The quad during the annual fall club fair.
MANHATTANEDU / COURTESY
Riley Kopceuch, Contributor
In the very heart of Manhattan University’s (MU) campus sits the hub for daily student life; the quadrangle. Commonly referred to by students, alumni and faculty as the “quad,” the campus green is constantly hustling with activity.
According to manhattan.edu, MU is home to 3,227 students, with its small size and tightly knit Jasper community making MU unique to other college campuses across the country. The quad serves as a space for studying, student connection and club promotions and is a true reflection of the MU student body due to the versatility it represents. From the annual club fair, to the many student organized fundraisers, to the everyday connections made, the quad is a space where student life thrives on MU’s campus.
The Quadrangle spoke to Rev. Robert Joerger, one of MU’s chaplains and co-directors of campus ministry, whose office in Cornerstone, the campus ministry center, sits in a central location on the quad. Campus Ministry is located on the second floor of Miguel Hall and features a direct outlook onto the green and Squeri Hall steps.
“In the midst of a city, [the quad] is a place of beauty,” Joerger said. “I think it is a place where people can be themselves, [they can] recreate, if they just want to sit alone, if they want to talk with friends, if they want to gather on the stairs.”
Joerger also emphasized the natural beauty of the quad, acting as a place of meditation and recuperation for the student body.
JAYDEN GONZALEZ / THE QUADRANGLE
“It is also a place where we get to know each other,” Joerger said. “This is a place to escape. You come off the 1 Train coming to class, you are walking up the hill, and then all of a sudden, you are in gardens. You feel enclosed, [but] in a good way. It is embracing.”
Giada Dougherty, a junior communication major and admissions ambassador, also elaborated on how the quad shapes campus culture.
“The quad is my favorite area to talk about on tours because I [personally] love the quad, too,” Dougherty said. “I think [the quad] is a hub for campus life… I always see someone on the quad that I can talk to and smile at, and it is just a beautiful atmosphere.”
Dougherty also highlighted one of MU’s most infamous campus traditions; the Senior Walk.
“A lot of campuses have a fountain or a well you can jump in when you graduate, and I think it is so fun we have the Senior Walk,” Dougherty said. “If you do not know what the Senior Walk is, it is a strip [of pavement] down the middle of our quad. It is said that undergraduates cannot walk on that path, and if they do, they will not graduate – it is a big superstition we have here at [MU]. I will see students in rain, snow, hail, any weather, and they will not go down that walk, even in extreme weather or in a big hurry.”
Nicole Brosnan, director of Student Engagement at MU, also offered insight into the role the quad plays in everyday campus life in a statement to The Quadrangle.
“The quad is the heart and soul of our campus.” Brosnan wrote in a statement to the Quadrangle. “When the weather is nice and you step out of class, you see everyone and everything on the quad from students hanging out to fundraisers, club events, and so much more.”
Brosnan also emphasized the role that the quad plays in fostering connections on campus.
“The quad fosters connections by being the perfect place to meet your friends or find new ones by getting involved in whatever is happening that day,” Brosnan wrote.
To students on MU’s campus, the quad is more than just a green space between Miguel and De La Salle Hall; it is a reflection of the Jasper community.