Point Park Globe Fall 2018 Issue 7

IN THIS ISSUE: PAGE

@PPUGlobe October 10, 2018

5 PAGE 6 PAGE 8

Check out this week’s Pioneer Public on an unconventional freshman Have you gotten a good night’s sleep lately? Read about why sleep is key Women’s soccer has officially made Point Park history ppuglobe.com

Covering the world of Point Park University news since 1967

Issue 7

Students hold rally, speak against inaction to sexual assault

Demonstration spawned in response to Justice Kavanaugh confirmation

By Mick Stinelli and Sarah Gibson Co-News Editors

Gracey Evans | The Globe

Mia Sterbini, a sophomore acting major, organized a campus protest to the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. “I am a survivor of sexual assault,” Sterbini stated during her speech on Monday afternoon in Village Park.

USG discusses communication reform USG

By Amanda Andrews USG Beat Writer

The United Student Government (USG) Legislative Body meeting on Monday was dominated by discussion of potential reform to the USG Constitution and the organization’s role of representing the student body.

New senators in particular, including Dennis McDermott, Matthew Johnson and Monae Findley, criticized the organization’s and the USG executive council’s apparent lack of initiative in reaching out to students effectively.

Various ideas on how to improve USG’s outreach to the student body included proposals to electronically post legislative body meeting agendas prior to each weekly meeting, creating and updating a USG bulletin board in the second floor of Lawrence Hall and posting a physical sign more prominently in the Student Center detailing USG’s legislative meeting location and office, among others. Some senators even called for reviewing and revising certain bylaws and procedures in the USG Constitution.

Senator Findley called the progress USG was making “remarkable,” and was certain that its discussions will lead to a successful semester.

Findley had her own proposals for USG to improve com-

munication with the student body.

“I believe, as I suggested before in the meeting, that we should start having some open floors in Lawrence Hall so that students can start coming in, start speaking because of that student traffic that is coming in would be perfect,” Findley said. “Because students will be seeing us sitting out there in the lobby and they’ll be like, ‘Hmm what’s going on’. You know, we can have some music, have some pizza, some food [and] feel welcoming [to] students [who] are more willing to come talk to us about whatever issue they’re having.”

Some senators, like Jacob Berlin, expressed reservations about USG expanding its role and presence in student body.

“It’s important that we take this job seriously because we are elected to do so, but it’s also important to not take it too seriously and remain grounded in reality,” Berlin said. “And we are still one of our peers, we are still students and I think we should level ourselves out and not try to be too ambitious with this capacity that we have.”

Berlin believes that the student body attendance to USG legislative body meetings is a small concern compared to senators’ direct outreach and communication with students. Specifically, he felt students think their concerns will disappear in “an echochamber” since updates and results stemming from

student concerns are not clearly publicized as of now.

The senators adjourned the meeting with the intention of continuing discussions related to reform and revision of current USG procedures in next week’s legislative body meeting.

Following last Monday’s meeting, Alex Popichak resigned effective immediately

USG page 2

An impromptu rally drew dozens of listeners and stories of sexual assault to Village Park on Monday.

It started with a post on Facebook. Mia Sterbini, a sophomore acting major, sent a message out to friends on a Conservatory for the Performing Arts page, calling it a “Rally Against Complacency and to Support Sexual Assault Survivors.”

What started out as a three-speaker lineup drew several more speakers who told stories of being personally assaulted, read poetry and urged fellow students to vote.

Sterbini said she never suspected the rally to gain as much traction as it did.

Sterbini said the rally could be summed up in one word: Powerful. She explained that by voicing their stories, they were bringing truth to light, and that the truth was power.

Daniel Murphy, a senior acting major, felt similarly about change that can come from sexual assault survivors sharing their stories.

“When survivors speak out, it empowers others to speak out, and the more people authentically speaking about things that happened in their lives, the more people that listen and change gets made,” Murphy said.

The rally was organized in the wake of the confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court.

Multiple sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh surfaced during his con-

firmation process, putting his appointment to the highest court in jeopardy.

After a week-long FBI investigation, Kavanaugh was confirmed following a vote of 51-49 in the senate.

Several of the speakers at the rally cited Kavanaugh’s confirmation as a call to action.

Shouts of “What do we want?” by Sterbini were met with the response “Justice!” by the crowd.

Murphy was pleased with the turnout of the event, citing a sense of community between all that attended.

“It was really exciting to see so many artists; especially young students, new students [and] freshmen; angry, ready to share their stories [and] ready to listen,” Murphy said.

“It was nice to see the community coming together, and it was exciting to see the deans watching as well.”

Dean Paylo observed a portion of the rally, but declined to comment.

Rafael Figueroa, a sophomore musical theater major, addressed the crowd and described an encounter he had with a man he met on the gay networking app Grindr.

Figueroa said the man picked him up, drove him to the lowest level of a parking garage and began clearing out the backseat of his car when a gun fell out of his pocket.

Figueroa looked at the gun, then back at the man.

“If you get in the backseat, and you just go along with me, then nothing will happen,” Figueroa recalled the assaulter saying.

Figueroa said the man

RALLY page 2

CAPTIOL IGNITES IN PROTEST AFTER KAVANAUGH

Dannys Marrero | The Globe Vice President Mike Pence exits the U.S. Captiol building and encounters the protestors outside. Pence presided over the confirmation hearing of Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The confirmation process was interrupted several times by protestors, who shouted, “Shame” and stood outside the Supreme Court building for most of the day.

Weather Forecast Today: Sunny H 82, L 68

Thursday: Thunderstorms, H 70, L 47 Friday: Cloudy, H 52, L 40 Saturday: Sunny, H 56, L 43

Sunday: Rain, H 57, L 47 Monday: Showers, H 52, L 42 Tuesday: Partly Cloudy, H 55, L 40

Point Park

GLOBE

2

WEDNESDAY, October 10, 2018

NEWS

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

PROTESTORS FILL WASHINGTON AFTER SUPREME COURT VOTE

Dannys Marrero | The Globe

Protestors hold up signs in front of the U.S. Supreme Court after Kavanaugh’s confirmation vote. They shouted, “Vote them out!” referring to the members of the senate who confirmed the justice.

from RALLY page 1 took off his pants and told Figueroa to have sex with him. Then, when driving back to campus, the assaulter locked the doors and said he wouldn’t let Figueroa leave until they had exchanged phone numbers.

At first, Figueroa only felt numb. He cried himself to sleep. He said he didn’t know it was rape because he wasn’t grabbed or physically forced to do anything.

“I was the one doing it, because I was afraid,” Figueroa said.

Days later, he received a message on Facebook from a fellow student. The student said he’d received nude pictures of Figueroa from the assaulter. Figueroa decided to take it up with the Title IX office.

In describing the situation to the Title IX coordinators, it was the first time Figueroa realized he was raped. He took the situation to law enforcement, but was told they couldn’t press charges without proof of an assault.

He complained further that, despite help from Title IX and outside law enforcement, the “revenge porn” law

was narrow enough that it allowed a one-time encounter to disseminate images without consent.

