McHenry Row Food Truck Gathering has a Cajun Theme and More

By Carly Heideger

Along with the new changes to the Loyola dinning plan this coming Fall, some unofficial changes have been seen around the perimeter of the campus this semester; the appearance of food trucks.  This past Friday, April 26^th, McHenry Row held a “gathering” for all the local food trucks in the area.  “The Gathering” featured a Cajun theme within all their trucks.  Food options consisted from trucks such as Gypsy Queen, Grr Che, Charm City Gourmet, Crusin’ Café, The Jolly Pig, Miss Shirley’s and with a Loyola frequenter, Darua and even more.

Guests enjoyed an afternoon of popping from truck to truck munching on meals of crab cones, Cajun tacos, sausages and more.  Even Iced Gems, more commonly known as the “cupcake truck” was offering cupcakes around the theme; a Cajun Swampdog cupcake with Chili! Loyola students who visited the gathering we’re in a food induced heaven. Monica Castro, a Loyola sophomore said “It’s just mouth watering walking around.  All these different types of food yet tied together and they are all just taste amazing.  Plus its right next to the water, not to sure what could be better.” Her favorite choice? The Cajun quesadilla and the crab fries from the Crusin’ Café.

The Gathering not only consisted a wide variety of food choices but drink specials and live music.  “The white sangria is definitely my favorite. We bought the drink special bracelets online through their Facebook page.  It was like $7 cheaper for all you can drink!” Megan, a public relations consultant for a nonprofit in Fells Point, screamed.  “Don’t worry, we live in walking distance right above here” her boyfriend David made sure to point out.

The Gathering travels to a new spot in Baltimore every weekend and updates can be seen on their Facebook page.  Just like, “The Gathering” on Facebook and you can see all the different places and additions to which trucks will be joining along with different drink and food specials.  “Liking them on Facebook was the best decision I ever made.  It’s our new favorite thing to do on Friday afternoons.  Don’t have to get dishes dirty or eat the same food we eat all week.” Rose Frullani, a sophomore at Loyola tells while eating a donut drowned in whipped cream.  “It looks like a heart attack and probably is one.  But with all the caramel and bacon bites, its just delicious, but you definitely need to share it!”

Zen West- Greg Cerchione

By: Greg Cerchione

Still in the Cinco de Mayo spirit? In the mood for a Mexican bite with a beer on the side? If so, head to Zen West for Tuesday taco night–0ne dollar special and discounted beers.

Zen West is cooling down after a crowded, rowdy first weekend of May. Students come to blow off some steam and casually sip on a wide selection of draft beers. As usual, the bar was jam-packed and the DJ was busy switching tracks.

Zen West has the atmosphere of modern disco bar. Junior hip-hop artist and marketing major James Pierra  (JMP) is a regular customer, event planner, and promoter for Zen West. He said, “Head to Zen on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I work those nights and the crowd is heavy and looking to have a good time.”

Junior communications major Donald Foshay said, “It was good night, had a great turnout, a lot of friends, and a lot of fun.”

Part of Zen West’s success comes from its versatility. Zen offers great and affordable bar food, a wide drink menu, and a full sized dance floor illuminated with strobe lights. This is one of the reasons why it is referred to as the classiest bar on York Road. In the eyes of its competitors, Zen West is the King, and proud to serve a wide variety of ages starting from young to middle aged adults. It presents   a clean atmosphere, compared to the dungy, dilapidated Favorite’s Pub and Murphy’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill.  Some students meet professional established adults who provide them with not only internships but also business connections in Baltimore.

Junior and communications major Fran Iula stated, “I met and had an in depth conversation with a worker from Under Armour… He gave me some good pointers for the future.”

Zen West is a large property that is suitable for hosting a wide range of events. Other Zen West specials and events include beer pong tournament Thursdays and corn hole competitions.

The inside is heavily decorated with memorabilia including a Rout 66 sign, a sample of every license plate state in the United States a pinball machine and light up signs. The atmosphere is mellow and classy. The bar surface is liquid concrete with a speckle of colorful stones mixed in. This creates a rustic, but sturdy feel. Several flat screen TV’s line the walls.

