Maya Martin, Editor

Fall is the perfect time to get cozy inside with some coffee and a movie, but why not go out with the crisp air and outdoor activities before it gets too cold? If you’re looking for some fun fall-inspired activities to do with your friends this autumn season, here is a list of five fun activities that are happening right here in Philly! 

1. Eastern State Penitentiary

First on the list, is a well-known attraction that never fails to impress at Halloween time! That is the Eastern State Penitentiary. Located in the Fairmount section of Philly, the Eastern State Penitentiary is a historic 10-acre real abandoned prison. It holds a variety of different activities to get involved in throughout the year, but Halloween time is when it is most visited.

Currently, the penitentiary is hosting Halloween Nights, which include five haunted houses, historic tours, themed bars and lounges, live performances and many other activities! Halloween Nights started back in September, and it runs until November 11. Ticket prices vary by night, but start at $39, a great price considering how much is included in the night! The haunted houses include a 3D haunted house, Al Capone’s cell, a vampire-themed lounge, a guided flashlight walkthrough tour and more. Different activities may include an extra cost, but be sure to check out the Eastern State Penitentiary website to find out more information! So, if you are into scares and looking for a fun place to go with friends, this is just the place!

2. Spooky Mini Golf

Looking for something a little less scary? No problem! Franklin Square is hosting spooky mini golf as they do every October. Although “spooky” is in the title, the activity is your usual mini golf with some added Halloween decorations, so it’s nothing too scary! There are a total of 18 holes surrounded by Philly landmarks covered in spooky seasonal decorations! The course is open every day in October from 6:00-9:00 p.m. and is $15 for adults, but if you sign up through the Campus Philly website you can get tickets for $10! This is a great way to spend a night after classes to relax and enjoy a good time with friends or family!

3. Explore the Fall Foliage at a Park

Just outside of campus, Philly is home to many beautiful parks, and two in particular are known for their beautiful fall foliage: Wissahickon Park and Fairmount Park. Wissahickon Park is just three miles from campus and has beautiful landscapes and trees that are changing colors right as you are reading this. Fall is the perfect time of year to grab a blanket, snacks and some friends to go have a picnic with a beautiful autumn background.

Similarly, Fairmount Park is also a close five miles away from campus and has over 2,000 acres of gorgeous landscape. Aside from beautiful nature trails and hidden pathways, Fairmount Park is home to the Shofuso Japanese House and Garden, a beautiful greenhouse called the Horticulture Center and the Mann Center, a great outdoor concert venue. The Shofuso Japanese House and Garden is highly recommended. It is a traditional 17-century Japanese home replica that has a large variety of plant life, tours, art exhibits and more. During the fall time, it is an amazing spot to visit and is only $9 when you present a student ID.

4. Philadelphia Ghost Tours

Last but certainly not least is another activity for fellow thrill seekers: Philadelphia ghost tours. These spooky tours take place in Independence National Park, Old City and Society Hill, where you embark on a guided candle-lit walking tour and learn about one of the most haunted cities, our own Philadelphia. The haunted tours occur nightly and are $25 per person, but you can find special discounts on The Ghost Tour of Philadelphia website. It was even, “Named one of the top 15 ‘must see’ attractions in the US,” according to the website! So, if you are looking to hear some stories of haunted attractions, paranormal activity and other reported mysterious occurrences, be sure to check out these spooky tours.

Writer’s note: Now, after hearing about some of Philly’s greatest fall and Halloween time activities, I hope you seek out some of these events with friends and family! No matter what activity you are looking to take part in, also be sure to check out the Campus Philly website before doing so because they offer a variety of discounts for college students. Finally, have a safe and happy fall!

Kate Vasey, Staff

This past week, the Nobel Prize Committee awarded those whose work has substantially benefited humankind in the past year. The laureates in chemistry this year are three scientists who worked toward the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots. Alexei Ekimov, Luis Brusand Moungi Bawendi played different parts in the discovery and popularity of these nanostructures.

Despite its sci-fi-esque name, quantum dots can be described as very small crystal structures. So small that if the quantum dots were lined along a baseball bat, there would be approximately half a billion quantum dots in that single line. The fun begins when shining ultraviolet light on the dots, which fluoresce in vivid colors. The excitement around quantum dots comes from the fact that as they grow in size, the crystals change in color. This is like having a pile of salt that changes color as more salt is added (and it’s glowing)! Scientists can choose what colors they want to see by changing the size of the dots.