“It’s okay to realize things later, and people should believe you.”

Rafael Figueroa Sophomore Acting Major

“They said the revenge porn law didn’t apply because I wasn’t a partner of his. Like, I was not in a relationship with him,” Figueroa said. “It was just really disheartening.”

Figueroa didn’t sign up to speak beforehand. But after watching other people speak, he raised his hand and told Sterbini he wanted to share his story.

Figueroa said his purpose in sharing his story was to help people who feel they can’t speak about their experi-

ences and to motivate people.

“The reason that I couldn’t get justice is because of the people in office. Because those people decided it’s not worth having this law apply to everyone,” Figueroa said.

The law - officially called “unlawful dissemination of intimate image” - says, “A person commits the offense of unlawful dissemination of intimate image if, with intent to harass, annoy or alarm a current or former sexual or intimate partner, the person disseminates a visual depiction of the current or former sexual or intimate partner in a state of nudity or engaged in sexual conduct.”

For Figueroa, the big takeaway from the event was to listen to survivors.

“It’s okay to realize things later, and people should believe you,” Figueroa said of his own experience. “Why would anyone make that up that they were sexually assaulted? And if they do, that’s awful.”

Sarah Gibson sagibso@pointpark.edu Mick Stinelli mfstine@pointpark.edu

Mick Stinelli | The Globe

Students join hands and form a circle in Village Park during a rally. The assembly was intended to encourage action against sexual violence after the confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who faced multiple sexual assault allegations dating back to his high school and college years.

Dannys Marrero | The Globe

Protestors stand shoulder-to-shoulder in silence, holding hands in front of the U.S. Supreme Court Building during the senate’s confirmation vote.

NEWS

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

Title IX office names new coordinator after Rosemeyer departure

By Sarah Gibson Co-News Editor

Last Monday, Point Park’s Title IX coordinator left Point Park to lead Title IX efforts at Carnegie Mellon University. Elizabeth Rosemeyer, who was the Title IX coordinator for over four years, oversaw the entirety of Title IX, including policy development and compliance.

Keith Paylo, Vice President of Student Affairs, Dean of Students and Student contact for Title IX, confident in Rosemeyer’s abilities as a Title IX coordinator.

“She’s the best in this city, without a doubt. I’d put her up against any Title IX coordinator, especially within the Pittsburgh Council of Higher Education.”

Now that Rosemeyer has left Point Park, Title IX will change its structure. The Director of Title IX and Diversity will now report to Vice President of Human Resources Lisa Stefanko, who is currently serving as the interim Title IX coordinator, and will do so until the university can find someone else to fill the position.

The Director of Title IX and Diversity will be focused on making sure the Title IX program runs smoothly. As Stefanko assumes the role, the university will continue to search for candidates. JW Tabacchi will assume the role of Interim Director of Title IX and will be respon-

sible for case management and prevention education until the full-time position is filled.

According to Michael Gieseke, Dean of Student Life, Point Park considers this position to be a priority and looks to fill it as soon as possible.

“Our hope before the end of the semester is to have the position filled,” Gieseke said.

Gieseke noted the university is looking for someone who will understand the responsibility universities have in Title IX cases and someone who has the passion to be an advocate for those who come forward.

He also stressed they need to make sure Point Park is holding itself to the highest standard.

“We need someone who is passionate about Title IX,” Gieseke said.

Stefanko will personally oversee the process of finding a new coordinator for the Title IX program, while it does not currently have a replacement, educational programs and other Title IX resources will continue to be available to students. In an interview conducted over email, Stefanko described some services offered by Point Park’s Title IX program.

“Point Park provides mechanisms for supporting each person through the healing process, including access to health services, counseling, legal action and academic support, and taking necessary measures to

WEDNESDAY, October 10, 2018

New Studios.

New Lineup.

THE SOUND OF

POINT PARK UNIVERSITY WPPJRadio.com ensure the reported behavior comes to an end,” Stefanko said.

“We need someone who is passionate about Title IX.” Michael Gieseke

Dean of Students Point Park University

Paylo, who was one of the first staff members at the university to become certified in Title IX, notes that he believes Point Park has always taken the topics of sexual assault and Title IX very seriously.

“We have policies and procedures that we follow and I have always believed that we are ahead of the curb,” Paylo said.

According to the job listing, Point Park is looking for someone who is “knowledgeable of diversity issues, including faculty and staff recruitment and retention strategies, the impact of diversity on education and the business case rationale for the importance of diversity.”

During an interview on Monday, Paylo described why he believes that Point Park’s Title IX program is unparalleled compared to other schools in the Pittsburgh area.

“The key is following the policies and procedures to the letter of the law so that you are consistent. [...]

I always say we take it a step further because these are individuals we are talking about,” Paylo said.

Sarah Gibson sagibso@pointpark.edu from USG page 1

Election workers run polling places and make sure every vote is counted.

• Attend one paid training session • Work on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 • Earn $115-$140 for the day

W

VA N I A

S

N

YL

COMMO

E

AL

TH OF PE

N

N

By Jordan Slobodinsky “Downstream,” a documentary produced by Point Park’s Environmental Journalism Program, will be shown at the Center for Media Innovation on Thursday, Oct. 11th.

The film focuses on PA’s endangered watersheds and features coal mines, acid rain and other threats to Pennsylvania’s environment.

Point Park graduate students Glenn Syska and Zak Boyle accompanied part-time professor Gina Catanzarite as producers. Syska took on the role of director of photography and editor, Boyle is the second unit photographer and assistant editor and Catanzarite is the writer-producer of the film.

The documentary was created in association with WQED Multimedia, and was given a grant from Heinz endorsement.

“Clean water is essential for economic development in healthy communities,” Catanzarite said on the Facebook page for the event. “Even if you don’t consider yourself an ‘environmentalist,’ water quality affects everyone because the costs associated with cleaning water ultimately trickles down to all of us.”

The documentary will examine threats to Pennsylvania Watersheds, both natural and man-made. After the viewing, the movie will be followed by a panel discussion until 8:00 p.m. The audience will able to ask Syska, Boyle and Catanzarite about their experience filming the piece.

Registration for the event is free, and registration for the premiere is open on the event page entitled “Downstream premiere screening” on Facebook. “Downstream” can also be viewed on select television stations following the premiere at the Center for Media Innovation.

The viewing will be open to the public and will begin at 6 p.m. tion, as well as searching for a job post-graduation, as the primary reasons for his resignation.

President Kaylee Kearns proposed a passed motion that extended the search for a new Parliamentarian for another 14 days, which means USG could be without a Parliamentarian for a total of 21 days.

All censure motions against Kearns have officially been voted on as of Monday’s meeting. Although Kearns had been charged with two motions of censure two weeks ago, a third proposed motion of censure had been tabled until this week’s meeting.

The majority of senators voted against the motion of censure, with only four in approval and two abstentions, which prevented the possibility of an automatic impeachment trial against Kearns.

Amanda Andrews aaandre@pointpark.edu

Correction

ENY CO GH UN LE

TY

AL

Sign up at www.alleghenycounty.us/elections

as USG’s Parliamentarian.