Zen West has summer availabilities and events and future plans of installing a dartboard, with intentions of bringing together a young and older crowed for a skilled game of darts.

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Selection Sunday was a Win-Win for both Loyola Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse Programs

On Sunday, the Greyhound Men’s and Women’s lacrosse teams received at-large bids to their respective NCAA post-season tournaments. Both teams will travel to North Carolina this weekend to start their run at a hopeful NCAA titles.

Men’s Lacrosse Selection Sunday began at 9 p.m. and was aired live on ESPNU, announcers Quint Kessenich and Anish Shroff revealed and analyzed the seeding’s that were determined earlier in the day by the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Selection Committee.

As a bubble- team, the Men’s team had no guarantee that their post-season run was going to continue since they lost to Ohio State on May 2^nd in the first round of the ECAC League Tournament by a score of 18-11.

The loss to Ohio State put Loyola in a very interesting position for Sunday’s selections. Their Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), which takes into account team record, record of opponents and record of opponent’s opponents, dropped to 10^th in the nation. However, the saving grace for Loyola’s bid into the tournament was their previous 9-4 win over the Buckeyes on March 30^th.

For the first round, Loyola will travel to No. 7 Duke for a May 12^th matchup beginning at 5:30 p.m. on ESPNU. Loyola dropped their regular-season meeting with the Blue Devils 9-8.

On the women’s side, the Lady Greyhounds were also selected as an at large-bid for the women’s tournament. Their selection show took place on NCAA.com on Sunday at 9 p.m.

Similar to the Men’s team, they lost in the first round of the Big East Tournament to Georgetown 14-12. However, the women’s tournament bracket selects 26 teams to compete as opposed to the men’s 16. This left the Lady Hounds with a little more confidence heading into Sunday night.

The Women’s team will travel down to Chapel Hill, N.C. for a Friday night match up against High Point University at 5 p.m. The winner of that game will go on to play the No. 3 seeded University of North Carolina Tar Heels, who have a first round bye, Sunday at 1 p.m.

Both teams, in the end, are hoping to make it to Philadelphia for Memorial Day Weekend.  The Men’s Final Four will be held at Lincoln Financial Field starting May 25^th and the Women’s at Villanova University beginning May 24^th.

Take A Chance: Study Abroad

By: Lindsay Marchese

As the semester comes to an end, rising juniors all over Loyola University Maryland’s campus prepare for their next year, only next time, they will be moving in in places across the globe.  Here at Loyola, over 60 percent of the undergraduates participate in the extensive study abroad program.  The university was in U.S. News and World Report in 2013, ranked no. 4 among the nations colleges and universities for students who study abroad before graduating. 

There are 13 programs directly associated with Loyola that are offered throughout Europe, Australia, and even Asia.  In addition to these programs, students have the choice to participate in exchanges and affiliations where other schools allow Loyola students to join in their programs abroad.  

Students have the choice to go for the fall semester, spring semester, and even for their full junior year.  “They really have a place for everyone,” said Dana Stubel, a sophomore Speech Pathology major.  “I was accepted into the Cork, Ireland program in January.  I’ve been counting down the days until we leave ever since.”

Students who are eligible for the study abroad program at Loyola must maintain a GPA of at least 3.0.  Although some programs accept a slightly lower GPA, 2.75, most prefer the former.  Students must also have little problems on their disciplinary record in order to be accepted.  

It is possible for students to fulfill many of their core curriculum classes while abroad, and some are lucky enough to knock out some major and minor classes.  “I had planned on going abroad since I came here as a freshman, so I was able to save most of my core classes for then,” said Brendan O’Brien, a sophomore English major who plans on studying in Auckland, New Zealand in the fall.  

