the merciad, march 18, 2009
Post on 08-Apr-2018
215 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
-
8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 18, 2009
1/20
Tyler Stauffer photo
Vol.82, No.16/3.18.09/Free
Lakers advance to Frozen Four TournamentRead more on Page 16
MerciadWomens hockeybound
for Boston
Tyler Stauffer photo
-
8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 18, 2009
2/20
Mercy Beyond Borders is a nonprofit organizationhelping the people of southern Sudan.
It was founded in 2008 by Sister Marilyn Lacey, aSister of Mercy, university professor and medicaldoctor.
Sister Lacey visited on Tuesday, March 10, andWednesday, March 11, at the invitation of Sister LisaMary McCartney, vice president of Mission Integration
at Mercyhurst College. Sister Lacy talked with studentsand faculty about her work and what the ordinary citi-
zen can do to help.Mercy Beyond Borders helps people in war-ravaged
Sudan, where one quarter of the worlds displacedpeople currently live.
The program focuses mainly on women and chil-dreneducating them and sending money to helpthe women start small entrepreneurial projects they
designed.McCartney said it was important for Sister Lacey to
come and speak at Mercyhurst because Sister Lacey
is doing in Sudan in the 21st century what CatherineMcAuley did in Dublin in the 19th century. It relates
to our Mercy traditions and heritage.
According to mercybeyondborders.org, their missionis to partner with displaced women and children in
ways that alleviate their extreme poverty.Laceys own personal passion is to help make the
world a more welcoming place for persons forced toleave their homelands because of extreme persecution.
She has worked in refugee camps and with programsthat help settle refugees in new countries.
She currently manages the operations for Mercy
Beyond Borders and believes that all the women needis a boost up in their economic situation to help thembecome successful in their lives.
For more information, see her book, This FlowingToward Me, which describes her experiences and all thegood things that have come of them. Another resource
is mercybeyondborders.org, which has a detailed accountof the program and its current projects.
To read about the experiences of another sister living
in Africa, visit mercyinsudan.blogspot.com, and to reada weekly commentary from Sister Lacey, visit mercybe-yondborders.blogspot.com.
For more information on how to make a differencefrom Mercyhurst, contact McCartney at extension 2572
or at lmccartney@mercyhurst.edu.
High school seniors flooded Mercy-hurst Colleges campus Friday, March 13,
for the 29th annual Laker Live-In.Current freshmenn were encouraged
to be Laker Live-In hosts and have one
or two incoming freshmen stay withthem for the night.
Laker Live-In is held every year for
incoming freshmen. It was preceded bya day of activities including tours andinformational speeches, and followed by
Major Day on Saturday, March 14.The percentage of students who come
to Laker Live-In compared with the
percentage of whom actually end up at-tending Mercyhurst the following fall ispretty high although its hard to guess,
because some who came are alreadycommitted to the school, said Dana Mc-
Millin from the Admissions Office. Activities such as the mens hockey
game and Wild Wild Western WingNight took place throughout the night
and provided a glimpse of campus lifeon the weekends.
Wild Wild Western Wing Night was
held in the Herrmann Student Union
and had free pizza, wings and refresh-ments, as well as the chance to ride themechanical bull.
Laker Live-In gives incoming fresh-
men a feel for the campus that is unat-
tainable through a one-day tour.They get the chance to meet currentstudents in real situations away from
adults, giving them the opportunity toask questions on a more personal leveland express their fears, anxieties or ex-
citement.Paige Bosnyak, a Live-In from Pitts-
burgh, Pa., said I thought it would be agood experience before I came here to
get a feel for it.
Some Live-Ins were eager to makelasting memories before officially com-
ing, like Shana Brown, a Live-In fromJamestown, N.Y.
The Live-Ins werent the only ones
who gained lasting memories night.Freshmen Michelle Mula and Kaitlin
Badger hosted a Live-In.
Mula felt it was fun to be able toshow the live-in real college life.
Badger said she gained the experi-
ence of being able to give someone agood experience at Mercyhurst Collegebefore they actually come here as stu-
dents.
NEWSPage 2 March 18, 2009
By Alaina Rydzewski
Staff writer
High school seniors get a taste of life at the Hurst
By Alaina RydzewskiStaff writer
Sisters help women and children beyond our borders
These two orphans go to a Mercy Beyond Borders
school in Sudan
Contributed photo
Contributed photo
Excited Laker Live-Ins attended the mens hockey game last Friday with their
freshman hosts.
-
8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 18, 2009
3/20
NEWS Page 3March 18, 2009
Serve Erie through AmeriCorps
Amelia Diaz, a 2008 Mercy-hurst alumna, spent the 2008-
09 school year serving Mercy-hurst and the Erie communitythrough AmeriCorps VISTA.
AmeriCorps VISTA is anational program that works tohelp impoverished people and
communities.VISTA members commit
to serve full-time for a year at a
nonprofit organization or localgovernment agency, working tofight illiteracy, improve health
services, create businesses,strengthen community groupsand much more, Diaz said.
As a member of the Ameri-Corps VISTA working in theService Learning Office, Diaz
is responsible for organizingevents and programs such asservice learning, alternative
breaks and community projects.Diaz said being a member
of the AmeriCorps VISTA is agreat responsibility, but it gives
her a sense of fulfillment. The program is a stepping
stone between you graduatingand stepping into a long term
job, Diaz said.AmeriCorps VISTA provides
training in grant writing, net-
working skills, community orga-nizing and communication.
The program provides finan-
cial benefits as well. Members
receive a monthly stipend andtheir loans are deferred for one
year.According to Diaz, there are
about 30 AmeriCorps VISTA
positions throughout Erie andCrawford counties.
College students who want to
serve the community can applyto the Scholars in Service toPennslyvania (SISPA) program,
which is supervised by Ameri-
Corps VISTA. The SISPA program allows
students to choose a work studyoff campus at a nonprofit orga-
nization. Students are paid andreceive an educational scholar-ship for their service.
Diaz recommends SISPA for
students who have in interestin community service while inschool.
Students must apply by Friday,May 8, to be considered for theSISPA program.
Applications to become a part
of the AmeriCorps VISTA pro-gram will be available in April.
There will be informationalmeetings on Wednesday, April15, and Tuesday, April 28, at
8:15 p.m. in the Audrey Hirt Academic Center Building forinterested students.
For more information con-tact Amelia Diaz at extension2343 or e-mail her at adiaz@
mercyhurst.edu.
By Kelly Luoma
Staff writer
One small school is taking abig chunk out of landfills.
Thanks to the participationof students and a big push fromthe Mercyhurst College Green
Team, Mercyhurst currentlyleads the state of Pennsylvaniaand ranks 11th nationally in the
RecycleMania competition.I am truly amazed with theparticipation from the student
population. In monitoring the volume of trash and recycledmaterial, it is evident the majority
of the student body are enthusi-astic about landfill waste reduc-tion and increased recycling
efforts, Director of the PhysicalPlant Ken Stepherson said.
This is the first year Mercy-hurst has entered the competi-tion. Recycling efforts jumped
from 35 to 53 percent betweenthe trial period and the eighth
week of RecycleManiaBecause of Mercyhursts suc-
cess, WSEE TV interviewed
Magoc and senior Zach Pekor,sophomore Marcella Bunge andjunior Zoey Alderman-Tuttle.
The performance of the Mer-cyhurst community in the Recy-cleMania competition is quite
impressive, Green Team Faculty
Chair Chris Magoc said. Thiscompetition has allowed us to
reach our longstanding goal ofmore than 50 percent recyclingof our waste stream. I believe
that we will be able to sustain thatstrong recycling rate after Recy-cleMania ends in a few weeks.
In the per capita classic division,Mercyhurst is 20th with an aver-age of 19.65 pounds of cumula-
tive recyclables per person.For as small as Mercyhurst is, it
is pulling its weight in the gorilla
division with 102,656 pounds ofcumulative recyclables. Rutgers
University tops this categorywith 1,043,023 pounds of cumu-lative recyclables.
The competing school clos-est to Erie, is Allegheny College,which is in 56th place. With 49
registered RecycleMania colleges,Pennsylvania has more schoolsparticipating in RecycleMania
than any other state.
I think its great were doingso well. I wouldnt mind seeing
more time and money go towardprograms like this, senior JoeKrowsoski said.
Students have two more weeksto increase recycling before theend of the competition. Mercy-
hurst is 1.11 percent away fromseventh place and could easilypull ahead of several colleges in
the final weeks. To keep track of weekly
results, go to recyclemania.org.
By JoEllen Marsh
Managing editor
Senior celebration
raises money forlegacy of 2009
The Senior Gift Commit-
tee held the annual 100 Days toGraduation celebration at The
Cornerstone Bar and Grill onFriday, Feb. 13.
The event was held to raisemoney for the 2009 Senior Gift,
a Mexican restaurant being addedto the Herrmann Student Union.
