IN THIS ISSUE: PAGE
4 PAGE 6 PAGE 7
@PPUGlobe March 27, 2019
Urban explorers explain their hobby in this week’s features section The Globe staff urges students to cast an educated vote in elections Xavier Stephens looks back on track career as he prepares for 2019 season ppuglobe.com
Covering the world of Point Park University news since 1967
Issue 11
Protests erupt across city after Rosfeld trial
Jared Murphy | The Globe Following the aquittal of Michael Rosfeld, students gathered in front of the City-County Building on Monday, March 25 to demand justice for the late Antwon Rose II. By Andrew Brinker and Jordyn Hronec Co-News Editors
THE SHOOTING
On June 19, Antwon Rose II, a 17-year-old black high school student, was shot and killed by former East Pittsburgh police officer Michael Rosfeld, a 30-year-old white man, during a traffic stop. Approximately 10 minutes beforehand, the Chevrolet Cruze that Rose was riding in was involved in a drive-by shooting in North Braddock.
All eyes were on the Allegheny County Courthouse this week - not just those in the city of Pittsburgh or the state of Pennsylvania, but those all over the United States.
Rosfeld was responding to reports of the shooting when he saw the Chevy Cruze that matched the description of the vehicle he was searching for. The former officer immediately pulled the car over. Rosfeld ordered the driver out of the car with his hands up and onto the ground. The driver was compliant. While Rosfeld was arresting the driver, Rose and another pas-
senger, Zaijuan Hester, both attempted to run from the car. Rosfeld fired three shots in their direction as they ran, striking Rose. Hester was not hit by any of the shots and managed to escape. The officer then continued arresting the driver. It wasn’t until a few minutes later that Rosfeld discovered Rose, injured on the ground. The 17-year-old died in the hospital that night.
BACKGROUND
At the time, Rosfeld stated the reason that he fired his weapon was because he believed that he had seen a gun in one of the fleeing teenagers’ hands, but neither of the two passengers was carrying anything when fleeing the vehicle. Multiple witnesses captured the incident on video, providing investigators, and
PROTESTS page 2
USG discusses proposed resolution backing Oakland shuttles USG By Jordyn Hronec Co-News Editor
The United Student Government (USG) met on Monday, March 25 and engaged in a conversation surrounding a resolution drafted and proposed by both Vice President Brittany Arp and Recording Secretary Sophie Burkholder. The resolution, titled resolution 03252019.1, was drafted in order to demonstrate support for retaining shuttle service to Oakland. Several concerns regarding the wording of the resolution were brought up by Senator Alexa Lake and Senator Mathew Johnson. Their concerns specifically addressed the inclusion of grammatical errors within the resolution, including run-on sentences and the presence of both passive and active voice. Their concerns were met with hesitation by several other senators, including Senator Dennis McDermott, who stated that previous resolutions were worded in similar fashions.
This statement was agreed upon by Parliamentarian Matthew Spadaccia. Senator Wrzosek expressed a separate concern regarding the resolution, stating that the subject matter may not necessarily constitute a resolution in order to be addressed. Wrzosek instead suggested that a letter to administration be drafted in support of the Oakland shuttles. Senator Jacob Berlin then clarified the necessity of clarifying the wording of the resolution, stating that typically Rules Committee would discuss the clarity of resolutions, but resolution 03252019.1 had not been sent through Rules Committee before being brought to the floor. Ultimately, the resolution was tabled at the recommendation of Spadaccia and will be sent to Rules Committee for further consideration. However, the discussion regarding the future of the Oakland shuttles extended beyond the context of the resolution. During open floor, students asked Dean Gieseke about the role he had in planning for the future operations of the shuttles.
“It is my understanding that transportation provided the senior administration with the use of shuttles over this year and whether or not they were continuing to be utilized at the same rate as they have been in the past,” Dean Gieseke said. “The other part of the conversation was, now that all university business is being conducted in Downtown, one of the questions is, why is Oakland the only area that the shuttle would go to? Is that because the history has been, it was originally to be a Playhouse shuttle and to take students from here to down there so they can get to class? Over time, it has definitely warped into an Oakland shuttle that is used for many different things. So now that everything is here, the question became, is Oakland the best place for it to be? Or, given the opportunity, are there other places where it will be just as used or utilized?” According to Dean Gieseke, the upper administration plans to ask students where shuttle service should be expanded. In addition to the shuttles, the legislative body meeting also hosted a discussion re-
garding election proceedings. Senator Grace Tyler Frank-Rempel approached the body with concerns regarding the use of the official USG seal on Arp’s campaign materials that were distributed around campus. The seal was present on business cards that were stapled to the back of handouts outlining Arp’s campaign. Dean Gieseke assured the legislative body that the Elections Board was looking into the issue. Present at USG’s meeting were representatives from both the Black Student Union (BSU), as well as Point Blank Comedy Collective. The two organizations worked in collaboration to plan a debate for presidential candidates, Arp and Berlin. During open floor, Senator Cole D’Alicandro inquired about the logistics of the debate. Chris Copen of the Point Blank Comedy Collective discussed the process of obtaining space for the event, specifically the process of working with Sydney Keller of Conference and Event Services. Copen discussed how the two organizations were unable to secure the GRW Theater for the event,
thus, the debate was scheduled to take place that evening in Academic Hall 302 at 9 pm. D’Alicandro also asked a question regarding the ethicality of the event, seeing as Berlin has several ties to Point Blank Comedy Collective. Berlin assured the legislative body that both he and Dean Gieseke looked into this concern. It was decided that the event would occur given that both candidates attend the planned debate as well as the USG sponsored “Meet Your Candidate” event. It was also pointed out that the Meet Your Candidate event faced similar concerns. This is due to the fact Communications Director, Shelby Fink, who serves on Executive Cabinet with Arp, was tasked with organizing the debate. Meet Your Candidate is scheduled to occur on Wednesday, March 27 at 9:30 in the JVH. The meeting ended after approximately one hour. Next week’s legislative body meeting will take place in the JVH. Amanda Anderson from the Office of Student Life will be speaking.
Jordyn Hronec jthrone@pointpark.edu
Weather Forecast Today: Mostly Cloudy, H 58, L 37
Thursday: Rain Showers, H 63, L 49 Friday: Rain, H 59, L 51 Saturday: Light Rain, H 62, L 42
Sunday: Rain Showers, H 48, L 34 Monday: Rain/Snow Showers, H 50, L 36
Point Park
GLOBE
2
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2019
NEWS
THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY
Protesters demand justice for Antwon Rose from PROTESTS page 1 eventually, twelve jurors, with compelling evidence. It was later revealed through surveillance footage that it was Hester, not Rose, who had fired shots 10 minutes prior to the incident in North Braddock. Hester confirmed this when he testified in a trial for the drive-by shooting. Allegheny County District Attorney, Stephen Zappala, reported that an empty magazine for a 9 mm handgun was found in Rose’s pocket, and that two guns were recovered from the vehicle. On the night of Rose’s killing, Rosfeld was charged with homicide. The trial for Michael Rosfeld began on Tuesday, March 19. The judge in the case, Alexander Bicket, told the jury before the trial to prepare for seven to 10 days of trial and deliberations. But, after the defense rested before noon on Friday, the case wrapped up and was given to the jury after just four days. In three and a half hours, the jury, which was made up of black and white members from Dauphin County near Harrisburg, reached a verdict. On Friday night, Rosfeld was acquitted of all charges in the killing of Antwon Rose.
