Download - The Merciad, March 31, 2010
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8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 31, 2010
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Page 7Page 5
Tuition
changes
to flat rate
charge
Win two free
tickets to see
R&B artist
Bobby V
News A&E Sports Weekly Poll Results
Page 2
Vol.83,No.18/3/31/10/Free
How do you feel about Hellogoodbye as the
Springfest band?
Terrible choice 32%
I love them!
Cant wait! 24%
I like them, Ill probably
go to the concert 18%
Theyre OK, but I wont
see the concert 26%
What should MSG do aboutthe drunk bus?
Unselfish
Santora looks
to break home
run record
Tell us at merciad.mercyhurst.edu
Empty Bowls raisesmoney to fill
empty stomachs
Read article on Page 2 or online
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8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 31, 2010
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NEWSPage 2 March 31, 2010
Students and members of
the Mercyhurst College com-
munity came together on
Sunday, March 28, to eat dinner
while working toward reducing
hunger in Erie.
Students from the art and
sociology departments raised
money for the Second Harvest
Food Bank in Erie by selling
bowls and soup in Egan Dining
Hall.
Students and members of the
community paid $15 for a soup
and bread dinner and one of the
383 handmade bowls made by
the art department, or they had
the option of paying $3 to eat
without purchasing the bowl.
Ticket sales for the eventraised about $6,000 for the
Second Harvest Food Bank,
which is approximately $102,000
worth of food.
Those who attended the
event had the chance to enter to
win art or scarves in the silent
auction.
The Empty Bowls event has
been held for the past three
years.
Seniors Lilly Parker, AliciaPeterson, Allison Hellmann and
Bobby Kensinger agreed the
event had a better turnout this
year because it was in a good
location and easy for students
to get to.
Hellman, a graduate student,
said, We were pleasantly sur-
prised by the turnout, and it was
a great event.
The event was not only for a
good cause, it was also educa-tional.
In every handmade bowl
there was information about
hunger relief. Those who
attended the event learned that
every day 16,000 children die
from malnutrition, which is the
equivalent of one child dying
every five seconds.
The information about
hunger relief showed why
supporting this cause is so
important.
I am so happy with the turn-
out, senior Betsy Morningstar
said. It is wonderful to see the
community and Mercyhurst
come together for this great
cause.
Morningstar was one of the
students in charge of running
the event.
Students who attended the
event were also pleased.
This was a really cool idea
and a pretty awesome event. I
am glad my roommate invited
me, senior Emily McDowell
said.
I had a great time seeing
my friends and enjoying soup
all while supporting a great
cause, freshman Paige Bos-
nyak said.
By Chelsee Callahan
Staff writer
Empty Bowls raises money to fill empty stomachs
Juniors Caitlin Ross and Eve Klajbor enjoyed a bowl of soup
and bread at the Empty Bowls event.
Tyler Stauffer photo
Students from the Mercyhurst College Art Department sold
handmade bowls to benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank.
Tyler Stauffer photo
The decision to turn Mercy-
hurst College into MercyhurstUniversity is possibly the best
thing to do for Mercyhurst
undergraduate students.
Our goal is to preserve and
strengthen the undergraduate
program by defining whos in
it, Mercyhurst College Presi-
dent Dr. Thomas Gamble said.
Under the new system, only
four-year undergraduates would
remain students of Mercyhurst
College, while associate degree
students and graduate students
will belong to new colleges
formed within Mercyhurst Uni-
versity.
The new system better definesthe special needs of different
student groups.
The organization will also
allow associate and graduate
programs to grow and develop
while maintaining the size of
the undergraduate program.
We are not looking to expand
the undergraduate program,
Gamble said. He said he thinks
that the program is the right
size to allow for a personal atmo-
sphere and to maintain focus on
student-faculty relations.
In addition to developing a
more efficient organization of
student groups, gaining univer-sity status will also improve the
international reputation of the
Mercyhurst community.
In the global marketplace,
college means high school,
Gamble said.
With a university degree, stu-
dents would have an easier time
finding employment overseas or
establishing international trade
connections.
Essentially, as Mercyhursts
reputation improves, Mercy-
hurst degrees gain more worth
in the workplace.
