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Globe Point Park
@PPUGlobe November 30, 2016
Covering the world of Point Park University news since 1967
By Iain Oldman Co-News Editor
CRIME page 2
Staff Writer
The Black Student Union (BSU) held Bless Up with BSU, their third open mic night of the semester on Nov. 16 in University Center. “Each month we hold an open mic night because we really like to have the students express themselves, especially through performances,” said BSU treasurer Ni’kyah Paskell. “We really just want to create an open environment for everyone”. BSU President Aniya Thomas and former BSU President and Point Park
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By Carley Bonk Staff Writer
them. Cranston answered by saying that directors should also have experience in acting so they have a better understanding of how to direct. “How dare [a director] tell me a piece of direction when [he has] never been in my shoes,” Cranston said, telling Randolph, whose concentration is directing, to take acting classes to become better at directing. Although it was an unanticipated answer for Randolph, he said it actually excited him and that he took Cranston’s words to heart, as he said he will “probably take an acting class now.”
More than 1,500 people gathered Nov. 16 at the Cathedral of Learning in Oakland to march to Pittsburgh’s South Side in a demonstration of support to communities that they felt have been marginalized since Donald Trump’s election. Demonstrators came together in solidarity to support those who have felt targeted by President-elect Donald Trump and some of his supporters. Dustin Butoryak, a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh, said he was there to protect the rights of his friends. “A lot of my friends have been marginalized by the election results,” Butoryak said. “America should be a safe place for everyone to speak their voice. There is a lot of fear in place now.” Meaghan Welch, a junior at Point Park, agreed that protesting gives a voice to those who feel they have been ignored. “This allows us to have some sort of voice in what happens from this point on,” Welch said. “We are causing disruption so people will pay attention. Hate is not the majority.” Some marchers expressed that they have felt silenced by the result of the presidential race. For many, this was the first election they were able to vote in. According to Isabel Tarcson, a freshman at Duquesne University, the outcome was more than discouraging. “This was the first election I was eligible to vote and I felt as if my voice didn’t matter,” Tarcson said. “Some of my friends have been marginalized as well. Protesting gives me the opportunity to
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photo by Gracey Evans
“Breaking Bad” star Bryan Cranston visits Point Park and interacts with students Wednesday, Nov. 16 in the University Center.
Bryan Cranston makes stop at university for Q&A session By Eddie Trizzino Co-Features Editor
Cinema professor Steve Cuden shared the George Rowland White (GRW) Theater stage with Bryan Cranston, an actor and director known for his roles in Malcolm in the Middle and Breaking Bad, for a Q&A session where he shared stories and from his career on Nov. 16. While students in the cinema and performance departments were the intended audience for the panel, the GRW auditorium was filled to capacity with students from all different majors to see Cranston. Cuden asked Cranston questions about his
life experience, to which he replied in an often humorous manner, to the delight of the crowd. “Write really well; don’t suck at writing,” Cranston said, “Write less so they’ll read more.” Students in attendance also had the opportunity to ask questions about getting and maintaining a career in show business, and about Cranston’s life experience in the industry, including how to make a name for oneself coming out of college. Junior cinema major Dave Randolph asked Cranston what mistakes he sees directors make in the professional world and how to avoid
Students’ art, talents showcased at Black Student Union open mic night By Robert Berger
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Protest runs from Oakland to South Side
On-campus harassment on the rise post-election Point Park University Chief of Police Jeffrey Besong sent out an email to all students Nov. 14 in response to an increased number of reported incidents of harassments on campus since Nov. 8, the night of the general election. In the email, Chief Besong wrote, “There has been an increase in the number of incidents related to harassment occurring on the streets within the Point Park campus over the past 6 days.” The window of six days pointed out by Besong alludes that the increase had occurred since the night of the election. Besong stated in an email to the Globe that the Police Department received four calls for harassment incidents since the election, but also reported that there were “several” cases reported to the university’s Title IX. The police were not called for those incidents. Point Park resident educator Tori Lemon said that none of the students on her floor have been harassed, though she has sensed uneasiness among them. “They’re all visibly upset at the result of the election, even though they haven’t been hurt personally,” Lemon, a sophomore stage management major, said. The email follows reports, primarily spread through social media, of women, minorities and the LGBT community experiencing a spike in harassments, assaults and other hate crimes. A popular Twitter collection titled “Day 1 in Trump’s America” congregated dozens of tweeted testimonies charging discrimination at the hands of alleged Trump supporters in
‘Cash CAB’ to take students on holiday shopping spree Cockroaches, Lawrence Hall and Donald Trump Volleyball comes up short in national tournament
alumni Christian Moore hosted the open mic and opened the night with an icebreaker activity. Thomas and Moore gave students the topic, “things black people say or do” while everyone in attendance shared a response. To start things off, Moore said, “if you don’t stop crying, I’ll give you something to cry about.” Performances started with junior musical theater major Kendall Claxton, who sng India Arie’s song “India’s Song.” Following Claxton, Point Park criminal justice alumni Percy Wimbs took the floor and recited a poem
about the powers of love. “Love affects us in every type of way,” read Wimbs. “Fall in love and learn to embrace it.” Following his recital, Moore asked Wimbs how poetry has been a blessing in his life. Wimbs responded by saying he wants to make a lasting impression on the people he meets and that poetry is the perfect way to do so. He served as a deacon at Zion Hill Church in Pittsburgh and often used poetry while speaking to parishioners. After the first perfor-
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PLAYHOUSE’S FINAL BEAM TO BE PLACED
photo by Gracey Evans
A construction worker welds material onto Point Park’s Pittsburgh Playhouse Friday, Nov. 11. The playhouse is projected to open in 2018. The final beam for the building is in the University Center for members of the Point Park community to sign through Dec. 1.
Thursday: Cloudy, H 45, L 36 Friday: Cloudy, H 44, L 31 Saturday: Mostly cloudy, H 45, L 33 Sunday: Rain, H 44, L 39 Monday: Showers, H 45, L 31 Tuesday: AM snow showers, H 43, L 34w
Globe Point Park
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Police increase presence at bus stops from CRIME page 1
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hopes the university can avoid taking political stances. “I personally think that the university should stay out of politics altogether and make sure students stay safe and have a good learning environment,” Lemon said. Both McGaw and Lemon offered suggestions on different policies the university could employ to ensure the safety of its students, both on and off campus. “If there was an increased police presence between the University Center and Lawrence Hall, I think we would see less crime,” Lemon offered. But McGaw believes that the university should do what it can to expand Point Park’s safety net to areas beyond campus, including expanding the police escort services to areas commonly visited by students, such as the parking lot at Station Square. Point Park Police have increased their presence at the bus stops on campus since they noticed the uptick in harassment incidents, but the university can’t supply an expanded police presence off of campus, according to Besong. “Unfortunately, we do not have the manpower to do escorts off campus,” Besong said. Still, McGaw said that only so much can be done to combat the problem of harassment aimed against women and minorities, a offense that she alleges is pervasive in society. “The university can address these problems—personal defense, training people on what to do if you see someone get harassed, educating people,” McGaw said. “It feels helpless sometimes, but it starts with making people aware of what’s going on.”
