The Villanovan | Volume 113, Issue 1: Wednesday, September 1, 2021

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2021 www.villanovan.com @thevillanovan

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VOLUME 113 | ISSUE 1

Kanye’s Donda: A Review

‘Nova Is Back, COVID Never Left

Jack Roberge Co-Editor-in-Chief

Kanye West released his tenth studio album, Donda, early Sunday morning.

The long-awaited album, which missed a total of four different release dates over more than a year, went through approval issues at the last minute which caused it to be delayed to Sunday morning. It was intended to release after West’s third listening party for the album, which took place at Soldier Field in Chicago on Thursday, August 26. West has since claimed that his record label, Universal Music Group, released the album without his permission. As such, it remains to be seen if the album will continue to see updates in the coming days.

The listening party experience played a pivotal role in the eventual release of the album. Taking place across the month of August, West held three different listening parties that gradually increased in their complexity and artistry, and as they improved the album did as well.

These listening parties offered a unique look into how an album comes together. The first, held in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, presented an album that was obviously unfinished but brimming with potential.

Due to a lack of communication from West himself, many fans were confused and annoyed that he was going to release an obviously unfinished work. This began the most confusing, though admittedly entertaining, album rollout that has likely ever been undertaken by a mainstream artist.

Two more listening parties followed, each followed by disappointment after more missed release dates and new theories as to the strange behaviors of West, which included an over 24-hour livestream of the room in Mercedes-Benz Continued on p. 12

University students cheer on the volleyball team in the Finneran Pavilion.

Courtesy of @thenationvu on Instagram.

Lydia McFarlane Staff Writer

When COVID-19 swept the global community back in March of 2020, education at all levels was forced to adapt. Like many other colleges, the University closed campus for the remainder of the academic year, allowing students to finish their semesters virtually to mitigate the spread of the highly transmissible coronavirus. For the 2020-21 academic year many college campuses, the University included, decided to bring students back to campus, although campus life was much different than in normal years.

Students were expected to wear masks at all times, except when eating or drinking or in their assigned dorm

rooms. There was surveillance testing for the virus, and many classes were still taught in completely virtual or hybrid modalities. However, with the development of the coronavirus vaccines and the FDA emergency use authorization for the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines in early 2021 - and subsequent full authorization for the Pfizer vaccine - the University has just begun a new, and somewhat normal, Fall 2021 semester.

On June 3, University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Ph.D., announced in an email to the community that COVID-19 vaccines would be required

by Aug. 1 for those wishing to return to campus this fall.

Upon the start of the academic year, the vaccination

rate for the community was 93% which quickly rose to 95%, according to another email from the Office of the President on Aug. 23.

Due to the mandate of the COVID-19 vaccine and the University’s high vaccination rate, this semester is looking much more normal than the past two years. In an Aug. 12 email from the Office of the President, the guidelines for a return to campus in the fall were outlined. These guidelines included: no masks are required outdoors for fully vaccinated Villanovans, masks are optional indoors for vaccinated students, masks are required inside for non-vaccinated students, visitors to campus are required to wear masks indoors, masks are encouraged for those who go off campus and into the sur-

rounding community, twice weekly testing required for the unvaccinated population, diagnostic testing available for those who need it and everything is back to full capacity.

Although masks are not required indoors for vaccinated individuals, professors are able to decide whether or not they will require masks within their classrooms.

“The high vaccination rate on campus allows us to ease most of the mitigation measures from this past year, while still providing the safest possible environment,” Donahue said in the email.

Many students are grateful for the University’s administration mandating the vaccine.

“The 95% vaccination rate on campus has been Continued on p. 2

Jay Wright Gives Summer Update

Colin Beazley

Co-Sports Editor

In a wide-ranging press conference, Jay Wright discussed his experiences with USA Basketball at the Tokyo Olympics, shared his thoughts on the new “alliance” between three of the traditional Power Five conferences and gave his first official updates on the health of several Wildcats, includ-

ing Collin Gillespie, Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree and many others.

The meeting opened with the topic of realignment and the story that has dominated the collegiate sports landscape, as Texas and Oklahoma set off a mad scramble to secure scheduling nationwide by voting to leave the Big 12 and join the SEC. The Pac-12, Big Ten and ACC announced a scheduling partnership across all sports Continued on p. 13

USA Men’s Basketball Team won their fourth straight gold medal in Tokyo.

Courtesy of Getty Images

“I Have a Dream” Speech Comes to Villanova p. 3

Women Network Chapters Comes to Campus p. 4

America Has a Responsibility to Help Afghan Refugees p. 5

Back to School: University Holds Wildcat Welcome Week p. 7

What’s in a Pronoun: Understanding and Respect p. 8

Mullen Center for the Performing Arts Show Opener p. 10

Villa-Vogue: The Need to Know Fall 2021 Fashion Trends p. 11

Pitcher Gordon Graceffo Drafted by St. Louis Cardinals p. 13

‘Cats are Back: Football Season Preview p. 14

Two Wins in Three to Open Volleyball Season p. 15

2 | The Villanovan

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PUBLIC SAFETY BLOTTER

VOL. 113 | ISS. 1 www.villanovan.com @thevillanovan

CATE McCUSKER JACK ROBERGE MADISON BURKE ARIANA MEGERIAN SARAH SWEENEY SARAH WISNIEWSKI TINA ARON VIVI MELKONIAN A.J. FEZZA ELENA ROUSE JULIA STANISCI COLIN BEAZLEY BILLY VINCI MOLLY BAKER

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

NEWS

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

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

Indecent Assault August 24 St. Monica Hall A female resident student reported to her RA that a known male resident student touched her inappropriately.

Theft by Unlawful Taking or Disposition August 27 South Campus Hall A female resident student reported lost or stolen clothing, calculator and toiletries during move in on 08/18/2021. The value of the lost or stolen items is approxiParaphernalia / Possession – Marijuana mately $225.00.

August 25 Delurey Hall Liquor Underage A male resident student was found in pos- August 28 session of a small amount of marijuana L – 2 Surface Parking Lot and drug paraphernalia.

One male resident student, one non affiliated male and two female resident Terroristic Threats students appeared in public and were August 26 evaluated for alcohol intoxication.

Vasey Hall A Villanova staff member reported that Liquor Underage / Public Drunkenness she received a threatening voicemail on August 29 her Villanova work voicemail system.

Stanford Hall A female resident student, under the age of 21, appeared in public and was evaluated for alcohol intoxication.

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.

Food Truck Friday September 3 9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Rowan Campus Green

CAT Labor Day Picnic September 5 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Driscoll Pavilion / Tent

Late Night Roller Skating sponsered by Student Involvement September 3 – 5 6:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.

Tolentine Field – Church Side

Labor Day – No Classes September 6 All Day

Spanish Mass September 4 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Corr Hall Chapel

Continued from p.1

Villanova Remembers 9/11 – Interdisipanary Panel Discussion September 8 4:30 p.m.

Location TBA Villanova Remembers 9/11 – Firsthand Stories and Reflections September 9 4:00 p.m.

President’s Lounge – Connelly Center

really comforting,” sophomore Jordan Mastrodomenico said.

After not having a full or normal school year since their sophomore year of high school, University freshmen are eager to be on campus and in the classroom.

“Having in-person classes after being mostly virtual the past two years is extremely refreshing,” freshman Brooke Fisher said.

“After experiencing the several inconsistencies of my senior year of high school, getting back to some sense of normalcy, as a college freshman, honestly feels great.”

After a normal senior year cut short and a very unprecedented freshman year of college, University sophomores are happy to be back to somewhat normal circumstances.

“I am most excited to be able to go to events and activities unmasked because it is nice to see everyone’s faces,” Mastrodomenico said.

“I was surprised at how crowded our facilities are, but it is definitely nice to see people out and about,” said sophomore Kylie Horan.

For many University seniors, it is hard to believe that they are in their final year, as they were in their sophomore year when the initial shutdown happened in March of 2020.

“Honestly, the years once the pandemic hit went by insanely fast,” senior Isaac Deleon said. “I don’t really feel like a senior, since all the years were sort of blurred

CONFIRMED CUMULATIVE CASES AS OF 8:00 P.M. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

36 1.3 Million 39.2 Million 217 Million Villanova University (since 8/17/21)

Pennsylvania

United States

CAMPUS CALENDAR

Intramural Sand Volleyball September 4 9:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

West Campus Sand Volleyball Court

COVID-19 TRACKER

Villanova Remembers 9/11 – Keynote Speaker and Reflection September 10 3:00 p.m.

Riley Ellipse Villanova Remembers 9/11 – Interfaith Vigil September 10 4:30 p.m.

Rowan Campus Green Villanova Remembers 9/11 – 9/11 Memorial Display September 10 4:30 p.m.

Rowan Campus Green

over the pandemic.”

However, Deleon and likely many other seniors are grateful to be back to a sense of normalcy for their last year.

“There were some things that I wished I got to do, but I think I really made the most out of what we had,” Deleon said.

Although many of the past years’ strict rules have been lightened if not dissolved, students still worry about a return to stricter measures as the delta variant of COVID-19 continues to develop.

As of Tuesday night, there have been a total of 36 cumulative cases at Villanova since August 17, according to the Covid-19 Dashboard that the University is continuing to update daily.

“Although it is nice to have everything back to full capacity and mostly normal, I am worried about the possible loss of in person extracurriculars due to rising COVID-19 cases,” an anonymous sophomore student said.

Although some students are nervous regarding COVID-19, others are very hopeful that this new normal is here to stay.

“I definitely am somewhat uneasy in regard to starting the new school year due to missing most of my senior year. However, putting those troubles aside, I am definitely ready to get my learning on at Villanova to compensate for any of the material [socially and academically] I missed in high school,” Fisher said.

Students are hesitantly hopeful for the remainder of the semester after a successful first week of in-person classes.

Worldwide

CONFIRMED FULL VACCINATIONS AS OF 8:00 P.M. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

174 Million 7.05 Million United States

Pennsylvania

Pfizer Gets FDA Approval Alexandra Spath Staff Writer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued full federal approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for those 16 years and older.

The vaccine, which will now be marketed under the name Comirnaty, is still available under emergency use authorization for individuals ages 12 through 15 but is not recommended for children under age 12.

Trials regarding vaccinating younger children are still underway.

The approval comes at a time when vaccine hesitancy is proving itself to be an obstacle in the effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the United States. According to the CDC’s most recent report, roughly 52% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated. FDA officials have expressed optimism that the new level of approval for the Pfizer vaccine will motivate unvaccinated Americans to get their shots.

Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. acknowledged that “while millions of people have already safely received COVID-19 vaccines, we recognize that for some, the FDA approval of a vaccine may now instill additional confidence

to get vaccinated. Today’s milestone puts us one step closer to altering the course of this pandemic in the U.S.”

The approval is also a victory for the administration of President Joe Biden in its efforts to increase the vaccination rate in the U.S. In a statement following the news from the FDA, Biden called on unvaccinated Americans to take action, saying, “if you’re one of the millions of Americans who said that they will not get the shot until it has full and final approval of the FDA, it has now happened. The moment you’ve been waiting for is here. It’s time for you to go get your vaccination and get it today.”

FDA approval also makes it easier for institutions to mandate vaccinations for employees.

School districts, corporations and most notably the Pentagon have announced mandates following the full approval of the Pfizer vaccine.

The Department of Defense has implemented a vaccine requirement, a decision that will impact 1.4 million service members.

A number of colleges and universities, including Villanova, have implemented vaccine requirements. Public school districts, including New York City, are beginning to do the same for employees.

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

The Villanovan | 3

NEWS

University Becomes Steward of “I Have a Dream Speech” Jackie Thomas Staff Writer

On Aug. 27, students, staff, alumni and other community members were informed by University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Ph.D. of Villanova’s new role as permanent steward of the original copy of Dr. Martin Luther King’s momentous “I Have a Dream” speech.