Popichak served as a senator for USG in his freshman year at Point Park University and was sworn in as Parliamentarian in the spring of 2018.

The Parliamentarian position entails knowing and interpreting the USG Constitution for others, chairing the Rules Committee and dealing with the process of club recognition. A press release was sent to USG senators early last week regarding Popichak’s resignation, listing personal and professional reasons as the cause for his departure.

“I wanted to do [...] justice to the position and with things that had developed in my own life over the course of the summer and the beginning part of the semester, it just became a bit too much time-wise,” Popichak said.

“And I wanted to give this organization my all but I also knew that wasn’t going to be possible.”

Popichak listed his obligations as an intern to the City Paper and his position as general manager of the Point Park’s WPPJ radio sta-

3

ü

The “All in With Allison” column published last week (issue 6) said that a $10,000 fundraiser had reached its goal. The goal was not reached and donations to the Malle Scholarship fund are still being accepted.

4

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2018

FEATURES

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

Musical theater alum in ‘Pride and Prejudice’ Mercier lands role immediately after graduation

By Daniel Strickland For The Globe

With a brand new creative director, The Pittsburgh Public Theater’s new season has added a recent Point Park alumni to one its productions. This season brings a promising diverse and collective group of shows to the Pittsburgh area. Among it is Pulitzer Prize-winning play, “Sweat,” Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” and many more.

This season’s opener, “Pride and Prejudice,” an adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic 19th century romantic novel, opened this weekend. Already having performed one weekend and a week of previews, the production’s cast includes recent Point Park University alum Emma Mercier, who graduated this past spring with a bachelor of fine arts in musical theater.

Mercier plays Lydia Bennet and Lady Catherine de Bourgh in this new play, written by Playwright Kate Hamill, whose work reaches all the way to New York stages. Hamill is no stranger to Austen’s stories. She also adapted and produced Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility” off-broadway back in 2016.

Having been recognized under the Wall Street Journal as Playwright of the Year in 2017, Hamill now shares this piece of theatre with the Pittsburgh area. This production takes a contemporary twist, all while preserving the traditional elements to this timeless story. This particular cast comes from all walks of life with diversified representation of race, gender and background.

“Our mission is to make sure the theater is reflecting the world that we live in, which is really the direction where the theater itself is heading anyways.

It is super apparent in the show, and it has made it an incredible working environment,” Mercier said.

“A lot of people in the cast have said ‘Oh, I would nev-

er have seen myself in this role, but this theater, this mission, this script, has made me understand that there is place for me here; there is a place for me here at this theater.’”

A San Francisco native, Mercier came to Point Park University to study, and took on roles in Edward Bond’s “The Sea,” a play showcased in the Conservatory Theater Company’s 2016 season.

Mercer immediately landed a spot in Pittsburgh Public Theater’s new season, just three days after graduation.

“It was a huge sigh of relief, and so, of course, I spent my summer looking forward to this. Now, I am open to staying in Pittsburgh if it ends up that there’s more work here,” Mercier said.

In her first piece of work post graduation, Mercier shares her initial feelings going into the company.

“From the beginning I definitely knew I was going to have to bring my ‘A-game’ and really step up,” Mercier said. “I am surrounded by a company of people who have been working for years and years in the business. They are working professionals and wonderful, wonderful actors. It’s all about going in focused and prepared.”

Mercier also expressed, through this process, how this role is challenging her as an actress as well as an individual.

“Every character in the show has baggage. They have these stereotypes because they have been around for hundreds of years,” Mercier said. “Being Lydia, my primary character, is often written off as this dumb, party girl. She is silly, she’s funny, she is frivolous for sure, that all exists within her, but it is really interesting to look at characters like that and find what’s human about them, find what’s real, what’s truthful.”

As “Pride and Prejudice” opened at the Public this past weekend, Mercier reflected

Michael Henninger|Submitted Photo Point Park alum Emma Mercier as ‘Lydia’ in the upcoming show ‘Pride and Prejudice’ at the O’Reilly Theater.

on her time at Point Park and the professors who guided her to this experience.

“All of my professors were incredible during my time at Point Park,” Mercier said. “I would not be here without the faculty I had at Point Park University, so thank you.”

With all this in mind, especially with the education Mercier has gained, Mercier wanted to stress one thing to current students going into the acting profession. When going into an audition, one must have a certain level of commitment in order to be successful in the business.

“A universal thing, the most important thing that anyone in the program can do, is do the work, take it seriously, read the books, develop your own process, work outside of the class, make sure you have that audition material ready,” Mercier said. “Be ready to walk into a callback and hold your own against all these other people.”

Point Park professor Philip Winters, who teaches Theatre History, Voice and Speech, among other acting courses at this University,

agrees.

“I think she has that exactly right, and in the right order,” Winters said. “Young actors should realize that if they’re truly passionate about this it takes more than desire, it takes effort.”

Winters reflected on his time teaching Mercier across several classes over the years.

“I’m not at all surprised, because Emma is not only a talented actress but also has a very strong work ethic, which is extremely important, especially when you are just starting out,” Winters said. “She’s prepared, she’s persistent and she wants to get better. Those students are a pleasure to teach.”

Many Conservatory of Performing Arts students, current and former, are celebrating Mercier’s success fresh out of college. Melvin Holley, also a recent Point Park alum in musical theater, spoke on his time learning alongside Mercier.

“Emma and I worked together in the staged reading ‘Crazy Mary Lincoln’, in Spring 2017. She always works very hard on her roles, so of course she was fabu-

lous,” Holley said. “We were both in the ensemble, but we had stand out parts where she got to shine, and not to mention that her vocals were on point, as always.”

Holley also reflected on this newly adapted piece at the Pittsburgh Public Theater, and on his colleague’s role.

“I’m not surprised she is killing it in that production,” Holley said. “When I heard she was cast in ‘Pride and Prejudice,’ I said ‘That’s where she thrives!’ High styled period pieces are Emma’s specialty...to see her now in ‘Pride and Prejudice’ is no shock. In fact, I can guarantee that she’s making her mark in what’s sure to be the start of a fruitful career.”

“Pride and Prejudice” is currently running until October 28th, 2018. Tickets can be purchased via phone at (412) 316-1600 or at the box office at the O’Reilly Theater. Student discounts are offered online at ppt. org.

Daniel Strickland dkstric@pointpark.edu

Students earn internships working for Disney World

Acceptants to travel to Florida for spring semester

By Shannon Hartnett Copy Editor

Some of Point Park’s very own will be living out their spring semesters in the place where all dreams come true.

A handful of Pioneers have been accepted into the Disney internship program and will be leaving for Florida in mid-January of 2019.

Sports, arts and entertainment management (SAEM) majors Kristin Bichteman, Rebecca Cohan and public relations and advertising major Regan Tischler, are some of the accepted applicants for the upcoming semester.

Students will be taking on jobs in the park while their living accommodations are provided for. This includes getting a paycheck for their work, but interns are expected to pay a small fee in rent that will be extracted from their salaries.

