MARCH 15, 2011

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Football Parking a Toss-Up

Recipe for Disaster: Dabbles in the Art of Snow Inspired Desserts PAGE 3

By Ellen HoffmanReporter

(Continued on page 5)

Boredom Busters: Mericle searches for answers to the unknown with the help of a deck of cards PAGE 3

PHOTO BY MARK DESTEFANO / THE HIGHLANDER

Football brings housing issues home

Officials debate the future of additional parking spaces upon football’s near arrival.

Above, the parking lot behind Banks Student Life Center is at full capacity.

Football will complicate parking on campus, and school officials offer diverse solutions. Officials say there is no area designated for new parking despite additional buildings and renovations on campus. Bob Zavada, Associate Director of Campus Safety, thinks temporary parking might be the best solution for game days. “I would be in favor of shifting the parking toward where the stadium is in order to keep the activity centralized.” Zavada thinks officials will have a better idea of space once new buildings and fields are put into place. He said temporary parking won’t detract from the spirit of the game and the atmosphere football brings. Zavada said he feels parking away from the stadium detracts from university spirit. Zavada said use of parking areas already available on campus and the addition of spaces where needed seems to be the best solution. “It is still a little premature right now because we don’t even have the stadium together yet,” he said. “We do have pictures on paper that you can see, but often times that doesn’t give you 100 percent view of what you’re dealing with until you see it physically there.” Paul Murphy, Director of Facilities and Safety, has a conflicting view of parking on game days. He said he is trying to stay clear of

using temporary parking. “I discourage that simply because of the weather,” he said. Murphy said parking should be adequate with the spaces presently available, especially on game days. Football games would primarily take place on Saturday afternoons when the number of cars on campus is typically at its lowest. “I feel comfortable about game days knowing that we have so many spots on campus and down at the Colleges of Health Science building,” said Murphy. If temporary parking on the greens is not an option, parking in the Colleges of Health Sciences (CHS) parking lot is the next plan. Murphy feels that could elevate the spirit of the game. “Taking the shuttle to the game could enhance it. If you’re going to be on it with friends, it could create more excitement,” said Murphy. Facilities has used the CHS parking lot during Commencement and Convocation ceremonies and shuttled guests to the events. Freshman Marisa Ferenchick thinks there should be a specified area for visitor parking on game days. “There is barely enough parking the way it is, so with the football team coming the parking situation will only get worse,” she said. “If there was an area just for students and just for visitors I don’t think we would run into as many

problems with parking spots. I just feel like that would eliminate a lot of the trouble.” Students living on and off campus are concerned with finding parking spots now, and the football team hasn’t even arrived. Senior Kristen Gazowski is worried that the growing student population will affect parking. “Parking on campus is hard enough the way it is right now,” said Gazowski. “You have to do about six laps around campus to find a spot at this point in time, and there isn’t even a football team.” Students say they are concerned that parking space won’t be expanded, but the facilities staff is comfortable with keeping parking as it is. “Our North Gate parking area is seemingly pretty adequate for the influx of a lot of additional cars,” said Zavada. After taking surveys of the parking lots at different times throughout the year, they have come to the conclusion that they have an adequate amount of parking spots for the number of people on campus. “Parking spot numbers look good on paper,” Murphy said. “Unfortunately, not all the spots are as convenient as people would like them.” The facilities staff said they will work to accommodate everyone once game day is here. “We would do whatever we have to do to provide additional parking,” said Murphy.

By Josh HippensteelReporter

The growing student enrollment prompts construction plans for new dormitories.

After an 87 year undefeated streak, football will join the roster of MU’s Division III sports. This is one of many changes to campus over the last four years--new dormitories, new academic buildings, new workout facilities, new student union and new academic programs. This sparks the question: Where are we going fit everyone? As MU continues to grow in enrollment, talk about building new dormitories increased in the fall. Once the varsity football program was approved, immediate action was required from several

departments to plan housing locations and designs. “I think football probably pushed the issue for more housing additions,” said Sr. Jean Messaros, Vice-President of Student Affairs and Director of Mercy Integration. “But we also have new courses, such as the Physician’s Assistant Program that will draw in more students.” The academic and athletic additions will go into effect within the next two years. MU expects a significant increase in student enrollment, and the location and main layout for the first dormitory has been

selected. The dormitory will be built in shallow left field of the current baseball field in front of the Anderson Sports & Health Center. Because the baseball team would not be able to catch fly balls over this structure, a new field will be placed behind McHale and Gildea Hall beside a newly renovated Mangelsdorf Field. Freshman Frank Santarsiero is both a baseball and football player, and he is excited about the new additions. “It’s nice that both programs are receiving such a large amount of attention and improvements and I

Housing Options on Campus

McHale HallTraditional double-occupancy dormitory

Alumnae HallTraditional double-occupancy dormitory

McGowan HallTwo suite-style rooms separated by a

semi-private bathroom.

Gildea HallSuite style living room contains a full bathroom,

several bedrooms and a common area.

TownhousesA six-person living facility features a living room, kitchen and multiple bedrooms and bathrooms.

New Dormitory

Calling all Danny Boys: “The pipes, the pipes are calling,”

page 2

Apartment style living featuring a common room, kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms.