THE PROSECUTION
The prosecution began building their case against Rosfeld early, slowly con-
structing an emphasis on Rosfeld’s mishandlings and malice in handling the incident with Rose. Six witnesses were called to the stand on the first day. The first witness, Debra Jones, testified that she heard Rosfeld ordering the driver of the Chevy Cruze out of the car in a harsh manner. Once she saw the two passengers run from the car, she said Rosfeld’s response was instantaneous. “Automatically, ‘boom boom boom’ three shots,” she said. Lashaun Livingston, who took a video of the incident, also testified on Tuesday, telling the courtroom that she didn’t see any sort of gesture or weapon from either of the passengers. On Wednesday, another witness, John Leach, testified that he heard Rosfeld say “I don’t know why I shot him,” after shooting Rose. Leach also told the jury that the former officer appeared to be distressed and crying after the incident. Daniel Wolfe, a crime lab analyst, also testified on Wednesday. Wolfe told the courtroom that he found some evidence of gunshot particles on Rose’s hand and said that there were multiple potential explanations for the residue and that it did not necessarily mean that he had fired a gun. After testimony from two weapons experts on Thursday
morning, which included an in-depth look at both of the weapons found in the Chevy Cruze, the prosecution rested its case.
THE DEFENSE
The defense took over the Rosfeld trial just after lunch, calling a witness that many speculated wouldn’t testify during the course of the proceedings: Michael Rosfeld. Rosfeld told the jury that he believed he saw a gun in the hand of one of the teenagers who fled from the car. “One of the suspects turned and pointed toward me with what I thought was a handgun,” Rosfeld said. Rosfeld later stood and demonstrated the gesture that he allegedly saw. He told Fitzsimmons during cross-examination that he shot at Rose to protect himself and the community. The only other witness called by the defense, was former state police officer and use of force expert, Clifford Jobe, who told the courtroom that he found nothing wrong with the way Rosfeld conducted the traffic stop. “It was pretty much a textbook operation,” Jobe said. Jobe additionally testified that if an officer believes they are in danger, it is in accordance with their training to use deadly force. Before noon on Friday, the defense rested its case.
THE VERDICT
After three and a half hours of deliberations between the 12 members of the jury, a unanimous decision was reached that was required for a verdict. With dozens of police officers surrounding the courthouse, the jury foreman announced that Rosfeld was acquitted of all charges. Shortly after the verdict was read, a song could be heard from outside the courthouse, growing louder as a crowd of courtroom spectators made their way to the exit of the building. “What side are you on, my people? What side are you on?” they sang. They continued, chanting, and at one point stopping to quote the poetry of Rose. “I am confused and afraid.”
ON CAMPUS
The effects of the trial were felt on Point Park’s campus, both in the form of protest as well as mourning. On Monday, March 25, a student walk-out protest was arranged by the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Students from Point Park, as well as other colleges and high schools in Pittsburgh, gathered in front of the City-County Building at 12 p.m. According to Kait Regulbuto, a sophomore English major, there were 1,300 students in attendance. Regulbuto is a member of the Coalition for Christian
Outreach (CCO) on campus, an organization that held a prayer and mourning service for Rose on Monday, March 25. Mya Jackson, a freshman cinema production major, was classmates with Rose at Woodland Hills High School. According to Jackson, the loss of her friend never gets easier. “It was just like, that was someone that I did talk to, I saw him in the hallway daily, we had classes together,” Jackson said. “I’d see him around. And now that he’s not there anymore...it’s sad. Because even if I see a closer friend of his or maybe a family member, it’s like, he’s not there. So it’s always going to be a sad feeling.” According to Jackson, her community has felt lasting effects of the incident. “We’re all cautious,” Jackson said. “Some people will react...just avoid it, is kind of what I do personally. Just try to be respectful, walk away, turn the other direction... which is also kind of sad, like I shouldn’t be like ‘hey let’s walk the other way cause there’s cops coming here,’ it shouldn’t be like that...but, you just never know, so we just leave.”
Andrew Brinker anbrink@pointpark.edu Jordyn Hronec jthrone@pointpark.edu
On Friday, March 22, Michael Rosfeld was proven innocent in the death of Antwon Rose II. Following the verdict, peaceful protests erupted around the city of Pittsburgh. They began in front of the City-County Building on the night of Rosfeld’s aquittal. Throughout the weekend, protests were held in various locations, such as Freedom Corner in The Hill District, Oakland, East Liberty and Downtown. Top Left: HILL DISTRICT Nathan Gentry | The Globe Middle Left: POINT PARK CAMPUS Andrew Brinker | The Globe Bottom Left: DOWNTOWN Noah Strackbein | The Globe Top Right: OAKLAND Carley Bonk | The Globe
NEWS
THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2019
3
Elections for USG run Thursday, Friday Brittany Arp - President
Megan Ortego | Submitted By Andrew Brinker Co-News Editor
Brittany Arp is running for USG president to finish what she started. As current vice president, Arp has worked closely with President Kaylee Kearns and the executive cabinet to lay strong groundwork for USG that she hopes will last for years. “I thought that I could really take what we’ve started this year, and run with it,” Arp said. “Our vision for this year was to lay a foundation for every future administration, because coming into it Kaylee and I - we kind of almost had to pick up the organization and build it from the ground up.” Arp, a sophomore political science and legal studies double major, has been serving on USG since her first semester. She initially served as a senator for the School of Arts and Sciences
and was on the Rules Committee. Arp says that her experience in USG makes her the perfect presidential candidate. “I’ve been through all of the decisions that have been made this year, so, I can see what was successful, and what failed. I have the ability to look back at the conversations that we have had when things failed, and I can use that to my advantage to make sure that we don’t fail the same way we did before,” Arp said. Alongside improving campus security and expanding commuter resources, Arp plans to open all executive cabinet meetings, a move that comes after pushback to the closure of those meetings this year. “At the time that we made that choice, we didn’t understand how the student body would react,” Arp said. “But looking back, I can totally understand why the student body would question us. So next year I look forward to continuing that change.” Ultimately, Arp believes that it is her dedication to USG that sets her apart. “This is something that I’m really passionate about,” Arp said. “I’m really passionate about this organization and this organization’s mission. I have been tirelessly working for the student body throughout this entire year, and I think that really shows.”