Once accepted into the program, students meet with their abroad advisors to discuss classes and other protocol they must go through before they leave.  There are pre-departure orientations they must attend where they can meet others they will be traveling with.  “I’m really glad I got to meet everyone I’ll be going with because they all seem really nice,” said Stubel.  “I’m really happy I made the decision to go, and I think all students should definitely consider the option.” 

Pick-up Basketball at the FAC Has Something for Everyone

By: Ryan Patterson

Every afternoon, students gather on the two basketball courts at the FAC to play pick-up basketball.

Pick-up basketball is a great way to exercise, meet new people, and to have fun. To begin playing, students form two teams of five per each court, to have two full-court games going at once. There are only three rules that exist in these basketball games: players have to make a free throw to get in, players have to call their own fouls during the game because there are no referees, and the winning team stays on the court until they lose.

Although these are only pick-up games, the games get really competitive, as Michael Watkins, a sophomore Communications major explains, “The games get really intense at times because the loser has to get off the court and because nobody wants to stop playing, people will go all out to try to win the games to stay on the court.”

Besides being fun, basketball at the FAC is an excellent way to exercise. “Running up and down the court is a great cardio workout and because the games are so fun and competitive, many players end up getting a workout that lasts for hours”, as Tyrone O’Banner, a sophomore Bio-Psych major correctly notes.

Even though the games can get competitive, basketball at the FAC is also a great way to meet new people. Players of all ages and sizes come to play and it’s an especially a good way to meet people in different grades.  “I have met a lot of great people I would not have met if it wasn’t for the FAC,” Michael states.  “I’ve met a lot of my current friends at the FAC, including my direct roommate next year.”

In addition to being a great source of exercise, competition, and fun, playing basketball at the FAC is also a great way to become a better basketball player. Students can work on a variety of skills, as Tyrone notes, “The FAC is a great way to improve your dribbling, shooting, passing, and defensive skills. It has definitely made me a better overall player because playing against all the good competition has really elevated my game.”

Regardless of your skill level, pick-up basketball at the FAC offers students a great chance to socialize, exercise, and have fun. Zach Hands, a sophomore Communications major sums it up nicely when he explains, “I really enjoy the FAC because literally anyone who wants to play can. It’s always good competition for all skill levels and it’s a great way to meet new folks.”

Loyola Students Excited About First Round Game Against Duke

By: Brendan Hyland

The Loyola men’s lacrosse team received their invite to the postseason tournament and will travel to Durham, N.C. to take on Duke University. Having played earlier in the season and falling short of a win, the team is looking forward to the rematch. The game will be broadcasted on ESPNU, Sunday at 5:15 p.m., and though the majority of the student body will already be home enjoying summer break, the focus of this weekend is this first round tilt with the Blue Devils. 

Junior communications major Allison Nuara conveyed her excitement with a big smile, and talked of plans for a viewing party with family and friends. 

“My family is having friends over to watch the game,” Nuara explained. “(My sister) Jen graduated last year and my parents are big Loyola supporters so we’re all going to be watching the game, cheering on the Hounds.”

Fellow Junior Elizabeth Tierney, is an RA in the Loyola dorms and will still be on campus Sunday. Tierney explains her focus will be on the game, for more than one reason.

“I have some things to do for student life (on Saturday), but then it will be all about the game,” Tierney said. “I have a friend who goes to Duke too, so we have a friendly wager on the outcome of the game. And my birthday is on Sunday, and I’d love nothing more to celebrate with a Greyhound win.”

And a great celebration that would be. Loyola enters the game with an 11-4 record this season, but is coming off a loss to Ohio State in the ECAC tournament. Meanwhile, Duke comes in as the seventh-seed in the tournament, boasting a 12-5 record and are winners of 10 of their last 11. The first meeting between the two teams was a 9-8 Blue Devils victory, ignited by a five-goal fourth quarter. 

Molly Coffee junior communication major and RA on campus, is expecting a Greyhounds victory and march onward to Lucas Oil Stadium, in Indianapolis, Ind., one of the NCAA semifinal sites. 

“This weekend I’m going to be (at Loyola), so I’ll probably watch the game with the other RA’s who will still be here,” Coffee explained. 

