Tag: Providence College
Sports Shorts
by Andrew Vines ’29 on February 5, 2026
Sports Shorts
Men’s Basketball
On Jan. 30 the Friars traveled to Villanova University to take on the Wildcats in a Friday night Big East matchup. Corey Floyd Jr. ’26 joined the injury report before the game bringing the number up to five inactive for the Friars. Stefan Vaaks ’29 was the game’s leading scorer, totaling 25 points and going 5–11 from beyond the arc. The Friars’ defense could not stop Villanova’s 3-point shooting as the Wildcats went 13–29 from three on the way to an 87–73 victory. The team is now last in the Big East with a conference record of 2–9 and 9–13 overall. DePaul University comes to town on Feb. 7 for a late afternoon tip.
Men’s Ice Hockey
The men’s ice hockey team came into the week ranked No. 9. They traveled to Alfond Sports Arena to take on the No. 17 ranked University of Maine Black Bears on Jan. 17. The Friars went down 1–0 early, but tied it up soon after with a goal from Alex Rybakov ’29. At the end of the first period the Friars trailed 2–1. There was no further scoring until Andrew Centrella ’27 tied it up with 5.6 seconds to go to force overtime for the Friars. In overtime, Logan Sawyer ’28 called game for the second time in two weeks to extend the Friars’ winning streak to seven. The Friars are one of the hottest teams in the country now at 16–7–2 atop the Hockey East. They will visit the University of New Hampshire on Feb. 6 and host the University of Vermont on Feb. 7.
Women’s Ice Hockey
The women’s ice hockey team traveled to the University of Vermont this weekend to take on the Catamounts for two games. The Friars won on Friday night, Jan. 30, 4–1. Molly Farace ’29 scored the lone goal in the first period. After allowing a goal, the Friars closed out the game on a 3–0 advantage with goals from Hannah Clarke ’28, Kiara Kraft ’27, and Megane Quirion ’26. On Saturday, Jan. 31, the Friars completed the sweep with a 3–2 victory. Audrey Knapp ’27 scored a power play goal, and Reichen Kirchmair ’26 and Emma Hofbauer ’28 tallied the other two. Their record is now 9–17–2. They will take on the University of Connecticut and Merrimack College on Feb. 6 and 7.
Men’s Lacrosse
The men’s lacrosse team traveled to the College of the Holy Cross on Saturday, Jan. 31 to open their season against the Crusaders. This game was moved indoors to the St. Ignatius Indoor Practice Facility due to the weather. After a 5–5 first quarter the Friars outscored the Crusaders 10–5 to close out the game and win 15–10. Rhett Chambers ’27 and Jay Wilkerson ’28 both scored four goals. Chambers also had two assists. Pennsylvania State University transfer Matt Lazzaro ’27 had a hat trick. Big East Pre-Season Offensive Player of the year Richie Joseph ’26 scored two goals. The Friars’ home opener is Saturday, Feb. 7 when they look to go 2–0 against the Bryant Bulldogs.
Athlete of the Week
by Sarah Wolff ’28 on February 5, 2026
Men's Basketball
This week, we celebrate guard Stefen Vaaks ’29, whose performance last Saturday, Dec. 6, and in recent games delivered big moments for the Friars. It hasn’t taken long for Vaaks to get Providence College basketball fans talking. His poise, energy, and clutch scoring moments don’t look like they’re coming from a freshman. Vaaks has impressive length and mobility for someone standing at 6’7”, and so far, he has taken every opportunity the coaching staff has given him.
Over the Friars’ last two games, he has averaged 13.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game, while shooting a solid 44 percent from the floor and hitting four of nine threes. Contributions like these have helped the Friars take some runs and close out tight games, showing the kind of confidence and rhythm this team has been looking for in the past season. Vaaks’s impact, however, extends beyond the box score. On both ends of the court, he’s brought hustle, energy, and execution. He puts in the work on the offense, working to secure rebounds and convert them into points down at Providence’s basket. As Vaaks runs plays, he energizes not only his teammates, but the crowd as well. On the other hand he’s already shown smart instincts defensively: challenging shots, rotating quickly, and even securing a season-high three steals in a single game. The Cowl published an article at the end of last spring semester amidst the buzz surrounding his commitment. We can remember the excitement the program had installed in everyone regarding his size, international background, and potential as a versatile guard.
