Women of the Moment: Friars Celebrate International Women’s Week

by The Cowl Editor on March 5, 2020

Campus

Female Friars were celebrated in Slavin during Women’s Week. Nicholas Crenshaw ’20/TheCowl.

by Hannah Langley ’21

News Co-Editor

Although Providence College has only had women in attendance since 1971, women have made major strides in academics, athletics, leadership roles, and more over the past 50 years. To help celebrate and recognize women farther, PC Democrats and other clubs and organizations at the College have planned a week’s worth of events beginning Feb. 29 and ending March 6.

International Women’s Week began last year, as stated by Hannah Bone ’20, co-president of PC Democrats. Bone has been the leader working on organizing the series of events this year.

“The goal of the week is to showcase and celebrate the diversity of womanhood and how being a woman can be represented in so many different ways on our campus,” said Bone. “The events also give people a chance to learn about different identities and perspectives,” she continued, “hopefully helping us to grow in respect and understanding for each other.”

While PC Democrats are the ones sponsoring and organizing the week’s events, Bone explained that the club allowed other student groups to create their own events with the only rule being that the event had to be centered around promoting women. In regards to the events, Bone commented on how she is excited for each of them, saying, “There’s a little something in there for everyone, and all of the topics explore vastly different aspects of what identifying as a woman can mean.”

This year’s lineup of events ranges from guest speakers to dances to food runs, all of which are centered around promoting women empowerment and equality. Some of the clubs and organizations running these events include Student Congress, Women Will, SHEPARD, Asian American Association, Campus Ministry, and Women in STEM.

On Monday, March 2, the women’s and gender studies department hosted an event entitled “Women, Gender, and the Politics of Representation: An Interactive Discussion,” in which Dr. Abigail Brooks spoke about promoting equality and justice for women in the U.S. Other events include the “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” dance, “The Stigma Behind Queer Asian Women,” “Women & Porn: The Harmful Affects of Pornography,” “Women in STEM Speakers,” a cookie run, and PC Women Appreciation Day.

There will also be a weeklong event called “Our Wonder Women,” in which students got to nominate female student leaders they felt should be recognized.

“Many people submitted quotes about these women that highlight why they are wonder women,” commented Kelsey Christianson ’20, one of the students running this event. Pictures of these female leaders will be hung around Slavin throughout the week to recognize their hard work.

Throughout the week, there will be an ongoing fundraiser to raise money for the nurses at Providence Public School, who have been trying to provide free feminine hygiene products for girls attending the school. Donation boxes will be set out during each of the events throughout the week to allow students to donate, and the money raised from the cookie run held Wednesday, March 4 will go towards this cause, as well.

Bone stated that she hopes the week will shine a light on women and gender equality for the PC community. “I hope that the PC community will feel a sense of pride in its women and recognize the beautiful and wide-ranging differences between us all. All of these events are celebratory, unifying, and supportive.”

She also hopes people will take what they have learned from this week with them beyond just PC’s campus. Besides the fact that they are fundraising for the community throughout the week, Bone emphasized, “The majority of the event topics cover ideas so much bigger than PC, and the lessons taken away from these events can be turned outwards to help better understand and celebrate being a woman in today’s society both in the United States and around the world.”

Although International Women’s Week only lasts for a short period of time, Bone hopes the PC community will learn something about the issues women face in today’s society and carry these lessons with them into the future.

Featured Friar: Sean Gray ’21

by The Cowl Editor on February 6, 2020

Features

Gray encourages students to use their resources in order to do their best. Photo courtesy of Sean Gray ’21.

by Hannah Langley ’21

News Co-Editor

In the musical Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda posed the question, “Legacy. What is a legacy?” For Sean Gray ’21, he hopes his legacy will not only be his family legacy here at Providence College, but also his legacy of helping and contributing to the PC community in many different ways.

Growing up in Lincoln, RI, Gray was surrounded by Friartown influence and spirit. He talked about how both of his parents, as well as his brother, graduated from PC, so he felt it was always a presence in his life. It was not until his sophomore year of high school, though, that Gray really started to consider PC an option for his future. “I was indifferent with the whole college process,” Gray said, “but when I was a sophomore in high school, I saw the hockey team win the national championship, and I was all in.”