About $4,500 was raised by the
230 students who attended. The celebration included a
cover charge to be admitted into
the basement, where there wasfree food, drink specials and danc-ing. Seniors had the opportunity
to purchase T-shirts to wear forthe celebration.
Senior Committee member
Vicky Fleisner helped plan the100 Days fundraiser.
The committee was really
happy with the turnout and themoney we were able to raise forthe gift so the event was success-
ful, Fleisner said. The committee will continue
fundraising activities throughout
the 2008-09 school year. Another fundraising event is
A Night of Music, with differ-
ent student bands performing. The event will take place on
March 31, at 8:30 p.m. in the Stu-
dent Union.Fleisner said students will still
be able to purchase T-shirts,
as well as donate their housingdeposits or any money they canto their school chairs.
LOST & FOUND ITEMS
There are many personalitems currently at the Lost
& Found in the library at theCiruclation Desk.
If you have lost any items of value,they might be at the library,
so make sure to check.
YOUniversity launchesMercyhurst video tour
Visit
youniversity.com/mercyhurst_college
to take the virtual tour and watch
interviews with faculty, administrators
and students.
By Ashley PastorStaff writer
Hurst leads in RecycleMania
-
8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 18, 2009
4/20
NEWSPage 4 March 18, 2009
Want to go to Europe? How
about Japan, China or Egypt?Mercyhurst College studentsand faculty go to places like this
every year.Faculty Led Study Abroad
(FSAT) trips happen immedi-ately after graduation and lastapproximately 12-13 days.
Students who want to partici-
pate have to take a class springterm to prepare for the trip, butthe class is often a core require-
ment, such as Origins of Chris-tianity, and the credits are free tothe student.
The only cost of the trip is
the travel expenses, which canbe covered by student loans.
Dr. Heidi Hosey of the Eng-lish Department is in charge ofthe trips, and said the FSAT is
a program where students takeclasses in spring term and thentravel with professors to various
places.It is an excellent way to expe-
rience the world at little or no
cost.This year there are three trips:
Egypt, Italy and Greece, and the
Galapagos Islands.
James and Mary Breckenridgeare leading the trip to Egypt,Dr. Jim Snyder and Dr. Daniel
McFee are leading the trip to
Italy and Greece, and Dr. RobHauf and Dr. Steve Mauro are
leading the trip to the Galapa-gos Islands.
The trips are announced every
April and the only requirementsare a GPA of 2.5 or higher, acourse enrollment deposit to
hold your spot in the class, andenrollment with the travel part-ner for the trips, Education First
Educational Tours.After the trips are announced,
students should contact Hosey
to express interest in the trip and
a place will be held for them. The spots are reserved on a
first-come, first-serve basis and
fill quickly, so if interested con-
tact Hosey as soon as possibleafter the trips for next year are
announced.Junior Jax Brown, who went
on the trip to Europe last year,
said she gained a sense of cul-tural enlightenment and appre-ciation for the historical, politi-
cal and artistic traditions thatenhance the diversity outside ofour borders.
Hosey can be reached atextension 2336 or by e-mail athhosey@mercyhurst.edu.
By Alaina RydzewskiStaff writer
After a fatal plane crash inClarence Center, N.Y., just out-
side Buffalo, on Thursday, Feb.12, Mercyhurst College studentsand faculty assisted with the
recovery and identification ofremains from the scene.
All 49 passengers and crew
members of the Continental
Connection 3407 flight werekilled along with one person on
the ground.Medical examiner Dianne
Vertes, M.D. requested the assis-
tance of the Mercyhurst teamwho arrived around 2 a.m. at theErie County Medical Examiners
Office in Buffalo. The team consisted of a
research assistant, more than
a dozen graduate students andDr. Steven Symes and Direc-tor of the Applied Forensic
Sciences Department at Mer-
cyhurst Dr. Dennis Dirkmaat,
two of only 60 board-certi-fied forensic anthropologists in
North America and the only inPennsylvania,.
Dirkmaat previously worked
to recover remains from thecrash of Flight 93 in Shanks-ville, Pa. after Sept. 11.
Symes is an expert on trauma,including burned bone trauma,having recently co-edited a book
titled The Analysis of BurnedHuman Remains.
The Department of Applied
Forensic Sciences at Mercyhursthas provided forensic anthro-pology consulting services to
the Buffalo Medical Examinersoffice for the past six years.
According to the Erie Times
News, the Mercyhurst teamand other experts worked at
the crash site for five days.Dirkmaat said its likely theyrecovered all of the remains.
By Ashley PastorStaff writer
Anthropology
Departmentassists at N.Y.plane crash
Travel the world with FSAT
Dr. Joanne McGurk and students took a Faculty Led Study Abroad trip to Japan summer 2008.
Contributed photo
English professor Dr. Brian Reed and students
pose for a picture on their FSAT trip to Europe.
Contributed photo
Can you last the fast?
Contact Nicole Zehnderat nzehnd84@mercyhurst.edu for more
information
Join Rotaract and Campus
Ministry for a 24-hour fastfrom 5 p.m. on Friday, March
20, until 5 p.m. Saturday,
March 21.
-
8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 18, 2009
5/20
NEWS Page 5March 18, 2009
Students teach at art, literacy fairs
Students teaching studentsprovides a great learning experi-
ence for all. The Literacy Fair was on
Thursday, Feb. 5, and the Art
Fair took place on Wednesday,Feb. 11.
Both events were held oncampus in the Herrmann Stu-dent Union Great Room.
The fairs were organized and
planned by Amelia Diaz, the AmeriCorps VISTA for ServiceLearning office.
According to Diaz, childrenfrom eight community partners,such as the Boys and Girls Club,
the YMCA Kids Club and the
Booker T. Washington Center, were given the opportunity toparticipate in the fairs.
The Literacy fair was part of aproject for Dr. Timothy FrawleysChildrens Literature course. Stu-
dents from his class chose chil-drens books and created an activ-ity to go along with the book.
The fair is an educational
event where the children are ex-cited to read and have fun, Diaz
said. The event benefited not only
local children, but Mercyhurst
students as well, because it gaveeducation majors an opportunityto apply their teaching skills, ac-
cording to Diaz.The Art Fair allowed the chil-
dren to show their creative side as
they were able to participate in 15different art activities. Includingdecorating door hangers, creat-
ing bracelets and making fingerimprints.
Children are excited to visit
the college campus and meet ourstudents, Diaz said. Mercyhurststudents are role models to the
kids and having them come over
is a great way for both parties tolearn and share with each other.
Both events were funded bythe Diversity Enrichment Grant.
Without their funds, we
wouldnt be able to do this, Diazsaid.
Overall, 48 children and 62
Mercyhurst students participatedin the two events.
By Kelly LuomaStaff writer
Mercyhurst College students read to children from the Erie
community at the Literacy Fair on Thursday, Feb. 5.
Contributed photo
Sing, read or relax at AmnesTEA
Musicians, poets and other creative students
have the opportunity to show off their talents atthe annual AmnesTEA event.
This coffeehouse-style open mic event spon-
sored by the Mercyhurst College chapter of Amnesty International will take place Thursdayfrom 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. in the Herrmann Student
Union.Organic fair-trade teas, coffees and chocolates
will be available for donation or purchase in bulk
to support Amnesty International.The goal is to raise awareness of fair trade
merchandise in a fun environment . I feel like its
a good way to get a message across; its some-thing exciting, its not a boring lecture, Amnesty
International President freshman Rachel Brownsaid.
Amnesty members ask students to keep theevent green by bringing their own coffee mugs.
Sophomore Eve Klajbor, who went to Am-nesTEA last year, said, The atmosphere was real-ly amazing. The people who attended AmnesTEA
genuinely cared about where the money was go-ing. It was a wonderful time and I hope this yearsis just as great.
This year the purpose of AmnesTEA is toraise awareness about hunger and its relation to
Fair Trade products. Students who attend Am-nesTEA will have a chance to sign up for Fridays24-Hour Fast, sponsored by Campus Ministry andRotaract.
A lot of times coffee and tea farmers receiveunfair payment for their products, which canlead to hunger and other economic injustices. It
may cost a little bit more money for fair trade,but youre drinking it in good conscious, Brownsaid.
Students can sign up to perform an act in this
honors-certified event beginning at 8:30 p.m.This is a great opportunity to express yourself
in a friendly environment, so come out and showyour work, Brown said.
By JoEllen MarshManaging editor
Abe Lincoln livesin Second Life
For a day, Abe Lincoln experi-
enced modern life with the helpof Mercyhurst Colleges Art Edu-cation Program Director Camille
Nischal. She and Instructional Technologist, Dr. Mara Lina-berger, presented the avatar at the
Pennsylvania Educational Tech-nology Expo and Conference inHershey, Pa.
The presentation was calledAvatars as Historical Inquiry
and related to the Abraham Lin-coln project, also known as Sec-ond Life.