The announcement, released on the eve of the speech’s 58th anniversary, described how the document came into the University’s possession—through its former steward, George Raveling.

Raveling graduated from the University in 1960 and was a former men’s basketball player and assistant coach. He attended the famous March on Washington on Aug. 28, 1963 on a whim, agreeing to volunteer as a member of the security staff the day before the march. In a stroke of luck, fate or coincidence, Raveling found himself face-to-face with King just after he spoke and asked for the copy of his speech. King obliged, and Raveling has been in possession of the speech for the past 58 years.

“At no time do I remember thinking, ‘Wow, we got this historic document,” Raveling said, recalling the moment in a 2015 interview with Sports Illustrated.

Clearly, however, the speech’s historic significance quickly became more apparent as a major call to action during the Civil Rights Movement. Likewise, Raveling held a consequential role as the document’s keeper.

According to Donohue’s announcement, Raveling, who also served as the commencement speaker for the Class of 2016, has repeatedly articulated his wish to pass stewardship to the University, holding dear the years of instruction, community and Augustinian values instilled in him during his time as a student and coach.

“Thanks to a group of dedicated alumni who were instrumental in ensuring George’s wishes were met, and who were committed to fulfilling a shared vision of the landmark speech’s importance, Villanova has been entrusted to provide broad access to all those who seek to learn from and be inspired by Dr. King’s words,” Donohue said in an email.

The University has entered into a collaboration with the Smithsonian and the National Museum of African American History in Washington, D.C. to fulfill the mission of making the document broadly accessible. As part of a long-term loan agreement with the University, the speech will be displayed at the museum as part of the new “Defending Freedom, Defining Freedom” exhibit.

On campus, reactions to the

University’s new role as the speech’s steward ranged from shocked to ecstatic to humbled.

“I’m very surprised, but so happy,” sophomore Melanie Gonzalez said. “It’s such an honor that we will be able to see and approach something so meaningful.”

Sophomore Kaya Robinson too, was initially shocked at the news but sees the honor as progress toward greater diversity and inclusion efforts are made on campus.

“It’s nice to have an artifact from the African American community,” Robinson explained. “It seems fitting with initiatives the school has undertaken in the past few years to promote racial equity.”

Terry Nance, associate professor and Chief Diversity Officer for Villanova, expanded on the

speech’s significance as a symbol of hope and progress.

“This speech is such an important piece of history,” Nance asserted. “It’s almost like we are now the custodians of ‘the dream’.”

Nance emphasized, too, that this stewardship role should be anything but passive for members of the Villanova community, referencing the Augustinian values of justice, inclusion and action the institution was founded on.

“Our mission is not an inactive one—it calls us to action and to serve the underserved,” Nance said.

The speech, when not on loan to the National Museum of African American History or other like institutions, will permanently reside on campus in a location yet to be determined.

George Raveling with the original copy of King’s speech.

Courtesy of Sports Illustrated

Involvement Fair Hosts More Than 200 Clubs Caitlyn Foley Staff Writer

Anyone at Mendel Field late Friday afternoon would agree that the turnout for the Involvement Fair was incredible and almost overwhelming.

The excitement on the faces of all the club leaders and students wanting to participate was a genuine relief after a full year of masks and necessary COVID-19 regulations.

This was the first in-person involvement fair for both freshmen and sophomores, and the enthusiasm throughout the crowd was very apparent due to this return to normalcy in annual Villanova traditions. Students could be seen walking with friends and interacting with members of all the clubs and sports teams that make up the University’s extracurriclar sector.

With such a wide variety of clubs filling up more than 200 different tables, there was no shortage of categories that might catch students’ interest.

For those in the nursing school, MSNO, also known as the Multicultural Student Nurses Organization, is a great shared space for relating to students with similar academic goals. This club was formed last year with the goal of creating an outlet for nursing majors from the moment they step on campus.

Another academic-oriented group that is open to students of all majors is the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). During their meetings, members discuss different structures on our campus,

including how the tunnel connecting the main and west campus was built, and other construction related topics.

More culturally based clubs are also prevalent on campus. The Black Student Union (BSU) covers topics in modern day Black culture and hosts two to three events throughout the year. It also hosts cookouts for back-to-school and the end of the year.

Additionally, there are

clubs for students persuing premed, pre-law, pre-vet and other career paths. Clubs and organizations that focus on such careers assist students that might be interested in applying to schools for professional studies, preparing for entrance exams and all things in between.

Business societies, singing clubs and of course the service organizations were also well represented at the fair.

SGA was one of the many groups at the Invovlement Fair.

Courtesy of SGA Villanova

Another highlighted section of the involvement fair was club sports, which are once again returning to campus after their mandatory coronavirus hiatus.

One club that stood out was the judo club. Its setup at the club fair was particularly unique because members were teaching students how to throw people. Of course, this activity was very safe, but the hands-on experiences participants had was an exciting adrenaline rush.

Being able to interact with these club members face to face, and even participate briefly in what inspires these students, was truly refreshing after not being able to participate in any of these types of events as a freshman in the 2020-21 school year.

Sophomore Sarah Sweeney was excited to attend the event in person, especially since her frehsman year did not allow such an experience.

“It was so inspiring to see so many students ready to share their passions and interests with others,” Sweeney said.

With so many outlets now to cover a variety of interests, there is hope that both freshmen and sophomores can pursue some of their other passions that are not academically based. These extracurriculars offer an outlet for students to explore new interests or make new friends. The bonds that are created by shared interests are some of the most important that a college student makes during their time on campus.

If you were not able to attend, the lists are always available online to read about.

4 | The Villanovan

NEWS

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

Women’s Network Launches Chapter at Villanova Sarah Sweeney Co-News Editor

Defining ambition. This is one of the chief goals of The Women’s Network, a women-led networking community founded

by President Jamie Vinick at Syracuse University in 2017. Vinick was inspired by a moment in her freshman year, where she attended a lecture by a female banking executive and was disappointed that, amongst the many questions the speaker was asked, none highlighted the role of her gender in her path to success. She recounted her desire to ask a question but her hesitation to speak up in the male-dominated room.

After that moment, Vinick knocked on more than 1,000 freshman dorms, inviting people to the first-ever meeting of The Women’s Network, unknowingly starting a massive movement that would launch a podcast ‘Redefining Ambition,’ establish chapters on over 142 college campuses in North America and host an impressive range of speakers, from Alisyn Camerota, Co-host of CNN Newsroom, to Anna Frances Wood, founder/CEO at Brains over Blonde.

University chapters of The Women’s Network hold a number of exciting events throughout the year, including speaker meetings, alumni receptions, networking trips, LinkedIn and resume workshops, “Let’s Chat” community discussions, book club meetings and more. Among the campuses that get to take advantage of these events are UC Berkeley, Cornell

University, Georgetown University, and now… Villanova University.

The Villanova chapter of The Women’s Network is currently in the process of preparing for its launch on campus this fall, generating interest in and awareness of the club via its official Instagram page, actively seeking applications for Campus Ambassador and Executive Board positions, and encouraging Villanova students to join the national network.

Among the people working hard to make this launch possible is Vinick herself, who graciously took the time to speak with me in order to share her enthusiasm for The Network and her excitement for its launch on Villanova’s campus.

“There’s a need for high-achieving, ambitious women to feel proud of what they’ve accomplished...to feel celebrated, to feel uplifted and supported...and to support others. There’s very little incentive for women to support other women,” Vinick explained, highlighting that during her time at Syracuse she often found that the women in her major competed only with the other women, not the entire class. “With this kind of behavior, we are never going to change the numbers at the top.”

Vinick is re-shaping this narrative by putting an emphasis on collaboration instead of competition between women. One of the ways The Women’s Network accomplishes this is through its large size and diversity of members.

“We view the fact that we are open to all backgrounds,

interests, and majors as a huge strength. There’s value in meeting people, not just within, but also outside your major. There’s also a lot of commonalities we have that are shared. It also adds a layer of non-competitiveness, where you feel like you really can trust people and support people and uplift people,” she explained. “There’s value in building a network that is very expansive at this stage in our lives, and we are helping facilitate these genuine connections with one another in college, which will extend beyond the college years.”

“I’m really proud of the strength of our community and the members who continue to execute the vision….It’s an absolute honor to lead this community. We

have the highest achieving, most ambitious women in our network,” she shared.

Lara Janosz, a rising Sophomore at the University of Michigan and an intern at The Women’s Network explained that her favorite part of being a member is “the fact that there is a whole national network of women, who are not just excited about what they are doing but also excited about The Women’s Network and what you are doing.”

“The people I have talked to have been so excited to hear about my passions and interests,” Janosz said. “We are all united by the fact that we want to help each other and see each other succeed. It’s a really inspiring organization to be a part of.”

The Women’s Network is a national organization dedicated to helping women on college campuses.

Courtesy of The Women’s Network

Chaos Continues in Kabul as U.S. Evacuates Jack Matthews Staff Writer

As the last evacuation flights take off from the Kabul airport, effectively ending America’s longest war, questions remain as to how 20 years of American presence in Afghanistan unraveled in less than two weeks.

Despite imminent and credible terrorist threats, tens of thousands of civilians crowded the few remaining open entry points, including hundreds of American citizens and Afghan nationals who helped American forces throughout the war.

Many traveled hours or even days to reach the last foothold of Western power in the country, despite a suicide bombing on Thursday that killed at least 200 civilians, as well as 13 U.S. service members, one of the deadliest attacks in the recent history of the conflict.

ISIS-K, an Afghan affiliate of the Islamic State, claimed responsibility for the attack. ISIS-K was founded by former members of the Taliban who believed the group was not militant enough and claims to be enemies of both the new Taliban government in Afghanistan and the West.

President Joe Biden, who has come under fire since the

withdraw of Americans made a statement addressing the attack.

“We will hunt you down and make you pay,” Biden said.

Even before Thursday’s attack, the U.S. evacuation effort was defined by a sense of chaos and uncertainty, all centered around President Biden’s promise that all ground forces would be out of Afghanistan by August 31.

The date was set last year when then-President Trump signed an agreement with the Taliban that all Americans would leave, but that the Taliban would allow the U.S.-backed Afghan government to stay. As troops pulled out of the country the Taliban was quick to fill the vacuum, capturing provinces and bases sometimes without firing a shot.

The capital city of Kabul fell in just under a month, with President Ashraf Ghani fleeing the Presidential Palace before Taliban fighters stormed the building and began taking pictures in his former office. In a Facebook post, Ghani said “I thought it was best to get out” to avoid further bloodshed in the city.

The Taliban quickly took up the role of patrolling their new capital, setting up checkpoints around the airport to control the flow of people and stop the inevitable brain drain of skilled workers seeking to flee the country. In

one of their stronger moves of the conquest, Taliban fighters pulled an Islamic State leader out of a Kabul prison, where he had been held by the former Afghan government and executed him on the spot.

Concerns surrounding what a Taliban government will look like, especially in terms of women’s rights and the fate of those who worked with American forces, have added more stress to already frantic evacuation efforts.

The Taliban said that it would respect all workers who had been in Afghanistan for the past 20 years and not seek retribution against those who supported America’s war in the country.

However, senior leadership also warned that their fighters were “not trained to respect” women, and so any female Afghani should stay inside.

As of this past weekend, the United States and its allies have evacuated more than 100,000 civilians from the region, with those lucky enough to get on a flight ending up everywhere from Dulles Airport in Washington D.C. to surrounding countries, such as Qatar and Uzbekistan.

With the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks fewer than two weeks away, the sight of the Taliban flag flying once again over the streets of Kabul adds a final sour note to the already ugly ending of America’s longest war.

The U.S. military boards a helicopter to evacuate.

