Writer

University alumna, trustee and former Rhodes Scholar Nnenna Lynch ’93 has been elected Co-President of the Association of American Rhodes Scholars (AARS). On Sept. 26, the AARS Board of Directors unanimously elected Lynch and Janice R. Ugaki as co-presidents. The AARS has elected three women to top leadership positions for the first time since its founding in 1907. This election marked the first time a woman has served as president since the organization’s founding.

Established in 1902, Rhodes Scholarships are the oldest graduate fellowships in the world, pre-

senting students from the U.S. and 44 other countries with the opportunity to pursue postgraduate education at Oxford University. In 1979, an Act of Parliament presented women with the opportunity to become Rhodes Scholars for the first time in history.

In 1993, Lynch was named the University’s first-ever Rhodes Scholar.

Lynch earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. As an undergraduate, Lynch was a standout runner, earning five NCAA and nine Big East titles, in addition to NCAA Woman of the Year and NCAA Top Eight Awards. In 2011, the University inducted Lynch into the Athletics Hall of Fame.

University alumna, trustee and former Rhodes Scholar Nnenna Lynch Courtesy of Nova Nation All-Access

In 1996, Lynch earned her Master’s degree in Social Anthropology from Oxford. Upon completing her postgraduate studies, Lynch served as Senior Policy Advisor to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg for six years. In this role, Lynch directed inter-agency teams, working towards the implementation of economic development policies, projects and initiatives. Later in her career, Lynch served as Director of Development at The Georgetown Company, LLC.

A member of Villanova University’s Board of Trustees since 2015, Lynch is currently the Founder and CEO of Xylem Projects, a real estate invest-

ment and development firm committed to preserving housing and creating mixed-use projects.

Today, the AARS has a membership of more than 2,300 Rhodes Scholars elected from or currently living in the USA. The AARS serves to bring Rhodes Scholars in America together in support of the Rhodes Scholarships and Oxford University.

The qualities of scholarship, leadership and service serve as the foundation of the awards.

“The American Oxonian,” published by the AARS, promotes reunions, events and administers charitable trusts supporting Oxford, as well as the distinguished Eastman Professorship at Oxford.

Black at Villanova: Reflections in Forty Years Claire Stalder Staff Writer

On Thursday Oct. 15, the University’s Africana Studies Program held a virtual conversation with professors’ reflections on being Black at Villanova over the past 40 years.

Professor Danielle Gadson moderated the discussion between Professor Terry Nance and Professor Maghan Keita, two professors who knew each other as children in Cleveland and found themselves working together at the University over the past 40 years.

The conversation began with both faculty speaking to their own experiences with racism on and around campus. Nance recalled when she first began working at the University, people assumed she was traveling from the city to clean houses on the Main Line. Keita told a story of a faculty member telling him that his discussion on activism in South Africa would have prevented his hiring at the University had it been a professional talk rather than a casual one.

As they moved into conversations on the social climate of the school when

they first started, both saw their students having similar experiences. Nance explained that students of color lived in isolation, specifically due to socioeconomic status, and Keita discussed the gap between the majority Irish Catholic students and those who weren’t “Catholic enough.”

Seeing these challenges made them more dedicated to changing the social climate. Among their work with the school, Nance worked with the Center for Intercultural Affairs and helped head the development of creating a study space for all of the

students. Keita explained the development of Global Interdisciplinary Studies that recognized those students’ work at levels equal and above honors students.

Within the program, students’ achievements were awarded with everything from Rhodes to Fulbright Scholarships.

Despite the challenges they have seen over time, Keita and Nance have remained dedicated to their students over the years. In short, Keita and Nance saw themselves as two professors “trying to set the world right, one step at a time.”

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PUBLIC SAFETY BLOTTER

VOL. 111 | ISS. 14 www.villanovan.com @thevillanovan

EMILY COX TYLER KEMP ARIANA MEGERIAN RYAN HARMS CATE McCUSKER JACK ROBERGE GRANT CARTER A.J. FEZZA MADDIE BURKE BILLY VINCI HELENA ERNST MOLLY BAKER CHRISTINA IGLESIAS

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

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Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief Digital Editor News Editor News Editor Opinion Editor Culture Editor Culture Editor Sports Editor Sports Editor Photography Editor Copy Desk Chief Copy Desk Chief

MICHAEL BRADLEY Advisor DEENA SMITH Advisor CONTACT villanovan.eic@gmail.com

Carrying a False Identification Card / Liquor Underage October 3 Sheehan Hall A male resident student, under the age of 21, in possession of a false identification card was evaluated for alcohol intoxication.

Criminal Mischief October 3 McGuire Hall A staff member reported that an unknown individual damaged a bulletin board in a residence hall. The amount of the loss is unknown.

Criminal Mischief October 8 L-3 Visitor Lot Unknown individual(s) caused damage to a door handle. The value of the damaged property is unknown.

Disorderly Conduct / Liquor Underage / Public Drunkenness October 14 South Campus Grounds A female resident student, under the age of 21, appeared in public acting disorderly and was evaluated for alcohol intoxication.

CAT & VSMT: Mamma Mia Showing October 21 8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

In-person, The Oreo 2020 U.S. Presidential Election Series: The State of the Contest, Election Day, and What Happens Next October 22 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Virutal

CONFIRMED POSITIVE CASES AS OF 8:00 P.M. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20

234

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12,716

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

CAMPUS CALENDAR BRIDGE Society: Networking & Mentoring Event | Careers in Science, Technology, and Healthcare October 21 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Virutal

COVID-19 TRACKER

NOVA Quizzo October 22 9:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

In-person, The Oreo

Senior Saturday October 24 8:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

In-person, The Oreo

Black “Matter” Lives with Dr. Armond R. Towns October 23 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Virtual

Election Talk with Jonathan Martin of The New York Times October 26 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Virtual

CAT & Villanova Gaming Society Gaming Event October 24 8:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

In-person, Driscoll Tent

2020 U.S. Presidential Election Series: Panel on The Meaning of the Election in a Pandemic Year October 27 11:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Virutal

Delaware County, Pennsylvania

184,872 Pennsylvania

8,507,217 United States

40,921,535 Worldwide

Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Confirmation Hearings Jack Matthews Staff Writer

Last week marked the beginning of Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation process, with several days of hearings in front of the 22-member bipartisan Senate Judiciary Committee. These hearings come almost three weeks after President Trump announced his intention to nominate Barrett, who has served on the U.S. Appeals Court for the Seventh Circuit since 2017.

The timing of the nomination makes these hearings especially unusual; Justices have been confirmed in fewer days than Barrett, but no Justice has ever been confirmed so close to a general election.

The ongoing pandemic has also changed the landscape of the hearings. Two Republican senators, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Mike Lee of Utah, both tested positive for coronavirus prior to the start of the hearings. Lee had been cleared by doctors and was present, in-person all four days. Tillis attended Monday’s hearing virtually but was cleared by his doctor to be present in person starting Tuesday.

Senator Kamala Harris, the Democratic Vice-Presidential nominee, chose to attend each session of the hearings virtually, citing coronavirus concerns.

Monday’s hearing began with 10-minute opening statements from each senator, giving both parties an opportunity to demonstrate

how they intended to approach the week. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, opened the hearing by honoring the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, before moving on to an explanation of why the Republicans have moved forward with the process. Though he conceded that no Justice has ever been confirmed in an election year any later than July, he did insist that there was “nothing unconstitutional about this process.”

Senator Diane Feinstein, the top Democrat on the committee, argued Barrett will vote to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, the landmark health insurance bill passed under the Obama administration that has expanded healthcare coverage to millions of Americans.

For almost five hours, the day played out in a similar fashion, with Democrats challenging the legitimacy of the hearings and arguing that Barrett’s confirmation would allow the Court’s conservative majority to overturn decades of progress. Republicans countered those arguments by stating it was their constitutional right and obligation to fill the seat of the late Ginsburg.

The day ended with Barrett’s swearing in and a statement from the nominee, in which she emphasized that she would stay impartial in her judgements and base her rulings not on her own views but on the law.

Tuesday and Wednesday gave senators the opportunity to

directly question Barrett, an opportunity which Democrats did not let go to waste. Throughout the sessions, Barrett was pressed on issues that will undoubtedly come up early in her tenure on the Court, the most important of those being abortion, healthcare and the results of the upcoming election.