Cohan said she may be helping with shows, working at the rides or assisting with parking. Bichteman will be working in the food and beverage department and Tischler will be working as a lifeguard. Students will participate in almost full work days and then possibly have class work to do once they retire for the night.

After completing this internship, students could then be eligible for a professional internship with the park. This would be one step up in the ranks as students learn about the inner workings of the Disney business.

Point Park helps with the application process and accepts the internship as credit, but they do not have a partnership with Disney.

Bichteman wanted to apply for the internship ever since she heard about it at orientation for Point Park.

Her goal is to someday work

full time for the company, and sees this opportunity as one that will help get her there.

Tischler found out about the program in high school, and when she came to Point Park, she immediately talked about the opportunity to her career counselor who was on board with helping her through the process.

While most of the students admitted have majors involving public relations or SAEM, all types of majors are included in the internship. The program is considered very competitive, and Disney only accepts 10% of applicants, according to Cohen.

Bichteman believes her past amusement park experience helped her land the internship.

“My experience working at Hershey Park, I think, really helped me a lot,” Bichteman said.

Interning at Disney

is only the first step for Tischler, who said the job would help her to make connections. “[Disney] opens doors because it is an international program,” Tischler said. “I am going to be able to meet so many different people.”

Cohen believes that this internship will give her an advantage for her future career.

“After I graduate I want to move out to California and work for Disney,” Cohen said. “It doesn’t matter what I do, I just want to work for them.”

Tischler gave advice to those hoping to apply to the program.

“In the application, simply changing the word ‘customers’ to ‘guests’ could help you stand out in the crowd because it shows you have qualities they are looking for,” Tischler said.

There are three steps to the application. First is a

basic resume, and the second is a web interview where you are asked questions based on what you would do in a scenario, according to Bichteman. The third and final step is a phone call interview.

“In the phone interview, don’t focus on talking about how much you love Disney.

They already know that,” Tischler said. “Instead, tell them how the internship could benefit your future.

Also remember to elaborate on anything they ask you.

Don’t just reply with one word answers.”

Cohen encouraged anyone considering the internship to apply.

“Just do it,” Cohen said.

“The worst that could happen is that you don’t get it. You can even apply up to six months after graduating.”

Shannon Hartnett snhartn@pointpark.edu

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

FEATURES

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2018

5

Active Minds Club becomes active once again

Club seeks to raise awareness for mental health

By Hattie Charney Co-Features Editor

The once deactivated Active Minds Club is reactivated and ready to help students discuss and handle mental health issues.

Active Minds Club is a chapter of the national organization Active Minds. The club is an advocacy, awareness and education group that strives to erase stigmas surrounding mental health.

One of its initiatives is to raise money for the national chapter which goes into education and research on mental health.

Casey Davis, a senior public relations and advertising major, talked with Rachel Phillips, a graduate assistant for Student Activities, Involvement and Leadership (SAIL), about forming a new club about mental health.

Phillips mentioned reactivating Active Minds Club.

“I worked with Casey and her executive team to get the okay from USG [United Student Government] and from their National chapter to restart the chapter on campus,” Phillips said.

Davis, president of Active Minds Club, said this club and its purpose has become “her baby.” She fully believes in the support for mental health and how students should be talking to each other about it to raise awareness.

“It is such a basic idea but it’s so important to talk about your mental health,” Davis said. “It’s huge, especially in college.”

Angela Rusnak, sophomore performance and practices major and treasurer of the Active Minds Club, first heard about the club from Davis and was immediately ready to get involved.

“Mental health is something that I am so passionate about,” Rusnak said. “It’s something that I struggle with myself and it needs to be spoken about more in col-

PIONEER PUBLIC Christina Wonnacott

By Lauren Clouser Co-Features Editor

Most view retirement as a time to slow down and relax. Christina Wonnacott saw it as an opportunity to go back to school.

“A lot of people retire and I guess play golf and stuff, and that wasn’t my bailiwick.

I love going; I love doing,” Wonnacott said.

Wonnacott is currently in her first semester as a screenwriting major and came to Point Park in order to pursue her passion for writing.

“I wrote my first novel in the 70s and I’ve completed three novels,” Wonnacott said. “I continued to write and journal, things like that.

And people told me when they read my novels they said they saw a movie running in their head.”

leges and just in society in general.”

An advisor for the club is a part of the counseling center here on campus. Davis said that having an advisor from the counseling center on campus can not only help the club, but members of the student body who may not know how to get in touch with the counseling center.

“The counseling center is a great resource but some kids might not feel comfortable with that,” Davis said.

“Some kids might also not feel comfortable doing peerto-peer so we’re there to let them know that the counseling center is always available and we have a person in there for you but you don’t have to be there if you don’t want to.”

Students who may not feel comfortable with talking to professionals are given another outlet through the peer-based club.

“We want to keep a peerto-peer type of group that helps in a way that our counseling center might not be able to,” Davis said.

Davis is in talks with the psychology club for combined events in the future.

She also mentioned some events that they want to host in the future.

“There’s this thing called ‘laughing yoga’ and you just laugh the whole time,” Davis said. “It sounds weird but it’s supposed to make you so happy and energized.”

Davis also mentioned hosting a stand-up night to give students a way to destress as well as trying to get more dogs on campus to raise morale during highstress periods.

“Everybody is stressed and even if you aren’t dealing with actual mental health issues, it’s just the stress,” Davis said.

Davis said she wants to start with smaller events to get their name out there. She

Wonnacott’s favorite pieces to write are period dramas, where she does extensive research to ensure her writing is historically accurate.

“My idea is to find places in history that have been devastated by, shall we say, greed,” Wonnacott said. “And I like to expose that greed 100 or 150 years later and let the true history come out.”

Wonnacott currently lives on a freshman floor in Lawrence Hall to immerse herself into the academic community.

“I can be with my peers and my colleagues,” Wonnacott said.

Wonnacott said she enjoys getting to live on a college campus.

“Last night, several of us were doing our homework and I made nachos and chips and we sat in the fourth floor of Lawrence Hall,” Wonnacott said. “And I can’t believe that I’m up to 1:30, 2:00 in the morning and getting up for classes but I am. It’s a fabulous experience, it really is.”

Wonnacott said one of the larger adjustments of living and studying with younger students is getting used to the difference in language.

Although Wonnacott said she doesn’t always understand things, she said she is learning.

Deaths caused by suicide between 15-25 from 2012-2016 6,000 5,723 5,491

5,079 5,000

4,000

4,872 4,878

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

Data collected from Center of Disease Control Graphic by Alysse Baer

has set various goals for the club as to what they want to achieve throughout this year including helping students de-stress.

“I want to have general meetings. I want to have peer-to-peer meetings that are open to people who aren’t in the club and don’t want to participate, but want to just come and talk and hang out for a night,” Davis said.

Davis wants to stress that the Active Minds Club is a peer-to-peer group. They as students cannot offer the same kind of advice as a professional licensed counselor could, but they are there as a peer to offer friendly advice.

