Category: Quinnipiac

By Pat Hickey

Colleges and universities around the nation are forced to move their classes and activities to virtual for the remainder of the school year due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Not having to physically go to class may seem like an advantage. However, for some seniors, the disadvantages that come along with this are much more detrimental than imagined.

Whether it’s dealing with the technical difficulties in Zoom meetings, or having to pack up your belongings and go home, these issues are making the quick end to senior year worse. After speaking with a few seniors here at Quinnipiac it’s obvious that this “extended spring break” is no fun and games, and for some it means some serious re-planning and structuring.

The current seniors have every right to be upset with how their final semester has ended, according to Quinnipiac seniors Steve Fitzpatrick and Hannah Harris, who say this situation isn’t as good as it may sound. “This just really sucks,” Fitzpatrick said. “I have friends in my classes that I won’t be able to see, possibly ever again.”

Harris feels similarly with Fitzpatrick’s statements, but with all the other extras that go into graduating college she feels as though we are getting robbed out of what we deserve. 

“I understand that it seems easy and fun to have online classes for the rest of the semester, but combined with working from home, pressure of graduating soon and finding a job, having our senior year cancelled feels like we did all this work for nothing,” Harris said.

Clubs and organizations on campus have been negatively affected as well. Senior Justin Marin, President of the Marketing club here at Quinnipiac, gives a glimpse of how clubs are affected by the pandemic.

“It sucks for all of the members because we had some really exciting events and field trips planned for the remainder of the semester, which we can no longer do,” Marin said. “We also lost out on a whole lot of revenue opportunities and had to return over $300 to businesses we planned on working with because we can no longer deliver what was promised.”

For Emily Eichholtz, a senior studying psychology, using her remaining credits on art classes turned out to be a lot more frustrating than expected. “ I purposely took two art classes this semester to utilize the supplies and studio art time,” Eichholtz said. “Now I have to go out and not only buy my own supplies, but also have to re-design my projects.”

Students like Julian Rigi don’t have the luxury of being able to drive home, and having to pack up your belongings and re-adjusting to the new semester is trickier than what most students have to deal with. Rigi is from Idaho, and the time zone difference makes his earlier classes a lot more difficult to make. 

“It has been hell on earth,” Rigli Said. “ So my 8 a.m.’s are now at 5 a.m., and my 9 a.m.’s are now at 6 a.m.”

By Mackensie Judge

Quinnipiac’s annual dance marathon QTHON has been cancelled due to the coronavirus. Students will still be raising money throughout the rest of the semester with hopes that there will be a virtual dance marathon in April.

“We want to do a virtual dance marathon to celebrate everyone that was involved to make this year successful,” said senior Rachel Taylor. “In addition, we want to reveal our total for the year.”

QTHON is a yearlong fundraiser that Quinnipiac University participates in each year. Members of the Quinnipiac community dance for 10 hours to raise money and awareness for Connecticut Children’s.

Last year 1,700 dancers raised more than $332,000, bringing the students’ eight-year total to more than one million.

At the end of a long 10 hour day hearing the total amount of money that was raised is a humbling moment for students.

“My proudest moment is to stand in the gym while we, as fellow bobcats, hold hands and the kids cut off our hospital bracelets,” said senior Kerry Golden. “Seeing our total at the end of the night and knowing it will help save these kids, there are truly no words to describe that feeling.”

Not only do the kids look forward to this every year, but so do the students.

“QTHON is something that is much bigger than myself,” said Golden. “It means the absolute world to bring the kids into our gym and out of the hospital.”

Students spend the whole year fundraising for this event and to have it cancelled is leaving many of them disappointed.

“Not having QTHON is heartbreaking,” said Golden. “It is something myself, and other students, look forward to each year. I start fundraising as soon as QTHON ends.”

Students, parents and the kids understand why the decision to cancel was reached.

“I know that it is in the best interest of the kids and their families,” said Golden. “We don’t want to expose each other so we can all be safe.”

Golden is even looking for the hidden message around all of this.

“QTHON is all about fighting,” said Golden. “We dance and raise money so these kids can fight childhood illness. Right now we all have to work together to fight the virus.”

Everyone is hopeful that we will take this heartbreaking news and turn it into something better next year.

