Tag: Matthew Mazzella ’20
Featured Friar: Maria Santos ’20
by The Cowl Editor on March 5, 2020
Features
by Matthew Mazzella ’20
News Staff
This week’s Featured Friar shines on Maria Santos ’20, a business management and global studies double major with a philosophy minor. Santos was born and raised in Puerto Rico in a town on the east coast of the island called Humacao. After spending her childhood in Humacao she moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico when she was 12-years-old.
Coming from Puerto Rico, Santos knew that Providence College was a special place because she knew some friends from home who went to the school when she was applying.
While Santos loves PC, there is always a bit of home she misses, as she is over 1,600 miles away from Puerto Rico. Santos thanks her busy schedule from preventing homesickness, but from time to time she does miss her family and friends back home.
Santos says, “It’s the little moments that make me miss PR the most. Like for example, last week my twin sister had her first med school interview and I just wanted to be there to help her get ready and hear her talk about it afterwards, and I missed out. Homesickness is definitely a thing when you live that far away from home, but honestly, God bless FaceTime.”
One of the biggest challenges Santos faced being so far away from home was been being in Providence while Hurricane Maria ravaged her country in 2017. Santos reflects on this heartbreaking experience, saying, “Being away from home and not being able to communicate with my family for days (knowing how destroyed the Island was) was by far one of the hardest things I’ve had to endure in my life. Uncertainty is scary, so not knowing if they were okay was terrifying.”
She continued, saying, “Also, not being able to be home through one of the most devastating events in Puerto Rican history made me feel guilty. Guilty because it was hard to live my life in the commodities that PC had to offer while I knew that back home my sister could not go back to school for months, that my whole family had to shower with buckets, and that there was no electricity and no certainty of when it could come back.”
Santos is very involved on campus, as she is a member of Friars Club, a freshman resident assistant, and the co-founder and president of Friars for ____. The club helps raise funds and awareness for different causes.
It all started after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico when Santos realized she was able to make an impact back home. When describing her fundraising efforts through her club on campus, Santos reflected on the creation of the club, saying, “After seeing the impact we had on Puerto Rico and personally handing that money to the organization we partnered with, me and my friends decided that we could do that for so many other causes; that we could be a place where other students could come fundraise and bring awareness for causes that are meaningful to them.”
The Friars for ____ have done so much more than help Puerto Rico after the tragic storm. They have extended their fundraising efforts worldwide. Santos mentions some of the efforts they have been a part of by saying, “Since being approved we’ve raised funds and awareness for Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Australia, Animal Cruelty & Testing, etc. We’ve done this through different events, like benefit concerts and food runs, and partnerships with other clubs that feel passionate about the causes that we’re working for.”
Santos encourages Friars to consider joining her club if they want to make an impact on people’s lives, as she encourages students to “come fill in the blank” at Friars for ____.
Maria Santos has shown what it means to be a Friar throughout her time at PC. Her efforts to help various charitable causes through Friars for ____ has impacted the lives of many, all while bringing her closer to those in the Friar Family. Santos sets a great example for how the college students should volunteer their time towards making an impact on someone’s life, no matter the size of the effort.
Bursting the PC Bubble: Members of Chinese Military Indicted by U.S. Government
by The Cowl Editor on February 13, 2020
National and Global News
by Matthew Mazzella ’20
News Staff
Four members of the Chinese military have been charged by the U.S. Department of Justice for the hacking of Equifax credit reporting agency in 2017.
The hackers stole the personal information of nearly 150 million Americans, including names, birthdays, and social security numbers. Deputy FBI Director David Bowdich said this breach is “the largest instance of state-sponsored theft in U.S. history.”
The charged parties include four members of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s 54th Research Institute, which is a branch of the Chinese army. The hackers included Wu Zhiyong, Wang Qian, Xu Ke, and Liu Lei. These parties are facing major charges from the United States, including allegations of conspiracy to commit computer fraud, conspiracy to commit economic espionage, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Last year, Equifax has agreed to pay up to $700 million in settlements with the Federal Trade Commission. These cases investigated how Equifax handled the data breach. A large sum of the settlement went towards to those affected by the data breach, as they allocated $425 million to help customers whose data was accessed as a result of the hacking.
Attorney General William Barr was outraged by the attack on America, and expressed his concern for national security, by saying, “This was an organized and remarkably brazen criminal heist of sensitive information of nearly half of all Americans, as well as the hard work and intellectual property of an American company, by a unit of the Chinese military,” Barr said.