According to Gamble, aside
from opportunity cost, there areno downsides. The more stu-
dents know about the change, the
more they will like it, he said.
Your life wont change. You
will come to the same campus
and go to the same classes.
In terms of day-to-day life,
there will be no change except
choosing between Mercyhurst
College or Mercyhurst University
sweatshirts at the bookstore.
Of course, the decision has
not yet been made. Gamble and
his staff will make a report to the
Board of Trustees in April and
will make a final recommendation
in June, after which the Board willmake its final decision.
Part of that is student and
faculty support. If you sup-
port (the status change), let it be
known, Gamble said.
If the Board of Trust-
ees decides to seek university
status, Mercyhurst College may
become Mercyhurst University
as soon as the fall term of 2011
or 2012.
By Jennifer McCurdy
Staff writer
University status to benefi t undergrads
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NEWS Page 3March 31, 2010
Tuition changes to fl at rate charge
As of fall 2010, MercyhurstCollege students will be charged
one flat rate for tuition eachterm as opposed to being billedper credit.
For the 2010-2011 academicyear, students who register for
eight to 12 credits a term willpay $8,216 plus general feeseach term.
Students who register for less
than eight credits will pay $822for each credit.
Students who register for 13
or more credits a term will pay$822 for each credit over 12 inaddition to the flat rate charge
of $8,216.
These costs do not includecourse or laboratory fees.
Students paid an averageof $7,887 for fall 2009 tuitioncharges. The flat rate charge of
$8,216 is a 4.2 percent increaseper term, a result of Mercy-hursts annual tuition increase.
A major reason for the change
in billing comes from the lackof predictability in a per credittuition charge.
According to Dr. MichaelLyden, vice president forEnrollment Management, the
primary reasonfor the change isto make costs
of coming here
more predict-able.
It is difficultfor families tocalculate each
terms bill whenit changes everyterm due to stu-
dents taking different amountsof credits and dropping andadding classes, Lyden said.
The flat rate tuition will allowstudents and parents to answerthe question, What is it going
to cost me to come here?Lyden said.
Another reason for the change
in tuition is issues with billing.When you have so many dif-
ferent students paying different
costs each term, it invites errorson bills, Lyden said.
He said he hopes the flat rate
tuition will reduce the numberof complaints about billingissues.
The flat rate billing is meant
to make paying tuition easier forstudents and families. The abil-
ity to pay tuition online is oneway to simplify things.
Were going to look backon this and say I cant believe
we used to do it the other way,Lyden said.
Lyden said he believes stu-
dents will benefit from flat rate
tuition because they will now be
able to take non-major classesthat will make them more com-petitive in the job field without
it costing more money.Students agree that the tuition
change will be beneficial.
I think it would help people whose financial aid might nothelp them get where theyre
going as fast as they would
like, senior Connor Corcoransaid.
Sophomore Kaitlin Badgersaid, I feel good about itbecause Im a double major and
it would not cost as much. This new billing system
will not affect all students on
campus.Only traditional undergradu-
ate students at Mercyhurst main
campus will pay the flat ratetuition fee each term.
Adult undergraduate students,
post-baccalaureate students, grad-uate students and students at theCorry, North East and West cam-
puses will be charged per credit. Adult undergraduate stu-
dents will not be affected by this
because there are too manypart-timers, Lyden said. Theywouldnt really get the benefitsfrom it.
For more information aboutthe flat rate tuition charge visitmercyhurst.edu/financial-aid/
flat-rate-tuition-charge/.
By Kelly LuomaNews editor
The Green Energy Fund Review Board(GEFRB) is still accepting proposals for
2010 funding. Students who areinterested in submitting a proposal
should contact Dr. James Snyder, chairof the GERFB, at [email protected]. A proposal form and further infor-
mation is available at the MercyhurstGreen Team Web site:
Tryouts for 2010 Football Cheerleading
Saturday, April 10, 12-3 p.m.
Mercyhurst Athletic Center
Must have cheerleading experience to try out
E-mail Coach Pam Zimmer at [email protected]
with any questions.
Were going to look back onthis and say I cant believe we
used to do it the other way.
-Dr. Michael Lyden,Vice President for Enrollment
Management
The Basics
Students average tuitionthis year for 30 credits is$23,661.
