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Point Park
@PPUGlobe August 31, 2016
No union contract yet for full-time faculty
Covering the world of Point Park University news since 1967
Issue 1
Point Park police don body cams Editor-Elect
photo by Chloe Jakeila
Point Park police officers assisted with freshman move-in day Thursday and talked to parents about the latest addition to their uniform -- body cameras. The officers began wearing the cameras Aug. 1.
Fall semester begins with new provost By Iain Oldman Co-News Editor
Equipped with a philosophy geared toward student preparedness, Dr. John Pearson will oversee his first semester as the university’s new provost this fall. “John’s experience clearly shows a commitment to the same values that have allowed Point Park to thrive as a student-centered university with an eye toward innovation and community engagement,” Point Park University President Paul Hennigan said in a release. Pearson comes from Stetson University in DeLand, Fla. where he served various roles for the past 26 years. Most recently, Pearson worked as the associate vice president of academic affairs at Stetson. During his time at Stetson, Pearson created and curated multiple programs for the university, including an initiative designed to help students with undecided majors, as well as Stetson’s General Studies Program, which was
created “to improve the performance and retention of academically at-risk students.” The new provost pointed to Point Park’s faculty and student body as the main reasons he left Stetson University. “I was drawn here by the philosophy,” Pearson said. “I’ve always believed that student learning should be experiential.” Pearson expects to spend his first week of the fall semester walking around campus and observing the atmosphere. Beyond this first week, though, Pearson and his office are looking to asses the future of Point Park. “Do our programs provide our students the opportunity to learn all the things we want them to know and do? We have to assess that every year,” Pearson said. “We’re poised to really take off in some areas. Part of it is, we need to chart that course. We have to actually plan and think really strategically to work on and promote our existing programs.”
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photo by Chloe Jakeila
Point Park faculty and staff moved the herd on Thursday, Aug. 25 for freshman student move in day.
Weather Forecast
ppuglobe.com
By Alexander Popichak
Editor-in-Chief
UNION page 3
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POLICE, STUDENTS PREPARE FOR FALL
By Josh Croup
Point Park University’s full-time faculty members begin the 2016-17 school year without a contract after making little progress with the university in about 10 negotiating sessions since March 17. Full-time faculty members voted in June 2004 to unionize and join the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh/ Communications Workers of America. The university initially refused to bargain with the faculty, saying they are viewed as managerial employees and therefore ineligible for unionization. After more than 11 years of legal battles, the university announced in July 2015 it was dropping its legal appeals that went through the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the U.S. Court of Appeals and would begin the collective bargaining process. Michael A. Fuoco, president of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh, said contract negotiations with representatives from the university have moved slower than he expected. “The progress has been glacial,” Fuoco said. “We are starting from a blank piece of paper, but our view is that it should not be taking this long and that they’re doing a disservice to the faculty, which has shown them extraordinary patience and good will during these 11 years. “We think that should be repaid in some way in faster and more on-point negotiations. We’re not looking for anything excessive. We’re looking for a fair contract that will be beneficial to both parties.”
Incoming freshman already has his own business Josh Croup pens welcome letter to new students Pioneer Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2016 announced
Today: Mostly Sunny H 86, L 64
Thursday: Partly cloudy, H 79, L 58 Friday: Mostly sunny, H 77, L 57 Saturday: Sunny, H 81, L 58 Sunday: Sunny, H 85, L 62 Monday: Sunny, H 88, L 64 Tuesday: Sunny, H 90, L 67
Part of that will include maximizing the potential of Point Park’s newest and largest initiatives, the Center for Media Innovation (CMI) and the $74 million Pittsburgh Playhouse. “We feel incredibly confident that these things will be successful,” Pearson said. “We need to decide what does success look like and then look at if we’re on track to meet those goals. I think all of Pittsburgh knows the playhouse has great potential and will sort of be the heart of downtown.” The CMI, a new facility headed by school of communication professor Andrew Conte, will begin housing classes as early as the first week of the semester, but will host an official opening gala on Sep. 13. According to Pearson, the university has hopes that the facility will attract students from across the world. “I think it has the potential to be nationally and even internationally known for journalism,” Pearson said. “Success there will be the number of people who work there and where they come from. It helps with the reputation of the university, which in turn helps the reputation of the students.” Banking on investments such as the CMI and the Pittsburgh Playhouse will be important to the future of the university, according to Pearson, though he also points to coordinating with the faculty to craft innovative programs. “Our job right now is to make the Point Park of the future,” Pearson said. “We need to be creating the Point Park that will exist in five years, 25 years. Universities need to be at the forefront, not following trends.”
PROVOST page 2
Globe Point Park
The Point Park Police Department has used bodyworn cameras about the size of a deck of cards since the beginning of August. The Point Park Police Department is one of the first university police departments in the state of Pennsylvania to use body-worn cameras and was the first to equip all sworn officers with them. The goal, according to Vice President of Public Safety and Chief of Police Jeffrey Besong, is to provide another tool for police officers and add another layer of accountability to the federally-accredited police department. “We wanted to use the technology to assist the officers in their report writing, being specific, as well as we can monitor our officers following procedures properly,” Besong said. “One of the most important aspects [of implementing body-worn cameras] is that it will de-escalate a situation.
POLICE page 3
CulinArt takes over as new food provider By Josh Croup Editor-in-Chief
When students left Point Park’s campus for the summer, Aramark, the university’s now-former food service provider, was not far behind. Students have now returned to campus for the fall semester, leaving Aramark in their rearview mirror. CulinArt Group began as the new official food service provider of Point Park University in May, replacing Aramark, who served as Point Park’s food service provider since 2001. CulinArt had the chance to transition to the university during the summer months when it made upgrades to the Point Café and renovations to the Lawrence Hall Dining Room. CulinArt also provided catering for multiple summer events, including the Pioneer Experience orientations. Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students Keith Paylo said a change was “necessary and appropriate” for Point Park’s food service provider. “I’m excited and I believe the university is very excited to be engaged with a new food service company,” Paylo said.
FOOD page 2
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016
NEWS
New provider aims to fix Aramark’s mistakes from FOOD page 1
from PROVOST page 1 “Point Park can be that school that is at the forefront, but we need to envision what that is.” However, a potential roadblock exists as the university and its full-time faculty continue to negotiate on the first union contract. Full-time Faculty voted to unionize and join the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh/Communications Workers of America in 2004 and began negotiating their first contract with the univer-
sity in March. Pearson replaces the outgoing Karen McIntyre, who served in the position for the past five years. McIntyre will take a yearlong sabbatical before returning to chair the recently created Department of Innovative Learning. Currently, Pearson does not have an assistant provost serving under him, though the university is currently seeking to fill the position. In the meantime, longtime associate provost Jim Thomas
will help Pearson serve his duties at the school. Pearson will split his weekends between Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C., where his husband recently found a job within the financial sector. The new provost is acclimating to life in Downtown Pittsburgh, where he resides and said friends have already promised to visit for Steelers games.
Iain Oldman idoldma@pointpark.edu.
s ros CRIM c nEotREPO o RT d MONDAY, AUGUST 22 1:30 a.m. Thayer Hall Harassment: Under Investigation
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24 11:34 a.m.
Lawrence Hall Theft: Under Investigation
3:26 p.m.