Through the Abraham Lincoln
Project, participants can learnfirsthand about Lincoln and hislife through his avatar, or second
life.Nischals presentation in-
cluded an overview of Abraham
Lincoln Magic, a Second Lifein-carnation of our 16th U.S.presi-
dent, exploring art and Web 2.0technologies to enhance and en-rich historical inquiry.
Freshman Tyler Stauffer saidit was the first time he presented
the project to an audience usingSkype technology.
I had to take a historical figureand put him in to our modern day
21st century world, visiting and al-lowing Abe to see what the worldis like today, Stauffer said.
This is just the beginning ofthe program, which will continueto embrace Web 2.0 technologies
to make history education more
interesting and exciting for stu-dents everywhere.
For more information on theSecond Life program, visit abra-hamlincoln.wikispaces.com for a
brief overview or abrahamlincoln. wikispaces.com/Second+Life toexperience the project firsthand.
To get involved, Nischal can bereached at extension 3656 or bye-mail at cnischal@mercyhurst.
edu.
By Alaina RydzewskiStaff writer
MSG Happy HourIrish MeetnEat
Wednesday, March 18
4:30-5:30 p.m.
in the Student Union Enjoy Irish mocktails
and free food
Mingle with Dr. Gamble
and raise concerns
Talk to MSG Senators
and ask them questions
with the college president
-
8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 18, 2009
6/20
FEATURESPage 6 March 18, 2009
Lunch $ 5
Dinner $ 5.50 11:30 a.m. -8 p.m.
Lunch $ 5Dinner $ 5.50
Broccoli & Cheddar Bites
6 Sub $4 Combo $512 Sub $5.75 Combo $6.75
Make any sub a wrap for
no extra charge!
Wrap Combo- Veggie $5
Other Wraps $4
M
T
W
TH
F
S
Southwest Burger
Breakfast Sandwich
Sizzle Salad
Taco Salad
Goulash
Laker Burger
M
T
W
TH
F
S
Chicken Parm w/ Pasta
Philly Wrap
Gen Tsos Chix or Tofu
Pierogies
Buffalo Popcorn Chicken
Chicken Bacon Swiss
S Potato Bowl
Lunch $ 5
Dinner $ 5.50
St. Patricks Day was originally a re-ligious holiday as celebration of the
anniversary of St. Patricks death andbecame an official holiday in Ireland in1903.
Since St. Patricks Day occurs duringthe Christian season of Lent, Irish fami-lies would traditionally go to church in
the morning and enjoy celebration fes-tivities in the evening.
In the United States, people celebrate
St. Patricks Day to remember their Irishheritage and to eat, drink and be merry.
However, for some Irish students at
Mercyhurst College, it has a much richerhistory.
Louise Killeen, a senior from Dublin
Ireland, said her family has many tradi-tions for this special holiday.
At home, St.
Paddys Day ispretty relaxed ...
e v e r y o n ehas the dayoff from
w o r k , K i l l e e nsaid.
Killeensfamily gen-erally goes
to Mass inthe morn-ing and then
takes her youngerbrother and sister tothe parade in Dublin.
They have a family din-ner and then she goesout with her friends
but said, It is not a big
drinking holiday in Ireland, like
it is in the States.Ciaran Doherty, a
freshman from NewRoss, Ireland, saidmost people in his
hometown attend aparade and most Irishhave been in the pa-
rades as children asp a r t
of a club or school.
The parades are a huge tradition andthe pubs get a lot of business on St.
Patricks Day, Doherty said.He has many family traditions. His
family celebrates by having his father
pick wild shamrocks in a field the morn-ing of St. Patricks Day and attendingMass later in the day.
He said many people wear shamrockspinned to their shirts.
At home I never really paid much
attention to the holiday, otherthan that we had a day off
from school. You begin to
appreciate your heritage when you leave it, so Imlooking forward to Tues-
day, Doherty said.
By Jenna Golden
Contributing writer
No one celebrates like the U.S. on St. Pattys Day
-
8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 18, 2009
7/20
FEATURES Page 7March 18, 2009
In September of 1983, I
began my venture into higher
education at Mercyhurst
College.
After graduating from Erie
Technical Memorial High
School with a background inelectricity and electronics, I
enrolled at Mercyhurst to pursue
pre-law with an interest in law
enforcement studies.
My time at the Hurst was
a great year, to say the least.
Transitioning from high school
is a challenge, but the professors
I had were wonderful and
seemed to sense when students
needed guidance.One professor that stands out
in particular was Professor John
Nee.
He was a retired policeman
from the Pittsburgh area and
would use his experience as a
policeman to help educate his
students.
His classes were never boring;
they were like living a real-life
version of CSI for an hour.
To say that the classes I had
with Mr. Nee were invaluable is
truly an understatement.
Many of the things he said
were fatherly, and often got
many students to stay long after
class to find out his thoughts on
other topics.
What really sparked me as
far as interest at the Hurst was
politics. I am the youngest of
five children and my dad, the
late Bernard (Babe) Harkins wasa school principal by trade, but
was also first and foremost a
political animal.
He served on the Erie City
Council for 16 years, and ran
John F. Kennedys campaign in
Erie in 1960.
Growing up in a house where
I was always exposed to politics,
I had a passion for a good
debate. A Mercyhurst professor who
shared that passion was Dr.
Grossman, with whom I took a
government studies class with.
His oratory ability always
made for an interesting class
and he provided much more
than what was contained in the
syllabus.
A great aspect to Mercyhurst,
in my opinion, is the beautiful
campus.
The chapel, the football field
and the athletic facility were
some of my favorite spots.
The home games were always
a blast to attend.
That was one of the first
seasons for football at the
Hurst, and the coach was Tony
DeMeo.
I learned a great deal in the
one year I was at Mercyhurst
and met interesting people,both faculty and students, many
of whom I am still friends with
today.
I did transfer out to Penn State
Behrend the next year because
of my financial situation.
In my fourth year of college
I received an opportunity to
become a driver with UPS.
I jumped at the chance; the
money was good, it kept mein shape, and I figured I could
always finish school later (as of
this writing I have not finished
but recently when I was up on
the Mercyhurst campus, the
thought strongly ran through
my mind).
After 24 years with UPS I
decided to run for political
office.
In 2006, I was elected to
the First District House seat
in the Pennsylvania General
Assembly.
I am currently a member
of the State House Education
Committee.
I always feel proud when I am
around the state and MercyhurstCollege is mentioned.
I am honored to say I went
there.
My parents instilled in me
that you should always pursue
your dreams and never close
any doors.
The professors I had whileattending Mercyhurst reinforced
those ideals in me.
By Patrick J. HarkinsContributing writer
Life after HurstPat Harkins: member of the Pa. House of Representatives
Patrick Harkins is a member of the State House Education
Committee.
Contributed photo
Year: SeniorMajor: Sports Medicine and Fitness PromotionHometown: Pittsburgh, Pa.Favorite Thing about Spring Break:Bikinis and slip and slides in 60 degree weather.Best Mercyhurst Memory: When my roommates base jumped...out of my window.If you could meet any celebrity dead or alive who would it be and why:John Balushi because not only is he hilarious but hes my favourite actor.
Drew Pfeiffer
-
8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 18, 2009
8/20
-
8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 18, 2009
9/20
FEATURES Page9March 18, 2009
While spring break brought relaxation
and fun in the sun for some Mercyhurst
College students, others had alternative
spring break plans.
Three optional trips over spring break
this year were offered by Mercyhurst
College, included Habitat for Humanity,
Navajo Alternative Break and UrbanChallenge.
Amanda Zechman of Campus
Ministry led the Habitat for Humanity
trip and took a group of students to
Goldsboro, N.C. to help build a house
for a needy family.
Juniors Laura Stevens, Brittney Bucco
and Chelsey Crawford and seniors
Rachel Wojcik and Renee Kiefer not
only planned the trip but are also board
members for the Habitat for HumanityClub at the Hurst.
Sister Michele Schroeck led the Navajo
Alternative Break, taking seven students
to Fort Defiance, Ariz., the capital of the
Navajo Nation.
While there, the students worked at
St. Michaels Association for Special
Education which is similar to the
Gertrude Barber Center in Erie.
They were able to learn about Navajo
culture through attending activitiessuch as church services, visiting a
Navajo museum and hiking at Canyon
de Chelley.
Freshmen Taylor Murray, Amanda
Parrella, Natalie Grospitch, Lisa Rhein
and Monica Gehring, junior Jackie
Phillips, and sophomore Katarzyna
Michalkiewicz participated in the Navajo
trip.
Murray heard about the trip through
his friends, who convinced him to go.
He said his favorite part of the trip
was being able to get the experience
with special education kids.
Four students went on the Urban
Challenge trip to the Romero Center
with AmeriCorps VISTA Amelia Diaz.
Sophomore Blaire Murphy, junior
Nicki Ambrogi, senior Gretchen Yori and
graduate student Nordia Brusola took
part in a poverty and justice awareness
program.