Next year, students cantake 12 credits per term,or 36 credits total, forthe cost of 30 (inflationadjusted). These 36
credits will cost $24,648.
The additional six creditswill cost $624/credit lessthan this years rate, givingstudents a financialincentive to take fourclasses per term.
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8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 31, 2010
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There is an African proverb
that, paraphrased, says, Toeducate a boy, you are only edu-cating an individual, but to edu-
cate a girl, you are educating anentire community.
Even so, educating young
women remains a significantproblem. Sixty-three percent ofthe children in the world who
are unable to attend school arewomen.
Driven and passionate high
school students from the Eriearea have come together to givegirls in Afghanistan a better
chance at a good education.Instead of sending aid to anoperational school, their goal is
a bit more ambitious. Theyre raising money to
build a whole new school.Students are in control of
every aspect of the venture: T-shirt designs, printing, sales,management, etc.
The shirts themselves aredesigned with the theme oftaking the initiative and making
a difference.
Its extremely uplifting andmotivating to see a small group
of kids within a small, rural townexcited with a global perspec-tive. Its reassuring that there
is hope even among the small-est towns, Mercyhurst Collegesophomore Laura Jones said.
Laura has recognized theefforts of these high schoolstudents and is encouraging the
Mercyhurst College community
to support them in this cause. The T-shirts that the studentsmade are now being sold on-campus for $10 each.
Personally, this project forme is a combination of somany feelings. As a girl, edu-
cating women is a cause closeto my heart. In that sense, theproject is extremely respectable
and necessary, Jones said, only
taking credit as a messenger ofthe students work.
Educating girls actuallydecreases infant mortality rates,slows the population growth
rate and increases the qualityof health in the community. In Afghanistan, the Taliban will
throw acid in the girls faces whowant to go to school, throw poi-sons in the schools with the stu-
dents inside, will massacre and
murder the teachers in front ofthe students. It is gut-wrenchingto think that these females gothrough this for something we
take for granted, Jones said.Many Mercyhurst students
have already responded in sup-
porting the cause.I think its a great cause to
support education. It opens
doors to awareness and under-
standing, senior Laura Stevenssaid.
T-shirts will be sold aroundcampus, so keep an eye out foryour chance to contribute to
this cause or email Laura Joneasat [email protected].
Read the rest of this
story, and look at prints
of the T-shirts online.
FEATURES March 31, 2010
By Jemma HomerStaff writer
Its 9:15 p.m. on Thursday
night in the Student Union anda club meeting is about to star t.
People wave at friends they
havent seen in a while, girlscluster together and talk, boysfist-bump each other as they
walk in and chairs are brought in
to accommodate a large crowd.Haiden Ratner is a junior
religious studies major and thefounder of this group, and he walks around mingling with
the people, getting ready forthe meeting. Then he sits downin his chair and the room gets
quiet. The meeting is about tostart.
But it isnt just any meeting.
This group of students, alumniand other Erie residents gatherfor Mercyhurst Colleges Bible
study group.Haiden is pleased with thenew faces that have come, as
well as the returning members.It is vitally important to
our relationship with the Lord
to know who God is, he saidto start the meeting. To know who the God of the Bible is,
you gotta know a little about hisword.
Forty-seven people were inattendance that night, and allof them introduced themselvesand their reasons for coming.
It was standing room only bythe time the last stragglers trick-led in.
There were science majorsand English majors and manyother occupations and disci-
plines in between, but they allhad come for one thing tolearn what they could about
scriptures, not from notes andlectures and quizzes and tests,but from discourse with their
peers.Its like a little community we
have here, a little family, Ratner
said. We try to step out of thebusy school day and make timefor God.
Many people find out aboutthe Bible Study group throughfriends, and a few have been
with Haiden from the begin-ning.
Lawrence LB Bright is a
junior finance major, and heremembered when the group
first started. It got too big forhis living room, so we movedhere (to the Student Union),and now were too big for here,
Bright said. Janel Craig is a junior in the
forensic science department,
who heard about it through
a friend. It helps me to be abetter Christian, and on Thurs-
day nights Im not getting intotrouble. Im learning about theWord, he said.
