Relay for Life Returns to PC

by The Cowl Editor on April 11, 2019

Campus

PC’s Relay for Life will be held on April 14.

by Julia Acquavita ’22

News Staff

Providence College’s Colleges Against Cancer’s biggest event of the year is almost here. Members of the club are getting excited as Relay for Life is less than a week away, and it all begins this Sunday.

As many know, Relay For Life is a fundraising event for the American Cancer Society. It is an 8-hour event where participants walk around the track to raise money towards finding a cure for cancer.

The event at PC will take place on the Smith Lawn on Sunday, April 14 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. In case of rain, the event will be held in the Peterson Recreation Center.

According to members from the Colleges Against Cancer Executive Board, this event will be filled with entertainment, food, and friends all coming together to fight against cancer.

Performances from the A capella clubs and the dance clubs on campus will take place, along with relay races and lawn games throughout the event.

Food from PVDonuts, Jersey Mike’s Subs, Ronzio’s Pizza and Subs, as well as baked goods will be sold. All the proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society. Lastly, raffles will be offered that include the chance to win Red Sox tickets and a signed basketball from the PC Men’s Basketball Team.

There will be several moments throughout the event that honor fearless cancer survivors as well as a luncheon for survivors following a survivor lap around the track.

The club also plans to honor those who have lost their battle or are still fighting during a luminaria ceremony at 3:30 p.m.

Luminaria bags can be donated in someone’s name, and they will be lit up around the track with a purple glow stick to honor your loved one.

According to executive member Lauren Minerva ’19, the club has currently raised $39,819.05, only $1,180.95 away from their goal of $41,000.

This upcoming event, with all its activities, food, and positivity, should be one to remember, so be sure to stop by and help fight against cancer.

BOP Hosts Black & White Ball: A Night to Remember for the Whole PC Community

by The Cowl Editor on March 7, 2019

Campus

Friars dance the night away at annual Black & White Ball.

Julia Acquavita ’22

News Staff

This past weekend on Friday, March 1, Providence College’s Board of Programmers (BOP) hosted their third annual Black & White Ball in the Peterson Recreation Center. According to BOP, over 2,700 tickets were sold in anticipation for this special night. Students from all grades were represented as they danced the night away in black and white dresses and suits.

Immediately when walking in, the monochrome decorations noticeably stood out.

Whether it was black and white chairs, tables, sofas, or simply the black runway situated near the entrance, all the decorations added to the lively atmosphere. Also, the chairs and sofas served as the ideal places to sit and relax with friends when taking a break from the dance floor.

Peterson was filled with energetic music from the band “East Coast Soul.” This band performed several well-known covers of popular songs, such as “Party in the USA” and “Mo Bamba,” encouraging students to get on their feet and dance.

At one point, Elizabeth Carlson ’22 claimed, “I had to take my heels off because I was dancing for so long and my feet were in so much pain!” Carlson was not the only student who decided to relieve themselves of pain by tossing their shoes to the side.

Another popular hit throughout the night were the unique varieties of food available for the taking. The food consisted of a table full of tortilla chips, artichoke dip, chicken kabobs, and sliders. These finger foods were certainly a crowd favorite, since almost every time I went to go grab a snack, the food was continually being replenished.

They served as the perfect energizer for students taking a break from dancing; all they needed was a quick handful of chips for fuel and then seconds later they rejoined the mosh pit of students in the center.

Overall, the night was one to remember for PC students of all ages and, due to its success in ticket sales and attendance, Black & White Ball will hopefully be an event to look forward to next year.

Finding Off-Campus Jobs Through On-Campus Program

by The Cowl Editor on February 28, 2019

Campus

By Julia Acquavita ’22

Many students at Providence College often find themselves wanting a job during the academic year, but struggle with landing a position off campus. What these students may not know is that there is a program here on PC’s campus that helps students apply and get hired for these highly contested off-campus jobs.

This program, led by Melissa Mardo, program coordinator for the Feinstein Institute for Public Service, is called the Community Work-Study Program. This program allows for students to apply for and receive jobs in the Providence community that range from education to food accessibility.

Mardo says that most students tend to take jobs in the area of education, where they get the opportunity to work with children at schools such as Robert F. Kennedy Elementary School, North Providence Youth Center, and Saint Pius.

Mardo also said students have worked for organizations that are involved in food accessibility, such as Farm Fresh Rhode Island and Chefs Feeding Kids.

Eddy Vasquez ’20 has been involved in this program throughout his career at PC. For the past three years, he has worked in partnership with Robert F. Kennedy Elementary School.

When asked what he has learned while working at Robert F. Kennedy, Vasquez claims that he has “learned how to interact with people of different ages whether it is adults, children, or toddlers,” which is an important life skills that will allow him to build connections with all kinds of people.

Vasquez also enjoys the fact that when working with these students and teachers, he knows “[he’s] actually helping these students’ lives.”

There is no transportation provided by the school for students who have these work-study off-campus jobs. Mardo claims, though, that five sites, are within walking distance, and PC students have access to the RIPTA with their PC cards, so getting to a designated job is still essentially free.

