April/May 2022
Sarah Mies Contributing Writer
Most Influential Coach
The Alvernian: A Look Through Time
Student Life
Alvernia News
Sister Carol Ann Nawracaj, a Bernadine Franciscan Sister who lives in the Mother House right here on Alvernia’s campus, has been an honorary coach for New York Giants since 1981. In the 1960s, Sister Carol Ann attended Mount Alvernia High School and was in the last graduating class before it was turned into a college. Here, she became a Bernadine Franciscan Sister, which is something she wanted to do since she was a young child. Later, she decided to become a teacher and went to Fairfield University. In 1974, The New York Giants were holding training camp at her university. This is where she met the team and started going to the games. “I knew nothing about football except it was a sport” she said. She began attending home games and cheering for the Giants. Then, something amazing happened, “Coach Perkins found out that all the games I attended, they won” said Sister Carol Ann. In 1981, Coach Perkins was hiring a defensive coordinator. Sister Carol Ann, now knowing the game of football, created her own application and applied for the position. In response to this application, he made her an honorary coach. Sister would give talks to the team before games. She used an overhead projector to create demonstrations about teamwork. One day, she asked to see the playbook the players were holding. Once flipping through the book, she discovered it wasn’t as fun as she wanted it to be. “So”, she said, “I created an actual playbook for them.” She created a book filled with fun activities for the players to do from connect the dots with the players numbers to word searches with the whole roster’s names. She also created a Pray Book for them as well. In this book, she found 90 verses of scripture and connected them with different situations that can happen during a football
game. Although, this was not her only talent that she shared with the team. Sister Carol Ann is also a very talented magician. “I like to make people laugh” she said. She loves using her magic to make people happy and bring joy to their days. Often, she would perform magic for the team and connect every trick with some inspiration for them to take with them as they played. She even performed magic at Lawrence Taylor’s Hall of Fame induction. The year when Sister Carol Ann became a coach was the first time in 18 years that the Giants went to the playoffs. Ray Perkins flew her out to the game and listed her as a coach at the hotel. When she arrived, she went to the front desk and told them she was with the Giants. “I thought for sure they were going to call security and say, ‘There is some crazy nun here’” she said, “But, they were laughing and they said ‘Coach Perkins has been here about six times he wanted to see if you were here yet.’” The Giants won that game, but lost the next one, which Sister did not attend. In 1983, Ray Perkins left the Giants to coach at The University of Alabama. He decided to make sister Carol Ann an honorary coach there as well, so he did not lose his good luck charm. Bill Parcells became the new head coach of the Giants, when he arrived, he renewed Sister’s contract as honorary coach. At the beginning of the 1986 season, Sister Carol Ann decided to make the theme of the season a rainbow. After every game they won, she added another piece to a big rainbow she created for them. She kept adding more and more to the rainbow because the Giants had a very successful season and made it to the Superbowl. So, Sister Carol Ann got to attend Superbowl XXI. After the first half of Superbowl XXI, the Giants were losing; but then the halftime show came out. The perfumers formed
Sister Carol Ann with former New York Giants coach Ray Perkins
Credit: Sister Carol Ann Nawracaj
THIS ISSUE
The New York Giants’ Most Influental Coach Lives on This Campus
Credit: Sister Carol Ann Nawracaj
what’s in
Volume 59 Issue 3
Sister Carol Ann with former Giants’ quaterback Eli Manning
the shape of a rainbow on the field. Sister Carol Ann said, “I saw this rainbow as a sign of hope from God.” The Giants came back in the second half and won Superbowl XXI. Afterwards, the players wanted to know how Sister Carol Ann knew the performers at halftime were going to form a rainbow, since that was her theme for this season. She told them she had no idea, everyone was astounded. She was recognized for her divine contribution to the team. “[Phil] Simms and I were both MVPs,” she said, “He was the most valuable player, and I was the most valuable prayer.” This was just one of five Superbowls she attended. Sister Carol Ann’s life goes far beyond football. She is ambitious and creative. Growing up, she not only wanted to be nun, but also a teacher, an artist, and
an entertainer. “I became everything I wanted to be and more,” she said, “I didn’t plan any of this, but God is a God of surprises.” Along with being a Bernadine sister and a coach, she also was successful in being a teacher, as well as a principal. She also became an artist and illustrated a cookbook and Christmas cards. Her dreams of becoming an entertainer also came true. She didn’t just preform magic for the Giants, but she performed with David Copperfield, for Paul Newman, and on Entertainment Tonight. On top of all of this, she still found the time to write two books along with Monica Rich Kosann. These books have beautiful photograph from Kosann that Sister Carol Ann matched Bible verses to and also added little stories.