MARCH 15, 2011 highlandernews.net2

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BustersWomen’s

Month

Faculty

Speaker Series

‘Exceptional Nurses’March 16

Roundtable Discussion: Teaching Gender-Based Courses

March 23

‘What Women Value’March 30

Women in Poetry

Black Top LoungeMarch 22 8:30 pm

Walk a Mile in

Her Shoes

Brownbag Lunch Events

McGowan Room

12:00 - 1:00 pm

Insalaco Hall LobbyMarch 26

12:00 - 2:00 pm

Strap on your high heels and strut to raise money for the

Panzi Foundation. Registration cost is $20.

‘Looking Back to

Forward: Revisiting in

a Different Voice’

For more information contact:Dr. Amanda Caleb

570-674-8113acaleb@misericordia.edu

Lemmond TheaterApril 1

7:30 pm

McGowan Room12:00 - 1:00 pm

This non-profit organization helps raise awareness and

provide treatment to women who have been sexually

assaulted and raped in the DR Congo.

A reception will follow the event featuring Dr. Lee Ann de Reus of the Panzi Foundation.

Dr. Carol Gilligan, noted psychologist and academic, speaker. A book signing and

reception will follow this event.

SCENE ON CAMPUS

Above, is one of the many donation boxes on campus.PHOTO BY CAITLIN ROWE / THE HIGHLANDER

The Voices of Ruth’s Place

By Dr. Amanda CalebContributor

The students of Dr. Amanda Caleb’s Women in Literature class interviewed homeless women in shelter and they shared that experience in the following articles on pages 2 and 4 and www.highlandernews.net.

We often take for granted in this country that our voices are heard by those around us, and while sometimes politi-cians don’t seem to hear us, many others do. Historically women have struggled with having their voices heard—consider this: women have only had the right to vote for 90 years, compared with 140 years for black males and over 220 years for white males. While female voices are now often recognized, other groups have emerged as the voiceless:

the disabled, homosexuals, and the homeless (to name just a few). The recent news coverage of Ted Williams, the “man with the golden voice,” proves that homeless people have a story to tell, but can only share it if we’re willing to listen. How do we get people to listen? How can we turn listening into doing? How can we turn learning into action? These were the questions I posed to my students in “Women in Literature” when I presented them with their

service learning project for the semester. The following articles reflect their experi-ences, reactions, and inter-pretations of the data they collected at Ruth’s Place, a homeless shelter for women in Wilkes-Barre. The focus of the assignment was to better understand how homeless women construct ideas about femininity—as the articles reveal, the end result was something far greater.

Mistakes are for dummiesBy Breeda ConinContributor

When I first learned that our class would be spend-ing time volunteering and interviewing at Ruth’s Place, I expected to be affected by the women I would meet. I was sure I would feel saddened by the plight of the women or that I would pity them in some way. I was not expecting to feel strengthened by them or to have learned about sur-vival as much as I did – espe-cially in the case of Camille. This woman is a bright light. She describes herself as “spunky, perky, and pleasant” and there is no denying that she is – but she has a depth that goes beyond those three words. When she speaks to you, you truly feel as though you are in the presence of brilliance. She draws people

to her to the point that she is almost like a queen bee. Her story is dramatic, intense, and enlightening. She does not fit the stereotypical profile of a homeless woman. Raised in Brooklyn by a single mother, Camille was at the top of her class and was active in tap and ballet. She even participated in a recital at Lincoln Center at the age of five. Camille is now 35 years old. It is hard then to believe that in a relatively short amount of time this woman would have five chil-dren (all of whom have been removed from her care) and a grandchild, become a drug dealer, endure a suffocating addiction to crack, suffer from congenital heart disease, and spend more than one stint in

prisons and rehabs—not to mention that she has been shot. More shocking than that is Camille’s ability to look you straight in the eye and tell you that she wouldn’t change a thing. “Mistakes are for dummies. Experience is what you learn from.” This she repeated in the interview time and time again, along with her belief in God and his plan for her. She embraces who she is wholeheartedly and is desperate to help other women who might be going down the road that led to her destruction. This is one of Camille’s most admirable qualities. Sitting across from Camille and talking with her, she did not seem like a homeless woman to me. In fact, I forgot

Smiling through it allBy Sarah GillContributor

(Continued on page 4)

Patty, who prefers to go by Pat, finds herself in a negative situation with nothing but a positive attitude. Despite fall-ing into homelessness tempo-rarily, Pat has a better out-look on all aspects of her life than most people. She knows things have to change; she wants to be able to spend time with her grandchildren. She also knows that she has the power to change them. She delivers this idea with convic-tion several times in the short while that we talk. Her hope is incredible. She just started accumulating a wardrobe and she is still planning her next degree. She jokes and smiles quite a bit through our talks, and keeps finding the silver lining in every situation.