Barrett largely refused to comment on where she stands on any of the big-ticket topics and reiterated that she will remain objective, saying near the end of the second day, “I have no mission and no agenda.”

Barrett, who clerked for the late Justice Antonin Scalia, insisted that though both she and Scalia are originalists (judges who believe the Constitutional text means what it did at the time it was ratified), her rulings would be independent of her mentor.

“You would not be getting Justice Scalia, you would be getting Justice Barrett,” she said.

The final day of hearings began with a partisan fight over the scheduling of the committee’s vote on the nomination. Senator Graham forced through a motion even though only one of the ten Democratic senators were present, stating the Republicans were being “denied the ability to operate as normal.”

Barrett was not present for Thursday’s hearing, which was noticeably less civil than the question and answer sessions in the previous days. Democrats and Republicans frequently used their

allotted time to argue over the speed of the confirmation, with Senator Amy Klobuchar even calling the entire process a “sham” and others referencing Republican’s refusal to accept then-President Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland in 2016, nine months before that general election.

Republicans shot back, saying the situation is different this time because the nominating President is on the ballot and his party holds the majority in the Senate.

Senators also listened to two panels of witnesses argue for and against Barrett’s confirmation, with some citing her warmth and legal prowess and others giving examples of how her decisions could negatively impact their lives. Despite their objections, Democrats conceded that they simply do not have the votes to slow down, let alone stop the confirmation process, with Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey recognizing “that this goose is pretty much cooked.”

If the current schedule holds up, the Judiciary Committee will vote Oct. 22 to send the confirmation to the full Senate, where it only needs a simple majority to pass and for Amy Coney Barrett to become an Associate Justice. Senator Mitch McConnell, the Majority Leader, has indicated the Republicans “have the votes,” and he is planning on scheduling the final vote sometime during the week of Oct. 26, one week before the Nov. 3 general election.

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

The Villanovan | 3

NEWS

Frischmann Receives National Science Foundation Grant Sarah Wisniewski Staff Writer

Brett Frischmann, Professor in Law, Business and Economics at the University’s Charles Widger School of Law, along with co-principal investigators from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and New York University School of Law, have been awarded a three-year, $350,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop the Governing Knowledge Commons Research Coordination Network (GKC RCN).

The goal of the project is to establish a Research Coordination Network with the intent to build a research community that will advance scientific principles. The network will provide assistance in developing empirical and theoretical insights into shared knowledge, information and data resources. Researchers from law, social and behavioral sciences, computer science and engineering will communicate, coordinate and integrate their collective research

and educational studies in order to bring their variety of disciplinaries and boundaries into one central location. The project relies heavily on convergence to cross-contextual learning and generalizations in a great deal of sectors. More so, the project will schedule conferences, each organized around a specific topic, that will further aid in converging cross-disciplines. Conferences will be accompanied by workshops at various disciplinary conferences to continue expansion of research.

The RCN will converge field-building, support of research infrastructure and public spread of knowledge through various online access formats. Finally, the project will also build relationships between its funders and policy-oriented organizations.

“This project will create a strong community of scholars that will produce socially useful research for communities struggling to govern shared knowledge,” Frischmann said.

“It will allow participation in research

by members of underrepresented groups and the results will be made available to the general public to improve scientific literacy.”

The project comes at a time when the world relies almost exclusively on the internet to share and manage information, data and content. Its founders and principal investigators have acknowledged that as the amount of internet users expands, the amount of knowledge available to the public also expands. These issues lead to the need for a governed framework and privacy, which RCN aims to also provide. Frischmann and his team will use the NSF grant in order to create this needed network.

“Brett is a leading and internationally known expert on the management of knowledge commons,” Mark Alexander said, who is The Arthur J. Kania Dean of the University Charles Widger School of Law. “I have no doubt that his work on this NSF grant will provide invaluable insight into the progression of this important area and the overall pursuit Professor Brett Frischmann of providing access to information for Courtesy of Villanova University all.”

@NovaInsider’s Controversial Inspiration Behind ComColumbus Day Instagram Post munity First’s Wonder-Fall Sarah Wisniewski Staff Writer

Columbus Day has been a controversial holiday in the United States for years. In 1992, Native Americans in Berkeley, CA decided to oppose the holiday and spend the day celebrating Native Americans instead. The Native American holiday took 30 years to be formally recognized in the “United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples” in 2007. Today, the nation is divided in celebrating the man who “founded America” or the individuals who were here already.

The University community saw this divide on Oct. 12, when a popular Instagram account made a post honoring Christopher Columbus. The @NovaInsider page, which mainly follows the athletics of the University, recognized the importance of Columbus Day to Italian Americans.

“Italian Americans continue to leave their mark on America and Villanova’s future over a century since their ancestors first crossed the Atlantic in search of a better life,” the post said. “Recognizing both the feats and atrocities of Columbus’ voyages, we strive to move past an era of divisiveness and learn from the mistakes of the past to build a brighter future for all.”

After posting, the account received heavy backlash from students and community members. Comments flooded the post and accused the account of being ignorant and failing to understand the harm in such a post.

“I was extremely disappointed by the post because it was an utter failure to recognize or understand the genocide committed against Native Americans, and on top of that was celebrating the man who was instrumental in that genocide,” junior Bobby Montesano said. “The post did not live up to the values of our school or our students.”

The owner of @NovaInsider believed that the comments were becoming too cruel. In response, comments on the post were disabled after a few hours.

“This is the first time I’ve ever had to do this after years of allowing vigorous debate and discussion in my comments,” the owner said in an Instagram story.

Italian Americans have often celebrated the holiday more than other groups because of Columbus’ ethnicity. Italians were also considered targets of discrimination when they first arrived in the U.S. between 1880 and 1920, and Columbus Day became a way for Italian Americans to embrace their heritage and fight against the anti-Italianism of that time.

However, Italian-American student Michael Stefano explained why he chooses not to celebrate the holiday and his disagreement with the @NovaInsider post.

“Simply recognizing the atrocities of Columbus will never be grounds for moving past them,” he said. “As a person who is proud of their strong Italian heritage, invoking Columbus’ name to garner support for Italians seems disrespectful when there are plenty of other valid reasons to be proud to be Italian.”

For Native Americans, Columbus Day is a day when people celebrate the taking of Native lands, resulting in mass murder and pillaging of tribes. Therefore, Native Americans want others to rethink the history of the U.S. and see that Native people were the first inhabitants and unjustly lost their lives, land and livelihood.

The movement has gained support in recent years, as cities and states began making Indigenous Peoples’ Day an official holiday. South Dakota and Hawaii were the first two states to rename Columbus Day in 1990. Today, 18 states celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day in place or in addition to Columbus Day.

Jadyn Ramos Staff Writer

This past weekend’s Wonder-Fall activities were set in motion without flaw, despite the messy weather on Friday. The rain did not put a damper on the plans for the evening, as hayrides still went around campus.

In addition to the rides, many students were outside enjoying cornhole games, alongside the firepits spread across the campus green. The night’s brisk weather and the leaves covering the grass gave the night a fall feeling, accompanied by lights hanging from trees and the glow of the firepits in the night sky.

Continuing with some of the themes of Wonder-Fall from the previous weekend, there was a line of food trucks offered on Friday night for the students to enjoy. Choices ranged from Bake n’ Bacon and Munchie Mania to Donut NV and Scoops & Smiles, offering students a choice between hot donuts and cider or cold ice cream.

Saturday was a similar evening with music, firepits and yard games. Another successful weekend of bringing students together was put together by the Community First Committee, which has been working hard to organize these activities for campus.

Katie Fischer, the Director of Executive and Trustee Communication, along with her colleagues, Erin Buckley (Executive Assistant to the President) and Christine Quisenberry (Director of Presidential Initiatives and Events) described the process of organizing these amazing events and their experiences during the process.

The Community First Committee’s main objective is to discuss the semester and find ways to engage the students.

“The idea [for Wonder-Fall weekend] came out in one the meetings based on some of the events and activities taking place at one of our peer institutions,” Fischer said.

Courtesy of The Villanovan

The committee also wanted to reward the students of the University for their dedication to prioritizing The CARITAS Committment and following COVID-19 guidelineS.

“The concept of Wonder-Fall really came from that idea of doing something to show our appreciation for how impressed we are with the students and well this semester has gone,” Fischer said.