Slowly, a big smile came across Coffee’s face before she blurted out, “But I’m from Fort Wayne, so I’m already anticipating spending my first weekend home in Indianapolis, watching my Hounds.”

 

 

The Hounds Play For It All: Bart George Helps Hounds Rally

A Story by: Fran Iula

Sitting in his dorm recently, Bart George smiled easily and often.

 

The junior-to-be at Loyola University wore a green Greyhounds golf Polo shirt and a Disney cap. He was tan, his hair was coolly carefree and a hip goatee grew. Truly, George had reasons to smile. He was already living large and this past weekend his golf team placed in the NCAA Regionals.

 

The Greyhound Golf Team competed this past weekend against eight teams in Disney World, for the MAAC Conference Championship. Loyola went into the championship round with the number one seed. “We had a bull’s eye on us the entire weekend”, George said, as the Hounds got off to a slow start, loosing rounds on both their first and second day of competition. The Greyhounds needed a boost going into the third day or summer match play would have been inevitable. Fortunately for the Hounds, George came ready to compete.

 

George sprung out of the tee-box Sunday and birdied his first two holes. In an interview after his performance George said, “I was not going to let the team down, I knew we had it in us to win.” George led the Hounds and rallied a comeback that was almost impossible. The Hounds needed great scores from all of their players in order to stay competitive in the match. George successfully led his team by scoring a 68 in the final round on Sunday, and his teammates followed suit by scoring less than 80 to secure a Greyhound victory. “Everyone really pulled it together, and we got the win”, George said.

 

The Hounds will move on to the NCAA Regionals next week where they will play 12 collegiate schools, each representing their respective leagues. “The players will all be very talented, but the real pleasure will be playing against some guys who are among the best armatures in the United States”, said George.  George and his teammates will have some tough competition next week. Unlike last week, the Hounds will have to come ready to play, because falling behind could be disastrous. 

Ravens Host Annual Spring Football Festival

By: Pat McEnerney

 

Baltimore, Md. – On April 27, Baltimore Ravens fans were welcomed back to M&T Bank Stadium with open arms, as the Ravens hosted their annual Spring Football Festival. 

The defending Super Bowl Champions had their biggest turn out in the history of the annual event, with over 15,000 fans in attendance. With such a special day taking place for the Ravens faithful, it was only fitting that the weather was gorgeous as well. Temperatures climbed into the upper 70’s, as the sun reflected the sea of purple inside of M&T Bank Stadium. 

The Spring Football Festival gathered Ravens fans from all over the state, eager and excited to get their first official preview of the 2013-14 season. This was made possible with activities such as player autograph sessions and locker room tours held all afternoon from 12-4 pm . The fans were even able to take personal pictures with the Lombardi trophy, on display outside of the Ravens locker room. For some fans, being able to watch a live telecast of the 2013 NFL draft inside of the stadium was the best part of the day. Reisterstown resident Patrick Fanshaw was one of those fans saying, “We have so much to replace this year, I just can’t wait to see who we pick to fill those gaps.”

The Ravens seemed to answer those fans hopes and prayers by drafting almost solely on the defensive end in the 2013 draft. They addressed arguably their biggest need at the Safety position, by drafting Florida Safety, Matt Elam, in the first round. Elam is the heir-apparent to future Hall of Fame player Ed Reed, who left the team this offseason for the Houston Texans. Fans who attended the Spring Festival were excited about the pick, and even got to see Elam in person as he made a special appearance on Saturday afternoon. “He hits hard, runs fast, and wants to be in Baltimore, what else could I ask for. It was great getting a first glimpse of him today”, said Mike Butzner, a long time Ravens fan and Bel Air resident who was attending the Festival for the first time.

“What a great day this ended up being, it was so great to see purple in the streets of Baltimore in the middle of Spring”, said John Cain who is also a resident of Bel Air. John seemed to sum it up well for all of the fans who attended the festival on Saturday. The people of Baltimore and its surrounding cities appreciate this event, and only hope for the continued success of their team and the Spring Festival.

