the merciad, march 31, 2010

8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 31, 2010

1/8

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


2/8

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.


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


3/8

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:

[email protected].

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.


4/8

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


5/8

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


Senior Michelle Conroy has

danced since age three.


6/8

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

Photographer

Multimedia Editor

Web Editor

Copy Editor

Ad Manager

Adviser

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.


7/8

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


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.


SoMar Dance Works, along with local musician Davie

Sturtevant, presented Dis-Ease on Sunday, March 28.

Nick Glasier photo

the merciad, march 31, 2010

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