The Hilbert College community came together the celebrate Veterans Day with a ceremony earlier this month.

Hilbert junior Taylor Beers held a bake sale and 50/50 raffle on campus benefiting the Rachael Warrior Foundation last month.

Beers, a Business Management Major, held the sale as part of her marketing management class with help from her boyfriend and her family. Despite the sale being part of her class, it held a deeper meaning for her because it benefited a cause close to home.

Beers was close friends with Rachael Wierzbicki throughout middle and high school, who was killed November 28, 2018, as a victim of domestic violence. Her killer was recently found not guilty. Out of that tragedy, the Rachel Warrior Foundation was born, aiming to help those in crisis due to domestic violence and to get them out of dangerous situations before it’s too late, Beers said.

“I saw this as a great opportunity to get the word out there”, Beers said.

She also cited the national Gabby Petito story with Rachael’s as motivation to raise awareness.

“With that happening, I thought it was a really good topic to get people to talk about,” she said.

Similar to other fundraisers, a lot went into the planning process for Beers and her family. “I wanted to make sure everything I needed was covered, and it was a little stressful, but it all came together in the end,” she said.

Altogether, Beers had donations from several local bakeries including Haak’s Cakes, Bon Bon’s Gluten Free Bakery, Paula’s Donuts, and Tim Hortons, and raised several hundred dollars for the foundation, Beers said.

As the Rachael Warrior Foundation’s website says, stories like Rachael’s are all too familiar, and is a reality for some. That’s why raising awareness, speaking, and reaching out, and telling stories is so important. For more information about the Rachael Warrior Foundation, and ways to help, visit their website: https://www.rachaelwarriorfoundation.org/home.

Candidates in the Buffalo Mayoral race debate at St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute in the week leading up to election day.

The Hilbert Hawks next just got a little bit bigger.

The Hilbert athletics department and college announced that they would be adding four new sports teams: men’s track and field, women’s track and field, women’s ice hockey, and football.

For a small college like Hilbert, it’s quite a big proposition, but one that brings much excitement to the community. The school also announced that they would be building an all-turf complex that the football team would play on with the track on the outside, with the hope of it being done by fall 2023.

Perhaps the most ambitious addition is the new football program, which is set to take the field next fall. Creating a football program and having it ready for competition in a nine-month span is uncommon, but something that Hilbert plans on achieving. The man who will be leading that charger will be newly announced and inaugural head coach Jim Kubiak.

Hilbert announced that Kubiak, who is from the Western New York area went to high school right down the street at St. Francis, was announced as the school’s first ever head football coach at a press conference this week.

The new coach expressed his excitement, saying he is ready for the challenge ahead.

“Being here today reminds me of the first time I walked out that Army-Navy tunnel,” he said.

After a successful high school career Kubiak attended the United States Naval Academy, where he was a four-year letterman and three-year starter on the football team and also received the Navy achievement medal. Jim not only started there but he stills hold the all-time records in passing yards and completions. After his time at Navy, he signed with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted rookie in 1996 while also being on active military duty. From then on he played for the Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets, and Colts again while also making trips in the arena football league all from 1998-2005.

After his playing career Kubiak has coached at numerous colleges, most notably at Division two Mansfield as their offensive coordinator. Kubiak has also been the director of the WNY Quarterbacks academy where he has worked with numerous local student athletes.

In his press conference Kubiak said  He also said how he has spent fourteen years here in WNY working and developing players in our region and how he is honored to have the opportunity to recruit students from the area. Kubiak said that when he was young he was taught, “be on time, know what you’re supposed to do, and bust your behind doing it.”

As he tries to build this program he said the foundation begins with “growth, constant improvement, hard work and execution.” Kubiak said he believes the Hawks will represent the traits of hard work and discipline. The most important thing in his presser was when he stated that the Hilbert football experience will be “fully prepared to imprint the belief that our players can achieve anything they can put their minds to.” Lastly, Kubiak was not shy of the fact that on the field work ethic and who you are on the field translates to who you are off the field.

Hilbert College students helped plant trees and shrubs at Tifft Nature Preserve as a part of Hilbert College’s Franciscan Day of Service last month.

Tifft Nature Preserve is a 264-acre nature preserve that has been dedicated to conservation and environmental education. Tifft Nature preserve was bought by the City of Buffalo for the purpose of being a landfill. It wasn’t until the community recognized and voiced the ecological importance of the site that it was turned into a nature preserve.

Shianna Patten is a senior at Hilbert who participated in the service day activity at Tifft.  “It felt good to do something to help this preserve” she said, “even if it is something as small as planting a tree or shrub”.

Both trees and shrubs were planted and are hoped to grow into the open spaces in the years to come at Tifft. This is just one of many restorative projects Tifft Nature Preserve has planned.

Alex Gill was the leader of the group that attended the nature preserve. “I really enjoyed taking time to plant some trees and shrubs at the reserve” he said. “It felt good to help out and hopefully we will be able to go back when the trees are grown to see our work”

Halloween is right around the corner and what better way to get into the spirit than to participate in spirit week? The Office of Student Involvement is hosting a fun week leading up to Halloween for all students – commuters and residents – to participate in. Each day will be filled with fun activities to show your Halloween spirit. Candy will be available at every corner for students to take as they please.

Halloween spirit week events include:

-Dressing up in your Halloween Costume for classes

– Pumpkin painting

-Halloween Horror Video Game Night

-Halloween Dance

Felix Malave, a resident and student worker for the Office of Student Involvement said he is excited for the horror video game night.

“There will be a horror game on each TV for students to be able to come in and try out whatever game interests them,” he said.

The games available to be played are Clock Tower, Silent Hill, Resident Evil, Dead by Daylight.

“We are hoping to have all PlayStation and Xbox controllers available for use, if we have limited controllers, students will have to share and take turns playing games.” Malave said.  

Malave wanted to work for student involvement because he saw a need for more student participation around campus.

“I just hope students see the work we have tried to put into the events in order for everyone to be able to come and do what interests them.” he said.

Graduate Coordinator of Campus Involvement, Jhada Hutchinson said there are a variety of activities to give everyone an opportunity to get involved.

“We will do a costume contest, food, drinks and dancing,” Hutchinson said.

Dances have always been a student favorite here at Hilbert and what is more fun than doing the Monster Mash with a bunch of friends? “For pumpkin painting we are planning on painting ceramic pumpkins with cider and donuts.” she said.

Students are encouraged to check the Hilbert Involvement Instagram for updates on programming or stop down to the Student Life Office located in Franciscan Hall.

Spirit week events:

Monday October 25^th– Dress up in your Halloween costume for classes- all day

Tuesday October 26^th– Pumpkin painting- destination and time TBD

Wednesday October 27^th– Horror video game night in the Hawkade time TBD

Thursday October 28^th– Haunted Halls event cancelation- new event TBD

Friday October 29^th– Halloween Dance location 7pm – 10pm