“It can help create a more nurturing and welcoming environment for students to talk more openly about their mental health,” Rusnak said.

Davis complements Rusnak’s views on the importance of creating an open environment.

“We’re experiencing all the same things and we’re all sitting together in the same school so we might as well be comfortable and be “The jargon of you young people is new to me, but I’m enjoying listening to it...and the generations that are here at the school, they have their own dialogue,” Wonnacott said. “And that’s fascinating for me to listen to and I think in return it’s fascinating for them because my lingo is different.”

For many homesick students, Wonnacott said she is a sort of parent or grandparent.

“The college age level, young people, they’re missing their grandparents and their parents so I fit that role and I love it,” Wonnacott said.

“God put me here to fulfill some needs.”

Wonnacott said sometimes students will knock on her door to introduce her to their parents, who often thank her.

“The response from the parents has been, ‘Thank you, it’s nice to know that my son or daughter has somebody here that they feel like they’re home,’” Wonnacott said.

When she’s not writing or studying, Wonnacott enjoys spending time with her family. Some of her family lives in Pittsburgh while others live in Texas, which makes it difficult for Wonnacott to visit them during the school year.

“Getting back there is a

open-minded,” Davis said.

Active Minds Club’s first meeting is this evening at 7:00 p.m. in Academic Hall room 719.

“It can help create a more nurturing and welcoming environment for students to talk more openly about their mental health.”

Angela Rusnak Treasurer Active Minds The first meeting will be an overview of the Active Minds Club and its goals.

Davis said she wants to see what people’s ideas are and

what they need from the club itself.

“I want to get a general feel of who’s involved and what they really need personally so that we can schedule some peer-to-peer time instead of just having a meeting basically dictating what we’re doing and saying and asking people for ideas,” Davis said.

Davis is hoping to fill open chair positions such as a fundraising chair, community outreach chair, social media chair and research chair at the meeting.

“The national chapter’s big goal is to reduce suicide in teens,” Davis said. “It’s the second leading cause of death for college students which I had no idea about that and that’s huge. I mean if we can talk one person off of a metaphorical ledge, it’s just changing this campus so slightly and I think that’s a really important thing to do.”

Hattie Charney hecharn@pointpark.edu

Lauren Clouser|The Globe

little difficult because now I’m in school full time, but I plan to be back there at Christmas and we love to go to Six Flags together,” Wonnacott said. “I ride on the antique cars with my grandchildren.”

Wonnacott said she is enjoying being around younger people, and is getting adjusted to college life.

“These young people

keep me young,” Wonnacott said. “It’s a lot of fun, they keep me laughing, I’m thoroughly enjoying the work, I know it’s a little crazy...I study way too much probably. I like all of the professors; it’s beginning to click.”

Lauren Clouser lclous@pointpark.edu

6

OPINIONS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2018

THE

GL BE’S POINT

Not all news is bad news It’s no secret that United Student Government (USG) has been swirling in controversy over the past few weeks censures, tickets, funding and resignations all come to mind.

But this past week, USG made headlines for something more positive - a new committee is being formed to address accessibility issues on campus for disabled students. Senator Emily Harnett is leading the initiative that will begin measuring the logistics of accessibility available on campus.

Being a university located in the city, accessibility presents itself some obstacles.

Sidewalks, skyscrapers and limited elevators are simply just a part of the challenge.

But we are a university that preaches inclusion and diversity. We find part of our academic identity in including anyone and everyone we possibly can. Point Park is a family of diversified categories.

Now more than ever, we need to ensure that the accommodation of disabled students is at the top of our priority list.

USG’s commitment to addressing student concerns on this issue appears to be a step in the right direction. As

college students, we know it’s our tendency to get caught up in our own problems. We have become very good at believing that our problems are the most important and pressing issues out in the ether. We do this so well that we may not realize that our fellow classmates are struggling with everyday issues - ones that we may take for granted.

Harnett, with her background in advocacy for LGBTQ communities, took a moment to look outside of her own perspective to see what others may need. She has evaluated what it takes to make campus safer and more inclusive for everyone.

The ability to take on another perspective is the kind of quality that is essential in a politician.

Awareness is not just a shining quality for senators; it can make all of us better people attuned to our communities needs as well.

We can all be challenged to look to Harnett as an example for what inclusivity can (and should) look like on this campus.

The Point Park Globe globe@pointpark.edu.

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

Sleeping is not so easy in college

What is the secret to getting a good night’s sleep?

By Shannon Hartnett Copy Editor

Why are college students not sleeping? Is it the mass amounts of coffee everyone drinks? Is it the overload of homework?

Does it have something to do with the social life of a student? The answer to all these questions is simply yes. What a person does and what they consume can all contribute to their sleeping schedules.

When students get the correct amount of sleep they start to perform better in all aspects of their lives.

Grades go up, moods gets lighter and our health increases. Sleep is not just an activity to do in your free time, but something the body truly needs.

It’s a time for the body and brain to heal after a day of work. Next time you are feeling irritable or more stressed out than usual, maybe the answer is to go to bed early that night and get that extra hour of sleep you know you need.

On the flip side of the benefits of sleeping, too much sleep could also cause some problems.

Sleeping for more than ten hours each night can cause a person to

be in a constant state of drowsiness.

Regulating a good time to get up in the morning and a good time to go to bed can be a good way to start out.

Ah naps, the greatest thing under the sun…

Or are they?

Taking three hour naps during the day does not increase the chances of feeling rejuvenated. Long naps will confuse the body into thinking it is time to sleep when in reality it is going to have to wake back up halfway through the sleep cycle.

Instead, try taking shorter naps that last anywhere from 15-30 minutes.

But where does the idea that only those who don’t sleep survive in the competitive world come from? In today’s society, it is deemed normal for a person to always be tired. “Why would college students not be tired, all they do is study late at night and stay up partying even later,” exclaims the rest of the world.

What happened to our culture where being sleepy all day long is the norm? We watch our favorite shows until the early morning, and lay in bed on our phones surfing social media until the

sun rises.

If the business world never sleeps, why should we? But what happens when our grogginess catches up to us? How does a person live without meeting one of the body’s simplest commands?

Getting a sleeping schedule down pat is hard.

It can be even harder for college students who are constantly busy. At the end of the day, however, your body will thank you for dropping that one extra class that was eating up your sleeping time.

Maybe cut back on hours at work, or just do homework during the day. Whatever the case be our bodies need sleep.

Our health should come first. That does not mean we should drop all of our activities, I mean college is a time to try new things.

The stories that make up the late nights at college are usually worth it, but next time you feel stressed, moody or just plain sick, take a step back and go sleep on it. I am sure you will feel loads better in the morning.

Shannon Hartnett snhartn@pointpark.edu

Past decisions should affect some, but not all of life Texas Democrat attacked for comments made when he was 19 years old

By John Karavis Staff Writer

I had somewhat of a big mouth in my teenage years.

It wasn’t a matter of anger or any genuine harmful intent. I just occasionally let my testosterone-laden and still-developing ego outwit my better judgment.