She wanted to be a nurse when she was a child and started to pursue that ambi-tion. She discusses her many hobbies, cooking, reading, camping, and plenty more. Outside of the camping, she knows that she can pursue any of these ambitions while at Ruth’s Place. This is impor-tant for a person like Pat; she talks as though she enjoys re-ally engaging in life. She likes to participate in her world and constantly processes the positive aspects of all of her experiences. Pat would love to go back to school. She talks about those who influenced her most throughout her experiences, stating that her English teachers made the biggest

impression. She would like to do the same for others. If not English, she would love to get into business, opening her own restaurant. She feels that people have much to teach in what they have to share, so wherever she works, she would like to be directly inter-acting with those around her. She appreciates that everyone has a story. She jokes with us the entire time we talk to her. Pat very lightheartedly shares with us that her goal before she turns 50—only two years away—is to travel to Spain. She wants to wear the long skirts and dance with castanets on her hands. She feels like this goal is still highly achievable; she expresses this with absolute

(Continued on page 4)

Since Spring Break turned out to be more like Winter Break, I thought there was no better recipe to test than something made of snow. I dabbled with the art of creating the one and only snow cream, otherwise known as ice cream made from fresh fallen snow. This is a very simple recipe with variations only endless to your imagination. Snow cream is definitely another recipe for disaster. First, you must collect fresh fallen snow from an area free of traffic and animals. Remember, be smart an follow the number one rule of snow collecting: if it’s not white, don’t take a bite. Snowball consistency snow works the best for this creation because it melts a little slower than the powdery top layer. Once you collect your icy specimen, bring it into the house, dust off, and work quickly. Loosely fill a glass with snow to the top. Then add the milk and sugar to your snow mound. Be sure to stir the mixture until it is fully blended. The snow-cream becomes very watery in consistency if not eaten immediately. Do not expect it to be creamy like ice cream, however it will resemble more like a Slurpee from 7-Eleven. I allowed my nephew to be my taste-tester and he gave it a thumbs-up, but preferred to munch on the plain snow while watching Curious George rather than my sugary concoction. He was

probably more excited that we made something out of snow rather than the recipe itself. However, it was sweet, slushy and a perfect little treat before bedtime. Switching the type of milk, flavored syrups or toppings can alter this easy recipe to anyone’s taste. Chocolate milk can be used and topped with chocolate syrup for the chocoholics. A bit of peppermint extract and some

chocolate chips will make a tasty mint chip delight. A popular way to make this dessert a bit creamier is add an beaten egg until fluffy and gently whip into the mixture. This adds an eggnog taste for a winter treat. However,

this does pose a risk for salmonella, so enjoy at your own risk. Another way to kick up the cream is to use condensed milk or half and half, which is a tad thicker in consistency than regular milk. Any way you choose, it is quite delicious. Snow can also be used to make a slush for many types of drinks. Why go to Sonic, when you can easily go outside and fill a glass with snow and stir in some fruit punch? Save a trip to Burger King and make your own frozen Coke. This simple recipe saves time and money and as a college student, stretching your spending money in the middle of the semester can be tough. Regardless, this is the perfect recipe for disaster- whatever your age.

MARCH 15, 2011 highlandernews.net3

Boredom

Busters

By AMANDA MERICLEEntertainment Columnist

The recipe:

Fresh fallen snow¼ cup of milk*¼ teaspoon vanilla extract**2 tablespoons sugar8 oz glassSpoon to stir

A Collegiate

By HILARY HOOVERCulinary Columnist

Recipe for Disaster::

ColumnCulinary

Occasionally The Highlander prints new columns. Please send feedback

online at highlandernews.net or email The Highlander at

highland@misericordia.edu.

One of my favorite movies is a little known treat called “Teen Witch” hailing from 1989. This move tells the tale of an unpopular adolescent named Louise (who happens to be a descendent of the witches of Salem) and features stirring musical numbers such as “I like Boys.” This classic needs to be added to everyone’s Netflix queue immediately! Just for a little tease, here is the Sparknotes version: After a particularly bad day, Louise stumbles into the eerie and strange home of a woman named Madame Serena who discovers Louise is a witch! With a cliché makeover from drab to fab, Louise suddenly becomes the epitome of high school perfection. Now you may be thinking, “Amanda, what does renting an 80’s teenybopper movie have to do with the Boredom Busters?” But relax, I mention “Teen Witch” because since the moment I first watched it in the basement of my best friend Jess’s house, not only did I fall head-over-heels in love with the movie but it sparked my obsession of trying to predict one’s future. I almost always read my daily horoscope. (Don’t get me started on how much excitement fills my life when my yearly horoscope, broken down month by month, comes tucked away in every December/January issue of Cosmopolitan.) But lately, I’ve wanted to uncover my future a bit more deeply: a tarot card reading. Jake doesn’t share my sentiments for the stars, and so for this venture, I was on my own. This would be my second time around. Years ago, my older sister took me to a card reader tucked in some back alley of Philadelphia. I remember wanting to ask the reader about some silly crush I had, but I was too nervous. The beads hanging on the walls and the smell of incense intimidated me. I was only able to muster up enough courage to ask if I would win tickets to an American Idol concert. Talk about a wasted experience! I demanded a recount, but before I embarked in my second round of tarot, I consulted senior Sarah Gill for a basic tarot tutorial. Gill, who first picked up a deck of tarot cards when she was roughly