This is not the only instance where the Chinese Liberation Army (PLA) has launched hacking campaigns against the United States. In 2014, five Chinese military hackers were charged with breaking into major corporation’s private networks with the hopes of gaining insight on trade details.
This case adds to the list of many breaches performed by the Chinese government, only adding to the already existing trade tensions between the U.S. and China.
Thomas McMahon ’20 expressed his concern with the Chinese government being able to access millions of American’s private information easily. McMahon angrily said, “It is really alarming that anyone can access confidential information if they try hard enough. Just look at what happened to Capital One this summer. I try my best to keep my information secure, but there is only so much you can do with the sophistication of hackers these days.”
Whether it be the hacking of more than 20 million files on government employees, theft of more than 10 million health records from health insurance provider Anthem, or the stealing of hundreds of millions of Marriot Hotel records, China is no amateur when it comes to stealing precious information from American citizens. These cases have raised questions as to whether the United States government is doing enough to protect its citizens from these ever so often hacking cases by foreign governments.
Charging these four suspects associated with the Equifax case is a step in the right direction for national security, but the United States is far from being able to solve the recurring issue related to the hacking of confidential information.
Friars Got Talent: Student Performances Ring in MLK Celebrations
by Kyle Burgess on January 30, 2020
Campus
by Matthew Mazzella ’20
News Staff
On Wednesday, January 22, Providence College continued its third annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Convocation celebrations in ’64 Hall with the Student Celebration of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The event offered a talent show for students of all backgrounds to showcase their skills in celebration of Dr. King’s legacy. The event included food from across the world to help bring diversity into the event, as well as raffle prizes for spectators and a $500 prize awarded to Caylynn Maldonado ‘22 for her karate performance.
Nancy Kelley, senior executive assistant to the president, was a huge reason this event was made possible. She and her team have been working tirelessly to make this week as impactful as possible. Kelley shared her thoughts on the student celebration, saying, “The talent show is meant to capture different talents among students across campus as we want to showcase all students and the unique talents they have. There was a flyer in December promoting the event, and it asked all candidates to send in a video clip of their talent so they could see that it would be appropriate for the event.”
Kelley also listed the timeline of events that took place throughout the week on campus. The events spanned from Monday through Friday, including MLK Day of Change, MLK Prayer Vigil, Student Celebration of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., MLK Humanities Forum, and keynote speaker Ndaba Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela.
Estarlyn Hiraldo ’21, who goes by the stage name “Starling,” is an aspiring hip hop artist who performed his song “Like Fire” at the student celebration. Hiraldo left for his semester abroad in Prague on the following Monday and was happy to be able to be a part of the performance right before he departed from Friartown.
Hiraldo shared what hip hop music means to him and why he loves performing so much. He stated, “Performing describes how I feel as an artist and a rapper in a society where hip hop is a dominant genre. It is all about hype, who has the best flow, and the flashiest things. My music comes from my upbringing and where I am coming from. I have always loved to rap, and I have been making music since I was twelve. I want to put certain frustrations out there for people to relate to and I am trying to make it fun and real, and I hope to touch people’s hearts.”
Many students and faculty came out to enjoy the event, including Andre Rogers ’20. Rogers had a great time watching his classmates showcase their unique talents, and he took a particular liking to Maldonado’s winning karate performance.
Rogers reflected on the student celebration by saying, “I had an amazing time at the talent show! It was awesome to see some of PC’s finest engage in friendly competition through dance performances, rap battles, and singing. Maldonado’s karate routine especially caught my eye. The way Maldonado gracefully kicked, flipped, and punched in the air made me feel like I was watching Rush Hour 2 for the very first time all over again. I sure would want her by my side if I ever needed backup. Great job to everyone who performed!”
As the week dedicated to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., comes to a close, it is essential we do not forget his most important teachings. King once said, “People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.”
The Student Celebration allowed for students to display their background and passions to connect with people on a more personal level. Overall, the event was a huge success and was another stride towards bringing the College community a little bit closer.
Bursting the PC Bubble: New Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum Imports
by The Cowl Editor on December 5, 2019
National and Global News
by Matthew Mazzella ’20
News Staff
On Monday, December 2, President Donald Trump announced the implementation of tariffs on steel and aluminum goods from Brazil and Argentina. The move to impose these fees will break a previous agreement established between the U.S. and the two countries and adds to the global trade war that is currently being fought with China.