However, what’s truly energizing is seeing how that potential is beginning to translate into noticeable and strong contributions when Vaaks is performing his best at the AMP. The rookie’s mistakes have been small. Instead, what stands out is an intentional aggression, a willingness to win some of those tough games, and the kind of composure and confidence in high-pressure environments that often escape first-year players. Head coach Kim English commented on Vaaks’s commitment this season, noting he is “really impressed with Vaaks, especially responding with a big swing after the 14–2 start” in their Saturday home game against the University of Rhode Island. English’s confidence in the freshman guard has been evident in his rotation decisions, trusting Vaaks with important minutes and allowing him to playwhile adjusting to completely new surroundings. Vaaks has responded to this with consistency, discipline, and a maturity uncommon for a league rookie.
As Providence continues to move through in league play, Vaaks’s promise as a player feels more and more tangible with each game. Through his growth, he is slowly showing his coaches, teammates, and fans what he can become: a confident scorer, a strong competitor, and a reliable player to have on the court. If this season’s start is any indication, the Friars have found a possible piece to help them excel not only in the future, but also throughout the current season.
Community Dinner with Dialogue Stakeholders on Campus
by Shannon Kelly ’26 on February 5, 2026
News
The Future of Dialogue at Providence College
On Wednesday, Jan. 28, Dialogue, Inclusion, and Democracy Lab Fellows Isabelle Camoin ’26 and Shannon Kelly ’26 hosted a community dinner with various dialogue stakeholders on campus. Representatives from several clubs and organizations on campus, including Residence Life, BMSA, BOP, Civic Engagement Taskforce, SHEPARD, ECOPC, The Cowl, NERLab, Her Campus, PIRC, DID Lab, and others, were present at the discussion.
Members from the same organizations and clubs were assigned to different tables before engaging in conversation. The hope with this was that people would become familiar with other individuals on campus whom they might not have known previously. We started out with a community agreement, which is a practice that had been introduced to us by Dr. Nick Longo, co-director of the DID Lab. Introductions were held, and the hosts led with the question, “Why did you agree to come to the dinner?” to gauge people’s motivations and what they sought to get out of the conversation. There were five round tables, and most questions posed started off in a small-group discussion, then a few people from each table shared out to the larger group. Many people shared that they appreciated the invitation, cited their pre-existing relationships with others in the room, and expressed their hope to discuss the dialogic atmosphere on campus.
The two questions that we initially posed were, “How have you experienced civil discourse on campus in your daily interactions with others?” and “How do you specifically experience civil discourse in the clubs and organizations that you are a part of?” In regards to the first question, some people spoke of engaging in conversation with their friends, but many noted that they felt their pre-existing views were often affirmed, rather than challenged, in these daily conversations. Some also spoke to the importance of starting a conversation through recognizing a common ground between participants. The importance of friendship, and trust more generally, was also a focus in the conversation. Many mentioned that they felt that they participated in conversations in silos, which didn’t allow for greater conversation to be had with others.
The other two questions that we posed were, “How can we make sure the meaningful conversations we are having continue? What is working in your club or organization?” and, “Should we be reaching those who have not yet engaged in meaningful dialogue? How can we do that?” Several practices were viewed as currently working on campus. This included office hours for SHEPARD, DEI-centered dialogue for BOP, having a shared office for Student Congress, reaching out to professors, and taking the time to personally invite others to events. In terms of things that were not working, knowing what is going on within various clubs/organizations, and a general lack of engagement from others on campus who are not as involved in on-campus activities was brought up. When brainstorming how to move forward, many said that we should be prioritizing safe spaces, advocating for others, using the clubs that we are a part of as a force for good, reaching out to get others involved, and prioritizing listening to different viewpoints were all brought up.
Several students from The Cowl expressed difficulty in trying to get students with conservative viewpoints to join the newspaper. They expressed their efforts to get others involved through hosting an open house and repeatedly posting on their social media that they were looking for writers of varying opinions for each section. Throughout the discussion, it was clear that there was recognition of the need for change and more open dialogue on campus. Someone also brought up the role that technology plays in our everyday interactions, as well as the need to bridge the gap between solely communicating online versus in person, and getting more people willing to engage in civil discourse in person was emphasized.