Andrew Brinker anbrink@pointpark.edu
Sophie Burkholder Vice President
Megan Ortego | Submitted By Dara Collins Editor-Elect
Sophie Burkholder served as one of the drum majors for her school marching band. She now hopes to translate her leadership from marching band to Point Park’s United Student Government (USG). The political science and legal studies double major has been a member of USG since the fall 2018 semester. She served as a senator representing the School of Arts and Sciences, on Finance Committee and now serves as the Chair of Student Concerns Committee and as the Recording Secretary. “Being Recording Secretary, very specifically, is you have a share of the Students Concerns Committee and I feel very strongly with helping people and wanting to continue pursu-
ing that quality and defend the students…I think that’s the main thing that really drove me to want to run for vice president,” Burkholder said. “I’m able to pursue this and I want that to be my main priority - student interaction.” Burkholder hopes to address shuttle concerns for commuters and security in campus dormitories. Burkholder, shy and reserved, hopes all students, especially those like herself know they can approach her with any and all concerns. As a freshman, Burkholder admits she made mistakes during her time in USG. “[I] don’t let [mistakes] hinder me,” Burkholder said. “I feel as though as a leader you need to have a quality of not being ashamed to admit that you’ve done wrong and move forward from it…I think that is a quality that I possess that I’m very proud of.” However, Burkholder also believes her freshman status constitutes plenty of room to grow in a new position of power. “That can sound kind of off, but I think going into the position I don’t put myself out there saying I know everything it has to take, I know what needs to be done,” Burkholder said. “I’m going into it because I want to learn and grow.”
Dara Collins dmcolli2@pointpark.edu
Jake Berlin - President
Ian Brady| The Globe By Jordyn Hronec Co-News Editor
Presidential candidate, Jake Berlin, is looking to bring a new sense of openness to USG, following a year of transparency struggles. “The basis of the campaign is openness,” Berlin said. “I will always be open, available to talk to. Every meeting will be open. You’ll see me around, we’ll be able to communicate. I will be at club meetings. And it will finally be a president who is present on campus.” Berlin, a junior mass communications major, has served a total of four semesters on USG as a senator, on both the Communications and the Rules Committees. Berlin also has extensive experience serving on the Wilmington Area School Board. Berlin is also state-certified in budget and audit training through the Pennsylvania School Boards Association.
Berlin represents Point Park on the Pittsburgh Student Government Council. He cites his desire for change as his main reason for joining the race. “I did not go into this year planning on running for president,” Berlin said. “I did so after I saw that secrets were being kept, minutes were being redacted, meetings were being held in private…I thought that I would be a fighter for the students, everyday I’d be in office, and make sure that we are focused on commuters, and minorities, and those with disabilities, those in COPA, those who feel like they don’t have a voice or are left behind.” Berlin’s campaign also focuses on numerous other proposed changes. “The short term goal would be to immediately bring back the Playhouse tickets,” Berlin said. “One of the best gestures that we had for students, especially for our performers, was allowing those tickets to be subsidized. We replaced the Playhouse tickets with a bike program that costs more but is used less. The long term goal would be expanding the commuter resources in terms of affordable parking, affordable bus passes and retaining the shuttles, because that was a promise that was made to students on enrollment here, and I believe we need to fulfill that.”
Jordyn Hronec jthrone@pointpark.edu
Alexa Lake Vice President
Megan Ortego | Submitted By Dara Collins Editor-Elect
In light of recent scrutiny, Alexa Lake could not think of a better time to announce her vice presidential campaign. “I think [United Student Government] is turning a new leaf right now with the scrutiny that it’s being placed under,” Lake said. “I think that it’s growing very rapidly and it’s getting notoriety.” Lake, a sophomore biological sciences major, has been a member of USG since the fall 2018 semester. She currently serves on the Finances and Rules Committees, but she is ready to bring her philosophies of transparency, consistency and honesty to the role of vice president. “I started with honesty because I think that flaws and conflict must be
highlighted, not just made public,” Lake said. “Then I thought, well, honesty is not lying…you can withhold information without lying, which is why I added transparency to it. And lastly, with my experience on rules committee where we approve clubs and our finance committee where we fund them, consistency is very important for our students who use us as a channel to question university administration.” With these three words as the backbone of her campaign as well as her previous experience, Lake believes in her ability to transform USG. Within USG, Lake wants to change the leadership culture and avoid the “smile and nod approach” of past vice presidents, ensure everybody at legislative body meetings are informed prior to voting and assure all students their concerns are considered. Outside of USG, Lake desires to answer student concerns about academic curricula and academic program diversity. “I’d just to let everybody know that they should consider each candidate, whether me or anybody else, with an open mind, and I want to be elected based on the issues, not based off my friendships,” Lake said.
Dara Collins dmcolli2@pointpark.edu
By Sarah Gibson On Monday, students gathered in Academic Hall room 302 for a United Student Government (USG) Presidential candidate debate held by Point Blank Comedy and the Black Student Union (BSU). USG Senator Jake Berlin and Vice President Brittany Arp answered questions delivered by moderators Chris Copen of Point Blank Comedy and Prim Green of the BSU. As opening statements and questions were asked, notecards were passed for the audience to write questions for moderators to present. Issues addressed included transparency, funding and each candidates’ respective capacity to facilitate change through USG. Berlin, who was the first to deliver an opening statement, expressed his qualifications that he believed made him a good fit for the position as USG president while assuring the audience that he would represent the entire student body as opposed to just USG members. In Arp’s opening statement, she took the time to address the issues of transparency, noting that while she thinks it’s very important, there needs to be balance between the executive cabinet, the legislative body and the student body. She also noted that what makes her a fit candidate is her ability to grow as a leader. After the moderators’ questions had all been answered, they moved on to ask questions that had been sent in by audience members, and lastly, candidates were asked to give their closing statements. Arp expressed appreciation for the opportunity to talk with students. “We’ve talked about a bunch of different topics, and I look forward to talking with you all more,” Arp said. “There is the ‘Meet Your Candidate’ event on Wednesday that USG is holding, so come out and learn more about us, and I look forward to seeing you all there.” Berlin, in his closing statement, took the opportunity to remind students that this was their chance to have an impact on the student government. “You can finally see new results, new action, and new discussion taken from someone who is one of you and someone who will serve you,” Berlin said. The debate is available on BSU’s Facebook page.
Correction In last week’s issue, the photo “Saint Paddy’s Parade Marches Downtown” was attributed to Gracey Evans. The photo was actually taken by Katie Williams. Also, the photo accompanying the article “Rugby team drops spring season opener” was taken by Blake Fabianich.
4
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2019
FEATURES
THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY
Urbex attracts photographers to document past Curious explorers visit abandoned, man-made structures By Nicole Pampena Online Editor
Rule No. 1 of urban exploration: leave nothing but footprints. Do no damage, move no object and vandalize no surface. Rule No. 2: Never share the location of your abandoned site visits. Sharing with other well-intentioned urban explorers is generally okay. Film your entry point to prove there was no breaking and entering, but never share the footage. Rule No. 3: Always have a way to defend yourself. Some carry pepper spray, some carry a pocket knife. This is solely in the event of running into drug dealers, scrappers, gang members, or squatters. Never carry a firearm; trespassing with one is considered a felony is some states. These are the guidelines Kiley Lyon, of Quads City, Iowa, has come to learn since he first started urban exploring at 13 years old. Now 46, he estimates to have visited over 1,000 locations all over
the world. “Sometimes what we do is on the fringe of unacceptable,” Lyon said, “but we’re not there to damage anything.” Urban exploration, or urbex, comes in many forms. In its most basic definition, it is the exploration of abandoned man-made structures. Some just like to wander around. However, a large portion of this community brings a camera along. Tyler Richey, senior SAEM major, also has a long resume of explores at just 22 years old. It began with finding an abandoned distillery on Google Earth in 2012, and led to later purchasing his own camera in 2016. When he shoots, he mainly looks for the architecture along with graffiti, old signage or texture. The gold mine sites have old industrial equipment. “I like to think one day was the last day that was used,” Richey said. Specifically, to name a few, the last day of a telescope and lens factory, the last day of an old Westinghouse plant,
Exploring with CF| Submitted Richey visited this abandoned cement plant in 2017, calling it an “industrial wasteland.” Some features on the plant’s massive property included 12 silos-- each 70 to 80 feet high.