“I think not having QTHON this year will really light a fire for next year,” said Golden. “I know that next year we will rise as a community and will always keep dancing for the kids despite the circumstances.”

Hopefully students are ready to light that fire if QTHON goes virtual in April as well as prepare for next year’s dance marathon. 

By Alexis Rossi

Quinnipiac University students have taken their classes online for one week so far using the Zoom meeting software. Reactions have been mixed.

 Nicole Gibson, Junior, Journalism and Theatre major

“I’m actually getting really used to the online learning style this semester. It provides more flexibility in my schedule, which I haven’t had for a while, with still being able to complete my school work. I feel like so far the classes are running well; one of them is dance-based where the class is constantly moving but my teacher has come up with ways to still fulfill that objective. The professors I admit are still getting used to it, as am I, but I feel confident that they’ll be more comfortable with it over time. I just had a minor internet connectivity issue during one of my advising meetings today, but we were able to continue what we both had to do.”

Raeanne Bryceland, Junior, Nursing major

“We are now doing lab simulations online. It’s been okay, but we are learning in the virtual lab about things that require hands on experience. It is difficult to feel prepared after watching only videos and listening to lectures. The class is a little different than most to put online since it’s supposed to be done in person. It’s been frustrating because I’m not getting the experience that I thought I would have from this.”

Samantha Simon, Sophomore, Journalism major

“Generally, I’m feeling really overwhelmed with classes being online. I didn’t realize how much I took for granted attending class in a regular classroom setting and overall just living on campus. I’m also finding it really hard to focus and get work done while home. I definitely miss the structure/routine I had at school because I was definitely more productive there. There just seems to be a big disconnect with understanding information through online work rather than an in person class for me. I’m definitely scared my GPA is going to suffer because of this adjustment, but I know professors are being as accommodating as they can because this is a weird time for all of us.”

Ryan Bowens, Sophomore, Film, Television, and Media Arts major

“I understand because of how serious the virus is but I don’t work well in online classes. A lot of my classes need one-on-one help. It’s not the same when it’s virtual. Especially my film classes. I still have to film just without any of the equipment which is pretty hard considering. I just feel like because it was such a sudden switch that no one expected it’s already going pretty bad. The classes I’m taking now are mostly for my major and this is all experience that I really needed to get on campus.”

Spencer Brown, Freshman, Accounting major 

“When it comes to online courses, there are many external factors that come into play. It requires more independence, and doesn’t take into account the student’s life outside of classes. I feel that for everyone it is really stressful having these classes online and that it’s going to lead to lower grades. There’s not a lot of structure, and I feel like that’s something I really valued having on campus, especially with it being my second semester. My classes have been okay online, but I’m definitely not getting the experience that I was getting on campus. I’m losing a part of my first year on campus which is annoying too.” 

By Kailee Heffler

Moving out of their dorms came a few months early this year for Quinnipiac students.

Due to the spread of COVID-19, more commonly known as Coronavirus, Quinnipiac has decided students are not allowed to return to campus for the remainder of the semester.

This means all QU housing is now closed. 

In an email sent to the Quinnipiac student body by President Olian she stated, “students will not return to campus after the extended spring break, and the remainder of the spring semester will be delivered online. University housing will be closed for the remainder of the spring semester with the exception of special cases that need accommodation.”

With many students only leaving a few days earlier for only spring break, they did not bring home the necessary materials and things they would need to spend the rest of the semester at home.

“I didn’t bring enough supplies home for spring break because I wasn’t expecting to stay away for so long,” said second-year student Katt Gould. 

Many students are frustrated over the lack of communication from QU concerning a plan for students to retrieve their items. 

“I understand that this is new for everyone, but for the students all of our belongings are on campus and I personally get anxious when everything is up in the air. I think it is not fair to families to not give a plan,” said second-year student Zoe Swantak. 

Though Quinnipiac has not released an official move out date for students, students have been returning to campus to grab their belongings. 

“I called Res Life on Monday and asked if we could move out and I was told that we could get things that were necessary. I guess a lot of people didn’t really understand this since they did not communicate it well. I just went and grabbed my clothes and other daily things I use,” said second-year student Caley Nigro. 