In 2018, the United States reached an agreement with Argentina and Brazil regarding the amount of steel they would be able to import into the United States, but this move shows that neither country was safe from Trump starting a trade war.
President Trump shared the following statement in a tweet on Monday explaining the sudden move to implement tariffs. Trump tweeted, “Brazil and Argentina have been presiding over a massive devaluation of their currencies, which is not good for our farmers. Therefore, effective immediately, I will restore the Tariffs on all Steel & Aluminum that is shipped into the U.S. from those countries.”
While it is unknown why the President reversed the agreements from 2018 so abruptly, it is believed that the Brazilian currency falling to an all time low last week and Argentina’s economic crisis have led to America restricting the amount of business done with the countries. If the tariffs are upheld, they will impose damage to South America’s largest economies. Currently Brazil is struggling with high unemployment while Argentina is in the midst of a recession.
While this seems like a move that will benefit the American economy, specifically steel companies across America, other industries will end up having to pay more for the steel they need to purchase from outside the country. American manufacturers of automobiles and machinery products are slated to pay more for the materials they must use for production.
Many financial analysts believed that Trump would scale back on creating trade tensions in order to stabilize the economy enough to win him a second term. Monday’s new trade tensions are starting to prove this theory wrong and is pointing towards the belief that these tariffs can be a continuous part of the President’s term in office. On Tuesday, Trump warned that the trade wars could go beyond the 2020 election, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average down more than 400 points.
This move follows a myriad of unpredictable moves by the Trump Administration and adds a few more names to the list of participants in the trade war. Time will tell what the effects of these tariffs will be and the implications they will have on world markets and economies. It has become abundantly clear that the President wants to keep production of goods on home soil, but this is coming at the expense of other countries and businesses through the implementation of tariffs on imported and exported goods. Trump’s adamancy on imposing tariffs on foreign goods has sent markets into extremely volatile conditions, as each tweet can have a positive or negative effect on the stock market on any given day.
EcoPC Hosts America Recycles Day
by The Cowl Editor on November 14, 2019
Campus
by Matthew Mazzella ’20
News Staff
The Environmental Club of Providence College (ECOPC) and the Sustainability Representatives will be hosting an America Recycles Day Celebration on Nov. 15, which will take place on Slavin Lawn from 3:30–5:30 p.m. The event is in tangent with the nationwide celebration of “America Recycles Day,” and will dedicate the day towards educating students about recycling and sustainability.
The event will host numerous activities to encourage students to stop by and learn more about making the Earth a cleaner place. The America Recycles Day Celebration will feature games and activities designed to educate the community about the importance, logistics, and benefits of recycling. The event will also offer snacks and prizes.
Payton Morse ’20, co-president of ECOPC, has always been passionate about recycling and is really looking to improve environmental conciousness around campus.
Morse stresses the importance of being environmentally conscious by saying, “We are focusing on recycling awareness at our event. We want the PC community to get a solid grasp on how to ‘recycle right’, because has an awesome and very accessible mixed recycling program that we want to take full advantage of.”
Another serious issue on campus is the disposal of trash in designated recycling bins. If there is any trash in these bins, the products will end up in a landfill.
Morse expresses her concern regarding this issue, stating, “Here at PC we often get truckloads of recyclables sent to the landfill because our recycling is so contaminated that it cannot be recycled. It is either contaminated with food or non-recyclables such as plastic bags and trash. This is why we want to raise awareness about recycling correctly!”
Lindsey Cartier ’21, marketing executive for ECOPC, believes recycling can be easy for students to adopt and implement into their lives.
In anticipation for the upcoming event, Cartier says, “The goal of the Environmental Club of Providence College is to spread awareness and educate our college community on ways to live a more sustainable life while on campus and post-grad! I think this event will be a great opportunity to spread awareness to PC students about how important and easy it is to recycle, and more importantly to recycle correctly!”
Jack Carson ’20 has always taken sustainability seriously, and always makes an effort to cut back on using any resources he knows he can cut back on.
Carson speaks on sustainability on campus by saying, “I always try do my part when it comes to helping out the environment. Whether it be turning off the water when I brush my teeth, separating my trash from recycling, or simply turning off the lights after I leave my room, I know even the smallest actions can make a big difference when it comes to sustainability. I admire the Earth we live on and its beauty, so I try to do my best to keep it that way by recycling and conserving resources, and I hope this event will teach others the importance in doing so.”