Exploring with CF | Submitted One of Lyon’s favorite sites is an abandoned waterpark in Missouri, particularly taking note of the concrete and stonework left behind within the park.
or the last day the halls of an elementary school heard the pitter-patter of children’s feet. Richey also has his own list of rules that he follows: let people know you’re going, how long you’ll be, and never go alone. At face value, they’re a community of harmless photographers with reasonable parameters. The catch? Visiting a site is almost always trespassing. “We do our best to gain permission,” Lyon said. The best way is contacting the owner of the property and telling them their intentions, however some properties either have no ownership or are in the midst of a court battle for ownership. Another way is notifying local authorities to avoid the event of getting caught. “I’ve been caught before,” Richey said. “It seems if you have a camera, that is a really good out.” Lyon said he and his crew go out of their way to avoid bothering people, but police were called on them one time
en charge of his future and pursued any opportunity for personal growth. He has attended national conferences, specifically, the Association of Performing Arts Professionals and Performing Arts Exchange. “I got to work with people from all around the world, which was insane,” Sheeley said. “I went to my first one my second semester of freshmen year, which was intimidating, but I think it was the thing that definitely swayed me into keep doing it, finding a true passion.” In addition to these conferences, Sheeley had an internship with the Pittsburgh Public Theater where he had the opportunity to work on their Shakespeare Monologue and Scene Contest. “I loved every part of that,” he said. “It was my first experience with a professional theater, and that experience was hands down the coolest experience I
ever had in my entire life.” However, Sheeley said his proudest accomplishment was becoming a resident educator here at Point Park. “Being a resident educator really did change my perspective on who I was as a person and...my perception of the school in general.” Sheeley wasn’t always sure about his interest in performing arts. As a child from Plainfield, Connecticut, he went most of his life intending to become a general physician. But in his junior year of high school, he found a passion for performing arts. But Sheeley did not want to be on stage. He wanted to be involved in the business side of it. “I realized that there was definitely an aspect of it that I felt like was missing,” he said. “And then when I saw Point Park’s SAEM program, I was like, ‘that’s it.’” After graduating this April, Sheeley will be attending University of Pitts-
PIONEER PUBLIC Kooper Sheeley By Megan McKenzie For The Globe
Kooper Sheeley, 20, confessed that he was a “people person at heart” and he wasn’t joking. “My freshman year I would literally ride the elevators up and down every day just because I got bored and wanted to make new friends,” Sheeley said with a grin. Sheeley, an SAEM major and mentor in the Honors Program, has made a lasting impression here at Point Park. Since he was a freshman, Sheeley has tak-
by a woman watching with binoculars from blocks away. “The camera is damning,” Lyon said. “There’s proof on the camera that you were trespassing, but its proof you weren’t damaging anything.” Lyon added that the police in that incident were “cool” with what they were doing and that many know what urban explorers are. However, not everyone follows the aforementioned unspoken rules. Although these abandoned places are, according to Richey, “free shelter for bad people,” some within the urbex community cause unwanted rifts that could ruin it for the rest. “You can tell [between] the people there for the location versus the attention,” Lyon said. He cited YouTubers as common perpetrators for what he calls “urbex theatre,” which includes faking what they found, such as fake blood or acting like they’re being chased, for the sake of views. Others go in and move objects around while taking photos, or worse, damage the
site itself or vandalize its walls. While Richey defends that graffiti writers are just looking for a great canvas, but Lyon is more of a “purist,” saying the graffiti “screws it up for any explorer who wants to see [the building] as it was.” In a community this large and complex, it can be difficult to fully capture why they do what they do. Some go for the thrill of trespassing, some are graffiti writers just looking to put their art out into the world, and others just enjoy photography. Richey said urban exploration tells “an American story” of industry’s roots that lead to the architectural strides made today. In a true explorer’s spirit, he does this for the same reason as Lyon: to document the past. “When I see a place go like this, I see what it used to be in my head,” Lyon said. “I’m trying to make a connection between what it is now and what it was.”
Nicole Pampena nmpampe@pointpark.edu
Kelsee McHugh | The Globe
burgh in August for Higher Education Management. In the future, he isn’t quite sure where he will end up, whether it will be working in residence life at a university or in theater professionally.
“I’m open to anything, in all honesty,” Sheeley admitted. “I love living life just as it comes.”
Megan McKenzie mcmcken@pointpark.edu
Send suggestions to admyers@pointpark.edu or pbcomun@pointpark.edu or reach out to the Globe on our social media pages.
THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY
A&E
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2019
5
Jordan Peele’s ‘Us’ lives up to horror hype By Tia Bailey
Social Media Coordinator
In 2017, actor and comedian Jordan Peele released “Get Out,” a movie that redefined the horror genre. This year, he gave audiences “Us,” which turned out to be a box office success. “Us” centers around the family of Adelaide Wilson, played by Lupita Nyong’o (“Black Panther”). The movie begins with a traumatic event from Adelaide’s childhood, and jumps forward to when she has a husband, Gabe, played by Winston Duke (“Black Panther”); a daughter, Zora, played by Shahadi Wright (“Hairspray Live!”) and a son, Jason, played by Evan Alex.
From the beginning, the movie has a bunch of pop culture references. Young Adelaide wants a Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” t-shirt from the boardwalk; a subtle reference to the 1987 film “The Lost Boys” is thrown in, and we are shown VHS tapes of several other horror movies, such as “C.H.U.D.,” and “The Man With Two Brains.” The opening credits sequence, shown after the clip of Adelaide’s past, sets up the rest of the movie perfectly, while also giving hints to the ending - if you’re paying close enough attention. We’re shown a long shot of rabbits in cages while an eerie song sung by children plays in the back-
ground - composed by Michael Abels, who also composed Peele’s “Get Out” in 2017 - and this in itself is a hint to the Tethers’ story. We are then shown a commercial from the 80’s campaign “Hands Across America” on an old-school television, which is surrounded by VHS tapes of some of the movies that inspired Peele for “Us.” Look hard enough, and from this sequence alone you can figure out some of the movie. The plot is divided into a three-act structure, which worked very well for the movie in particular. This structure made all of the twists and turns easier to follow--and trust me, there are many twists and
turns in the movie. Nothing about the film is predictable, which makes for a wild ride watching. What is now typical to Jordan Peele’s movies, “Us” mixes horror and comedy, while avoiding being cheesy. The Wilson family’s friends, the Tyler family, are your stereotypical “basic white people,” and are easy to make fun of. Wade also provides some comic relief, being made out to seem like the least-smart member of the family. Still, even with the comedy, the movie is honestly terrifying, and will keep you at the edge of your seat. It doesn’t rely heavily on jumpscares, but more so chase scenes, as well as
psychological horror. You never know what’s going to come next, but if you look back at the end of the movie, you’ll realize that it should have been obvious due to the subtle clues and hints Peele leaves throughout. Much like “Get Out,” “Us” was more than what meets the eye. It’s by no means your typical horror movie, and managed to be very original despite Peele using other movies as inspiration. The movie currently has a 94 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which I think is well-deserved.