Blvd. of the Allies Off-Campus Robbery: Under Investigation
SATURDAY, AUGUST 27 8:44 p.m. Blvd. of the Allies Alcohol Violation: Cleared
9:39 p.m. Stanwix Off-Campus Alcohol Violation: Cleared
SUNDAY, AUGUST 28 1:01 a.m. Lawrence Hall Alcohol Violation: Referred to Student Conduct
photo by Chloe Jakeila
Data compiled by Alex Grubbs Design by Emily Yount
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It is John Pearson’s first full semester as provost at Point Park after taking over in June as the university’s chief academic officer. The new provost emphasized the importance of hands-on learning.
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Bus fare, PointSync topics at first USG meeting of new semester s os
Josh Croup jdcroup@pointpark.edu.
McIntyre to take yearlong leave before returning for new role
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Terry Chavara is the new catering manager and assistant food service director. She previously served on the catering staff at Carnegie Mellon University where CulinArt is the current food service provider. Chavara said she enjoyed getting to know the Pioneer Ambassadors and other student leaders on campus during the summer who were supportive and provided helpful feedback. “I have to say, I like students and I like working with students,” Weiss said. “It’s been about a year and a half since I started working on college campuses. I had no idea how much I would like working with college students. I really wasn’t sure how working with students was going to work out for me. I like it a lot.” Paylo said students he talked to have enjoyed CulinArt’s products early on, but asks students for patience moving forward in the early months. “I would be lying if I said I’ve heard one complaint,” Paylo said. “It’s been a lot of praise, which I’m very excited about. Is it perfect? Nothing is perfect. I would classify it as a smooth transition. There are going to be hurdles no matter what. From the feedback I’ve personally gotten from students, it has all been very positive.” The Lawrence Hall Dining Room received a facelift in recent months. According to Chavara, all but one station in the serving area was replaced. The space has new counters, new paint and “very clear signage,” which was a frequent complaint of the dining hall in the past. The dining hall also features a self-serve bowl station where customers can make rice and noodle bowls, among other selections. Chavara said there are always vegetarian options available in the dining hall and the staff can “always prepare vegan options.” Chavara said CulinArt plans on renovating and remodeling the Point Café while students are on winter break. She said they intend on removing the wall in the middle of the café to open up the space and create more room for customers. The Point Café also now serves Coke and Snapple products. Meal exchange is
also still an option in the Café during lunch, dinner and late night hours. While the Point Café is currently closed on Saturdays, Paylo said students can expect to see Saturday hours in the near future. Premieres, the café at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, is not scheduled for major renovations or upgrades due to the Playhouse’s future relocation downtown. Premieres will however now have a machine that allows the staff to prepare hot foods including flat breads and hot sandwiches. Flex dollars are still accepted at the campus Starbucks, but gift cards are currently not accepted due to a “minor glitch” with the point of sale system. Chavara said customer service is a priority of CulinArt’s. Two of the main complaints the United Student Government received about Armark were quality issues and customer service problems. According to Chavara, CulinArt retained “all but a couple employees” from Aramark’s staff. Some received promotions and others will continue the duties they performed with Aramark. Chavara said CulinArt is training its employees so they understand the “CulinArt way.” An open door policy with the food service workers has also worked out well so far, she said. “I think a lot of the staff is excited to come back because they’re getting to do new things and they’re getting educated, which I think a lot of them wanted,” Chavara said. “They were tired of just the same old. Not only are we learning how to do our food, but we’re learning how to interact with the students. It’s a reminder that we’re here for the students. Without them, none of us have jobs. What’s the point?” Kristy Weiss, the new director of food service, echoed Chavara’s comments in a May interview when CulinArt began its operation. “The expectation is to have students come back and enjoy our dining services,” Weiss said. “I want to bring in the student population more and interact with them more. I want them to know who we are. Customer service is a priority.”
THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY
USG By Alex Grubbs USG Beat Writer
Kicking off the fall semester, Point Park’s student government president swore in a new executive cabinet after a universal senatorial vote. United Student Government (USG) President Blaine King swore in Charles Murria as parliamentarian, Davion Herron as recording secretary, Amedea Baldoni as treasurer and Sabrina Bodon as press secretary at USG’s meeting in the Student Center on Monday, Aug. 29. Voted in as senators at the end of last year’s spring session, Brianna Adams, Daniel Murphy, Gracey Evans and Kayla Damazo were sworn in, as well as appointed senators KacieJo Brown, Maddy Aicher, Mario Avila, Shannon Sager and Shayna Mendez. King also appointed Michael Gieseke, Dean of Student Life, as co-advisor to USG, joining Keith Paylo, Vice President of Student Affairs. Due to lack of a student body census, which dictates the amount of money USG can allocate to clubs and organizations, USG cannot set an official amount for funding. However, Paylo insisted that an estimate should be put into place for funding until USG receives the official census. “The [lack of census] should not stop your fund-
ing moving forward…Take last year’s spring semester budget, and I would say, take $10,000 from it, just as an example, and use that total…at least for now,” Paylo advised USG. He also added that in the past, USG has stopped funding because of not having a definitive number. During last school year’s sessions, a budget crisis hit USG after payments from the 2014-2015 year for the University’s bike program, OrgSync and Playhouse tickets were charged during the 2015-2016 fiscal year. OrgSync, a website used to connect the student body to campus organizations, has been replaced by PointSync, an updated website which features new tools for student engagement. Students can now address their concerns, such as elevator, food service and Wi-Fi problems, on campus through a new online form via PointSync, according to Bobby Bertha, USG Vice President. Mendez added that PointSync is easier to access than OrgSync, which will make it easier for students to voice their concerns. “When you click it [on the Point Park official website], it now says PointSync and it takes you directly to the Point Park OrgSync portal,” Mendez said. Vice President Bobby Bertha and King briefed senators with a strategic plan to accomplish in this year’s
USG sessions. “Some of the big points that we touched on were maintaining a positive communication with the student body to make sure that we’re communicating with them,” Bertha said of the strategic plan. “We’re making sure we’re letting them know we’re their voice—any problems they see or any problems that they have, they can come to us and talk about it.” King and Bertha also added Pittsburgh Port Authority bus fare to the plan, citing frequent student body complaints. “Since it’s become a hot button topic every year, seeing us actually picking it up would be beneficial for our opinions for the student body,” Bertha said. Bertha announced budget proposals from clubs and organizations need submitted by Sept. 6. The president pro-tempore of USG, the liaison between senators and the executive body, will be elected after the election of incoming freshman senators, which is set for mid-September. Ballots for new senators are due to USG by Sept. 9. No meeting will be held next week due to Labor Day.
Alex Grubbs aagrubb@pointpark.edu.
THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY
NEWS
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016
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Officers embrace body camera usage, view as helpful from POLICE page 1 For example, if the officer arrives and there is a dispute on the street, which we just had an example of a few weeks ago, as soon as the officers told them they were recording, it de-escalated the situation immediately.” While the camera is on throughout an officer’s shift, the officer must initiate the recording by pressing a large button on the camera. In the event something is recorded accidentally, the recorded video is deleted. “As soon as the police officer gets dispatched to a call, he turns it on,” Besong said. “Based on where his location
is at the time of the incident, he keeps it on at all times. However, if the officer is going into a private area such as a residence, he will turn it off unless he has the resident’s consent to walk in with the camera on.” The only exception is in the event of exigent circumstances – cases where a resident of the public is in immediate danger. “If there’s an exigent circumstance, and it has to be for us not to wait for the AOD [administrator on duty],” Besong said. “If we hear loud screams or someone crying for help, we will knock on the door, announce ‘Point Park Police, open up’ and the cam-
era will be on because no one has told us otherwise. As soon as we get the situation under control, we turn it off.” Besong said this is just one aspect of the comprehensive policies and procedures the Point Park Police Department have put in place with respects to body-worn cameras. Besong wants students to know that this is a protection for them, as well as for police. “We review the tapes [for training] and see what the officers are doing correctly, see what they can do better,” Besong said. “I’ve been watching them for the past couple of weeks and it’s forcing our officers to remember what they have
been trained in, and most importantly professionalism. If there was any concern of mistreatment or excessive force or any of those issues that come along that we hear about across the country, we will address that.” Some officers on the force see the cameras in the same light as Besong – as a way for quality assurance. “It’s an assurance for the police officers and there’s definitely an accountability factor on both sides,” Lt. Nicholas Black said. Officer Alex Lee has a similar perspective. “In today’s policing, it’s more proactive; this is definitely a step in the right direc-
tion. The cameras are valuable tools to assist us to do our jobs better,” Lee said. Besong implores students to come to the police if necessary. “If they have any questions or concerns, they can always call us; you have to be street smart since we’re downtown,” Besong said. “We have a really good police department, and I’m really proud of them and we do things right here.”
Alexander Popichak apopic@pointpark.edu.
Union members refuse to rule out striking as possibility from UNION page 1 Representatives from the university could not return a request for comment in time for print publication. The university’s stance that faculty members were considered managerial employees was consistent with the 1980 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in NLRB v. Yeshiva University that deemed faculty members with managerial duties ineligible for unionization. Point Park dropped its appeals last December after an NLRB ruling rejected Pacific Lutheran University’s claims that its faculty were managerial. The NLRB does however consider department chairs, even those who teach classes, managerial employees and therefore do not qualify for the union. Joseph J. Pass is a lawyer at Jubelirer, Pass & Intrieri P.C. and is representing the faculty during the negotiations. Pass has represented unions in 26 states and has been involved with labor movements for more than 35 years. While issues such as wages, pensions and healthcare benefits are on the negotiating table, he said such economic issues haven’t been discussed at length yet. “I think they are drag-
ging their feet,” Pass said. “Why are they dragging their feet? Of course the longer they don’t have a contract, the less money they have to pay…I think these people are just becoming really too slow. It’s not like we started this last month.” Robert H. Morsilli, the lead negotiator for the university and a principal with Jackson Lewis P.C., is based in Boston, Mass. Morsilli declined to comment. Pass and Fuoco said one of the most important issues for the faculty is ensuring the academic freedom of professors. Faculty, they said, want the freedom to teach without having restrictions on their ideas. “The real problem is our people want to keep this university as an academic university, not as a business,” Pass said. “[The faculty] are more concerned with academic freedoms and how students are treated. The university is more concerned with controlling the faculty and not giving them the freedom they need as professors.” History professor Edward Meena is one of the faculty members at the negotiating table. “We’re looking to maintain the academic integrity
of the tenured-track, fulltime professors, the academic freedoms in the classroom so that I can teach what’s relevant and so I can present what I want to in class and to address certain inequities throughout the compensation system for faculty,” Meena said. Fuoco said academic freedom is important to the faculty who are looking out for the welfare of the university. “They shouldn’t have to be looking their shoulder worried that what they say in the classroom could get them in trouble,” Fuoco said. “What we’re looking for is a contract that treats them with the kind of compensation and benefits and protections that they deserve.” Pass said he and the faculty representatives researched how Point Park compares to similar colleges in the Mid-Atlantic and eastern regions of the United States during the negotiating process. Against similar institutions in the region that are private, urban universities like Point Park, faculty is “17-or-more percent behind the average, while administration is about that above the average,” with some fulltime professors making “less
than $50,000.” “If you don’t pay people, you’re not going to get good people,” Pass said. “It’s pretty basic.” Other key issues on the negotiating table include the length of contracts, number of classes professors should teach and the number of part time teachers allowed to teach at the university. The Faculty Assembly needs to remain neutral on union matters, according to Faculty Assembly President Matt Pascal. Discussions at the assembly meetings often include academic standards, including new course and program proposals. While Pascal supports the union and is encouraged by the positive attitude he experienced from the new provost, John Pearson, he said he hopes to keep the assembly neutral in discussions that are on the union negotiating table. “We’re going to do everything we can as an assembly to keep things strictly business in the assembly and not take sides between the union and the administration,” Pascal said in a phone interview. “I’m going to do everything I can to keep the assembly neutral.” Plans to mobilize in an effort to “get the university’s
attention” are now being discussed among Fuoco and faculty members. He said their requests to negotiate at least twice a week were rejected. “We’re not saying we want to rush this thing,” Fuoco said. “This is our first contract, this is their first contract and we understand that it will take some time and work. We’re willing to put in the time and work.” Both Pass and Fuoco said full-time faculty would not rule out going on strike. “It obviously would be our last resort, but it’s not something that we would take out of our realm of possibility,” Fuoco said. “The way that we look at it, it’s in their hands what happens this school year. The last thing we want to do is disrupt the school year. But if this continues, that is a possibility.” Pascal does hope striking is not an alternative for a long time. Meena also is optimistic that the two sides will work out a fair contract. “It’s a lot of tug and pull,” Meena said. “I think we’ve made progress, maybe not as fast as we’d like. But we’re going to get a deal done.”
Josh Croup jdcroup@pointpark.edu.
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016
FEATURES
THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY
Student films to be produced during fall semester By Chloe Jakiela News Photo Editor
This summer, six crews of Point Park cinema production students prepared for their upcoming Production 3 (P3) films they will be making this semester. P3 is a cinema class taken after P1 and P2 in which students are put in a more real life filming situation. “Soup or Salad,” “The Elephant in the Room,” “Doll Face,” “The Avant Guard” and “Happy Hour” are some of the six films that are being created by cinema production students during the Fall. “In P1 you learn the importance of collaboration,” said junior cinema production major Mina Hoffman, director of “Soup or Salad. “Once you get to P2, you have a more solidified crew and you really gain an un-
derstanding of why it’s not just one person making a movie. P3 is about combining the skills you previously and really getting more of a feel for what it is like to film in the real world,” According to Assistant Professor of Screenwriting Steve Cuden, scripts are selected every spring in a screenwriting competition that is open to any student in the cinema program. Cinema students who want to participate submit up to two screenplays that can be shot in two to three day weekends on a budget of a few thousand dollars. At this stage in the process of creating a P3, the crew of Soup or Salad has so far fundraised their film and are currently location scouting. In the next couple weeks, they will cast their actors. “Soup or Salad is a kookie crazy comedy about
“The Elephant in The Room” is a political drama directed by Max Cianci and produced by Zach Brown.
our protagonist Rob and his girlfriend Amber, and they have an evening of craziness,” said Olivia Shipman, producer of Soup or Salad. “Rob decides that he needs Amber in his life to keep him focused. He’s got anxiety and some issues that he really believes she helps him deal with, so Rob decides he wants to keep her in his life forever and proposes to her. “She reveals to him that she is already married to somebody else who happens to be named Rob. After this part in the film, even more craziness ensues.” On the opposite side of the genre spectrum, political drama “The Elephant in the Room” is about conservative candidate Frank, who mirrors Donald Trump to an extent, running for senate and is faced with the choice of continuing a steady campaigning career or sticking up for his son. According to director Max Cianci, Frank is a few days away from locking in his general election when he and the people he is working with during his campaign discover a video of his son kissing a man, and Frank has to decide to stick up for his son, who helped him through the campaign, or lose his successful campaign. In order for the crews to be chosen, each of scripts go through a judging process within the faculty. All of those screenplays then
“Soup or Salad” is a comedic film directed by Mina Hoffman and produced by Olivia Shipman. go into a pool, and the six selected producers decide which scripts they like. “We give students a $2,000 budget, but they can go out to raise other monies through Kickstarter, Go Fund Me and parents and friends and relatives,” said Cuden. Starting in May, Cuden got together once a month with the director, producer and screenwriter of each of the six films to revise the screenplays before production time. Although there is more freedom in P3, Cuden says that it is still a class and meets with the students periodically in school. After completion of pre-production with scripts, casting and location scouting , the six films will start to shoot at the end of September, then afterwards edit for post-production.