Courtesy of Getty Images, John Moore

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

The Villanovan | 5

OPINION

OPINION

Vaccine Gone Global: Who Bears the Brunt of the Booster?

Zoe Kim Staff Writer

The Delta Variant has reinforced a need for a third vaccine but has left global leaders and health officials in disagreement. The variant has had devastating effects in India, driving its COVID-19 infections to more than 32 million in August.

It is more contagious and deadly than other variants and can infect vaccinated people, rendering the first two doses less effective. It has raised fears in the global community and has pushed scientists to create and distribute a third vaccine in July.

This month, President Joe Biden has said he expects the distribution of the third vaccine to people of all ages in hopes of avoiding another surge by September. The third vaccine can protect vulnerable patients from the Delta Variant and ensure the safety of millions of Americans, preventing another surge, but it undermines our obligations to poorer countries.

Health officials around the world have said the booster is “unethical” and “unconscionable.” The World Health Organization called for a deferral of the booster until the end of September. However, wealthy nations have said they will not wait until then. A WHO official, Dr. Michael Ryan, spoke out against the booster.

“We’re planning to hand out extra life jackets to people who already have life jackets while we’re leaving other people to drown without a single life jacket,” Ryan said.

His comparison has left officials in limbo. Only the wealthiest nations can vaccinate their people, leaving poorer countries unvaccinated. Fewer than 0.5% of vaccine doses have been given to impoverished and

Hospitalizations rise as the Delta varient continues to prove deadly.

Courtesy of Tempura/Getty Images

rural nations, but there have been tens of thousands of expired vaccines in the US because of a lack of willing recipients. When comparing the effects of COVID-19 around the world, the less wealthy nations are bearing the brunt. Africa has had more than 184,000 deaths from the virus, which now surges in two dozen African nations.

Fewer than two percent of Africans are vaccinated, and they are far behind other continents despite the acceleration of vaccine shipments.

African director of WHO, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, said that wealthy countries need to vaccinate poorer countries rather than offer additional doses to already vaccinated people. She has called out the U.S. for making “a mockery of vaccine equity.” But the U.S. is not the only country offering the booster. France, Germany, Israel, Canada and the United Kingdom have already begun distributing the booster vaccine.

While the vaccine will be accessible to Americans of all ages, other countries will only vaccinate their most vulnerable population.

Israel is only offering the third vaccine to people over the age of 60. However, there is debate on how effective the booster will be once the virus mutates and with social distancing and precautions less strict.

There is a danger that as the virus mutates and becomes more deadly, it will harm and spread to unvaccinated people. It is also a question of whether vaccinated people would be willing to receive another dose. Many believe it would be more effective to ensure more people are vaccinated before moving on to the booster. With half of the US already vaccinated, Biden defended offering the third vaccine to Americans of all ages.

“We’re providing more to the rest of the world than all the rest of the world combined,” Biden

said. “We’re keeping our part of the bargain.” Officials are urging Biden to reconsider the booster. The US has already donated nearly 112 million doses of the vaccine, but most of the world is unvaccinated.

The booster raises a question of global ethics and vaccine nationalism: Are we obligated to help poorer countries at the expense of suffering from another surge? Never before have we had to ask ourselves this, but if the U.S. further neglects its obligations to other nations, the consequences can be devastating.

If countries continue to be unvaccinated, it can push them into poverty without any health services.

Buying boosters can disrupt vaccination supply and deliveries around the world and upset the global community. Before the U.S. supplies the third vaccine, it must cooperate with poorer nations to reach an effective vaccination rate. If not, it can lead to more deaths and infections globally.

America Has a Responsibility to Help Afghan Refugees Brendan Donoghue Staff Writer

As the United States continues its attempts to evacuate American citizens and Afghan refugees from Kabul, Afghanistan, there has been significant pushback by some in the Republican Party and rightwing pundits who have expressed concern over America welcoming Afghan refugees into the country in either large numbers or in a rushed process that does not allow for proper vetting.

On Aug. 16, The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh tweeted: “No, the United States should not welcome an unchecked flood of young fighting age Afghan men into our country. This should not even need to be said. It would be a grotesque and suicidal policy. Which is why I’m sure it will be put in place.”

Echoing Walsh’s comments, Newsmax’s Steve Cortes tweeted a picture of Afghans crowded into the hanger of an American fighter jet with a caption that read, in part, “Raise your hand if you want this plane landing in your town?,” implying that he would not be one to raise his own hand. J.D. Vance,

author of the bestselling novel “Hillbilly Elegy” and current Republican candidate for Senate from the state of Ohio, has been a vocal and consistent critic of welcoming Afghan refugees without a proper vetting process. The list goes on.

While there is an argument to be made for ensuring that migrants are received into the country in an orderly fashion, figures like Walsh, Cortes and Vance miss the point of the Afghanistan issue entirely.

Had it not been for the United States’ precipitous withdrawal from Afghanistan in the first place, there would not be a refugee issue.

The crux of the matter is simple: we left. We left people who had worked with United States soldiers as interpreters and contractors to the tender mercies of the Taliban, with no serious plan to ensure their safety.

Contrary to popular belief, Afghanistan was not a forever war, nor was it a significant drain on military resources.

We have far more soldiers stationed in Germany (roughly 33,000) than we did in Afghanistan when President Joe Biden ordered

the withdrawal (roughly 2,500). To paraphrase Jay Nordlinger of National Review, the United States has forever interests and faces forever threats. We ought to forever pursue those interests and forever defend against those threats.

We did not have to leave, but we did, and in so doing, we sent a clear signal to citizens around the world that if you sacrifice your lives to assist the United States, we will reciprocate by leaving you and your families desperately clinging to the wheels of departing airplanes so long as it is politically convenient on the homefront.

Those who warn of a refugee surge from Afghanistan either miss or choose to overlook this crucial fact. The argument is not that America opens its borders to unvetted refugees out of an unbridled sense of altruism, it is that we owe it to those who played a crucial role in our military success over the last 20 years to ensure their safety and the safety of their families.

Far from a Statue of Liberty platitude, welcoming Afghan refugees is the chance for America to show that the word of a superpower means something, that we will not

abandon those who helped us to our enemies out of convenience.

Fortunately, a number of influential voices on the political right share this view. National Review’s Jim Gergahty responded to Cortes’ aforementioned tweet with one of his own, writing, “Is the fear that someone in this crowd is an Islamist sleeper agent or closet extremist? I mean, the first piece of counter-evidence against those suspicions is that the Taliban is trying to kill all of them.” If you are trying to flee extremist terrorist rule, the chances that you pose a severe threat of terrorism yourself are not exactly high.

Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE) went even further. When asked about Vance’s comments on Chris Wallace’s Fox News Sunday, Sasse replied, “they fought hand in hand with our troops, and we made promises to them...when you fought on behalf of Americans to protect our people, you’re welcome in my neighborhood.” Sasse is precisely correct. America has a moral duty to ensure that our allies in Afghanistan get to safety before the Taliban kick down their door for working with the United States. They are welcome in my neighborhood, too.

6 | The Villanovan

EDITORIAL BOARD

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS

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

CATE McCUSKER Editor-in-Chief JACK ROBERGE MADISON BURKE TINA ARON VIVI MELKONIAN

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

OPINION

POLICY

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

The Start of the NFL Season: First Week in Action Jacob Artz Staff Writer

One of the best weeks of the year for sports fans is almost upon us: the start of the NFL season. The season kicks off Thursday, Sept. 9, with the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay squaring off against Dallas.

There are many storylines heading into the first week of action, and they all start in Tampa Bay. This team brings back all 22 starters from last year’s championship team and none more important than the starting quarterback Tom Brady. According to Pro Football Reference, he impressed again last year by tossing 40 touchdowns, throwing for 4,633 yards and completing 65.7% of his passes. The Buccaneers are certainly the favorites to dispatch the Cowboys on Thursday night.

The rest of the Week 1 games are intriguing, as many featured players are on new teams, and new draft picks will be starting the first games of their regular-season careers.

In Houston, the number one overall draft pick, Trevor Lawrence, will make his first start with the Jacksonville Jaguars under first-time head coach Urban Meyer, who had much success in coaching college football.

According to CBS Sports, Houston Texans star quarterback Deshaun Watson is engulfed in trade talks but is in a state of limbo with 22 civil lawsuits against him alleging sexual misconduct in massage sessions.

In another game, the Los Angeles Chargers visit Washington D.C. to take on the Washington Football

Buccaneers Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski celebrate after winning the Super Bowl.

Courtesy of Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images

team. These teams both have playoff aspirations, with the Chargers being led by 2020 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year Justin Herbert and a ferocious Washington defense led by Chase Young. Seattle and Indianapolis are two other impressive teams that will face off. Seattle’s starting quarterback, Russell Wilson, will again shine with wide receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, while former Philadelphia quarterback Carson Wentz starts anew in Indianapolis with former offensive coordinator and Indianapolis head coach Frank Reich, although his status for the game is uncertain since he was put on the COVID-19 reserve list on Aug. 30.

The second overall pick in

the draft, Zach Wilson, and the New York Jets take on Carolina, which traded for the Jets’ previous starting quarterback Sam Darnold this offseason. Last year’s number one overall draft pick, Joe Burrow, is coming back from a gruesome ACL and MCL tear with a partial PCL tear (per CBS Sports) to lead Cincinnati against veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins and Minnesota. Cousins was up and down last year, while Burrow showed flashes of good play before the injury.

Two offensive powerhouses, Arizona and Tennessee, will play on Sunday. The game will feature up-and-coming Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray and Tennessee quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who recently tested positive for COVID-19 but will

be back before the game against Arizona, per NFL.com. The 49ers are looking to avenge a rough season last year as they take on a hopeful Detroit team with new coach Dan Campbell and former Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff under center.

In a top-tier AFC matchup, superstar Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen will face Pittsburgh, which is led

by Ben Roethlisberger. The Eagles barely played their starters in the preseason, with Jalen Hurts only playing ten snaps, as they look to impress against Atlanta, which disappointed last year.

In the late games, a rematch of the wild AFC Divisional round playoff game between Cleveland and Kansas City will commence in what could determine a crucial head-tohead tiebreaker for playoff seeding.

Green Bay weathered a highly publicized holdout by MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and the team will play Jameis Winston-led New Orleans after future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees retired. Two teams looking to find their footing, Denver and the Giants, face off, while the surprise playoff contender from last season, Miami, travels to New England, which will be led by the 15th overall pick in the NFL Draft, Mac Jones.

In the Sunday night game, Chicago travels to Los Angeles to take on the Rams. The Rams traded for longtime Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford in the offseason. In the Monday night game, the AFC championship-contending Baltimore takes on Las Vegas in the first primetime game at Allegiant Stadium.

This is going to be a fun season with all the fans back and many good teams fighting for playoff spots.

The Return to In-Person: A New Normal at ‘Nova Joe Adams Staff Writer

Villanova is back.

Those are three words I never expected to say so soon. At the end of last semester, I did not think that we would be back, in person, mostly maskless and back to the way things used to be. Of course, most of us are relieved, excited and ready to experience what college truly is all about.

But for me, there’s another feeling that I have been hearing about more and more: anxiety.

For many of us, this is the first time that we have been back in large crowds, socializing with dozens of people a day. Don’t get me wrong; it is a genuinely great feeling to be walking to class and saying hi to recognizable faces, which was near impossible last year. But at the same time, coming back full speed ahead

without much of a transition back to normal college life has been a unique adjustment.

As a sophomore, I’ve never known Villanova in any other way than last year’s atypical two semesters. I’ve quickly learned that Belle Air Terrace (1.0) is a go-to spot, main campus can get fairly busy around noon and that long tables are so much better than eating in plexiglass boxes in the dining halls. However, I’ve also learned that there are a lot more in-person events and things to do around campus. Everything going on can get overwhelming and lead to burnout.