Even now, only a few years removed, I still would be at a loss for words if confronted with some of the stupid things I said while coming of age.

Having regrets about youthful transgressions is universal, and just about everyone can point to a few instances from their teen experiences where they said something they now wish they hadn’t.

This is why I find the recent controversy surrounding Texas senatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke concerning.

O’Rourke, a United States congressman since 2012, has faced scrutiny for a remark he made reviewing a play for the Columbia University student newspaper as a 19-year-old student in 1991.

In the review, O’Ro-

urke suggested actresses only received their roles in the show due to “their phenomenally large breasts and tight buttocks.”

Now 46, O’Rourke had to take time from his regular campaign proceedings to address the issue last week.

While the comment may have been slightly off-color, I find it ridiculous in today’s political climate that anyone, especially a progressive Democrat who has fought for several forward-thinking social causes, must be reduced to groveling for forgiveness over such a minuscule occurrence.

In his public apology, O’Rourke said he was “ashamed” of his actions and called his opinion of the show “demeaning” to women everywhere.

Could he have phrased his displeasure differently?

I suppose.

But the fact that our social structure has become so sterile and politically correct that he had to issue a stale apology for a slur-less criticism of a play - in which he did not call out any actress by name - is utterly and frustratingly absurd.

If anything, O’Rourke’s

gripe has more to do with the play’s casting director for hiring subpar actresses based off appearance than with the women themselves.

There are real issues to be dealt with and forcing public figures into acknowledging a minor offense like this does a massive disservice to those who have been affected by legitimate racist, sexist or bigoted proclamations.

Many Trump voters flocked to his over-the-top showmanship and defiance of traditional politics because they were tired of quick, witless reactions to controversy and the teleprompter apologies that follow.

O’Rourke’s comment sparking so much half-hearted backlash only adds fuel to the argument of the socially ignorant.

To me, the most aggravating aspect of this is the lack of impact this saga will have on the election.

Who benefited from this apology?

Did the actresses really care about one negative review from a performance given 27 years ago?

Did this one revelation

cause supporters to abandon O’Rourke’s campaign and begin to internalize Republican ideals?

Does his opponent, Ted Cruz, a severely unlikeable official who has hidden behind religion and a misguided, outdated reliance on family values for years when discussing his reluctance to adopt modern viewpoints on social movements, have added ammunition to throw at his adversary?

The likelihood of any of these scenarios is laughably and inarguably slim.

The only thing this public contention accomplished was distracting voters from the important challenges awaiting the victor of the election.

There are many officials, including the president, who have yet to be held accountable for their actions.

Attempting to tear apart a respectable and qualified candidate over such a trivial indiscretion is irresponsible and unnecessary.

Teenagers say dumb things. It’s part of growing up.

Rehashing a benign matter like this undercuts the concept of moving for-

ward, the most important aspect of progressive thinking.

John Karavis jwkarav@pointpark.edu

I apologize, I was only 19.

Graphic by Alysse Baer

Covering the world of Point Park University news since 1967 Editor-in-Chief: Emily Bennett Editor-Elect: Carley Bonk Faculty Adviser: Aimee Dorsten Administrative Adviser: Dean Keith Paylo The Globe board consists of Emily Bennett, Carley Bonk and fellow editors. Opinion articles, letters to the editor, columns and cartoons do not necessarily reflect the position of the newspaper or editorial board. The Globe reserves the right to refuse advertising and edit all submitted articles and letters to the editor. Letters to the editor must be signed and include author’s contact information. The Globe offices are located at the corner of Wood Street and Fort Pitt Boulevard. Writers should address letters to:

The Globe 201 Wood Street, Box 23 Pittsburgh, PA 15222 or globe@pointpark.edu

Advertising: Submit advertising related inquiries to globeadvertising@pointpark.edu All ads must be approved by the university.

The deadline for ads is Friday at 5 p.m.

Details: ppuglobe.com/advertising Story Ideas: If you have a story you think the Globe can use, email globe@pointpark.edu Meetings: Mondays at 2:40 p.m. in the CMI Details: ppuglobe.com/contribute

News Editors: Mick Stinelli and Sarah Gibson Photo Editor: Gracey Evans Features Editors: Lauren Clouser and Hattie Charney Photo Editor: Kelsee McHugh Sports Editors: Dara Collins and Allison Schubert Photo Editor: Robert Berger

Copy Desk Chiefs: Hannah Walden Nick Horwat Social Media Coordinators: Beth Turnbull Hannah O’Toole Public Relations Coordinator: Carrie Reale

Opinions Editor: Jordan Slobodinsky

Delivery Assistant: Autumn Barszczowski

Arts and Entertainment Editor: Amanda Myers

Staff Writers: Amanda Andrews John Karavis Mitchell Drake

Online Editors: Kayla Snyder Nicole Pampena

SPORTS

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

All in With Allison

By Allison Schubert Sports Columnist

Butler takes the court Butler High School has been represented at Point Park in many ways since its founding in 1960.

The Globe has had its fair share of Editor-in-Chiefs that attended Butler, as well as athletes, coaches and students.

My columnist predecessor and Editor-Emeritus, Josh Croup, went to Butler, and I myself am a Butler alum.

Now, I may be biased toward the Golden Tornadoes, but Butler is not all that bad of a place. During my time there, I played varsity basketball under head coach Joe Lewandowski.

Point Park just hired someone to be the new men’s basketball coach - a man named Joe Lewandowski.

I never thought my onetime basketball coach would ever attend college with me, yet here we are.

Speaking of basketball and Butler connections, women’s basketball coach Tony Grenek also attended Butler during his high school years.

He returned in 2001 as the head coach of the men’s basketball team at Butler County Community College (BC3).

There, he turned a 5-25 team into regional champions, claiming the NJCAA Region 20 championship his first season.

Lewandowski also has an impressive resume of coaching under his belt. He first played for BC3, where he earned All-American status at the junior college level, then played two years of professional basketball in Denmark.

He returned to the United States to coach at a variety of stages - from Butler High School and BC3 to national-stage AAU teams and USA Basketball 3 vs. 3.

With both the men’s and women’s teams in the hands of Butler alumni, Butler blood runs deep at Point Park, and now it is getting ready to take the court for the 2018-19 season.