Since his freshman year, Gray has been heavily involved in student life here at PC. “I joined Student Congress at the end of my freshman year,” he said, and he has been on the Academics Committee ever since. He talked about all the work the committee has done over the past few years, particularly the events he was involved in planning, including the “Core Crunch” for incoming freshmen and the book drive held last semester, in which they raised over 400 books. Gray has also been a class representative for the class of 2021 beginning this past year.

“I love being on Congress,” said Gray. “I enjoy being able to represent my classmates and make substantial differences in their lives, especially in academics, which is something I feel very passionate about.”

Besides being on Congress, Gray also works in the Writing Center as a head writing tutor, which is something he also cares deeply about here at PC. “I like to do work that is purposeful and makes a difference,” said Gray, which is why the Writing Center is one of his favorite things here. He loves having people come in and knowing that he is making a difference in their lives by helping them improve their own work. As Gray said, “We want to make better writers, not better papers, so seeing people grow in that skill is really satisfying.”

It was not only the culture and spirit that drew Gray to PC, but the academics as well. As a history major and a part of the Honors Program, Gray said he liked the idea of Development of Western Civilization (DWC) from the very beginning.

When asked why he chose to be a history major, Gray replied, “I think history is the most important thing anyone can study right now.” As a lover of learning, Gray believes history gives him an interesting study of the way human nature works over time and the patterns throughout human history. He continued, saying, “I think it teaches you skills that are important in personal and professional life, but we are also exposed to information constantly,” which is why learning how to evaluate events today is an important tool.

Gray is also pursuing a double minor in Spanish and philosophy, talking about how he thinks these two minors pair well with his major. “Philosophy and history are incredibly intertwined,” he said. “It gives you an idea of how different generations struggle with the same problem and how they acted from different angles.”

Part of Gray’s work in the history department includes being a research assistant. He talked about his recent work with Dr. Steven Smith in researching a politician and newspaper editor from the 1800s named Peter Force, which has given him the opportunity to learn more about life in the early American republic. Gray loves the work he does in the department because it gives him the chance to work alongside professors and build relationships with them while doing something he enjoys.

While Gray is only a junior, he hopes to one day pursue a Ph.D. in history or attend law school to study legal history. When asked what his dream job would be, Gray responded, “Oh, for sure being a history professor here,” exemplifying his love for the PC community.

Although Gray works hard in the classroom, he loves spending time with his friends, whether that be at hockey games, playing intramural flag football, or going to yoga classes. “I have made the best friends a guy could ask for,” said Gray. “I’m just thankful for the relationships I’ve built with my friends, professors, and co-workers, and I’m grateful for my parents who work hard for me to be here,” he said.

While Gray is just one of many students working to make a difference in the PC community, he hopes he is making a lasting impact in the lives of students while building his own legacy, which students will remember and take with them throughout their lives.

“Together, There is Nothing We Cannot Achieve.”: Ndaba Mandela Inspires Community at Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation

by Kyle Burgess on January 30, 2020

Campus

Ndaba Mandela (above) reminded the audience to follow their dreams. Nicholas Crenshaw ’20/THECOWL.

by Hannah Langley ’21

News Co-Editor

Nearly 50 years ago, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., pronounced “I Have A Dream” to the entire world, advocating for racial equality and civil rights in America.

This past Friday, January 24, at the convocation event held in the famous leader’s name, Ndaba Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela, reiterated this message to the Providence College community, advocating not only for diversity reforms, but also for reforms in all areas across the globe. Inspired by Dr. King’s words, Mandela stated, “If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough.”

After beginning his speech by thanking God and quoting Dr. King, Mandela recounted the first time he remembered meeting his grandfather, Nelson Mandela. Born in 1982, Ndaba Mandela grew up under apartheid in South Africa. He admitted he was mainly sheltered from the brutality that surrounded him.

He recounted how at around eight years old he was told by his parents they were going to visit his grandfather in prison, and what he saw was not what he expected. He remembered pulling up to a beautiful, big house with a pool, a personal chef, and more, thinking how could this be jail? He said he learned later in life, however, “They tried to break his mental strength.”

The apartheid government wanted to break Mandela’s will to work for reform by giving him this comfortable life in isolation, but he never backed down. It was in this moment Ndaba Mandela decided, “I want to go to jail,” meaning he wanted to be like his grandfather and work for reform in society.