Although some students are enjoying their time here, many may be feeling this burnout already. It is difficult to go back to normal right now. Feeling tired and anxious has been normal. Getting right back into the swing of things is everything we had wanted, and it truly is amazing.

But I never expected this adjustment

to be so tiresome.

As a sophomore, I do find myself feeling like a freshman all over again, trying to figure out the ins and outs of Villanova. I’m having to adjust on the fly and learn all about the things I never got to experience last year. I think for many students, especially sophomores, it is difficult to constantly feel like we have to catch ourselves up, and we find ourselves feeling behind because we don’t know everything that a typical college sophomore would know.

The impacts of the pandemic are long-lasting, and the sad reality is that many Villanova students must deal with their own mental health struggles following this difficult and tiring year. According to a survey from the U.S. Census Bureau, 41.1% of adults in the United States are reporting symptoms of anxiety and/ or depression, which is up from 11% in 2019. COVID-19 will continue to impact so many of us for years to

come, and it is important for all of us to take care of ourselves. These struggles, combined with readjusting to academic and social life in a more traditional year at Nova are a lot to handle.

For me, I’ve found running, journaling, giving myself time to relax or just talking about how I feel with friends can aid in anxious feelings related to adjusting to the new year.

Remember that as Villanovans, we all have each other’s backs, and we are a community that must continue to be patient and kind with one another.

The bottom line is this: if you are feeling anxious about the new normal at Villanova, that is okay.

Remember that there are resources available on campus, not only in the University Counseling Center, but in each other. Hopefully as the semester goes on, the adjustment will become easier, and we can all get acclimated to life at Villanova as it used to (and should) be.

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

CULTURE

The Villanovan | 7

CULTURE

Back to School: University Holds Wildcat Welcome Week AJ Fezza Co-Culture Editor

On the first weekend of the school year following orientation, the University’s Office of Student Involvement (OSI) and the Campus Activities Team (CAT) offered a plethora of activities as part of Wildcat Welcome Week.

The first Nova Quizzo, the University’s beloved weekly trivia competition, took place on Thursday, Aug. 26. The theme was Summer 2021 in Review. The three categories were about major events, the Olympics and songs of the summer. With a final score of 35 out of 40, the winning team was “The A Team,” and it was their first time at Quizzo.

On Friday, Aug. 27, the Student Involvement Fair was held at Mendel Field from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. It was originally slated to take place from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., but it was delayed due to expected rain. Over 240 student organizations set up posters to recruit new members.

Later on, Movie Night was held at the Connelly Center Cinema. Last year, movie nights were usually held outside at the Riley Ellipse, but this year’s loosening of restrictions means that University-sponsored indoor events are back once again. At 8 p.m., CAT played the Pixar film “Luca,” followed up at 10 p.m. with “A Quiet Place Part II.”

NOVAdance held a Silent Disco event in the Villanova Room in the Connelly Center. NOVAdance is a year-long

annual fundraising effort culminating in a twelve hour dance marathon during the Spring 2022 semester. NOVAdance raises money for the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation, which provides financial and emotional support to families of children with cancer nationwide and funds childhood cancer research.

However, the most packed event of all was the one and only Food Truck Friday. Many returning students weren’t even sure there were still going to be Food Truck Fridays, since many believe the food truck phenomenon was started by Community First as a way to keep students on campus on Friday nights, back when the pandemic was a larger concern.

In reality, the idea for Food Truck Friday dates back to Fall 2019 when Christine Quisenberry, the Director of Presidential Initiatives and Events, helped coordinate the addition of food trucks behind the Finneran Pavilion.

A year later, in Fall 2020, Quisenberry worked with Community First to make the presence of food trucks a regular occurrence.

Nevertheless, a horde of students, many of them freshmen, gathered around the Riley Ellipse and the Campus Green on Friday for free pizza, tacos, burgers and more.

“I wasn’t sure that Food Truck Fridays would be returning,” junior Matthew Gaetano said. “Considering that they were one of the highlights of campus last year, I’m really glad that they’re back.”

The next day, on Saturday Aug.

28, the Riley Ellipse was scattered not with food trucks, but something totally new to campus: escape rooms. Students had the opportunity to test their knowledge at four escape room tents with four unique themes: Area 51, Financial Bank, Castle of Horrors, and Escape the 70s.

Each escape room experience fit eight students and lasted 15 minutes, making for long lines outside the tents. Still, students found the experience to be worth it.

“The escape rooms were a lot of fun,” sophomore Joe Adams said. “Since I could try out a bunch of different rooms, I had a blast, and along the way I was able to meet a lot of new people which was awesome.”

Meanwhile, at the Belle Aire Terrace in the Connelly Center from

8 p.m. to 10 p.m., CAT presented live music played by local musicians.

To finish off Wildcat Welcome Week, on Sunday, Aug. 29 at 5 p.m, University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Ph.D. presided over a special Welcome Back Mass outdoors on the Rowen Campus Green. This mass was followed by a celebration with more food trucks and a live jazz band on Mendel Field.

The week was undoubtedly a success. Freshmen now know that on-campus activity-filled weekends don’t taper off after Orientation. They last all year. For everyone else, Wildcat Welcome Week has been a long-awaited return to the maskless Villanova that we know and love.

Trucks like Pizzeria Pronto park around the Riley Ellipse for Food Truck Friday on 8/27.

Courtesy of AJ Fezza

Weekly Horoscopes: Week of Friday, September 3 Elena Rouse Co-Culture Editor

Aries: You are feeling challenged by the actions of those around you. While they might not align with your own views, do not let others’ choices affect what you do and how you act. Your straightforward and tenacious personality is a great quality, but don’t let it overtake your cool.

Taurus: You will find yourself with an unexpected change in your life. With the beginning of every semester comes adjustment, but this year presents a new dynamic you really aren’t used to. Change can be hard, but if you stay persistent through the awkward period, you will come out the other side feeling refreshed.

Gemini: A new opportunity is staring you in the face. You’re still trying to figure things out and that’s a good thing. But make sure you aren’t negatively affecting others in the meantime. Fear of failure or of the unknown is normal. Take some time to figure out what it is you really want so when it comes time to go for it, there is no hesitation.

Cancer: It’s easy to feel a little bit invisible sometimes. Even if you shine bright for yourself and those around you, you can still find yourself feeling like it isn’t enough.

This semester, take time to work on feeling satisfied with you and you only, because who you are is pretty great.

Leo: This is your moment.

The Sun’s orbit is casting a particu-

larly bright aura around the luck of all the Leos, so use that extra energy and channel it into something that will not only be productive, but fuel your spirit and passions.

Virgo: An overwhelming sense of goodness will surround you this week. Whether it be friends, your own actions or just a stranger doing something kind, you will find yourself surprised by the unexpected kindness of people this week. Make sure to pass it on.

Libra: We all have those moments that embarrass us and

Libra, you’re still reeling from some of them. The good news is, you tend to blow moments out of proportion upon overthinking them after they have occurred, so rest assured, no one is thinking twice about the way you acted. Who knows, if the stars are right, those funny moments might turn into conversation starters in the future.

Scorpio: Space and time are essential to some relationships. Sometimes, it’s okay to take some time for yourself. It doesn’t mean that the relationship is failing, just that you are

giving it space to grow. You might be internally struggling with letting go, but the sooner you let go of what you think you should do, the faster the right thing to do will present itself.

Sagittarius: Smiling through everything doesn’t always mean you are fine with what is happening. You see the happiness of those around you and are supportive of them, but it still hurts to see people moving on without you. This week, acknowledge that sadness and take steps towards that new chapter in your life.

Capricorn: While you might be feeling like all your hard work is going unnoticed, know that you are on the path to achievement. The key in the upcoming weeks is to keep your head down and to stay focused on what you do best. That way, you will have no distractions of doubt and will be able to take on each new challenge head on.

Aquarius: You haven’t been afraid recently, and it is paying off.

Let the adventure you’re on take you to places you’ve never been, and reap all the benefits. Soon enough you will have to end the doe eyed adventure, so take advantage of every moment that this new growth gives you.

Pisces: Indecisiveness is suffocatng you. You’re very in tune to your emotions, so you understand why you aren’t making any decisions.

However, with each passing moment, this lack of decision making is putting a dent in your peace of mind and of others who might be involved. This week, try to take steps towards some sort of end goal. Your head and heart See how you’ll fare the beginning of this semester based on your horoscope. will be better for it.

Courtesy of AdWeek

8 | The Villanovan

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

CULTURE

What’s In A Pronoun?: Understanding and Respect

and “male” have been the only two identities accepted and widely acknowledged, particularly in Western culture. As for some other cultures

*Important Disclaimer: This piece throughout the world, multiple gender serves as an introduction to the concept of identities exist outside of the binary respecting pronouns to those mildly or not at with high respect and regard within all familiar with this concept, especially when their communities. While the concept it comes to terms outside of the gender binary. of the gender binary being a flexible It will not cover every single aspect of existing and widely varied construct has existas a queer person at Villanova University or ed for a long time, the dissection of its in the world. This writer identifies as queer, construction in Western culture has has navigated some of these experiences and only become a more widely discussed acknowledges the white privilege associated and respected topic in recent years. with being white and queer in the sphere of

There has been an increase in education and beyond. Furthermore, this piece the amount of research and discourse uses “they/them” to refer to nonbinary people. in the current literature about what This writer understands not all nonbinary gender identity means today and people want to be referred to as “they/them.” how it exists within a society that is These terms were used in order to encompass unlearning the enforcement of strict all nonbinary identities in holistic stategender roles, or traits and judgements ments.* developed based on how feminine or

The start of classes, also masculine one may be perceived by known as Sylly Week, has brought on the public. This increase of knowlan onslaught of ice-breakers, get-toedge has also caused a shift in attitude know-you presentations and introtowards people identifying outside of ductory name tags on every table. the binary, including within the VillaAmong the many questions asked of nova community. all students, apart from their names

When asked what they and their hometowns, the question thought about the emphasis on knowof students’ pronouns has become ing pronouns in the classroom, an increasingly popular in classrooms all anonymous sophomore English and across the country.

Psychology double major provided

Pronouns, as anyone who insight. has been taught grammar will tell

“It isn’t right to assume what you, are classified as terms used to someone’s gender identity is simply refer to a person, usually when they based off of what they look or sound are not present. The particular term like, so asking for pronouns gives the employed to refer to a person is often clarification and makes the environdetermined by one’s preference and ment more safe and accepting for gender identity. More and more peoeveryone,” the student said. ple are choosing to request pronouns

Another anonymous sophoexisting outside of the traditional more Finance major shared thoughts gender binary. Historically, “female” about the subject.

Bailey Quinn Staff Writer

“It’s important to correctly refer to people when talking to them or about them,” the student said.

Ultimately, it is agreed that the point of acknowledging one’s preferences is a matter of basic respect and makes learning spaces safer for students to express and participate as their truest selves. When students are welcomed as they wish to be, they are more inclined to be open in class discussions and raise their hand more often. The comfort and acceptance gives students room to grow in and out of the classroom. While we have been making strides in pronoun preferences on campus, there are still more steps to take.

An anonymous sophomore Biology major noted she was only asked her pronouns in some of her classes. Navigating through the concept of gender identity can feel foreign and confusing for those more comfortable with the construct of the binary. However, it is important to

remember that the practice of asking pronouns makes every classroom more cohesive to inclusivity.

To foster that sort of environment, remember to ask for student pronouns and use the proper terms.