the age of Louise in “Teen Witch,” claims she is not a professional reader but is definitely intrigued by their mysticism. “The deck is a spin on a classic one, but the art [of tarot card readings] is just totally striking. I loved it immediately.” Gill explained that a tarot card deck consists of three basic parts that can be split, mixed or isolated depending on the particular reading. “I always have the person asking the question do the shuffling. You shuffle until it feels right, or the cards start sticking together. If one falls out never pick it up!” she said. Gill said that to have a good reading, you need to leave your bad mood and cynicism at the door. “There is a lot of feeling for vibes, a lot of focus and meditation on the issues, involved in doing any reading,” said Gill. Focusing on the question one wants answered is extremely important as well. “I don’t need anybody to believe anything wholeheartedly, just to focus on what they want to understand and to be open.” Sometimes the type of question will affect the outcome of a reading. Gill recalls one instance where her reading just felt a little...off. “I finally asked my buddy what his question was. He wanted to know if I was going to give him my watch. Needless to say, I learned that day that if the situation isn’t being taken seriously, that will reflected in the reading.” That definitely explains my American Idol debacle. After Gill taught me the basics, I couldn’t wait to get my own reading. Yet busy midterm schedules proved difficult. If I wasn’t writing a paper on advertising techniques or reading about the western frontier in the 1800’s, I was catching up on some much needed beauty rest. However, if anyone has some free time, there are a few local places that give tarot card readings. One of our favorite 570 hotspots is ArtsYOUniverse and readings there are relatively cheap. Check out artsyouniverse.com for more information. Jake and I spent our Spring Break with loads of luggage, some belles, and the occasional piece of fried chicken. Any guesses where we were?

St. Pat’s Facts: A Pot o’ GoldBy Colleen DeanReporter

The truth about St. Patrick’s Day isn’t hidden in a pint.

Jameson Irish Whiskey, Bailey’s Irish Cream, Killian’s Irish Red and Guinness are some of the Irish spirits that come to mind when one envisions St. Patrick’s Day. Despite the preconceived notion that St. Patrick’s Day is the national day for drinking, there is much more to the holiday than a pint of beer. The custom of consuming alcohol on St. Patrick’s Day derived from an old Irish legend. St. Patrick is said to have been served a measure of whiskey that was considerably less than full. St. Patrick took this as an opportunity to teach a lesson of generosity to an innkeeper. He told the innkeeper that in his cellar resided an evil devil who fed on the dishonesty of the innkeeper. To banish the devil, the man must change his ways. When St. Patrick returned to the inn some time later, he found the owner generously filling the patrons’ glasses. St. Patrick returned to the cellar with the innkeeper and found that the devil had withered from the landlord’s generosity. St. Patrick promptly banished the demon and proclaimed thereafter everyone should have a drop of the “hard stuff” on his feast day. The Irish have long battled the drinking stereotype. Breeda Cronin, owner of Cronin’s Irish Cottage in Scranton, PA, said she loves St. Patrick’s Day but keeps the alcohol out of her celebration. Her mother is a native from Ireland, and her family honors St. Patrick with an attendance at mass in the morning and The Society of Irish Women’s Dinner in the evening. The Irish culture is steeped in a rich history, she said. “There is a lot of history behind the Irish culture that people refuse to pay attention to. Just listen to the lyrics of what you might consider nothing more than an Irish drinking song and it will probably tell a tale of struggle, immigration, politics and oppression,” said Cronin. Tyler Conway, a freshman at Temple University,

partakes in the Scranton parade day festivities but does not consume alcohol. Instead he hands pamphlets out in awareness to the dangers of alcohol and the effects it has on the body. He is part of a committee that aims to educate young people about the negative effects of alcohol. “I go to the parade in hope that with these pamphlets I hand out that I can make a difference in people’s lives,” said Conway.St. Patrick’s Day began as a religious holiday on March 17. It is celebrated in honor of the patron saint, Patrick, who at the age of 16 was taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders. They transported him to Ireland where he spent six years in captivity. During that time, he worked as a shepherd, outdoors and away from people. Lonely and afraid, he turned to his religion for solace, becoming a devout Christian. It is said that while St. Patrick was working in the fields, God spoke to him in a dream, telling him it was time to leave Ireland. To do so, Patrick walked nearly 200 miles from County Mayo, where it is believed he was held, to the Irish coast. After escaping to Britain, Patrick reported that he experienced a second revelation an angel in a dream told him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Soon after, he began religious training, a course of study that lasted more than fifteen years. After his ordination as a priest, he was sent to Ireland with a dual mission to minister to Christians already living in Ireland and to begin to convert the Irish. Originally, the color associated with Saint Patrick was blue – not green. Over the years the color green and its association with St. Patrick’s Day grew. Green ribbons and shamrocks were worn in celebration of St Patrick’s Day as early as the 17th century. He is said to have used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish. Now the color green is worn as a symbol of Ireland’s lush green farmlands.

Top 10 Things to Do on St. Patrick’s Day

Find a pot of gold

Learn an Irish Jig

Eat ham and cabbage

Answer your phone in an Irish accent

Listen to “Oh, Danny Boy”

Wear something green

Drink a shamrock shake from McDonald’s

Add some green food coloring to all of your meals

Find a four leaf clover

Go to a parade

Professors ‘buzzing’ about cell phone policyBy Audra WehnerReporter

Faculty members discuss the presence of cell phones in the classroom -- keeping phones on vibrate may just not be enough.

Cell phone on or off? That is the question facing many students in the classroom. The cell phone debate—necessity or nuisance--plagues students and professors alike. Page 11 of the 2010-2011 Student Handbook states cell phones should be used without disruption. However, each faculty member has his or her own opinion, and the

cell phone policy is one rule that is addressed on most professors’ syllabi. “I think the professor should determine how to manage their class, and if they believe a cell phone being on even on vibrate would be a disruption, then I think students really need to think about that and to be respectful of that,” said Kit Foley, Dean of Students.