Fischer and her colleagues recalled the recent rise in cases the University had a few weeks ago and saw it as a sign that, as Fischer said, “In addition to keeping the students engaged with following the safety guidelines in place, we recognized that we also need to provide fun, safe on-campus alternatives to students hosting parties.”

Fischer also touched on the perspective of the staff watching how Wonder-Fall turned out and seeing the students experience the event. The staff of the Community First Committee’s favorite part of the weekend was “watching the students engage with one another with no computers and phones in front of them; there were no digital distraction. It was all about their friends and being part of a community.”

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Wednesday, October 21, 2020

NEWS

Two Townhalls, One Night

Former Vice President Joe Biden stands on stage, wearing a mask at his Townhall.

Courtesy of The Desert Sun

Thursday, Oct. 15 at 8:00 PM 14.1 million viewers Consitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Moderated by George Stephanopoulos Hosted by ABC

President Donald Trump at waves to fans at his townhall.

Courtesy of Politico

Thursday, Oct. 15 at 8:00 PM 13.5 million viewers Perez Art Museum in Miami, Florida Moderated by Savannah Guthrie Hosted by NBC

Biden Lists Facts and Figures Trump Talks Coronavirus Cate McCusker Co-News Editor

Due to President Trump’s refusal to attend a virtually-formatted second presidential debate, former Vice President Joe Biden held a townhall in its place on ABC this past Thursday night. The townhall was hosted by George Stephanopoulos and was held in Philadelphia’s Constitution Center.

This event was different from the two previous debates.

The only interruptions came from ad breaks and small readings of the Constitution in the transition periods. Viewers were able to watch 90 minutes of calm, respectful and organized politics.

Biden was asked questions by different voters, including some who supported him, some who did not and some who were undecided. Biden then responded to their questions and often expanded into other topics in his response. Before moving on, he often ended by thanking them and saying, “I hoped I answered your question.”

The debate allowed Biden to provide the American people with more facts about his policies.

He even took a piece of paper out of his pocket at one point to make sure he clearly referenced some statistics.

When asked by a voter about the Trump tax cuts and a post-coronavirus economy, Biden responded with factual evidence as to why he was the best man for the job. He referenced Moody’s Analytics report, which analyzed both his and Trump’s proposed economic policies.

“Moody’s, Wall Street, said I will create 18.6 million new jobs, good paying jobs, No.1. No.2, the G.D.P. will grow by a trillion dollars more than it would under Trump,” Biden said.

After the first break, Cedric Humphrey, a Pennsylvania student, asked Biden how he was planning to earn the vote of young Black Americans who see voting for Biden as “further participation in a system that continually fails to protect them.”

In his respons, Biden touched on many topics, such as criminal justice, accumulating wealth, education, drug abuse and redlining.

When asked about his 1994 Crime Bill, under which many people were charged and imprisoned for minor drug offenses, Biden acknowledged that it was a mistake.

“It had a lot of other things in it that turned out to be both bad and good,” Biden said, pointing to the Violence Against Women Act measure he helped write that provided more resources to combat domestic violence.

He also expressed his hope to change America’s system of dealing with drug misuse from one of punishment to one of rehabilitation and demonstrated his support for drug courts and the decriminalization of marijuana.

“I don’t think anyone should be going to jail for drug use,” Biden said. “They should be going into mandatory rehabilitation. We should be building rehab centers to have these people housed.”

Biden was also asked about other key issues throughout the debate, such as foreign policy, environmental issues and LGBTQ+ rights.

When discussing Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, Biden continued to avoid taking a stance on court packing. He stated that he still did not support it, but he would come out with a clearer position before Election Day.

Biden continued to talk to and answer the questions of the attendees after the event concluded.

Julia Butch Staff Writer

President Trump’s televised townhall took place on Thursday night, marking 20 days to the general election. This comes after Trump backed out of the second debate, due to a proposed virtual format.

The overarching topic was COVID-19, which found its way into almost every point of questioning. President Trump stated that the pandemic will end soon, claiming, “(They) have done an amazing job, and it’s rounding the corner.”

Additionally, he expressed skepticism regarding masks, referencing a study that “just the other day they came out with a statement that 85% of the people that wear masks catch the coronavirus.”

The CDC has since stated that this assertion is not correct.

When pressed on death rates in the United States, Trump cited statistics, pointing out that America’s death rate is down 21%.

He argued that the U.S. is doing comparatively well, as the United Kingdom is up by 1,500%. Additionally, Trump touted his decision to shut down immigration from China when the virus arose.

The topic of conspiracy theories was also a point of contention.

When asked about QAnon, President Trump claimed to know “very little” about the organization, which is “the umbrella term for a sprawling set of internet conspiracy theories that allege, falsely, that the world is run by a cabal of Satan-worshiping pedophiles who are plotting against Mr. Trump while operating a global child sex-trafficking ring” The New York Times reported.

Trump has retweeted a

handful of QAnon tweets, including a conspiracy theory about the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden.

When pressed, Trump dismissed the matter as just an opinion.

“I don’t get that. You’re the president,” Guthrie said. “You’re not like someone’s crazy uncle who can just retweet whatever.”

When asked about white supremacy, Trump said, “I’ve denounced white supremacy for years.”

He then asked Guthrie, the moderator, why she wasn’t asking about ANTIFA, claiming, “They’re vicious, they’re violent, they kill people and they’re burning down our cities.”

Guthrie asked about a peaceful transfer of power, causing Trump to express concern over unsolicited ballots and voter fraud.

He accused the Obama administration of spying on his campaign and said, “They tried to take down a duly elected, sitting president.”

Nevertheless, he said that he will “absolutely” accept a peaceful transfer.

Trump spoke on the economy as well. He touted 11.4 million jobs, a great third quarter and a red wave.

“GDP is going through the roof,” he said and argued that his administration spawned the “greatest economy in the history of our country” before the pandemic.

When the topic of the Supreme Court came up, Trump noted that he “had great respect for Justice Ginsburg” and wanted to fulfill his duty of filling the seat.

He said that “there is plenty of time” and opinion on Amy Coney Barrett is almost unanimously favorable.

Trump has since attacked host Savannah Guthrie, implying that she was “going totally crazy” during the townhall.

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

The Villanovan | 5

OPINION

OPINION

Georgia’s Continuous Instances of Voter Suppression Vivi Melkonian Staff Writer

As an Atlanta native, I can undoubtedly say that Georgia being the lead story on the six o’clock news is almost never a good thing. During election season, this proves to be even more true. More often than not, the Georgia government is involved in suspicious business connected to state officials, including Governor Brian Kemp, the man who, in a campaign video, said he had a “big truck just in case he needs to round up criminal illegals and take them home himself.”

Since his election in 2018, discussion of voter suppression has become an intrinsic part of Kemp’s and the state of Georgia’s reputation. Before he was governor, Kemp was the Georgia Secretary of State, meaning part of his job description was to supervise elections (voter registration, polling location functionality, etc.).

According to USA Today, ahead of the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election, around 53,000 voter registrations were left pending by the Secretary of State office. Those affected were primarily nonwhite, minority voters. Kemp did not resign from his position as Secretary of State until the day after he won the election that he oversaw.

This is all to say that Kemp does not have a clean history when it comes to elections, despite his office denying claims and accusations of voter suppression. Kemp’s replacement for Secretary of State was Brad Raffensperger, who has faced continued criticism and accusations of voter suppression during

ro Atlanta.

The number of registered voters in Georgia has increased by over 2 million people, but the number of polling locations has simultaneously decreased by 10%, according to Georgia Public Broadcasting’s analysis of state records.

In other words, there are more voters and less resources, and there is a significant impact on primarily nonwhite areas of the state.

Secretary of State Raffensperger called the situation a series of “good issues” that were indicative of what could potentially be record high voter turnout on Election Day. This disregards the disparities in voting access for minority communities. It is evident that nonwhite votes are not being prioritized equally.