The vibrant color of the dots has versatile applications in LED displays, where the dots act as pixels and color filters. Many companies are already using quantum dots in their displays, which can be spotted by looking for a “Q” in the name of the product.

Researchers are also studying the use of quantum dots in photovoltaics or solar cells. The dots offer a cheaper alternative to energy capture compared to current materials like silicon, cadmium and telluride.

For biomedical applications, quantum dots can be used in imaging technology that allows scientists to track the movement of drugs through the body or a single cell. Their small size and bright glow make them easy to spot as they are metabolized.

In 1979, Ekimov was researching what gave stained glass its unique color, and why changing the temperature during the glass-blowing process resulted in different colors of the same material. He found that some materials changed color based on their size; they were quantum dots! Independent of this observation, Brus found the same occurrence happening in a different material in 1982. Both concluded that the nanocrystals were so small that they behaved differently than expected, called the quantum size effect.

In 1993, Bawendi created a new way to synthesize the quantum dots that involved the sudden injection of an ingredient of quantum dots into a boiling solution. By controlling the temperature of the solution, Bawendi could control the size of the nanoparticles. This new method greatly decreased the effort needed to synthesize quantum dots and increased the yield.

Nanoparticle research is a burgeoning and promising field of chemistry because of the wide range of applications and how much is still yet to be discovered. Quantum dots are just the tip of the nanoparticle iceberg, with more being learned about them daily. Their small size allows scientists to push the envelope of innovation and research and advance many other branches of science. The 2023 Nobel Prize in chemistry displays the importance of continued work in nanoparticles.

John Freeman, Editor 

On Sept. 27, La Salle University officially announced their intentions for deconstructing Tom Gola Arena and renovating the space it occupies into the new and improved John Glaser Arena. In a gathering of about 200 people from the Lasallian community, including alumni, faculty, professors, coaches, fans and students, La Salle University alumna Meg Kane ‘03, moderated a panel consisting of university President Dan Allen, Head Basketball Coach Fran Dunphy, Athletic Director Ashwin Puri and Head Women’s Basketball Coach Mountain McGillivray. Kane asked each of the men about their thoughts on what they believe the renovation project means to the university and other specifics about the project as well. 

President Allen responded to Kane’s first question by saying that, “It’s been a long time coming. It actually goes back ten years ago when John Glaser made an extraordinary commitment to the university.”

President Allen explained how he had the opportunity to talk to the family of the late John Glaser ‘62, and how Glaser’s family told him of how Glaser kept a notebook of the shooting percentages of teams playing away at Tom Gola Arena, and through research realized that teams shot better when playing against the Explorers due to the absence of fans behind both baselines. President Allen proceeded by saying that part of Glaser’s purpose for donating was to create an environment that made playing away games against the Explorers more challenging. 

Glaser ‘62 included a generous donation to renovate the arena in his will. The exact dollar amount of the donation was undisclosed at the gathering. However, it is no secret that Glaser’s donation was a multimillion-dollar gift, according to President Allen. 

In addition, the stipulation placed on collecting the donation was that the beneficiaries (La Salle) would have to begin to utilize the funds by Oct. 19, 2023. President Allen went on to say how the likeness of Tom Gola from the Tom Gola Arena will be repurposed with the advent of  “Tom Gola Plaza” just outside of the new arena—where fans can fellowship before games. 

Athletic Director Ashwin Puri expressed, “It’s just gonna be such a meaningful change to this program, both men’s and women’s programs, all of our student-athletes, all of our current students, staff, faculty and our entire community.” 

Puri was the primary articulator for explaining the concept and design of the arena. Puri noted that the renovation will be a 360-degree bowl design—with fans occupying seats on every side of the court and include: a new scoreboard, video board, lighting and a student section next to the visiting team’s bench. 

Puri noted that a primary purpose for renovation would be to deliver a Division I athletic experience for La Salle’s students and fans. Premium seating along with a new HVAC system were among the new luxuries Puri mentioned that would be included in the new edifice as well. The entirety of the renovation process is set to be completed by the Fall of 2024, and will take place in three phases: 

1. Renovation of the current court, stands, and overall arena 
2. Construction of a Health and Wellness Facility (approximately $11M) 
3. Transformation of current locker rooms and the addition of sports science amenities 

Head Men’s Basketball Coach Fran Dunphy said that the renovation is “needed” and that he thinks that everyone at La Salle is looking forward to congregating in the new arena. 