They helped in soup kitchens, schools
and shelters during the day, and attended
speaches on poverty issues at night.Murphy said she was glad to help,
because it was obvious they had a
misconception about college students
and suburban teens in general.
...they were able to see that there were
people who caredit was learning for
both sides, she said.
Yori agreed and added that the help
was not only direct, but indirect also.
Just providing someone with a smile
or an ear to listen is enough, she said.She greatly encourages the trips. It is
an experience that cannot be replaced by
textbooks.
I learned about poverty first hand,
saw the hardships, saw how organizations
helping the people and situations are
struggling. I cannot explain in words
what this did for me and how it has
helped change my career path ideas.
These trips provide the opportunity
to help not only the victims but the
volunteers, too. As Murphy said, its
learning for both sides.
To get involved, contact Amanda
Zechman at extension 2549 or Sister
Michele Schroeck at extension 2471.
By Alaina RydzewskiStaff writer
Breaking away from the usual spring break
Sophomores Meghan Warner and Beth Kostrencic, juniors Heather Buechner
and Chelsey Crawford, and freshman Abby Lillard working in Goldsboro, N.C.
Contributed photo
Sophomore Christina Casey and Katie Rissetto, and junior Chelsey Crawfordworking on the roof of a house.
Contributed photo
The final product of the Habitat for Humanity trip to Goldsboro, N.C. In oneweek, students raised the walls and the roof was nearly finished.
Contributed photo
-
8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 18, 2009
10/20
Most people dont know
where their water comes from.
They just turn on the tap and
expect their water to be there.
These days are ending, begins
a trailer for this weeks Guelcher
Film Series offering, the
world-water-crisis documentary
Flow.
The focus of Flow con-
centrates on one all-consuming
question: How can anyone own
water?
The film examines how a
handful of private compa-
nies have managed to plunder
the natural resources of both
developed and Third World
countries.Whereas some in the United
States have fought back with
lawsuits and attempts to at
least create sensible contracts,
those in developing nations are
often left helpless, their health
extorted at the hands of their
greedy or needy government.
Such is the case in Bolivia,
where in 1997 the World Bank
insisted that short-term loans would be contingent on the
nations privatization of water.
According to an article by
Jim Shultz of zmag.org, The
private consortium that took
control of the water, Aguas del
Illimani, is owned jointly by the
French water giant, Suez, and
a set of minority shareholders
that includes, among others, an
arm of the World Bank.
California engineering firm
Bechtel raced in to the poor
city of Cochabamba and raised
rates by more than 200 percent,
far more than the impoverished
residents could afford to pay.
Eventually the group was
forced to leave, but rebut-
ted by filing a secret lawsuit in
a trade court to try to pick up
more than $25 million from
the already impoverished South
American state.
The result of increasing water
rates countrywide, tied to pri-
vate companies desire to switch
rates to the U.S. dollar and make
a profit, has forced many poorfamilies in Bolivia to attempt to
use well water, much of which is
polluted by industrial waste.
The cost of the privatized
sewage and water hookup costs
approximately six months worth
of wages for those families earn-
ing minimum wage.
Unclean water is a major
cause of child illness in Bolivia,
according to Shultz, wherealmost one in 10 children die
before reaching age five.
Beyond pointing the finger at
private corporations and capi-
talist institutions, which it does
extremely well (The market is
inherently amoral, one com-
mentator opines), Flow
attempts to track down exam-
ples of 21st century solutions to
the worlds water crisis.
These developing new tech-
nologies, the films Web site
maintains, are fast becoming
blueprints for a successful global
and economic turnaround.
In its joint focus on culprits,
crisis and solutions, Flow
follows in the footsteps of a
number of recent commercially
successful Guelcher Film Series
documentaries, including 2006s
humorous whodunit Who
Killed the Electric Car? and
Al Gores 2007 global-warming
foray into the genre, An Incon-
venient Truth.
Flow will be shown in
the Mary DAngelo Perform-
ing Arts Center on Wednesday,
March 18, at 2:15 and 8 p.m.
Tickets are $5 for adults, $4
for seniors and students and $3
to Presidents Card holders.
Tickets are free to Mercyhurst
students with student ID.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTPage 10 March 18, 2008
World water crisis runs deep in Guelcher Film FlowBy Kyle KingA & E editor
Flow won Best Documentary at the United Nations
Association Film Festival and was an official selection at theSundance Film Festival.
pac.mercyhurst.edu photo
-
8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 18, 2009
11/20
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 11March 18, 2009
Bellinis most pastoral and
immediately successful opera,
La Sonnambula, is coming to
the Mary DAngelo Performing
Arts Center as a part of The
Metropolitan Opera: Live in
High Definition series.
La Somnambula will be
broadcast on Saturday, March
21, at 1 p.m.
Directed by Mary Zimmer-
man, the entire production mag-
nificently soars into superiority
as the contrasts of wakefulness
and sleep, and the differences
and similarities between their
literal and figurative meanings,
are illuminated in an eerie real-
ity. In this way, the 1831 opera
is staged in a contemporary set-ting.
La Sonnambula, or The
Sleepwalker, uses the clas-
sic plot of a woman wrongly
accused of unfaithfulness in a
startling new way, by using sleep
wandering as a deep and power-
ful symbol for the human con-
sciousness.
The strengths of this opera
go far beyond musical mastery,
but delve into a realm of philo-
sophical and moral controversy.
The title role of Amina is
known for its great difficulty,
but in the Mets production ofthis moving tale, Natalie Dessay
takes the challenge with beauti-
fully graceful success.
Singing opposite of Juan
Diego Flrez, the couple gives
an amazingly intimate stage
presence and chemistry, as this
is not the first time they have
played characters falling in love
opposite each other.
Dessay and Flrez have
already thrilled audiences world-
wide with their renditions of the
lead roles in La Fille du Rgi-
ment, and this performance
is only a strengthening of their
operatic partnership.
A perfect performance for
opera beginners and experts, the
modern setting, costumes and
staging delivers the early 19thcentury opera with compelling
reality to a wide-range of audi-
ence members. If youre wary
of digesting a classic opera, this
may be the perfect production
to break the ice.
Those familiar with the genre
will find this theatrical creation afresh and gripping experience.
A production pairing philo-
sophical anxieties and musical
mastery is a rare occurrence,
and La Sonnambula delivers
with perfection.
Now in its third season and
its second year at Mercyhurst
College, The Metropolitan
Opera: Live in High Definition
broadcast is made possible with
the help of a dozen strategically
placed cameras in the Metropol-
itan Opera House.
The cameras offer brilliant
close-ups, which reveal the
details of costumes and facial
gestures, and with sweeping
wide angles present a panoramic
spectacle that gives PAC viewers
an intimate advantage over thoseactually in the Met audience.
Tickets are $18 for adults and
$15 for seniors and students.
Front row balcony tickets are
$30.
By Hazel Jennings
Staff writer
Sleepwalking Somnambula to broadcast in PAC
Natalie Dessay walks off the deep end starring as the titular
sleepwalking somnambulist in The Metropolitan Operas
broadcast, which will air at the PAC on Saturday, March 21, at
1 p.m.
pac.mercyhurst.edu
Student-run Sweet Charity to be staged this weekend
This weekend in the Mary
DAngelo Performing Arts
Center, the Mercyhurst student-
run musical will present Sweet
Charity, a fun and unusual story
of a dance hall hostess who
wears her heart on her sleeve and
always seems to get mistreatedby love.
This musical is based on the
book by Neil Simon with music
by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Doro-
thy Fields and memorable chore-
ography by Bob Fosse.
The cast consists of approxi-
mately 45 Mercyhurst students
from a variety of majors and
experience levels.
Freshman voice performance
major Katie Wagner will por-
tray the peppy, but conflicted,
lead character of Charity Hope
Valentine.
Playing Charity has been fun
but also difficult because she has
to be a triple threat. Also, there
is a lot of depth to her charac-ter she is very outgoing, but at
the same time has no real confi-
dence, Wagner said.
Senior Kara Stadelman has
worked as producer for the show
with Chris Von Volkenburg as
musical director.
Junior Everett Olszewski has
acted as student director in con-
junction with professional direc-
tor David Matthews.Stadelman, who worked last
year as director for the produc-
tion of Seussical, said her role
this year is somewhat different.
I wanted to work with a dif-
ferent aspect and try producing,
Stadelman said.
Im very glad to have tried
this new position, and it has been
interesting dealing with the other
aspects of the show such as
advertising, as well as being ableto work with David Matthews
this year, Stadelman said.
Junior dance major Trevor
Sones has been working on the
choreography for this produc-
tion of Sweet Charity.
I have choreographed sev-
eral musicals before but never a
Fosse musical. It was challenging
because I wanted to stay within
the Fosse style but still make mychoreography original, Sones
said.