Tia Bailey tbaile@pointpark.edu
Squirrel Hill bookstore unites community By Nardos Haile For The Globe
Dan Iddings opened Classic Lines five years ago simply because he wanted to, but he didn’t know that the bookstore would become a success nationally and locally in its Squirrel Hill community. “I don’t know how we did this but early on we figured out what would be a good fit for Squirrel Hill,” Iddings explained. “It’s just worked. Our success is all location.” About 10 years ago, the book retailers Barnes and Noble and Borders went out of business in Squirrel Hill and the East Side. Iddings knew there was a vacancy to be filled in the community. “I didn’t move on it right away,” Iddings said. “I spent a lot of time working on a business plan, just doing lots of stuff to plan for and I thought this is getting so out of control I can’t afford this. So, I sort of put it on the back burner for a long time.” Iddings, a former librarian, worked as an assistant director of the Carnegie Library system until the late 90s when he was hired to direct the Pennsylvania Academic Library Consortium which is located at the University of Pittsburgh, and worked there for 11 years. He decided to move for-
PRIZES
ward on the bookstore about five years ago and he says since the bookstore’s opening in 2014, “It’s never been a struggle.” Any stranger could understand why Classic Lines garnered success from the start. The bookstore houses hundreds of handpicked books chosen by Iddings and his employees. It also fosters a comfortable environment from the second a potential customer walks through the threshold of the doorway. Many walks of life enter the store on a daily basis. People ranging from out-oftown visitors, older couples, Carnegie Mellon students and families with giggling children. People walk in and out throughout the day browsing Classic Lines’ extensive book collection or they relax in one of the comfortable chairs with a book in hand. They also get to interact with the store’s resident dog Duchess. “It’s not one of those big category buster stores, the selection seems like it’s thought out well and it covers the subjects that I like,” Michael Todor, 66, an extensive reader who lives 50 miles north of Pittsburgh, said. “It’s not too large that you get lost in it. It’s got places to sit and read.” The store welcomes all people, and its evident through its “Welcome Your
All participants will be automatically entered in a random drawing to win:
• 1 of 1 Smart TV (worth $150) • 1 of 30 Flex Dollars certificates (worth $10)
Freshmen and Seniors: You’re invited to participate in…
THE NATIONAL SURVEY OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT (NSSE) WHEN Feb. 12 - March 31, 2019 WHERE Online – check your Point Park email for an invite WHY This national survey helps us understand how students spend time inside and outside of the classroom, which helps guide decisions to benefit Point Park students.
Books are on display at Class Lines in Squirrel Hill.
Neighbors” sign plastered right in the window of the storefront. Jennifer Lines, 24, a former Pitt student, and a Classic Lines regular, said every time she walks into the store she feels relaxed. “Right now its noisier than it normally is,” Lines said with a laugh. “I love it here. I find it refreshing.” “When Dan decided to open the bookstore, I called him and said I want to work,” Mary Sue Iddings, a Classic Lines’ employee and retired librarian, said. “The people that come in are great, the people I work with are great, so all the things are positive. And I can bring my dog [Duchess] to work.” Jennifer Wright, another Classic Lines employee called the store, “A welcoming environment to work in.” Classic Lines is one of many independent bookstores in the nation that is thriving in an Amazon dominated market. Axios Media reports that in the last 10 years, independent bookstores have grown by nearly 50 percent, from 1,651 to 2,470 stores. Print book sales have also risen every year since 2013 and E-book sales are dropping. “We have a customer base here that doesn’t shop on Amazon,” Iddings said. “We probably get six people a day who walk in and order a book; you know, they don’t want to buy it on Amazon, they want to buy it from us.” Iddings noted that Amazon displaced about 900,000 retails jobs in 2018 and said, “People are starting to understand if they’re
interested in supporting their community then they don’t shop on Amazon.” In March 2019, Business Insider reports that 4,000 retailers have announced its closures and the numbers are only expected to rise. This includes retail stores such as Payless ShoeSource, Charlotte Russe and Sears. This is why Iddings emphasizes to browse and buy locally to support the community. There are even signs in the bookstore encouraging customers to continue to buy and support local small businesses. Undoubtedly, Classic Lines was already a beloved spot in the community but an event that cemented the bookstore’s status as a Squirrel Hill safe haven was the Tree of Life Synagogue mass shooting in October 2018. “People knew that it was a place to go after the shooting occurred,” Iddings said. “We sent out an Instagram message and a tweet the day of the shooting saying if you just don’t want to sit at home come here and nobody showed. The next day we were really busy, lots of people came.” Iddings said people came to the store to relax in their down time and this continued all throughout the holidays. The store was at its busiest in the following months in November and December. “The neighborhood will never be back to normal but everybody is sort of back in their routine and so that’s been a good thing,” Iddings said. Furthermore, the support Classic Lines gave to the community is the sole reason why it was nominated
Nardos Haile| The Globe
for Bookstore of the Year by Publisher’s Weekly. Every year Publisher’s Weekly recognizes independent bookstores that have “an outsized impact on their communities.” Classic Lines is one out of five final nominees for Bookstore of the Year nominated by the magazine. It was recognized due to “contributing to the current rise in independent bookselling,” said Publisher’s Weekly executive vice president and publisher Cevin Bryerman. “In some ways we were nominated because we were here as the safe haven after the shooting, had the shooting not occurred it probably wouldn’t have occurred to the nominator to notice us,” Iddings said. Iddings was blown away at the nomination. He was at home and sick when he received the call confirming the store was recognized. “You feel really honored, special, humbled at the same time.” Publisher’s Weekly will announce the winner at the end of March. The Classic Lines crew is keeping their fingers crossed for the final few weeks until the announcement. Ultimately, Classic Lines will continue to serve and support its community whether it wins bookstore of the year or not. It will continue to be a safety net for the Squirrel Hill community. “There’s a movie called “Empire Records” and there’s this line that reminds me of Classic Lines,” Wright said. “‘You’re in the store. You’re going to be okay.’” Nardos Haile nhaile@pointpark.edu
OPINIONS
Letter to editor
Dealing with anxiety
By Alexa Lake USG Senator
On Thursday, March 22, 2019, the Instagram campaign page of United Student Government (USG) Presidential Candidate, Jake Berlin, was inactivated following fraudulent reports of abuse. His account, @jakeberlin4you, along with an impartial USG elections reporting account which had reposted his platform no longer exist to inform students of their hopeful representatives’ ideas. Jake Berlin gained hundreds of followers online and maintains many passionate supporters in person, chiefly due to his unwavering support of openness, public discussion and direct conversations with his constituents. One facet of his outreach, however, was thwarted by those who disagree with him. Democracies operate under basic maxims, including the freedoms of speech and of thought. Democracy thereby fails when voices are silenced and uncouth political tactics are employed. I believe that USG can only operate democratically when these recently denied liberties are sustained in such short proximity to the election. Not only have these actions constituted a disservice to Jake Berlin and his many supporters, but it has cheapened the ideas of his opponents. To anyone who disagrees with another under our democracy, heed this: sharpen your arguments and use them, for if they cannot stand alone without underhanded tactics, they were not good enough from the start.