According to Politico, it is crucial that Democrats get support Goergia Governor Brian Kemp has been accused of voter suppression. from Black voters to win swing Courtesy of NBC News states, including Georgia. Seeing as his tenure. problems with the polling equipGeorgia has become a battleground

So here we are, another ment, despite it being relatively state for this election, it is crucial election, and Georgia is a comnew. Furthermore, there are a lim- that every single vote is included. plete train wreck once again. Polls ited number of polling machines

The trail of deception that opened on Oct. 12 for early voting in each location in order to take has followed Georgia since Kemp’s access, and many saw this as an op- precautions against COVID-19. election in 2018 is unacceptable portunity to get out and vote early

According to NPR, one of and extremely disappointing. to avoid the inevitable chaos of the primary reasons that lines have Frankly, in order for there to be truElection Day. ABC News reported become so sizable is largely due ly accurate and fair results for this 240,000 votes were cast in Georgia to the lack of polling locations in election, Georgia needs to get it during the first two days of early each county, causing more people together. There needs to be efforts voting. However, many of these to populate each location. NPR ad- by state officials to actively combat voters were met with absurdly long ditionally noted that the increased voter suppression and ensure that lines, some with wait times of over wait time can be disproportionately every eligible vote is counted. five hours. observed in “nonwhite neighbor There is only so much we

While it is a valid assesshoods where voter registration has can do as citizens to control the ment that the increased number surged.” actions of government officials. As of people who showed up to vote

The Georgia Secretary of constituents, our job is to get out early is one contributing factor in State’s records indicate that four there and elect candidates that will the extensive wait, officials also out of five new registrations have not stand for corruption or any noted that there were technological come from nonwhite voters in Met- effort to suppress the vote.

Midterms “Week” Was Overly Stressful for Students Derek Ramirez Jerez Staff Writer

Midterm week for the Fall 2020 semester was much different than usual. The shortened semester due to COVID-19 meant the removal of Fall Break and other major shifts in the academic calendar. A consequence of this was how overly stressful midterm week became, as workloads had to fit into shorter timeframes, along with an unstructured format for assignments, as professors adapted to this first-time change.

I keep saying midterm “week,” but for a lot of students, exams and other major assignments felt as if they were given over a span of two to three weeks. This is a direct consequence of the removal of Fall Break because there is no longer a set timeframe for these assignments. Over the last three weeks, many students have said that a new “midterm” assignment or exam may be given multiple times in each week. This should not be the case, since it just adds more stress on students. This combined with no break made it even worse, because students have to go right back into the curriculum to prepare for the next major assignments

immediately after completing midterm exams, projects and papers.

In addition, there was no structure to when assignments were due during this timeframe. The shorter semester makes it feel like many professors are rushing to fit in assignments before certain deadlines.

Personally, this was apparent when I had three major papers due in a span of five days, when I had only two days to complete one of those papers after it was assigned. Everything just feels more fast-paced. An aspect of removing the usual break was to compensate for this, but since classes this term end mid-November instead of the normal mid-December, professors are finding any way they can to fit their curriculum into a shorter time frame at the great expense of the student body.

I have referenced it many times already, but something needs to be done about the removal of Fall Break. Reinstating it during a time like this is tricky, since it will probably promote people to leave campus for the week, but there needs to be some type of break to not only allow students to destress but also to act as a deadline when midterms should be given by.

Something I have talked about with other students is a two day break in the middle of the week, which is short enough to discourage travel, but long enough for it to be a destressor after numerous assignments.

With COVID-19, it must be

very difficult to design a semester. I understand that in practice, things are different than they are initially designed. If the virus continues to be as prominent as it is now, changes need to be made to ensure a less stressful time for students, especially during midterms.

Students across campus have been working nonstop for weeks on end without a break.

Courtesy of The Villanovan

OPINION

6 | The Villanovan

EDITORIAL BOARD EMILY COX Editor-in-Chief TYLER KEMP Editor-in-Chief JACK ROBERGE Opinion Editor

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS

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 anonyous letters will be published. All submissions become property of The Villanovan and are subject to editing for clarity and space.

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

POLICY

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

George Floyd’s Killer Released: Examining The Impact Abby Faeth Staff Writer

It’s no secret that Derek Chauvin’s name has been a part of numerous conversations throughout the United States this past year. The former Minneapolis police officer was shown, in a widely circulated video back in May, pinning his knee on the neck of George Floyd, which ultimately led to Floyd’s death. Chauvin was arrested for the murder and released from prison on Oct. 7, after a bond agency posted 10 percent of his total bail of $1 million.

Chauvin was charged with second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. His trial will be held in March 2021.

I’m originally from Minneapolis, and I recall waking up to this chilling video on my feed and feeling utter shock. Like everyone, I have heard endless stories of police brutality in our country, but for an instance of this magnitude to occur so close to my own home made it feel more real.

The protests that followed demonstrated that the outrage of Minneapolis community members, and their voices needed to be heard.

I recall constantly refreshing my Twitter feed in the nights following the murder. The videos of the fires and destruction made me unable to look away. It was unsettling to watch our own streets being destroyed, but it undoubtedly consumed all of my

attention. As I sat in my room engrossed by Twitter, I had a strange feeling. I was disappointed that Minneapolis gained attention for a terrible occurrence of police brutality and the destruction that followed. However, I was proud of my community’s peaceful responses to challenge this injustice.

After reading that Chauvin had been released last week, I felt uneasy about what the reaction was going to be in my hometown. I do support my community voicing its opinions, but I still fear that unrest and chaos will unfold in Minneapolis once again.

Our governor had a similar concern, as he announced the afternoon that Chauvin was released that he was bringing in the Minnesota National Guard, 100 state troopers and 75 conversation officers to assist Minneapolis law enforcement. That night, around 300 people peacefully protested where Floyd died in South Minneapolis and marched toward downtown, in order to protest the release of Chauvin.

They marched through the streets chanting “No justice, no peace!”

The StarTribune, a local newspaper in Minneapolis, reported that 51 people were arrested during the protests over Chauvin’s release.

Later in the night, tensions increased at the Minneapolis police station, due to the involvement of law enforcement in crowd control. Some live videos on social media revealed people

The Importance of Ava Lundell Staff Writer

As we emerge from midterm season and begin to get ready for finals, the importance of sleep is increasingly critical to understand, especially with the absence of a break this semester. Often, sleep gets pushed to the sidelines, as schoolwork, club responsibilities and spending time with friends seem to take precedence over a good night’s sleep.

As Villanovans, we are particularly guilty of this prioritization of other commitments over time to rest. However, healthy sleep habits are essential to positively engaging in other aspects of life. If we want to be able to fully commit to our schoolwork, responsibilities and friendships, we must also fully commit to a strong mental health foundation.

According to the University of Georgia Health Center, college students should try to get around eight hours of sleep a night. However, around 70% of college students fail to meet this metric. Extensive academic research links quality and

forced to the ground to be arrested.

Most of the arrests were misdemeanors, as many were cited to have participated in unlawful assembly.

Like many other people in my community, I am disappointed that Chauvin was released. He shouldn’t be able to post bail and walk free after taking the life of Floyd. However, I think this situation has illuminated that it takes a community to be appalled in order to prompt a strong response of action.

Over the summer, I was astonished to see that the Minneapolis protests ignited change throughout the country. I can only hope that our

response, and the continual protest against Chauvin and brutality that is perpetuated in this country, commands justice to be served.

The reaction over Floyd’s murder has made me proud to come from a city that stands up against racism in our own community. Maybe Minneapolis was put on the map for all the wrong reasons, including a racist murder and utter destruction.

However, the deeper essence of our response is that there is a necessity of diminishing the racist and corrupt police system in our country, and that is something the whole United States can learn.

Protestors memorialized George Floyd in paintings during the BLM protests this summer.

Courtesy of Carolyn Kaster, Associated Press

Sleep for College Students

quantity of sleep to undergraduate grades. Moreover, “being tired all the time” also degrades one’s ability to engage in commitments outside of class at full capacity.

According to a study conducted by Helen Milojevich and Angela Lukowski, poor sleep habits are linked to harmful psychological tendencies, such as “increased antisocial personality problems, anxiety problems, attention deficit/hyperactivity problems [and] depressive problems.”

A 2010 study in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that many students “are suffering from depression, anxiety and A.D.H.D., all of which can be symptoms of sleep deprivation or worsened by it.”

According to a New York Times article titled “An Underappreciated Key to College Success: Sleep,” various academic studies have concluded that “sleep quantity and sleep quality equal or outrank such popular campus concerns as alcohol and drug use in predicting student grades and a student’s chances of graduating.”

To be clear, we are all responsible for our own sleep habits.

However, while colleges tend to offer various programs to address excessive drinking and drug abuse, much less attention is given to helping students understand the dangers of sleep deprivation. Colleges often unintentionally exacerbate this problem.