When sharing out with the larger groups, one person said that, “No one wants to see the world crumble.” This was an important basis to start off a conversation with, as it creates common ground with people who may share differing viewpoints and perspectives. This discussion was the first part of an initiative entitled the “Beyond the Walls” series, which seeks to continue the conversation that the DID Walls allow others to engage in. DID Walls can be found across campus in the Feinstein Academic Center, Slavin Center, Mondor Center for Nursing and Health Sciences, Science Complex, and Moore Hall. We look forward to continuing these conversations in the future.
Cave
by Grace Pappadellis ’29 on January 29, 2026
Portfolio - Poetry
The room is similar to that of a cave,
cold and quiet,
but not quite empty,
not quite vacant.
We string up glowing petals above,
the windows stay open,
barely a flash, just constant, waning, natural light.
A blanket of time, hours go by, warm and safe, the ease is innate.
Every item, a friendship crest, the incense holds the memories,
the first time we met, meek and hesitant,
the sun falls and is born again, marking another day of knowing you.
Forever we will live here.
No one can ever live here the same;
this cave holds the remnants of every step, every trace of eager stories,
loud, jubilant, peachy faces, an earnest, mutual bond.
We’ll shut the windows only to prevent the rain from spilling in.
s n o w
by Hanna Boudreau ’28 on January 29, 2026
Portfolio - Poetry
s
n
o
w
cover me—hide me—when I am overcome with woe
s
n
o
w
comfort me—console me—when I know not where to go
s
n
o
w
call me—christen me—with the name which you bestow
s
n
o
w
catch me—carry me—when I trip over my own shadow
s
n
o
w
coddle me—cradle me—like an old weeping willow
s
n
o
w
challenge me–captivate me—like the swirling art of Van Gogh
s
n
o
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compliment me—celebrate me—as one does a beautiful rainbow
s
n
o
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cure me—complete me—never let me go
The Poet’s Plight
by Benedict Bergeron ’29 on January 29, 2026
Portfolio - Poetry
I sit before my oaken table
As oft as I am able
With pen in hand and paper
My words, never stringing.
I try to be a shaper,
A song-maker, singing,
But inspiration lacks;
My purpose comes to naught.
I turn to trace my tracks,
But I have none begot.
Before my oaken table, I sit,
Not writing once, not one bit.
To me, this is a dreadful sight;
This is our curse: The Poet’s Plight.
Where Am I, and Where Are You?
by Grace Pappadellis ’29 on January 29, 2026
Opinion - Entertainment & Society
My best friend from back home will forever be my best friend from back home. When we are married with children, have moved away to where we’ve always dreamed of living, and have filled our households with homemade meals our mothers taught us to cook, artwork obtained throughout our travels, and beloved albeit deteriorating furniture from our first apartments, she will still be my best friend from home. I will look at her across the dining room table, adorned with flowers from the garden and a lambent glow from candlelight, and I will see her running through the backyard of my childhood home in her bathing suit, sunburnt and covered in grass. I will see her wrapped in a sleeping bag with a pint of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, the Christmas lights strung along the ceiling of my basement dangling over us. I will see her on prom night, our senior year, winding light pink ribbon around my bouquet of flowers that had disbanded in the pouring rain. My heart will ache with love for her, adoration, and the scent of her—fresh-picked lavender and faint incense—will pull me back home, to where we grew up, together, all at once.
It is an extreme challenge to separate people from places, faces from memories. You can separate yourself, move away, begin a new period of your life, but those connections—the scents that trigger emotions, the songs that remind you of specific people, and even a mere mention of a saying you used to hear all the time—they’re irremovable. As people—especially observant, empathetic people—we commonly practice making associations between feelings and places, usually related to a person you have vivid memories with. Regardless of where I am, or how long it has been since I’ve been back home, I will always remember the smallest things—what some might call the most trivial details—about people, and it doesn’t take much to remind me. The soft veil of sunlight over the tops of the trees, perceptible through the hallway window, brings me back to long hikes in early spring, obscure places with my family, being young and dragging my feet, but I was always gaining something. The air always felt light and delicate in my lungs; my brother’s lapis blue down jacket kept me warm, never letting me down. My brother and I would make crude jokes as we leaped over the roots of trees and skidded across wooden bridges over rippling creeks. We’d watched too much Cartoon Network, and our humor was infused with the clever yet slightly inappropriate humor of The Amazing World of Gumball. One memory trickles into another, and before I know it I am a little kid again, hiking, sledding, dancing to Lady Gaga, or eating hot dogs in the tiny shop I had no idea I’d work in one day.