Alexa Lake aslake@pointpark.edu
By Jordan Slobodinsky Opinions Editor
A few years ago, I had a lot of issues dealing with adversity. I couldn’t really function under pressure when put in tough situations. I had to meet with someone and talk about these issues and feelings. Eventually I was told by a counselor what I was feeling: anxiety. This feeling has followed me for the entirety of my life. It is something that I really had trouble coming to terms with, and even recently I have had trouble with it. I sometimes have so much anxiety that I just have to lay down and do breathing exercises to make sure I don’t start hyperventilating. While I have learned to cope with my anxiety issues, I feel some have not. Every day I walk by students running around, rushing to their destinations or struggling to get school work done. This world moves a little too quickly for students sometimes, especially for seniors who are getting ready to enter the work force. Even adults run to catch buses, beat traffic or pay bills. There is a myriad of reasons why people feel anxiety. There is work, school or our social life to think about. There are relationships and commitments that we are obligated to acknowledge. Most people will justify your anxiety, and you should not listen to those who do not understand what it means to be anxious. I think it is very important that you take time out of your day to have a little chat with yourself. Organize your priorities, clean up your
room and make sure you have yourself in order for the day. I have been a huge supporter of making daily lists and checking off things as you go, because checking things off is something that eases my mind. There are also more traditional things to ease anxiety like squeezing a stress ball or screaming into a pillow. I used to get stressed during high school and scream into my pillow all the time. Too many times throughout my four years of college I have watched people cope with their issues by drinking and smoking weed, which I cannot say enough is not a good idea. Alcohol is a depressant, no matter how fun it is, it will bring you down. Weed may be something I am in support of to be legalized, but I do not view it as a coping mechanism for anxiety. So you may ask, “How do I deal with this anxiety?” Try exercise - it may be a generic answer but your body can actually relieve tension just from a simple walk to Point State Park. Clean your room - your mindset is reflected by what is around you, and if it is messy and cluttered, your mind will be too. Lay out your clothes the night before, it eases the stress of picking an outfit in the morning if you are stressed getting ready which will make you be stressed all day. I am no expert, but anxiety sucks and I want people to have the tools they need to overcome it.
Jordan Slobodinsky jeslobo@pointpark.edu
THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY
GL BE’S POINT
THE
6
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2019
The importance of casting an educated vote Election season has sprung on campus. United Student Government (USG) is always present in our university newspaper due to coverage of the organization’s weekly meetings. However, the last few editions of The Globe have seen USG’s name plastered across the news section for a multitude of reasons. The Globe has remained neutral of its coverage whether the circumstance of a story arose from positive or negative circumstances from outside sources. Our staff will always present a fair and accurate article to the public with both sides of the story. Naturally, election season brings more coverage of USG and its candidates than ever before, and our staff is once again dedicated to sharing our balanced information with the university community as voting begins. The student body cannot make an educated decision without information on all candidates, nor should a student blindly vote for a candidate based on hearsay, friendships or other trivial factors. Students should investigate the issues at stake that could potentially affect them during their time at Point Park and make a
choice based on plans of action. When looking at the big picture, USG’s election season prepares the entire student body for political action, not just the candidates. A smaller-scale election like that of USG is really a model of any national election that all students can participate in upon turning 18. Point Park preaches its location on the corner of Real and World, and this is yet another opportunity the university gives its students prior to becoming a working member of society. If we learn to cast an educated vote now, we will only prepare ourselves for a larger-scale election. We at The Globe are asking the university community to be informed about the candidates it is electing to represent the entirety of the student body. We share any and all information and encourage every student to be curious, well-informed and even question candidates on their own. After all, these candidates may be students like us, but they are our representatives.
The Point Park Globe globe@pointpark.edu
How words stick around long after they are said, a prime example By Shannon Hartnett Staff Writer
Tucker Carlson has been in the media lately because of his comments made on the “Bubba the Love Sponge” show between 2006 and 2009. The backlash is because Carlson has refused to apologize for the comments he made. Instead, he invited anyone who wanted to speak to him about the issue to his show, where he is live on television every weeknight for an hour. This caused for more outrage in the media and started the trend for the hashtag #FireTuckerCarlson. I am not going to write out the comments he made in 2006 - 2009, because, as the media says, they are awful things to say and I agree with that. His comments were racist, sexist and he even made questioning remarks about former president Barack Obama’s race. I agree, these comments are terrible to say and I don’t condone
people saying those kind of things. What I disagree with is ruining another person’s career because of something that was said over ten years ago. In the public eye, celebrities, or anyone with a platform for that matter, has no room for error, even if it was over ten years ago. The same thing happened to Kevin Hart for making jokes on Twitter about his son being gay in 2010. He had to step down from hosting the 2019 Academy Awards. The really big thing here is that people should be focusing on that it was over ten years ago. I’ll say it again, ten years ago. That was a whole decade ago. Do you know how much people change within a year, let alone ten years? Not only do people change, but the environment and culture has changed. In 2006, 2009 or even 2010 these types of comments didn’t make the
news. Not enough people felt offended or empowered to call out people for what they were saying. These comments of Carlson’s were made on a public radio show. He wasn’t keeping them a secret and many people heard what he had to say and no one did anything about it back then. But all of a sudden ten years later the non-profit company Media Matters decided to bring back these statements from a shock jock radio show. Here in 2019, times have changed. These types of comments are no longer acceptable in society. If the public decides to go back into every famous person’s accounts and lives they are all going to find something to be offended by that could potentially destroy the career of said person. Carlson responded in a different way, by challenging people who wanted to know what his current opinions were to come onto his show
and talk about it. This is not the reaction of a man who is scared or is being ruined by some resurfaced comments made in 2006 or 2009. Logically if we think about the reaction of someone who truly thought these things they would not want to entice the media and the army of avid supporters against them. The reasoning for Carlson’s response was probably because he doesn’t think those things any longer. Now if Carlson still thinks like this and continues to make these comments on his show then the media can crucify him and try to get him fired. Only then would I support the deconstruction of a person’s career. The human individual is imperfect and makes mistakes. We have all said or done things we are probably not proud of in our lives and the majority of us are only in our late teens or early twenties. Imagine in ten years from now when you are 30 and someone
decides to bring back a tweet from today. We all say things we are not proud of and instead of attacking someone for something said a decade ago, the first question we should ask is, “Does this person still stand behind the things they said?” If the person agrees with the previous comments, actions or ideals, then the outrage can begin. Sure, Carlson could have said, “Hey guys, I am sorry, but I don’t think these things anymore,” but more often than not even when celebrities do apologize, the public doesn’t forgive. The general public consensus is that someone made a bad decision and therefore they will forever be defined by the bad choices they made. What people should focus on is the here and now and what people are doing today rather than comments made a decade ago.