If someone expresses the desire to be called by more than one (Examples include: “I use she/they pronouns” / “I use any pronouns” / I go by they/ he”), make sure to use any and all pronouns interchangeably. If a student or peer expresses an interest in using new pronouns in class, congratulate them on exploring and investigating who they are, but do not pry into their process or progress. If someone says they prefer a certain pronoun, use it properly. These questions go a long way as we try to answer the questions we all ask ourselves every day as Villanovans and as the scholars of the Augustinians: “Who am I?” And celebrating each other’s progress on our paths to answering that question is always a cause for celebration.

Take the time to understand and respect your peers’ pronouns Courtesy of the LGBTQ+ Experiment

Welcome Back Mass 2021: An Outdoor Celebration Olivia Sabalesky Staff Writer

“The food trucks are ready for you on Mendel Field,” announced University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Ph.D. at the end of the Welcome Back Mass. “Thanks be to God!”

This past Sunday, Aug. 29, Villanova students were thrilled to carry their portable chairs over to the Rowen Campus Green for Campus Ministry’s Welcome Back Mass. No matter which religious affiliation one has, all were invited to participate in the campus liturgy.

Hundreds of students attended to celebrate their return to campus as they begin the 202122 academic year at the University, their home away from home.

Many students also participated in the liturgy and served as Liturgical Ministers, Pastoral Musicians and Lectors.

In his Homily, Father Peter celebrated the feast of St. Monica and St. Augustine, two beloved saints of the Villanova community, as many students have read St. Augustine’s “The Confessions” in their Augustine and Culture Seminar Program (ACS).

Father Peter also analyzed Matthew 22:39, “Love thy neighbor as thyself,” by comparing it to the University’s Community First: The CARITAS Commitment.

In the past 18 months, millions of people around the world have

endured immense hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, Villanova students stepped up by adhering to the CARITAS Commitment in which they practiced social distancing, wore masks and washed their hands frequently to protect one another from the spread of the terrible virus.

Although masks and social distancing are no longer required for

those who are vaccinated, Father Peter encouraged students to love each other as themselves by continuing to practice good hygiene, stay home if sick and more.

“Faith means nothing if you do not act,” Father Peter said.

In order to truly follow Matthew 22:39, Villanova students should continue to act on behalf of their fellow peers by adhering

to the CARITAS Commitment.

During the Mass, students enjoyed sitting outside in the warm summer weather. Junior Bernadette Goratowski was thrilled to share the experience with her friends.

“The weather was so nice, and it was such a wonderful way to start the year,” she said.

Junior Derek Lattmann was grateful to be back in his home away from home.

“The Welcome Back Mass was just as I’d hoped,” Lattmann said. “While it was sad because it marked the end of another great summer, it definitely offered a taste of the excitement yet to come in this semester. With the setting sun behind us and the warm greetings of friends that I haven’t seen for months, it was the perfect way for Villanova to say ‘welcome home.’”

The Mass was also very bittersweet for seniors like Caroline Levine, the Student Body President.

“As a senior, the Welcome Back Mass reminded me of how much of the Villanova experience is about finding community and belonging through each other,” Levine said. “Although we found great ways to gather together with the Community First events over the past year, there’s nothing like ending the week together.”

The Welcome Back Mass was a great success per students’ remarks, and they hope to have Father Peter led Villanova’s Welcome Back Mass on the Campus Green. another outdoor mass soon before Courtesy of Olivia Sabalesky winter weather arrives.

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

CULTURE

The Villanovan |9

Villanova Class of 2025 Attends New Student Orientation Molly Carriero Staff Writer

On Aug. 18, about 1,800 new students moved onto campus eager to begin their very own Villanova journeys. There to greet them were Resident Assistants and more than 100 Orientation staff members in bright pink t-shirts. That night, new students headed over to Mendel Field for “Catchella,” the annual first night mixer hosted by the Campus Activities Team (CAT).

The following morning, the Class of 2025 attended the opening Mass ceremony led by University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Ph.D.. There was a buzz of hope and joy on campus, as family Mass is a monumental Villanovan tradition— a tradition that was put on hold during Fall 2020. The new students and their parents heard speeches from members of the University’s community, including Donohue, Kathleen Byrnes of Student Life and Rohan Gohel, the 2021Orientation Student Chair. Gohel, a senior political science and economics major, has been planning this year’s program since October 2020. He was formerly an Orientation Counselor and has a love and passion for the New Student Orientation Program (NSOP). Gohel strived to make this year’s program unforgettable for the Class of 2025.

“Orientation this year was the most life changing thing I have ever done,” Gohel said. “Being able to be there for New Students to ensure they have a smooth college transition while making lifelong friendships made me even more grateful for Villanova and the NSOP. I hope every new student feels loved and welcomed because they deserve that and so much more.”

After saying their final goodbyes to their parents, new students

(divided into groups of 20-22) headed to various classrooms across campus to meet their Orientation Counselors, who they would come to know and rely on for the next four days.

Transfer students also attended Orientation, led by a group of Transfer Counselors who have experienced the transition to the University later than their freshman year.

With no mask requirements or glass shields separating tables in the Pit, the Class of 2025 was able to have an Orientation experience vastly different from that of last year. Some were hesitant to even label it “normal.” The Class of 2025 spent the next four days attending academic orientations, playing games with their groups, learning classic orientation chants, getting their first tastes of the dining halls, watching presentations on valuable campus resources and getting to know their fellow classmates. The new students attended funny presentations that explained the SEPTA train to Philadelphia.

They attended important conversations on Moments That Matter, a presentation about sexual violence awareness on campus and the various resources available for students.

Students also attended the Diversity Skit hosted by The Association for Change and Transformation (ACT), a performance followed by a guided conversation that discusses perceptions of what happens at the University and provides tools for students to act as allies.

Each night of Orientation, the students and the Orientation Staff Members funneled into the Finneran Pavilion for nightly entertainment.

The students enjoyed an exciting presentation by Assistant Basketball Coach Dwayne Anderson and was mesmerized by the Evasons, the mentalist Duo magicians. Students were called up to stage to have their

Upperclassmen Orientation Counselors facilitate an incredible program for freshmen.

Courtesy of Alice Ke

minds, personal items and thoughts read and exposed by the magical Tessa. Saturday night, the students received a motivational speech from Eric LeGrand, a former American football defensive tackle who became paralyzed in 2010. Eric encouraged audience members to be their best each day and take advantage of this precious time in college.

The final evening of Orientation ended with the annual closing Mass ceremony, at which the 1,800 new students lit up the Finn with candles and the singing of the Alma Mater.

After a difficult year of isolation and uncertainty, the Class of 2025 brought Villanova hope during the four days of New Student Orientation. Though the program ended that Sunday night before classes would officially begin, the memories made and the bonds created will last

a lifetime. Orientation continues to positively impact new students and show them what it truly means to be a Villanovan.

“Villanova’s Orientation Program does an incredible job recognizing the importance of human connection,” said senior Brenna Gaffney, who is the Assistant Chair of the Orientation Program. “During both our Orientation Staff training and the four days of Orientation, every action is intentional. We aim to show every new student that we care for them in every interaction we have, whether it is a conversation or just a smile. The New Student Orientation Program has been such a meaningful part of my Villanova experience, and I hope it inspires all of the new students to continue to connect with other Villanovans as they embark on their first year at Villanova.”

Fall 2021: Things to Do in Philadelphia This Semester DJ Comerford Staff Writer

Whether you are a freshman looking to go somewhere with your new dorm friends or a junior looking for a place to go other than Conn, downtown Philadelphia is the place for you. Being only a 30-minute drive or less than an hour train ride away, Philly is definitely a place Villanovans should go if they are looking for new things to do.

If you’re feeling hungry, go get a Philly cheesesteak at Dalessandro’s on Wendover Street. It is famous for stuffing the bread to maximum capacity with steak, so you will definitely be satisfied.

Junior Michael Tufankjian went to Dalessandro’s last spring and was able to share his thoughts.

“Being from Boston, I never really had a true Philly cheesesteak, so when I got to Villanova, I knew I had to try it,” Tufankjian said. “I enjoyed the blue-collar environment surrounding the restaurant and after my first bite, I realized why the city was so famous for the sandwich.”

Dalessandro’s is one of the city’s most famous cheesesteak spots, and it’s only a 24-minute

This semester, take advantage of Villanova’s proximity to Philly and all the city has to offer.

Courtesy of Visit Philadelphia

ride from campus. If you want to venture into Philly a bit more, try John’s Roast Pork on Snyder Ave. In a cheesesteak review, Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy gave their sandwich an 8.3.

“It’s the best I’ve had in the city,” Portnoy said.

If you’re looking for a nonfood related activity, you could visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art. For only $14, one can access the entire museum and see works from artists like Picasso and Rem-

brandt. It’s a super cool activity if you want to do something new.

Another unique spot to check out is Cira Green, which is a public park built on the rooftop of a 12-story parking garage. You can get takeout from a groundfloor restaurant called The Post and bring it up top to watch the sunset over the Philly skyline. For the over 21 crowd, one can grab a drink at the rooftop bar.

Both the Museum and the Cira Green are just a few blocks

south of Philly’s Amtrak Station at 30th Street, making it convenient for all Villanova students to check out.

Finally, if you want to go to a large event, head down to South Philly to catch a Phillies game.

Over the summer, junior Ned Camel visited Citizens Bank Park for a game and shared about his ballpark experience.

“Phillies games are a ton of fun and the tickets are really reasonable,” Camel said. “Standing room only tickets are just $20, and it’s a great time.”

Mark your calendar for the next Hatfield Phillies Franks Dollar Dog Night on Sept. 20. How can you beat a fall night watching the Fightins and housing franks for a dollar a pop? It really doesn’t get any better than that.

Other popular large events in Philly are the concerts at the BB&T Pavilion in Camden, NJ. This year, there will be artists such as Maroon 5, Chris Stapleton, The Jonas Brothers and The Backstreet Boys.

These are just a few things that Philly has to offer. Villanova is right next to the sixth largest city in the United States, and students would be remiss if they didn’t take advantage of all that it has to offer.

10 | The Villanovan

CULTURE

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

Mullen Center for the Performing Arts Show Opener collegiate a cappella competitions, this film follows college groups as they compete to be the top commedia dell’arte troupe in the country.

The Villanovan spoke with

The spread of the COVID-19 Dr. Joyce for more information about pandemic meant that just ahead of the inspiration behind “Slaphappy.” the John and Joan Mullen Center for

“When we realized last Fall the Performing Arts’ grand opening, that we were not going to have in-perVillanova Theatre had to adapt. All son audiences, I scrapped the hope throughout the remainder of 2020 of doing ‘Sense and Sensibility’ and and going into 2021, the talented started thinking about a commedia creative minds of Villanova Theatre piece, since masks are a part of that put together filmed productions that genre anyway,” Dr. Joyce said. “The could be viewed via streaming on main thing I was looking for in 2021 their website. was to laugh with the students and get

One of these productions, them some practical training that they “Slaphappy: A Covid-Era Commehad been missing, since so much of dia,” was just re-released in-person 2020 was either over Zoom or socially this past weekend, making it the first public show of the 2021-2022 school distanced. The physical nature of the commedia style seemed like the year at the Mullen Center. The film perfect fit. After rejecting most of was presented at the Center’s Topthe tried-and-true commedia scripts per Theatre on Saturday, Aug. 28 at because they were either focused on a 7 p.m.. Tickets were free, but a $10 young woman being forced to mardonation was suggested for those in ry an older man she hates and then attendance. watching Pitch Perfect one night, I

“Slaphappy: A Covid-Era Commedia ‘’ was directed by Villano- was inspired to mimic the joyful spirit va Theatre Department Chairperson of the collegiate competitive circuit, but for commedia teams.”

Dr. Valerie Joyce. It is a two-and-a In “Slaphappy,” there are half hour mockumentary-style film, three competing teams. The film filmed and edited by Communication follows the teams as they prepare to Professor Hezekiah L. Lewis, III. compete in a Lazzi Off competition, a

Aug. 28 marked the film’s first Regional Competition, and a Nationin-person showing open to the entire al Competition.