Iain Oldman idoldma@pointpark.edu.
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BSU meetings held every Wednesday from OPEN MIC page 1 mances, Thomas and Moore lead another game and broke students into groups to play Guess the Song. Group members picked a slip of paper with a song title out of a pile. Then, with one minute on the clock, that member hummed the melody while the group members guessed what the song was. Songs varied from Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” to the TV theme song of “That’s So Raven.” More performances followed the game as freshman cinema production major Lauren Killian performed his original spoken word piece “Just Imagine”. Killian’s piece concentrates on what it would be like if everyone would imagine what life would be like without material possessions and if the individual focuses on being a better person. “One person that really inspired me with this is the pastor, Joel Osteen,” Killain said. “I like motivating and inspiring people with my words, too.” Killian attends BSU meetings weekly and has even competed in spoken word competitions for prizes up to $20,000. BSU meetings consist of games and open discussions about anything students feel like talking about. A
group poem is also written at each meeting in which each student writes a stanza to create one large poem. Students are also given the opportunity to create artwork during meetings. During open mic night, some students worked on a poster board of paintings and words to express postelection feelings. The poster board piece was started at BSU’s previous meeting which was dedicated to post election discussion. “Some people have the perception that only black people can come, but that’s not it,” Paskell said. “Anyone is welcome, and we are open to talk about what affects everybody here at school or anywhere.” The BSU was founded in 1967 and has been a dedicated multicultural group for all students. The group disbanded for a few years, but alumnus Christian Moore reestablished BSU as a club in 2013. Currently, BSU meets every Wednesday from 5-6 p.m. in the JVH Auditorium. “Open mic night was the first event we did when we brought the group back and it kind of became our staple at Point Park,” Moore said. “I really like how BSU feels like family every time we meet,” said Moore.
Robert Berger raberge@pointpark.edu.
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the week after the election. One of the social media posts in the collection concerned an incident at Wood Street Station in downtown Pittsburgh. According to the Facebook post, a group of Caucasian men sexually harassed a woman in the station and attempted to assault her before a crowd intervened. In the post, it was reported that one of the men yelled “Grab her by the p***y,” a phrase uttered by Trump in released footage. Many of the harassment cases that Point Park students encountered occurred during the day and at bus stops, according to Besong. “Several of our students were harassed with ‘cat calls’ from non-students,” Besong said. Duquesne University, another downtown college campus, said in an email that it has not seen an increased number of reported harassments since the election. Pittsburgh’s Department of Public Safety also told The Globe in an email that the city has not seen an increase in reported cases of harassment, but did say that there have been two cases of graffiti using Trump’s name. Though the city denied that it has seen an increase in incidents of harassments, Point Park’s Her Campus president and sophomore student Casey McGaw said that harassment has become an unwelcome aspect of daily life for women, especially in downtown Pittsburgh. “It happens a lot,” McGaw said. “I’ve started changing my route just so I don’t have to walk by this group of construction workers. I don’t ever go to Wood Street; it’s a lot seedier than other stops.” McGaw points to Point Park’s location in downtown Pittsburgh as a possible explanation for the increased reports of harassment since Election Day, though she points to the election of Trump as at least partially responsible for the uptick in harassments and assaults on and off campus. “Racism and sexism have
always existed, but now these people came out of the closet,” McGaw said. “What he personally says about Muslims – everything in his personal political environment – I think it makes these people who have these underlying thoughts think, ‘This guy is president, it’s OK.’” The university’s administration and faculty have both addressed the issue concerning students’ safety in the weeks following the election. Faculty Assembly President Matt Pascal sent an open letter to full-time faculty members to collect signatures on a petition asking the school to address the safety and security of university students on Nov. 15. “Given the change in atmosphere in the country and the potential changes in policy, we plead with the university’s administration to reinforce a firm no-tolerance stance against hatred, violence, and bigotry of any form,” read part of the letter. Point Park President Paul Hennigan responded to the letter in an email to the entire student body just two days later. “Before and after the election, Point Park University has ensured that all students, regardless of race, gender, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, physical ability, and political affiliation have equal access to education and safety,” Hennigan wrote. At the end of the letter, Hennigan also stated “Hateful speech and aggression toward one another will not be tolerated on our campus.” Several university leaders thought that the university’s response to the letter, as well as the initial letter itself, was an important step is ensuring students’ safety. “I think that letter was great; it sort of expressed how we’ve all felt,” McGaw said. Lemon said that the increased number of harassment cases were most likely due, in some part, to the election results, though she
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THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2016
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Hennigan reiterates mission statement USG By Alex Grubbs USG Beat Writer
photo by Julianne Griffith
“Breaking Bad” star Bryan Cranston talks with screenwriting professor Steve Cuden and answers students’ questions Wednesday, Nov. 16 in the University Center.
Cranston implores students to love their future professions from CRANSTON page 1 “[Cranston] made me realize how important it is to love what you do, it just burned my passion even more,” Randolph said. “Plus, Walter White said, ‘how dare you’ to me. That’s amazing.” In terms of acting, Cranston shared that he originally went to college with the intention of becoming a police officer, but changed his mind when he had his first acting class where he got to kiss a girl he did a scene with. Later on in his career, Cranston said he got experience through “people watching.” Cranston said he would go to hospital emergency rooms to see the ways people act to use scenarios from real life in his own acting. He also advised that actors never stop working to stay focused and confident. “I tell actors all the time, and this goes for writers and directors too, that they should never be bored; there’s always something you can do as a writer or actor,” Cranston said. Senior musical theater major Gabe DeRose asked for advice about being an actor going out to Hollywood to begin a career. “If you don’t love what you do – I mean love what you do – do not attempt to do it,” Cranston answered. “Not
every one of you in this room is going to be successful in the profession you choose, but if you do love it, if it moves you, motivates you and empowers you, you must try it.” DeRose said this experience was moving for him. “I find myself very nervous about going out into the real world, but I think his words will really resonate with me for my whole career,” DeRose said. Throughout the session, Cranston implied and also said directly that being a professional is not about fame or money, but about feeding your passion. “You’re not here to get a job; you’re here to do a job,” Cranston said, remembering a piece of advice he got when he was just beginning his career. Sophomore dance major Laura Barrett said she was in tears by the end of the panel. “I was in awe of what he was saying,” Barrett said. “He was very positive, very funny, very intelligent…and he knows what he’s talking about and he really respects his craft.” Despite not being in a performing major, sophomore mass communication major Mike Turk also found Cranston inspiring. “The best message I got from him was that if you’re good at something, take pride
in it,” Turk said on Cranston. Cuden got in touch with Cranston to speak at Point Park through a mutual friend. Cuden, who said “Breaking Bad” is his favorite show of all time, was also excited for the opportunity to meet Cranston. The two met privately for 20 minutes prior to the Q&A session. “Meeting him was just a great thrill, even though he is just another person, but someone that I admire enormously,” Cuden said. Cuden said he thinks Cranston’s views about passion for your career applies to anyone, not just in cinema, acting or show business in general, and found it fascinating. “I thought much of what he said was extraordinarily inspirational, and I heard many students say ‘oh my goodness, wasn’t he inspiring?’” Cuden said. Cranston ended by saying that success eventually finds those who work for it. “You act because you love it, you sing because you love it and it’s all about doing the work,” Cranston said. “Keep your instrument tuned and ready to go and then just keep working and working and wait for the tap on the shoulder.”