Shannon Hartnett shartn@pointpark.edu
Covering the world of Point Park University news since 1967 Editor-in-Chief: Carley Bonk Editor-Elect: Dara Collins Business Manager: Cortnie Phillips Faculty Adviser: Christopher Rolinson Administrative Adviser: Dean Keith Paylo The Globe board consists of Carley Bonk, Dara Collins and fellow editors. Opinion articles, letters to the editor, columns and cartoons do not necessarily reflect the position of the newspaper or editorial board. The Globe reserves the right to refuse advertising and edit all submitted articles and letters to the editor. Letters to the editor must be signed and include author’s contact information. The Globe offices are located at the corner of Wood Street and Fort Pitt Boulevard. Writers should address letters to:
The Globe 201 Wood Street, Box 23 Pittsburgh, PA 15222 or globe@pointpark.edu
News Editors: Jordyn Hronec, Andrew Brinker Photo Editor: Gracey Evans
Public Relations Coordinator: Kayla Snyder
Features/A&E Editors: Amanda Myers, Payton Comunale Photo Editor: Kelsee McHugh
Staff Photographers: Joie Knouse, Jared Murphy, Katie Williams, Nick Koehler
Advertising: Submit advertising related inquiries to globeadvertising@pointpark.edu All ads must be approved by the university. The deadline for ads is Friday at 5 p.m. Details: ppuglobe.com/advertising
Sports Editors: Allison Schubert , Robert Berger Photo Editor: Robert Berger
Story Ideas: If you have a story you think the Globe can use, email globe@pointpark.edu Meetings: Mondays at 2:40 p.m. in the CMI Details: ppuglobe.com/contribute
Copy Desk: Hannah Walden, Sarah Gibson
Opinions Editor: Jordan Slobodinsky Online Editor: Nicole Pampena
Social Media Coordinators: Joie Knouse, Tia Bailey
Graphic Design: Alysse Baer
Staff Writers: Shannon Hartnett, Amanda Andrews Copy Editors: Nick Horwat, Tia Bailey, Ian Brady, Nathan Vrablic Delivery Assistant: Mitchell Drake, Kortney Lampel
SPORTS
THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2019
7
All In with Allison By Allison Schubert Sports Columnist
The Man Behind the Pioneers There are 15 varsity sports offered at Point Park, including soccer, track and field and cheerleading just to name a few. We all know the new Athletic Director that was hired this year; John Ashaolu has made himself very present on campus and has done a great job tackling numerous difficult decisions since his start. The coaches are wellknown on campus too. Anyone who follows a team knows who calls the shots and anyone who steps foot in the Athletic Department will recognize which cubicles belong to coaches. One person within the department likes to keep a low profile, and while doing so, keeps the spark of the Pioneers alive. That man is Director of Athletic Communications and newly-named Associate Athletic Director Kevin Taylor. Taylor is in his eleventh year at the school as the Director of Athletic Communications and has served the past five years as Assistant Athletic Director before being promoted to Associate Athletic Director for the Spring 2019 semester. His work has been noticed outside of just Point Park, being named the official River States Conference (RSC) Sports Information Director at the beginning of the 2015-16 school year. Anyone can go to the Point Park Athletics website and read the rest of his biography, but what you cannot find out from that website is that Taylor is one of the most hardworking individuals on this campus. As a work study for the
Athletic Department, I attend my fair share of Pioneer games (of all sports, not one in particular). The one constant at all of those games? Taylor is there trying to put on the best broadcast he can, record statistics during the game, run the public address system and get all of the advertisements and announcements in, all the while thinking of ways to improve the broadcast for the next game or the next season. In just my three years here, we have gone from a basic one-camera backand-forth live broadcast to a multi-camera in-depth look at the games, complete with a brand-new switcher, new cameras, and high definition capabilities for our live streams of the broadcasts. Of everything that I have done on campus, being a part of those broadcasts and working with and under Taylor are some of the most enjoyable. Maybe that is because I am a sports junkie that loves broadcasting, but it seems that everyone who has come out to help out on the broadcasts would agree to some extent. Working in the Athletic Department has been my happy place - that and being here, writing about it. There is no one on this campus who is as dedicated to Point Park Athletics and all things Pioneers then Taylor is. He does not do things just to get them done, he enjoys the process. I think we could all take a page out of his book on how to love what you do and do a great job at it.
Allison Schubert alschub@pointpark.edu
Robert Berger | Point Park Athletics Junior Xavier Stephens competes at Schenley Park in the Carnegie Mellon Invitational during this past cross country season. Stephens is about to enter his third outdoor season as a Pioneer and is hopeful of another championship.
Turning hatred to passion, Stephens finds his calling By Robert Berger Co-Sports Editor
In the winter of 2014 during what was his sophomore year, Xavier Stephens was cut from the Albert Gallatin High School basketball team. Since then, Stephens hit the ground running and hasn’t looked back. “I’ve always loved basketball because it’s different than any other sport,” Stephens said. “You can’t get with a friend and play 1-on-1 baseball, but with basketball you can pretty much play anywhere.” Now a junior here at Point Park, the middle distance captain of the men’s track and field team and has earned himself a number of accolades on the track as well as on the trail as a member of the cross country team. These accolades include being named an indoor track and field All-American runner, winning five individual conference championships, two team conference championships and appearing at two national championship meets. However, years before the numerous awards were won, Stephens had an underwhelming freshman season on the basketball court which lead to him being cut the following year. “That was really the turning point where I said, ‘Okay, I’m going to focus just on running from here on out,” Stephens said. While Stephens began running competitively during his seventh grade year, he racked up his first career highlight on the track his senior year of high school by competing in the state championship in the 800 meter event. It was during this season when Kelly Parsley, former head coach of the Point Park track and field team reached out to Stephens and convinced him to represent the Pioneers for the next four years. “I actually verbally committed to California University before I even talked to Point Park,” Stephens said. “It was the city as a campus and the scholarship money that really made me change my mind.” Like a number of collegiate runners, Stephens competes on the cross country team in addition to track and field. He picked up this sport during his senior year of high school and admits that his relationship with it hasn’t always been the best. “I was really bad that year and I hated it,” Stephens
said. “I think I just wasn’t ready for it because I wasn’t used to running anything over a half mile.” Fast forward three years and Stephens is now a captain for the cross country team as well as a conference champion in the sport. His average distance workout includes him up to 10 miles at a time. Stephens credits teammates seniors Desmond Marrow and Andre Lowery among others for turning his disdain for cross country into a passion. “I didn’t want to run my freshman cross country season because I wasn’t good, so coach told me to talk to Desmond since he runs the same track events as me,” Stephens said. “Because of that I became really close to him and worked with him.” Marrow recalled Stephens was shy when starting college but says he has since seen him become a leader and go from a “great runner to a fantastic runner.” “At first I told him that cross county was beneficial for you not just physically but mentally because it brings you so much closer to your teammates,” Marrow said. “That preseason, working with him were some of the best times I’ve had, and I have seen him grow into a better athlete.” Now in his third outdoor season, Stephens has transitioned into a leadership role much like the people he looked up to three years ago. “His approach to the
sport is definitely one of a silent leader who leads by example,” Head Coach Jim Spisak said. “The younger guys see how hard he works as well as how successful he is and they know it’s not a fluke.” Freshman Dennis McDermott attests to this. “Xavier has purely motivated me by his work ethic. He does not take days off,” McDermott said. “Along with this, between all the adversity we have faced as a team, he has not said anything about issues and has just kept his head up.” The work ethic and dedication of Stephens has also proved itself in the classroom as he finished this past semester on dean’s list. Majoring in business management, he hopes to pursue a career in sales, with a dream job of working as a global marketing manager for Nike. However, with graduation in a year’s time, Stephens is focused on the outdoor season which just got underway this past week. After ending the indoor track and field season as a conference champion, he is hopeful to achieve this status once again. “This season, I really hope to win the 800 meter and 1500 meter events at conferences,” Stephens said. “Most of all, I really want to be named All-American at the outdoor national championship this year.”