Two of the largest programs Mandela advocates for in his work are HIV/AIDS and creating more awareness and a more positive image for the continent of Africa. Mandela remembered visiting the United States for the first time, telling the story of when he and his cousin went to Disney World. It was then that Mandela started to realize the image and perception people have of Africa is extremely skewed. He recounted how one person asked him how big the lions were, to which he and his cousin gave him a strange look and laughed, and how another person mentioned how they thought they would need guards for safety to visit Africa.

“People outside this country don’t know much about Africa,” said Mandela. “We want to change the stigma,” he said, from being just about the amount of poverty, violence, hunger, and safaris in Africa. “We want the younger generation to be proud of their identity and proud to say ‘I am an African.’”

To further this work, Mandela established Africa Rising Foundation in 2009 to instill a sense of pride within Africans and educate the world about Africa’s growing economy and rich culture. He also founded the Mandela Institute for Humanity to promote “youth empowerment,” saying the goal was to “teach young people to work the same way as Nelson Mandela.”

In addition, he has done extensive work surrounding the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa, relating his work back to his own personal experience of losing both of his parents to the disease.

Mandela talked about how people were and still are “dying in silence,” and it is the responsibility of everyone, especially parents, to communicate with their children about the risk of HIV/AIDS, especially in today’s “MTV culture” as he put it.

Mandela rallied the crowd by talking about how this new year and the new decade is the time for reform and change. “Our grandparents fought the good fight,” he said, relating to his grandfather’s own work against Apartheid. “Now it’s our turn to fight,” he said.

He stated his advocacy for new voices to rise up and take a stand, saying, “We cannot allow criminals to continue to parade around as officials in our society.” He continued, saying there is a lack of youth participation, arguing, “Young people are marginalized and don’t have a voice anymore.” He argues that if it is because people are too afraid, we should “hold each other’s hands and march together,” just as young people used to do.

Several members of the PC community were awarded for such outreach and service during the convocation ceremony, as well.

Dr. Terza Lima-Neves ’00, originally from Cape Verde, was awarded for her work as a political science professor and chair of the department of social and behavioral sciences at Johnson C. Smith University, where she contributed towards research in international politics, global gender studies, and the current African diaspora in America. During her reception of her award, her son ran up on stage with her, and the audience saw the love and support received by her family.

Jack Murphy ’20 was also awarded for various service works he has done during his four years at PC, including his outstanding work in Nicaragua during his summer with the Father Philip A. Smith, O.P., Fellowship for Study and Service Abroad. The Organization of Latin American Students (OLAS) also received an award for their work in sponsoring events on campus that promote inclusivity, social justice, equality, and universal freedom.

Students and staff walked away from the event with a renewed sense of community and belonging, inspired by the dream which Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. shared all those years ago.

Featured Friar: Trevor Wakefield ’21

by The Cowl Editor on January 16, 2020

Features

Wakefield traveled to Argentina to learn about local cultures. Photo courtesy of Trevor Wakefield ’21.

by Hannah Langley ’21

News Co-Editor

Service and leadership have been a core part of the academic mission at Providence College since its opening. Trevor Wakefield ’21 is a great example of a PC student who continues to pursue this today.

As a theology and Spanish double major, Wakefield has given back to the PC community through his involvement in Campus Ministry, the English as a Second Language (ESL) program, and Friar Food Rescue.

As a member of ESL, Wakefield talked about how he has tutored some of the Sodexo employees at Raymond Dining Hall, as many of them speak Spanish as a first language. When talking about his work in ESL, Wakefield discussed his love for it, saying, “I really enjoy this ministry because it allows me to form a real relationship and connection with the workers.” In Friar Food Rescue, he explained how they donate leftover food from the dining hall to local homeless shelters, which is something Wakefield feels extremely passionate about.

Beyond the College’s campus, Wakefield participated in a service trip to Argentina during the summer of 2019. He mentioned, “I’ve been on a few mission trips before, but it’s nothing like doing six weeks of service. It’s easy to ride the week-long high of a mission trip, but when you are there for more than a month, things get into a rhythm and you get a sense of what things are like on a day to day basis.”