Mardo also emphasized that by walking or taking the RIPTA you are “engaging with the Providence community, and connecting with people who live in the area.” This way students get the chance to learn the nearby area and the neighborhoods that make up this city.

After all, according to Mardo, “The whole point of these off-campus jobs is for students to get off of campus and start to feel like the city of Providence is their home, too.”

Through these jobs and partnerships, students are able to connect with the community and build relationships with their places of work and the people that work there.

Mardo explained that the community work-study program has become fairly competitive over the past few semesters since the program is federally funded and can only take 70 students.

Lately, the program has been getting more attention from students because, as Mardo would say “students are the program’s best advocates” since they end up spreading the word about the program and what it has to offer. The more students interested, the better!

Mardo also mentioned that she runs another program for students that have participated in the community work-study program, called the Community Work-Study Planning Committee. This committee runs on a volunteer-basis and offers a chance for students who have worked in the community to provide feedback to Mardo and other students about their experiences.

Mardo elaborated that the committee allows “students to feel more connected with each other and brainstorm ways to revamp or improve the program in the future based on their own experiences.” Students will be able to voice what they would like to see happening in the program, and Mardo is all ears.

Also, Mardo wants to be able to talk with students about the environments in which they are working, answering and addressing any questions they may have. In this way, they are able to discuss and reflect on their work in the community.

Lastly, if you do not have work-study included in your financial aid package, there are several other ways to get involved in off-campus jobs through Campus Ministry, FriarServe, and the Office of Citizenship (for commuter students).

You can still get involved and volunteer through these organizations. For more information about the Community Work-Study Program or Global Service Learning Program, students can contact Mardo at mmardo@providence.edu.

The Roles and Responsibilities of Admission Ambassadors: An Inside Look at One of PC’s On-Campus Positions

by The Cowl Editor on February 7, 2019

Campus

The Office of Admission can be found in Harkins Hall.

By Julia Acquavita ’22

News Staff

Recently, applications for Admission Ambassador positions were open to students of all class years. However, not many people know what this position entails and what it takes to hold this position here at Providence College.

Maddy Mulligan ’21 and Anthony Tramontozzi ’21 both currently serve as Admission Ambassadors. Mulligan and Tramontozzi described this position as “the first face prospective students see,” as Admission Ambassadors provide visiting students with the first impression of PC.

In order to hold this position, you need to know how to turn on the charm so that prospective students feel comfortable and encouraged to want to join the PC family.

Admission Ambassadors talk to the families of prospective students, answering any and all of the parents’ and students’ questions and concerns regarding the College.

With this position comes a commitment to honoring PC and serving as the first faces families and students encounter.

In addition to talking to families and providing information, Admission Ambassadors must also work in the Office of Admission once a week for an hour or so.

The major events Admission Ambassadors are responsible for include Family Day, Accepted Students Day, and Spotlight Providence (a day for early action and early decision accepted students). During these events, some provide tours for the visiting students and families, while others direct traffic or help run the activities of the day.

Regardless of what one’s job is during these events, all Admission Ambassadors must dedicate their time and efforts to provide the best day for prospective students.

Regarding the application process, once applications have been submitted, deans of admissions, such as Diana Gingles ’08, associate dean of admissions and coordinator of the alumni admission ambassador program, read them over and choose about 100 students for a round of interviews. Once the interview round has concluded, 50 applicants who excelled throughout the application process are then chosen and offered an Admission Ambassador position.

Each year varies with the number of freshmen, sophomores, and juniors chosen for this position, but the dean of admissions tries to diversify the position with students from all grades.

Although recent applications were due on Feb. 1, students interested in this position should consider applying to be an Admission Ambassador in the future.

The Great Equalizer: Education

by The Cowl Editor on January 31, 2019

Campus

By Julia Acquavita ’22

Nikole Hannah-Jones Speaks on Racial Inequality in America

On Friday, January 25, the Humanities Forum hosted Nikole Hannah-Jones, a staff writer at the New York Times Magazine.

Hannah-Jones came to Providence College to discuss her upcoming book Choosing a School For My Daughter in a Segregated City, adding to the special events organized for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Hannah-Jones began her speech by saying how this will not be an uplifting speech, as the struggle for racial equality is not uplifting either. She aimed to focus our attention on how racial inequality affects American children in schools.

She defined what the role of public education is by referring to Horace Mann’s idea of being “a great equalizer of the conditions of men.”

However, despite the ideal goal of public education systems, Hannah-Jones pointed out that there have always been two philosophies for education: one for democracy for white children, and one for oppression for black children.

Following her introduction about the racial inequality currently present in America, Hannah-Jones explained that if we want to understand racial inequality we must look back at the history of our nation. She brought up the Declaration of Independence, except Hannah-Jones mentioned a fact that not many people know about Thomas Jefferson, the original writer of this significant document.

In the original declaration, Jefferson talked about the institution of slavery and called out the hypocrisy of this institution, considering the United States had just fought a war to separate the country from being slaves of the British. However, Jefferson did not get enough support for this version of the Declaration of Independence, so he was forced to create a new version that excluded mentioning the institution of slavery altogether. Hannah-Jones claimed that at this moment, we entered into a world of “slavocracy.”