Many of the most public, and the first show presented at entertaining scenes in the film are the the Topper Theatre since the 2021rehearsal scenes, since they reveal the 2022 school year began. intragroup dynamics of the teams

“Slaphappy” is reminiscent of and show the actors feuding over their the hit 2012 comedy film “Pitch Perartistic visions. fect,’’ except instead of being about A.J. Fezza Co-Culture Editor

“Slaphappy” was an entirely-improvised show. Dr. Joyce kept an outline general plot points, but every step of the way, changes were being made and students were bringing their own ideas to the table.

The cast and crew were mostly graduates, with the exception of two actors: Timothy Krall, who graduated in 2021, and current senior Ryan Henry. Krall played the character Roy “The Boy,” a member of the Ciao Bellas team who constantly feuds with the team’s high-strung leader Margo le Fay, played by graduate student Tina Lynch.

“Working on ‘Slaphappy’ was a fantastic time,” Krall said. “The graduate students welcomed me with open arms and encouraged me to be creative. It was an awesome way to finish up my college experience.”

“Slaphappy” was filmed throughout March and April of 2021, when COVID-19 masking and social distancing requirements were still in full effect, making for a more difficult filming process.

When the rough cut of the film was completed, it had a length of 4.5 hours. Ultimately, the length was reduced substantially to about 2.5 hours, with an intermission.

All of the intricate costumes, wigs, and masks in the competition scenes of the film are the product of Costume Designer Professor Janus Stefanowicz.

“​Slaphappy was, by far, the best part of the 2020-2021 academic year for me personally,” Dr. Joyce

said. “We had so much fun making it together and the students really learned a lot about not only a historical art form but also acting for film. It was a win-win.”

“Slaphappy” is available for streaming until Sunday, September 5 through the Villanova Theatre website. Viewers are encouraged to donate $10, or any amount of their choice.

“Slaphappy” is the first show to premiere in the new performing arts center..

Courtesy of Villanova Theatre

The Book Buzz: My Year of Rest and Relaxation Chloe Miller Staff Writer

Ottessa Moshfegh begins “My Year of Rest and Relaxation” in a pre-9/11 New York narrated by an unconventional, unnamed, 20-something woman. The narrator, who is orphaned but painfully rich after the death of both her parents, is a Columbia graduate with a rather useless degree in Art History. “My Year of Rest and Relaxation” alternates between the narrator’s current state, jobless and isolated, to her past, which deals with death, grief and her former career and relationships. Above all else, it is crucial to note the narrator’s love of sleep, as she claims “Sleep felt productive. Something was getting sorted out. I knew in my heart — this was, perhaps, the only thing my heart knew back then — that when I’d slept enough, I’d be okay. I’d be renewed, reborn.”

While Moshfegh creates a plot that is, on the surface, repetitive and disturbing, she struggles with the complex debate of what it means to be alive and the challenges that come with it.

The narrator, though she is young, slim, beautiful and wealthy, refuses to live in the outside world after her failed post-graduation attempt.

Through the help of her psychiatrist, Dr. Tuttle, the yellow pages finest, the narrator compiles an ammunition of pills, including but not limited to, Ambien, Ativan and lithium. The character of Dr. Tuttle, showcasing Moshfegh’s fantastic ability to write whimsical characters, is hilariously unaware of the narrator’s dire situation, which is hidden by complaints of insomnia. The plot, or lack thereof,

is fueled by the narrator’s blackouts, which occur frequently due to the concoctions of pills she is prescribed.

During these blackouts, the narrator finds herself rekindling old love and friendship, partying and waking up in a groggy state nearly every afternoon.

The protagonist is visited occasionally by her best friend Reva, a desperate socialite-wannabe, although she dreads Reva’s ‘meaningless’ visits.

Reva provides a necessary juxtaposition to our narrator as she can only dream of the money, status and body her best friend is so ungrateful for.

Through this friendship, Moshfegh touches on subjects such as abortion, eating disorders and wealth issues.

After being prescribed new pills, thanks to Tuttle’s oblivion, the narrator comes up with the ingenious idea of sleeping for a year. With help from an old friend she reencountered during a blackout, she carries out this horrific and illogical plan for the remainder of the novel. “My Year of Rest and Relaxation” is darkly humorous yet displays the true monotony of living with depression.

Although the novel rarely leaves the narrator’s downtown Manhattan apartment, it touches on extremely complex topics from a new and compelling viewpoint. This book is its own form of escapism and is unlike any other book I have read.

Somehow Moshefegh uses a narrator who is outrageously unlikeable, a setting that never changes and a plot that is repetitive, and she comes out the other end with a book that reads as a modern classic. The tone and unique style of Moshfegh’s writing is the pinnacle of this novel. Her ability to make the narrator’s bland and for-

The cover of Ottessa Moshfegh’s novel.Courtesy of Alessandra Montalto/The New York Times

lorn lifestyle into a story I would read again is spectacular. There are dozens of complexities I cannot even begin to touch on and many that can only be understood through a reading of “My Year of Rest and Relaxation” itself, but I leave you with the quotation below.

“I counted the seconds pass-

ing. Time could go on forever like this, I thought again. Time would. Infinity loomed consistently and all at once, forever, with or without me. Amen.”

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

CULTURE

The Villanovan |11

Villa-Vogue: The Need to Know Fall 2021 Fashion Trends Kaelin Trombly Staff Writer

At last, the heavy hanging air and sticky skin of summer has come to an end, and school is back in session. Some may view this transitional period as a wave of new opportunities for their academic careers, a time to catch up with college friends or even to get immersed in the upcoming football season. For others, with fall comes another fashion calendar, plentiful with new trends and styles to try.

What are the trends for this upcoming fall season you may ask?

Don’t fret. Your trusty fashion column Villa-Vogue is back in full swing, this time with a complete welcome back seasonal fashion report.

I. Saturated Shades. The first trend to look out for this fall is bold hues. While neutrals were the norm last fall, this season is taking inspiration from the colorful runways of Chanel and Prada with a more vibrant approach. Whether you have a bold statement piece or are dressed head to toe in monochrome color, saturated hues take the trend forecasting crown.

II. Tonal Tailoring. While COVID-19 is still rampant, society is slowly starting to begin a new normal. This means less quarantining on the couch and more opportunities to get out of the house. More social events also means tossing those stained sweatpants you wore every day to the back of your closet.

Whether you prefer a baggy or tight fit, matching monochrome pantsuits are back.

III. Vests. Sweater vests have been trending for some time now, but tailored vests are now being thrown in the mix. To accomplish this look, wear a waistcoat either on its own or layered with an oversized blouse.

If you’re really feeling fancy, pair a waistcoat with a pantsuit set for a formal event. Once you get that down, looking flawlessly put together will seem effortless.

IV. Clogs. Perhaps a personal favorite trend is clogs. Yes, I mean the chunky, wooden, Amsterdam-originating clog. Once a crowd favorite of 14th century Europe and modern day nurses, clogs are making a high fashion comeback. I recommend styling clogs with 90s inspired loose jeans or a maxi-length skirt. Let’s also not

forget about those scrubs.

V. Chainzzzz. I’ve never personally been a fan of the heavy hardware fashion trends, but after seeing Dion Lee and David Koma’s collections, my opinion has been swayed. Chain detailing is the perfect way to add a statement to any basic wardrobe. Whether you add metal chains to the belt loops of your jeans or around a slip dress, you’ll have a guaranteed tough look.

VI. Colored Leather Coats.

Leather doesn’t always have to be neutral colors ladies and gentlemen.

Tying in the saturated hues trend, long leather coats in all sorts of shades provide the wearer with a bold outerwear moment that is simply irresistible.

VII. Cutouts. This trend has been mentioned before but it has yet to die. With the help of midriff dresses and tops, the cutout wave continues.

VIII. Logo Love. While the logomania craze has been gone for quite a while, it appears that designers have collectively agreed to bring back and rebrand the trend we once

knew. Rather than fully adopting the early 2000’s obnoxiously labeled clothing, designers are plastering their names on products with a more subtle approach. Now, the logo look that everyone will be wearing is camouflaged into what appears to be a print. It’s a more elusive way to wear your $900 Logo Print Fendi Slippers without screaming that you are wearing $900 slippers.

IX. Covered in Cable. This wouldn’t be a fall trend report without a dedicated bullet to knitwear.

However, this fall season, the cable-knit pattern takes the spotlight.

Cable-knit sweaters have always been a fall staple, but 2021 is adding an extra touch through full cable-knit looks. If you are wearing a cable-knit set, you my friend are doing something right.

X. Revival of the 2000’s.

While this summer was all about the 70s, fall will be taking a time machine to the early 2000s in terms of decade style. Thanks to TikTok and designers such as Blumarine and Kim Shui, the fashion world will be witnessing major deja vu with the return of low-slung jeans, midriff tops and furry

collars.

XI. The Bigger the Bag the Better. Say goodbye to your impractical mini purses that fit nothing more than a stick of chapstick. The fashion world is all about practicality in terms of accessorizing, which means the bigger the handbag, the better.

XII. Boot Legs. Sleek, not slouchy knee boots are the shoe trend of the season, specifically knee boots worn with a mini dress or shorts in order to expose the leg. Three words: join the movement.

As the days get shorter, the nights longer and the air cooler, forage your wardrobe for some saturated hues, cable-knit sweaters or a pair of clogs because this fall is for more than cheering for touchdowns and watching the leaves turn. The fall loves fashion too, and Villa-Vogue will be keeping you up to date every step of the way. Make the fall campus your runway.

Some saturated hues for the upcoming Fall 2021.

Courtesy of Getty Images/purewow.com

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

CULTURE

12 | The Villanovan

Donda by Kanye West: Album Review

Jack Roberge Co-Editor-in-Chief Continued from p. 1

Stadium where he had taken up residence.

While the version of Donda that is currently released may not be the finished product – West famously continued to edit The Life of Pablo after its initial release on streaming services in 2016 ­– it is, at this point, finished enough to provide a valid review of.

The first thing of note about this album is that it is long. Like, really long. Coming in at an hour and 48 minutes, it is West’s longest project and is longer than his previous three albums combined. The length, however, is helped quite a bit by the fact that West included 4 bonus tracks, which are alternative versions of songs that are already in the main album: “Jail”, “Ok Ok”, “Junya” and “Jesus Lord.”

Without these tracks, the album is a more manageable, but still long, hour and 25 minutes.

First, I’d like to address my overall issues with the album, since there are only a couple.

The largest complaint I, and many others, currently have with the album overall is that the only version that is currently released is a censored version of the album. This is somewhat unsurprising from the perspective of West’s religious views. However, the explicit version of the album was played at each listening party, and the censorship of the finished product diminishes the artistic expression of many of the songs on the album. “Off the Grid,” which featured some of the best feature verses on the album at the listening parties from Fivio Foreign and Playboi Carti, is particularly dragging down by the censorship.

One smaller overall complaint is that while the mixing on the final version of the album

is overall great, thanks to West’s longtime collaborator Mike Dean, there are certain tracks, like “Hurricane” and “24,” that sound a bit off, and not in an intentional way.

If West is planning on making any tweaks to the album we hear on streaming services, fixing the mixes for these tracks will hopefully be one of them.

Finally, the lack of album art for Donda is a bit disappointing given the wide variety of art that has been associated with this album and with each of the release parties. Any one of them, whether the original July 2020 art, the painting by artist Louise Bourgeois for the first listening event, the picture of his mother’s home West posted on Instagram or even a picture of West engulfed in flames from the third listening event would have served as fantastic album covers. The all-black cover is a confusing artistic choice for the album, and potentially a missed opportunity.