No matter where you are, you are with all the people you’ve ever met. Your new friends may share the same smile lines as your oldest friend, or a guttural laugh similar to your father’s. Your ex that occasionally crosses your mind may appear within a restaurant menu or scribed in the lines of a new book, words they once said, or phrases you’ll never forget. Sometimes these reminders are like whispers, a gentle call to memory, growing latent in the back of your mind. Other times, the memories rattle your brain. They are rapturous, or miserable, or so overwhelming they are indistinguishable. Regardless, you’ll never shake people from your life. Your memories may become less fervent, less relevant to the time, but one way or another, you leave a mark on everyone you meet, and they’ve left something for you.
It is imperative that you stay in touch with those who are in different places; the ones you have inevitably separated from, yet they remain just as important to who you are. People make up each other—I have learned things from my childhood best friend that I’ll never learn from anyone else, created irreplaceable memories with new friends, and been loved by my family in a way no one else ever could. No matter where I am, I will remind myself of where you are, and when I’m unsure, I’ll let my memories guide me to you.
Snow Storm or the Apocalypse?
by Courtney Wight '26 on January 29, 2026
Opinion - Entertainment & Society
Friday, Jan. 23, at 4 p.m. my friends and I went to the Shaws down on Admiral Street, just as we always do on Friday afternoons. Yet, upon our arrival, we realized we may have forgotten about the impending inclement weather heading toward the area on Sunday. The parking lot was packed, with only three available carts in sight, and a store full of people made the experience feel like I was doomsday prepping for the apocalypse.
The pizza dough was cleared out, so there went our plan of pizza for dinner, and then disaster struck as I went to grab milk. Usually, the milk section is absolutely overflowing, fully stocked with a ton of options. However, there was only one full gallon of real milk (Lactaid doesn’t count!) in the whole store. I was stunned. I know the joke is to stock up on milk and bread before a storm, but I didn’t know it was that serious.
This experience and the general reaction to the storm have made me question how prepared people are for winter storms. As someone from Albany, NY, 10 inches of snow is a decent amount, but not exactly enough for mass panic. Most people stock up slightly at their usual grocery run and prepare their snow blowers and shovels before a snowstorm. Parents find their kids’ snowpants, hats, and gloves, and get ready for a day of snow-related activities. Maybe it was because I was a kid, but I never remember such a mass panic during a snowstorm growing up.
I’ve had a snow day every year I’ve been at Providence College, and I personally feel that they have not always been warranted. I understand walking around campus is different from driving to school and then being inside all day, but when I hear about a snow day, I expect at least a foot of snow. I still remember the snow day freshman year when I was so excited to wake up to a winter wonderland, only to see about two inches of snow on the ground. I was grateful for the snow day, especially since I had not done my Civ reading, but it certainly did not have the magic of a snow day when I was a kid.
As a person born and raised in the Northeast, snow is a part of life. The car I drove during high school was a pickup truck, and I remember one day we unexpectedly got about three inches of snow during the school day. My sister and I struggled to clean off the truck as best as we could with the small scraper. My hands turned bright red without gloves, and my feet were absolutely freezing as I had Converse on. While it was certainly a tense drive home, we survived. My parents made sure I learned how to drive in the snow since they knew I’d probably have to do it on my own one day.
I understand that those who are not from places where it snows and gets cold may be shocked or unprepared for this type of weather. I feel weather stations have contributed to the intense fear-mongering over winter storms. I’ve even started getting videos on my For You Page making fun of how weather stations are talking about the storm. While I know the Northeast may not be receiving as much snow annually as in decades past, it is still the Northeast! This type of weather comes with the territory. This storm is not a once-in-a-generation blizzard, yet weather stations and people at the grocery store certainly made it feel like it is.
Where is the Money Going?: Student Congress Club Allocations
by Rachel Barter ’27 on January 29, 2026
Opinion - Campus
Each year, Providence College’s Student Congress holds two allocation meetings that significantly impact club funding: one at the end of the academic year for distributing budgets, and another at the beginning of the spring semester to review how clubs have been spending their funds. The current process has led to clubs losing previously allocated funds without clear justification, which is a major concern for club executives.
