Author: Alexis Guerra

Ringing in the holiday cheer

As the end of the fall semester draws near, Quinnipiac students are already preparing for the holidays. Whether this is making plans to celebrate a specific holiday or just spend time with family, the community has a lot to look forward to.


Senior film major Meredith Fox enjoys spending time with her family all throughout Hanukkah. Photo credit:

Senior film major Meredith Fox enjoys spending time with her family all throughout Hanukkah. Photo credit:

“For the holidays my family always goes to my grandmother’s house and we all exchange gifts and light the candles,” said Meredith Fox, third-year 3+1 FTM major. “It’s nice to get everyone together for a fun holiday like Hanukkah.”


Junior nursing major Melissa Buck enjoys the events that Quinnipiac hosts during the holiday season, such as the annual holiday dinner. (Photo credit: Alexis Guerra)

Junior nursing major Melissa Buck enjoys the events that Quinnipiac hosts during the holiday season, such as the annual holiday dinner. (Photo credit: Alexis Guerra)

Along with students planning ahead, the Office of Religious Life aims to meet the personal religious needs of students of all faiths during the season of celebration. The three groups represented in the office include Catholic and Protestant chaplains as well as a Muslim religious life coordinator, according to the Quinnipiac website. The Peter C. Hereld House also regularly hosts events for the Jewish community on campus.

“I think Quinnipiac does a pretty good job of keeping the celebrations inclusive,” said Melissa Buck, junior nursing major. “I always look forward to the student centers being decorated and the different events that are going, especially before finals.” 


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According to Father Jordan Lenaghan, executive director of University Religious Life, the university looks to incorporate all religions. This year, Quinnipiac’s admitted students included those who identify as Wiccan, Scientologist and with the Reformed Church (Christian).

With new religions joining the campus community, the Center for Religion hosted an Irish Cultural Christmas party sponsored by Ireland’s Great Hunger Institute. The Quinnipiac Catholic Chaplaincy had an Advent Mass during finals review week. Regardless, students are still looking forward to going home for the holidays.


Quinnipiac held its annual holiday dinner for undergraduate students on Dec. 5 on the Mount Carmel Campus. (Photo credit: Alexis Guerra)

Quinnipiac held its annual holiday dinner for undergraduate students on Dec. 5 on the Mount Carmel Campus. (Photo credit: Alexis Guerra)

“I’ll be celebrating with family, by going to mass and then having dinner and exchanging gifts,” said Grace Senra, president of the Catholic Chaplaincy. “We’ll also incorporate a Hanukkah celebration and light the menorah, as one of my uncles is Jewish!”

Along with plans for the winter break, Quinnipiac has its own fair share of holiday traditions. On Dec. 3, members of the university’s community came together for a Quad lighting ceremony, complete with cooking decorating and holiday carols. The university also hosts its annual holiday dinner for undergraduate students on Dec. 5. 

“To me,” said Senra. “Celebrating the holidays and keeping up with traditions is hugely important. I love being with family, and the special religious ceremonies such as mass and lighting the Advent wreath are some of my favorite parts of the Church year.”

Q&A With Republican Mayoral Candidate Jay Kaye

By Alexis Guerra

Jay Kaye, a manager for a private commercial company, is running against Democratic Mayor Curt B. Leng. Kaye doesn’t view himself as a “run-of-the-mill party candidate.” The general election is on Nov. 5, which will determine the next mayor of Hamden.


The Quinnipiac Republicans invited Jay Kaye to campus on Oct. 30, as an opportunity for students to ask him questions. (Credit: Alexis Guerra)

The Quinnipiac Republicans invited Jay Kaye to campus on Oct. 30, as an opportunity for students to ask him questions. (Credit: Alexis Guerra)

Q: Why did you want to run?

A: I personally felt that having been a registered Democrat for so long, I would always vote for who I thought was the best candidate. I didn’t necessarily just vote Democrat and usually, it turned out to be Republican because I’ve strong fiscal conservative ideals. As days went on and more people started to get involved, that’s when I made the commitment that I felt that I would be a very good candidate because for Hamden, in particular, I’m very centrist. I have very moderate social views. And strong fiscal, conservative views. And I thought that would be a nice blend to be able to relate to people in Hamden, particularly to people that weren’t Republicans.

Q: I read on your campaign page that you switched political parties. Can you speak about that decision? 

A: I had to do that in order to run as a Republican. I certainly knew the ramifications of it, but I wasn’t concerned with that because I felt that my concern for Hamden far outweighed what party I was running for. I knew Lauren was gonna challenge Curt. And we had really looked at the political climate in Hamden and we knew that he was going to be challenged. Going to the legislative council meetings, you can see the displeasure with Democrats that were seated on the legislative council with the Democrat administration.

I do get a little frustrated when people try and use the party against me as opposed to doing what’s right for Hamden. I certainly am not trying to overthrow the Democrats. If every other person there was a Democrat, I would work just as well as if it was a Republican. Because that’s really not the point. The point is to do what’s right for Hamden, to use my experience to help Hamden.

Q: If you’re elected, what are you hoping to change about Hamden?