It must also be said that while the addition of Chris Brown is a great choice artistically, the ethics of working with an unapologetic abusive partner are, at best, questionable. Brown is unfortunately not the only artist on Donda with allegations like this, as West also included Don Toliver, Marilyn Manson and Dababy, all of whom have faced various charges including sexual assault or aggravated assault. The art has always come first for West, but even most of his fans, let alone critics, have called the inclusion of these artists into question, particularly on an album meant to honor his late mother.

The question of separation of art and artist is inescapable as artists have always led troubled lives, and West is an outspoken critic of our society’s cancel culture. However, cancellation of someone who has already apologized for a comment and cancellation of a serial sexual assaulter, like Marilyn Manson, are

Kanye West enters Mercedes-Benz Stadium ahead of his second Donda listening event.

Courtesy of Aphane Fashion Group

entirely different things, and West seems to have missed this nuance.

That ends my complaints, which in my opinion are fairly minor compared to my praise for it.

From an overall perspective, Donda approaches magnum-opus territory for West, which is an impressive feat for an artist whose My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was ranked the best album of the 2010s by both Rolling Stone and Billboard. With only one notable exception, each track adds a meaningful contribution to an album which is intended to honor West’s late mother, Dr. Donda West, who tragically passed away in 2007.

The album is in many ways the culmination of West’s already illustrious career. Each of his past albums are reflected on Donda to absolutely great effect and are often combined to make an entirely new sound. West demonstrates the best of his rap ability in performances that both sound at home in our current era and as timeless as those featured on The College Dropout. His singing ability is the

best it has ever been on Donda, even surpassing his performance on his single “Only One,” which is also about his late mother.

Donda only features three tracks that I find significant flaws in, which is an impressive feat for an album that consists of 23 songs, 27 including its bonus tracks. This prevents the album from being perfect, but even West’s aforementioned album of the decade has flaws and tracks that are generally unpopular. Donda, in my opinion, is West’s best album of his “New Kanye” era, which is an impressive feat in an era which includes The Life of Pablo. This album was meant to honor West’s mother, and it most certainly accomplishes this goal.

My favorite tracks are “Come to Life,” “Jesus Lord” and “Jail,” and my least favorite are “Tell The Vision,” “Remote Control” and “Keep My Spirit Alive.”

Donda is easily a 9/10, no matter what Pitchfork says. Rest in peace, Dr. Donda West.

A full track-by-track review is available online at villanovan.com.

Kanye and Dr. Donda West pose together at the 2006 Grammy Awards.

Courtesy of Steve Granitz, Getty Images

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

The Villanovan | 13

SPORTS

SPORTS

Jay Wright Gives Summer Update Colin Beazley Co-Sports Editor Continued from p. 1 to counter the rise of the SEC, but as a member of the Big East, Villanova has been left on the outside looking in. However, that didn’t seem to faze Wright, although he did admit that the Wildcats would have to be “creative” to stay competitive in a new collegiate landscape.

“We know who we are, we’re a basketball school, and we’re gonna have to find our way within this new world of alliances,” Wright said.

“Guys still come here because it’s a basketball school, we play the best schedule, we compete for championships and we gotta continue to do that, we just gotta find the way to do that within this new structure as it unfolds.”

Wright also described his experiences at the Olympics and the added pressures of coaching a team where anything short of a gold medal would be a catastrophe. The team won their fourth straight gold medal in Tokyo, despite dropping two early tune-up games and the tournament opener.

“When you’re USA Basketball, no one cares about your challenges, your problems, just get it done, win the gold,” Wright said. “Knowing that we couldn’t lose, I was more nervous for those games than for any other game I’ve ever coached.”

He admitted that although it was a lot of pressure, it was “exhilarating” to be in that situation with the stars of USA Basketball and coaches Gregg Popovich, Steve Kerr and Lloyd Pierce.

“I don’t know what was greater [after we won], the relief or the exhilaration,” Wright said.

Wright can now officially add Olympic gold medalist to his resume, and he will be able to add physical hardware to his crowded trophy case.

Although coaches are not awarded medals by the International Olympic Committee, USA Basketball did give the coaches medals upon their return to home soil, exact models of the medals the athletes get.

The bulk of the Q&A session was focused on summer workouts and preparations for the upcoming season on campus, as the Wildcat offseason has been turbulent to say the least.

The schedule was front-loaded so that Wright could spend as much time with the team as possible before taking on his Olympic responsibilities, but that meant that many of his players were dealing with injuries sustained during the season.

“Caleb Daniels had remaining issues from COVID through the summer that he struggled with,” Wright shared. “He’s completely clear [now], but he missed the summer.

Jermaine [Samuels] had surgery on his finger, he played the season with a broken finger so he had surgery when the season was over [and] he was out

until the end of July. Angelo Brizzi had complications with his adenoids, and then wound up getting his tonsils out, so he was out for awhile. And then Collin [Gillespie] was rehabbing, and then Dhamir. Everybody’s 100%, everybody’s back, Collin included,” although he did add that Cosby-Roundtree was progressing slowly enough that his status for the season was still in doubt.

“We’ve gotta include the fact that he’s been out for so long,” Wright continued. “If he’s gonna come back, how long is it gonna really take for him to be effective? If it’s gonna take all the way until January, do we waste a year on him doing that? We start practice on the 28th of September, and then we’re gonna try to make some type of decision [by then]. I hope I can, I’m swaying a little bit here, but I really want to do it by then.”

Later in the press conference, Wright realized that he had not even given the full scale of Villanova’s summer injury issues.

“Justin Moore and Brandon Slater got into a car accident, and Justin had a concussion, so he was out for like three weeks, Slate was out for a week, but they’re all good,” he said.

“It was a mess this summer,” Wright said, laughing. “Our staff just did a great job of keeping everybody together, they really held it together.

You’ll notice that all the guys I’ve mentioned are the older guys, the younger guys got a lot of experience and a lot of time with the staff… we consider it as a really successful summer.”

The Wildcats begin official preseason training at the end of September, which will include a behindclosed-doors scrimmage against Duke in Washington D.C. on Oct. 23.

Jay Wright earned a gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Courtesy of Forbes.com

Pitcher Gordon Graceffo Drafted By St. Louis Cardinals Matthew Ryan Staff Writer

It was always a dream of Gordon Graceffo’s to become an MLB draftee, and on July 12th, that goal became a reality as the St. Louis Cardinals selected him in the 5th round with the 151st overall pick.

“It was definitely surreal... It was crazy getting to hear your name picked, and then everything goes numb. I’m kind of still in shock,” Graceffo said in a phone interview the day after he was drafted.

Before arriving at Villanova, Graceffo played high school ball at Cranford HS in Cranford, New Jersey, where he had an illustrious career. The right-handed pitcher had a career 2.25 ERA at Cranford, and was given numerous awards for his outstanding play. Getting drafted was always a goal of Graceffo’s, but it wasn’t until he got to Villanova when he began thinking about it as ‘a serious thing.’

“Me and [Coach Kevin] Mulvey kind of sat down and we were talking about my role in the upcoming season and things like that, and he kind of put the idea in my head that if I kept working, got bigger, stronger, worked on my craft, that it was a possibility… I took his advice, never looked back, and it ended up happening.”

Graceffo became the first Wildcat drafted since 2017 and the first Villanova player to be drafted in the first five rounds since 2011.

Graceffo’s teammate Jimmy Kingsbury was also drafted this year, 504th overall by the Seattle Mariners.

In his first year as a Wildcat, Graceffo sported a 4.88 ERA, pitching both as a starter and out of the bullpen. He saw a drastic improvement in his numbers during his sophomore year, which was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That year Graceffo pitched four games, all starts, and held a 4-0 record with a 1.42 ERA on the season. Following his stellar play in the short season, the draft was on Graceffo’s radar, and he had a ‘pretty good idea’ that he would be selected.

As a junior, scouts reached out to the 6’4”, 220-pound pitcher, asking when he would start and where he would be, and when it came to winter break, things started to heat up; Graceffo started having more Zoom meetings, teams would see him throw, and he went to private workouts.

Graceffo shined in his third season on a 21-14 Wildcats squad, being selected to the All-Big East Second Team with a 1.54 ERA, holding opponents to a mere .221 batting average. In 11 starts, Graceffo had a 7-2 record, including two complete game shutouts.

During his time at Villanova, Graceffo has gotten the support of his coaches and teammates. He had role models on the squad, mentioning Tyler Arella and Kingsbury and got a lot of help from pitching coach Jabin Weaver. Graceffo also tried to be a role model for the younger players on his squad.

“Literally the whole team has been behind me since I was there…

That whole team has been so supportive and so encouraging throughout this whole process,” Graceffo said.

Graceffo valued his time at Villanova on and off the field.

“It was just a great experience at that level, playing against some great competition, playing for some great coaches and with some great teammates,” he said. “That setting, it teaches you how to deal with people… There’s nobody better than the people at Villanova.”

Following the 2021 collegiate season, Graceffo played ball in the Cape Cod League for the Bourne Braves, where he started three games, pitching 13 innings and only gave up one earned run. Graceffo had nothing but great things to say about his squad and the experience.

Prior to the draft, Graceffo went to St. Louis, which he “loved,” for a workout that went well, and he

felt good about where he stood with the ball club. When it came time for the draft, Graceffo was told by numerous teams that if he were available in the fifth round, they would draft him, and according to Graceffo, ‘the Cardinals were just the first one to pull the trigger.’ He enjoyed getting drafted at his house with his family and agent before throwing a get-together with more people after he was selected.

Graceffo intends to sign his contract with the Cardinals, and while his playing days at ‘Nova have come to an end, he is thankful for his time on the Main Line.

“It was amazing. It was one of the best decisions of my life coming to Villanova. Coach Mulvey, Coach [Eddie] Brown and Coach Weaver helped me so much throughout the process.

They helped me grow so much as a player and as a person, and I met some lifelong friends there. It was an amazing experience.”

Pitcher Gordon Graceffo is now a member of the Cardinal organization.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

14 | The Villanovan

SPORTS

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

‘Cats are Back: Football Season Preview Matthew Ryan Staff Writer

After playing just four games last year, going 2-2 and missing the FCS playoffs, the Wildcats are slated for a full 11-game season in 2021 and were picked to finish third in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) preseason rankings.

The No. 16 ranked ‘Cats open up their season on Sept. 4 at Lehigh and then take on Bucknell in their home opener the following weekend before getting into their first CAA matchup on Sept. 18 against Richmond.

The Wildcats’ next two games are huge, the first coming Sept. 25 on the road against FBS program No. 19 Penn State, who the ‘Cats haven’t played since 1949, and the second coming on Oct. 9 at James Madison, which is the No. 2 FCS team and the preseason pick to win the CAA. The Cats are looking for their first win against the conference rival Dukes since 2014.

‘Nova wraps up its threegame road trip against Albany and then plays Rhode Island and William & Mary at home, followed by a trip to Elon and two final home games to close out the season against Stony Brook and rivals Delaware — the second-place finisher in the CAA preseason poll.

The Wildcats offense is led by graduate student quarterback Daniel Smith, who led the FCS in points responsible for in 2019 with his 35 passing touchdowns, 12 rushing TDs and one receiving score. Smith’s per-game stats took a dip in 2020, averaging just

one passing touchdown per game and .25 rushing TDs, but the 2019 CAA Third Team member and 2021 CAA preseason honorable mention looks to bounce back and have a big season for the ‘Cats.

Graduate student running back Justin Covington headlines the ‘Cats run game, as the 2020 Second Team CAA member and 2020 CAA preseason honorable mention rushed for 77.3 yards per game last season, finding the endzone six times. Senior Jalen Jackson, who averaged 55.5 yards per game last season and scored three touchdowns, will also play a pivotal role in the Wildcats backfield.