Eddie Trizzino eatrizz@pointpark.edu.
Point Park President Paul Hennigan appeared in front of United States Government (USG) Monday to reaffirm his office’s letter to students and faculty with the university’s mission statement. “The message is… we’re a country with laws and protections and freedoms and Bill of Rights,” Hennigan said. “We are a university community that adheres to all of that.” “We not only tolerate diversity but we promote it, and we will not tolerate any… behavior that gets in the way of individual freedoms and liberties,” he continued. Following the Nov. 8 presidential election, several faculty and students signed a petition calling for Hennigan and the university administration to address concerns with increasing hostility in the country, which received more than 450 signatures. His office released a letter to all students and faculty Nov. 17, two days after the petition was posted online. “It was not in response to the petition,” Hennigan said. “We were planning [for days] to send it anyhow.” Hennigan also talked to USG members about the status of the Pittsburgh Playhouse construction, which is slated to finish at its downtown Forbes Avenue location by summer 2018 with shows starting in the fall. Treasurer Amedea Baldoni and Senator Kayla Damazo, who both work in the university’s Admissions office, asked questions regarding this construction as prospective students ask of its update. Per Hennigan, the new Playhouse will have more to offer for students. The current Playhouse, located in Oakland, started with one theater, but add-ons were constructed. The scene shop, a room where sets and platforms for shows are assembled, in the current Playhouse is also too small, using the main stage
for building, Hennigan said. These add-ons ushered in challenges that led to acoustic problems when it came to containing noise. Additionally, only two theaters can be used if the scene shop is not, and one theater and the scene shop can be used if the other theater is not. But these challenges may disappear as a larger scene shop and larger acoustically-isolated theaters are built for the new theater. It will also sport large windows where the public can see the behind-thescenes work during rehearsals and stage building. With the Playhouse moving downtown, Damazo asked what will be the future for the shuttles to Oakland. However, there is no definite answer on what it may be. “We’re probably going to survey students and get a sense for what the interest is,” Hennigan said. As the meeting went on, USG struck a resolution that was in the meeting’s agenda after Damazo moved to strike it. The resolution was to amend the student government’s constitutional ethics section, adding social media guidelines for all members to it. Parliamentarian Charles Murria said it will not be ready, despite projecting it would be done by late November. “That’s a project we will take on the next few weeks and will be added hopefully next semester,” Murria said. Baldoni also said that funding meetings for next semester will be planned soon. Due to PointSync issues this semester, some budget requests from clubs and organizations were either received late or not received at all. She hopes USG can help clubs and organization fix this issue in the future. Vice President Bobby Bertha announced Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto will visit the university to speak to USG Monday, Jan. 23. The location is to be determined.
Alex Grubbs aagrubb@pointpark.edu.
Protests finish without any violent clashes with police from PROTESTS page 1 get my voice heard.” Demonstrators’ signs for the LGBT community, women’s choice and environmental activists waved above the crowd to deliver a message that some of Trump’s policies acting against these groups would not be tolerated by protestors. Multiple rainbow flags and signs that read “My body, my choice” were some of the most shared points of view. Mary Sgro, a freshman at Duquesne University spoke on Trump’s comments and actions toward women during his campaign. “There’s no place for a rapist in the White House,” Sgro said. “Some of the experiences my friends and I have had has really shaped me. This is not something that is to be accepted,” Sgro said. Another protester, Alison Hillard of Pittsburgh, held a sign that said, “Even Hogwarts fell to Voldemort.” Hillard said she was fearful of what America has become. “I’m terrified,” Hillard said. “I always knew this part of America existed, but
I didn’t know it was so prevalent. This entire campaign, it’s just been so in my face. [Trump is] just another white guy who faked his way into a job with no experience.” The protest died down early. As demonstrators hit a standstill from police on Birmingham Bridge, the majority moved back into Oakland instead of crossing into the South Side. The march ended back where it began, on the lawn of the Cathedral of Learning on Pitt’s campus. Without any major clashes with police, the protest stayed peaceful as planned. The event was coordinated by freshmen at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt). Communication to the public about the route and nature of the protest was conveyed primarily through social media. Steel City Sisters, a group of 21st century nuns in drag, were among those that reinforced the power of peace at the protest. Roxanna Hardplace said the Steel City Sisters’ mission is to offer support, especially to those in the LGBT community who continue to face harassment.
“We are striving to promulgate joy, expiate stigmatic guilt and serve the community,” Hardplace said. “If we can come out in public dressed like this and be okay with it, then you should be able to go out and be yourself.” The Sisters are a part of the Mission House of Perpetual Indulgence, a group that began defending the LGBT
community during the AIDS epidemic of the 1970s. Sister Petra Pyper Pictapekhov said this is just another opportunity to help. “Nuns with beards hit the streets to bring joy and give hugs to those that are suffering,” Pictapekhov said. Sister Coco Lopez-Fitzgerald III said he joined the abbey as a result of the
Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida. “We just really want to spread love in our community,” Lopez-Fitzgerald said. “Peace will happen in our time, but it’s hard work. That’s why we are out here.”
Carley Bonk cmbonk@pointpark.edu.
photo by Trevor Kirby
Hundreds of students gather in the streets to protest Donald Trump Nov. 16. The crowd marched from Oakland to Pittsburgh’s South Side. The protests remained peaceful.