Overall, I am extremely
happy with the result, and I could
not have done it without such an
amazing cast and [sophomore]
Claire Hinde, my assistant chore-
ographer, Sones said.
The cast and directors seem to
have high hopes for the perfor-
mance.
Everyone has worked veryhard and everythings really start-
ing to come together. It should
be a great show, Wagner said.
The show is very funny with
lots of amusing little lines and
well as purely ridiculous parts.
The Rhythm of Life number
should be especially entertain-
ing, Stadelman said.
Sweet Charity will be per-
formed Friday and Saturday,March 20 and 21, at 8 p.m., and
Sunday, March 22, at 2 p.m.
Tickets are only $1 for Mercy-
hurst students with student ID.
Tickets are $12.50 for adults,
$10 for students and seniors,
$6.50 for Presidents Cardholders
and $5 for youths 15 and under.
To purchase tickets, call (814)
824-3000 or visit the box office
in the PAC lobby.
By Sarah MastrocolaStaff writer
Promotional photo
-
8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 18, 2009
12/20
-
8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 18, 2009
13/20
OPINION Page 13March 18, 2009The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the v iews of Mercyhurst College, the staff of The Merciad
or the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are always welcomed and can be e-mailed to opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.
Inbox:Where
readers share
their thoughts.
The
In the last edition of The
Merciad, I came across Seth
Hallams opinion piece, Mercy-
hurst making unfair judgments
in holiday choices.
I am all for the freedom of
opinion and the right to speak
out for ones view; however, Ifeel it necessary to set the record
straight on the historical refer-
ences cited in his article.
The Brown v. Board of
Education decision, which
Hallam states was the product of
a strong constitution, occurred
in 1954, 167 years after the con-
stitution of the United States
was adopted.
What were the 33 presidents
before Dwight D. Eisenhower,
the president at the time of theBrown decision, doing to allow
for the doctrine of separate but
equal to exist? For that matter,
did Eisenhower have much of a
bearing on the Supreme Court
decision at all in 1954?
The answer is, no he did not.
In fact, Eisenhower would
have preferred to maintain the
status quo and keep segregation
alive. I am not saying President
Eisenhower was racist in any
way, nor am I discounting his
efforts as Supreme Allied Com-
mander during World War II.
I am merely saying this does
not sound like a hero worth
remembering as President of
the United States of America.
Hallam insinuates the reason
for social change in America is
the American system of gov-
ernment and the leaders of that
government, the presidents. I
will not disagree that our consti-
tution allows for us, as citizensof the United States, to peace-
fully assemble and speak out if
we so wish against our govern-
ment among the many rights
and privileges it mentions.
I will say, however, even with
the rights that are bestowed
upon us through that social con-
tract, those rights are not always
defended by our government.
The Brown decision overturned
a previous Supreme Court ruling
saying separate but equal was
constitutional.
It is in times like those, we
must not look to the presi-
dents but leaders like Rev. Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr., leaders
embodying the famous line of
the Declaration of Indepen-
dence, But when a long train
of abuses and usurpations, pur-
suing invariably the same object
evinces a design to reduce them
under absolute Despotism, it
is their right, it is their duty, tothrow off such Government,
and to provide new Guards for
their future security.
The United States of America
is a great nation, in part because
of its presidents, but mostly
because of its seemingly ordi-
nary citizens who rise to promi-
nence to fight for justice and the
good of all.
I am not underplaying the
importance or contributions of
our presidents; they should be
celebrated for winning the high-
est office in the land. However,
for every Washington, there is a
Van Buren, for every Lincoln,
there is a Harding and for every
FDR, there is a Nixon.
Given the choice for Mer-
cyhurst College to honor great
Americans for their contri-
butions to our society, MLK
should win hands down, not the
elected officials who created or
stood idly by the policies Kingfought against in the first place.
Matt Wallenhorst 09
The Transportation Security
Administration is on the job. Its
been several months since full-
body scanners were installed
in Reagan National Airport in
D.C., but since then they have
continued to spread around the
country.
The most recent location isTulsa, Ariz., where TSA employ-
ees may now look through pas-
sengers clothing to see if they
have anything objectionable
underneath.
Few privacy objections have
been raised by those subjected
to the revealing scan, probably
in part because a manual frisk-
ing, which could never be intru-
sive, is offered as an alternative.
Also in part because the TSA
has been so very reassuring:The images produced by that
scanner are not pornographic
at all, a Tulsa screener said. I
dont look at them as people.
I look at them as a thing that
could have something on it.
And so the things that could
have something on continue
on their way, not so much con-
cerned their Fourth Amend-
ment rights have just been
grossly violated but displeased
the process took so long.
As C.S. Lewis rightly said, Of
all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised
for the good of its victims may
be the most oppressive.Its a sad day when the TSA
depersonalizes security, no
longer are we people to them,
but just things and will be
treated with the respect and
attention things, rather than
people, deserve.
But just think of how much
safer theyre making us all!
Dont think of it as stealing
our freedoms so much as grant-ing us the liberty to be herded,
photographed in the nude and,
above all else, safe in our chosen
mode of transportation.
Dont worry; Big Brother
always has our safety and best
interest in mind And to reit-
erate the best for last, the quote
from an employee of the state,
in reference to the citizens: I
dont look at them as people.
By Thomas Kubica
Staff writer
Mercyhurst College has been
participating in a number of
recycling programs this year,
including the nationwide con-
test RECYLEMANIA.
The Green Team here has
been busy promoting recy-
cling by putting stickers on
light switches and recycling oldphone books, for example.
So imagine my surprise when
I pass the cleaning lady dump-
ing the contents of the recycling
bins at the end of my hall into
the garbage. Now, dont get me
wrong: the cleaning lady is very
sweet and well-liked.
I am in no way trying to get
her into trouble, but in order for
this school to become green
and energy efficient, everyone
has to participate in the recy-cling effort.
I know some of you may not
care, or think you dont have the
time or energy to recycle, but its
as simple as putting a bottle in a
recycling bin, turning off a light
or shutting off your computer
when youre not using it.
Try doing these three things
on a daily basis and pretty soon
they will become habit.In order to become green,
everyone on campus has to do
their part. Every person should
be a big fan of saving the envi-
ronment. Who doesnt like
breathing clean air, after all?
Students, faculty and staff
here should be proud their
school is trying to make a differ-
ence and help out by doing just
a little bit each day.
By Alaina Rydzewski
Staff writer
Senior sets record straight
Doing your partAlarming airport security: How much is too
much when it comes to passenger safety?
Dont worry, Big Brotheralways has your bestinterest and safety in
mind. Thomas Kubica
-
8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 18, 2009
14/20
OPINIONPage 14 March 18, 2009
@mercyhurst.edu
editormerciad
mgeditormerciad
newsmerciad
featuremerciad
opinionmerciad
sportsmerciadsportsmerciad
entertainmentmerciad
photomerciad
photomerciad
admerciad
copymerciad
apasto22
wwelch
bsheridan
The Merciad is the official student-produced newspaper of MercyhurstCollege. It is published throughout the school year, with the exception offinals weeks. Our office is in Hirt, Room 120B. Our telephone number is (814)
824-2376.
The Merciad welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must be signedand names will be included with the letters. Although we will not edit the
letters for content, we reserve the right to trim letters to fit. Lettersare due Mondays. by noon and may not be more than 300 words. Submit
letters to box PH 485 or via e-mail at opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.
If you dont want it printed . . . dont let it happen.Editors
Casey Greene
JoEllen Marsh
Amanda Valauri
Javi Cubillos
Heather Donovan
Brad MoehringerSam Sellinger
Kyle King
Scoot Williams
Tyler Stauffer
Caitlin Bly
Gretchen Yori
Ashley Pastor
Bill Welch
Brian Sheridan
Positions
Editor-in-Chief
Managing Editor
News Editor
Features Editor
Opinion Editor
Sports EditorSports Editor
A&E
Photographer
Photographer
Advertising Manager
Copy Editor
General Assignment
Adviser
Adviser
I believe in the power of sung
prayer.
I spent the first week of
2009 in Honduras visiting my
97-year-old grandma, Fracisca
Coto de Medina. Even though
she is 97 years old and she can
no longer walk, her brain is still
in an amazing condition.
But I can tell from this last
visit that her mind is slowly
fading. Yet we could still spend
precious moments remember-
ing the past and celebrating the
present. We enjoyed each other
with the company of my wifeand kids.
I am the Director of Litur-
gical Music at Christ the
King Chapel.
I feel as if I have
been a church musi-
cian for as long as I canremember. Since my
mother Theresa (Fra-
ciscas eldest daugh-
ter) also is a church
musician, when I was
a child, she brought
me along for rehearsals and
church services.
As I recall our visit with
Grandma, the most remark-
able thing I remember is that
she asked me to sing a song
that I havent sung in years.
This song goes back to those
childhood days and the many
church services we used to
attend together.