For example, many university libraries around the country, including Falvey Library, are open 24 hours. This well-meaning policy unintentionally enables late-night studying (and, arguably, the poor time management skills that necessitate such nocturnal activities). In many ways, our culture even tends to view “all-nighters” as some kind of bizarre rite of passage.

Some innovative ideas have emerged that could potentially be employed at the University to encourage students to prioritize sleep.

For instance, some colleges have implemented sleep courses into their curriculum, with the goal of teaching students the basic neuroscience behind the importance of sleep in all aspects of life. New York University

(NYU) and Stanford University are two colleges that have implemented such programs, entitled “While You Were Sleeping” and “Sleep and Dreams,” respectively. These sleep courses have proven to effectively increase the amount of sleep enrolled students receive. A study showed that students enrolled in “While You Were Sleeping” at NYU sleep an average of 22 minutes longer per night and fall asleep nine minutes faster per night after taking the class.

Again, we are all responsible for our own sleep habits, just as we all have a responsibility to brush our teeth and shower. However, at the same time, college communities could put more thought into the importance of good sleep habits.

Lack of sleep degrades student performance and therefore should be a more intentional aspect of campus public and mental health programs.

During a particularly stressful time of the semester especially with the lack of Fall Break), we must all keep in mind the importance of sleep and its ability to add to, not take away from, all other aspects of our lives.

CULTURE

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

The

Ghostly

Elena Rouse Staff Writer

Have you heard the ghostly legends of the University? This October, among the campus’s historic buildings that are often enclosed by gray clouds and rain drops, the eeriness of the Halloween season causes chills. Maybe the spooky season causes this feeling, but it could also be because the University has legends of hauntings within the grounds, and many students feel they have experienced paranormal activity. Whatever it may be, the University’s campus has some chilling history relative to the season, and knowing these legends might just change the way you look at some unexplainable happenings on campus.

First, let’s focus on one of the oldest, most notoriously eerie buildings on campus: St. Mary’s Hall.

Legend has it that when the building was first being used as a house for clergy and nuns, a nun had an affair with a priest, became pregnant and died by suicide in the very halls of St. Mary’s.

In a 2009 article from The Villanovan, writers Katie Armstrong and Olivia Shelton reported that

The Villanovan | 7

CULTURE

Legends

the administration denies any suicide ever took place in the building.

However, such a morbid scandal would most likely be something such an establishment would like to cover up, would it not? Not saying it’s true or not, but denial doesn’t mean the legend is necessarily false. In fact, all you have to do to seek some clarity is step foot into the hallowed halls of the building. Immediately, the echoes of your feet among the silence form goosebumps. That reaction does not happen when you walk into a newer building, like Bartley Hall. According to the article, students who have lived in the building have reported hearing odd sounds like someone swimming in the pool or an organ playing when no one was there, and these eerie occurrences are still reported today.

The other main point of ghostly tales is Alumni Hall. When the campus closed during the Civil War, the building was used as a hospital for wounded soldiers. Deriving from an article about the history of Alumni Hall from a previous issue, David Contosta, a historian knowledgeable of campus, admits that the assumed fact cannot actually be proven. Even so, former students, like sophomore Luke Miller, have found that the halls of Alumni provide

of

Villanova’s

Campus

Rainy days in October make the campus seem very spooky, inside and outside some of the haunted halls.

Courtesy of Elena Rouse

some odd experiences.

“I don’t really believe in that stuff, but there were some weird things that happened to me in that building [Alumni],” Miller said. “I had sleep paralysis and felt like I was being choked but couldn’t move, which never happened before, and the hand dryers would turn on randomly in the bathrooms.”

Could it be that there is a form of sleep paralysis that only occurs in one building on campus?

Maybe so, but the alleged ghosts of dead soldiers seem to give another explanation.

If you look hard enough, you can find spooky stories about lots of old buildings on campus. The truth is that the University has been around a long time and is bound to have picked up a few legends along the way.

However, what will you do next time you take a step into St. Mary’s or experience something you can not explain? You might brush the spooky sensation off with a quickly-formulated rational explanation, or perhaps, in the back of your mind, the legends of ghosts of the University’s past will pester you to reconsider.

Junior Bobby Sanderson Establishes Café Aromático Madeline McCarthy Staff Writer

Starting his own business had been something Villanova junior Bobby Sanderson was seriously considering for about a year before he officially bought the license for Café Aromático in May. Even though he has just begun selling his own coffee, Sanderson has already had lots of experience in the coffee industry.

It all started a few summers ago when Sanderson started working as a barista. There, he was introduced to the behind-thescenes aspect of coffee shops, from the making of the ambiance to a newfound love of latte art, and of course the base of it all: coffee.

Since his first barista job, he has worked at three different shops.

During quarantine, Sanderson noticed a spike in demand for coffee, and he finally decided to commit to his passion of starting his own business.

“I love drinking coffee and the coffee shop environment, so I looked for a way to spread the coffee passion,” Sanderson said. “I saw the opportunity to deliver an amazing product in a growing market.”

It has not been an easy process for him, but he has learned a lot along the way. Sanderson shared some important tips that any future entrepreneur should consider before opening his or her own business.

Find Your Niche

Anyone who is thinking of starting his or her own business should base it around something they are passionate about. Create something that is specific enough, so

you can differentiate your products from other businesses but broad enough so it can reach and appeal to a larger consumer base.

“Find a specific consumer to market to,” Sanderson advised.

“Mine is high end coffee connoisseurs, people who typically go to local coffee shops rather than a typical chain. People who are interested in supporting small businesses and checking out new options.”

Pick a Unique Name

When naming your business, you should do research to make sure there are not any other pre-existing companies with the same or similar name. You should also pick something that is easily marketable and will stick with people. When Sanderson was brainstorming, he knew that it was important for him to highlight the importance of a high quality and fresh smelling coffee, and he wanted people to be reminded of that smell when buying his products.

“People often associate foreign names with a higher quality product,” he said. “I speak Spanish, so I thought Café Aromático was a perfect fit for my business and what I wanted to highlight about the product I sell.”

Be Patient

Sanderson started his business during the COVID-19 pandemic, so he found that he had a lot of time to devote to his new venture.

He also talked about how he would experience days where he would have bursts of productivity and make a lot of progress. Other times, he would be waiting for calls and emails back from people in order to move forward.

Sanderson runs Café Aromático while pursuing his undergraduate degree.

Courtesy of Bobby Sanderson

“Expect lots of processing time,” he said. “I would turn to other activities that make me happy, like cooking and running, to get my mind off things. It can be easy to get consumed with small aspects and details of your business.”

Use Social Media

Sanderson was first introduced to how the algorithms of social media work during his Global Interdisciplinary Studies class last year. He did a research project on Facebook algorithms and saw the extent to which Facebook tracks data of its users.

“E-commerce is one of the fastest growing markets in our economy,” he said. “It allows people to buy products from the comfort of their couch and allows the producer to ship it right to them, reducing

costs and cutting out the middleman. It lets more people try startups with way less risk.”

Sanderson is dividing his time between being an economics major with a global business concentration and having a minor in psychology during the week and running Café Aromático on the weekends.

He is also a member of the Business of Fashion Society on campus and sees a future career in marketing and e-commerce upon graduation.

Sanderson hopes to continue Café Aromático as a hobby until he has enough savings to open up a real brick and mortar coffee shop.

After all, the dialogue between the barista and customers stopping in to grab a cup is what got Sanderson hooked in the first place.

CULTURE

8 | The Villanovan

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Ridiculum and CAT Host Stand-Up Comedy Show A.J. Fezza Co-Culture Editor

During a tumultuous, socially-distanced year, everyone could use a laugh. Thankfully, Villanova University Ridiculum has provided the University’s community with a great opportunity to do so.

On Saturday, Oct. 17 at 8:30 p.m., community members gathered at the Riley Ellipse with their beloved portable chairs to see a stand-up comedy show run

by Ridiculum in conjunction with the Campus Activities Team (CAT).

Ridiculum is also known as the University’s “Improv Club.”

The organization typically holds comedic improvisation performances in St. Mary’s Theater, at which audience members typically yell out characters that the onstage actors have to portray or actions that the actors must perform. This stand-up event was a relatively new endeavor for Ridiculum.