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WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2016
FEATURES
THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY
Campus Activities Board helps students go shopping Point Park shuttles will host ‘Cash CAB’ en route to Ross Park Mall By Eddie Trizzino Co-Features Editor
The weeks leading up to the holidays are also the final few weeks of the fall semester, meaning finals are right around the corner. This year, the Campus Activities Board (CAB) is once again giving students a ride to the Ross Park Mall via the shuttle service for their Shop ‘Til You Drop event. “With it being so close to the holidays, they have all these cool decorations, and Santa is there, so it’s a nice opportunity for people to get out of the city and surround themselves in a place they can’t get to everyday,” Kristi Chenarides, junior sports, arts and entertainment management major said, who is also CAB’s Experience Pittsburgh Coordinator. Last year, this event had an attendance of more than 100 students, according to Maddie Aicher, sophomore advertising and public relations major and CAB’s public relations coordinator. She said that she thinks the event will be even more popular this year, as the shuttles will be running for two days instead of one. The outbound shuttles will also feature a trivia game
photo by Chloe Jakiela
Point Park shuttles will run to and from Ross Park Mall every 15-20 minutes Dec. 2 and 3 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. A CAB member will host a trivia game on each trip to the mall. called “Cash CAB,” which Aicher said was one of her favorite parts about last year’s event. Last year’s Cash CAB did not have a theme, but this year’s is Pittsburgh trivia, with questions created by CAB members, who will also host each session. “You answer trivia ques-
tions about Pittsburgh, it’s kind of like a city University class on the shuttle,” Aicher said. Paulina Comeau explained how the game works. “You ask a question and people will either raise their hand or shout out the answer, and they get candy or CAB swag depending on what
round it is,” junior advertising and public relations major Paulina Comeau said. Students will win prizes such as candy for easy questions, CAB merchandise for more difficult questions, and gift cards for stores at the Ross Park Mall for the most difficult questions.
Chenarides said that her favorite aspect of the event besides the holiday decor is actually the shopping. “I got a couple Build-aBears for friends, I was really excited to go back,” Chenarides said. “I used to go to Ross Park Mall all the time when I was younger so when I went back I just started drifting over to it.” Junior broadcast and SAEM double-major Ta’Sey Harmon enjoyed spending time with her friends. “Seeing Santa Claus and hanging with my friends was really cool, especially around the holidays when you want to be surrounded by your friends,” Harmon, who said she wants to participate in the event again this year, said. The shuttles will run from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m., Dec. 2 and Dec. 3 and will loop every 20 minutes, according to a press release by CAB. “Personally, I would love to bring in more people, I know we had a great turnout last year, but I feel like with two days we’ll get an even better turnout than before so I’m hoping we can bring in some new fresh faces,” Aicher said.
Eddie Trizzino eatrizz@pointpark.edu
Dance professor’s passion for improvisation aids her in career By Kimmie Prokurat For The Globe
Buses speed by, people charge to their destination and loud noises bounce off of buildings all while a group of dancers in the middle of a sidewalk move so slowly that to the naked eye, they barely seem to be moving at all. The woman responsible for this artistic display which colored the streets of downtown Pittsburgh is Pearlann Porter, an improvisation teacher returning to Point Park University this spring 2017 semester. She calls the instillation “Thought Pockets”. It’s a pop-up series of work focused on time which incorporates improvisational dance and bright chalk art. The project itself is only a small sliver of what Porter is truly about. “Dance was my entire life for a long time but it transcended into a medium for what I want to say and do – instead of dance being my life, my voice is my life and dance is just something it’s conveyed through,” Porter says. Porter grew up in New Jersey, right outside of New York City. She started taking dance classes in her home town at age three but soon found that regular dance school was not enough. By the time she reached high school, she developed a specific schedule that adhered to her newfound needs. Alone, she snuck into the big city and back before her mom got home from work. She relished in the fact that this was more than just a fun class; it was her way of exercising her independence. “I got out of school at about 3:15 and I’d get on the 3:40 Path Train to New York City which took me exactly $7.50 there and back, and that wasn’t including class,” Porter says. She always knew that she was going to dance but she
was not aware that dance was a professional option. Porter was taken back when a girl from her home studio went to Point Park to major in dance. After she gained that knowledge that she quickly decided that was her goal. “I later found out that I got accepted into Point Park from a clerical error,” Porter said. In more recent years once she began working for the school as an instructor, she looked up her own file out of curiosity. She discovered that she was denied acceptance by all faculty members at her audition for the dance school yet was still admitted into the program. “I was unremarkable in every possible way because I didn’t fit in the dance world – I don’t have the body type, I don’t have the height, the ability, the skills, or the technique,” said Porter. Porter came in at the lowest level classes and had to fight for a chance to perform. When she was cast, it was usually something replaceable. She became so frustrated with this pattern that she took it upon herself to show up to rehearsals for one of Douglas Bentz’s pieces without being invited to. She stood outside the door and learned the choreography as if she were an understudy. One of the dancers in the cast asked Bentz if he noticed that Porter knew the dance and asked if he would let her perform in a show. To her surprise, he conceded and let her dance. Her tenacity and dedication helped her when her inherent talent could not. In the midst of all of this, she needed a channel for expression that existed outside of class. This is where she fell in love with improvisation. “I think if I was solely relying on others to cast me and recognize me it would have eaten me from the in-
side out and I would have rotted… improvising saved me but I didn’t know it at the time,” Porter said. Her passion for improvisation soon shed light on her knack for choreography. She choreographed for the annual Student Choreography Project twice and both times her works closed the show. After people saw this, Porter gained more respect in the department and finally felt legitimized. “My freshman ballet teacher told me to consider something else and said verbatim ‘you just don’t have a lot of talent. Do you like journalism? Maybe you should think about writing’,” Porter said. In her senior year, that same teacher apologized for making that remark. She confessed that she sold her short and did not consider her capabilities. “No one saw that coming because it was my mind that no one could see – they just saw my body which didn’t represent what I felt or what I could do,” Porter said. After she graduated she tried to follow the typical career path of dancers. She cast off to Chicago and Pittsburgh to audition but none of it appealed to her. She moved back to Pittsburgh and received a call from Point Park asking if she could teach a one credit tap class and she accepted. She slowly transitioned to teaching a jazz class improvisation. In total, she taught for 13 consecutive years. Before her class, there was never a true space dedicated for improv in the dance department. She focused her improv class on an idea she likes to call “post-jazz.” The improvisation is focused on the idea of playing music visually. It takes all the emphasis off of physicality and places it on motion, speed, clarity, isolation, and stillness. She strives for students to be