Producer of “The Elephant in the Room,” Zach Brown is looking forward to the challenges of shooting the film, along with both actors and students who are respected. “I’m looking forward to getting to shoot because there is so much anticipation and getting ready for it, that when the big weekend of shooting comes, it’s the best feeling,” Brown said. “After that first shoot, when the whole crew is working at what we’ve started, we’re motivated to do the best that we can with the limited time that we have,” Brown said. There will be a group screening for all six films in early December.
Chloe Jakiela cjjakie@pointpark.edu
Freshman splits time between company and school By Matt Petras Co-News Editor
Brandishing a high-quality camera in his hands and a smartwatch on his wrist, freshman cinema production major Matt Metrovich sat down for an interview Sunday afternoon. He always has a camera like that with him and often breaks the ice by asking people if they would like their picture taken. “I’m really awkward, and I embrace it,” Metrovich said. Any awkwardness aside, Metrovich is already the CEO of his own photography and video company, Metro Digital, which rakes in good money for the young entrepreneur and has a large following on Instagram. In fact, this Ringgold High School graduate has more than double the number followers than Point Park University on Instagram, and
he already makes enough money through his company that he decided to quit his part-time job at Subway. Metro Digital is an official LLC that Metrovich created in 2015, and he contracts his work out to various clients. Many of his clients are high school students looking for senior pictures. While film is his more predominate passion, he still loves photography. It gives him a quick fix that film can’t, he said. There have also been bigger opportunities, which came through collaboration with Emmy Award winner Emmai Alaquiva, who is the CEO of his own company called Ya Momz House, according to Alaquiva’s website. When Metrovich earned his Eagle Scout award, his peers asked him what he wanted to do with his life. He said he wanted to be a director. Alaquiva had done some
work with Boy Scouts, so the group decided to reach out to Alaquiva to give Metrovich an opportunity to meet him as a reward for reaching his elite status, according to Alaquiva. After geeking out together, as Metrovich put it, Alaquiva decided to bring him on board for some projects over the summer. “One of the ways I stay fresh and up-to-date and hip is my ability to understand that young people are literally taking this industry over, and they’re getting younger and younger,” Alaquiva said. Through Alaquiva, Metrovich was able to do a myriad of commercial photo and video work for several companies and groups, such as Rachael Ray. Metrovich helped shoot stills and video of dogs at PNC Park for Pup Night, which is an annual Pittsburgh Pirates event done
photo by Julie Kooser
Freshman cinema production major Matt Metrovich started his career under Emmy award-winning multimedia artist Emmai Alaquiva. At 18 years old, he now owns his own company and freelances throughout Pittsburgh.
in conjunction with Rachael Ray’s dog food line, according to the official Rachael Ray website. For all of these gigs, Metrovich received pay through Metro Digital. “[Metrovich’s] performance has been nothing short of professional,” Alaquiva said in a phone interview. “I feel he already has more experience than some college graduates.” Alaquiva gave Metrovich many responsibilities, including carrying equipment, shooting, interviewing and more, he said. Metrovich appreciated that Alaquiva trusted him with so much responsibility. He loves to have freedom and involve himself in as much of the film-making process as possible. That’s why he specifically chose directing over other cinema production concentrations such as producing or cinematography. “He’s very good at involving other people,” Jason Ficorilli, a good friend of Metrovich said. Ficorilli and Metrovich have known each other since third grade and have frequently collaborated on video projects over the years. Their partnership started back in their sixth grade Spanish class, in which they put together a video filmed on a tablet for a project. The class responded well to it, so they decided to keep making videos together for YouTube. Ficorilli doesn’t go to the same college as Metrovich, but he was definitely inspired by him. Ficorilli currently studies information technology at the University of Pittsburgh.
“He really made me see how [my area of study] worked rather than just hearing about it,” said Ficorilli. In tenth grade, the quality of these videos was improved thanks to a purchase made by Metrovich. When he was 16, Metrovich saved up for a year to get a $1,000 video camera—he wanted to take the craft seriously. “He’s dedicated to doing the best he can do in his field,” Ficorilli said. Metrovich is happy to be in college. He debated dropping out of high school, but he decided to stick it out and is happy with his decision. “I had senioritis when I was a freshman,” he said. During his senior year, he was able to leave school for work release, and since he’s the CEO of his own company, there was a twist. “I got to sign off on my own work release,” he said.
Matt Petras mapetra@pointpark.edu.
THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY
FEATURES
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016
5
Campus Activities Board kicks off school-year By: Karly Rivera
Co-Features Editor
Campus Activities Board (CAB) is starting off the school year with numerous events during the first week to get students involved and excited for the 2016-17 school year. “We do kind of like to start off with a bang,” said senior organizational leadership major and CAB vice president of programming, Nina Belcastro. “You know, hopefully [students] understand that it is this awesome throughout the year.” CAB will kick off the year Sept. 2 from 7-10 p.m. with a Coffeehouse event in the Point Cafe. Belcastro said this event is based on the Coffee with CAB series, which was held regularly last year and incorporated various activities to get people moving while enjoying coffee. “This year, we changed it up a little bit to give it more of a coffee feel because with Coffee with CAB, it didn’t really make sense doing the activities and having coffee,” Belcastro said. “But we really liked the coffee idea, so we wanted to do kind of a relaxed,
kind of chilled vibe, where kids could come in and enjoy some coffee, some live music, poetry.” Sophomore sports, arts and entertainment management major and CAB pioneer series coordinator Leah Sero said another aspect of the event that differs from last year is that CAB plans to bring in performers from on and off campus. The first hour of the event is a performance by local Pittsburgh musicians Harrison Wayne and Mitchell McDermott. “They’re kind of mellow artists. They’re not anything too much,” Sero said in a phone interview. “But that’s like our new vibe.” After Wayne and McDermott finish their performance, Belcastro said the rest of the evening is designated as an open mic for students. “If anybody has a talent that they want to share, they are more than welcome to do that during coffeehouse now too,” Belcastro said. “So we’re really excited about this year.” The open mic idea was inspired by last year’s Coffee with CAB songwriting event, according to Sero.