The song is based on Psalm
91, which says, from the New
Living Translation:
1. Those who live in the
shelter of the Most High will
find rest in the shadow of
the Almighty.
2. This I declare about the
LORD: He alone is my refuge, my
place of safety; he is my God
and I trust him.I am reflecting now on the
power of those words, and
the meaning that they bring
to Grandmas heart. Now she
is not expecting anything else
from life; at 97 years of age,
she realizes she has lived a long
life. There is no more educa-
tion she would like to pursue,
not another college degree or
another job for which she would
like to apply. Even wanting new
shoes or clothes is not as impor-
tant for her as the words of
this Psalm.
Her mind and body might
be fragile and aging every day,
but her spirit is renewed every
day by the hope these words
bring. Through this I realize
the importance of worship and
sung prayer: It makes sense to
sing everyday to the Lord and
come to Him to renew our hope
in His love and care for us.
This is what I believe: Some
day this world will be trans-
formed into a better world, someday death will be no more. No
more hospitals, cemeteries and
rehab centers. No more nursing
homes and ICUs. No more pris-
ons and courts. So many things
will cease to exist.
But I believe sung prayer will
continue on. I believe worship
and adoration to our Creator
will never cease, and we will
sing the words of this Psalm in
His presence.
We will remember the hope
these words gave us, and we will
rejoice in the fulfillment of His
promise and in the rest that we
will finally and justly be receiv-
ing in Heaven.
Daniel Cabanillas is the PrincipalDesignated School Official for the
Foreign Student Compliance Office
of SEVIS and Director of Liturgi-
cal Music. He has been affiliated with
Mercyhurst for 14 years: four as a
student and 10 as an employee.
His favorite aspect about Mercy-
hurst: the sense of community and
belonging; we feel like it is our home.
In a way it is a small community
that surrounds us like belonging to a
family or a special group of humans
that cares about one single goal and
has a lot of things in common - such
as surviving Erie winters. It is, in
other words, Mercy World.
By SethHallamStaff writer
Gun control.
Anyone who regularly reads
this column would probably
know I would be against guns.
Specifically, the National Rifle
Associations illogical opinions
regarding gun databases andcomparing guns used in crimes
to known gun owners.
However, there are some gun
issues I have given a more mod-
erate approach, one of which
is Police and Safety having
guns. (And yes, I am aware that
this issue has been brought up
before, but with the wave of
gun crimes recently, from Ala-
bama to Germany, I think the
issue needs to be regurgitated).The goal of Police and Safety
is to protect the members of the
Mercyhurst community. This
goal doesnt seem attainable
since they are not armed.
If a crazy shooter man
comes to the Hurst, they can
do the same thing I can do, run
and call for help. Many times it
would seem they would just be
the middlemen.For example, crazy shooter
man comes to my apartment
and shoots my roommate. What
do I do? Call Police and Safety.
What do they do? Who knows,
but I know what they cannot
do: Come and shoot the crazy
shooter man, unless they are
going to bring out their Super
Soakers.
As a result they waste time
calling the Erie Police Depart-ment. By this time, crazy
shooter man has killed my
roommates and me. This is why
Police and Safety need guns.
Another thing requiring deeper
thought for all of the cocky
drunks out there: Would you be
more or less inclined to pick a
fight and mouth off to some-
one with a gun? Basic human
instinct would say you would beless inclined.
Dont read into this and think
I am a believer in Police and
Safety being competent enough
to have guns. My general obser-
vations are contradictory.
However, I am backing the
idea that competent (stress that
word) individuals of Police and
Safety should be armed to better
protect the student body.
Assessing the risk: Policeand Safety gun possession
Lasting memories in sung prayer
-
8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 18, 2009
15/20
OPINION Page 15March 18, 2009
Spring term started underreoccurring sunshine, andthe long list of school-end-ing social events for seniorsare well underway. Pubcrawls and St. Pattys Day will lead to dinner dances
and commencement prepa-ration. So take a breath fromacademics every chance youget seniors, this is it.
Abusive relationshipsamong young people havebeen in the news. Mercy-hurst students most likelydont know Chris Brownand Rihanna Fenty, but theevent shines a tell-all lighton the scary subject.
Gaping holes around thecampus may remind stu-dents of the 90s TV showLand of the Lost, but weassure you theres no prehis-toric world at the bottom ofthese muddy holes. Cars arebottoming out and studentsare losing their footing fromLewis Avenue to ParadeStreet.
Please e-mail any suggestions to
opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.
The GB&U is a compilation of
student opinions.
By Jerrod
MarkleStaff writer
Engaging my political and
religious majors, I decidedto devote this column to theforceful coercion of students
into on-campus housing.This forceful coercion is not
only absurd in its nature, it has
recently increased from two
years to three years.Why does Mercyhurst College,
primarily Residence Life, feeland justify the insatiable desire
to control paying students?Surely the desire is rooted in
both economics and philosophy.It seems logical for the school todemand students pay for their
housing, because it increases theschools income, just like finingstudents for drinking charges
increases the schools income.The fine for offenses is more
attractive than the slave labor
alternative of wiping up otherpeoples sweat in the RecreationCenter.
The new residence hall offersa large fraction of students newhousing, as well as what will
soon be better food service.Thank God all these things are
being developed, but the pointof forcing students to live oncampus is contrary to a student
wanting to attend the school.Students should want to makethe free choice to live on campus
because of the incentives.Since I have been here, it has
been cheaper for me to live off-
campus, so why would I chooseto pay more money?
Maybe if Residence Life
corrected their fascist policies,allowing students a freer, saferenvironment to engage their
social relationships, morepeople would choose to live
on campus instead of beingforced to do so.
I must say it has been a
far better experience for meboth in personal and spiritualdevelopment while living off-
campus as compared to myforced time spent on campus.
I can only hope Mercyhurst
will cultivate an environmentstudents will desire, as opposedto the one causing students to
exit and further separate theirsimilar thoughts.
Free the reasonable adults.
As I was walking through
campus on a sunny day last week, I became strangelyaware of how little time I have
left here.The weather is warming and
the putting me in an end-of-
the-year, happy mood. But, as
I realize how quickly spring isapproaching, I am reminded it
also brings with it the end of theyearand college.
For those of us who are grad-
uating on May 24, and wont begoing on to graduate school,this last term will contain many
experiences and memories we should cherish. With thisrealization in the forefront of
my mind I have begun notingall the lasts we will experi-ence in the next nine weeks
until graduation.Of course we have already
registered for our last classes
and have a week of themunder our belt already. In a fewshort weeks we will be taking
our last midterms, which Imsure no one will be sad to say
goodbye to.
Some of us might be doing
our last group projects, lastpresentations and finally put-ting the finishing touches on
senior projects.Whichever you may be doing,
resist the temptation to rush
through just to be done andmake this term your best ever.
Aside from the academic lasts
we will encounter, there are alsothe simple but fond memories
we are making with our friendsthat are the most important.
There will be the last time youeat at the cafeteria, the last long
walks you take with your room-mates, the last Spring Fest week-end and our senior dinner dance.
These are the times we need tosavor, so remember to take it allin and pause to be thankful for
the people we have met and the
experiences weve had. We have been lucky enough
to go to a great school andhopefully have met friends wewill keep for a lifetime.
So my advice to all you seniorsis: Dont wish your time away,as much as we all want it to be
done. This is an important timein our lives that we can never getbackmake it worthwhile and
have fun.
By Hayley OHare
Staff writer
Forcing students into on-campus housing
Discovering relief Senior year: embracingthe end of an era
I will be completely honest. Istalk celebrities.
It is something I am proudof and something I think morepeople should do.
I have supported BritneySpears through every single
psychotic episode. I take greatoffense to anyone with doesntsupport her and I feel like I, too,have succeeded now that she is
enjoying her comeback.I boycotted Brad Pitt and
Angelina Jolie since they got
together and cried while watch-ing Hes Just Not That Into You because I didnt think
Jennifer Aniston should be in a
movie with a story line of a mancheating on his wife.
I can spend hours readingevery single article about prettymuch any celebrity. I refer to
celebrities by their first namesand insist on people around meto keep up with them as well.
My sister even text messagesme when Britney Spears updatesher status on Facebook. When I
heard about Chris Brown and
Rihanna, I was deeply affected
and have been religiously check-ing on both of them. I knowmost readers are guilty of this as
well and this isnt the most intel-ligent thing I could be filling myfree time with.
But, honestly, I could careless. People have told me whata waste it is and I could not
disagree more. It is my guiltypleasure and I encourage every-
body to find theirs. I have writ-ten countless articles about thestressors we all are facing and,as most students have figured
out, it isnt going to get anyeasier.
I may insist P. Diddy would
love to hang out with meandhe wouldand I should havemy own reality TV show.
I am fully aware neither of
the two is going to happen. But,its just one more thing I can
turn to in life that most likely isnot going to make me freak outabout the future.