Head Women’s Basketball Coach Mountain McGillivray shared similar sentiments as well. 

John Glaser Arena will be able to seat approximately 3,000 people at a time and likely cost upward of $30 million. President Allen, along with Ashwin Puri, thanked all those who have already donated to the renovation project. Puri also encouraged members of La Salle’s community to become financially involved in progressing this project as well. If all goes well, and projections are accurate, then around this time next year, La Salle University will have accomplished three important things. 

Firstly, the university will have increased the value of campus. Secondly, the university will have created an ideal environment for fostering La sallian fellowship and student engagement. Lastly, and most importantly, La Salle University will have paid the proper tribute to the late John Glaser, who initiated the commencement of this powerful project with his generous donation. 
via John freeman

Karly Zimmerman, Staff

La Salle University’s September schedule is packed full of events geared toward welcoming students back to campus after the long summer break. Events ranging from arts and crafts, success coaching and student involvement will be keeping students very busy during the month of September!

On Aug. 28, On the Quad kicked off the semester with a Water Ice Welcome event in the Hansen Quad. Students were invited to come out and enjoy delicious water ice to celebrate the first day of classes. Later in the week, La Salle’s wide range of student clubs, academic and Greek life organizations all gathered in the Tom Gola Arena for a Student Involvement Fair on Thursday, Aug. 31 hosted by the Career Center and Campus Activity Center. The event was a great opportunity to introduce La Salle’s freshman class to the many ways to get involved on campus.

On Sept. 5, La Salle University’s Commuter and Off-Campus Coaches hosted a Painting and Sipping event on the Hansen Quad where commuter students were given the opportunity to network, paint and learn more about La Salle.

La Salle Student Wellness Services began their on-campus series on Wednesday, Sept. 6 with a DIY Thriving Kit table that provided students with healthy tips and tricks to “survive” college. Students were allowed to make up their own care package of wellness products, healthy snacks and more.

La Salle became an official partner school for Campus Philly’s annual Collegefest this year, an event that welcomed over 20,000 college students back to Philadelphia with free museum tickets, free SEPTA fare, and a block party on Philadelphia’s Race Street on Saturday, September 9 and Sunday, Sept. 10.

While these events have been a success, La Salle students look forward to the events yet to come. On Friday, September 29, La Salle will host Quietfest, a series of music and wellness festivals held by Depaul USA, a national homelessness services nonprofit organization that fights the homelessness crisis by providing safe and stable housing. The event will take place in the Union Ballroom and will include a workshop, vendors and various physical activities such as yoga, meditation and art therapy. Later that night, Late Night La Salle will partner with Depaul USA and the Union Ballroom will be transformed for a Silent Disco event.

To close out our busy month of September, Late Night La Salle will host a Philly Food event to highlight and celebrate the many cultural and delicious flavors of the city. Students will be invited to come and enjoy in the Union Food Court on Saturday, Sept. 30.

Mia Mattingly and Andrew Plunkett, Staff

via WHYY

On Sat. Nov 6, La Salle Students were fortunate enough to attend the Philadelphia grassroots event at Temple University’s Liacouras Center. Here, they spent their afternoon hearing from local, state, and federal leaders discuss the Democratic Party and their beliefs this election season. Some of these political leaders included La Salle alumni State Rep. Joanna McClinton and Rep. Dwight Evans, Lieutenant Governor candidate Austin Davis, current Governor Tom Wolf, incumbent Senator Bob Casey, and many other prominent leaders of the Democratic Party. A common trend among the speeches was the main goals for this midterm election. These include: creating pro-choice policies, funding public education, allowing the unionization of workers, combatting gun violence, and ensuring democracy for the future of our country.

While there are several tight races across the nation, Pennsylvania is again at the center of the political world. In the race for United States Senate, John Fetterman hopes to solidify a Democratic majority in the Senate over Republican Dr. Memhet Oz. The campaign between the two has been tight and has featured a ruthless political advertising campaign. Fetterman has criticized Oz’s allegiance to the commonwealth and personal character, while Oz has labeled Fetterman as a radical liberal and has attacked his health following a stroke Fetterman suffered this summer. Consequently, most polls find that the race is virtually tied heading into election day. 

Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro is running against Republican state senator Doug Mastriano at the state level . Mastriano, who was present at the January 6th insurrection and has been recently criticized for his antisemitic comments, faces a severe disadvantage. Shapiro holds a lead over Mastriano in both the polls and fundraising. An article from Penn-Live finds that Shapiro has outspent Mastriano by a margin of 6:1 and a recent Marist poll finds that Shapiro is leading Mastriano by 14 points (54%-40%). Nevertheless, the races in Pennsylvania are some of the most contentious in the country and have caught the eye of political leaders from around the country. 

As such, on Sat., both Democratic and Republican candidates made stops around the state to gain some last-minute traction and votes for their parties up and down the ballot. Mehmet Oz and Doug Mastriano traveled to rurals areas with former-President Donald Trump, where they called for stricter abortion laws and policies that is tougher on crime and immigration. It is also worth noting that Trump was adamant about the past presidential election being “rigged and stolen” and that he does not want to see that happen in Pennsylvania. On the flip side for the Democrats, John Fetterman and Josh Shapiro visited cities like Philadelphia, with President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama joining them on stage. 

After various state leaders made their case to the crowd, President Biden, former-President Obama, Fetterman, and Shapiro walked out on stage to encourage voters to get out to the polls on Nov. 8. Biden emphasized his legislative accomplishments, including the Inflation Reduction Act and the PACT Act and encouraged the crowd to vote for Fetterman and Shapiro. 

Shapiro promptly followed Biden, who commanded the room and was an engaging and passionate speaker. He emphasized being a governor for all the people of Pennsylvania, not just the ones who voted for him. On top of this, he reiterated the previously mentioned ideologies of the party and vetoed any anti-abortion law that was to come across his desk. 

Fetterman, who recently made headlines for having a stroke, engaged the audience with humor and confidence in his speaking. La Salle students admitted they were nervous to see him speak so publicly. However, the students who attended explained that Fetterman was concise and, quite honestly, if one did not know he had just suffered from a stroke, one would have had no idea by the way he spoke at that rally. In addition to a few zingers about Oz, Fetterman committed himself to protect reproductive rights and being the 51st vote in the United States Senate.  

After Fetterman and Shapiro spoke, Obama echoed Biden’s sentiments and encouraged the crowd to utilize their voices to enact real policy change. He was his usual charismatic self and captivated the room with his public speaking. Obama spoke about the importance of these elections and urged the crowd to get family and friends out to the polls. 

Writers’ Note: 

At the end of the rally, we left with a sense of pride and optimism toward the election. Not only were the candidates passionate about their stances, but the crowd was too. Josh Shapiro stated, “if you show up for me in two days…I’ll fight for you every day these next four years as your Governor,” and this sentiment stuck with us. 

These candidates are running to ensure democracy in our state and country and equality for all, which is something that is worth voting for. So, be sure to head out to the polls and vote on Tue, Nov. 8th, and vote for the future that you want to see, not only in Pennsylvania but in our country. 

Keri Marable, Staff

On Sept. 30, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Students  Government Association (SGA) will run elections via email for the elected representative positions. These positions can vote on issues during meetings. These positions include five Freshman Class Senators, three Sophomore Class Senators, four Junior Class Senators and three Senior Class Senator positions. Other voting positions available via application include three School of Business College Senators and three Nursing/Health Sciences Senator positions. 

The SGA is the official representative of the student body to the administration. One of three student governing bodies on campus, SGA advocates for a better student experience on campus through various events, activities, policy change/creation and initiatives. In the past, they have pioneered initiatives like the Period Pilot Program that provided free feminine hygiene products on campus as well as petitioning for the Pass/Fail option. They consider any full-time student at La Salle a member of SGA and welcome anyone to join them at the general assembly meetings on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. in the Union room 301.

A position students can run for this semester is Class Senator. Any full-time student can run as a class senator. Election voting for Class Senators is Sept. 30 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.  via email. Class Senators vote on bills, legislation, money allocations, and various other items at General Assembly meetings. Elected by their peers, they represent and advocate for the ideas and needs of their respective class. 