“We had a girl who re- Sept. 5 from 5-7 p.m. in Vilally didn’t want to share her lage Park. songs with us, but she was Sophomore business encouraged by the group,” management major and CAB Sero said. “So we’re hoping special events coordinator to get the same reaction.” Kaitlyn Smith said after the Sero hopes this will give success of last year’s event, students an she thought opportunity it would be a to “branch great idea to out” and start the year showcase off strong their talents. again with “We’re the picnic. a really “It’s a dance-oriway for stuented, talentdents to ed school,” meet new Sero said. people, en“So to get joy the scenmore of like ery of our the poet, the urban camsingers to pus in Vilkind of come lage Park, out and show to enjoy the us they have nice weather great talents Kaitlyn Smith and just take Special Events Coordinator as well.” a little break CAB Cof- Campus Activity Board from classes,
“[Students] should expect a laid-back atmosphere. There will be some great music going and some great food.”
feehouse will take place on the first Friday of each month. Sero said CAB will continue modifying the series for students as the semester moves along. After Friday’s entertainment, the organization is hosting the Pioneer Picnic for Labor Day festivities on
because the first week is a bit stressful,” Smith said in a phone interview. With a DJ and picnic food present, Belcastro described the evening as an “urban picnic.” “It’s really going to be an urban kind-of feel, like an urban picnic. So think
like string lights and hightop tables,” Belcastro said. Smith said there will be some traditional style picnic food available, such hot dogs and hamburgers provided by the school’s new food service provider, CulinArt. Smith has also arranged for other food options to take the event up a level. “But I’m also stepping it up a notch with some really good grilled food, which I’m going to leave a little bit of a surprise for all the students,” Smith said. While creating an opportunity for all students to gather and make new friends, Smith said she hopes everyone will be able to relax as well. “[Students] should expect a laid-back atmosphere,” Smith said. “There will be some great music going and some great food.” For more information on the organization and upcoming events, students can follow CAB’s social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Karly Rivera kmriver@pointpark.edu.
Annual fest uses comedy as a universal language Improv and stand-up combine at Pittsburgh Comedy fest By: Eddie Trizzino Co-Features Editor
Pittsburgh is a city that doesn’t lack comedic voices—long-form, shortform, musical, mythological and deadpan are just a few styles of stand-up and improvisational comedy on display at this year’s Pittsburgh Comedy Fest (PCF). “Everyone has a different genre and their own twist on comedy. It’s all about having a different take on something,” Ben Korman, public relations director for PCF, said about the variety of comedy displayed at the fest. The third annual PCF took place Aug. 25-27 at Henry Heyman Hall in Oakland. The fest was made up of three days of performances by national, local stand-up perform-
ers and improv groups, as well as workshops hosted by veteran comedians aimed at teaching the art of comedy to beginners. PCF was headlined by stand-up comedian Quincy Jones (not to be confused with the music producer), as well as improv duo Sheldon. The final show, which took place Saturday at 10 p.m., saw the two acts sharing the stage in a final comedic blast. The festival was created in 2013 by Comedy Arts Pittsburgh, and the first fest took place in 2014. Korman said that one of the goals of the organization was to bring people together by using comedy as a universal language, and the comedy workshops taking place at the fest were meant to teach people that language. “There are some peo-
ple we got from right here in town to host these workshops, and really it’s all about expressing yourself that is important,” Anna Reilly, executive director of PCF, said about the workshops taking place. Ten stand-up performers from around the country, as well as eight local performers chosen by a panel of comics, were selected by PCF’s Director of Standup Day Bracey, a comedian himself who performed at the fest in its first year, and hosted the stand-up portion of the fest this year in addition to the headliners. “The joy of it was honestly getting to work with so many skilled people and to see it all come together is really a compliment to everyone involved,” Bracey said about taking on the responsibility of the job.
Performers from local comedic institutions such as the Arcade Comedy Theater and Steel City Improv also played at the fest. “It was a great crowd, everybody was really well receptive to almost every joke I had,” John Dick Winters, stand-up performer at the fest and local comedian, said about the crowd’s reaction. Winters, who has performed around the country in cities such as Chicago and New York, believes Pittsburgh’s comedy scene is a “very young community,” but is one that is on the rise. In hopes of seeing the scene grow, he produces a stand-up show at the Arcade Comedy Theater called Technically Sunday every third Saturday of the month at midnight, a concept that is common
in other cities, but is the only one in Pittsburgh. “The comedy scene here is underrated, but it’s nice to see Pittsburgh get recognized as a national scene,” Michelle Riches, a volunteer at the fest who also performs improv at the Arcade Comedy Theater, said. The theater was filled with laughter during the shows on Friday and Saturday, at both stand-up and improvisational acts. “Laughing is universal.,” Winters said. “Not everybody thinks the same thing is funny, but everyone wants to laugh. When I see that happening, it makes me feel like I’m doing the right thing.”
Eddie Trizzino eatrizz@pointpark.edu.
Smokers Wanted
Smokers Wanted For paid research study The University of Pittsburgh’s Alcohol and Smoking Research Laboratory is looking for people to participate in a three-part research project. To participate, you must:
Currently smoke cigarettes Be 18-55 years old, in good health, and speak fluent English Be willing to fill out questionnaires and to not smoke before 2 sessions
Earn $150 for completing this study.
For more information, call: photo courtesy of Epicast Network
PComedian Quincy Jones performed twice as a solo stand-up act on Friday and Saturday, and also shared the stage with improv duo Sheldon for the final performance
(412) 624-8975
6
OPINIONS
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016
Students stuck between a Qdoba and a bagel place
The
Globe Point Park
By Laura Byko
Co-Opinions Editor
Fresh start with CulinArt We were all fed up, were we not? A trip to the Point Café almost guaranteed disappointment. A request for an item on the menu was often met with, “Sorry, we’re out.” A seemingly benign meal could turn into an evening sick in bed. Aramark is no longer Point Park’s food service provider after serving the university since 2001. After a year of public forums, interviews and requests for proposals, CulinArt was selected to replace Aramark as Point Park’s food service provider for 2016. It was time for a change. The United Student Government received seemingly endless complaints from students over the past few years about two subjects: Wi-Fi - a work in progress - and food service. USG filed a vote of no confidence with Aramark in the spring of 2015. College food is college food, but Point Park students deserved better than what they were served in recent years. Inconsistencies in management, poor customer service and subpar quality were all ingredients in a recipe that left Point Park students fed up with Aramark. CulinArt began its transition to Point Park in May, and renovations are scheduled for the dining facilities over the
THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY
course of the next year to further enhance the dining experience. A fresh start with new management will set the tone early in the semester. Most of the Aramark staff made the transition to CulinArt. We expect that with a better quality food source we will get decent service. CulinArt has given us every impression that this is a transition for the better. While talk is good, at the end of the day we are holding the new food service to their word. For far too long we were promised improvements of all shapes and sizes, and for years we have been disappointed. This is the dawn of a new day and a fresh start. We’re going to be patient as they settle in, but we are also going to be watching and expecting better than what we had in the past. The fact of the matter is that we have high hopes – and justifiably so. We deserve to have high expectations, but CulinArt deserves our patience with the renovations and updates. We expect CulinArt to have open ears, especially about hours, moving forward. There will be a learning curve, and we both have to be patient.
The Point Park Globe globe@pointpark.edu.
