PC 101: Time to Flourish

by The Cowl Editor on August 31, 2017

Opinion

by Editor-in-Chief Marla Gagne ’18 and Associate Editor-in-Chief Paige Calabrese ’18

As students begin to flood the streets of Friartown, one word is buzzing around the campus: change. Students, faculty, and staff alike are taking in the newest campus transformation that took place over the summer.

Huxley Avenue, once known as the street dividing campus, is now a pedestrian-friendly walkway complete with an overlook view of the city and the namesake of Friar Dom’s best friend. Guzman Hill, the obstacle for any student running late for their 8:30 a.m. class, is now a less-threatening staircase that can easily be conquered.

The Arthur F. and Patricia Ryan Center for Business Studies is starting its first fall classes, while Albertus Magnus, home to the sciences, is being renovated for 2018.

That is on top of projects that have just taken place in the last few years: a new parking garage, Chapey Field at Anderson Stadium, and Ruane Center for the Humanities.

After a year of celebrating its 100-year history, Providence College is racing towards a progressive future that will be the new normal for thousands of future Friars. And while the campus is physically changing, so are the Friars, new and old, who call PC home.

Freshmen have just plunged in the deep end and are slowly navigating their way through the lunch lines at Ray, the Civ syllabus, and making friends with strangers and new roommates. Sophomores and juniors have shed their rookie status and are now ready to conquer the year ahead of them. And seniors, well, they are trying to enjoy their last year of normal before they experience their own drastic change.

And just like the students, The Cowl was experiencing its own transformation. Welcoming The Cowl team for 2017-2018 was a wonderful feeling, as we saw former writers adapt to new roles as editors and returning editors take on more confidence as mentors and veterans of The Cowl. The staff has changed significantly from the past academic year as the Class of 2017 bid PC farewell, but this year’s staff brings an abundance of new ideas and experiences.

Change is inevitable, both good and bad. Watching editors graduate, saying goodbye to family and friends, and being immersed into a whole new world is hard. But change also allows for more stories to uncover, new friends to make, and new places to discover. As PC enters year 101, let’s remember the past, live in the present, and embrace the future—the time of transformation and flourishing.

Pa(i)ges from Abroad: The Cathedral of Seville

by The Cowl Editor on February 9, 2017

Arts & Entertainment

By Paige Calabrese `18

A&E Co-Editor

On January 30, 2017, I had the privilege of touring the Cathedral of Seville and the Giralda in Seville, Spain, where I am studying this semester. The architecture of the Cathedral is absolutely breathtaking, as it is a combination of Islamic and Gothic design, and at one point was a mosque.

The outside of the Cathedral is, to say the least, massive, with towering columns and pillars displaying intricately detailed arches and gargoyles. Upon stepping inside the Cathedral, I was entirely overwhelmed by the height of the ceilings as well as by the ostentatious designs of gold on the walls depicting scenes from the Bible. In addition to the building itself, there are works of art on display inside, such as paintings and sculptures depicting various Biblical scenes, portraits of rulers and ruling families, and the tomb containing the remains of Christopher Columbus.

The Giralda is a tower adjoining the Cathedral, with a wind vein at the very top in the form of a saint, representing the importance of faith. After climbing all 340 steps, I arrived at the top of the Giralda and was awestruck by the view: the entire city of Seville was sitting before me.