The required qualifications for Class Senators include having a GPA equal to or greater than 2.50, must not be on disciplinary probation, form a petition (25 signatures) due Sept.25, election posters, a campaign video, and be a full-time student.

SGA also has another voting representative position available by application only. This includes the College Senators, who represent each one of the academic colleges on campus. Three College Senator positions are available in each of the School of Business and the Nursing/Health Sciences. The deadline for these applications is Sept. 29 at 11:59 p.m.. The College Senators represent each of the colleges at La Salle (Arts and Sciences, Business, and Nursing and Health Sciences) as well as advocate for problems and ideas for certain colleges rather than class. They are voting members chosen by application.

College Senator requirements for qualification include having a GPA equal to or greater than 2.50 and must not be on disciplinary probation. College Senators must submit the application found on SGA’s Instagram (@lasallesga) on Google Forms by Sept. 29 at 11:59 p.m.. 

Any full-time student at La Salle can be a member of SGA and are highly encouraged to attend general assembly meetings on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. in the Union room 301 or via Zoom. Any member of SGA, regardless of holding a voting position or not, can take part and help SGA’s different task forces, currently including: Social Media, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), Monthly Open Forums, Homecoming, Thanksgiving Can Drive, Volleyball Tournament, and Walk to End Alzheimer’s. If any individuals or groups on campus would like to help and collaborate on these task forces, SGA would love to hear from you and include you in their future communications.

If you have any additional questions, please contact Michaela Craner, the SGA President, at cranerm1@lasalle.edu. Be sure to follow SGA on all social media (@lasallesga) to keep updated with the election process, as well as future events and meetings for SGA! 

Nya Griffin, staff
Header Image: Gail Carter Hamilton via Lasalle.edu

On April 28, La Salle University announced that Gail Carter Hamilton, an alumni of La Salle in 1998 and 2009 will address the health disparities in Philadelphia, as the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) appointed her to be the first Chief Racial Equity Officer in Jan. 2022.

Hamilton’s overwhelming passion for nursing and public health laid the foundation for her career. After extensive coursework, and training in epidemiology and faculty taking out time to help make sure that she not only understood the information but would succeed beyond her own expectations in nursing. 

“Our close-knit classroom style allowed for a more intimate learning environment,” she said. “Where more one-on-one time with our professor helped prepare us for the rigors of bedside nursing. I truly believe that it is because of this unique atmosphere I was more than ready to face the challenges that lay ahead.”, said Hamilton. Reflecting on her time at La Salle, her participation in Student Nurses Association of Pennsylvania and the Organization of Latin American Students (OLAS) makes her connection to the La Salle community honorable. 

According to Phila.gov, this newly created position is intended to centralize efforts to ensure racial equity in Health Department operations and activities. Also, this position is to help guide planning to address health inequities in Philadelphia. Hamilton describes this role in healthcare terms, that the officer is meant to listen to the community, diagnose a problem, and then prescribe a solution, while keeping community members involved, instead of telling them what will be done. “The purpose of the role is to make sure that our department has equity at the center,” she said.

Hamilton having the foundational background from La Salle and the initiative and willingness to help our community is remarkable. “I am committed to working to address health equity and health justice in Philadelphia,” said Hamilton. “So many of our communities are struggling under the dual burden of systemic racism and the pandemic, which led to much worse outcomes in communities of color. I look forward to ensuring that racial equity is at the heart of our operations and that we are able to build sustainable partnerships throughout the city in order to maintain robust public health programs,” she said. 

Hamilton hopes that through her role she will accomplish mobilization and community engagement. “Many times, what happens is, people in government see the problem and they say, ‘A-ha, this is what will fix it.’ That’s not equity,” she explained. “Equity in part means that we’re bringing in the people who have the problem, to tell us how to help them fix the problem. What we really want is to decolonize the work to allow everybody to feel like they have a say in what happens to them in their communities.” 

As a Philadelphia native, Hamilton said framing its citizens as assets and embracing its diversity will help improve its public health strategies. 

As for her La Salle roots, Hamilton said she hopes to stay connected to her alma mater and hopes to include nursing graduates that will be able to work within the framework of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) as new initiatives are implemented beginning summer 2022 and beyond.

“My job is to help shape and change the future of how public health is delivered,” she added.