Allison Schubert alschub@pointpark.edu

LAST WEEK’S SCOREBOARD OCT. 2 - OCT. 8 MEN’S SOCCER (6-4-1) (2-2-1)

OHIO CHRISTIAN 1, POINT PARK 4*.................................................... Oct 4 Goals: Dip, Emmanuel, Bijl, Mirzakhanov Next: Oct. 11 vs. Carlow*, Oct. 18 vs. Midway University*

WOMEN’S SOCCER (8-4) (5-0)

OHIO CHRISTIAN 0, POINT PARK 2.................................................... Oct. 4 Goals: Adrian, Goldstrohm Next: Oct. 11 vs. Carlow*. Oct. 13 vs. Malone University

VOLLEYBALL (12-6) (5-1)

OHIO CHRISTIAN 0, POINT PARK 3*.................................................. Oct. 2 POINT PARK 3, RIO GRANDE 0*......................................................... Oct. 5 POINT PARK 3, WVU TECH 1*.............................................................. Oct. 6 Next: Oct. 10 @ Pitt-Johnstown, Oct. 12 @ Ohio Christian*

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY INVITATIONAL..........................Oct. 6 3rd of 10 Top finishers: Stephens (27:16), Torres (27:48), Kostelansky (28:00) Next: Oct. 20 @ NAIA Great Lakes Challenge

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY INVITATIONAL..........................Oct. 6 2nd of 9 Top finishers: Campbell (18:55), Rohlf (20:00), Bartram (20:26) Next: Oct. 20 @ NAIA Great Lakes Challenge

WOMEN’S GOLF

Next: Oct. 8-9 @ Belterra Golf Course, RSC Fall Preview

MEN’S GOLF

Next: Oct. 13 @ Grove City Invitational, Oct. 29-30 RSC Fall Preview

*River States Conference

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2018

7

Volleyball inches closer to top spot in RSC East

Women’s win streak grows to six

By Dara Collins Co-sports Editor

The Pioneer volleyball squad extended its winning streak to six after another victorious weekend of River States Conference (RSC) road trips. Point Park dominated its first match of the week, and topped RSC opponents in nearly even matches last Friday and Saturday.

Point Park checked off a sweep against Ohio Christian University (OCU) first and improved its season-best attack percentage once more to .391. The Pioneers hosted the Trailblazers last Tuesday and stole the match 25-12, 25-9 and 25-19.

The Pioneers were well on their way to victory in sets one and two before the Trailblazers even put a point on the scoreboard. Fresh faces appeared on the court in set three to close out the match and stand just 1.5 matches away from RSC East’s firstplace Indiana University East.

“When the energy is low, our play tends to get low, so I think we did a really good job of staying on top of everything and communicating,” senior middle hitter Destiny Tucker said.

The Pioneers collected 17 aces, seven of which came from freshman defensive specialist Ashley Castelli. Point Park posted 32 kills to Ohio Christian’s 16. Senior outside hitter Jordan Dixon led the offense with 12 kills and rounded off her double-double with 10 digs. Junior setter Julia Menosky directed the net with 17 assists before junior setter Brittney Bianco stepped in set three to chip in nine assists.

“Overall, we’ve been working on, no matter what team we’re playing, just staying aggressive,” Tucker said.

“That’s really been our biggest key.”

The women began their weekend of conference road contests on Friday against University of Rio Grande. The Pioneers left the RedStorm’s gym with their second sweep of the week, finishing 25-14, 25-19 and 25-18.

The stat sheet appeared even across both teams, but it was the Pioneers who finished on top. Menosky dished out 27 assists and completed a double-double with 11 digs.

Dixon matched Menosky’s

Robert Berger | Point Park Athletics Senior middle hitter Destiney Tucker attempts a spike in a 2017 matchup against Washington and Jefferson. The team won 3 conference matchups last week and are now 5-1 in conference play.

digs and recorded eight kills and four aces. Senior rightside hitter Ashley Taylor led the offense with 11 kills, and Castelli held down the back row with 14 digs.

The Pioneers visited the Golden Bears on Saturday and faced another close game.

WVU Tech claimed set one 25-21, but Point Park fought back from there on out. The final scores of the last three sets were 25-19, 25-20 and 25-21, all in favor of the green and gold.

“The first set was a little sloppy,” Taylor said. “We just weren’t pursuing every ball to the fullest and it eventually caught up to us when they took the first set. Coach B pointed out that we were playing good, but we needed to play harder.”

Point Park boasted 54 kills, just three more than WVU Tech’s offense, and both teams recorded 20 hitting errors each. The lead never stretched past five points on either side, but the Pioneers claimed victory.

“We have been doing a really great job of playing as a

whole and not giving up on a play,” Taylor said. “I feel that if we continue to work as hard as we have been, there is no reason why we shouldn’t win out the rest of the season.”

Dixon captained offense with 16 kills, senior outside hitter Erica Gumz followed with 13 and Taylor with 19.

Senior libero Morgan Dangelo posted a team-high 16 digs, Castelli finished second with 14 and Taylor completed a double-double with 10 digs.

The Pioneers continue the regular season with a non-conference matchup at Pitt-Johnstown on Wednesday, and will embark on yet another RSC road trip this Friday and Saturday, visiting Ohio Christian for a rematch and IU East, respectively.

“We’re going into every game focused on beating our opponents across the net,” Menosky said. “We just have to play our game and beat IU East when we face them again.”

Dara Collins dmcolli2@pointpark.edu

Men notch RSC victory at home

By Dara Collins Co-sports Editor

The men’s soccer team evened its River States Conference (RSC) record after its first conference victory on its home field. The men found the net four separate times to top Ohio Christian University (OCU) last Thursday.

An OCU defender stood in the right place at the right time for the Pioneers to strike early. Senior midfielder Ricardo Dip went for a free kick, and the ball made its way to the back of the net as it deflected off the opposing team’s player.

Freshman midfielder Ndayisenga Emmanuel es-

caped the Trailblazer defense to find the front of the net and scored a second goal in the 27th minute to extend the Pioneer’s lead. The Pioneers were awarded a penalty kick just over three minutes later, and sophomore midfielder Geert Bijl buried another goal to send OCU to the locker room trailing by three.

The Trailblazers did not appear on the scoreboard until early in the second half, but the Pioneers evened the half out in the 85th minute with a goal from sophomore midfielder Ibrokhim Mirzakhanov.

Point Park boasted 18 shots with half on goal compared to its opponent’s 11

shots with five on goal. The Pioneers’ Bijl recorded the team-high six shots with four on goal.

OCU posted three more shots on goal in the second half, but it was too late for a comeback. Senior goalkeeper Ryan Daniels finished the match with four saves to allow the Pioneers to even their RSC record, 2-2-1, 6-4-1 overall.

Point Park will play city rival Carlow University this Thursday at Highmark Stadium. Following Thursday’s game, the Pioneers will have three more home matches during the regular season.

Dara Collins dmcolli2@pointpark.edu

Robert Berger| Point Park Athletics Sophomore midfielder Kay In’t Ven carries the ball during Thursday’s win against Ohio Christan University. The men’s team is now 2-2-1 in conference play and face Carlow Thursday night at Highmark Stadium.

8

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2018

SPORTS

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

Women’s soccer sets school record with eight consecutive wins, remain undefeated in RSC

Pioneers remain one of two unconquered teams in conference

By Rachael McKriger For The Globe

History has been made by the Point Park women’s soccer team.

After defeating Ohio Christian University on Thursday, 2-0, Point Park increased its winning streak to eight matches. The feat broke the former school record of seven games. Meanwhile, the loss was the first in conference play for Ohio Christian.

The two schools have history. Last season, Ohio Christian defeated Point Park in the quarterfinals of the River States Conference (RSC) Tournament. This year, while not for tournament play, Point Park got a redemption victory with goals from freshmen Britney Adrian and Taylor Goldstrohm in the second half.

