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THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MANHATTAN UNIVERSITY | SINCE 1924
Volume CXIV, Issue 2
FREE
NEW YORK, JANUARY 27, 2026
MU Sophomore Brooke Johnson Chosen as a 2026 Carol Coston Fellow Manhattan University Prepares for Record Breaking Storm by Moving to Virtual Learning and Instructuing Jaspers to Stay Warm. @MANHATTANEDU / INSTAGRAM
Ambassador Charles A. Gargano ’79 Makes $1 Million Donation Andrew Mannion Senior Writer
This past December, Manhattan University (MU) received a $1 million donation from Ambassador Charles A. Gargano, a member of the class of 1979. In recognition of the gift, the red brick arches flanking Memorial Hall will be designated as the Charles A. Gargano, P.E. ’79 Arches. A native of Italy, Gargano moved to Brooklyn at four years old. After high school, he pursued higher education
IN NEWS:
MU Sophomore Brooke Johnson Chosen as a 2026 Carol Coston Fellow
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at Fairleigh Dickinson University, where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, before completing a second master’s degree in civil engineering at MU. Gargano has held a variety of positions throughout his career. After earning his professional engineering license, he served as the deputy administrator of the Urban Mass Transit Administration in 1981, where he has played a major role in various major federal transportation projects. Gargano later became the U.S. Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago from 1988 to
IN FEATURES:
Campus Ministry’s New Mascot: Santo the Lab
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1991. After that role, he became the vice chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. In that role, he helped rebuild New York City after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Beyond this gift, Gargano has also established a scholarship for students at MU. The scholarship is intended to assist highachieving students with financial need. Ambassador Gargano has been a strong representative of the Jasper community. His __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Laili Shahrestani Editor-in-Chief Brooke Johnson, a sophomore political science student at Manhattan University (MU) has been selected among a number of other applicants to serve as a 2026 Carol Coston Fellow. The Carol Coston Fellowship is a nationally recognized, year-long paid opportunity that operates under NETWORK - a Catholic advocacy organization that aims for change at the federal level through Catholic social justice and reform work. Upon receiving notice of her acceptance into the fellowship, Johnson emphasized how through this opportunity she will now be able to find a common ground between two major areas in her life: her faith, as well as her passion for social justice work. “I think this has bridged together two very important pieces of my life, being my faith and my passion for social justice,” Johnson said. “It’s given me the perspective that those things can be very intersectional, and that I can take two things I love and make a difference in the world.” Johnson spoke about her upbringing, and being raised Catholic. She mentioned how being brought up with Catholic values and ideals is what set the foundation for her interest in social justice work, and helping those in need. “I grew up Catholic, so I was always taught from a young age to be very involved in community service and helping out my neighbors,”
Johnson said. “It’s something that has definitely stuck with me.” When it comes to Catholic social justice work, Johnson’s outlook on giving back to the less fortunate align greatly with the values shared by Campus Ministry and Social Action (CMSA) at MU. Both Johnson and CMSA hold the same outlook on lending a helping hand to those in need, as it is an integral part of the Christian and Catholic faith. Reverend Andie Raynor, a campus minister at MU, expanded on this point, emphasizing the importance of taking care of the community and how doing so ties back to faith. “If you are a person of faith, an inherent part of that is social outreach and helping your fellow person,” Raynor said. “It’s for the Christians and Catholics among us. It’s about following the teachings of Jesus, who tells us ‘if you have two coats, give one away.’ It’s very important that faith doesn’t stay an internal part of our lives, but faith is what motivates us to give to others.” In terms of helping out the community, Johnson mentioned that one issue she is specifically passionate about is food insecurity. She spoke about how she hopes she can participate in social justice work that will assist in helping combat this issue. “I would say food insecurity is definitely an issue that is very close to my heart, especially since a lot of people’s access to food has been cut down in these past years,” Johnson said. “And around Riverdale, __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
IN A&E:
IN SPORTS:
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Jasper Jams: 2016 Anthems
Men’s Volleyball Receives its First Program Win at Harvard