able to articulate their motion as a jazz musician would play their instrument. Among all of her personal accomplishments at Point Park, she also founded The Space Upstairs in 2006 just two years after she started her company The Pillow Project. The Space Upstairs currently holds monthly performances along with classes, intensives, and other shows. The space was also a meeting place for projects like “Thought Pockets” which was many years in the making. It started with an accumulation of site specific experiments turning the real world into a canvas for her playful work. Thought Pockets stretched over a two week span with one performance every day lasting multiple hours. It was strategically set up this way so that someone on their lunch break would see it and then come back in the evening on their way home and notice that it’s still going on. The series has a way of introducing dance to people in a welcoming and calm atmosphere. After being closed off from the dance world for not being an ideal dancer, she understands the necessity keeping the art form open. Cops, secretaries, and school kids alike all dipped their toes into the seemingly avant-garde display through its run. Troy Patrick, a junior musical theatre major at Point Park and dancer in “Thought Pockets”, went through a similar exposure to this way of dance when he met Porter after being invited to a performance at The Space Upstairs. Patrick found himself going through a mild identity crisis as many college freshmen do. With his major having him restricted to only ballet classes, he was left looking for a way to express himself. The creative environment at The Space Upstairs paired with Porters imaginative prompts pushed him into
a direction of instinct and freedom. “She’s the only teacher I’ve ever come across that changed the way I thought about dance and art so I honestly don’t know where I would be if I hadn’t been doing that work with Pearlann,” Patrick says. Dance major and “Thought Pockets” performer Emma Page’s favorite moment of the series came from a performance named “Free Fall”. There was a group of people sitting near the display and one person decided to join in on the fun. “One of the men, who is blind, started grabbing our hands and moving with us and said ‘I can’t see you but I can feel this and it makes me feel alive’,” said Page. For dance major and performer in this project, Annette Elphinstone, a moment of surprise came during a different performance. The group was doing the project downtown at Triangle Park for at least two hours when Elphinstone and the other dancers noticed high school students coming. As the students came closer the dancers started to become concerned for their safety because the students were making loud and crude comments. “It was so bizarre because all of a sudden they just started moving with us and then we started weight sharing with them and they were all clapping for each other and they continued for at least 15 minutes,” Elphinstone says. The series lasted two weeks this season but Porter plans on stretching it out for an entire month next year. She hopes that next time people will randomly stumble into them. Porter ultimately would love to turn it into a festival that Pittsburgh becomes known for.
Kimmy Prokurat kkproku@pointpark.edu
THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY
FEATURES
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2016
5
WEEKEND IN WASHINGTON D.C.
photos by Gracey Evans
School of Communication and Honors Program students traveled to Washington, D.C. before fall break last weekend. Above: The sun rises at Arlington National Cemetery Nov. 20 Top right: The outside of the Supreme Court Building. Bottom right: A guardsman marches at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery on Nov. 20. To see more photos from Washington DC, visit ppuglobe.com.
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre continues ‘The Nutcracker’ tradition By Karly Rivera
Co-Features Editor
Starting off dancing as an angel and a party girl in “The Nutcracker,” the now Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) principal dancer Amanda Cochrane, has taken part in the Christmas-time tradition since she was 10 years old. “It’s a wonderful tradition,” Cochrane said. “When you hear sugar plum music you think of Christmastime.” PBT will begin its annual production of “The Nutcracker” at the Benedum Center from Dec. 2-27 with the original score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and the Artistic Director Terrence Orr’s vision. This is the 15th year for Orr’s Pittsburgh-styled adaptation. “I wanted this production to be the city’s own,” Orr said in a press release. “I wanted
Pittsburghers to feel a sense of familiarity, of home, because this show is such a tradition for so many families.” PBT’s “The Nutcracker” tells the story of a young girl named Marie and the dream she has the night of Christmas Eve. The beginning of the show starts off with the party scene and then transitions into the beginning of Marie’s dream when the nutcracker doll she receives as a gift turns into a Prince. After intermission, the second act opens up to Marie and the Prince in his kingdom, where many numbers are performed for the two like the Sugar Plum Fairy. “It carries the comfort and warmth of tradition, yet it is never the same show twice. We are always finding new wrinkles in the characters,
new layers to the story and variations in the dancing,” Orr said. “I really do believe that you could watch each of the 26 shows and discover something new each time. There is something magical about that.” The tradition started for Cochrane in her hometown of Spokane, Wash. when the Alberta Ballet Company auditioned young dancers from the area for their production of “The Nutcracker.” Later she joined PBT’s graduate program in 2007, and was offered a spot in the company in 2009 where she has since been a part of “The Nutcracker” in Pittsburgh. “It’s a lot of fun when the music starts playing around the studio and stuff it makes me want to go Christmas shopping,” Cochrane said. Kyleigh Suesser, a senior
dance major said she remembers the first time she watched a performance of “The Nutcracker” in New York City when she was 12 years old. “The story is really good, it’s magical,” Suesser said. “The music is also very popular so when you hear it you think of ‘The Nutcracker,’ and you want to go see it.” Cochrane will dance different roles throughout the season’s performances. She said some of these characters include the lead, Marie, the Sugar Plum Fairy, the Snow Queen, Arabian and Shepherdess. “My favorite role is Marie, it’s a lot of fun to perform on stage,” Cochrane said. “It’s very free and flowy.” Suesser said the Sugar Plum Fairy is one of her favorite variations and characters in the show.
Cochrane said another aspect she loves is seeing children react to the ballerinas and their pointe shoes. There are details that Cochrane said she hopes the audience pays attention to during the performance. “There’s a lot of tricks going on and a lot of little jokes going during the party scene,” Cochrane said. “Every time you come back you’ll see something new. Enjoy it and keep your eye out for those little details.” Performances run Dec. 2-27 at the Benedum Center. Students receive a discounted price on tickets of $16 using promo code PBTPPU. For more information about this performance or PBT, students can visit pbt.org.