The philosophy of one professor who runs her business from her cell phone is if she can take time away from her phone to teach, students can take time away to learn. Business professor Catherine Shafer wants her students to give their undivided attention during class. Shafer has a strict policy that states if students

are caught on their phones, she will take them until the end of class. Math professor Dr. Steven Tedford takes a similar stand. He said he doesn’t want to see phones because in the past students have caused problems by texting. Tedford said that although most of his students keep their phones out of sight, some had to

meet with him after class for a warning. They are here to learn, he said, not to be on the phone. Education professor Dr. Stephen Broskoske is pretty lenient when it comes to cell phones in the classrooms. He encourages students to keep them on vibrate or silent while in his classes. He believes technology allows

students to communicate with those important to them. Still, Broskoske said phone calls and texting can disengage the student from the learning environment and can distract those around them. While he is understanding, Dr. Broskoske does not hesitate to send an e-mail reminder if a student slips in class. If the same

MARCH 15, 2011 highlandernews.net4

BOILINGPOINTS

By JOSH HORTONSports Columnist

Many people use common sayings to refer to the month of March, such as “it comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.” I am not one of those people. The way I like to think of it is, “it comes in with spring training and goes out with opening day.” I have been a Red Sox fan my entire life. Yes, even before they won the World Series in 2004. However, my baseball situation is unique. Although I am a lifelong Sox fan, I hold the position of media intern with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. So I don’t mind seeing the players-- such as Ivan Nova, Greg Golson and Francisco Cervelli--do well.. Sorry dad, but it is just too hard to root against these guys. Now that my bias is out of the way, lets talk about this upcoming season. There are still a few weeks left until opening day which falls on March 31. But that doesn’t mean it is too early to project which teams will dominate the 2011 MLB season. Usually early projections are not correct because over the course of a 162 game regular season, wild and whacky things seem to occur when teams least expect it. For example, the Red Sox entered last year as one of the favorites to contend for the World Series. But due to a drastic amount of injuries, a majority of players spent the season in either the doctor’s office or rehabbing in triple-A Pawtucket. But that was last year. This year the Red Sox have one of the most powerful teams in the league. The team recently acquired first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and now Kevin Youkilus can return home to third base. Dustin Pedroia is healthy at second base and the pitching staff is dominant. There is one big question

mark for this upcoming season. Will Jason Varitek be able to do the job behind the plate? It is a tough call because age is clearly getting to the Red Sox captain. If he plays solidly this season the Sox have without a doubt (fan or not) the toughest team in the American League. It will also be interesting to see how Josh Beckett does this season after having an awful 2010 campaign. I predict that the American League East will be the toughest division in all of baseball this season. The Yankees are a close second (because they are always contenders). Also the Tampa bay Rays signed veterans Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon, and the Baltimore Orioles should be much improved as the team is led by manager Buck Showalter. But enough about the American League. Let’s move to the National League. Phillies fans rejoice because unless something crazy happens this season, you will see your favorite “Fightin’ Phils” playing deep into October. The Phillies already had a tough team, but the addition of Cliff Lee solidifies its dominant pitching rotation. The Phillies also has pitchers who were aces on their previous teams in Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels. Pitching alone will keep the team in the majority of their games in the 2011 season. They also have a solid lineup led by Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. Now for the fun part: predictions. If both the Phillies and the Red Sox stay healthy, they are the favorites to play in the fall classic. I believe they will and the Phillies will win the World Series Trophy in six games due to phenomenal pitching. It should be a great year for baseball. I hope you are as excited as I am.

Understanding Relationship Violence:

Perpretators and Victims

Dr. Wind GoodfriendBuena Vista University

March 18 from 12:00-1:20Insalaco Hall 218-219

Dr. Wind Goodfriend is the principal investigator for the Institute for the Prevention of Relationship Violence, an Associate Professor of Psychology at Buena Vista University, and has been doing research on relationship violence for the past ten years. In this talk, she will explain psychological perspectives on both the perpetrators and victims—or survivors—of relationship violence. The talk will include “risk factors” that predict who might become violent, and will attempt to understand reasons why some victims of violence choose to stay in abusive relationships.

RSVP to Dr. Alicia Nordstrom anordstr@misericordia.edu or x8008.

that this is what the interview was based on. I just felt as though an amazing woman was telling me her story of survival. She does believe that the fact that she is a woman made her journey more dif-ficult. In fact, she talks about how important materialistic things were to a woman’s im-age during her days in Brook-lyn and how getting to the current point her life changed her perception. “It took me to come here to realize that life is really life. It’s not about the fancy cars and my boyfriend is the biggest drug dealer in town or whatever. I felt like this. I want those Prada shoes. I want to be wearing those diamonds. I want to be like her.” Camille admits that it was all about the money and that is why she began selling drugs – leading her to a life very different from the one she was used to. “I wasn’t exposed to this life. I exposed myself to it.” Ca-mille never blames anybody else for the struggles that she had in life. She admits that there as a time when she used to, but she takes full responsi-bility for where she is at in life – even if her days of buying expensive bottles at clubs in New York City is a thing of the past. “I wasn’t no small time person and now, like, wow, I have to subject myself to $205 in welfare every month and come into the do-nation closet—you know, this is my Macy’s. Now I’m riding on the city bus but before I was driving in that Lexus with that boy over there.” “It was never mine,” she admits,