Elizabeth Mordenga, Kylie
McCormick, Tess Sinke, andChelsea Morris are all freshmenwho said they like to have a day
in the week where they can just
talk and hang out with friends. Jessica Stachelrodt, a fresh-
man English and dance major,summed it up for the group:
You cant just run aroundcampus yelling, Are you Chris-
tian? Hang out with me! Peoplewould run away. This way it pro-vides fellowship for all of us.
By Faye Clark
Staff writer
Online...
Merciad.Mercyhurst.
edu/Features
An Erieite Appetite:
Arnones
File taxes online,
on your own,
on time
Page 4
Hallelujahs and Amens heard at the Student Union
Last Thursday, 47 students attended Bible study. The group,
which started in Ratners living room, is already getting too
big for the Student Union.
Contributed photo
Junior Heiden Ratner, who
started the group, leads the
discussion.
Contributed photo
T-shirt profi ts go to building a new school in Afghanistan
Your weekly
report from
Dungarvan, Ireland:
Dublin VIP
treatment
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8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 31, 2010
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 5March 31, 2010
A&E online
merciad.mercyhurst.eduBrazil features daydreaming
The next installment of the Guelcher Film Series, Brazil, isabout a man who daydreams to escape painful realities.
Meyer performs on flute for students
Adjunct lute professor Anna Meyer performed for themusic department in the Faculty Recital Series.
Over the years, Erie has beenhost to numerous musicians of
various genres and styles, includ-ing, but not limited to, the GooGoo Dolls, Third Eye Blind,
Ludacris and MercyMe. Add tothat famed R&B singer BobbyValentino, or Bobby V.
Born Bobby Wilson, Bobby Vs nickname of Valentinocame about because his due
date was Valentines Day. Heentered the music scene in 1996in the four-person group Mista,
and eventually, with the help ofDiddy and Ludacris, was signedas a solo artist by Disturbing
Tha Peace Records.He released his first solo
CD in 2005. Since then, he hasswitched record labels, releasedtwo other albums and is set torelease his fourth in the spring
of this year.In addition to having a suc-
cessful music career, Bobby V
also holds a degree from ClarkCollege and has received severalawards, including the NAACP
Image Awards, the Soul Train
Awards, the Vibe Awards andthe Urban Music Awards for his
success in the music industry
He will be coming to the Bay-front Convention Center onSunday, April 4, at 7 p.m. Tick-
ets are $30 in advance or $35 atthe door. They are available atall Ticketmaster locations.
However, there is another (and
cheaper) way to get your handson a set of tickets. All you have
to do is go on Facebook, becomea fan of the Ben Jammin Enter-tainment page and write on the
wall saying you joined becauseof Mercyhurst. You could be thelucky winner of two tickets!
For more information,contact the A&E editor ate n t e r t a i n m e n t m e r c i a d @
mercyhurst.edu.
By Alaina Rydzewski
A&E editor
Win two ticketsto see Bobby V
Dance runs in the family
Michelle Conroy, this months
featured dancer, is a senior fromBatavia, N.Y., who has beendancing since she was three
years old.1. What made you origi-
nally decide to come to Mer-
cyhurst College?I originally became interestedin Mercyhurst because of the
reputation of the dance depart-ment. After visiting the schooland auditioning for the pro-
gram, Mercyhurst became mynumber one choice.
2. What drew you to
dance?
Both my mom and my older
sister danced. Even at a veryyoung age, I can remember beingfascinated when watching themtake class and perform in the
end-of-the-year recital. Appar-
ently I bugged my mother for a
year about when I would be ableto start dancing. She allowed meto start classes at three, after
watching me jump around in aplay tutu every day.
3. What do you want to do
with your dance training after
you graduate?
During the spring term I
have been and will continue to
audition for various dance com-panies. I would love to dance
professionally for a few yearsif I am fortunate enough to begiven the chance to do so. If I
had my choice, I would loveto dance with a contemporarycompany.
4. What professor/teacher
has particularly influenced
you?
Since the beginning of mytime at Mercyhurst I haveappreciated the help that I have
received from my dance pro-fessors. Ms. Hay and Ms. Par-
tusch have especially helped my
growth as a dancer and havealways been a source of encour-agement when I was feeling less
than confident. An unabridged version of this
interview can be found online.