Karly Rivera kmriver@pointpark.edu
Winter Season Events Saturdays in the Centre
Mass Mutual Pittsburgh
The PPG Place Wintergarden
Holiday Lunchtime Concerts
Skate With Santa Saturdays
Whispering Wishes
November 19 - December 17 One Oxford Centre
November 18 - January 7 PPG Place
December 3, 10 and 17 Ice Rink at PPG Place
November 18 - February 26 Ice Rink at PPG Place
November 28 - December 23 Fifth Avenue Place
December 17 Fifth Avenue Place
Make-A-Wish & Wish 99.7 FM Light Up a Child’s Life Campaign December 16, 19 and 20 Fifth Avenue Place
6
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2016
OPINIONS
Cockroaches a delightful pest and a fascinating infestation
The
Globe Point Park
By Laura Byko
Co-Opinions Editor
Don’t give in to fear after violent acts on campuses On Monday, the latest in what feels like an unceasing series of violent events on school campuses took place at Ohio State University. Nine people were injured when a man swerved his car into pedestrians and then got out of his car and started stabbing people. The attacker was shot and killed by an on-campus officer in about a minute, according to the New York Times. All of the victims are expected to survive. In the wake of the attack, Point Park Police Chief Jeffrey Besong sent out an email refreshing students on our school’s safety procedures in case of a similar emergency. It’s a sad reality that violent attacks on college campuses happen frequently enough that it would be irresponsible to not have a plan. However, the attack was also random. It wasn’t part of a coordinated effort to keep college students in check. It was just one lone actor, one person who lashed out. It’s important to keep that in mind and to not live in fear. Sometimes it’s hard to accept that there’s no larger meaning behind an act of violence. Trage-
THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY
dies are weighty and hard and sad and personal, and the idea of randomness can seem to rob them of some of their weight. But something can be both random and important. Just because this attack exists arbitrarily, in isolation, doesn’t mean that it wasn’t traumatic for those involved. Acknowledging its lack of an overarching meaning or narrative takes power from the attacker, not the victims. It prevents him from taking on a larger-than-life image and protects us from living under a specter of fear. Fear is what causes violence, not what soothes it. Safety officials at Ohio State acted swiftly and minimized the harm that the attacker could cause. In a time in which almost anyone can get an assault rifle, it’s a small comfort that only the attacker was killed, and professionals were able to do their jobs and save lives. We don’t need to be afraid. We have a plan. We have each other. We have a campus dedicated to our safety. That’s all we need. Don’t let fear make you think otherwise.
The Point Park Globe globe@pointpark.edu.
If you’ve been on campus lately, you may have noticed we have some visitors. That’s right: Cockroaches have been spotted in Lawrence Hall, even across the hall from the Globe’s own newsroom. This was originally going to be a piece humorously comparing Donald Trump to a cockroach and defenses of him to defenses of cockroaches, using the hook of an on-campus infestation to give some Point Park specificity to a comment on the national political discourse. It was going to go something like this: “Although a lot of people have an immediate distaste for cockroaches, they should put aside their feelings and give the cockroaches a chance to settle into their new homes and create meaningful change. Just because the pests have a pattern of behavior doesn’t mean we should assume that the pattern will continue on its well-established path.” But after spending some time on the Wikipedia page for cockroaches, I have come to the conclusion that comparing cockroaches to Donald Trump would be insulting to the bugs, which are, as it turns out, fascinating little critters! Did you know that cockroaches are social animals? I didn’t! They make decisions about where to travel for food as a group, collectively. They
even have social structures and different personalities. How neat is that? Cockroaches as a species are around 320 million years old. These guys outlived the dinosaurs. Stop for a minute and think about that. As the planet has spun and spun, as the continents have drifted apart, as tides have risen and fallen, as humans have emerged and begun their journeys of loving and killing and hope and terror, as the world changes in ways violent and not, cockroaches have stuck around by utilizing their hypereffective survival strategy of minding their own business. Donald Trump is only 70. The Western Black Rhinoceros was declared extinct in 2011, but it’s mostly sad and not at all impressive that Donald Trump outlived it because it went extinct after decades of poaching. Trump never survived a meteor’s collision with Earth and the subsequent atmospheric changes, carving out a space for himself in the annals of the planet’s long history. There is an entire subsection of the Wikipedia page devoted to “Hardiness.” Hardiness! They can survive for 45 minutes without air and for a month without food. Even decapitation can’t get these guys down, at least for a few hours. That’s amazing. And if their physical appearance is unsettling to you,
you at least have to acknowledge they are insanely good at staying alive. Donald Trump’s Wikipedia page has a subsection devoted to “Fringe theories.” Another one is called “Controversy involving the Pope.” One of his listed “awards and accolades” is his Golden Raspberry for Worst Supporting Actor for his role in the 1989 film “Ghosts Can’t Do It.” The Wikipedia page for cockroaches does note, however, that the widely-held idea that cockroaches would be able to survive a nuclear war in which all of humanity died isn’t quite true. They have a much higher tolerance for radiation than humans, but it’s not notably higher than that of a fruit fly. Radioactive fallout would be harmful to the noble cockroach. So Donald Trump, with his newfound access to the United States’ nuclear arsenal, could conceivably ruin cockroaches, which I have now realized are very cool. Nothing is safe in a Trump presidency, not even cockroaches, my new best friends. I would like to apologize to the cockroach community for almost using them as a part of a rhetorical tool implying they are the same as Donald Trump. But if anything can make it through the next four years, they can.
Laura Byko lobyko@pointpark.edu.
Black Friday abuses workers and isn’t even fun By Lauren Ortego Copy Editor
Every Friday after Thanksgiving, millions of Americans set out to take advantage of some of the cheapest deals of the entire year on a holiday whose name strikes fear into the hearts of the weak. Black Friday – it’s the day we get to shove our fellow Americans for questionable reasons just hours after sitting around a table with our families giving thanks for everything we have. It’s like the Hunger Games, but with more capitalism and a bit less death. Everyone knows someone who actually enjoys and looks forward to this “holiday.” The dedicated prepare their maps of stores weeks in advance and wake up at 3 a.m. Friday morning and set out on a mission. Depending on how close you are to them, you may end up getting dragged along. Or maybe you aren’t dragged. Maybe you’re one of them, and you revel in the power you feel when you snatch the last iPad mini from someone else’s cold, slow hands.
Either way, I found it kind of odd that we have a specific day of the year where half the country finds it either too dangerous to go shopping, or even go outside, and the other half don bulletproof vests just to buy a $40 flat screen. So, how did this holiday start and, for the love of God, why? After the creation of the famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1924, the Friday after Thanksgiving became considered to be the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season. Retailers began to realize that they could pull huge crowds by discounting prices on that day and voilà, Black Friday was born. The source of the term itself unclear, but according to a 1994 article from the Philadelphia Bulletin, the Philadelphia Police Department used the term in the 1960s to describe the worst and most violent traffic jams, which always occurred the Friday after Thanksgiving. A reporter at the time, Joseph P. Barrett, took part in popularizing the police term, which led to its now-na-
tionwide usage. There’s always been controversy surrounding Black Friday, and it’s easy to see why, at least for non-fans like myself. The first problem with it is that it starts earlier each year. Many stores this year even began the deals on the Thanksgiving night, which has old people on Facebook in a rage. (But then again, what doesn’t?) Black Friday protest organizers who spoke to the New York Times cited the holiday as “a striking example of how retailers disrupt a beloved family holiday for profit.” The backlash that stores have received for opening early has struck such a chord with retailers that the Mall of America had only three of its 520 stores open for early shopping, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. First, if I so much as thought about ditching my grandma’s house to go shopping, I’d probably be cursed with guilt that would presumably follow me for the rest of my life, and that’s not something I’m willing to risk.