What I really would like to change at the very core is the relationship between the mayor and the legislative council. The legislative council is the fiscal authority for the town. They ultimately make almost all of the decisions as to where the money goes and where it comes from. So if you can’t cooperate with the legislative council, you’re already at odds. You’re already doing a disservice to the town. I’ve been to plenty of meetings where the administration being the mayor’s side and the council, they just argue — they don’t cooperate. And that’s one of the most important things that I would fix is letting know that the legislative council has someone in the administration that actually wants to work with them.

Q: Quinnipiac and Hamden have an inconsistent relationship. Why do you think that is?

Quinnipiac grew up here in Hamden just like I did and it was a very small, rural college. The (previous) president of Quinnipiac made a whole lot of progress growing the college very quickly. And I’ve kind of used the analogy of it’s like when a kid goes from being a kid to a teenager. You have those growing pains and you see all this rapid growth and all of a sudden they seem out of control and you’re fighting with them and you’re trying to hold them back. But in reality, you need to let them grow because that’s your job as a parent.

I’ve met people from the new administration, I’ve talked to them. What they did at planning and zoning the other night was really well received. The people on the Planning and Zoning Commission were almost speechless at how thorough, how honest, how open, the presentation (was). There were people on that committee that had been there for planning and zoning for 30 years, and they were like, ‘We’ve never seen this.’ So I think Quinnipiac deserves a lot of credit for taking that first step, even though it’s not the first step, but for delivering on what they said they would deliver.

Q: How do you plan on improving that relationship?

Just coming to campus, talking to students and talking to the administration. I know part of that plan is to have kids come on the campus, get kids to go to the games, just do whatever you can do to build that relationship. Specifically, I really would just want to be on campus more, have Quinnipiac kids be more in Hamden. Have them come to come to events, whether they’re volunteering, shopping, anything. It’s going to take a little bit at a time, but just getting it started is so important. And I have to thank the Quinnipiac administration for doing that.

Avoiding a ‘trick’ this Halloween

While students are putting the finishing touches on their costumes for Halloween, those at the Health and Wellness Center are making sure that everyone has a safe holiday.

As part of Wellness Wednesdays, the Health and Wellness Center tabled outside of Starbucks in the Student Center to educate students on the importance of bystander intervention and the alcohol content within common drinks. 


This week’s Halloween theme brought awareness to the alcohol content in drinks.

This week’s Halloween theme brought awareness to the alcohol content in drinks.

“We’re focusing on National Alcohol Awareness Week,” Carisha Moore, a graduate biomedical science student, said. “This one is called ‘Don’t Get Tricked’ and about bystander intervention. So really just learning more about what you can do to look out for your friends and figuring out what are risky kinds of alcohol.”

The table was lined with a beer can, a bottle of wine and red solo cups to illustrate how the physical amount of liquid doesn’t represent the strength of that type of alcohol.


Carisha Moore (left) and Tami Reilly (right) host Wellness Wednesdays weekly in the Student Center.

Carisha Moore (left) and Tami Reilly (right) host Wellness Wednesdays weekly in the Student Center.

“Often times you think that a shot isn’t that much, so it’s not going to impact you that much,” Tami Reilly, director of fitness and wellness, said while at the table. “But you realize how much alcohol is in it and even things like getting a drink from someone you don’t know is risky behavior.”

Along with candy, those who stopped by the table also could pick up handouts with information on alcohol awareness. According to one of the sheets, a typical red solo cup can hold two standard-sized beers or filling it halfway with 80-proof liquor can be five standard drinks. 

“These (handouts) remind us that if you’re going to drink, take care of yourself,” Reilly said. “Know what you’re drinking, know how much so you don’t get tricked. It happens to so many people. They’re not aware of what’s in their drink. Someone keeps refilling their cup and that’s when a problem happens.”

Each Wednesday, the Health and Wellness Center tables with a new theme with the goal to help students become more proactive about their health. In the past, they’ve hosted, “Take Back the Juuls” for students to hand in their vaping and nicotine products. The department plans to focus on de-stressing during exam week.

“We have a calendar that we put out at the start of the semester,” Reilly said.  “And every week has a different theme related to wellness that can help students tune in to be more aware of their overall wellness.”

From head chef to hostess

Discovering the steps involved in creating a dish that goes beyond the recipe

By Alexis Guerra

You’re sitting at a table in a restaurant. Your stomach is growling. You’ve had a long day at work. And you have just enough energy left to chow down on your food. That is, when it finally arrives. For the past several minutes you’ve been teased by platters of burgers, sandwiches, drafts of beer, you name it. Finally, the server pushes open the heavy double doors of the kitchen, with a tray in hand. You lock eyes, hoping that one of those white plates contains your next meal. To your satisfaction, they set the plate of steaming hot wings right under your nose. 

Dig in.


Side Street Grille has been in business since 1996.

Side Street Grille has been in business since 1996.

We’ve followed the journey from waiting to receiving your meal, but what happened before that and what separates the good from the bad in the restaurant industry? 

If you were to pose these questions to Hamden’s Side Street Grille owner Dave DeNicola, he’d tell you it takes time and massive amounts of preparation.

Read the full story here.