The event featured five performers. The comics were, in order: Timothy Krall, Kelechi Onuigbo, Patrick Lyons, Brandon Catanzaro and Andrew Mister.

In addition to being the final performer of the night, Mister, a junior, is also the Vice President and the Head of the Stand-Up Branch of Ridiculum. In the month leading up to the show, the other four performers turned to Mister (who has the most expe-

rience with stand-up comedy) and a few others in the Stand-Up Branch for help with preparation.

At the event, each comic spoke for about 15 minutes each.

Krall, a senior, joked about his fear of the film “Sleeping Beauty” and its villain, Maleficent.

He also expressed his shock and betrayal upon discovering that Aurora’s dress is blue and not pink for the vast majority of “Sleeping Beauty.” He finished by deriding the Star Wars sequel trilogy.

Onuigbo, a sophomore, took a different approach. She began by asking the audience how they felt, before poking fun of the audience’s standard response of cheers.

“We say we’re fine when we’re not really fine,” Onuigbo remarked on stage.

A common theme of her routine was making light of this example of social etiquette. She then made sure to joke about the prevalence of the name “Caroline” on campus (a theme that would be referenced even in the show’s subsequent performances), and poked fun at Wyoming, California, New Jersey and her hometown of Baltimore.

Jokes about the recent California wildfires elicited some shocked murmuring from the crowd.

“Too soon?” Onuigbo asked the audience.

Meanwhile, jokes about New Jersey drew extra laughs.

This was to be expected, given the

Patrick Lyons performs onstage at the Riley Ellipse.

Courtesy of Jada Thomas

Garden State’s overrepresentation in the University’s student population.

“I had never done stand-up before but I have done some improv shows with the club,” Onuigbo said. “I felt a little nervous, but more excited, because I knew a lot of my friends were looking forward to it.”

Lyons, a sophomore, followed Onuigbo on stage. He spent his routine reminiscing about his experience working at a zoo this past summer and fibbing to some young guests.

“Going up to the stage was a surreal feeling,” Lyons said. “It hadn’t really hit me that whole day, but then towards the end of Kelechi’s performance I realized, ‘Wow I’m really about to go up

and perform stand-up.’ But once I got up there I just began to feel really confident and went for it.”

Catanzaro, a sophomore, gave an animated, semi-fictional account of his trips to Las Vegas and the doctor’s office.

Finally, Mister topped off the night with jokes about Instagram etiquette and reflections on dating and love in high school.

When Mister spoke about how his nervousness manifests itself in what seems like Irritable Bowel Syndrome, it resulted in the biggest eruption of laughter from the audience of the night. Perhaps this is a common University phenomenon.

One thing is clear: Ridiculum’s stand-up comedy show was a night to remember.

Weekly Club Spotlight: Villanova Pastoral Musicians every mass.

As part of the Center for Worship & Spirituality, Pastorals has welcomed individuals wishing

In a time of masks and to express and strengthen their social distancing, creating music faith through music ministry for through voices and instruments almost 30 years. Amassing between has become compromised due 80 to 120 members, the club’s to the aerosol nature of the art. mission is to “create a welcoming Despite this, the Villanova Pastoral environment for the Villanova Musicians, or “Pastorals,” continue community at campus masses to safely provide beautiful music while building a home of support, for different liturgy and campus equity and inclusion.” ministry events, primarily through This non-auditioned based leading the congregation in song at organization meets its members Chelsea Le Staff Writer

Pastorals performs at St. Thomas of Villanova Church.

Courtesy of Gabby Slentz

where they are at in their musical skills while providing ample opportunity for growth and education.

With restrictions during mass preventing the usual practices and expression of music, Pastorals has been forced to adjust to unprecedented procedures. This includes limiting participation from singers and wind instruments while maintaining social distancing.

“The adjustment has been hard, especially because we aren’t able to be together,” President Mikaela Sanson said. “We’ve been doing our best to try to keep the spirit of Pastorals alive through the small choirs for mass and virtual singing offerings.”

The musicians typically perform on campus at events including Orientation Mass, Parents’ Weekend, Lessons & Carols and Baccalaureate Mass. Pastorals also travels during breaks to locations including Washington D.C., Italy and France. Instrumentalists accompany the singers with experience levels ranging from intermediate to advanced. Pianists are invited to assist with whole group rehearsals, and those with advanced training have the opportunity to accompany Sunday liturgies.

“We have harps, guitars, flutes, violins, cellos, baritones, violas, saxophones, clarinets: you name it,” Sanson said. “If someone plays an instrument, we will do our best to include them in whatever way we can.”

Pastorals’ Board of Executives consists of a president, vice

president, secretary, treasurer, three mass coordinators, three board advisors, instrumental coordinators and a publicity chair.

General body members are required to attend weekly rehearsals and mass. Any additional participation is not mandatory but encouraged. To help members adjust, Pastorals hosts a new student member program, Caritas, every August.

“Since returning to campus, we’ve been doing our best to involve as many students as possible and to maintain our high standard of music-making in service to our community,” Sean McElwee, the Campus Minister for Liturgical Music, said. “Most importantly, safety has been our utmost priority. We have not cut any corners when it comes to safety.”

Students who are interested in joining can reach out to existing members, email McElwee or walk up to the piano after Mass.

Additional information can also be found on the Villanova Pastoral Musicians’ Facebook page and Instagram @vupastoralmusicians.

“I joined Pastorals because I saw what the group offered, and I wanted that to be a part of my Villanova experience,” Sanson said. “I wanted to be able to affect people through music as well as be a part of a group that truly loves everyone that is in the group with them. We are always welcoming people into Pastorals. We take people of all different music backgrounds, religions, majors and places in life.”

CULTURE

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

The Villanovan | 9

Blue Key Society Hosts Scavenger Hunt Mae Muller Set to Release New Album Julia Stanisci Staff Writer

Last weekend, the University’s Blue Key Society welcomed its new members. A retreat was held on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 17, at which new members learned more about the organization and bonded with both old and new Blue Key members through small group icebreaker activities, yard games and more. At the end of the retreat, new members got the chance to meet their “Fam Heads” in anticipation for the big event of the weekend: the “Fam 6” poses by the Gregor Mendel statue scavenger hunt.

Courtesy of Andrew Osburn

For those unfamiliar with Blue Key’s structure, all members

“Being a fam head in Blue of the society are organized into 13 Key Society is about creating a “fams” which are denoted by numfriendly and welcoming environment ber, with each assigned a certain col- for the society’s newest members,” or (or pattern). Each fam has a leader Fam 6 head Andrew Osburn said. (head) and around 25 members.

“I’m especially excited to be a fam Each year, five to 10 new members head this year because I get to help are added into each fam. Throughwelcome one of Blue Key’s most out the year, fams compete with diverse classes ever.” one another to earn points, which

Saturday night’s scavenger can be gained through attending hunt was every fam for itself, each events, showing Blue Key spirit, fam decked out in its designated color. bonding, and more. The fam with This event was the first time this year the highest total points at the end of that new members got to meet their each year wins a prize. The goals of fams, so it was a huge deal and an this year’s new fam heads are clear. incredibly fun reveal. From 8 p.m.

to 10 p.m., each fam could be found running around campus, trying to find certain landmarks or complete certain challenges. Each task had to be recorded with a picture of the entire fam. Scavenger hunt checklist items were grouped into different sections, each with a specific point value. Items ranged from five points (like getting a group photo with the Gregor Mendel statue) to 40 points (like going to The Mansion or getting a selfie with University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, Ph.D., O.S.A.).

There was also, of course, the token item: a photo with men’s basketball head coach Jay Wright. When asked about his experience, freshman Preston Muñoz was full of excitement and nostalgia for the event.

“I definitely loved it so much,” Muñoz said. “Never in my life would I have thought that I would be running around campus with a bunch of strangers that I now call my family. I am super glad I went.”

Members got competitive, and many were definitely out of breath by the end of the night (and not just because one challenge was to sprint to the fourth floor of Tolentine Hall). The winning fam was featured in Blue Key’s meeting on Tuesday: Fam 3 took the win.

Mae Muller is a sassy, powerhouse singer-songwriter from across the pond in London. In an online press conference on Thursday, Oct. 15, viewers were able to watch the unreleased live-performance of the song “Work Like That” and listen to Muller’s unreleased song, “Dependent.” This song will be featured on her new extended play, “No One Else, Not Even You,” which is set for release in Nov. 2020.