By Emma RishelStaff writer
Lady A creates a must-listen album
Lady Antebellum is quicklybecoming one of the hottestcountry acts today.
Lady A, as they are oftencalled, is made up of CharlesKelley, Hillary Scott and Dave
Haywood, who all bring a littlesomething different to the
group. Kelley, whose brotheris musician Josh Kelley, had asolo career before joining thegroup, as did Scott. Haywood
is a multi-instrumentalist whosetalents help the group reach fansof pop, rock and country alike.
Lady Antebellums newestalbum, Need You Now, wasreleased on Jan. 26.
The album opens with the
title track and first single, a songthat sums up the dreaded but
predictable feelings betweenexes.
The second single from the
album is American Honey. This ode to simplicity and thegood things in life showcases
the trademark harmonies ofLady A.
Charles Kelley takes over lead
vocals on Hello World, a track
about seeing the world for whatit truly is with all material pos-
sessions aside.My favorite song on the
album is Stars Tonight. It isan upbeat, feel-good song about
just having a good time at a con-cert. It reminds me of HeresTo You by Rascal Flatts in that
it acts as a salute to the fanswho contribute to the fun atmo-sphere at a concert.
Each of the 11 tracks on
Need You Now has a unique-ness about it, which helps the
album flow. The amazing talentin Lady Antebellum also doesnthurt, as their harmonies blend
together to truly tell a story witheach song. Need You Nowis a must-listen album for any
country fan.
An unabridged version of this
article can be found online.
By Casey HarvillaStaff writer
Bobby V will be performingat the Bayfront Convention
Center on Sunday, April 7.
Contributed photo
Lady Antebellum released
their third album, Need You
Now, on Jan. 26.
Contributed photo
Tyler Stauffer photo
Senior Michelle Conroy has
danced since age three.
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September 3, 2008OPINIONPage 6 March 31, 2010
@mercyhurst.edu
editormerciad
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The Merciad is the official student-produced newspaper of MercyhurstCollege. It is published throughout the school year, with the exception of
finals 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 [email protected].
If you dont want it printed . . . dont let it happen.Editors
JoEllen Marsh
Kelly Luoma
Javi Cubillos
Jordan Zangaro
Nick GlasierAlaina Rydzewski
Sam Williams
Tyler Stauffer
Ethan Magoc
Ethan Johns
Kyle King
Max Rivera
Bill Welch
Brian Sheridan
Positions
Editor-in-Chief
News Editor
Features Editor
Opinion Editor
Sports EditorA&E
Graphics
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Multimedia Editor
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Adviser
The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the v iews of Mercyhurst College, the staff of The Merciador the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are always welcomed and can be e-mailed to [email protected].
Online Opinion Articles...
merciad.mercyhurst.edu
I was thoroughly shockedand disappointed when I pickedup last weeks issue of theMerciad.
Sunday, March 21, markeda day that will have an impacton the economic and politicalclimate of this country for years,if not indefinitely. However,there was but a mere singleopinion article buried on Page 6on the topic.
The front page justifiablyfeatured two monumentalstories which affect the collegeand its students. The intelligencedepartment was featured in ahalf-page article on Page 3, and
a preview of the Guelcher Filmreceived more than a half page.
The Springfest band online pollwas granted more exposure thanhealth care, sadly. A&E articlesmade up a whopping 25 percentof the Merciad this week, whileone of the biggest politicalstories of the year, perhapsour lifetime, was limited to oneopinion article.
I could have bet anyextraordinary amount of moneyon Devin Ruic writing about the
health care reform bill passing,and, thankfully, he did.
For the Merciad to notacknowledge the issue outsideof the opinion section ispreposterous. This bill has animpact on every American,everywhere, and needs to bediscussed.
Mercyworld may be aself-contained microcosm of
the US, but one of our corevalues is Global Responsibility.How is it Globally Responsibleto refrain from reporting on American health care reform? The Merciad did not live upto its expectations as a collegenewspaper.
Thank you, Mr. Ruic, foractually caring enough aboutthis country to say ANYTHINGabout the issue.