ECOPC hopes to have a big turnout on Friday as they look to spread awareness about the environmental issues that are taking place on campus and will look to educate students on ways they can help. The club hopes attendees of the event will learn that doing your best by making an effort to be more sustainable, no matter the size of the act, can go a long way in making the world a cleaner place.
photo courtesy of Lindsey Cartier ’21
Bursting the PC Bubble: ISIS Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Killed By U.S. Forces
by The Cowl Editor on October 31, 2019
National and Global News
by Matthew Mazzella ’20
News Staff
On Sunday, October 27, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the terrorist organization ISIS, was found dead in northwest Syria after a raid by United States special forces. President Trump made the announcement of his death on Sunday morning and highlighted this as a win for national security. The President expressed enthusiasm about the result by saying, “Last night, the United States brought the world’s No. 1 terrorist leader to justice. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead.”
al-Baghdadi was said to have killed himself by detonating a suicide vest after the invasion of United States troops in a dead-end tunnel. He had been the leader of the terrorist organization since 2010, and the death of the ISIS leader is a huge step in the everlasting fight to end global terrorism. al-Baghdadi had been a top target for the United States for a long time, and there was even a United States offering of a $25 million reward for his capture. The Islamic States spokesperson and al-Baghdadi’s right-hand man was also killed hours later with the help of Kurdish and United States troops in northern Syria.
This operation has been in the works for weeks now, after the U.S. was informed of al-Baghdadi’s whereabouts. The United States ultimately got the go-ahead Saturday morning after receiving “actionable intelligence,” according to Vice President Mike Pence. Donald Trump explained how the raid was executed, and said special operations forces flew into the compound in eight helicopters from an undisclosed location to reach the destination in northwestern Syria. After they reached his location, United States forces were met with heavy gunfire at the doors of the compound but were able to force al-Baghdadi down a tunnel with no escape route, where he eventually took his own life. No United States military personnel were injured, although one K-9-unit dog was hurt in the process.
President Trump watched the operation in the White House with his team, and the mission to take out the ISIS leader took about two hours. He was joined by Vice President Pence, National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, along with other military officials. This mission was a success according to the President, as he stated, “Last night was a great night for United States and for the world.”
Evan Howells ’20 shared his thoughts on the news that broke Sunday morning, expressing his optimism in the fight against terrorism. Howells stated, “I was relieved to hear about the al-Baghdadi news because of the implications it has on the war against terrorism. The United States taking out their leader will hopefully weaken the terrorists that wreak so much havoc in the world we live in. Quite honestly, it makes me feel a little bit safer that we are one step closer to putting an end to something so horrible.”
While this is a step in the right direction for the war on terrorism, unfortunately the fight is not over. Through allies in the Middle East and the courage of United States troops, the battle on global terrorism will fight on in hopes of a safer world in the near future. al-Baghdadi’s death marks a severe blow to ISIS, and it will help in the battle to end the horrible actions of terrorism around the world.
photo courtesy of flickr.com
Coming Together To Celebrate Heritage: San Gennaro Festival
by The Cowl Editor on September 26, 2019
Campus
by Matthew Mazzella ’20
News Staff
Providence College celebrated the feast of San Gennaro, or Saint Januarius, the Patron Saint of Naples, outside of St. Dominic Chapel on Wednesday, September 18. The event itself honored both Itaian heritage and Catholic tradition.
Little Italy’s Feast of San Gennaro in New York City celebrates the patron saint of Naples with an 11-day festival in September. The festival is located on Mulberry Street, and has cannolis, fried dough, pizza, and other Italian foods.
PC recognized the historic event by providing catered food to celebrate Italian heritage and the patron saint from Italy. Campus Ministry filled a lot of stomachs with catered sandwiches from Anthony’s Deli and cannolis from LaSalle Bakery.
Adam Sorrentino ’20 is the vice president of the Italian club on campus and was very excited for the event, as he takes great pride in his Italian heritage. His two grandparents immigrated to the United states from Italy when they were young, so he has always been passionate about his Italian roots. He was even lucky enough to travel around Italy when studying abroad in Rome.