Both goals came off of set pieces. Adrian’s goal, assisted

by Chloe Bowser, came off a free kick header into the net.

Meanwhile, Goldstrohm’s goal began with a corner kick.

Originially, the ball landed to senior defender Abby Magilocca, but her shot was blocked. Goldstrohm then jumped on the rebound.

Magilocca is part of a defense that has had threestraight matches with zero goals given up. She says the feat is giving her confidence, as well as the defenders around her.

“Even though my confidence is high, we don’t think we’re unbeatable,” Magiloc-

Robert Berger | Point Park Athletics Senior forward Lauren Bower takes a shot on net during last Thursday’s match against conference opponent Ohio Christan University. The team is on an eight game win streak and will face Carlow at home Thursday night.

ca said. “Coach Kuhn makes sure we remain humble and focused. As a backline, we’re going into these games confident since we’ve been doing well. We know what we’re capable of. We work hard to achieve the same level of defensive intensity that we played in our games prior.”

Meanwhile, Kuhn called Magilocca the epitome of what a student-athlete should be. Kuhn explained that her senior defender is also in ROTC, so she has physical training at 3 a.m. and then

comes to practice with the same intensity at 6 a.m.

“She shows up to our training sessions and competes like she woke up with the other girls,” Kuhn said.

“Her energy level, leadership, work-rate and attitude is going to be missed a lot next year. She’s really having a great year and she’s complemented by equally impressive young ladies beside and around her.”

With the help of Ashtyn Webb, Magilocca and the other defenders, Point Park

limited Ohio Christian to six total shots, with four on-goal.

After the match, head coach Maggie Kuhn said that the contest was close and “could have gone any way.”

“We showed a lot of energy and heart in the second half,” Kuhn said. “That was exciting for the coaching staff to see. I actually did not know about the record; I actually thought we did a while ago. That was exciting and well-deserved by the girls.”

Point Park’s dominant run began on Sept. 9 against

Pikeville University. Currently, the Pioneers are undefeated in conference play with a record of 5-0. However, the team is 8-4 overall.

“We started out the season kind of slow, but getting that eight game winning streak gave as a ton of confidence,” junior midfielder Gabby Widman said. “Having that many wins keeps our drive to win and do better. That’s a huge confidence boost for these next couple of games.”

Now, the team is gearing up for a big rivalry test against Carlow University. Both teams use Highmark Stadium as their home field. However, Kuhn explained that sometimes Carlow doesn’t practice on the Monongahela. Kuhn called that a bit of an advantage.

“This game always brings out everyone’s best,” Kuhn said. “I keep telling the girls that we need to keep our heads down and work hard.

We had a couple good training sessions in going into Thursday. We have all the reason in the world to go into that game confident.”

For Widman, it’s all about controlling the controllables.

“It’s time for us to step up and prove that we rule Highmark Stadium,” Widman said. “It’s going to be mentally and physically emotional.”

Rachael McKriger rakrige@pointpark.edu

XC Women ranked 15 in NAIA, place second Saturday

By Robert Berger

Sports Photo Editor

Ranked 15th in National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the women’s cross country team took second place Saturday morning in the Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Invitational 5k.

“It’s exciting, the women have worked really hard,” head coach Kelly

Parsley said. “This race this past weekend, I thought was their best as a team, even without Anna [Shields] just in terms of the pack with how close they were.”

Like last week, freshman Alyssa Campbell led the Pioneer women’s team posting a time of 18 minutes, 55 seconds, just 24 seconds behind first place finisher Alicia Belko of California University of

Gracey Evans | The Globe Freshman Alyssa Campbell running in Saturday’s Carnegie Mellon University Invitational Saturday. Campbell finished in second place and the team placed second overall. The women’s team is now ranked 15th in the NAIA.

Pennsylvania.

“It was nice to see Alyssa Campbell lead the team again, two weeks in a row.

She’s a really great freshman,” Parsley said.

The freshman has consistently placed in the top finishers for Point Park each week this season and feels she is adjusting well to collegiate level running.

“There is definitely more competition and people take it a lot more seriously in college, which is something I’ve really come to appreciate,” Campbell said.

Racing on a familiar course at Schenley Park, the women’s team managed to finish with six runners in the top 18.

Senior Kara Rohlf finished second for the team as she completed the course in 20 minutes. Good enough to place her at seventh overall.

An improvement of 17 places compared to last week in Louisville, Kentucky.

Reba Bartram finished third for the Pioneers at 12th place in 2o minutes, 26 seconds. 10 seconds after Bartman, Senior Katie Guarnaccia crossed the finish line placing her 13th overall.

The next pair of Pioneer runners to finish were sophomores Alyssa Boyd and Alex Barr, placing 17th and 18th respectively. Boyd completed the course in 20 minutes, 43 seconds, while Barr finished five seconds later in 20 minutes, 48 seconds.

The men’s team finished its CMU invitational 8k with the best team finish of the season placing third out of 10 schools.

Overall the team put up 96 points falling short only of Duquesne’s 79 points and CMU’s 20.

Junior Xavier Stephens finished first for the Pioneers and took 12th place overall in 27 minutes, 16 seconds.

“Schenley is a tough course and it’s not my favorite to run on,” Stephens said. “I ran a course PR [Personal Record] and I definitely did better this weekend than I have in years past.”

Stephens took an early lead off the gun while running three laps around the Schenley oval.

“I felt good on the oval,” Stephens said. “It’s pretty easy to go out fast because it’s so flat and that’s more of my strength.”

In years past, the teams spent more time running the trail rather than the flat oval, however weather conditions caused downed trees and landslides resulting in rerouting of the course.

Junior Eric Torres, racing with a week of rest under his belt was second to finish for Point Park and placed 16th in 27 minutes, 48 seconds.

Freshman Doug Kostelansky was next with a finish in 28 minutes even and placed next to Torres in 17th place. This was the second week in a row the freshman

finished in the top three of Pioneer runners.

“Doug is fairly new to running so I don’t think he knows how good he can be,” Parsley said. “I’m excited to see the next couple of weeks of good training…he’s only the third freshman ever to break 27 minutes in an 8k.”

Two more freshman rounded out the top five for Point Park who were Camden Seybert and Brody Carlin. Seybert ended with a time of 29 minutes, two seconds while Carlin finished in 29 minutes, three seconds. The two placed 32nd and 33rd respectively.

Both teams celebrated senior day following the race with the women’s team honoring Taylor Celich, Anna Shields, Rholf and Guarnaccia. The men’s team recognized seniors Sean Hilverding, Connor Wright, Andre Lowery, Robert Lane, Bryan Partika and Bradley Calleja.

Both teams will have this weekend off and will then travel to Grand Rapids Michigan the following week to compete in the NAIA Great Lake Challenge.

It will be the Pioneer’s final meet before the River States Conference Championship meet which will take place in Owensboro, Kentucky.

Nov. 3.

Additional reporting contributed by Nicholas Kasisky.

Robert Berger raberge@pointpark.edu