Close to Home: Friars Celebrate Earth Day

by The Cowl Editor on May 2, 2019

Campus

Students take part in Earth Day festivities by painting flower pots.

by Malena Aylwin ’22

News Staff

Earth Day is an annual holiday recognized internationally on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection and wildlife conservation. First celebrated in 1970, it now includes events coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network in more than 192 countries.

In celebration of Earth Day, Providence College, along with WDOM 91.3 FM and PC Go Green held an Earth Day Carnival on Sunday, April 28 from 11-3 p.m.

Thought the carnival was originally planned to be held on Slavin Lawn, but it was moved to Lower Slavin due to the rain.

The event and activities were organized by EcoPC, which consists of 12 EcoReps and their respective hall councils.

There were as many as 22 tables, each with different activities and ideas all honoring Earth Day. Some of the featured activities included decorating clay pots and mason jars, reusable canvas bags, free koozies, lactose-free ice cream, Earth Day trivia to win a metal straw, and other fun activities.

Kailey Humason ‘22, who won a metal straw, said, “It was really nice to see what we can do as college students to help our planet. It can even be in little ways, such as using a metal straw for your coffee, that can have a big impact.”

There were various clubs present like Gaelic Society, Photo Club, Student Congress, American Marketing Association, as well as outside groups like Sunrise, National Grid, Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, Waste Management, Like No Udder, and Glow Smoothie Cafe. Live music was provided by both an outside band and a PC student group. They also had free pizza, popcorn, and numerous giveaways.

Fatima Velasquez ‘22 stated, “The Earth Day carnival was a complete success. They had a lot of fun games and prizes that revolved around the same theme: saving and being aware of our planet. This is an ongoing problem that in 10 to 15 years we will all have to face it and so will our kids, so I think everyone should be more serious and interested because, after all, it is our planet and our lives that are at stake.”

Some students were more concerned than others regarding our planet’s status.

Grace Crowley ‘22 said, “I feel like everyone should be more involved in these types of activities because it’s just so sad how our planet is dying in front of our very own eyes, and half of the people don’t seem to care enough.”

Overall, around 300 students, staff, and families stopped by to participate in the activities and learn how to protect the planet.

When Worlds Collide: Dr. Steven Barr Discusses How Science and Religion Can Coexist

by The Cowl Editor on April 4, 2019

Campus

Dr. Steven Barr considers how science and religion are compatible in his own life.

By Malena Aylwin ’22

News Staff

Last Thursday, March 28, Providence College invited Dr. Stephen M. Barr to host a seminar on the mythical conflict between science and religion. Since the Middle Ages, it has been thought that science and religion do not mix and are put at odds with each other, but why?

Born into a Catholic family, Dr. Barr was always influenced by this. When he decided he wanted to be a STEM major, he wondered why so many people thought that religion was against science.

“Popular belief tells us that science and religion don’t go together, one is rational and the other is irrational [myth],” said Dr. Barr.

Being a scientist, Dr. Barr raises this question in his life because of his knowledge and practice of Catholicism. “Many people wonder why I say that religion and science can go together; in the end, they both want to answer similar things. Science tells us the things we can measure, and religion [faith] answers deeper questions like the purpose of human life or where do we go when we die?” stated Barr.

Contrary to popular belief, science and religion both provide a sense of wonder; and the idea that everything in the natural world is held together in a coherent manner. The majority of people that think religion and science do not share the same ideals or they are not supposed to be on the “same page” are people that do not look at the bigger picture, which shows that there is a midpoint in which the perspectives meet and actually have the same goal of answering questions.

Dr. Barr described the relationship between science and religion, and how these two studies impacted history, as well as modernity.

One aspect of his lecture that pertains to DWC is the idea that there are no scientific facts that contradict Catholic doctrine. As we discuss the Bible and various religious figures, we discuss the existence of God and how it cannot be proved or disproved through science.

Martin Luther describes how one must have faith in the existence of God in order to form a lasting, genuine, and intimate relationship with God and Catholicism.

Another point Barr made is that God is the cause of nature and that nature is the evidence of the existence of God. This idea also pertains to DWC because of our discussion of the creation story. If God created everything, then everything is evidence of God’s existence.

The most interesting point that Barr made in his discussion was the difference between science and science materialism. Materialism is the idea that all reality is reducible to matter. But if this idea is true, human beings have no soul because they are no more than a grouping of atoms. Thus, God would also not exist because he is not a part of the physical world. This idea seemed extremely important due to the conflict between the idea of scientific materialism and its relation to Epicureanism.