The second problem is that there is no way anyone is dragging me out of bed at an ungodly hour (after what is possibly the biggest meal I have eaten all year) to go stand in the cold, in a line that probably stretches the whole way around the mall, only to get trampled as soon as the doors open. It’s just not worth it. The third problem is the treatment of workers on the dreaded day. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are more than 16 million retail workers in America. Many of them worked long hours from late Thursday into Black Friday night for a check that is most likely way below a living wage. Imagine what it’s like spending 14-plus hours dealing with customers fighting each other, and you, on the prices of various items, and then imagine what that would be like on Black Friday. I feel bad about it, but I went Black Friday shopping once. It was an accident. We were driving home from my grandma’s house after a lot of turkey, stuffing and
uncomfortable conversations about where I’m going in life when we spotted a line outside of K-Mart. We decided to check it out and remembered it was probably for early Black Friday deals. Since no one in my immediate family had ever participated, we made the choice to wait in line. I’ll admit that it wasn’t that bad but it definitely wasn’t “fun.” I do sort of wish something crazy had happened, like a person getting sucker punched over a cell phone or a soccer mom kicking me in the shin for the last throw pillow, but sadly that was not the case. Instead, I walked in with the rest of the crowd, which was pretty calm, bought a cheap pair of shoes and left. As it stands, Black Friday is an unfortunate, grisly reminder of our capitalist society, where the means of production are privately owned and producers compete to maximize their profits. Besides, Cyber Monday is so much better.
Lauren Ortego leorteg@pointpark.edu.
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:
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STORY IDEAS If you have a news, sports, opinions or feature story that you think The Globe can use, email globe@pointpark.edu.
The Globe 201 Wood Street, Box 23 Pittsburgh, PA 15222 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 Robert Berger, Staff Writer Sabrina Bodon, Online Editor Carley Bonk, Staff Writer Laura Byko, Co-Opinions Editor Dara Collins, Staff Writer Gracey Evans, Sports Photo Editor Georgia Fowkes, Delivery Assistant 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, Co-Sports Editor Kayla Snyder, Copy Editor Gerri Tipton, Online Editor Eddie Trizzino, Co-Features Editor Beth Turnbull, Copy Editor Johanna Wharran, Co-Opinions Editor Kelsey Wolfe, Staff Writer
SPORTS
THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2016
7
SOCCER SEASON ENDS AT NATIONALS
CROUP’S CORNER By Josh Croup Sports Columnist
National Spotlight Thanksgiving became my favorite holiday when I started college, surpassing Christmas, which held the top honors before 2014. It’s my first chance to really go home after starting the school year, I get to see friends and family back home that I haven’t seen in quite some time and I get a break from mac and cheese and pizza for a week. Christmas delivers much of the same, but it’s that sense of togetherness that was lost for so long that sets Thanksgiving apart for me. Many of us went home last Thursday or Friday to begin our Thanksgiving breaks. It was a different story for the women’s volleyball team, soccer team and two cross country runners. Their breaks had to wait. They each competed on their own different national stages on Saturday, Nov. 19, attempting to make history while representing Point Park.
CROSS COUNTRY
It was Katie Guarnaccia’s fifth appearance in a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Championship, and the junior North Allegheny High School graduate just keeps getting better with each meet. At last year’s NAIA Women’s Cross Country National Championship, Guarnaccia broke her own school record in the 5K race with her time of 18 minutes, 28.1 seconds. She finished 41st in the nation, 11 spots shy of earning NAIA All-American status. Guarnaccia wasn’t alone at this year’s national championship meet. Sophomore Anna Shields joined her on the course after qualifying for the meet by finishing in the top five of the River States Conference (RSC) Championship. Guarnaccia finished third at the RSC Championships while Shields finished fifth. Guarnaccia foreshadowed their national championship performances after the conference championship meet. “We’re going to push each other at nationals,” she said the day after the meet. “I know I have a better race in me than what I did at conferences.” Guranaccia and Shields, representing their team and their university, ran along-
side each other throughout the duration of the race, pushing each other to new Point Park records. One of Point Park’s most decorated athletes, Guarnaccia again broke her own record 5K school record, finishing with a time of 18 minutes, 20.55 seconds, good for 59th in the country. Shields was one step behind, finishing with a time of 18 minutes, 20.61 seconds. The two finished 30 seconds behind the 2016 All-American pace in a race that fielded 344 runners. The pair of Pioneers topped all RSC runners. Senior Katy Falkenberg from Asbury, who won the RSC Championship meet, finished four spots behind Shields at 18 minutes, 23.82 seconds.
VOLLEYBALL
The regular season RSC champions couldn’t overcome a long 30-28 first-set loss to advance in the NAIA Volleyball National Championships. The Madonna University Crusaders hosted Point Park in the opening round match in their 16th all-time appearance in the tournament. Madonna kicked Point Park while it was down in the second set, taking a 2-0 lead with a 25-12 victory in the frame. The Pioneers, led by RSC Coach of the Year Mike Bruno, fought back to take the third set 25-22. Point Park’s 15-1 RSC regular season record wasn’t enough to carry it through the fourth set, falling to Madonna 25-17. It was the fourth trip to the national tournament in six years for Point Park, who still is without a victory on the national stage in its history. The trip put a close on the careers of seniors Emily Meng, Nikki Inquartano, Madison Weldon, Kirsten Burkes and RSC Player of the Year Shiloh Simonson. Simonson tallied eight digs in the match to finish her career with 1,550. She added two more kills to her resume as well, giving her 1,100 as a Pioneer. The Pioneers overcame a 1-10 start to their season to finish the year 20-15 overall with their third straight appearance at nationals. The volleyball team became the fourth Point Park program to make three straight appearances at nationals, joining men’s golf (2012-15), women’s basketball (2011-14) and
baseball, which has accomplished the feat three times.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Defense has carried the RSC Tournament champions all season long, but the defense of the No. 2 team in the country ultimately spelled defeat for the Pioneers. Point Park was making its second appearance in the NAIA National Tournament after winning its second straight RSC Tournament Championship. Lindsey Wilson hosted Point Park for a repeat of last year’s NAIA Opening Round match-up between the Blue Raider and the Pioneers. Point Park fell to the then-No. 1 Lindsey Wilson 5-0, ending its season that resulted in the first conference championship in program history. Point Park’s defense showed up to play, allowing only seven shots throughout the contest. It was only the fourth time the Blue Raiders were held to fewer than 10 shots this season. The other three teams are top-10 seeds in the national tournament. But Lindsey Wilson’s offense struck twice before halftime, capitalizing on its limited opportunities to take a 2-0 lead into the locker room. Yvonne Ploeg scored the second goal of the game in the 35th minute, and put the nail in Point Park’s coffin with another tally in the 86th minute to send Point Park home with a 3-0 loss. The Pioneers only managed five shots. RSC FirstTeam midfielder Izzy Hunter registered three of those shots. RSC Second-Team defender Paige Manning’s 19th-minute shot was the only one on goal for Point Park. Point Park left it all on the field at Blue Raider Stadium in Columbia, Ky. Its championship season should excite Point Park soccer fans for a strong repeat performance in 2017 that will field many of the same players that played their first year in a Point Park uniform in 2016. The women’s soccer team will aim to become the fifth Point Park program to make nationals in three consecutive seasons in 2017, with the ultimate goal of winning a contest on the national stage.