Some students said it was challenging to move out so suddenly if they wanted their belongings.  

“I live 4 hours away so it was difficult because my parents had to take off work so I could use two cars,” said Swantek.

The lack of communication from the University has also caused panic among the student body when it comes to retrieving their items. 

“Everyone I talked to was so anxious and nervous about not being able to get their things so everyone rushed to get their stuff,” said Nigro. “There was definitely a sense of anxiety in the air especially with the concerns of the virus and how we are told to social distance but at the same time we had to get our things as I only packed enough to last me spring break.”

For students who have moved out, it was difficult to retrieve their items due to so many students returning at once. 

“I got there around 12 p.m. on Tuesday and it was a madhouse. There were people parked everywhere, even double parked in Hill Circle and there was no public safety around directing traffic and helping to control the area.” said Nigro. 

Some students believe QU took the steps needed in order to ensure the safety of the Quinnipiac community. 

“I think it’s unfortunate but a necessary step to take, we’ve seen plenty of examples around the world of countries that didn’t take precautions in time and now they are suffering the consequences,” said third-year student Will Fowler. 

As of today, the University has not announced any further decisions about when students will retrieve their items. 

With the majority of students returning home, Quinnipiac University has laid off workers in areas like dining and custodial services.

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Shaquita Alston has been an employee of Quinnipiac Dining for the past eleven months. She describes the current situation as overwhelming, as it is something nobody has ever experienced before.

“Now that the school is closed, we have to collect unemployment,” Alston said. “I haven’t heard anything yet as far as financial support. All they did was give us a pink slip to collect unemployment.”

Antoinette Orr, a seven-year Quinnipiac Dining employee, described that the months of lost work are going to take a toll. 

“Even though we were going to be going out of work in May, we make use of working full time to save up so we won’t struggle during the break period,” Orr said. 

Many Americans find themselves in the same boat. According to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, the United States could see unemployment rates rise to 20%, which is double the rate documented during the Great Recession. He warned Congress of this potentially disastrous outlook in a closed-door meeting on Tuesday night.

The sweeping coronavirus pandemic has shut down schools nationwide, cancelled countless concerts and events, and halted travel almost entirely. With the closing of so many businesses and institutions, many Americans now find themselves without a job. 

President Judy Olian announced on Sunday that the remainder of the semester will be delivered online due to the pandemic. The university urged students living on campus to move essential belongings out of their dorms by Wednesday night. With students no longer allowed on campus, dining services are suspended.

“Students are not permitted to return to any of the campuses,” Olian said. “We will provide information at a later date on when and how students can retrieve their belongings from residence halls and other buildings.”

In an email sent to faculty Friday morning, Quinnipiac Dining outlined how it’s going to perform services going forward for the few students remaining on campus.

“As you are aware, we have significantly reduced our on-campus services and facilities now that students are remaining home for the rest of the spring semester,” Quinnipiac Dining said. “Quinnipiac and Chartwells have made special arrangements for the small number of students who received permission to remain in university housing to ensure they have access to daily meals.”

Newly unemployed Americans are facing yet another frustration. State unemployment websites are crashing due to the volume of traffic. In order to avoid this, some states including New York and New Jersey have decided to stagger applicants based on their last names.

“I believe a lot of the workers here would say it was unexpected, to say the least,” Orr said.

A Quinnipiac University graduate is making a name for himself in North Carolina. 

Buddy Bengel, a graduate of the class of 2004, recently ran for Lt. Gov of North Carolina. The election, which took place on Tuesday, March 3rd, had Bengel come up short as a republican primary candidate. However, despite receiving less than 10 percent of total votes, Bengel isn’t discouraged about his future in politics.

“We’ll see what tomorrow brings,” Bengel said. “For the immediate future, I’ll be focusing on my companies and making sure they are running smoothly.”

Bengel, who attended Quinnipiac on a scholarship to play Division I baseball, now owns a restaurant called Baker’s Kitchen in New Bern, North Carolina.

He can also be found on the baseball field mentoring players of the Morehead City Marlins, a collegiate summer baseball team Bengel founded in 2010. The Marlins are a dream that became a reality after his college business plan came to life. 