“but now what I get is mine - my two totes and my hamper and my bed.” Camille is a big advocate for Ruth’s Place and she has even suggested that friends who are currently in her past predicament take advantage of their services. Having said that, the ladies she mentioned did not come and probably are still living out negative behaviors on the street – but Camille does not let that get her down. She believes that a person has to be ready to change. She had to be ready to change. Camille has been drug-free for three months now. She would not change a thing about her past because she feels as though God expects something great from her in her ability to change the lives of other women. She even hopes to work at Ruth’s Place some day and aspires to one day achieve her goal of being a social worker. She has been a guiding light for women both within the walls of Ruth’s Place and outside for the women who are poised to walk through the door. In fact, she has been invited to speak at King’s College – something that would have been impos-sible to her months before. Camille is proud of where she is and states that she will talk to anyone who gives her the chance to speak because she has nothing to hide anymore and, more importantly, a girl might be listening who might just need to hear what Camille has to say.

Mistakes, cont’dContinued from page 2

certainty. She would also like to skydive. There is plenty she wants to do with her life and she refuses to let anything stand in the way. Not everything in her life has been positive though. She tells us about her second marriage. She was reunited with her childhood sweetheart in 1997; her first boyfriend returned to her life and swept her off her feet. They went on a vacation back to their elementary school to find the weeping willow that they shared their first kiss under had been leveled—a then unknowable symbol of the abusive relationship she was entering into. Pat does not really believe in regret. However, if she had one thing to do over in her life, it would be consenting to this abusive marriage. This is not the first time that Pat has come to Ruth’s Place. Since 2006, this will have been her third stay. Domestic issues brought her back this January. She knew she would be welcomed back, and she could not believe the improvements that had been made. She readily accepts the rules at Ruth’s place. She will do what she needs to while staying there in order to show respect to all of those around her. Even in this experience, she sees the positive thing that is being offered and expresses that there is noth-ing she would change at the shelter. She appreciates all of the services that are made available to her. She acknowl-edges that staying at Ruth’s Place was what allowed her to discover many of the programs that were available to her, and helped her move through the system in regards to those programs. Ruth’s Place is not some-where outside of society for Pat. She does not feel ostra-cized in any way. She un-derstands that the homeless are frequently stereotyped, but she understands that homelessness can happen to anybody. She knows that some people want to take ad-

vantage of the system, but she also knows from her personal experience how determined one can be. She knows who she can count on: herself most definitely and the women at Ruth’s Place. “Sometimes you just need to pick yourself up,” she says, “you need to give yourself a good swift kick in the ass.” She knows Ruth’s Place is there when she needs it to help her get herself going in the right direction. She came back to Ruth’s Place af-ter an eleven month relation-ship. He had promised her glasses since the first weeks they were together, yet with a year almost passed she still did not have them. In just 3 weeks at Ruth’s Place, on her own, she had her glasses and many other necessities taken care of. She had not been at Ruth’s Place for 2 days when a representative from CEO came in to do paper work with her. There is a ton of paper work to get through, but she reckons it as a small price to pay in order to have access to all sorts of services she did not even know existed. She ends this part of the conversation with saying that she would thank her abusive ex if she could. “He has no idea what he has done for me by displacing me.” She says that she has never really been single in her life, but she decided that she had enough. She understands more than ever how to rely on herself. “Nobody is going to do it for you.” When asked where she gets strength to remain positive, she shares with us a prac-tice that one of her friends taught her. She talks about a journaling exercise of writing ten things she is grateful for per day. In the back of the notebook, she writes all of the things that make her upset. Once she is done letting it out, she rips out the page and lets go of the negative thoughts. You can see what a difference such a practice has made on her life.

Smiling, cont’dContinued from page 2

Homelessness and Notions of FemininityBy Mary Scarpa and Patrick NoonanContributor

Femininity can have a num-ber of connotations to people based on both backgrounds and experiences they have en-countered. For example, one’s success or lack thereof in re-lationships can have an effect on perceptions of their own sense of femininity. In partic-ular, homelessness can drasti-cally affect a person’s self-identity. Within the study conducted by Dr. Caleb’s Women in Literature class at Ruth’s Place, several different criteria were assessed through a questionnaire handed out and returned by the residents at Ruth’s Place. One of the questions that elicited many divergent answers was “How do you define the word ‘feminine’?” For instance, while many left the question blank, those that answered wrote down words like “female,” “woman,” “lady,” “girly,” or had far more lengthy answers. While the most elaborate answers are another matter entirely, the differentiation between the four different responses varies. “Female” is a strict biological term denoting sex. “Woman” is a similar circum-stance; it denotes gender. “Lady” and “girly,” however, imply something more. Being a lady or describing yourself as girly does not mean a strict dictionary definition. “Lady” implies a code of conduct; “ladies,” for instance, have class, look appropriate, and in this sense seem to occupy a greater notion of femininity. One more elaborate answer to the question was written as such: “I feel how I look & look how I feel. If I had more attractive clothes & shoes that fit I’d feel more attractive and act more lady-like & attrac-