College is all about taking leaps. Some leaps are metaphorical, some are physical, but all can land you in some tight spaces. For instance, there’s Grant Birdsong, a 22-yearold Pitt student who on Aug. 23 tried to jump from the roof of a Bruegger’s Bagels to the roof of a Qdoba to impress a woman he’d met at a bar. He ended up wedged between the buildings, and it took emergency crews around four hours to destroy the Qdoba wall enough to free him. There are a lot of lessons college students, especially new ones, can take from his story. Perhaps the most obvious: Do not try to leap from a Bruegger’s to a Qdoba to impress a woman you met at a bar. But college is all about digging deeper, finding truths less obvious than “oh goodness you really should not jump off buildings, even if you’re only trying to get to another building.” An example: You might, over the course of your college career, find yourself between the Bruegger’s of your inability to grasp the material in a course on your own and the Qdoba of your need to feel independent, fully unable to move. You will never escape from that space on your own; you need the emergency
crews of professors, counselors and other university resources to help free you from that crevice. They will use the jackhammers of tutoring, one-on-one time and understanding to help you. But they will never arrive if you don’t call 9-1-1. If you don’t call 9-1-1 and admit you need help, you will rot between the restaurants,
“Some leaps are metaphorical, some are physical, but all can land you in some tight spaces.” Laura Byko
Co-Opinions Editor, The Globe starving even as the mingled smells of Mexican food and bagels torment you. Call 9-1-1. It might be a little embarrassing, but it would be far more embarrassing to die of starvation between a Qdoba and a Bruegger’s. If you’re a freshman in particular, you might also wind up stuck between the Bruegger’s of loneliness and the Qdoba of being too anxious to talk to strangers. Calling 9-1-1 in this case involves finding a club you’re interested in joining, and the
emergency crews will be the already-established members of those clubs. The Globe, for instance, is an excellent emergency worker whose jackhammers of inside jokes and near-constant absurdity can create a bond powerful enough to free you from that dark place. But it’s possible the Globe isn’t the right emergency worker for you. Flitting between emergency workers until you find the one strong and dedicated enough to free you from those restaurant walls is normal and healthy and part of the college experience. On the off chance you end up substance-abused between a literal bagel place and a literal Mexican restaurant, call 9-1-1 and take solace in the knowledge that someone has already made this mistake and survived with nothing but a broken ankle and (presumably) wounded pride. Someone has probably made every seemingly-catastrophic mistake you will make and survived. College is a time for growth, and growth can be painful, especially when that growth involves being extracted from the wall of a Qdoba by emergency crews. Welcome to Point Park. You’ll do great things here. May most of your leaps and all of your falls be metaphorical.
Laura Byko lobyko@pointpark.edu.
Write your history... a letter from the editor If you had the chance to write your own history book about your life, what would you put in it? What would you leave out? Who would you mention? I had the chance to read a lot this summer. No, I didn’t read the newest Harry Potter book or a bunch of click-bait BuzzFeed articles. I mainly read up on two subjects: baseball history and Point Park history. I know; it’s a strange mix. Reading baseball history was planned. My family took a weekend trip to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., which gave me a reason to learn more about the game, and I’ve also studied a lot of the Pirates’ history since I began interning with the club in April. The history of the sport is fascinating. I like to think I’m a student of the game. I love learning about how baseball has evolved over the years and about the people who helped shape the sport. I sorted through nearly 50 years of Point Park Globe issues in the newsroom in anticipation for our 50th anni-
versary celebration this February. I read hundreds of old articles over the course of the past four months and learned so much about the university. I also found an old Point Park history book buried in one of the closets in my office. Point Park really has evolved over the years, and this newspaper has been there through all its ups and downs for the past 50 years. Point Park, like baseball, has an interesting history and some fascinating people that helped shape our downtown campus. I didn’t plan to learn a lot about Point Park’s history this summer, but I’m glad I did. My dad calls me a “fountain of useless information,” and my fountain only grew this summer. All of the reading I did this summer made me think about what my own history book would contain. Who would read it? What will I do next that gets featured in the book? How many chapters would it have? I don’t know any of those answers, but I do know that it’s time to turn the page on the summer ’16 chapter.
Today begins a new chapter, folks. Decide today what you want written in this new chapter of your history book and go out there and make it happen. Make this chapter a long one. Make it fun. Make it interesting.
“Make your history book something worth reading. Start this chapter off right and make the most out of this year.” Josh Croup
Editor-in-Chief, The Globe Make this chapter one you’re proud to share with your friends and family. Don’t hold back. Try something new, talk to someone different and explore unfamiliar places. I sure hope I
can take my own advice. Today also begins a new chapter for this university. For nearly the past 50 years, the Globe has written the first drafts of Point Park’s history. For nearly the past 50 years, students have documented Point Park’s history and shared their opinions about the university in this newspaper. We’re only going to continue that this year and we hope you come along for the ride. If you want part of your next chapter to include writing for the Globe, we would love to have you on board. Either way, our next chapter begins today with yours. We’re writing the next chapter of the Globe’s history, and we will follow this university throughout the year as we detail the next chapter of its history. While you’re writing this chapter of your history book this year, you’re going to have some challenges. It’s not always going to look like a pretty coloring book. You’re going to have days when you want to give up.
You’re going to have weeks where nothing goes right. You’re also going to have days and weeks that are some of the best of your life. Keep your glass half full and don’t quit. I’ll share with you the best piece of advice I’ve ever received to help you through those inevitable tough times. There are three rules for surviving television that also apply to everyday life. 1. Don’t panic 2. If you’re panicking, stop 3. If all else fails, refer to rules one and two. You’ll be OK. You’ll write your own history book in the end. You decide what goes in it, so why not make it great? Make your history book something worth reading. Start this chapter off right and make the most out of this year. You’re the author. Write something worth reading. Because, why not?
Josh Croup Editor-in-Chief
COVERING THE WORLD OF POINT PARK UNIVERSITY NEWS SINCE 1967
Globe Point Park
The Globe board consists of Josh Croup, Alexander Popichak 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 the author’s contact information. Offices are located in rooms 710 and 712 Lawrence Hall. Writers should address letters to:
Advertising globeadvertising@pointpark.edu All ads must be approved by the university. The deadline for ads is Friday at 5 p.m.
The Globe 201 Wood Street, Box 23 Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Story Ideas If you have a news, sports, opinions or feature story that you think The Globe can use, email globe@pointpark.edu.
Josh Croup, Editor-in-Chief Alexander Popichak, Editor-Elect Autumn Barszczowski, Business Manager Dr. Aimee-Marie Dorsten, Faculty Adviser
Emily Bennett, Co-Copy Desk Chief Sabrina Bodon, Online Editor Laura Byko, Co-Opinions Editor Ourania Draklellis, Copy Editor Gracey Evans, Sports Photo Editor Francesca Fronzaglio, Co-Sports Editor Julianne Griffith, Layout Editor Alex Grubbs, Copy Editor Casey Hoolahan, Co-Social Media Editor Chloe Jakiela, News Photo Editor Arianna Khalil, Graphic Designer Julie Kooser, Features Photo Editor Jane McAnallen, Copy Editor Maggie McCauley, Public Relations Coordinator Jonnah Mcclintock, Copy Editor Kayla Novak, Copy Editor Hannah O’Toole, Copy Editor
Iain Oldman, Co-News Editor Isabelle Opsitos, Copy Editor Lauren Ortego, Copy Editor Nicole Pampena, Copy Editor Matt Petras, Co-News Editor Marissa Rayes, Co-Social Media Editor Carrie Reale, Co-Copy Desk Chief Michael Richter, Co-Sports Editor Karly Rivera, Co-Features Editor Jordan Slobodinsky, , Copy Editor Kristin Snapp, Copy Editor Kayla Snyder, Copy Editor Gerri Tipton, Online Editor Eddie Trizzino, Co-Features Editor Elizabeth Turnbull, Copy Editor Johanna Wharran, Co-Opinions Editor
THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY
SPORTS
CROUP’S CORNER By Josh Croup Sports Columnist
A guide to Point Park University athletics Point Park has invested in its dance and theater programs heavily over the years, establishing itself as one of the top dance schools in the country and one that places a heavy emphasis on the arts. The university has also proven that it is committed to investing in athletics, giving hundreds of student athletes the opportunity to participate in intercollegiate athletics. Point Park has established one of the top athletic departments in the River States Conference (more on that later) and has evolved into a diverse program with a winning tradition. If you’re new to Point Park, this column will serve as a crash course in Point Park athletics. If you’re a returning student, you still might learn something about your school’s sports teams if you read this to the end.