“I actually wrote the business plan for the Marlins in a class at Quinnipiac,” Bengel said. “It was really where I made a blueprint for everything during my senior year.”

Bengel acknowledges that he wouldn’t have this professional success without his experiences at Quinnipiac.

“Overall, it was a wonderful experience. From the classroom to the baseball field, it taught me a whole lot of things and I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for Quinnipiac.”

John Arcangelo, a 2002 Quinnipiac graduate, serves as the Senior Director of Alumni & Parent Relations and Annual Giving at the university. He shared his thoughts on what it means for Quinnipiac to have such influential alumni.

“We’re very proud of our alumni who demonstrate their commitment to uplifting their communities by running for elected office,” Arcangelo said. “Working to improve our local and global communities is one of the four pillars of our strategic plan.”

Arcangelo also says that Bengel’s success can have a positive impact on alumni-related goals.

“Fostering lifelong connections and success with our alumni is at the heart of everything we do in alumni affairs,” Arcangelo said. “Celebrating and connecting with alumni such as Buddy will inspire other members of our Bobcat family to get involved with not only the QU community, but in their local communities as well.”

Bengel says he has been in touch with Quinnipiac about helping to build new baseball and softball stadiums. 

“We’ve formed a booster club, where we have been raising money to help the baseball and softball programs,” Bengel said. “We’ve been raising money every year to support those programs. It’s important to us and we want to see baseball and softball get a new playing facility on campus there.”

On the Rocks opened its doors to the Quinnipiac community this past weekend with two events, followed up by a third one this past Wednesday night. 

The weekend kicked off with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, Feb. 28, followed by an event on Saturday evening for students 21 and older to watch the Quinnipiac vs. Yale men’s ice hockey game.

“I thought it went really well,” third-year management major Glenn Adams said. “I thought it was very well managed, and it was really easy for people to get in and out, and for people to get drinks. It was a great opening night experience. I think it is really important because it’s not just opening a pub, it’s opening a programming space that is at times open to the whole student body.” 

With the pub being a brand new addition to the campus, it’s safe to say that there was a lot of excitement built up. 

“The reason I think there’s a lot of buzz around it, I want to believe, it’s because students were involved in the process,” Director of Campus Life for Student Centers and Student Involvement Erin Provistalis said. “This was something that they really were vocal about, and they believed in, and they pushed for and found ways to show that there was a need for.”

Wednesday, March 4 was the first opportunity since its opening that all students could experience an event at On the Rocks. Comedian Shayne Smith performed with Katie Boyle as an opening act. 

The event had food such as quesadillas, pretzels, loaded tater tots and chicken wings. No alcohol was served at the event. Students were able to play billiards and shuffleboard while the comedians were performing. 

“It was a great turnout, more than we were expecting,” On The Rocks manager Danielle Herman said. “I know people really wanted the food, and a lot of people ended up staying. We counted around 80 people. I like how it was an event to incorporate people who are under 21.”

Several of the remaining events in March will be centered around March Madness, according to Provistalis. In addition, On the Rocks will be open for both the men’s and women’s Final Four. 

With all of the hype around On the Rocks prior to its opening, students had expectations going into its opening. 

“I think also the layout … they put a lot more into it than we thought they were going to, the TVs were very nice,” Adams said. “The pool table, shuffleboard area…it just screamed school spirit. I think in the realm of spirit and tradition, it definitely exceeded my expectations.”

Having a pub on campus can also improve the safety of students when they decide to go out on weekends, which is an important factor for some when considering plans for a night out. 

“I think that the biggest thing is the fact that people are now able to go somewhere and socially drink on campus,” senior Steven McAvoy said. “It isn’t like going to New Haven and forcing yourself to get an Uber and other things like that.”

While On the Rocks is located on the York Hill campus, it isn’t exclusively for Quinnipiac students. 

“It’s a space where the community can come together,” Provistalis said. “Whether that’s students or faculty, staff, alumni, families…it’s a gathering place and it feels like that.”

On the Rocks will have five more events throughout March, and will have an April event schedule being released following spring break. 

While On the Rocks is currently only open during specific events, the long-term goal is for standard business hours to come into effect in the fall. 

The pub can be found on Instagram @ontherocksqu .