One would expect that if a club adheres to its estimated budget approved by Congress during the previous academic year, it would not lose funds after its spring semester check-in. However, despite a club maintaining their budget estimations and putting on their approved and funded programming in the fall, they might find that their funds have been taken away in the spring without explanation. As a club executive who has experienced this during both semesters I have been in this role, this phenomenon is not a fluke, but rather a pattern that pains many clubs who count on the funds they were promised and allocated by Congress.
I would much rather Congress allocate clubs a budget that they can follow through on in the spring, granted that the clubs adhere to their budget, than allocate clubs more money than they have to give and inevitably dock them money each spring semester. I am sure that many clubs would agree that they would rather not get their hopes up for the potential programming they can put on, only to have it taken away before the spring semester. This pattern ultimately sets clubs up for failure and disappointment, as clubs are then short on money for the spring semester. If they had known this prior, they may have planned accordingly and perhaps adjusted their fall spendings to reduce the impact on the spring semester.
Additionally, Congress seems to be punishing clubs that spend more in the spring semester and are potentially taking money away from them because their budgeting is uneven between semesters. Furthermore, this happens despite such clubs letting Congress know of their increased spending in the spring, likely due to holidays or scheduled celebrations. On the flip side, clubs should not be awarded additional funds because they went significantly over budget in the fall and now need extra funding to cover it. Instead, every club, no matter if they went over budget or maintained their projected spendings, should have an equal chance to receive additional money for the spring semester, permitting that this funding do not come from docking clubs that have adhered to their budget.
Considering the recurrence of this phenomenon and the reputation of Congress allocation meetings as extremely competitive, these spring allocation meetings place extra, unneeded stress on students going into them, knowing that no matter how closely they follow their approved plan and kindly present this to the Treasury Committee, they will have money taken away. In fact, spring allocations and knowledge that Congress will inevitably take money away from clubs also encourages nervous students to ask Congress for more money than they need, hoping that this will deter them from taking any money away, but it does not.
I believe that Congress should not take money away from clubs that they have already promised a specific amount of funds to, unless the club does not adhere to their annual projected and approved budget to a certain degree. Furthermore, Congress should widely share an explicit policy denoting what constitutes clubs losing funding so club executives can adhere to the rules and not have to stress, year after year, that they will lose the funding they are counting on.
For clubs that do not meet such standards, they should be provided with a reason why they lost funding, which will let them know how they can improve the following year, as well as ensure that clubs are not being discriminated against or favored due to any biases, whether positive or negative. Such clubs should also be allowed to appeal to Congress about allocation cuts to safeguard against unfounded cuts. Although I hope that allocation cuts do not come from a place of bias, clubs deserve to know exactly what they need to do to maintain their allocated funds and should not have to fear losing money while Congress provides no reason as to why, prohibiting clubs from hosting and improving their programming.
Perhaps the Congress Treasury Committee should not be the ones making these choices alone and should have more oversight, whether this be by an administrator or the general body of Congress, considering that the college trusts a group of five students to control hundreds of thousands of dollars.
25th Anniversary of St. Dominic Chapel
by Sarah McCall ’26 on January 29, 2026
News
St. Dominic’s Chapel will celebrate its 25th anniversary during Mass on Sunday, Feb. 1. Since its blessing in 2001, St. Dominic’s has served and encouraged thousands of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and local Providence residents to pursue the Providence College and Dominican pillar of veritas. St. Dominic’s offers countless opportunities to pursue truth and has become a cornerstone of Providence College and the greater Providence community.
For many students, the Chapel provides community through programs such as Campus Ministry, FaithWorks, Open Table, Veritas Roundtable, and Late Night Mass. Currently, the Chapel offers Sunday Mass at 11 a.m., 7 p.m., and 10 p.m., Monday through Thursday Mass at 4:35 p.m. and 9 p.m., and Friday Mass at 4:35 p.m. If you are interested in attending the reception after the Dedication Mass, register online to join members of the PC community in the Campus Ministry Center to celebrate at https://events.blackthorn.io/en/3iofXW6/g/BzkeJBjC3d/general-registration-st-dominic-chapel-anniversary-mass-and-reception-4a6XUTCfH7/overview.