Point Park Globe Fall 2017 Issue 13

IN THIS ISSUE: PAGE

@PPUGlobe November 29, 2017

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By Hannah Walden USG Beat Writer

United Student Government (USG) President Pro-Tempore Daniel Murphy along with two senators have resigned from their positions effective immediately.

According to a USG press release, Murphy served as senator for the Conservatory of Performing Arts for three years. This was Murphy’s first semester as President Pro-Tempore.

No reason for resignation was mentioned in the press release; Murphy declined to comment at this time.

President Bobby Bertha accepted Murphy’s resignation Monday morning as well as the resignation letters from the two senators, Patrick Terry and Blaze Kelley.

Terry served as a senator-at-large and was in his

Co-News Editor

By Josh Croup

Co-Sports Editor

first semester with USG. Kelley was a senator from the Rowland School of Business and was also in his first semester with student government. Both senators cited personal reasons for their resignations and were unavailable for comment at the time of publication.

During Monday’s meeting, Senator Samiar Nefzi nominated Senator Hayley Hoffman for President Pro-Tempore, who accepted the nomination. Hoffman will hold this position from this point to the remainder of the 2017-2018 school year.

“I just want to help better this organization for the students,” Hoffman said.

“We are here for the students. A lot of the people don’t know how to separate the job and their personal life. That is something that I want to get through to the senators, you are here to do a job, not to bring in your personal life.”

During the senator’s report, Senator Nefzi ad-

Anna Shields raced to a 12th-place finish at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national championships and became the first AllAmerican in Point Park cross country history.

The junior from Torrington, Connecticut led the women’s team to a 26th-place finish at the national championships out of 36 teams in Vancouver, Washington, the program’s best-ever finish at nationals.

Her time of 17 minutes, 50 seconds in the 5K race was a team national meet record and helped clinch her fifth All-American distinction, awarded to the top 30 finishers. Her previous four NAIA All-American honors came in track and field.

Still, Shields wanted more.

“I was disappointed in how I did,” Shields said. “I know I gave it my best on the day, and in some ways, I’m proud of how I approached it. I went for the win.”

USG page 2

NATIONALS page 7

Point Park’s conservatory is asking its alumni, staff, current students and the public to submit their favorite memory of the Oakland Pittsburgh Playhouse ahead of its closure in June 2018.

According to the Playhouse’s website, the project is an “opportunity to reminisce through its 85 years and submit a memory for consider-

ation to be posted on the Share Your Pittsburgh Playhouse Memories Page.”

“I think it’s a little sad because of all the old history in the Playhouse,” sophomore acting major Allison Svagdis said. “It’s very eccentric, [but] I think the new Playhouse opening shows Point Park’s reputation is growing.”

The idea for this project sparked during a planning meeting for a final event at the Oakland facility, according to

Issue 13

Cross country members notch national rankings in NAIA meet

Playhouse gathering favorite memories from Oakland site

By Nicole Pampena

ppuglobe.com

Celebrating 50 years of covering the world of Point Park University news

USG faces three resignations ahead of semesUSG

Student starts Young Americans for Liberty chapter Lauren Ortego recaps news and the mdia throughout this past year Men’s basketball defeats Washington Adventist in home opener

the Producing Director at the Playhouse Kim Martin.

“It was kind of the brainchild of Mariann Geyer and Barb Villanova,” Martin said.

“We asked, ‘what’s a great way for people to remember the Playhouse?’”

The answer was creating a space for submissions for Point Park community members to share their “fondest, silliest, or most sentimental” memories,

MEMORIES page 2

IT’S CHRISTMAS TIME IN THE CITY

Nikole Kost | The Globe

The PPG Place Christmas Tree in the center of the MassMutual Ice Rink will be up all season until the end of February. The tree stands at 65 feet tall.

Robert Berger | Point Park Athletics

Junior Anna Shields placed twelth overall in the women’s 5K event at the NAIA National Championship Tournament over break.

Table Top Tirade joins gaming community with final weekend events

By Robert Berger Co-News Editor

This weekend, the gaming club at Point Park will wrap up the semester with two final events.

Table Top Tirade will kick the weekend off with their final tournament of “Magic: The Gathering.” Every last Friday of the month this semester, the club held tournaments with a $12 entry fee. This month’s tournament will be played with the Ixalan deck, the latest one released.

“We have draft tournaments at the end of every month,” senior acting major and club president, Lydia Laine-Smith said. “We get the latest booster box and give out five booster packs to everybody who comes and you build your own deck and compete… you get to keep your cards too.”

According to junior cinema production student and club treasurer Elliot Clay, “Magic: The Gathering” tournaments are a favorite among club members.