By Greg Summy
Contributing writer
Dropping ball on health care coverage
The Merciad staff appreci-ates Mr. Summys concerns and
shares his belief that health careis a vital issue of our time. It wasnot covered more fully in lastweeks issue because, like mostweekly newspapers, we have ourpages planned out and articles written by Sunday night. Theturnaround time to produce aninformative article on such acomplex, nation-affecting issueis too difficult, especially since,as Mr. Ruic has written, It is
unlikely that a single one of theRepresentatives who voted for,or against, the bill can hope totruly understand its effects.
What we are trying to do toremedy our lack of immedi-ate coverage is to offer a morethoughtful package in the issuesto come. Our first issue backfrom Easter vacation, scheduledfor April 14, 2010, is slotted tofocus a great deal of our energy
and space on understanding the
impact of health care through anumber of perspectives.
In the news section, ourplanned coverage includes talk-ing to administrators about hownationalized health care could
change costs at the school. Inthe features section, we intendto poll students on the introduc-tion of health care reform andhow they believe it will be per-ceived at re-election time and 50years from now. In the opinionsection, we want to hear not onlyfrom students, but also from theresident experts our faculty.
We have invited a numberof scholars the opportunity
to discuss issues surroundinghealth care connected to theirfields. For a history professor,this could mean detailing wel-fare reform movements andhealth cares place among suchinitiatives as Social Securityand unemployment benefits. Apolitical science professor maybe invited to weigh in on there-election chances of Congres-sional Republicans who voted
against the bill, or on different
amendments the bill has pickedup traveling between House andSenate. A philosophy professormight be asked to opine on theethics of heath care reform isit necessary in any meaningful
way? A business professor couldevaluate the short-term andlong-term costs of health care:When does health care becomeworth it fiscally? All studentsand professors who want tocontribute to the debate arewelcome to contact us at [email protected] [email protected].
These issues are thorny. Itis unfair to ask professors or
considerate writers of any stripe to produce knee-jerk reactionsand hypothetical theories to themurky rhetoric of polarizingpolitics.
The Merciad has attemptedto take the high road, taking ourtime to produce quality cover-age of what is possibly the yearsbiggest news event. We hopeMr. Summy and all readers lookforward to the Merciad issues
to come.
By Kyle King
Copy Editor
The Merciad responds to criticism
Cell phone failure causes griefRead Victoria Gricks rant about failingtechnology in an advanced world dependent on
constant interaction.
Why the drunk bus might stop?After much warning, intoxicated students on the
EMTA on weekends have caused enough chaosto possibly have the route shut down. ReadDevin Ruics advice to keep it up and running.
Job opportunity sheds uplifting light The economy is crashing. Choices are slim.Read Jordan Zangaros refreshing outlook ongraduating and entering the professional world.
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8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 31, 2010
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Sports Page 7March 31, 2010
Prof bonds with students through the lens
Dr. Richard ODell has
developed a habit of attending
students athletic events and
photographing them.
He then uses the photos as
a way to connect with his stu-
dents.
It makes me more involvedwith the students, allowing me
to get closer to that student,
special education professor
ODell said.
It allows me to see the stu-
dent more as a person than
someone that I dictate notes
to and spits them back to me,
ODell said.
ODell thinks that this closer
connection with his studentstranslates into a better learning
environment in the classroom.
I think it makes the class-
room more relaxed and more
collegiate. It is no longer onedimensional because our rela-
tionship goes beyond the class-
room, ODell said.
One of the athletes who
ODell has photographed saidshe agreed with ODells phi-
losophy.
(ODell) is probably one of
the best professors Ive ever
had, senior softball player
Amber Rapose said.
We know him as Dr. Dad
because he cares about you as a
student and as a person, and as a
professor he pours his heart out
to you, Rapose said.
It is hard to find a professor
that treats you like a peer and
doesnt judge you by your title.
The two letters in front of hisname dont seem to matter to
him, Rapose said.
The way ODell tries to get to
know his athletes is very impres-
sive to Rapose.
He always tries to go and
watch our games. The students
find it cool that he takes the
time out of his busy day to get
to know you on and off the
field, Rapose said.It is really nice to know that
someone cares about you as a
person too, Rapose said.
ODell started photography
in high school and purchased his
first 35 millimeter camera while
he was in the Coast Guard.
ODell took a photography
course in college as his interest
in photography grew.