Some of the highlights for Wakefield from this trip included working with the local communities, talking to Elvio, their taxi driver throughout the trip, and visiting a semi-indigenous community in the Andes Mountains. “Being 8000 feet up, freezing cold, just spending time talking to people was a pretty awesome experience,” recalled Wakefield. He talked about how the trip allowed him to “immerse himself in their culture in a way that [he] never [had] before,” and how he learned so much about Spanish and Argentinian culture.

Besides service, Wakefield is involved at PC in other ways, such as participating in intramurals, where he and his friends won an intramural shirt, the club tennis team, working in the office of residence life, and being a resident assistant (RA) himself. “I really like working in Reslife,” said Wakefield, “because it is a great way to get involved, meet new people, and serve the students of the community.”

When asked what his favorite things about PC are, Wakefield replied that it is the sense of community. “I know it’s a cliche, but it’s definitely the best part about going here,” said Wakefield. He also mentioned how he loves the faith life and community that surrounds PC, saying, “I love walking around and seeing the friars just hanging out with students. Not only that, but I love being able to altar serve at the 10 p.m. Mass because there are so many students who are happy to be there worshiping the Lord together.”

Wakefield is grateful for the friends he has made during his time at PC and the community that surrounds him, saying, “When I walk into a room to a group of people smiling and happy to see me, I feel incredibly proud of the people that I’ve met and the friends I’ve made.”

Although Wakefield will be studying abroad in Seville, Spain this spring semester, he is excited to experience all that it holds. “I am very excited to try as many different kinds of food as possible. Between Spain and all the other countries I hope to visit, I’m hoping to get my fill of unique and delicious food.”

When asked what advice Wakefield might give to a PC student, he said not to be afraid to do something you like or love. “I’m one of two theology majors in my entire class, but it’s something that I love to study. Even if it’s maybe not an area of focus that is popular or will bring in a lot of money, if it’s something that you love, then those other things will matter a lot less.” After graduation, he hopes to pursue ministry-based work either in a high school or college setting, or within the Church.

Order Up!: Raymond Dining Hall Delivers on Improvements

by The Cowl Editor on January 16, 2020

Campus

Improvements include upgrades to the U-Cook station. Laura Chadbourne ’20/THECOWL

by Hannah Langley ’21

News Co-Editor

Over the past couple years, Raymond Dining Hall has gone through several developments, renovations, and remodels. Recently, however, students have become more and more aware of certain areas in which the dining hall is lacking in, such as food quality and choices. This spring semester, the dining hall services are working to ensure that the incidents and complaints of the past will not be repeated.

In November 2019, a Providence College student eating at Ray found a parasitic worm in their cod fish. Shortly after this incident, the College addressed it in an email, stating, “The fish contained a roundworm known as a nematode… While there are no health issues related to the ingestion of the serving in question (the student did not eat the fish), we are eliminating cod from the menu going forward…”

Several other incidents regarding food quality and sanitation were later reported. As stated in a petition called “Boycott Raymond Dining Hall,” “In the past 2 weeks, a parasitic worm, 2 bugs, and shards of glass were found in various foods in Raymond Dining Hall at Providence College,” as documented in photographs and videos.

“My roommates and I decided to create the petition after events in Ray that had happened in the weeks prior to its creation,” said Collin Malloy ’22, one of the creators of the petition. The petition received over 3,000 supporters and prompted a forum where students addressed their concerns to Sodexo employees.

To address these recent concerns, the College and Sodexo have taken several steps to try and improve the dining experience for PC students at Ray. Josef Quirinale, general manager of Raymond Dining Hall, discussed many of the changes recently implemented to hopefully create a better overall experience for the PC community. Malloy and Quirinale both stated how the two largest concerns students had were the quality of the food and the transparency between the students and staff about concerns and suggestions.

While Quirinale said they have not changed where they get their food from, he assured that the product they buy is of high quality and produce is cleaned several times. In light of recent concerns, however, Quirinale has talked to the companies, making sure the product sent to them is handled properly and checked for any quality concerns. Ray employees have also been told to check their product even more carefully to avoid future incidents.

Quirinale stated that while they are able to fix many factors, such as food options, other things are out of their control due to the age of the facility. “The problem is this is a pretty dated facility,” stated Quirinale, which has made it difficult to keep up with the standard of service most PC students are used to outside of school.