Overall, Barr’s lecture was an interesting talk comparing the ideas of both religion and science. Barr’s knowledge of this topic is essential because if humanity learns how to accept different types of perspective, it will relieve the problem of science versus religion.

Bursting the PC Bubble: Trump Calls for State of National Emergency

by The Cowl Editor on February 28, 2019

National and Global News

Debates over funding continue within Congress.

By Malena Aylwin ’22

Last Friday, President Trump declared the situation on the southern border of the United States to be a national emergency.

Trump announced the national crisis to obtain the billions of dollars that Congress would not approve to build a border wall, generating a highly charged constitutional crisis. The National Emergencies Act of 1976, bill gives presidents a chance to issue a crisis revelation. However, this can only happen with specific requirements.

In 2009, President Barack Obama declared a state of national emergency for the H1N1 swine flu pandemic. That emergency, which expired a year later, allowed for waivers of some Medicare and Medicaid regulation.

A national emergency is an event that threatens the security of the people of the United States. Trump’s declaration topped a two-month time span that included the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, at 35 days; the reemergence of Democrats as a political power; and a Republican party caught between taking signals from Trump and resisting his impulses.

According to U.S. law, a president can divert funds to a federal construction project during a declared national emergency. His ultimate goal is to designate and divert citizen cash to use it to erect 230 miles of barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border.

In any case, Trump foresees many legal difficulties that will, most likely in the long run, be debated by the Supreme Court. Numerous Democrats and some legitimate researchers have said that Trump cannot announce a national crisis to get funding for the border wall.

In the case of the border wall, the money could come from the budget for the Department of Defense. Under federal law, “un-obligated” money in the Department of Defense’s budget may be used by the military to fund construction projects during war or emergencies.

The president decided not to use the hurricane relief money for Texas or Puerto Rico, an idea that had created furious objections from Republicans and Democrats.

In any case, he communicated no apprehension that redirecting military development cash would postpone ventures profiting the troops like base lodging, schools, and fitness centers.

Democratic power in the House of Representatives earlier this week has voted to overturn Trump’s state of national emergency, meaning they must now convince opposition members in the Senate to join them. Then they would have to get a signature from the president, the same person who declared the emergency in the first place, to override his veto.

Featured Friar: Nolan Donato ’22

by The Cowl Editor on February 14, 2019

Features

Donato ’22 performs at Rhode Island’s local club, The Met.

by Malena Aylwin ’22

News Staff

Nolan Donato ’22 has already made quite an impression on the theatre, dance, and film department. In only his first year at Providence College, Donato has already joined several clubs and organizations like the A capella group, theatre, and church choir.

Donato recounts his earlier childhood times, stating, “When I was around eight years old, I remember jokingly singing the national anthem to my parents and for some reason, my mom just told me to keep on singing. Truth be told I absolutely hated it,” he said.

He later added that nobody in his family had pursued the “artistic” road. “My family was primarily a hockey family; one of my brothers plays for the Bruins and the other one plays at Harvard. So obviously I was more of a sports kid; I used to play hockey all my life.”

“Around my junior year of high school, I realized how much I really like singing and from there on I started to pursue it more and more, and now I am actually doing it full time which has been amazing for me,” said Donato. He added, “I want to shout out to my family because when I realized that I wanted to sing instead of hockey, they have been more than supportive. I also wanted to say how great they have been with all of this.”

After finally realizing that he was going to pursue singing, he enrolled at PC as a theatre major. “When I first got to school I was lucky enough to join ‘Special Guests,’ an all-male A capella group. It’s a great group of people that I can kind of share a passion for music with. It has been a lot of fun doing that,” stated Donato.

He also talked about his experience as a theatre major, saying how he is involved with the theatre department at PC, specifically musical theatre. “The whole experience has been great and very fun —especially working in the Charlie Brown play,” said Donato.

Donato will appear this weekend, Feb. 15-17, in the famous Charlie Brown play, put on by the theatre department here at PC. “The people down there at the theatre department have been nothing but amazing,” recounted Donato. He took a moment to thank all of his teachers and current peers for their help and warm welcoming.

Aside from theatre and A capella, Donato also sings at the 10 p.m. masses on Sundays. He says that the experience has “been really life changing for me, so I am also very grateful for that.”