Sorrentino shared his excitement, saying, “The Feast serves as an example of how the U.S. is a melting pot, as this tradition was brought to the country by Italian immigrants and has become a major event in New York City. It’s great to see PC celebrating the day and bringing awareness to the saint and his importance to Italian Americans.”
Christopher Olivieri ’20 also comes from a strong Italian background and has a refined pallet when it comes to Italian food. Olivieri cherishes his mom’s homemade meals and even makes pasta by hand at home on Sunday’s using his grandma’s hallowed Sunday Gravy recipe.
Olivieri was one of the first people at the event on Wednesday, saying he could smell the food from his off-campus house. “I can never pass up a good cannoli,” he commented. “My grandfather used to make them all the time for dessert with my sister Whitney and I, so just hearing the word brings back such fond memories. I was so glad PC threw such an awesome event that has so much meaning to my heritage.”
The event had a huge turnout, with students of all different backgrounds showing up to celebrate. For many, the celebration was so much more than just eating good food; it was an opportunity for students to learn more about Italian culture and the impact that Saint Januarius has on the Catholic Church.
Juniors “GoFor” It by Beginning Errand Service: Ryan McItyre ’21 Hopes to Bring PC Community Closer Together
by The Cowl Editor on September 19, 2019
Campus
by Matthew Mazzella ’20
News Staff
Ryan McIntyre ’21 has always been ambitious, and he and a group of juniors have taken this ambition to the next level with his new business on campus called “GoFor.”
The startup is an errand-running service that strives to bring together the Friar family by connecting Friars who have spare time with Friars who have their hands full and are short on time.
McIntyre’s primary goal is to help Providence College students capitalize on their daily walking patterns across campus to make Friartown a more efficient and interconnected community, all while making a few bucks in the process.
The service is strictly student-to- student. It allows any student who is in a popular area on campus, like the Dunkin’ line in Slavin, to have the option to pick up and deliver an order for someone while they are already headed in a certain direction. The order will not take much time out of their route, and money can be made at the same time.
The junior self-starter has created an Instagram page to raise awareness about the new business around campus, and powers all orders through a Google Form, which can be found on their Instagram. The business runs on Venmo as their primary form of payment.
GoFor looks to open their errand running service to any student looking to make trips around campus with a similar model to Uber.
Students can sign up for deliveries whenever they want to work. They can make their own hours, and while they will not be paid at an hourly rate, workers will take a percentage of the profits for their trip. McIntyre and his team have been hustling around campus completing orders themselves.
This is McIntyre’s first time starting his own business, and he has his sights set on advancing his business during his remaining time in Friartown. The team of juniors who started GoFor have diverse skillsets to better develop their business.
McIntyre and Sean Noonan ’21 are finance majors with business backgrounds and will handle the business operations and marketing for GoFor.
Ahmad Mims ’21 is a computer science and economics major who has skills in coding and works for the IT department at PC. With his strong digital skills, he is in the process of creating a GoFor app, which will help advance their business significantly.
McIntyre is currently building up GoFor’s brand image around campus, as his team has already logged 10 orders in their first week of business. He has his sights set on expanding the business to include grocery shopping for Friars who do not have enough time to go shopping on their own.
There is a demand for this service on campus, and McIntyre and his team are filling it. They even pick up food from some local restaurants for students who want it, as well as from food delivery services, to minimize their customers’ walks.
Though GoFor looks to make profits through their errand running, it is not all about making money. McIntyre is really looking forward to engaging with the Friar Family, providing a forum for GoFors and users to meet more people and form friendships they would never have had before.
Matthew Williams ’22 is very intrigued by the new Friartown business, especially because of his daily Dunkin’ coffees. Williams said, “I usually have a pretty busy schedule, so I would definitely use GoFor in the future. I hate waiting in the Dunkin line for my coffee, so this sounds right up my alley.”
McIntyre’s entrepreneurial spirit is another example of what makes Friartown so special. Great minds like the junior team at GoFor came together and used their diverse backgrounds and skills to create something unique. Friars are busy people, and McIntyre realized this and created a platform that will help students get any order that they want around or off campus without having to sacrifice precious time.
While this business is very young, the team of juniors hope to become a household name on campus. McIntyre is very excited for what the future holds and looks forward to continue growing his business.