Women’s Lacrosse falls to Syracuse, still Big East bound

By: Mary DeGregorio

The No. 12 Loyola University Maryland women’s lacrosse team fell to No. 5 Syracuse University but still qualified for the Big East Tournament.

Despite losing to Syracuse 19-9 at Ridley Athletic Complex Friday night, the Greyhounds sealed a spot in the 2013 Big East Tournament. Loyola will join Georgetown, Syracuse and Connecticut in next week’s four-team tournament. This marks the third-straight year that the Greyhounds have advanced to the conference championships.

The Orange led Loyola, 7-5, in a series record that dates back to 2003. Although the Greyhounds won the first two meetings, Syracuse won five-straight games from 2007-2012. The last time Loyola and Syracuse met was for the Big East Championship on May 5, 2012. The Greyhounds upset No. 2 Syracuse 13-7 to claim the second-straight Big East title.

Junior defender Katie Reinhard knew Friday night’s game would be a tough one because as a team, Syracuse has the top attack unit in the conference, averaging 14.87 goals per game, 21.07 points and 15.00 draw controls. “Going into the game, we definitely knew that we had to come out focused and ready because Syracuse is a team that doesn’t back down,” Reinhard explained. “We also knew that they were undefeated in the Big East so we really had a big challenge ahead of us.”

Even though Syracuse controlled most of the first half of the game, forcing Loyola to fight hard on defense, one sophomore led the way for the Greyhounds, scoring three goals, while a junior standout made two goals and one assist. Scoring its first nine shots to take a 9-2 advantage by the 12:37 mark, the Orange remained unstoppable from the beginning of the game. However, with  a 10-6 score at halftime, the Greyhounds would have a chance to come back in the second half.

Sophomore and communications major Kendall Hartzell was one of the few Loyola students who came out to support the lady Greyhounds on Friday night. She said, “the game was really intense in the beginning of the first half” as Syracuse dominated the field. Hartzell “was really hoping Loyola would come make a bigger comeback in the second half but Syracuse did not give up.”

Ari Shapiro Takes Loyola “Behind the Scenes of the Political Campaign”

By: Meghan Walsh
S#6

On Thursday April 23, 2013, NPR’s Ari Shapiro was Loyola Maryland’s guest speaker at their 25th annual Caulfield lecture. Shapiro is NPR’s White House Correspondent with a focus in national security and legal affairs. He reported on this past year’s presidential election, following candidate Mitt Romney.
Under the title “Behind the Scenes of the Political Campaign: Stories You Won’t Hear on The Radio,” Shapiro’s lecture lived up to it’s name as he engrossed his audience with his stories. He told the audience that, while on the campaign, he saw a side to Romney that the country never saw, off the record of course. He told humorous stories of political extremists and elaborate buffets. “We had about eight meals a day,” he said. Noting that the hardest part of coming off the campaign was relearning how to feed himself, Shapiro was relieved to know that his diet would consist of something other than “chicken breast, penne pasta, and iceberg lettuce.”

Shapiro’s audience reacted to his stories with great enthusiasm and interest. Communications major Allison Nuara attended the lecture as extra credit for one of her classes yet she “would have attended it anyway,” she says. “I’ve been to the past three Caulfield Lecture’s. It’s supposed to be an annual lecture for the communications department that is meant to show a different side of the industry. Ari Shapiro was great, I think he embodied that well.”
While the use of mobile technology would normally be frowned upon at an undergraduate University’s lecture, Shapiro promoted it. He suggested that all questions be tweeted during the lecture and that they all use the hashtag #Caulfield25. By the end of the lecture, Shapiro had been requested to answer numerous questions pertaining to his ventures on the political campaign, his own political views, and even his personal advice to aspiring journalists.
When asked what advice, if any, would he give to a young person trying to pursue a career as a journalist today, Shapiro’s advice received praise from the audience. He informed listeners to be tough, to “grow a pair,” and to “be flexible, curious and creative.”