Donato also talked about people he has met and friends he has made. “There are a couple juniors and seniors in it, too, so that has helped me meet new people too.” This has helped him branch out and at the same time make friends in all of the organizations he has joined.

Donato wishes to pursue his artistic side in the future. “I definitely want to continue this, and it is something that I can hopefully pursue whether it is theatre or a solo career in the future,” he said.

He also stated that he is currently working on his music, saying, “Right now I’m in the works with a couple of things for my solo career which has been really good, I am just starting to put covers on the internet.”

He is very hopeful for his career and is certain that being here at PC has given him a better and broader look at what he loves. “Hopefully by the time I graduate I have a better sense of what I love, but for now I think it’s going great,” ended Donato.

You can find Donato’s music on SoundCloud under his name: Nolan Donato.

Working on Yourself Inside and Out: PC Holds Week Full of Events to Promote Student Health

by The Cowl Editor on February 7, 2019

Campus

Inside Out Week reminds students to work on their health year-round.

by Malena Aylwin ’22

News Staff

One of the major concerns on all college campuses in the U.S. is that students are not spending enough time on their own mental and physical health.

Beginning on Feb. 4 and ending Feb. 8, Providence College is holding activities to promote both mental and physical health awareness, “cultivating self-care from the Inside Out,” as the advertisment states.

Inside Out events are lasting throughout the week with different activities every day and hour. The main goal of the week is to educate PC students on mental and physical awareness, done through various activities, all revolving around tips and tricks on how to reduce stress, exercise, and more.

Some activities people can get involved in include the Embody Love workshop, spINTENTION cycling, meditation, yoga classes, and Motherland dance workshops, among others.

There are also special activities with free giveaways, such as milkshakes, PC hats, scarves, and mugs.

Another activity is making your own personalized set of coasters while indulging in a delicious, gourmet cupcake from Wildflour Bakery, which includes vegan options, as well.

Participants of these events received tracking cards to earn points throughout the week, helping them win awards by the end of the week. At the end of each activity, trainers punched the person’s card.

Anyone that earned eight points could also trade in their card for a journal at the 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. booths on Thursday or Friday.

Fatima Velasquez ’22 talked about her experience with Inside Out week, saying, “I went to some of the activities held this week and was very impressed. I was very inspired by the awareness brought towards self-care here at PC. The classes were a little challenging at first, but once you get the hang of them you realize how beneficial they are.”

Katrina Ursino ’22 also commented on Inside Out week, saying, “I love meditating and yoga, and I find them so helpful when I am stressed. I love that PC is spreading awareness because mental and physical health is such a big part of college students [lives].”

Successful Turnout for Third Annual Women’s March

by The Cowl Editor on January 24, 2019

National and Global News

Women protest for equality throughout the U.S.

by Malena Aylwin ’22

News Staff

Women and their allies turned out in cities across the country this past Saturday, January 19, marking the third consecutive year of the Women’s March.

Although there were controversies present, many demonstrators said they recognized that the movement was bigger than a few individual leaders, and focused their attention towards championing progressive policies and making certain their work was inclusive and represented all people.

The mission of the Women’s March is “to harness the political power of diverse women and their communities to create transformative social change.“

The Women’s March is a female-driven movement giving intersectional instruction on an assorted scope of issues, focused on disassembling frameworks of abuse through peaceful opposition. It also looks to build inclusive structures guided by self-determination, nobility, and respect.

The Women’s Agenda included proposals addressing issues like violence against women, LGBTQIA+ rights, immigrant rights, civil rights and liberties, environmental justice, abortion rights, and domestic violence cases, among others.

These priorities were compiled by more than 50 experts from organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Indigenous Environmental Network, Planned Parenthood, and the National Council of Jewish Women, to name a few.

Various causes were attached to the march, which was largely billed as a demonstration in support of women’s rights and civil rights, but for many, the first march had clear political undertones connected to the inauguration of Donald Trump.

Though the controversy was new for this year’s march, the women gathered for many of the same reasons Americans have been protesting Trump for the last two years.

It was not just limited to women’s rights; it also included political, social, and human injustices. For others, it was threats to Americans’ civil liberties, climate change, or the “wall“ and immigrants’ rights. The Washington rally alone in 2017 attracted over 100,000 people, according to city officials. The inaugural march was easily one of the biggest demonstrations in the city’s history, and as night fell, not a single arrest was reported.