Robert Berger raberge@pointpark.edu
8
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2019
SPORTS
THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY
Baseball swept in 3 games by IU Southeast Team suffers first conference series loss since the 2017 season opener By Robert Berger Co-Sports Editor
Last weekend the baseball team was swept in a three-game series by Indiana University (IU) Southeast during Point Park’s home opening games. “We have to take a step back and get back to what we were doing before, which was swinging the bats well and pitching the ball well,” Head Coach Loren Torres said. “We can’t let the offense and pitching collapse like it did this weekend.” This past series marks the first time the team lost a conference series since the 2017 season. It was also the first time since 2016 the Pioneers were swept during a conference series. Point Park dropped the first game Friday afternoon to a score of 11-0. The game was scheduled for nine innings, but was cut short in the seventh due to the River States Conference (RSC) mercy rule being taken into effect. During the home opening contest, Point Park started senior pitcher Felix Castillo. Castillo threw for four innings, allowing five runs with only two counting as earned. Through his four innings pitched, he racked up four strikeouts. Junior pitcher Marco Quintanar was brought in as relief in the fifth inning and lasted for two. While doing so, he gave up two hits and just one run. The biggest factor against Point Park were key fielding mistakes throughout. The defense ended the game with five fielding errors on the scoreboard. “A lot of ground balls and a lot of repetitions are what we are going to do this week,” Torres said. “We have to get back to the basics and get down to playing solid fundamental baseball.” The final pitcher to enter for Point Park was senior Anthony Savarino who pitched the final inning. After giving up five earned runs on four
hits, and the Point Park bats failed to score in the bottom half of the inning, the game was ended. The second game of the series also ended with the ten run rule taking effect against Point Park, this time with a final score of 13-2. Point Park’s scoring efforts came in the fourth inning while trailing 10-0. The inning began with senior Jake Forgrave lining a lead off single to the outfield. Sophomore Ed Pfluger followed it up with a home run to left field. Three of the Pioneers’ hits came that inning, with the final effort being a single by sophomore Alejandro Pelaez. The IU Southeast offense dominated throughout the game notching 15 hits during the contest. While fighting to salvage a win out of the series, The Pioneers fought the entirety of game three but fell to a final score of 2-1. Point Park was the first to score and did so in the first inning. Junior Cole Horew led the game off with a double down the left field line. He eventually scored after senior Erik Montero lined a single to center field. The Point Park pitching held up the entire contest and allowed no earned runs. Senior Nick Bucci took his start into the fourth inning while only giving up five hits. Bucci gave up two runs before being taken out, but both were unearned as a result of two separate fielding errors in the infield. Junior Ryan Huber pitched in relief, starting in the fifth inning and pitched the remainder of the seven inning game. Through three innings pitched, Huber allowed two hits and no runs. “I’m focusing on more than one pitch and being able to throw multiple pitches whenever I want them and wherever I want them,” Huber said. “That’s what I focused on pretty much this whole offseason.” Huber struck three bat-
Robert Berger | Point Park Athletics Senior infielder Erik Montero runs out a home run in a game last season. On the season Montero is batting for a .333 average with one home run after 22 games played. The team was swept last weekend by IU Southeast.
ters out, which made him the team leader with 31 on the season. Huber also led the Pioneers in innings pitched and holds the best ERA at 1.03. “I’ve also been working on my fastball a lot and I’m happy that I’ve been able to add a lot of velocity to it this year,” Huber said. This past week, the Pioneers also found out their ace starting pitcher senior Nick Beardsley will sit the remainder of the season out as a result of a torn Tommy John ligament. The series loss this past weekend dropped the Pioneers RSC record to 6-6. After holding onto a three-way tie for third place last week, the team now sits in a threeway tie for fourth. “We have to regroup for next week because we have the first place team coming up and it’s not going to get any easier,” Torres said. The team will continue conference play against first place IU Kokomo at home this coming weekend in a three game series Friday and Saturday afternoon.
Robert Berger raberge@pointpark.edu
Robert Berger | Point Park Athletics Senior pitcher Felix Castillo during a 2018 game. Castillo pitched the opening game of the series last weekend throwing for four innings and allowing just one earned run. The team however dropped the game 11-0 in seven.
Softball drops doubleheader to Siena Heights last Saturday Team back for RSC games next weekend, host CCU and OCU at Fair Haven Park By Allison Schubert Co-Sports Editor
Robert Berger | Point Park Athletics Senior pitcher Ashley Iagnemma took a one-hitter through the fifth inning against Siena Heights Saturday. Point Park however couldn’t hold on after allowing one run in both the sixth and seventh innings.
The Pioneers traveled to Adrian, Michigan this past weekend for a non-conference matchup against opponent Siena Heights, both games coming down to the last at bats. Both senior Ashley Iagnemma and the Saints’ Kelsey Uhl were riding a one-hitter through 5.0 innings. In the top of the sixth, the game was tied 0-0 before a few singles, a fielder’s choice, and a thrown-away ball allowed pinch runner Carissa Scekeres to reach home for the Pioneers. Siena Heights created a run of their own in the bottom of the sixth with a bunt single, stolen base, a sacrifice bunt, and brought in with a sacrifice fly. A sacrifice bunt for the Saints in the bottom of the seventh brought home the
winning run and handed Point Park a 2-1 loss. Juniors Chandler Krelow, Amber Cook, and Courtney Blocher each tallied one hit and freshman Taylor Goldstrohm had two hits throughout the game; four of the five hits came in the sixth and seventh innings. Iagnemma was handed the loss despite only giving up four hits and one earned run in 6.1 innings. Point Park came out in the second game looking for its first win in the last four games. The Pioneers built up a 2-1 lead through the first 1.5 innings, but Siena Heights scored one in the fourth, one in the sixth, and two in the seventh to dish out another loss to Point Park 4-3. The Pioneers out-hit the Saints 9-7 in the second game, with sophomore Maddie Horn and freshman Hailey Leitner each going two
for four. Krelow, Blocher, Goldstrohm, Scekeres, and senior Tiffany Edwards also had one hit apiece. Senior Katie Tarr had the nod on the mound to start the second game, and pitched the first 5.0 innings, allowing just one run and four hits while striking out nine and walking two. Edwards pitched the remainder of the game and ultimately was dished the loss. With these two losses, the Pioneers are now four and 13 overall and one and three in conference play, putting them second-to-last in the River States Conference (RSC) ahead of Ohio Christian. The Pioneers will travel to Waynesburg University before returning to RSC play on Friday and Saturday, hosting Cincinnati Christian followed by Ohio Christian.
Allison Schubert alschub@pointpark.edu