Quirinale has taken many steps, however, to try and improve the dining experience at Ray for PC students. “We redesigned the stations so more of what we do is ‘just in time,’” said Quirinale, “which creates a better, fresher tasting product.” He stated that many students think there is a difference between the food at Alumni and Ray, but the only difference, he said, is that the food at Alumni is made to order rather than premade, which makes for a better product.

To fix this, one of the major changes Ray has made is at the grill, where burgers are now made to order rather than ahead of time and left under a heating lamp. The chicken, rather than being at the grill, is now found at the salad bar, where it is pre-cooked and sliced for convenience. Quirinale said that the way they cook the chicken has been changed so that it makes it fresher and more enjoyable to eat in a variety of ways. He thinks the students have noticed the difference, as well. On average, Quirinale said, the dining hall used to go through about 90 pounds of chicken per day. On the first Monday of the new semester, they went through 240 pounds, a noticeable difference.

One of the changes Quirinale was most excited about was the expansion of the u-cook station. He said he noticed the popularity of the station last semester, and decided to add three more burners so that students did not have to wait as long. Along with the addition of burners, brown rice was added with the white rice and a larger refrigerated station will be coming in the next several weeks to add more options to the current station.

Some of the other changes have included an additional made-to-order station where pizza used to be every day, breakfast until 11 a.m. every day, and with the additions of a daily omelet bar until 10:30 a.m. and smoothie bar until 10 a.m. More vegetarian and vegan protein options have also been added to the vegan station, as well as an updated pizza menu, and waffles available all day.

Students with unlimited, 15-meal, and 11-meal plans will also have an additional amount of Friar Bucks added to their account by the College in order to “give more students flexibility in dining options,” as stated in an email sent by the school on Jan. 11.

Quirinale also stated that a complete renovation of Ray is in the process, as they have begun looking at other colleges to see how they are set up, prepare their food, and function to make it more up-to-date. “There is a whole new way of producing food now than when this building was built,” said Quirinale.

Above anything else, Quirinale encourages students to voice their concerns to himself or other Ray employees. “We’re here to serve, but we can’t serve unless we know what students want,” said Quirinale. “I want students to come forward and say this is what I’d like to see,” he said, “and if a student comes to us, we can take care of it for them, and then we can go to our supplier to ask why that happened and stop it from happening again.”

While it is still early in the year to see whether or not the changes at Ray have made an impact on students, the employees at Sodexo are working hard to implement changes that will create a better overall experience for PC students.

Winter Flea

by The Cowl Editor on December 5, 2019

Campus

photo courtesy of Board of Programmers (BOP)

by Hannah Langley ’21

News Co-Editor

With the season of Christmas and gift-giving upon us, Providence College’s Board of Programmers (BOP) has invited several small, local companies from the Rhode Island area to attend their Winter Flea event this Friday, December 6. While BOP has held several of these indoor flea markets with local vendors before, this will be the first time the event is held just before the holiday season.

“The Winter Flea is a winterized version of our Friars Flea, which has been very successful in the past,” commented Emily Mastroianni ’21, one of the members of BOP running this event. She mentioned how this event in particular is extremely helpful around Christmas time, saying, “It’s great for fun Christmas gifts or for giving yourself a break from the stress before finals week by buying yourself a little something as well.”

The Winter Flea will host several vendors from the past, including Nitro Cart, Frey Florist and Greenhouse, and Colonel’s Collectibles, as well as new additions, including Universal by Nature, The People’s Gold, and Augusta Street Kitchen. With a wide variety of items, ranging from jewelry and plants to vintage comic books and baked goods, there is no limit to what you might find at this year’s Flea.

Mastroianni emphasized the fact that she thinks this event is a great way to highlight the unique offerings found in the surrounding area, as well as a great way to promote shopping locally. “All proceeds from this event go to the vendors themselves, and I think it is important to support local and upcoming businesses,” said Mastroianni.

This is the first year Mastroianni will be running the Winter Flea, and she has loved planning it. “I thought this event was such a different and cool idea after seeing it done so flawlessly in the past,” she said, “and I am excited to see how the Winter Flea goes after planning it for so long.”

Mastroianni also adds, “I hope that students are excited to see all that the Winter Flea has to offer, and that they get in the holiday spirit by coming. After all,” she continued, “the holidays are right around the corner!”

The Winter Flea will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Slavin Atrium. The whole PC community is invited to attend.