2 April/May 2022
t h e alver n ian
world news Vol. 59 Issue 3
Ukraine Economics
Layout Mackenzie Coombs Sarah Mies Section Editors Mackenzie Coombs Macy Smith Dion Thorpe Contributing Writers Marisa Bishop Jamal Flemming Mackenzie Maurer Sarah Mies Sherrin Smith Faculty Advisor Dr. Ryan Lange
The Alvernian is the official student newspaper of Alvernia University. To contact newspaper staff, the office telephone number is 610-796-8358.
Articles submitted for consideration into The Alvernian should be written in some semblance of AP style. Letters to the editor, requests for advertisements, and general comments and questions may be submitted to ryan.lange@alvernia.edu. The editors reserve the right to edit submissions for clarity, accuracy, and length. The views expressed in The Alvernian are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the student body, faculty, staff, administration, or sponsors.
© 2022 The Alvernian
The county flag of Ukraine.
pay the 62,000 employees from the closed stores. Starbucks also suspended shipment of products to Russia and the 130 Starbucks stores will immediately stop operating. These two companies alone are responsible for billions of dollars generated in Russia. Beyond McDonalds and Starbucks, more than 250 United States technology
firms, manufacturers and other companies have pulled out of Russia. Russia supplies roughly 12% of the world’s supply of oil. Ever since the Russian invasion President Joseph Biden has announced that the U.S. will ban imports of oil, natural gas, and petroleum products from Russia. With the ban of Russian oil there is now less supply which is
partially responsible for the increased gas price at the pump. As of March 8, the national average for a gallon of gas was $4.17 per gallon. President Biden has released some oil reserves in attempt to push the prices of gasoline back down. Vladimir Putin has announced that he wants the war to end on May 9. This is the same day that Russia celebrates its victory in World War II during a Russian national holiday called Victory Day. Ukraine is still providing fierce resistance to Russian forces.
A Legacy Replaced by History Sherrin Smith Contributing Writer The Judicial Branch has been making a lot of commotion lately and not just because of the cases it takes on. During the Presidential term, Amy Coney Barrett was selected by former President Donald Trump to become a new Supreme Court Justice after the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Not many people agreed with her selection, especially with the legacy Ginsburg left behind. Barrett’s nomination tipped the scale even more of conservative and liberal justices in the court. The Republicans had a strong grip on the court by filling six of the nine seats, while the Democrats hold only three. Now that Supreme Court Justice, Stephen Breyer, appointed by a Democrat, is retiring, President Biden can replace his seat with nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson. Jackson is the first black woman to be nominated for the position of a Supreme Court justice. If the Senate approves, she will be the first black woman on the Supreme Court. Jackson’s resume features experiences other Supreme Court justices do not have. According to reporting in
Credit: cnn.com
Managing Editor Mackenzie Coombs
The economic impacts of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, February 24, 2022 have been around the world, but especially in Russia. The Russian stock market dropped by more than 35% on the day of the invasion. As a reference when America faced the great depression in 1929 the stock market dropped 24.8%. Most people did not recover from the great depression for nearly a decade. It is plausible that it will take even longer than that for the Russian economy to recover. The international backlash to the Russian invasion has led many multinational companies to pull out of Russia. McDonalds was the first major corporation to pull out of Russia, temporarily closing 847 restaurants in Russia due to the invasion. The company continued to
Credit: unsplash.com
Marisa Bishop Contributing Writer
Ketanji Brown Jackson has made history as being the first black woman to be nominated on the Supreme Court.
the Washington Post, she is one out of four justices that attended public high school, one out of eight that attended an Ivy League law school (Harvard) and was a Court of Appeals judge, one out of seven that did Supreme Court clerking, the only one who was a public defender, and one of two who did sentencing commission and was a district judge. This makes her the only justice on the bench to have done all these things before reaching this national position. While many people, specifically the black community, support her, others see it as a political
tactic conducted by President Biden. During his run for president, Biden chose Kamala Harris, a woman of African American and Asian descent, to be his Vice President. This made Harris the first woman, African American, and Asian to be placed on a Presidential ballot and eventually the first female and biracial Vice President. Now that Jackson, another black woman, has been chosen as President Biden’s nominee, people believe he is trying to sway black voters to re-elect him for president in 2024. Whether this is true or not, Americans are beginning
to see more people of color and women in powerful positions in the federal government. In 2021, 27% of women made up the House of Representatives while 24% of women made up the Senate. Congress was more diverse than ever this term with 23% of Congressmen being people of color and 18 of them being immigrants. Even though the conservatives will still dominate the Supreme Court, Jackson is right on track to making history and filling the role of legendary Justice Ginsburg. Jackson’s Supreme Court hearings are wrapping up and the Senate will eventually make their choice by April 4. So far, no talks of delays or stalling have been made by the Republicans but there is still time for them to do so. However, the Democrats are hopeful that Jackson will be confirmed as a new Supreme Court justice.