tive.” Ladies look attractive, feel attractive, and exude their femininity as a result. Anybody can be female—after all, you just have to be born with two X chromosomes—but not everyone is a lady. The fact that the participant that responded with “lady” was also part of the 50-59 age group also speaks to a gen-erational gap between the one that answered “girly,” as that participant responded that she was within the under-20 age group. “Girly” is perhaps a less mature word—girl, after all, is contrasted with woman for a reason. While it bears mentioning that only one participant listed “lady” and another “girly,” these concep-tions are nevertheless present and deserve their respective contrast in comparison to those that listed “female” or “woman.” In trying to understand how they understood femininity—and specifically their own femininity—we asked them to identify words that they associate with femininity: softness, freshness, physical attractiveness, delicateness, friendliness, submissiveness, motherly, and an option listed as “other” which incorporated answers such as kind-hearted and even fatherly. Among the surveys, submissiveness was answered by 3 women, fresh-ness had 4, attractiveness had 6, motherly and delicate tied with 8, softness was answered by 9 women, and to my sur-prise, friendliness was chosen by 12 of the 14 women. This data correlates with our findings about what made the women feel most feminine while staying at Ruth’s Place. Overwhelmingly, most women (10 of 14) answered that the

sense of female community at Ruth’s Place made them feel the most feminine while they stayed there—as opposed to shared space, shared respon-sibilities, and the absence of men. We infer that women at Ruth’s Place do have a very strong sense of womanhood and a strong female bond towards one another, but it is often hard to recognize that initially unless you belong to that specific community. When playing Bingo with the residents, it took time to become a part of their group, and for them to welcome us. Initially they were cordial with us, but seemed to act almost differently, more guarded and stayed to them-selves; on subsequent visits we felt much more welcomed and felt the friendliness they described. We imagine our initial sense of their guarded behavior is because we are outsiders who don’t contribute to their sense of female com-munity on a regular basis. When the question directed was what made the par-ticipants of the survey feel unfeminine, however, the responses mostly reserved themselves to a “lack of pri-vacy,” “lack of personal items,” and “no family.” Respectively, 8 women answered that a lack of privacy made them feel unfeminine, 4 cited a lack of personal items, and 2 responded with no family. This focus on privacy and personal possessions speaks to how women perceive privacy and possessions as a means of defining femininity in their day to day lives. Certainly a number of physical objects help one achieve certain kinds of femininity: cosmetic items, feminine products, clothing,

jewelry, etc. Furthermore, given that the residents of Ruth’s Place all sleep in sepa-rate beds in the same open area, it is not entirely surpris-ing that privacy is an area of concern. What is surprising, however, is the low frequency with which people cited “no family” as being a factor that makes them feel unfeminine while at Ruth’s Place, as half of the women surveyed responded that “family” was one of the major aspects that affected their view of feminin-ity. Hopefully, this means that many have family ties still outside of the residence, but nevertheless would wish for these family ties to be closer to them and not outside of Ruth’s Place. Based on the surveys from Ruth’s Place, it is a fair state-ment to say that these women each define femininity in their own way, and desire a strong female community around them. When asked to identify how the needs of homeless women differ from the needs of homeless men, 6 of the 14 women replied that their needs were the “same” as homeless men. On the other hand, 5 women thought home-less woman have many more needs than homeless men and 2 replied homeless women have slightly more needs than homeless men. Broadly, this means that 7 women—half of all those surveyed—feel that they have more needs than homeless men. This aspect of the study may in fact be the most telling; it seems to speak to the fact that homeless women need more attention in terms of community outreach, aid, and general awareness.

Read the rest of the Voices of Ruth’s Place Series

online at www.highlandernews.net.

MARCH 15, 2011 highlandernews.net5

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Chocolate Pretzels

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Chocolate isn’t just for breakfast anymore!

behavior occurs, students can expect to have participation points deducted, he said. All three of these professors have agreed that if an emergency situation should arise on campus, their phones are on for that specifi c reason. They occasionally take note of their cell phones during class to make sure all is well on

campus. For some students, the texting or constant vibrating of phones can cause distractions to learning. For others, it has little to no effect. But Foley said cell phones are better seen in the classroom than heard. “The bottom line is you’re here for education” said Foley.

Cell phones cont’dCommuters voice concernsBy Caitlin RoweReporter

Students say Commuter Council is the place to seek solutions.

Gas prices are soaring, parking is scarce, and the weather is unpredictable. These are just a few of the woes commuters say they encounter—and they feel their needs on campus aren’t met. “I feel like commuters are kind of out of the loop” said freshman Sarah Nowalis. “I’m not saying that they don’t include us. It’s just a lot harder for us to do things like go to events, especially the ones at night.” Students who commute are encouraged to join the Commuter Council, which is an organization of students who meet regularly to discuss the issues. The organization tries to get students together to provide social opportunities for everyone.

But the organization also works to provide solutions, and commuters’ most pressing problem in need of one is parking. An average daily commute can range from 5 minutes to over an hour. Once the student arrives to campus, he or she must engage in the battle for convenient parking. “I’m really mad that people get to dorm and park in the science building lot,” said Vince Savinelli. Savinelli transferred from the University of Scranton where he paid $260 a year to park and feels the $35 fee at MU is nothing to complain about, but would prefer some fairness in the parking game. Commuter students complain of the condition

of the Commuter’s Lounge. Currently, Black Top Lounge, formerly the lounge of Alumnae Hall, is serving as the central meeting place for the traveling students. Several students feel that the current facility is not up to par with the rest of campus. “The blacktop lounge is very outdated,” said Nowalis. “Half the bulbs are out in the hallway and it smells bad.” Students are encouraged to join the commuter council. While organizers admit that not everyone has time for extra meetings, it can be worth the investment, especially if it alleviates some commuter woes.