Even if you dont love celeb-rities, maybe you watch realityTV or eat an absurd amount of
candy. Find an interesting guiltypleasure. You may be viewed ascrazy or imbalanced. But it is
worth it. Embrace the crazy.
By Jordan
ZangaroStaff writer
-
8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 18, 2009
16/20
Mens Hockey...................................................Mar. 13,W 6-2, Army
Mar. 14,W 5-0, Army
Womens Hockey.................................Mar. 14,W 3-1, St. Lawrence
Baseball...........................................Mar. 14,W 14-0, W 5-1, Gannon
Mar. 15,W 11-2, W 9-6 Gannon
Softball.........................................Mar. 13, L 4-5, Salem International
Mar. 13,W 10-2, Davis and ElkinsMar. 14,W 12-1, West Liberty State
Mar. 15, L 2-3, Glenville State
Mens Lacrosse..........................................Mar. 14, L 5-11 Le Moyne
Womens Lacrosse .....................................Mar.10, W 12-11 Gannon
Mar. 14,W 20-9 Queens (N.C.)
Baseball Team Earns No. 7 Regional RankingMercyhurst Colleges baseball team earned a No.7 ranking in the
National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Division II Atlan-
tic Regional poll. They gained this ranking after earning a weekend
home-and-home sweep of crosstown rival Gannon University.
Zapolski Named AHA Goaltender of the WeekMercyhurst Colleges mens hockey teams sophomore goalie Ryan
Zapolski earned Atlantic Hockey Association Goaltender of the
Week for the week of March 16. This past weekend Zapolski
stopped 55 shots and earned his fourth shutout of the season in
Mercyhursts weekend quarterfinal sweep of Army.
Josh Shields-Wrestling
Mercyhurst Colleges wrestler sophomore Josh Shields earned theLakers first wrestling national champion. Shields won his champi-
onship at 165 pounds in a 5-0 decesion over Nebraska-Omahas
Aaron Denson.
Meghan Agosta-Womens HockeyJunior Meghan Agosta scored the game winning goal over St. Law-
rence University as the Lakers won 3-1 to send the Lakers to the
Frozen Four in Boston. Agosta is a finalist for the Patty Kazmier
Award which is presented to the top player in womens hockey. This
is the third straight year Agosta has been up for the award and she
is the first player ever to accomplish this.
The best of the best, the
elite, the top four in the country,
all competing to be the best
NCAA Division I team.
The top four teams in the
NCAA will make their way to
Boston, Mass. to compete this
weekend in the Frozen Four for
the national title.
As the Lakers pack their bags
and get ready to participate
in one of the finest womens
hockey events of the year,
they are preparing and looking
forward to every minute of the
upcoming week ahead.
Being with the team andgetting to travel as one to the
Frozen Four is going to be an
excellent experience for me that
I will never forget, sophomore
Ashley Cockell said.
The Lakers have battled their
way through an excellent season
posting high scores against some
of the toughest competition.
This past Saturday the Lakers
hosted the quarterfinals againstSt. Lawrence University.
Despite nerves, the women
played very strong on the ice,
proving to those who have been
following them all year that they
truly have what it takes to win
the whole thing this year.
Its an honor to be a part of
the team this year, because weve
made history, and the team is
very excited to show the rest of
the nation what Laker hockey
is all about, freshmen Pamela
Zgoda said.Head Coach Mike Sisti
commented about the
performance during the 3-1
victory over St. Lawrence. I am
very proud of the girls. They
played with great passion, Sisti
said.
St. Lawrence slipped in an
early goal and the Lakers were
down for more then 20 minutes,
but the women gracefully placedthe puck in the back of the net
three times to secure their spot
in the Frozen Four.
Junior captain Meghan Agosta
gave the Lakers the 2-1 lead
pushing the momentum of the
game forward as they closed in
on the final period of the game.
Freshman Jess Jones scored
the third goal of the game to
give the Lakers the final edge.
I think that everyone came
to the game a little nervous and
excited to get the opportunity tohost a NCAA final eight games
Cockell said. But, everyone
played hard and wanted to really
win. Hillary (Pattenden) gave us
some great confidence going
into the game which was really
huge for us as well.
Moving forward to the
Frozen Four, the Lakers will
prepare to travel to Agganis
Arena in Boston. With justtwo more games left to win the
championship, the team could
not be more excited.
I am looking forward to see
what happens. Our chemistry
is awesome right now which
will help us on and off the
ice, Agosta said. I think that
we are going to be prepared to
do anything to get to that final
game on Sunday!
By Katie WaldinStaff writer
Hockey heads to Boston
Sophomore Vicki Bendus defends a St. Lawrence player at the
womens hockey quarterfinal match-up.
Tyler Stauffer photo
-
8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 18, 2009
17/20
SPORTS Page 17March 18, 2009
The Lakers are already off toa hot start this year.
They sit at 2-1 overall withthe only loss to the No. 2 LeMoyne College, a team that has
been a real rival in lacrosse over
the past few years.The Lakers come in with three
players receiving preseason All-American honors and will lookto them to lead the team on the
field.Seniors Jason LaShomb and
Matt Spahr were named to the
first team, while senior Mike Thon earned a spot on the
second team.LaShomb, a goaltender
from New York, has already
lived up to the first team All-American nod by earning ECCGoaltender of the Week for the
week of March 2. LaShomb ledthe Lakers to a 9-6 victory over
Wingate to earn this honor.When asked about this award
he had very little to say abouthis performance in the game.
He focused on his teams greatperformance.
To be completely honest with
you, I was very surprised with
being given the honor of goalieof the week, LaShomb said.
Its a great honor, but I thinkthat my defense should be givenall the credit and recognition for
holding Wingate scoreless fortwo quarters. Those guys do anunbelievable job in front of me
and many times go unnoticedby the public. So they deserve
this recognition, not me.The Lakers look to improve
on their 2-1 start againstPace University and Adelphi
University in the next few daysand hope to see fans outsideenjoying spring and cheering the
Lakers to victory.
By Gary CoadStaff writer
Lax battles for victory
Two games into the season,
the Mercyhurst College womenslacrosse team has never lookedstronger.
Posting their first victory ofthe year against cross-town rivalGannon University put a smile
on each girls face as they walked
off the field.A 12-11 win to start the season
off against No. 12 nationallyranked Gannon helped boostthe confidence of the women as
they take the PSAC by storm.I think that we have a lot of
potential to work together and
accomplish all of our goals thisyear.
Beating Gannon in our
home opener definitely gaveus confidence that we can beatanyone when we all work as a
team, senior Kristen Toomeysaid. Everyone really hasstepped up so far, and I look
forward to the rest of theseason.
The women are working well
together as a unit and competing
with high goals and expectationsin mind as they enter the 2009
season. This past weekend the
Lakers took on Queens (N.C.)
in Arnold, Md. for the secondgame of the season.
Defeating the Royals 20-9
was another great boost for the
team moral and confidence as
the team begins their season.Last year we were pretty
successful, and we only lost
two seniors this year, so I amdefinitely looking forward tobuilding off of everything we
accomplished last year andhopefully making the NCAAtournament this year, junior
Meghan Dwyer said when askedabout the future of the team
this year.Everyone is looking ahead
with high expectations for theplayers this year on team.
We have such a good chanceon making this one of the bestseasons ever because of the
strong leadership positionsthat the seniors bring to thetable and also because we have
many returning starters and a very strong freshman class,sophomore Kim Masterton
stated. The women are looking
forward to the season ahead
as they move into the PSACalong with the other Mercyhurstteams.
Currently ranked No. 7 bythe IWLCA polls and chosen
to finish second in the PSACconference, the Lakers aremoving ahead training hardeach day for their upcoming
games. The Lakers will plays again
at home Thursday, March 18,
at 4 p.m. against Slippery RockUniversity.
By Katie WaldinStaff writer
Want to get paid to cover
Mercyhurst sports?
Paid editor and writer positions avail-
able for next year!
Contact:
sportsmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.
Honored players lead LakersMens lax starts off season 2-1
Junior Trevor Rice (11) receives and protects the ball at the mens lacrosse game Tuesday,
March 17, against Pace University. The Lakers won 14- 3.
Tyler Stauffer photo
-
8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 18, 2009
18/20
SPORTSPage 18 March 18, 2009
Mens hockey makes semifinals
The Mercyhurst College
mens hockey team entered the
weekend as the third seed in the
AHA conference tournament,
looking to defend their home
ice and earn a spot in the
semifinals.
Standing in their way wasthe sixth-seed Army Knights.
A sweep at the hands of the
Lakers offense sent the Knights
retreating back to West Point.
Friday, the Lakers looked to
start off fast and they did with
a power play goal by junior Matt
Fennel at 13:46 and another tally
by senior Matt Pierce at 17:01 to
put the Lakers up 2-0.
However, Army cut into
the lead with a goal at the end
of the first period, giving the
Lakers a 2-1 lead at the end of
the period.
