THE HOFSTRA
HEMPSTEAD, NY VOLUME 93 ISSUE 7
CHRONICLE
TUESDAY November 25, 2025
KEEPING THE HOFSTRA COMMUNITY INFORMED SINCE 1935 NEWS
Resa Nelson: Hofstra’s first Rhodes Scholar
By Natalia Rivera STAFF WRITER
Hofstra University held a special conference to celebrate the achievement of Resa Nelson, a senior biology major, on Friday, Nov. 14. Nelson was awarded the Rhodes Scholarship for her research on seaweed, cells and T-cells, combined with her deep commitment to community service work. The Rhodes Scholarship is an extremely competitive scholarship that awards students two years of postgraduate study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom to continue their education and research. One hundred six awards were given this year from 25 countries around the world. Nelson is from St. Peter, Anti-
gua, and she is a representative chosen from the Commonwealth Caribbean. She is only the second person from Antigua to win the Rhodes Scholarship, with the first person to win it being 24 years ago. Nelson originally entered Hofstra planning to go to medical school, but the university’s early research opportunities shifted her direction. “A lot of schools don’t take freshmen, and they’re not necessarily focused on undergrad research,” Nelson said. “But at Hofstra, everybody has to do research. I just happened Photo courtesy of Hofstra University / to start mine early, and that Matteo Bracco was really influential.”
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Trump’s DOJ is a nightmare opinion
By Peter Massarone STAFF WRITER
It’s no secret that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has been dealing with internal struggles and political indoctrination since President Donald Trump took office this year, but the actual extent to which I’ve seen these issues protrude into the lives of the attorneys, judges and clients involved can only be viewed as a nightmare. This semester, I completed an internship under a criminal defense attorney in Washington D.C., where I’ve spent ev-
ery workday in court collaborating with the United States attorneys that were handling the cases against our clients. I’ve personally watched prosecutors struggle to maintain increasing caseloads, judges scold them for trying cases with little evidence and even seen multiple U.S. attorneys fired for a semblance of disloyalty. This level of over-control and instability has led to a mass of problems – inside and outside their office – that threaten the fairness of our justice system.
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Love defies all in ‘Wicked: For Good’
By Kimberly Lopez STAFF WRITER
SPOILER WARNING Perhaps, I have been changed for the better. The world turned pink and green again with the release of the second part of the “Wicked” movie: “Wicked: For Good.” The highly anticipated film had the job of adapting the second act of the musical, which is a difficult task in and of itself. Part one of “Wicked” introduced us to the whimsical world of Oz, where we meet Galinda – later going by Glinda – Upland (Ariana Grande-Butera) and Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo). While the two loathe each other at first, they grow to become best friends before unfortunately being separated due to their different ideals. “Wicked: For Good” begins five years
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after these events, where the yellow brick road has just been built, and the silence of animals has been normalized. The film opens with “Every Day More Wicked” and the iconic number “Thank Goodness.” We see Grande-Butera really shine for the first time in this film during the song, highlighting the persona Glinda is forced to play for the people of Oz – the Ozians. Throughout the song, flashes of posters with “Glinda the Good” and “The Wicked Witch” are seen everywhere, making the stances of Oz obvious. Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) continues to spread lies about Elphaba, creating an enemy to suit her narrative. The movie included two new solo songs for Glinda and Elphaba, drifting away from the original musical’s soundtrack. The two new tracks were written
by Stephen Schwartz, the original composer for the “Wicked” musical, and titled “No Place Like Home” and “The Girl in the Bubble.” For me, “No Place Like Home” was the standout of the two. Both songs were amazing, but this one stung just a bit more. Elphaba sings to explain to Dulcibear why she finds it difficult to leave Oz, despite its people’s hatred for her. Erivo does an outstanding job at showcasing Elphaba’s sentiments for Oz, wishing to make it safe again for her and the animals. This theme aligns with the current timeline we live in, where many don’t feel safe or accepted or are being forced out of the country but still find it difficult to leave what they know as home. Marissa Bode and Ethan Slater also get their chance to shine
Photo courtsey of people.com
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande-Butera sang live during the film’s production.
in this movie. Bode portrays Nessarose Thropp’s frustration as the new governor of Munchkinland masterfully. Despite her short screentime, she proves herself to be a highlight by showcasing the lengths she will go to get Boq Woodsman (Slater) to love her and to separate herself from her sister.
Slater’s introduction as the Tin Man is iconic. It took me by surprise, but his performance was truly a treat. He becomes the cold piece of tin with no heart right in front of us, and Boq easily becomes just a memory.
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