February 11, 2026
Providence College's Student-Run Newspaper Since 1935
With Insights from its First Female EIC Sunday, Nov. 16 marked 90 years of Providence College’s student-run newspaper, The Cowl….
Last Thursday, Nov. 13, the most recent installation of the With Mutual Respect: Discussions on Contemporary Challenges series was held,…
The Humanities Forum hosted Bruce Herman on Friday, Nov. 14, where he presented a talk titled “Makers by Nature: Art,…
by Amanda Ayres ’26 and Ava La Bruno ’27 on November 20, 2025
On Tuesday, Nov. 11, Student Congress did not have a guest speaker. The proposal of the Providence College chapter of Turning Point USA was voted on by an anonymous written ballot and did not pass. The only new legislation introduced was the proposal of the Car Club, which will be voted on at the next meeting on Nov. 18.
by Emilia Farrell ‘28 on February 5, 2026
It is not a secret to anyone on the Providence College campus that the men’s ice hockey team has been on a roll this year. The Friars have swept opponents the past three consecutive weekends, which pushed them to a dominant seven-game win streak. The team’s overall performance has resulted in them rising to the top rank of Hockey East with a conference record of 11–3–1. The first pair of wins came against the University of Maine, then rival Boston College, and quickly Boston University as well. Each weekend has tested the team in different ways, but every time they have risen to the occasion while under immense pressure.
The standout player across all of these recent games is alternate captain Aleksi Kivioja ’28. A native of Espoo, Finland, Kivioja is in the midst of his second strong season at PC. Before suiting up for the Friars, Kivioja played for two years with the Omaha Lancers, where he served as an alternate captain and appeared in 103 games, which allowed him to gain valuable hockey and leadership experience. No. 14’s most recent success has come through his impressive work on both ends of the ice. On the defensive side, Kivioja blocked a shot or more in all of the six swept games. On offense, he is equally as effective, scoring goals in three of the six games and recording assists two. One special goal for Kivioja was the game-winner in a close game against Boston University on Jan. 23, after which was awarded Hockey East Play of the Week. To start this play, Kivioja passed the puck to No. 22 Clint Levens ’27, who then passed it right back to Kivioja for a quick goal with 2:41 left in regulation. This important recognition by the Hockey East Conference reinforces how skillfully he has been playing as of late. Three out of Kivioja’s four goals on the season have been in the past five games alone, demonstrating how far he has progressed recently. His ability to transition seamlessly between offense and defense makes him a critical presence on the ice for the Friars. Overall, Kivioja demonstrates what it means to be a team player on both ends of the ice. His performance has played a catalytic role in Providence’s recent success. As the regular season is coming to an end, Kivioja will no doubt also be playing a key role in the team’s aspirations for postseason play.
by Andrew Auclair ’29 on December 11, 2025
Over by Brown University, right off of Thayer Street, a new hot chicken spot has opened up, adding a new flair to the already food-packed lineup. Birdies Hot Chicken is a small chain restaurant with a menu adjacent to the world-famous hot chicken joint, Dave’s Hot Chicken, but brings it closer to home in Providence, RI. Its other locations are in Brockton, New Bedford, Boston, and Westwood, MA, with our local installation opening this past October. I found out about this new food spot while I was downtown getting a much overdue haircut at The Barbershop on College Hill. I knew there were a lot of great spots to eat around Brown, and my dad was texting me about this new chicken spot. I sat down in the barber chair and made some small talk with the barber, and when I asked about Birdies, he seemed very enthusiastically in favor of it. He told me I should order the two chicken sliders with fries, and that if I could handle spice, order it spicy. At that point, I was dead-set on where I was going to get dinner that night.
I walked in, and the vibes were great, with art on the walls, friendly employees, lots of places to sit, and spotless tabletops. Regardless of whether I can actually handle spice, I certainly enjoy it, so I ordered exactly what my barber had advised: two spicy chicken sliders with fries (plus a bottle of water, of course). The service was fast, and even though the restaurant has counter-style ordering, the worker brought my order right to my table and cheerily said to enjoy my meal. The presentation was amazing, and the portion was honestly huge. For what I ordered, it was only about $17.50, but it was plenty of food.
The chicken itself was super fresh and cooked to perfection. Sometimes, with fried food, my stomach gets upset if the oil is too old or the food is overcooked, but I had no problem with this meal whatsoever. The pickles and slaw that came on the sliders added the perfect amount of sweetness to the extremely savory and spicy chicken. Thank God I ordered that water, because this chicken had a real kick. The potato bun was sweet enough, but also soaked up the spice from the chicken perfectly, making every bite truly delicious. The fries were pretty alright; with so much food on the plate already, by the time I got to the fries, I wasn’t able to finish them, but they seemed to be cooked pretty well. On the side was a small cup of their house sauce, which I believe is what they drizzled on top of the chicken sliders. It was pretty good, almost like Raising Cane’s “Cane’s Sauce.” About halfway through my meal, a completely separate worker came over to every single table and asked the customers how they were enjoying their meals. This is just one example of the great customer service they exhibited, despite being a counter-service restaurant.
In the Thayer Street area, there is plenty of competition for the best spot in town. Birdies held their own and is a very strong contender for the title. Overall, Birdies Hot Chicken was a great experience, and if you’re in the mood for some amazing hot chicken but don’t want to take the train all the way to Boston, then Birdies on 183 Angell St., Providence, RI, has you covered.
Providence College’s Student-Run Newspaper Since 1935