PIONEERS AND BISON
We call ourselves the Point Park Pioneers and the bison serves as our mascot, as it has since 1967, the school’s first year of intercollegiate competition. Point Park currently fields 14 varsity sports teams: Both men’s and women’s basketball, cross country, golf, track and field and soccer; baseball, softball and volleyball. Competitive cheer and dance is the newest addition to the Point Park athletic department, participating in its first season of competition this year. Point Park is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The NAIA puts a strong emphasis on enhancing the character-building aspects of athletics. It is smaller than the NCAA and is comprised mostly of small schools across the country. The NAIA includes over 260 schools, while NCAA Division I alone has nearly 350 schools.
NEW NAME, CONFERENCE
SAME
Point Park joined the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC) during the 2012-13 school year and received the KIAC Commissioner’s Cup, awarded to the top overall athletic department in the conference, three of the last four years. The conference will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2016 with a new title. The KIAC officially became the River States Conference on Jul. 1, marking the 100th anniversary of the conference that includes schools in Ky., Ind., Pa., W.Va. and Ohio. Conference officials announced in March plans to rebrand the oldest conference in the NAIA to better represent the 13 member schools across its five states.
LOCATIONS
Downtown Pittsburgh isn’t exactly an ideal location for a college sports program, but Point Park makes it work. The only team you can find competing regularly on campus is the volleyball team, which is featured in the photo to the right of this column. The
gym on the fifth floor of the Student Center plays host to all Point Park volleyball home games as well as the annual Battle of the Boulevard tournament slated for this Friday and Saturday. Admission is free to all sporting events in the gym. The Point Park men’s and women’s soccer teams will call Highmark Stadium home for the fourth year in 2016. The field where the women’s soccer team won its first KIAC championship is only a scenic 20-minute walk from campus. Also home to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds of the United Soccer League, admission is free to all regular season men’s and women’s soccer games at Highmark Stadium. Both basketball teams travel to the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) South gymnasium for home games. There’s no need to take an Uber or Lyft to CCAC to cheer on the basketball teams. Point Park frequently offers free “Fan Vans” that shuttle students from campus to CCAC South for the evening. Student admission is $2 and more often than not, the men and women both play home games on the same night, which means fans get two games for the price of one. When the snow begins to melt after a long winter, hop on a shuttle to support the Point Park baseball and softball teams. Point Park Field at Green Tree Park has hosted the Point Park baseball team since the fall of 2010 and Lind Field at Fairhaven Park in Kennedy Township is home to all Point Park softball home games.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016
7
Point Park cheer embarking on its first year as an official sport By: Francesca Fronzaglio Co-Sports Editor
If you told Alicia Lyons, the co-founder of Point Park’s cheer squad, that her club would one day be recognized as a an official university-sponsored sports team, she would have cried. “To know that others after I graduated kept that legacy alive and get to experience it in an entirely new way literally brings me so much joy,” Lyons said. Seven years of practices in hallways and ballrooms later, Point Park has a new addition to its athletics department – the competitive cheer and dance team. The co-ed cheer and dance team are now able to compete and be recognized by the NAIA. Head coach Bettina Herold and assistant coach Nicole Joyce will lead the squads with Kristen Musloe as the captain of the cheer team and Gabriella De Lima as the captain of the dance team. There are currently 17 members of the cheer team and 16 members of the dance team. Musloe is excited to be a
part of a team that is recognized as an official sport. “In the past, we’ve always had to fundraise like crazy and now that we don’t have to focus on that as much, we’ll have more time to focus on being the best athletes we can be,” Musloe said. Even though this is the first year for a dance team at Point Park, De Lima is excited to be the first captain. “Having this new team, we might not have all of our ducks in a row but that’s the best part because as a team we can build it to become something great,” De Lima said. Competing will be new to the upperclassman but De Lima isn’t worried. She says it will be a learn experience for this upcoming year but she’s excited to show off the new team. “We are all so thrilled about the competition aspect being added to our program,” Musloe said. “We have such a talented group of athletes, and we can’t wait to showcase our talents in competition.” De Lima and Musloe have similar goals as captains towards the growth of
the team. “I’m willing to push this team to their limit, and I hope that in return we come out as a stronger team then what they started as,” De Lima said. Both De Lima and Musloe said their goal is to be a leader that their teammates can look up to and rely on. Even though they are competing, they have come together to be a team and fight their way to be an official, recognized sport. What once was a club of 30 eager cheerleaders with t-shirts and pom-poms going to basketball games is now a competitive cheer and dance team that is recognized for their hard work, athleticism and determination to showcase the talent they have. “Being a part of a family that is so passionate about a sport that had to overcome so many obstacles that believed in the big picture and what it would someday become,” Lyons said. “That’s all it’s truly about.”
Francesca Fronzaglio fmfronz@pointpark.edu.
POINT PARK CAPTURES SECOND STRAIGHT KIAC COMMISSIONER’S ALL-SPORTS CUP
LET’S GO, PIONEERS!
I’ll preview the fall sports teams in this column during the next few weeks as the season kicks off. While you wait for those previews, let’s recap what you’ve learned today: The chant is, “Let’s go Pioneers!” The bison is on our logo and you’re bound to see the bison mascot roaming campus occasionally, but our teams are identified as the Point Park Pioneers. Point Park participates in the River States Conference, formerly the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, along with 12 other schools from a total of five states. The River States Conference is a member of the National Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. It is free to attend almost any Point Park sporting event. Plus, even though the volleyball team is the only one that plays on campus, Point Park’s athletic facilities are easily accessible. For more on Point Park sports, head to pointpark. edu and click on the “Athletics” tab, or follow the athletic department on social media @PointParkSports. Of course, be sure to pick up a Globe every week and turn to the sports section to read student coverage of Pioneer athletics, or head to ppuglobe.com.
Josh Croup jdcroup@pointpark.edu.
Photo Courtesy of Kevin Taylor, Point Park Athletics
Point Park University administrators were presented the KIAC Commissioner’s All-Sports Cup by conference commissioner Scott McClure (far right). Pictured (L to R) are President, Dr. Paul Hennigan, Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students, Keith Paylo, and Director of Athletics, Dan Swalga. It is the third time in four years Point Park won the KIAC Cup as the top overall athletic deparrment in the conference.
FREE ADMISSION TO ANNUAL VOLLEYBALL TOURNEY
Photo by Kendall Paige
Sophomore middle/right side hitter Ashley Taylor jumps to spike the ball during the Point Park women’s volleyball game against Corncordia on Aug. 24. The volleyball team plays all of its home games in the Student Center Gym on the fifth floor of the student center. Point Park plays host to the Battle of the Boulevard tournament this Friday and Saturday. Admission to all volleyball games is free.