3 April/May 2022
Student Life
Vol. 59 Issue 3
Dion Thorpe Contributing Editor When you near the end of your experience here at Alvernia University you will sit and think about all of the things that brought you here and the things that also kept you here. Was it the people? Was it the classes? Was it the activities? Or was it the sports? It is important to have fun and experience as much as you can while you are in college because when you get asked the question “Why Alvernia” you will then have a lot to say. Alvernia University is a smaller college located in Berks county which is right outside of Reading but not too many people are familiar with the area. As you grow as a student at Alvernia and also as someone in the community you will soon find a lot of places such as restaurants, arcades, and the GoggleWorks Center that will make your Alvernia experience so much
better. Over the past four years, Alvernia has grown a great deal, driven by additions of new sports teams like football, esports, and women’s wrestling among others. The university has also added an engineering program that has attracted many students from all over the northeastern region. “I never heard of Alvernia prior to being recruited by one of the coaches to play football here,” Jaq Mathis, senior social work major, said. Alvernia University has students from places such as Texas, Wisconsin, Alaska, and even Canada so when you are here you are able to come across many people that are much different from you, but you will be able to call them a lifetime friend after graduation. The major you decided to study when you attend college is important and that might drive your decision to
come to Alvernia University. Alvernia is the home of a very well know healthcare field that attracts many students annually. “I decided to come to Alvernia because of its Occupational Therapy program as it is one of the few that offer five-year programs” Alyssa Yoder, senior occupational therapy major, said. While you are here at Alvernia you can grow in the field that you chose but you will also be able to branch out and look at other options that may soon become your minor as many students have already done. One of the biggest factors that bring students to Alvernia is the size as each class will have around 30 students in it with the largest classes holding around 60 students. Alvernia is unique because of its size which allows students to really develop relationships with their peers and faculty, which creates the feeling of a family.
Credit: Alvernia.edu
Why Alvernia?
Aerial view of Francis Hall at Alvernia University.
additions such as The Plex, CollegeTowne, and expansions to other off-campus sites such as the recently funded CollegeTowne in Pottsville. With all of this in consideration, Alvernia should keep growing and build a reputation for success regionally, nationally, and perhaps even globally.
“The size of the university really matters because we are able to really connect with our professors as they show that they really care about our development over the four years that we spend here,” Teyon Thorpe, senior social work major, said. Alvernia University is striving to become a household name in Pennsylvania with constant
The Alvernian: A Look Through Time The Alvernian is Alvernia University’s student-run newspaper. The Alvernian has been printed since 1962 in some capacity. By working on the school paper, students learn how to work with deadlines, brainstorm story ideas, and create web features that other students would like to see in circulation. But what about those who have worked in leadership roles? Managing Editors? Presidents? These are—and were—students who worked behind the scenes to make sure that every month, the paper would be ready to go. These individuals took on these roles to help their future careers and give them the skills for the real world. Mackenzie Coombs has been in the Alvernian since her freshman year. Over the years, she has been climbing her way up the totem pole by starting out as a writer, an editor, and apprentice. Now, as a senior journalism major, Mackenzie has taken the role of president and managing editor of the club. “The Alvernian has given me more opportunities than I can count,” Coombs
Credit: Machenzie Coombs
Mackenzie Coombs Managing Editor
Our current managing editor, Mackenzie, teaching Sarah, the future managing editor, the ins and outs of the position
said. “It has allowed me to further my writing skills by writing about things outside my comfort zone. Most importantly, it allowed me to get an internship at Berks Weekly doing what I do best; writing about people and places that doing something to make a difference in the world.” Coombs has been interning with Berks Weekly/Reading Magazine since January, and her work is featured on their websites. The Alvernian is a place for students to express themselves through their writing. There is no limit to what they can write about—
they can write about different social issues, politics, finance, sports teams. Anything that they find interesting, they can do what they are passionate about. But it is important to note that it is good to also get out of your comfort zone. “Dr. Lange pushed me to write about different things other than baseball,” Coombs said. “I like the Mets a lot, but there are other things going on in the world. Now, during my internship, I have been focusing more on people and organizations who are making an impact in Berks County.” Before Mackenzie, there was Sidney Goodman.