Muller shared that this EP, her third to be released since 2019, was inspired by a variety of emotions, stemming from budding friendships to a relationship which ended three years ago. Additionally, she hopes this new release allows her fans to get a better understanding of her, as she said it shows different sides to her character.

However, Muller wants listeners to know that although songs like “Wish You Well” show her more sarcastic side, she is “not cold all the time, she has a heart.”

“I want people to listen to tournament. my music and feel empowered,” Muller said, as she writes songs TV: What events do you have she wishes she could have listened planned for late October? to as a teenager.

She extends her role modJP: We’re doing the NovaDance eling influence to Instagram, as Halloween movie on Oct. 30. Quizzo she made a point to convey to her will continue to happen every week followers that she uses FaceTune this month. We’re also hoping to have in order to raise awareness about more live entertainment events with the behind the scenes edition most one of the music groups on campus. celebrities use on their platforms.

She shared how girls would comTV: Have the events you held in Sep- ment on her posts saying, “I wish I tember informed the events that CAT could be you,” and “I’m not pretty will hold throughout October? like you,” which led her to speak out about how popular culture JP: Well, I think for one thing, we enforces a naturally unattainable have so many events and event ideas, beauty standard that impresand we can’t do them all just because sionable young girls believe is real. of COVID-19 restrictions. So, we’re

Muller was also vocal on going to be better about scheduling mental health and productivity events and not having any conflicting during this global health crisis events in the same night. and global COVID-19 lockdowns.

She posted a video discussing her TV: Lastly, does CAT, have any personal struggle to get motivatspecific goals that it hopes to achieve ed and creative during the early this year? months of quarantine.

However, Muller shared JP: Our goal is to provide a space that she was able to overcome for Villanova students to come with her own obstacles and engage in their friends to have a good time in collaborations with other artists a safe way. Also, we want to partner and complete a lot of unfinished with organizations so that everyone pieces. on campus feels like they have things “I gave myself time to feel to do that they’re interested in within the way I felt, and then was able their organizations or simply to have to get myself back together,” she things to do on the weekend. said.

Creativity struck in different ways and led Muller to create her own publication, “Maezine,” featuring interviews with movie casts and discussions with other artists, along with some of Muller’s favorite foods, fashion designers and musicians.

She was elated to share that in the near future, the third issue of “Maezine” will be released in-print for the first time.

Past issues and interviews can be Nova Quizzo occurs weekly the Riley Ellipse. found through her Instagram @ Courtesy of Campus Activities Team maemuller.

CAT Discusses Fall Events and Activities Matt Gaetano Staff Writer

the executives of those clubs to bring together our groups to create an inclusive environment.

It seems that on a campus that is quieter than ever, the Campus Activities Team’s (CAT) role is more significant than ever before.

Students are familiar with the events of CAT across campus. Events like Nova Quizzo (CAT’s take on trivia night), held every Thursday night at the Riley Ellipse, along with a weekly movie night, have become staples in the event lineup.

In addition to these recurring activities, CAT sponsors a number of unique events. This month, most students probably noticed food trucks and fire pits set up for Community First’s Wonder-Fall Weekends.

Perhaps they have also seen advertisements for a stand-up comedy event hosted in conjunction with Ridiculum, the Improv Club. Both of these events are just a sample of the fun that CAT helps bring to campus.

In order to learn more about CAT’s events for this month and well last month, The Villanovan spoke with Jared Plattman, CAT’s Director of Movies.

TV: What are some other clubs with which you have worked?

The Villanovan: Could you explain CAT’s significance to campus?

Jared Plattman: CAT is an organization on campus that runs events for all students. We host events on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

TV: As the Director of Movies, what do you do?

JP: Pretty much every Friday night, we host a movie. I work with an outside vendor who gives us a license to watch the movie for that week.

We basically just play it at the Oreo.

People bring their own chairs, and we provide snacks. Most of the movies are actually partnerships with other organizations on campus. I work with

JP: A few weeks ago, we worked with the Hispanic Society and showed “Coco.” We also did a collaboration with Nova Dance and showed “Now You See Me.” TV: Do you find that it’s harder to hold events under current circumstances?

JP: It’s definitely been challenging, especially with the weather getting a little colder and all of our events having to be outside. However, I think it’s going well, and once it gets colder, we’re going to invest in giving blankets out so we can continue to hold movie nights and other events outside.

TV: Aside from movie nights, what events did CAT hold throughout September?

JP: Every Thursday we have Quizzo, and those are also partnerships with other organizations. Some special events like the Labor Day picnic were hosted by us as well. We also had a collaboration event for a volleyball

Sara Hecht Staff Writer

10 | The Villanovan

SPORTS

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

SPORTS

Student-Athlete of the Week: Mallory Potts, Volleyball Sydney Sears Staff Writer

As we’ve passed the mid-semester mark, all students on campus have adapted to changes due to COVID-19, including the student-athletes. Mallory Potts, a senior on the volleyball team, is facing the normal and emotional challenges of being a senior, as well as those that have been thrown at her and the rest of the volleyball team due to the pandemic.

However, the team is still driven to make the best out of what they can do and are looking forward to the spring.

Potts spoke about how the team came in fourth in the Big East Tournament last season, and she’s hopeful that they will be just as successful this year, even though they’ll be playing in the spring rather than the fall. While Potts noted the major differences between last year and this year, she knows they are taking this time to get better and prepare for the spring.

“We’re still focused on being competitive and driven for our season,” Potts said. “There’s a different mindset now that the fall is our offseason, so now is when we’re really pushing ourselves to get better.”

Between no matches and scheduling difficulties with other sports, the practice schedule is a lot different than it has been for previous seasons.

“20-hour practice weeks is the maximum amount we can practice,” Potts explained.

Usually, they are allotted about two hours each day for both practicing and lifting sessions.

What is most significantly different, though, is how the entire team can’t practice at once.

“We’re not allowed to practice as a full team yet,” Potts said.

“We’re in pods of four….We practice in our pods every other day.”

a psychology major who is working on getting her prerequisites to attend a chiropractic school. She noted how online classes make it a little more difficult to balance her academics with her athletic schedule because athletes have to create their own schedules and manage their time better than before, but she appreciates all of the support she gets from the academic support team, her teammates and her coaches.

“Our coaches are so understanding,” Potts said. “We have 20-hour weeks, but depending on how we’re feeling and how stressed we are, they’re willing to decrease our hours. They really understand the student part.”

Senior student athletes across the country were given another year of eligibility if they wanted to take advantage of it. In asking Potts if she was going to play another year, she said as much as Potts plays in game against Marquette. she would really love to play again, Courtesy of Villanova Athletics it’s still up in the air. She was admit Due to the fact that they ted to a chiropractic school which only practice with three other she would start attending in the fall teammates, Potts explained how the of 2021, and while her schedule team puts in extra effort to do team would be more flexible than it is bonding in order to get to know ev- now, she still doesn’t want to comeryone, especially for the seven new mit. freshmen. So far, team bonding for Potts, along with the two them has included “bring their own other seniors on the team, is waitConn dinners” to the lawn by the ing to see how the spring season church, as well as pumpkin carvgoes. If the Big East and NCAA ing and plans to go to a pumpkin decide to go forward with having a patch. spring season, Potts has no doubts

As for her studies, Potts is that her team will be successful.

A Look Into the Preseason Men’s Basketball Rankings Alex Tantum Staff Writer

The NCAA basketball season will begin on Nov. 25. Villanova’s schedule has not been confirmed, but it’s likely that the final details are currently being ironed out. As of now, college basketball is going to happen. Fans can start to take a look at some of the preseason rankings and expectations for the men’s basketball team.

As of Aug. 10, in his latest “bracketology” update, respected ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi had Villanova as a number one seed, meaning that he at least saw the team as a top four team in the nation to start the season.

Garry Parrish from CBS Sports continuously does a “Top 25 and 1” ranking throughout the offseason, and in his latest ranking from Aug. 28, he has the ’Cats at third in the country.

“Jay Wright has a talented and experienced roster that’s strong enough to give the future Hall of Fame coach a chance to grab what would be a third national championship in a six-year span,” Parrish noted.

Rob Dauster of NBC Sports has the team at the number one spot.

“There is enough talent on this roster that I think they are the clear No. 1 team in the country right now,” he said.