Josh Croup jdcroup@pointpark.edu.
e FAl ul d l bask e etball sch MENS BASKETBALL
WOMENS BASKETBALL November 29 December 2 December 3 December 6 December 12
HOME Wilberforce Rio Grande WVU Tech Alderson Broaddus Carlow
7 p.m. 5:30 p.m. 12 p.m. 5:30 p.m. 5:30 p.m.
HOME December 2 Rio Grande 7:30 p.m. December 3 WVU Tech 2 p.m. December 6 Washington Adventist 7:30 p.m. AWAY December 10 Shawnee State December 12 Carlow
7:30 p.m. 2 p.m.
photos courtesy of Sam Robinson, Point Park Athletics
Junior midfielder Izzy Hunter advances the ball against Asbury on Nov. 9 at Highmark Stadium in the RSC Semifinals.
Junior midfielder Bella Wilson runs up the field to beat Asbury players for possession. Wilson and the Pioneers ended their season Nov. 19 in the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round.
LAST WEEK’S SCOREBOARD NOV. 15 - NOV. 28 WOMEN’S SOCCER (10-8-2) (6-2)
POINT PARK 0, No. 2 LINDSEY WILSON 3........................................... Nov. 19 - NAIA National Tournament Opening Round
VOLLEYBALL (20-15) (15-1)
POINT PARK 1, No. 25 MADONNA 3...................................................... Nov.19 - NAIA National Tournament Opening Round
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY NAIA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, Elsah, Ill...................................... Nov. 19 Guarnaccia 59th (18:20.55 ), Shields 60th (18:20.61) *334 runners
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (8-1) (0-0)
POINT PARK 87, PSU-FAYETTE 45........................................................ Nov. 16 POINT PARK 79, PSU-GREATER ALLEGHENY 36.............................. Nov. 17 WASHINGTON ADVENTIST 35, POINT PARK 79................................ Nov. 20 POINT PARK 79, WILBERFORCE 71 (OT)............................................. Nov. 21 PSU-FAYETTE 46, POINT PARK 79........................................................ Nov. 22 Next: Dec. 2 vs. Rio Grande*, Dec. 3 WVU Tech*
MEN’S BASKETBALL (2-4) (0-0)
POINT PARK 82, No. 7 WHEELING JESUIT 121................................... Nov. 15 POINT PARK 75, PSU-FAYETTE 72........................................................ Nov. 16 PSU-FAYETTE 82, POINT PARK 104...................................................... Nov. 22 Next: Dec. 2 vs. Rio Grande*, Dec. 3 WVU Tech*
*River States Conference game
8
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2016
SPORTS
THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY
Volleyball season ends in NAIA tournament By Dara Collins Staff Writer
The Pioneers traveled to Livonia, Mich. to face off against the Madonna University Crusaders in the opening round of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Tournament on Nov. 19. Advancing past the opening round is a feat Point Park volleyball has yet to accomplish, but team remained determined to break that trend. “The mindset going into the match was that each person on the team was going to leave everything they had to offer on the court,” sophomore libero Morgan Dangelo said. “We were going to go out on Madonna’s home court and play our brand of volleyball.” The Crusaders took an early lead over the Pioneers, winning the first set
30-28, but the Crusaders’ victory did not come without a fight. “One of the best things about the game was the comeback we had,” sophomore Ashley Taylor said. “We were down 21-9, and we came back and only lost by two points, making the score 30-28. Madonna had no idea we had such a fight in us. They definitely underestimated us.” Madonna claimed another victory after the second set ended 25-12. As the Crusaders led 2-0, the Pioneers kicked their game into high gear. Point Park held on to their national tournament spot a little longer by winning set three 25-22. However, Madonna clinched set four with a 25-17 victory, ending the Pioneers’ season. “I think it was the best match-up we’ve had out of all our appearances at nationals,” head coach Mike Bruno said. “Statistically, they beat
us. They’re a good team.” Taylor led the defense with 12 digs, as well as the offense with 12 kills. Kirsten Burkes recorded seven kills. Setter Emily Meng matched Burkes’ seven kills and contributed 27 assists and seven digs. Senior Shiloh Simonson and freshman Julia Menosky picked up eight digs each. The Point Park senior class has contributed to their attendance at the national tournament for three consecutive years. Collectively, the group contributed to the team on and off the court. “I have to say the things I’ll miss the most are looking at Meng in the middle of a game and telling her to set me the ball, looking up to Shiloh as a hitter, looking at Inky to make me laugh no matter how I feel, going to Mads for giving me the best advice always, or having Burkes be our team mom always looking out for us,”
photos courtesy of Sam Robinson, Point Park Athletics
Senior middle hitter Nikki Inquartano spikes ball in a 3-1 victory against West Virginia Wesleyan Nov. 8. Point Park finished 20-15 (15-1 RSC) and appeared in the NAIA National Tournament.
Taylor said. Other teammates agree the bond stretched beyond the court. “We were just one big family and that really brought us closer together as a team, and you could even see it in the way we play,” Dangelo said. “We trusted each other and wanted to work hard for the teammate beside us. The memories that we all created together, whether it was at school or on the road, are the ones I’m going to cherish forever.” The Pioneers finished their season with a 15-1 River States Conference (RSC) record and 20-15 overall record. The team started the season 1-10. “I’m proud of how they turned it around in conference play to get that bid to nationals,” Bruno said. Despite a slow start to the season, Point Park reigned in conference play. Unfortunately, the Pioneers
were eliminated after the first round of the conference tournament and the national tournament. “Even though the outcome isn’t what we wanted, we still played our hearts out,” Dangelo said.
Dara Collins dmcolli@pointpark.edu.
Senior setter Emily Meng serves against Cincinnati Christian on Oct. 15. The Pioneers won the conference match 3-0 in the Student Center Gym.