Goodman was an English major with a philosophy minro that graduated in 2021. Goodman was the manaing editor for two years but had been in the class all four years of her college career. “Putting together the paper gave me a lot of project and time management skills that are super useful in my current job,” Goodman said. She currently works in the marketing department at a construction company. “I typically have pretty tight deadlines and having experience putting something as complex as the newsletter, so it prepared me for deadline-driven
environments.” Goodman worked long hours to make sure that the paper was out on time and promptly. During her final semester, she took Coombs under her wing to teach her how to become the managing editor. Goodman and Coombs worked together in 2021 to efficient get the Alvernian out to the students, professors, and the public to see. And now, Coombs is doing the same with the future managing editor, Sarah Mies, a sophomore communication major that will be taking her place in the fall. “The Alvernian is the voice of the students,” Dr. Ryan Lange, faculty advisor for the Alvernian, said. “It allows students to talk about issues that are important to them in a way that encourages public discussion and debate. Students who take part in the Alvernian gain valuable experience in personal expression, as well as building their portfolios and helping them network with professionals in their chosen field.”
4 April/May 2022
alvernia news
Vol. 59 Issue 3
Pledge with the Pack When we all first get our driver’s license or our State ID, we are faced with a very important question: “Do you want to sign up to be an organ donor?” Many people don’t understand the importance of being an organ donor. High schoolers are rarely taught about the importance of organ donation, so many may be apprehensive about signing up. Fortunately, this spring’s Public Relations course, taught by Dr. Jodi Radosh, intends to help by educating the Alvernia campus and Reading community on the facts and importance of organ donation. Organ donation is a topic that can be filled with misleading facts and information about the topic. The goal of this semester’s class project is to change that narrative. “There are a lot of people in the world who aren’t
donors and it’s not because they don’t want to, it’s because they have never been taught enough about it to understand how it works.” Jaisha Toro, senior Social Work major, said. COM 240 is partnering up with the Gift of Life donor program as part of their College Challenge, which is meant to help raise awareness for Organ Donation across the world. BCTV is also helping the Public Relations class with this project. BCTV, newly located at our Collegetowne campus, will help promote the work of the class. “We will allow Alvernia University students to use the resources that we have here to assist them with any of their needs during the campaign,” Executive Director & Managing Editor at BCTV Heather Adams Said. Public Relations students are creating different groups within the class that will put the over campaign together with one being video production/documentation
An organ donation event will be held on campus and at CollegeTowne on April 22nd!
Credit: Marley Werner
Dion Thorpe Contributing Editor
The logo created by the COM 240 class to promote organ donation on campus
of the entire campaign. The campaign will be featured on BCTV for an entire month. On BCTV there is a program hosted by Elaine McDevitt where she speaks to people who have given or received an organ. The program shares their success stories and discusses how their lives is going after receiving this life-saving care. McDevitt is a donor
The Class of 2022: We Made It!
recipient herself as she received a heart transplant that ultimately saved her life. McDevitt and the people who come onto her show are living proof that there is a lot of positives that come with organ donation. Also apart of the BCTV staff is John Furdyna who donated one of his kidneys as apart of a chain link. Throughout the semester
the public relations class will be running events and giveaways around campus as they spread the importance of organ donation. The class is in the process of creating an Instagram account so that everyone can follow them in their journey and stay updated on every single event that is hosted by them. Organ donation is lifechanging and lifesaving. While the goal of the campaign is to spread awareness, signing up to be an organ donor is one of the most generous things a person can do. Students will be able to sign up to become an organ donor at any event that is held by the pe public relations course or they will be able to speak directly with Jodi Radosh for more information.
Mackenzie Mauer Contributing Writer
Congratulations Class
Credit: Class of 2022
As the spring 2022 semester comes to its final weeks, the class of 2022 is preparing to move on from Alvernia University. As the rest of the school is registering for their classes and making sure that they have housing secured, the senior class is searching for a job they are getting ready to join the real world. Every graduating class in the past has given a gift to the university to show their gratitude for all that the school has done for each student, and to always be remembered on the campus for years to come. Some memorable senior gifts are the clock between Veronica Hall and Bernardine Hall given by the Class of 2007, and benches that we see around campus as well. The class of 2022 is choosing to give a firepit as the senior gift. The school over the past four years has held many events that use a firepit, including toasting marshmallows, and even just a fire that we can sit around a mingle with other students. RA’s have used the existing firepit to have events at, and
of
2022!