Winter Flea

by The Cowl Editor on December 5, 2019

Campus

by Hannah Langley ’21

News Co-Editor

The Winter Flea will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Slavin Atrium. The whole PC community is invited to attend.

Working Towards PC Equality: IDEI Department Establishes Student Representative Groups

by The Cowl Editor on December 5, 2019

Campus

Student representatives meet to discuss future plans. Nora Johnson ’20/THECOWL

by Hannah Langley ’21

News Co-Editor

For several years now, Providence College administration, students, and faculty have been working towards creating a PC200 plan that includes many initiatives, such as the promotion of more diversity and inclusion on campus. Recently, the office of Institutional Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (IDEI) at PC has established two student groups to help the College fulfill this goal.

These two groups, the Advocates of a Beloved Community (ABC) and the Student Diversity Advisory Council (SDAC), are both comprised of around a dozen students, each representing a different student organization or club on campus.

According to a formal document from Quincy Bevely, assistant vice president of institutional diversity, the “Advocates” and council members “will be trained in areas related to cross-cultural understanding, micro-macro aggressions, restorative practices, and conflict resolution.”

Furthermore, ABC will provide the PC community with events that will promote further awareness about bias and hate, giving students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to, according to the same document, “engage in anti-bias education, advocacy, and solidarity.”

As previously mentioned, multiple students were chosen for each of the groups, representing various PC clubs and organizations, including Student Congress, Board of Programmers (BOP), Friars Club, Board of Multicultural Student Affairs (BMSA), Organization of Latin American Students (OLAS), Stopping Homophobia, Eliminating Prejudice and Restoring Dignity (SHEPARD), Campus Ministry, Orientation Leaders (OL), Residence Assistants (RA), Peer Mentoring Program (PMP), Horizons, Providence Immigration Rights Coalition (PIRC), Brotherhood, NAACP, ALPHA, ESports, The Cowl, and Believers of Word (BOW).

Jacqueline Peterson, special advisor to the president, talked about her role in the IDEI department and her part in creating these groups. “The priority goal,” she said, “has been to implement a structure and collaborative partnerships on campus to identify the strategic direction for the College’s DEI initiative.” Her role in this is to provide leadership to not only the student groups, but also to the educators and faculty in the IDEI department.

The purpose of SDAC, Peterson said, is to “empower students to lead and promote a campus environment that is committed to equity, social justice, and inclusive excellence.” ABC’s role is to “develop appropriate educational, supportive, and restorative strategies to address campus climate issues that may arise in the wake of bias-related incidents and prevent further occurrences.”

Along with Bevely and Peterson, Nick Sailor ’17, the director of training and education for IDEI, and Kalan Lewis, a current graduate assistant, have had an integral part in making these two student groups and continuing to work with them and the PC community to promote diversity and inclusion.

Earlier this year, Bevely selected students to represent each of these organizations. Acklynn Byamugisha ’20, advocate for BMSA, talked about the selection, saying, “I was chosen by Quincy [Bevely] and I was more than thrilled to take on the position.” Both Byamugisha and Elizabeth Duffy ’23, advocate for Campus Ministry, talked about how their roles will be in building more respect around campus, creating a greater cultural awareness, and highlighting differences across cultures. Byamugisha talked more about this, saying, “Multiculturalism goes beyond race [and] what the eyes are able to see.”

Duffy is hopeful that the group will be able to cultivate awareness and change on campus, saying, “I feel like there is always room to grow in becoming a close-knit community of friends, and I’m hopeful that this newfound deeper sense of family and love will radiate into the world when students graduate.”

Ricardo Guzman ’20, representative for the SDAC and president of SHEPARD, talked about how their group is also going to promote equality and awareness, saying they plan on having meetings starting next semester to hear more about what various clubs and organizations have planned for promoting diversity and change. “It is one thing to work with the student body,” said Guzman, “but through this group we hope to create institutional change.”

On Nov. 13, both groups met in Moore Hall to begin training with Diane Goodman, who has devoted her life to training, consulting, teaching, speaking, and writing about diversity and social justice. Goodman came to PC’s campus to meet with the students from both of these groups in order to prepare them in their roles and for their lives in the future, as well.

Both groups will be beginning work next semester, and Bevely is excited for what is to come.