Hannah-Jones went on to mention a very significant year, 1976, the year of her birth.

During this part of the speech, Hannah-Jones made some captivating points, claiming that eight years before she was born, it was legal to deny someone housing because of African ancestry, and how 11 years before it was legal to deny black people the right to vote in certain parts of U.S., as well as deny black people access to public pools, libraries, and restaurants even though their taxes helped pay for these establishments.

Hannah-Jones commented on how it is disappointing to know that all of these things were legal right before she was born about 50 years ago, proving her point that racism has not and will not go away unless action is taken.

She explained that we like to pretend that these racist actions took place a very long time ago, but in reality, they did not. She then posed the question that many people across the country may sometimes ask themselves: Why do black Americans still complain about inequality when they have their rights now?

Hannah-Jones responded with a simple answer, stating that racism is embedded in our country, regardless of the so-called “equality” given to African-Americans by the law.

Hannah-Jones then dug deeper into history, discussing how it is necessary for us to recall the times of slavery because slavery forms so much of the racism we see today. She mentioned the stereotype that black people are people who do not value an education.

However, she then mentioned that despite it being illegal for slaves to read and write, many did anyway even though they could be brutally punished if they were caught. Slavemasters feared that once the slaves started to read, they would begin to challenge their circumstance and become more difficult to control.

For black Americans, education meant they would be free; it was not about getting a high-paying job. Hannah-Jones then explained that once black people were given the right to education, it was no surprise that their educations would be inferior to white people.

Black children were originally left out of commonly funded schools. Hannah-Jones stated that once allowed into these schools, it was ensured that they would be given an education that taught them how to stay in their place and remain inferior to their white peers.

She claimed that the inequality we see today is because of how we use schools as a form of social control for black students, but as a form of liberation for white students.

Hannah-Jones continued to emphasize the racial inequality prevalent in today’s society despite years and years of attempting to end racism for good. She claimed that it is upsetting that we can predict the quality of the education children will receive based on the color of their skin.

She ended her speech by mentioning how she decided to enroll her daughter in the school that the kids in her neighborhood went to, instead of busing her off to a different school in a different district in an attempt to better her education, as many people still do.

Hannah-Jones claimed that she could not say the system was wrong, but then act like a hypocrite by busing her kid off to a predominantly white school. She claimed that if each of us fights for equality, but make choices that are unequal, we are repeating the cycle and hindering the racial progression of our country.

Hannah-Jones’ last words were “Hope is an action,” meaning that, if we hope to see racial equality in the future, we must take action and not feed into the vicious cycle that was established decades ago. We must take action and try to be better than we were today so that our children can stop living in a world of segregation.

Colleges Against Cancer Holds Brovember: Students Promote Cancer Awareness Before the Holidays

by The Cowl Editor on December 6, 2018

Campus

No Shave November is a nationwide campaign to help raise cancer awareness.

by Julia Acquavita ’22

News Staff

On Wednesday, November 28, Providence College’s Colleges Against Cancer club hosted their annual “Brovember” event in McPhail’s.

The event’s main goal was to raise awareness for cancer and to spread knowledge about the fundraiser “No Shave November,” a month-long journey during which participants forgo shaving to evoke conversation and raise cancer awareness. The night consisted of food, games, music, and friends all coming together to support a cause close to many people’s hearts.

Students from every class filed into McPhail’s, eagerly awaiting the event’s activities and food.

As they first walked into the event, each table had scattered facts written on tiny bits of paper about cancer.

Shortly after students arrived, they helped themselves to a selection of Chick-fil-A and pizza. The attendees were able to educate themselves on the facts about cancer while munching on delicious food.

The activities and music started with the St. Dominic Ensemble, a group that performs during the 10 p.m. Sunday mass each week. Following their performance was PC’s co-ed A cappella group, Strictly Speaking.

Both musical groups brought their energy to the stage, encouraging the audience to sing along and dance.

The performances were followed by a trivia game that mentioned facts about the fundraiser.

Some of the trivia questions asked challenging questions about how much money No Shave November has raised to date, how many mustaches have been grown since it began in 2004, and how many conversations were had as a result of No Shave November 2015.

Students’ competitive sides showed as they quickly wrote down their answers in an attempt to win gift cards to Dunkin’. The trivia game ended with “Guess the Stache” where the participants had to look at a beard and guess which celebrity it belonged to. “Staches” featured in the trivia game included the character of Captain Jack Sparrow, actor Zach Galifianakis, and scientist Albert Einstein.

The three winners of the game won a $5 Dunkin’ gift card and a beer mug.

To end the event with a final activity and prize, the Love Your Melon club came and raffled off one of their winter beanies.

Grace Crowley ’22, a member of the Colleges Against Cancer club, described the night as a “super fun environment filled with good food all for a great cause.”

Overall, the night consisted of delicious food, energetic music, fun games, and special prizes that made it an event to remember.

Brovember was a great way to help spread College’s Against Cancer’s mission of spreading cancer awareness, reminding people to give back to those in need this Christmas season.