More than one million people rallied at Women’s Marches in the nation’s capital and other cities around the country on the Saturday after President Donald Trump’s first full day in office.

“Welcome to your first day. We will not go away,“ marchers in Washington chanted.

Women’s marches are not limited to the U.S. Activists rallied in Berlin for the Women’s March 2019, too. That march was organized by activists abroad and was scheduled to coincide with the Women’s March taking place on Jan. 19 across the U.S.

Likewise, a Women’s March was also held here in Providence, and a few PC students had the chance to go.

Featured Friar: Kelli Jenney ’19

by The Cowl Editor on December 6, 2018

Features

Jenney ’19 thoroughly enjoyed her time serving others in Jamaica.

by Malena Aylwin ’22

News Staff

Kelli Jenney ’19 has quite a busy schedule. She has been actively involved with many clubs throughout her three and a half years at Providence College.

With a double major in social work and history, Jenney is planning to continue to go to school to earn a J.D.

She is very passionate about social work and helping the homeless. “My passion for working with the homeless population came when I was a freshman at my high school,“ Jenney stated, “and started encountering people experiencing homelessness on a daily basis.“

Jenney commented on how she has grown in knowledge on Catholic social thought and the importance of respecting the human dignity of every person at every stage of life in her religion classes, saying “I started to realize that our brothers and sisters experiencing homelessness are some of the people who receive the least amount of aid and support at a federal level.”

Jenney discussed how she has seen these people go through some of the hardest experiences life has to offer. However, she noted, “they still find the strength to pick themselves up and try to better their situations.”

Early last year, Jenney co-founded the Student Advisory Board for Mental Health and Wellness. The main mission of the board is to better educate the campus on the mental health resources PC provides while also improving the way we address mental health as a college community.

The board consists of nine members, plus the six founding members who listen to peers’ suggestions and address issues with the student population’s mental health needs.

”We meet every week on Wednesday evenings to plan different events coming up, brainstorm new ways to connect with the study body, and talk about different concerns brought to our attention. We have a great relationship with the Personal Counseling Center and those working with the SAMHSA Grant, including Dr. Campbell and Cheryl Granai,” stated Jenney.

Jenney is also heavily involved in Campus Ministry. Jenney talked about her strong connection to the program, saying, “Providence College’s strong Campus Ministry program is one of the main reasons I decided to commit here. Coming from a Dominican, Catholic elementary, middle, and high school, I knew I wanted to go to somewhere that fostered an atmosphere where I could still explore my own faith while giving me the opportunity to serve others in the process.”

Jenney went on to talk about how Campus Ministry gives students the opportunity to get involved and explore their own personal relationship with God.

She recalls going to the Connections Retreat her freshman year and meeting some of her best friends there. She has since taken on a role as leader and coordinator of the retreats.

She later stated, “Since PC is run by Dominican Friars, the College has provided me with the opportunity to get to know more Catholic priests and given me the opportunity to learn from them. All of the Friars say you will regret if you go through your four years and never get to know at least one of them.”

She talked about some of the amazing and inspirational conversations she has had with Friars during her time at PC.

”They genuinely want to get to know you and help you find your happiness and joy. I always say I have never used the word joy as much as I do as a PC student,”said Jenney.

Jenney was also one of 11 students chosen to go on the International Immersions Trip to Montego Bay, Jamaica, which is run through Campus Ministry.

The group, along with Father Peter Martyr-Yungwirth, O.P., and Dr. Richard Barry of the theology department, worked with over 30 orphaned and disabled children through the Mustard Seed Communities organization.

”We mostly helped with feeding the children and caring for them during their different daily activities. The biggest lesson I took away from this experience was the importance of love and how love can come in many different forms,” she said.

When talking about her past few years at PC, Jenney expressed how appreciative she is for all the programs and events she has been involved with, stating, “Providence College has provided me with so many different experiences in such a short amount of time.“

She later gave advice to fellow students and incoming classes, advising them, “Step out of your comfort zone and learn more about and from the people around you. All of us come from different places, cultures, traditions, and backgrounds. If you find a niche here that makes you feel more at home, that’s great.”

One thing that Jenney has taken away from her time at PC is that she has never felt like she was confined to one group.

She advises everyone to get to know and learn all different kinds of people and ”be kind to your fellow Friars, no matter what differences you have.”

After leaving PC in May 2019, Jenney hopes to someday end homelessness in America.