Lighting Up the Night: Afro-Caribbean Association Hosts “Light Up Jouvert”

by The Cowl Editor on October 24, 2019

Campus

Over 200 students celebrated their heritage at Light Up Jouvert. Photo courtesy of Lyndsey Cadet ’20.

by Hannah Langley ’21

News Co-Editor

Over the years, Providence College students have come together to create clubs and organizations that celebrate their culture and heritage in a meaningful and empowering way.

While the PC community may be more familiar with the Board of Multicultural Student Affairs (BMSA) or the Organization of Latin American Students (OLAS), students may not know about the newly-formed Afro-Caribbean Association (ACA).

As a newly formed club, ACA wanted to showcase their heritage by holding their first event, Light Up Jouvert. This event, held Saturday, October 19, highlighted an important, fun, and unique part of the Caribbean tradition while promoting the main mission of the club.

President Lyndsy Cadet ’20, vice president Latanya Simpson ‘20, secretary Shamir Desir ‘21, and public relations representative Re’Yanda Smith ‘22 talked about how their mission for ACA is “to educate the PC community on issues and cultures of people of the Caribbean community” by creating a central community for those of Afro-Caribbean descent. They also want to open their association to the entire PC community. They hope to “continue to bridge gaps between all students,” said the executive board members.

Considering ACA is a new club at PC this year, the exec board did a lot of work to not only plan Light Up Jouvert, but also build the club. “Our experience with ACA has challenged us to build the community from the ground up,” the exec board said. “We are proud of being a new club because we are creating space to celebrate different aspects of Black.”

In planning the event, the exec board chose to use Jouvert as their inspiration. When explaining the history behind the Caribbean festival, the exec board said, “Jouvert is known as a road march infused with soca music, oil, colorful paint, and theatrical aspects at dawn that spark the beginning of Carnival.” Carnival, they explained, not only celebrates culture but Caribbean independence and their ancestors who fought for these rights.

When choosing a central theme, ACA decided to go with an all-white dress code. This decision, the exec board explained, was chosen “to highlight the various melanin shades of our campus.” They also bought lots of glow sticks “to signify shining a light on [their] history.”

Ultimately, ACA’s goal was to get an attendance of at least 200 students at the event. They achieved their goal, saying, “When we were all standing on the stage looking into the crowd, we saw all our hard work come into fruition.”

ACA hopes to continue working on promoting Afro-Caribbean heritage throughout the rest of the year by holding several more events, which they hope will be just as, if not more, successful than Light Up Jouvert.

“Our goal,” the exec board said, “is to continue bringing in consistent numbers of returning members while opening doors for new members.” They also mentioned they plan to hold fundraisers and co-sponsored events with other clubs and organizations at PC. Their ultimate goal in doing this is to create a future where the PC community can come together in order to “normalize the idea of coexisting and celebrating our cultures.”

Overall, the ACA exec board was thrilled with how Light Up Jouvert went throughout the whole process, and they are looking forward to continuing their work at PC in the years to come.

Passing the Torch: Rev. Kenneth Sicard Named New President of Providence College

by The Cowl Editor on October 10, 2019

Campus

Fr. Sicard knew from a young age he wanted to join the Dominican Order. Photo courtesy of anchornews.org

by Hannah Langley ’21

News Co-Editor

In 1919, Providence College opened its doors under the leadership and guidance of its first president, Reverend Dennis Albert Casey, O.P. Since then, the College has grown tremendously under the work and presidency of 11 other Friars, including its current president, Father Brian J. Shanley, O.P.

As of Friday, October 4, it was announced that Reverend Kenneth Sicard, O.P., has been added to this list of prestigious Friars, making him the 13th elected president of the College.

The selection process was led by a formal presidential selection committee, headed by chairman Robert Clark ’80. This selection committee, Clark said, consisted of a wide range of people, in order to “represent all different aspects of the PC community.” After a process which lasted several weeks, a committee was brought together that was made up of six members from the Board of Trustees, one representative from the alumni association, student Keagan MacKrell ’20, two faculty members, and two staff members, one of which was a Dominican.

MacKrell, the only student on the committee, talked about her experience as being part of this process, saying, “As captain of the cheerleading team, a big part of my role is to not only represent my team in a collegiate light, but to support and represent Providence College and their overall mission. Providence College is also a place that I hold very close to my heart, and I am honored to have been selected to take part in the next big step of PC’s history. I am truly so thankful to have been a part of this process.”