Junior wide receiver Rayjoun Pringle is WR1 for Mark Ferrante’s squad, putting up 14.4 yards per catch back in 2020, when he was named to the CAA Second Team. Michael Corbi, a senior center who was first team CAA last year, is the lone Villanova offensive player selected to the conference’s preseason team.

On the defensive side, the Cats had three members selected to the CAA preseason team; senior

defensive lineman Malik Fisher, senior linebacker Forrest Rhyne and junior cornerback Christian Benford, all of whom were CAA first team members a year ago. Last season, Fisher had a team-high four tackles for loss and three sacks and a team-high-tying one interception and one forced fumble.

Rhyne finished his 2020 campaign third on the team in tackles with 22, tied for third in sacks with one, and tied for fourth with 1.5 tackles for loss.

Benford’s four pass breakups led the Wildcats, and he finished second on the team in solo tackles with 16 and tied for first in interceptions with one. Sophomore linebacker Jalen Goodman led the Wildcats in tackles last season with 29, and Timmy Furgeson, a redshirt freshman linebacker, was second on the team in sacks with two and tied for the team lead in forced fumbles with one.

Expectations for the Cats are high this year, and they look to rebound from a rather underwhelming 2020 season and make it back to the FCS playoffs for just the second time since 2016.

Villanova women’s soccer improved to 4-0 on the season with two wins this weekend. The ‘Cats defeated Colorado College, 3-0, on Friday at home and secured a 3-1 road win at Rider University on Sunday.

Villanova’s seniors dominated Friday’s match, with two goals coming from senior Chloe O’Neill and the third goal from Reagan Smith. Senior goalie Megan McClay recorded seven saves, with six in the second half.

O’Neill gave Villanova the lead with the first goal on a penalty kick in the 13th minute.

After the goal, Villanova only had two more shots in the half, as well as two corner kicks. The Tigers countered with five shots on goal along with a corner, but were unable to convert, giving the ‘Cats a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.

Villanova controlled the whole second half through aggressive offense and strong defense from McClay and its line of defenders. The ‘Cats scored quickly, with a goal from Smith in the 53rd minute, giving them a 2-0 lead.

Colorado continued to struggle and Villanova was able to secure the win, with its third goal from O’Neill coming on a penalty kick in the 80th minute.

Despite being shut out, the

Aug. 19 - Aug. 31

Thursday, August 19 Women’s Soccer vs Drexel 2-1 W (OT) Friday, August 20 None Saturday, August 21 None Sunday, August 22 Women’s Soccer @ Delaware 4-1 W Monday, August 23 None Tuesday, August 24 None Wednesday, August 25 None Thursday, August 26 Men’s Soccer vs Rider 2-0 W Friday, August 27 Women’s Soccer vs Colorado College 3-0 W Field Hockey vs Lehigh 4-3 W Women’s Volleyball vs Stanford 0-3 L

Graduate quarterback Daniel Smith looks to lead the Wildcats after a disappointing Spring.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

Weekend Sweep for Women’s Soccer Meghann Morhardt Staff Writer

SUMMER SCOREBOARD

Tigers outshot the ‘Cats by a 15-9 margin. Villanova was able to control corners with an 8-4 advantage, leading to more scoring opportunities.

“That’s a massive win that the players will realize more and more as the season goes on,” Villanova head coach Chris McLain said, per Villanova Athletics. “I am really proud of our team for their effort tonight.”

Villanova carried the momentum from Friday night into its game on Sunday against Rider.

The ‘Cats showed a dominant performance led once again by Smith, who recorded two goals for the second game in a row. These marked Smith’s 14th and 15th career goals, and gave her five on the season.

Villanova started strong with a free kick scoring opportunity in just the seventh minute allowing it three shots on goal, but the ‘Cats were unable to convert.

Their first goal came in the 30th minute from O’Neill, who got a pass from junior Mikayla Stadler off a breakaway lead pass from freshman Brigid Molloy. O’Neill was able to sneak the goal past Rider’s goalie from 18 yards out.

It looked like the ‘Cats would enter halftime with a 1-0 lead, but an intense scramble sequence controlled by Stadler resulted in their second goal.

Sophomore Emma Weaver sent in a shot that hit the crossbar which

ricocheted out to junior Molly Shannon, who fired in another shot that was saved but not controlled. Stadler was able to capitalize on the rebound and secure a 2-0 lead for the ‘Cats heading into the break.

Rider came out stronger in the second half and got on the board with a goal in the 60th minute from junior forward Makenzie Rodrigues. Villanova wasted no time with a response in the 63rd minute from O’Neill, extending the lead back to two goals. The ‘Cats finished the game with 24 shots, while holding the Broncs to just four.

“It’s exciting to have the type of depth we do,” Villanova assistant coach Megan Geldernick said, per Villanova Athletics. “Every player on this roster is con-

Saturday, August 28 Women’s Volleyball vs Rider 3-1 W Women’s Volleyball vs Delaware 3-0 W Sunday, August 29 Field Hockey @ Lafayette 1-4 L Women’s Soccer @ Rider 3-1 W Monday, August 30 Men’s Soccer vs Hartford 2-1 W Tuesday, August 31 None tributing in a massive way. From freshman to seniors every player has bought in.”

This is something that the ‘Cats have struggled with in past years and should help them have a successful season not only in the Big East, but in non-conference play as well.

Villanova is set to host Cornell on Sunday, Sept. 5 at Higgins Sports Complex. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.

The team celebrates after a game winner earlier this season.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

The Villanovan | 15

SPORTS

Two Wins in Three to Open Volleyball Season Zac Tipton Staff Writer

Villanova volleyball opened its season by winning two of three games this weekend, defeating Rider and Delaware but falling to 21st-ranked Stanford.

It began against Stanford.

Hundreds packed the Finneran Pavilion, and the crowd was roaring the whole night, even as the Wildcats lost in straight sets, 3-0. Villanova fell behind early in the first, losing 25-14, then put up a good fight in the second, losing 25-20. The final set really showed how good this team could be, as it held the lead almost the entire set before giving it up right at the end in a thrilling 27-25 loss.

Villanova then had a short rest before playing Rider on Saturday morning, back in its traditional home at the Jake Nevin Fieldhouse. The team dominated the first two sets, winning each 2518, before dropping the third, 2624. The Wildcats finished off the Broncs in the fourth set, winning 25-23.

In the night game, Villanova took down Delaware in straight sets, bringing its record to 2-1.

Villanova won the first set 25-13, the second 25-20 and finished with another 25-13 win in the third and final set.

Stanford came into Villanova ranked 21st in the country, kicking off a season in which it hopes to be a national title contender. The team looked every part of one in the early going,

jumping out to a 4-0 lead and never looking back. Villanova made several mental mistakes in the first set, struggling with a raucous atmosphere and a nationally ranked opponent.

Stanford took the first set, 25-14, but senior outside hitter Clare Delaplane led the Wildcats with five kills in the set. Villanova bounced back in the second set taking a 4-2 lead, but Stanford came back to take a 6-5 lead.

Stanford again started quickly, and while Villanova hung around thanks to fantastic kills by sophomore middle blocker Kiera Booth, Stanford never wavered and won the set, 25-20. However, the third set was Villanova’s time.

After trailing 5-1, Villanova came back to tie it at 10, then grabbed the lead from the Cardinal. The Wildcats held that lead for nearly the rest of the set, before Stanford turned up the intensity. Errors by the Wildcats and impressive spikes by the Cardinal caused Stanford to catapult ahead for the win at 27-25.

On Saturday morning, Villanova walked back into Jake Nevin to face Rider, not wanting to fall to 0-2 on the season. Villanova and Rider played close in the first set, but a six-point run for the Wildcats jumped them out in front and gave them an 18-12 lead behind six kills from sophomore outside hitter Riley Homer and 12 assists from junior setter Belle Morgan. The second set was similar, as Villanova jumped out to an early 9-5 lead, carrying the lead through the set to win

The Wildcats celebrate on Friday in front of a packed Finneran Pavilion.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

25-18 again. Two kills each from Delaplane and Homer secured the set win for the ‘Cats.

In the third set, Villanova fell behind early before coming back and taking a 20-19 lead thanks to big plays by Homer, Booth and freshman outside hitter Rose Crist. One point away from sweeping the Broncs, Rider came back to win three consecutive points to stay alive, winning the set 26-24. However, Villanova finished it off in the fourth set, winning 25-23 in a back-and-forth battle behind eight kills from Delaplane.

On Saturday night, the ‘Cats finished off their final game of a busy weekend against rival Delaware. Villanova came out swinging, winning the first set

handily, 25-13, behind five kills from Homer. In a crazy second set, Delaware kept it close until the end, before Villanova was able to finally break away and win, 25-20. Graduate libero Averi Salvador had four digs, and Booth and Homer had six kills between them. The final set was all Villanova again, as the Wildcats had a combined .333 hitting percentage en route to a 25-13 set win for the sweep, improving to 2-1 on the season.

Villanova will have the week off before traveling to Phoenix for the Grand Canyon Invitational. The Wildcats will face Rider (0-3) again on Friday, Western Carolina (0-2) on Saturday, and Grand Canyon (3-0) on Sunday.

Robinson-Earl Selected in 2021 NBA Draft

Anders Pryor Staff Writer

Former Villanova power forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl was selected 32nd overall in the 2021 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. Through a series of draft night trades, the draft rights to the pick that was used to select Robinson-Earl was granted to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for future picks and salary flexibility for New York, sending Robinson-Earl down to join the Thunder’s young core.

“I was excited,” Robinson-Earl said in an interview with NBA.com. “Knowing that a team traded up to get me and knowing that they really wanted me means a lot. I was ready to give it all back to them and for them to know that it was worth doing all that.”

Robinson-Earl is now the eighth Villanova Wildcat to be drafted to the NBA in the past five seasons, joining Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, Donte DiVincenzo, Omari Spellman, Jalen Brunson, Eric Paschall and Saddiq Bey.

After entering Villanova as a five-star recruit, Robinson-Earl’s transition to the NBA was inevitable, as many believed he would have been a “one and done” prospect and gone after a single year. Yet like so many greats that have played under Jay Wright, he decided to stay for another year after his freshman season to further develop within the Villanova system. Robinson-Earl received workouts and interest from many other teams, including the Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers.

Robinson-Earl was credited

Robinson-Earl joins a rebuilding Thunder squad.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

Robinson-Earl had 12 rebounds against Baylor in his final game as a Wildcat.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

at the NBA Draft Combine for his versatility on the defensive end, his quick first step and his ability to be active in transition schemes. At 6’9”, Robinson-Earl has the ideal frame to guard multiple positions.

The league has developed into a movement of big men being able to space the floor, shoot threes and move off the ball the same way guards can, and Robinson-Earl has demonstrated both the ability to shoot the three when needed down the stretch, while still relying on foot pivot and pump fakes, as seen with more traditional power forwards.

Robinson-Earl joins an Oklahoma City team in total rebuild mode as the Thunder look to develop a young core instead of searching for immediate success. Over the past couple of seasons, OKC General Manager Sam Presti has conducted multiple trades to acquire a historically high number of first-round draft

picks, with more than 15 picks in the next five years. The goal is to “hit” on as many of those picks as possible to build an athletic and dynamic group of players to go around their star young talent, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, while saving long-term cap flexibility for the future.

Robinson-Earl was one of four players selected by the Thunder in this year’s draft, alongside first round picks Josh Giddey and Tre Mann and fellow second-rounder Aaron Wiggins.

During the NBA Summer League, a traditional showcase for draftees, Robinson-Earl led the Thunder with 12.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game, showing out a balanced statistical performance that is reflective of the kind he put on while on the Main Line.

Robinson-Earl will make his NBA debut on Oct. 20 in Salt Lake City when the Thunder take on the Jazz.

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