Students Servicein

A CAMPUS COMPACT AMERICORPS PROGRAM

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: KRISTEN SAMUELS

CAMPUS MINISTRY OFFICE 570-674-6754

Helps students pay for college while par-ticipating in community service.

MU was one of the fi rst campuses to host a Scholars in Service Program.

Students must complete 450 hours of community service in order to qualify fo an AMERICORPS Education Award of $1250.

Football housing cont’d

think that the university is on their way to establishing great things to come,” said Santarsiero. The dormitory will house upperclassmen in apartment-style rooms, which will be different from the rest of the dormitories on campus. The rooms will include a kitchen and plenty of space to stretch your legs with fi ve people living within the walls. Not only will the new dormitory house many upperclassmen, but the bottom fl oor will be allocated to a daycare on campus, giving education majors hands-on experience before they begin student teaching. A playground will be constructed adjacent to the building for the children to enjoy. The Hildebrandt Learning Center will run this project in the dormitory. HLC already has similar locations in place

at Kings College and the Meadows Nursing Home. The dormitory has not yet been named, but administration offi cials are in search of an answer to that question. “Since we are a private institution and are constantly looking for funding, the president may try to fi nd someone who is willing to contribute and the building would be named after that person or persons,” said Messaros. A building on Machell Avenue near the College of Health Sciences building will be purchased and offi cials say it will be ready in the fall of this year. “This new building will house twenty-six students and will hopefully be appealing to some of our Health Science majors since many of their classes would be within a good walking distance,” said Messaros.

Relay for Life

To register: Contact Megan Lage or Cassie Graeff 570-617-2108

$15 registration fee (includes t-shirt)

No minimum or maximum number of people on team

April 1, 2011MU campus-front lawn

of McHale & Gildea Halls

Commuter Tip Sheet

Commuter Council meets regularly and meetings are adver-tised through E-MU

Commuters are repre-sented on the execu-

tive board of SGA

Commuter Meal Plans are available through the Student Financial

Services Offices

Continued from page 3

MU Shuttle Schedule

Tues 6-10

Fri 6-12 am

Sat 2-12 am

Sun 1-7

-Walmart

-Wyoming Valley Mall

-Movies 14

-Downtown Willkes-Barre

-Frances Slocum

Continued from page 1

MARCH 15, 2011 highlandernews.net6

YOUR LAST SHOT

Above, Morgan Harding snapped a shot of this toppled trellis in the Shakespearean Garden.

SUBMIT YOUR OWN PHOTOSThe Highlander will publish original, undoctored photos submitted by students, faculty and staff in this sec-tion of the newspaper every two weeks. We reserve the right to reject any photo. If photos appear to have been manipulated, they will not be published. All photos must be accompanied by signed model clearances and captions.

CapsCorner

Meditation MondayThe thought manifests as the word. The word manifests as

the deed. The deed develops into habit. And the habit hardens into character. So watch the thought and its ways with care.

And let it spring from love, born out of concern for all beings. –Buddha

This quote highlights the benefits of watching one’s thoughts with care and love for others. By meditating and being intro-

spective one has the potential to develop a positive character and change the world. Psychology Today highlights other benefits of meditation including: spiritual growth, stress

management, lower blood pressure, improved sleep, pain management, longevity and social connectedness. The CAPS

Center is offering Meditation Mondays to support students’ growth and development as they juggle the multiple responsi-

bilities of college life.

The CAPS Center will start the Meditation Monday program on February 7, 2011 at noon in the CAPS Center. Additional meet-ing dates are as follows: February 14 & 28, March 14, 21 & 28

and April 4, 11 & 18. The Meditation Monday classes will run 30 to 45 minutes in length and begin

at noon. The CAPS Center will offer a variety of meditation practices so students can

experiment and find the best practice for them.

To learn more about specific meditation class offerings see below and advertisements posted on Channel 10. If you have

additional questions, contact Courtney Burgess-Michak at cburgess@misericordia.edu.

CANDLE MEDITATIONMONDAY MARCH 21, 2011

Relax your body and let go of your thoughts through the calmness of candle meditation.

JOURNALING MEDITATIONMONDAY MARCH 28, 2011

Come and learn how to use the practice of journaling to process your thoughts and feelings and gain new

insights about various areas of your life.

COLLAGE MEDITATIONMONDAY APRIL 4, 2011

Through the use of various materials you will learn a different approach to be aware of and process various emotions

and experiences, such as happiness, grief, sadness, transitions, a new job, making new friends,

romantic relationships, etc. You can be as simple or creative as you want!

LOWER LEVEL MCGOWAN HALL

JOURNEY THROUGH THE SENSES MEDITATION

MONDAY APRIL 11, 2011

Turn your focus towards your body’s sensations. Attend to the sights, smells, sounds, and textures around you!

CLOTHESLINE AND SHOE PROJECTMONDAY APRIL 4, 2011

Clothesline and Shoe Project- Banks lobby 11am until 1:30pm Presented by SAPE. Stop by to view the powerful

messages on t-shirts and shoes of adults and children who have experienced violence.