The selection committee began by putting together a formalized job description and process for choosing the next president, Clark stated. The only limitation they had in setting parameters, Clark mentioned, was that the president needed to be a Friar and have a doctorate.

On Sept. 12, the committee came together to interview each of the four applicants for the job individually, spending about two hours with each person. In the end, Fr. Sicard and Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, O.P., were the final candidates. From there, the two Friars were then interviewed by cabinet administrators, a group of faculty that serve on the Shared Governance Committee, representatives from Student Congress, and Christopher Reilly ’84, chair of the Board of Trustees. There were also extensive background and reference checks led by the search firm Witt/Kiefer, which was hired by the selection committee for its expertise and specialization in educational searches for colleges and universities, according to Clark.

After receiving extensive feedback, the Board of Trustees made their selection, which was then reviewed and approved by the Providence College Corporation.

Clark is satisfied and extremely pleased with the way the election process took place, saying, “The process went pretty smoothly, and hopefully everyone felt it was fair and transparent.”

Clark continued, saying he was also pleased with the selection of Fr. Sicard. “We were looking for somebody that could continue the success that [the school has] had,” Clark said. “Somebody that could really build great relationships and collaborate with faculty, alumni, staff, the Dominican community,” and he feels Fr. Sicard will be able to accomplish this during his future presidency.

As the son of a mill worker in Fall River, MA, Fr. Sicard grew up with very little, but used the resources he had to create a successful future for himself. He talked about his father, who was a hard-working man, but was never able to attend college. “My dad was the one who persuaded me to go to Providence College,” noted Sicard.

Fr. Sicard graduated from PC with a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1978 and a master’s in business administration in 1984, being the first in his family to graduate with a college degree. After spending several years as an audit manager at Fleet Financial Group and the Industrial National Bank, however, Fr. Sicard decided to devote his life to the Church and entered the

Dominican order. “I always knew I wanted to enter the order,” said Fr. Sicard. “The time just wasn’t right when I got out of college.”

From there, Fr. Sicard received his bachelor’s in sacred theology and master’s in divinity from the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C.

After receiving his doctorate degree from and spending seven years teaching business and theology at the University of Ohio, Fr. Sicard was appointed the Dean of Residence Life at Providence College, and has been here ever since. Fr. Sicard noted his time as dean of residence life is what made him come to love the PC community, especially the students. “You get to see the students at their best and also at their worst,” Fr. Sicard said, but he has loved all of the people he worked with and being so involved in the students’ lives.

After seven years of working in residence life, Fr. Sicard was selected to become vice president of the College under Fr. Shanley in 2005. “Fr. Shanley has been a phenomenal mentor for me,” stated Fr. Sicard. “This place is the best it has ever been, and it is a real privilege to follow him and to be able to give back now.”

Along with serving as vice president, Fr. Sicard also held the position of treasurer for the Dominican Province of St. Joseph, was a member of the Economic Council of the Dominican Order, oversaw various departments and institutions at PC, stepped in as acting president during Fr. Shanley’s sabbatical in 2018, and led several different committees, including the Strategic Planning Committee in charge of creating and implementing the PC 200 plan.

The PC 200 plan is one of the initiatives Fr. Sicard is most excited about implementing during his presidency. Sicard hopes that the PC 200 plan will not only work towards diversity, inclusion, and equity, but also in enhancing the student experience at PC, both in academics and extra-curriculars. “I know both are important to PC students,” said Fr. Sicard, “so I want to focus on both aspects equally.”

Being involved in student and faculty life is one of the goals Fr. Sicard has set out for himself during his presidency. Among other things, he hopes to create both a faculty and student advisory board, as well as to attend student club and organization meetings at least once a semester.

Fr. Sicard also hopes to continue nationwide recruitment and creating the best possible academic program in order to create more of a name for the College. “We want PC to be a nationally recognized school,” stated Fr. Sicard, and he is hoping to accomplish this during his time as president.

Fr. Sicard could not have expressed more gratitude for the opportunity he has been given and for the family he has made at PC. “The students, faculty, staff, and administration are all amazing,” said Fr. Sicard, “and it is a real blessing to be at a college like this. God is good.”