Never Too Early to Consider Careers: Business Professors Give Advice on Prepping for Career EXPO
by The Cowl Editor on September 12, 2019
Campus
by Matthew Mazzella ’20
News Staff
Sept. 25 marks the annual Providence College Career EXPO, held for students to network with recruiters looking to add talented Friars to their businesses. This is a highly anticipated event on campus, as students look to take the next step in their careers by making lasting impact on recruiters through networking. The event will take place in Peterson Recreation Center from 1-5 p.m., and there are currently 110 employers registered for the event.
While many believe this event caters towards business majors, there will be a variety of companies attending from different industries, creating an opportunity for all PC students to have a chance to make a great impression.
Scott Wright, associate professor for the marketing department at PC, believes this is a great opportunity for students to jump-start their careers. Wright said, “I strongly encourage students to attend the Fall Career EXPO. At this early career stage, students are presented with some hefty decisions, many of which will impact their careers for years to come. The EXPO presents students with an opportunity to engage, to listen, and to learn. The EXPO also helps students form those crucial connections that often kickstart successful business careers.”
The EXPO is especially important for seniors, as they look to find a job after their time at PC. Finance major Peter Chin ’20 has his mind set on a successful Career EXPO. Chin has been looking forward to this year’s EXPO, as he has begun searching for jobs in Finance. Chin has made connections before at the EXPO that lead to a summer internship, and he hopes to build on that success this fall as he searches for a full time offer.
“The career EXPO is such a great event that all students should try to go to, no matter what grade you are in. You never know who you will meet and how they can help you along with your career. I hope to make an impact this year, as I have a stronger resume and a focused career path.”
While juniors and seniors tend to get the most attention at the EXPO, it does not hurt for freshmen and sophomores to go and begin networking. Jonathan Jackson, Jr., assistant finance professor, believes this is an opportunity that is too good to pass up, regardless of your class year.
Jackson stresses the importance of career advancement by telling students, “This is the largest opportunity to meet people face to face and make a great first impression. You will never have a chance to meet 100+ employers who want to hire you. No matter what your major is or what grade you are in, there is no harm in going. You never know what you will take away from it.”
Another benefit of going to the EXPO is the opportunity to take a professional headshot for LinkedIn. The service is free for all students and it has a sign up form available through the Handshake website. Having a professional picture on LinkedIn can make you stand out from other candidates, so it is important for Friars to take advantage of this additional great opportunity which PC offers.
Many Friars are looking to bulk up their resume to make an impact at the event. With so many employers on campus, there are plenty of opportunities to take advantage of, and the Career EXPO offers students the opportunity to build meaningful, professional connections outside the classroom.
Students Encouraged to Shop Locally: BOP Holds Friar Flea Market
by The Cowl Editor on April 11, 2019
Campus
by Matthew Mazzella ’20
News Staff
In what was an action-packed weekend for the Providence College Board of Programmers (BOP), the Social Committee hosted its second annual “Friar Flea” in the Slavin Atrium this past Friday, April 5 from 2-5 p.m.
The event, which was organized by BOP, brought vendors from across the New England area for students to sample and shop.
The leader of this event was Corrie Traverse ’20, who has run the event for two years now. Traverse shared her excitement about the event and was very pleased with the way it turned out this year.
When asked about the flea market, Traverse explained, “My goal was to get as many local vendors and artisans to campus to give students a sample of what is available locally. I was so happy with the way it turned out and going forward I’m hoping for next year to even bring in some of our own talented PC students to sell their own products!”
There was a great variety of vendors this year, including Augusta Street Kitchen, Frey Florist, Colonel’s Collectables, Skvngr’s Hoard Jewelry, Good Fibes, and a Friar favorite, Nitro Cart, a local nitrogen coffee company in Providence.
With such great companies coming to campus, there was a big turnout of Friars who came out and enjoyed the opportunity to shop for such unique items.
Traverse was very satisfied with the number of students who came by to experience the event and considers the market a huge success.
Matthew Williams ’22 was a huge fan of the event and took full advantage of the great vendors on campus. Williams spoke about his experience, stating, “As a freshman, I look to participate in a lot of campus sponsored events. It was great to see all the local companies that came to campus. My favorite part was getting lunch from Augusta Street Kitchen. The food was amazing. What a way to start off the weekend!”
The event was not only a big hit, but it has solidified its place in Friartown for years to come. The hope now is to get more PC students involved as vendors, selling some of their own creative pieces at events in the coming years.
This event gave students a taste of some of the hidden gems in the area, encouraging students to venture off campus and take advantage of the various shops Providence and the surrounding New England businesses have to offer.