Sports photography came into
the picture for ODell when his
kids began to play high school
sports, as he wanted to docu-
ment their achievements.ODell started his sports pho-
tography at Mercyhurst for a
different reason.
Its just a great way to get out
of the office, and after a little
bit it got to be a great way to
connect with students, ODell
said.
With this hobby, ODell cites
many instances where he has
become a great deal closer tohis students.
For the full article go to merciad.
mercyhurst.edu/content/ODell.
By Nick GlasierSports Editor
Unselfi sh Santora looks to break homerun record
Records in sports are made
to be broken. Records can give
players a goal.
Some last longer than others,
but, in the end, they are always
broken.
Last year, 20-year-old baseball
player Ethan Santora came ago-
nizingly close to breaking the
single-season home run record.
He hit 16 home runs, tying
a shool record that has stood
since 1997.
This was all the more impres-
sive considering Santora was
competing in his first year of
collegiate sports as a freshman.
Santora, though, is completely
modest of his achievements,
which also include being named
Pennslyvania State Athletic
Conferance West Rookie of the
Year, All-PSAC West First Team
and a National Collegiate Base-ball Writers Association All-
America Honorable Mention.
I didnt really have any per-
sonal goals. Coming into the
year, I didnt really know what to
expect, Santora, who is a native
of Mayfield, Ohio, said.
I just wanted to go out and
help our team win. All I did was
try to do my part, and it ended
with me tying the home runrecord, Santora said.
There can be a heavy price to
pay for a successful athlete.
Coaches, players and fans
begin to expect more. That
builds pressure.
Santora does not feel this.
I feel a little more pressure,
but its from myself, not any
outside sources. I put a little
more pressure on myself to help
my teammates out and help the
team win, since I had such a big
role in our success last year, the
third baseman said.
Breaking records and gar-
nering awards was not new for
Santora.
In high school, he won the
Ohio Player of the Year award
and broke the schools home
run record.
He believes that having this
experience enabled him to cope
with the pressure of college
baseball and believes the pres-sure has actually died down since
his senior year high school.
Santora admits last year was
his best year as a baseball player
based on his statistics, and not
for the awards he won.
I dont really think about
things such as records or things
like that. I just try and take one
game at a time and one at-bat at
a time. I feel as though if I keepdoing that and keep working
hard to improve my game, then
something good will come from
it, he said.
Santora said the team is going
through a small rough patch, but
he trusts that with continuing
hard work, the team will come
through it.
For the full article go to merciad.
mercyhurst.edu/content/santora.
By Billy Colton
Staff writer
Mercyhurst College sophomore Ethan Santora aims to have a
repeat of his stellar freshman season.
Ethan Magoc photo
Mercyhurst College special education teacher Dr. Richard
ODells photo of softball senior outfielder Amber Rapose.
Richard ODell photo
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8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 31, 2010
8/8
Laker LifeVisit merciad.mercyhurst.edu March 31, 2010
Dis-Ease presents dancing with a message
SoMar Dance Works and local
musician Davie Sturtevant pre-
sented an ingenious collabora-
tive performance of song and
dance this past Sunday, March
28, in the Walker Recital Hall.The performance, titled Dis-
ease: A Coming Out, was free
to the public and received a
phenomenal response from the
community. Each seat in the
theater was filled and people
were spilling down the stairs and
standing along the back wall.
The show featured all origi-
nal music by Sturtevant and
new choreographic works fromMark and Solveig Santillano,
the founders and directors of
SoMar Dance Works, a local
nine-member dance company.
This sold-out concert was
more than simply a dance
performance. Sponsored by
Stairways Behavioral Health,
Dis-ease also served to raise
awareness about mental illness,
including bipolar disorder. It
lent a three-dimensional element
to Sturtevants heartfelt story.
The connections between the
dancing and lyrics worked really
well, junior Christine Wilbur
said. The performance rolled
along as Sturtevant and his bandplayed tunes in a wide variety of
styles, sporting banjos and wash-
boards at times, and plucking out
a bona fide tango at others.
The performance proved
to be wonderfully fresh and
imaginative, blending SoMars
inventive movement and inter-
pretations with Sturtevants
gentle voice.