The most recent set of rankings, the “Power 36” by Andy Katz of NCAA.com and Turner Sports, has Gonzaga at one, Baylor at two and Villanova at three, which is actually the same ordered top three he had back in April. When discussing Villanova, Katz said that senior guard Collin Gillespie is a potential Big East Player of the Year and that the ’Cats will have a senior nucleus, echoing sentiments from other experts that Villanova has a deep and experienced program for this upcoming season.

“This program is rolling,” Katz said.

Katz also recently released his first bracketology for the 2021 NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats number three ranking for Katz resulted in Villanova being placed as the number one seed in the East region in his projection. He has them slotted to play the number sixteen seeded Vermont Catamounts.

The 2021 NCAA Tournament East Regional Finals are currently scheduled to be held in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center, a place Villanvova has plenty of experience and success. In fact, the Wildcats’ run to the 2016 National Championship began at the Barclays Center, as it was the site of Villanova’s first weekend games.

Earning a top seed in the tournament for the Wildcats will provide the benefit of not only

playing weaker opponents but playing at a familiar location.

The 2021 NCAA Tournament is currently slated to go on as scheduled, but there have been rumors of the tournament being turned into a bubble to help reduce the likelihood of COVID-19 interfering with play. In that case, the tournament would be played at a few centralized locations, compared to the normally nation-

wide locations. Regardless of what happens with the NCAA tournament, at this point, all fans know is that the Villanova Wildcats are positioned to be successful in it, no matter the format or location.

While the official preseason NCAA basketball polls have not been released at this point, it appears that Villanova is a consensus preseason top-four team in the country.

Katz has made several predictions about the upcoming NCAA tournament.

Courtesy of @MarchMadness Instagram

SPORTS

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Softball’s

Paige

Tee Parris Staff Writer

Villanova softball star, Paige Rauch, sat down with Nick Montane last week to discuss key moments from the 2019-20 season.

Paige Rauch, from Windsor, N.Y., is a senior on Villanova’s softball team. She is double majoring in Political Science and Communication. Rauch spent her freshman year at Fordham University. There, she helped lead the Rams to a conference title.

In 2019, Rauch racked up multiple accolades, including Big East Player of the Year, Big East Honor Roll, Big East all-Academic team, All-Big East first team and many more. She repeated many of these achievements in her junior

Rauch

year during the shortened season.

She was ranked number 24 in the country by Softball America, and she was on the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year watch list.

In preparation for the upcoming season, Nick Montane conducted an interview with Rauch on Nova Nation All-Access.

The pair looked back on one of the most incredible wins for the Villanova softball team. In the spring of 2020, the wildcats took on the 2018 national champions, Florida State. The Wildcats ended their series in Arkansas with a massive win against the Seminoles.

Rauch described this game as a team building experience, as they pulled together to pull off this win.

What does it take to pull off these big wins?

According to Rauch, it is

Rauch dominated in the shortened season and looks to continue the streak into 2021.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

Reliving

The Villanovan | 11

2019-20

vital to have incredible mental strength. Rauch has plenty of experience pitching against some of the best players in the country.

In this high-pressure game, Rauch was face to face with Sydney Sherrill, who was part of the 2019 First All-American team and has an amazing record at Florida State.

In these high-pressure plays, Rauch says that she focuses on herself and her mindset rather than on the player standing across from her. As a pitcher, she reminds herself that her role is to “pitch strikes, get ahead of the better, know the defense is behind you.”

Mental fitness can often make or break a player or a team.

At Villanova, Rauch has dedicated herself to improving her mental fitness, and part of this is knowing how to deal with difficult situations.

Rauch helped the Wildcats bounce back after a rough second inning in the game against Florida State. She attributes this rebound to being able to control her thoughts.

Although the Wildcats walked out with the win against Florida State, it was not always easy for the team.

There are different strategies which Rauch uses to help her team through these difficult times.

As a pitcher, Rauch is at the center of everyone’s attention for some parts of the match. Part of her audience is her teammates, who are important to Paige’s success.

They serve as encouragement, and Rauch knows that they always support her. She also draws strength from the talent that surrounds herself. The softball team is a better

Success

hitting team, and this takes some pressure off of Rauch and allows her the space to correct her play, remain confident and regain her focus.

A big part of being a successful player is being able to read the umpire and decipher what type of calls they will make.

Rauch spends a few moments figuring out how the umpire will call, and this helps her play the best game she can.

Rauch is a versatile player and also plays first base. She begins her plays by reading the game, reading the pitcher and making sure to make contact with the ball. She does not only focus on hitting home runs. Rauch has a great record at Villanova, and she is one of two players to get 30 home runs. Montane praised Rauch for being a “true, good hitter.”

Rauch is an integral part of Villanova’s talented team. Her role on the team is not only to play softball, but also to support her teammates. She constantly encourages her teammates and instills confidence in them.

During the game against Florida State, Sydney Hayes had one of the best hits of her career: a three-run homer. Rauch was “so amped for her” and encouraged her to stay focused and keep up the amazing work.

Rauch is an amazing athlete, person and team member, and it will be interesting to see what she does in her final year at Villanova. The softball team at Villanova is highly accomplished and Rauch has been a big part of that success.

Assistant Coach Kyle Neptune Recieves Recognition East regular season championships.

The statistics from the eight years Neptune has been at Villanova have been remarkable.

Despite being just 35,

Villanova assistant coach Neptune is now the old man next Kyle Neptune has been named on to Wright, and he is the most expeThe Athletic’s “40 under 40” list of rienced assistant on Wright’s bench. college basketball’s most influential Neptune clearly has exceptional people. Late Monday night, college coaching abilities and should be in basketball writer Seth Davis released line for a head coaching job somethis list with 40 big names who where soon. continue to make a difference in the

Neptune has made a huge league and who are also under the difference in statistics for the Wildage of 40. cats, but he has also been a powerful

Villanova head coach Jay voice against social injustice.

Wright took to Twitter after the list

After the death of George came out to congratulate Neptune.

Floyd, which led to national pro “Great to see our guy @ tests, Neptune joined the board of kyleneptune honored as one of the a new group called Coaches for most influential coaches in college Action (CFA).

CFA is a social justice b-ball — Hard work , loyalty and group created by 21 assistant coachdedication to @NovaMBB!” es from the Big East. The group has

Neptune has been with the advocated for Black Lives Matter Wildcats for the last eight years patches on uniforms and voting and three years previously. From information for student athletes.

2008-2010, Neptune served as the CFA has already begun to video coordinator, a time frame that make a difference in the Big East overlapped with Villanova’s appearand other leagues. The Big East ance in the 2009 Final Four. He announced on Aug. 19 that it was went on to become an assistant at teaming up with CFA to support the Niagara, but he returned to VillanoBlack Lives Matter patches on basva in 2013, this time in an assistant ketball uniforms for the upcoming position. season.

During this time, the WildThe list has continued to cats have won two NCAA titles and circulate on Twitter, with words of five Big East tournaments. Additionpraise to other members commemally, during Neptune’s second stint orated on the list. Names include with the Wildcats, Villanova played Adam Amin, Dalen Cuff, Katy eight seasons and won seven Big Madison Burke Co-Sports Editor

Young-Staudt and other sportscasters, broadcasters, coaches and journalists.

“Honored & humbled to be included on this list of amazing people by @SethDavisHoops,” YoungStaudt tweeted. “These things never happen overnight. I am lucky to have mentors, allies & advocates who have supported me along the way. Thank you! We are just getting started!”

Many of those mentioned have been working for years to make

a name for themselves in the college basketball scene. Young-Staudt is an outspoken supporter of other social justice groups such as Rising Coaches and its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative.

The young coaches mentioned on this list showcase the new push for social justice changes and mentors within college basketball.

This honor is well deserved for Neptune as he continues to change Villanova and the Big East as a whole.

Neptune will hopefully continue his time at Villanova helping to influence student-athletes.

Courtesy of @NovaMBB Instagram

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DINING SERVICES

Villanova Dining Services

October is Fair Trade Month Fair Trade Certified™ products were made with respect to people and planet.

These products promote healthy working environments, environmental sustainability, and community development.

On April 17, 2013, Villanova University was officially recognized as the 14th Fair Trade University campus in the US. Villanova Dining Services offers Fair Trade Sugar, Coffee, Tea, & Chocolate!