Image of the firepit that is being gifted to Alvernia from the class of 2022
other clubs also use it for events as well. The firepit that is currently being used at Alvernia is not a permanent fire pit, but is instead only a temporary one that sits in the grass. The class gift given by the seniors will be a permanent firepit built into the grass on the Quad. This will be designed so that it can withstand bad weather and it will last longer than the metal firepit that is currently in use. The class of 2022 is asking for donations to make this happen. Students are being asked to give a minimum donation of $20.22,
symbolizing their graduation year and to be sure there is enough money to cover the purchase. Donating students who are a part of the graduating class will get a special tassel that is maroon and gold along with some other fun Alvernia stuff. This was all made possible by the senior gift committee made up of students that will be graduating, and lead by senior double major and O’Pake Fellow Tiffany Alexander. Tiffany decided to put together this committee in the fall to make sure that the gift would be ready
and chosen by the start of the spring semester to get donations coming in. “The senior gift is a permanent fire pit going on the quad for all students to use,” Alexander said. “The committee was put together by myself in October. We all came together and discussed our love for the physical gifts on campus. Our ideas, including the fire pit, were sent to another committee to see what was doable and the fire pit was our top choice in doing so!” “We are all so excited for everyone to be able to use the fire pit, as I know many clubs
and organizations use it for programs and meetings, this encourages more use to make more memories.” All the hard work that was done by the entire committee and the class of 2022 through the four years that have been spent at Alvernia will be represented for future students through the firepit, it is a great way to leave your mark. Donations are being accepted now and are highly encouraged!
5
sports
April/May 2022
Vol. 59 Issue 3
MLB Lockout Comes to an End Baseball fans rejoice! After a long 99-day hiatus, the MLB lockout has officially ended. The lockout officially ended on March 10 as the MLB Players Association and team owners were able to strike a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in which the players and owners were able to agree on new rules and regulations for the upcoming season and future of the league. Here’s everything you need to know about the lockout up to this point. The lockout was not the first in the history of the league, but it did have the longest duration. The lockout began on December 2, 2021, after the owners and MLBPA were unable to reach an agreement to renew the previously expired CBA signed in 2016. Each CBA lasts 5 years, so the necessity of a new agreement along with differing opinions between the players and owners caused this hiatus. By definition, a lockout is a work stoppage implemented by owners or management during a labor dispute with their workers. In the case of the MLB lockout, owners froze all transactions involving major-league clubs and forbid teams from communicating with players. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred implemented the lockout as a means of creating leverage in negotiations with the Player’s Association. “I know the last few months have been rough on our fans, and I’m sensitive
Credit: Associated Press
Matt Mitchell Contributing Writer
and
Robert Manfred speaks to the press about the lockout
to that. I get it. Unfortunately, the process, as it’s designed in the National Labor Relations Act, works around deadlines and economic leverage. And sometimes to get the parties to make the compromises that are necessary to make an agreement, it takes time,” Manfred said. Not only did the lockout prevent players from being paid and communicating with teams, but it also stalled free agency, which allows for players to talk with teams and sign with whichever club they choose. This also means that any unsigned players would not be able to sign MLB contracts with teams, nor receive medical treatment from team doctors. However, Manfred’s leverage may have proven effective as players clearly did not want to jeopardize their pay or playing time for the upcoming season. The new deal included several rule changes for the upcoming seasons. First, the MLB has agreed to change
the Draft format and limit lottery pick success for teams. To limit “tanking,” which means losing for the purpose of acquiring a higher draft pick, the MLB draft lottery has been limited to picks 1-6, meaning the teams with the worst six records will be placed in the lottery slots. Furthering that rule, the board agreed that teams may only be placed in the lottery 2 years in a row. If a team has one of the six worst records in the league for three consecutive years, they will be automatically placed outside the top ten draft picks. Another noteworthy change in league play is the change to playoff formatting. The Playoffs will now host 12 teams rather than 10. The league initially wanted to expand to 14 teams. If that happened, it would receive an additional $100 million per year from ESPN. In a 12-team format, that figure drops to $85 million. Lastly, the MLBPA agreed to
Go out
terms regarding the business aspect of baseball, including a change to players’ minimum salaries and bonus money. These changes are massive and have the potential to change the entire landscape of baseball, proving why the lockout continued for such a long time. Many feared that league play would be halted for the first time in league history after spring training was inevitably canceled, and players and owners couldn’t have seemed to be further from reaching a deal. However, to the delight of players, owners, and fans alike, a deal was struck in just enough time to prevent any league play from being halted. Players have now reported to spring training and MLB teams are set to play a full, 162-game season in 2022. Opening Day is set for April 7 in what should be an exciting year of baseball.
catch a game this summer!
Mission Moment: “Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead.” - Nora Ephron
6 April/May 2022
web features
Vol. 59 Issue 3