One number, Better rollover play dead, was a humor-
ous depiction of dealing with
treatment policies to a peppy
blue-grass melody featuring
Mercyhurst senior dance stu-
dents Christopher Taddiken,
Erin Alarcon and Amanda
Fisher.
Between dance numbers,
Sturtevant chatted with the
many people that had gathered,
filling in the gaps of the story
and explaining in more detail all
that he has faced. Sturtevants
complete honesty and simplefrankness in both the lyrics of
the song and his chats made the
concert especially poignant and
refreshing for those who have
faced the difficulties of mental
illness themselves.
Even more amazing than the
positive response from the com-
munity was the fully-rounded
nature of the event. Once all the
singing and dancing had been
completed, with overwhelm-
ing support from the audience,
all were welcomed to stay for
a discussion about the difficul-ties of dealing with mental ill-
ness, as well as to ask questions.
The discussion was led by Mary
Ellen Dahlkemper of Stairways
and included a panel made up
of psychologists and therapists
from all over Erie, as well as
Sturtevant and both Santillanos.
The discussion was open to
the audience, and spearheaded
questions from the audience
about how to deal with mental
illness, going a long way to sow
acceptance and hope for those
dealing with mental illness.
There is no doubt that Stur-
tevant and SoMar Dance Works
accomplished a great feat onSunday. The performance dealt
with the topic really well. It was
very moving, sophomore Vic-
toria Scott said.
Junior Nicole Lyons, who
performed in the concert, said,
Performing in Dis-ease was
very different from other per-
formances because it carried
such a strong message. It was
great to have that kind of expe-rience it really tested my
maturity as a dancer.
For both performers and
viewers alike, Disease: A
Coming Out was a powerful
experience.
An unabridged version of this
article can be found online.
By Claire HindeStaff writer
Ailey II presents strong talent, pleases audience
The Ailey II performance that
appeared in the Mary DAngelo
Performing Arts Center (PAC)
at Medrcyhurst College last
Friday, March 26, exhibited thegreat talent of the dancers.
Surprisingly, however, the per-
formance did not present any
of the historic choreography
created by Alvin Ailey himself.
Instead, the show featured
works by current leaders of the
Ailey company as well as by lead-
ing choreographers of today.
The performance opened
with The External Knot, cho-
reographed by Associate Artistic
Director Troy Powell. This piece
exhibited flowing movement
with a dynamic and powerful
ending. The dance featured an
especially strong performance
by soloist Chang Yong Sung,
although all the dancers in this
piece performed well.
The following piece was a
solo, an excerpt from Splendid
Isolation II, choreographed
by Jessica Lang and performed
by Taeler Cyrus. As the curtain
rose, the audience was wowed
by the elegant white dress that
filled the entire spotlight. The
solo exuded beauty in its sim-
plicity and featured expressive
port de bras, as the large skirt
inhibited any large movement
across the stage.
Next came the quirky quartet
Proximity choreographed
by Carlos dos Santos. This piece
featured unusual and at times
twitchy movement with comic,
cartoonish moments. Unlike
the rest of the pieces, the danc-
ers wore street clothes for this
dance, which added to its edgy
flavor.
The choreography was
amazing, especially in the sim-
plicity of the second piece in
the white dress, junior Sarah
Hlusko said.
The final piece of the eve-
ning, Divining, called upon
Aileys African dance roots and
was choreographed by Judith
Jamison, artistic director of
Alvin Ailey American Dance
Theatre and Artistic Advisor of
Ailey II. The piece highlighted
the dancing of Ghrai DeVore as
a soloist supported by the rest
of the Ailey II company.
The performance was well-
received by many of the audi-
ence members.It was very
exciting and fresh. The physical-
ity of all the dancers was great,
senior Cameron Woods said.
The show was wonderful.
I loved the expression of the
dancers, freshman Darnell
Lewis said.
Overall, the show seemed to
be well-liked and appreciated by
many. They should bring more
shows like this to Erie, audi-
ence member Vivian Tate said.
By Sarah MastrocolaStaff writer
Ailey II performed at the PAC
last Friday, March 26.
Tyler Stauffer photo
SoMar Dance Works, along with local musician Davie
Sturtevant, presented Dis-Ease on Sunday, March 28.
Nick Glasier photo