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016
SPORTS
THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY
Point Park announces 2016 Athletic Hall 0f Fame By: Michael Richter Co-Sports Editor
Former Point Park baseball player Rob Dinwoodie and softball player Lindsey Baranski will be inducted into the Pioneer Athletic Hall of Fame on Oct. 1 in Lawrence Hall on campus. “Dinwoodie’s statistics showed strongly from a career point of view,” Point Park Athletic Director Dan Swalga said. “And Lindsey (Baranski) was a game-changer for our softball program.” The Pioneer Athletic Hall of Fame selection committee — which includes Swalga, Point Park Director of Athletic Communications Kevin Taylor and current Point Park softball head coach Michelle Coultas among others — narrowed this year’s inductees to Baranski and Dinwoodie. “This is a special honor,” Swalga said of the Pioneer Athletic Hall of Fame.
LINDSEY BARANSKI
When Point Park was calling for Hall of Fame nominations, Coultas — who is heading into her 11th season as head softball coach at Point Park — nominated Baranski, who was known by her maiden name Pesanka during her tenure at Point Park. “’I think you’re very deserving, and there’s a chance you could get inducted,’” Baranski recalled what Coultas said to her. Baranski, whose tenure at Point Park last from 20082011, is considered Coultas’s first high-level recruit as the Point Park softball head coach. “Baranski was [Coultas’s] first real star player,” Taylor said. “She was a huge part of ushering in the current state of Point Park softball. She was a cornerstone of the softball team for four years.” The current Point Park softball team is a consistent conference contender, and it is on an eight-year streak of winning records. Before Baranski arrived at Point Park, the softball program was in a lull. From 2005-
07, the softball team did not accrue more than eight wins in a single season. In Baranski’s freshman year, which was 2008, she became a team captain and the Pioneers improved to a 17-20 record. Moreover, Baranski hit .304 and won American Mideast Conference Freshman of the Year. Baranski referred to her freshman year as “stressful.” She was thrusted into a leadership position as a team captain, which was a daunting task for Baranski. At the end of the 2008 season, after Coultas informed her via phone call that she had won the freshman of the year award, Baranski broke into tears. “It made me feel like everything I did up until that moment was worth all the hard work,” Baranski said. During the following three years, Baranski helped the Pioneers acquire winning records in each of those seasons. Baranski is credited with being a huge key to Point Park softball’s transformation into a conference contender. “There were a lot of women on my team who were out to prove something, and I was one of them,” Baranski said. Baranski garnered an impressive .945 fielding percentage during her Point Park career. The Baldwin High School alum credits her great defensive play to her high school program. “[At Baldwin], we strived for perfection on defense,” Baranski said. “And I carried that over to my college career.” Baranski is astonished that her work as a softball player provides her with self-pride. “Hall of Fame is such a big title whether it’s a Division I school or Point Park,” Baranski said. “I’m very, very blessed.”
ROB DINWOODIE
While in attendance at the Canadian Open PGA golf tournament this past July, Dinwoodie received a call from Taylor, Swalga and the rest of selection committee, who informed him that he will be a part of the 2016 Pioneer Athletic Hall of Fame class. “It was pretty chilling,” Dinwoodie said. “The hair rose up on my arms.” However, Dinwoodie had to restrain his excitement, as he could not celebrate loudly while the PGA players were golfing. “It was hard to stay quiet,” Dinwoodie said. Dinwoodie chose to attend Point Park because it is close to his home in Toronto, Canada, and his friend and Point Park baseball player at the time Mike Murphy convinced him that he would be a good fit for the Pioneers. “[Murphy] told me, ‘We could really use you,’” Dinwoodie said. “’You would add a lot of value to the team.’” Dinwoodie’s Pioneer baseball career began in 1997 and ended in 2000, during which his average was .370, and he helped the Pioneers to the 1998 NAIA World Series. “Those were some very talented baseball teams,” Taylor said about the late 1990s Point Park baseball teams of which Dinwoodie was a part. Dinwoodie thoroughly enjoyed playing on those winning teams of the late 90s, as he mainly played on losing teams before he arrived at Point Park. “It was awesome,” Dinwoodie said. “I never had a sense of playing for a real championship team until I got to Point Park. Those teams were special.” Dinwoodie’s teammates Mike Smith, along with two of his fellow infielders Don Kelly and Ryan Ellis are already in the Pioneer Athletic Hall of Fame. “Dinwoodie was right there with them in terms of what kind of player he was,” Taylor said. “If you look at the
stats in terms of career numbers, Dinwoodie is leading or highly ranked in a lot Point Park baseball categories. When Dinwoodie became one of the selection committee’s finalists for induction, Taylor told Kelly, who currently plays for the MLB team Miami Marlins’ Triple-A affiliate New Orleans Zephyrs, said he viewed it as a “well-deserved” nomination. “‘He was just as good as we we were,’” Taylor said what Kelly expressed to him. During the 1998 NAIA World Series appearance season, Dinwoodie hit 21 doubles, which was a single-season school record for 14 years, until Lee Bodnar broke it in 2012 with 23 doubles. Dinwoodie attributes his hitting success from that season to hitting coach Al Liberi, who was in his first year with the team in 1998. “Liberi was able to bring some skills out of me that I hadn’t brought to table before in terms of my hitting,” Dinwoodie said. “ We would practice for hours upon hours endlessly.” When Liberi saw Dinwoodie bat for the first time, he was unimpressed. “‘Man, we got a lot of work to do with you,” Dinwoodie recalled what Liberi said to him. Liberi’s reaction surprised Dinwoodie, as he had just come off a 78-hit freshman year. Nevertheless, Dinwoodie accepted the challenge and strove to improve his performance at the plate. “I was always one willing to improve myself,” Dinwoodie said. In addition, Dinwoodie said Liberi also helped him develop into a better power hitter, which is why he hit a career-high 11 home runs in 1999. Prior to the outset of the 1998 season, Mark Jackson — who had just started his second stint as Point Park head baseball coach, had his players create team goals for the impending season.
“I think [creating season goals] helped steer us toward the NAIA World Series,” Dinwoodie said of the team-building exercise. Dinwoodie also remembers Jackson telling the team that if they accomplished something special, they would remember their teammates for the rest of their lives. While the Pioneers were eliminated early in the 1998 NAIA World Series, Dinwoodie does consider it a success. And he does remember all of his teammates. Despite a broken hand shortening his senior year to 11 games, Dinwoodie is in the top five of several Point Park baseball career stat categories. His 209 hits are third all-time at Point Park, the 198 runs he scored are second all-time, his 25 home runs are third all-time, and the 46 doubles he racked up are fourth all-time. “If he were able to play a whole [senior] year, he would be leading in every [Point Park baseball stat category] probably,” Taylor said. It is shocking to Dinwoodie that some of his career numbers still rank highly at Point Park, and he views it as payoff for all of his practicing. “[Point Park baseball] is a program with a rich history, so I didn’t go there with any expectations of having my name in any record columns,” Dinwoodie said. “The stats reflect upon my work ethic and my training, and I’m pretty proud of them.” Dinwoodie believes his upcoming Pioneer Athletic Hall of Fame induction is the zenith of his baseball career. “It’s the pinnacle for me, and I’m really proud of it,” Dinwoodie said.
Michael Richter mwricht@pointpark.edu.