The Lakers extended thelead to 3-1 in the second on
sophomore Jeff Terminesis
goal at 10:04.
The Lakers finished off the
Knights with three third period
goals.
The first two came back
to back by sophomore Dan
Bremner at 1:52 and senior
Brett Robinson at 2:29.
Army added a goal at 4:51,but the Lakers followed with
another goal by Fennel at 7:01
bringing the final score to a 6-2
Laker victory.
The Lakers finished off the
Knights Saturday night with a
5-0 shutout victory.
Fennel started off the Laker
rout with a goal at 7:50 in the
first. Junior Cody Collins would
score a goal of his own at 14:00,
followed by a goal by freshman
Phil Ginand at 16:15, as the
Lakers would go up 3-0 at the
end of the first.
The Lakers put the finishingtouches on the Knights with
goals by Matt Pierce at 14:01
in the second and an unassisted
goal by Brett Robinson at 8:21
in the third period.
Sophomore goalie Ryan
Zapolski earned his fourth
career shutout on a 27-save
performance and was 55 for 57
for the weekend.
The Lakers improved theirrecord to 21-14-3 and will
play Rochester Institute of
Technology in Rochester, N.Y.,
in the AHA semifinals on
Friday.
The Lakers were swept by
RIT in the regular season and
RIT will be playing a practical
home game in Rochester, but
senior Kirk Medernach said, I
think if we keep this style of play
and continue to be as focused in
Rochester this weekend we can
give ourselves a chance to beat
anyone.
By Nick GlasierStaff writer
Sophomore Ryan Raven (11) takes a shot at goal at the mens hockey game against Army. The
Lakers took the victory, putting Mercyhurst in the semifinals.
Tyler Stauffer photo
Lakers two wins away from conference championship
What could have possibly
come over the Buffalo Bills
front office in the signing of
Terrell Owens?
Did they think they were onelocker room cancer away from
the Super Bowl?
I cannot possibly imagine
their logic behind this.
The Bills leading receiver, Lee
Evans, averaged just under four
receptions per game last season.
Quarterback Trent Edwards
threw for 11 touchdowns last
season.
Terrell Owens scored 10.
The avid Bills fan would
probably say that would mean
somewhere around 21 passing
touchdowns for Buffalo next
season.
The average NFL fan realizes
that TO gets more upset every
time a player not named Terrell
Owens gets the ball.
If anything, it would meanthat production would go
down.
He has had no good
relationships on any of
the teams for which he has
played.
He cast plenty of doubts
about then-49ers quarterback
Jeff Garcia, causing a media
frenzy that has put a major
damper on his career.The 49ers attempted to trade
him to Baltimore, but in his
hatred of the city, refused to be
traded, complained to the point
where the 49ers gave up and
let the Philadelphia Eagles sign
him.
In Philadelphia, he had a
great season en route to the
Super Bowl, but then insisted to
have his contract renegotiated,
requested to play in the
Sacramento Kings summer
league (which was denied) and
made comments that began
the downward spiral of his
relationship with Donovan
McNabb.
He was very upset that the
Eagles failed to adequately
recognize his 100th careertouchdown and complained to
ESPN about it.
He then complained that
the Eagles would be doing
better if they had Brett Favre
as their quarterback, saying
that McNabb was not a warrior
(though he played through a
hernia).
He moved to Dallas, where
he insulted legendary coach
Bill Parcells and spit in the face
of Atlantas DeAngelo Hall,
causing nothing but problems
in the locker room for the
Cowboys.
The Buffalo Bills see
something good here?
He might have some attractive
statistics, but the Cowboys
didnt cut him in the middle ofthe night for nothing.
I realize that the games in
Toronto were not sold out.
I realize the Bills are having
some ownership issues, or will
in the foreseeable future.
This will put fans in the seats
and bring in media attention,
but at what cost?
I give him until Week 4 until
the problems truly begin.
By JohnBaranowskiSports columnist
Time out Buffalo
Whats up with TO?
Page 20
Senior Ryan Arnold (10)
controls the ball during the
Lakers 14-3 victory or Pace
University.
-
8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 18, 2009
19/20
SPORTS Page 19March 18, 2009
HOUSES FOR RENT
Johnson & JohnsonProperties
Starting June 1, 2009
814-860-8817
Lakers smash Gannon with home runs for sweep
The Mercyhurst Collegebaseball team came into last
weekends series with rivalGannon University 8-7, butcame out 10-7 after sweeping
the Golden Knights. The Lakers had mixed
success at the beginning of the
season, but accomplished a veryimpressive 10-6 victory over thenations top ranked team, Lynn
University, during their tripsouth.
The victory was highlighted
by senior pitcher Ryan Schrieber who picked up a completegame victory in his first career
start and earned PSAC pitcherof the week honors for thevictory.
On the southern trip oneother player garnered PSAChonors. Senior Jamie Walczak
batted .500 and pitched twoinnings of scoreless relief.
The Lakers have been paced
offensively by Santora, whohas a .459 batting average, .984slugging percentage, 9 home
runs and 27 RBIs. The Lakers are also batting
.314 as a team.
The Lakers in their firstgame of the series pummeledGannon 14-0. The Lakers were
led offensively by senior firstbaseman Jeff Stoll who went 2-
for-5 with two home runs andsix RBIs.
Santora added two home runsof his own as he went 3-for-4
with three runs scored and fiveRBIs. Senior Joseph Furneradded a three-run blast as he
went 2-4 and finished with threeRBIs.
Junior Steve Grife pitched 5
1/3 scoreless innings against theGolden Knights as he improvedhis record to 3-0.The Lakers
won 5-1 nightcap with all theruns coming via the homer.Stoll hit a three-run home run in
the first and sophomore Craig
Denman hit a two-run blast in
the sixth-inning. SophomoreNick Gillung pitched a strongsix inning performance giving
up one earned run. The Lakers won the first
Sunday game 11-2. Furner added
two crucial RBIs in the game topace the Lakers offensively.
Senior John Mang earned the
win pitching five innings withthree strikeouts and gave up one
run in his victory improving hisrecord to 2-1.
The Lakers went into the lastgame looking to complete the
sweep at Gannons home field;however, this victory would bevery hard fought as the Lakers
would need extra innings todefeat the Golden Knights.
The game was all tied up
going into the ninth but Stollled off the inning, hitting adouble into the gap in left
center field.. Then Denmandrove in Stoll on a single in partof Denmans 4-for-5 and three
RBI performance.
Denman advanced to secondon a balk. Then junior AdamGrey drove in Denman on a
single then advanced to thirdhimself on a error. Grey wouldbe drove on a groundout to
bring the score to 9-6-- whichthe Lakers would hold on to endthe game in nine.
The Lakers, after the four
game sweep gained No. 7ranking in the NCBWA in theirregion.
They will face IndianaUniversity of Pennsylvania in ahome-and-home series with the
Lakers hosting IUP for a doubleheader on Friday and then theLakers will travel to play at
Indiana, Pa.
By Nick GlasierStaff writer
Junior pitcher Steve Grife (14) shut out Gannon at their game
Saturday, March 14, at home.
Tyler Stauffer photo
Softball enters PSAC play next week
After playing 10 games in
sunny Orlando, Fla. and fourgames in Glenville, W.Va., theMercyhurst College softball
team sits at a record of 7-7as they prepare for their first
season as a PSAC WesternDivision competitor.
The Lakers have one moretournament in Salem, Va. this
weekend before they beginPSAC play.
Senior Brittany Strier is
looking forward to the regularseason play. I am definitelyexcited about our move to the
PSAC, because we can still face
good competition with much
shorter bus rides. It will maketraveling a lot easier.
Of the 35 games the Lakerswill play this season, only eightof their games will count toward
the PSAC standings. The four other teams join
Mercyhurst in the PSAC
Western Division conference:Edinboro University of
Pennsylvania, Slippery RockUniversity, California Universityof Pennsylvania and GannonUniversity. The Lakers were
picked fourth in the PSAC Westpreseason poll, behind Cal U,Slippery Rock and Gannon.
Strier knows there will besome big games for the Lakersthis year, but knows her team
has the ability to come out on
top.
I think our toughest gameswill probably come against Lock
Haven. They are well known fortheir solid softball program, butI definitely think that we have a
talented enough team to comeaway with wins against them,Strier said.
As a team I think our maingoal for this season is to play
solid, consistent softball. If weplay consistently in all threeaspects of the game I foreseeus doing well and going far this
season.The Mercyhurst softball team
is hoping to surpass their record
of 25 wins, set in 2008, andearn a seed in the PSAC softballtournament.
The Lakers will play their
first PSAC West doubleheader
By Sarah PowellStaff writer
March 24 at California andare set to have their first
home game vs. Edinboro onMarch 31.
L k S
-
8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 18, 2009
20/20
Tyler Stauffer photo
Caption on page 18
Laker Sports
Lakers
cagethe Setters
top related