“These are major, major events, and it goes to show that the reason we have these nights is because there is a real community here that is willing to pay the money to actually come in and compete,” Clay said.

“Essentially that is what the goal of the club is, invite people

to this giant community.”

The tournament will be held in Lawrence Hall 409 at 6 p.m. Prizes will be awarded to those finishing in the top three spots. Funds raised will go to the club for future activities and to purchase more tabletop games.

The next day, the club will host their final event of the semester, Game Day, a 12-hour event featuring video games, tabletop games, card games and food.

D’aura Ponton, a sophomore cinema production student and club member is especially looking forward to playing video games as it’s a change of pace from the typical tabletop games.

“I’m not going to enter the tournaments, but I really like Mario Kart,” Ponton said. “I’m looking forward to new games that will also be there… like Mario Odyssey.”

Clay is also looking forward to the video games Saturday night, especially the Super Smash Brothers tournament.

He feels that it is more centric around the community of the game rather than the fighting game’s objective.

“The entire social network of Super Smash Brothers is fascinating because it revolves around a party game from the late 90s and has evolved into

GAMING page 2

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

Student government looks to bridge gap with student body LOCAL Point Park recently welcomed President and CEO of Warner Music Nashville John Esposito to speak on the music industry with sports, art and entertainment management (SAEM) students, faculty and local musicians. As a Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania native, Esposito shared what it took to get where he is with one of the biggest record labels in the industry. The event was hosted by the SAEM Department and Pioneer Records.

SAEM Professor Ed Traversari helped organize the event and told the university website that Esposito’s knowledge on the industry is “second to none.”

---Assistant Professor of Physics Brendan Mullan, Ph.D., recently took part in the week-long nationwide event “Celebrating Space Exploration.” Online hangouts were broadcasted live to classrooms on space travel throughout the week. Mullan’s presentation was streamed live on YouTube last week as he spoke about topics related to current space exploration. He was among 30 professors across the country to present online throughout the week, according to the university website.

---Point Park’s Conservatory of Performing Arts announced that the school will host a national high school dance festival next year. Between Feb. 28 and March 4, 2018, Point Park will welcome students to train in the school’s dance facilities and work alongside the university’s dance instructors, according to the university website.

Along with these opportunities, participants will compete in six adjudicated concerts and will spend a day auditioning for potential scholarships. College recruiters will be present throughout and an award ceremony will be held to conclude the festival.

from USG page 1 dressed student concerns about USG and made a suggestion to bridge the gap between the organization and the student body.

“Constituents don’t know who the senators are, that was supposed to be [done] through communications [committee] who was supposed to create senator profiles,” Nefzi said after the meeting. “So I guess that an open platform needs to be made or an open way of communication. Senator profiles are supposed to be found on the USG Facebook page and Instagram.”

He argued that while the Student Concerns Carnival was successful, students don’t know who is a part of USG and what the organization does.

“I can go off of that, a lot of constituents are ask-

ing what we are doing and it’s very hard to answer them,” Hoffman said. “And they keep asking why resignations keep coming out, and I don’t have an answer to that either.”

Senator Nefzi suggested that the Rules and Communication Committees work to put USG out in the public eye more. However, some members disagreed.

“Rules Committee has brought us new clubs and organizations this semester, and we have seen updates to the constitution, which is in-line with what the committee is supposed to do,” Bertha said. “And communications is continuing our community outreach. I’m confused as to what more can be done.”

do

Hannah Walden hwalde@pointpark.edu

Tournaments to be held at game-a-thon event Saturday from GAMING page 1 something treated as an actual game with real professional tournaments,” Elliot said. “The fact we have that at Game Day is interesting and shows people will follow these tournaments.”

Along with Super Smash Brothers, Mario Kart and Tekken 8 tournaments will also be held. Game related prizes will be awarded to the top two finishers of each game and entry is $1. Students are encouraged to bring gaming consoles and games of their own to play.

The club also plans to play a variety of tabletop games Saturday and will host another tournament of Magic: The Gathering. This one allowing students to bring their own decks to compete with.

“I really like the tournaments because a lot of people get really into them every time,” Laine-Smith said.

Some other tabletop games that will be played Sat-

urday include Risk, Uno, Exploding Kittens, Yu-Gi-Oh and Elder Signs.

Recently, the club held their event, Extra Life, a 24hour charity event the club hosts for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. Similar to Game Day, Extra Life features hours of constant gaming and food.

“We do this every semester and we have a 24-hour gaming marathon,” Lain-Smith said.

“We always have a bunch of fun and it helps kids who are also really into video games which is really cool.”

While this is the final event for the semester, the club plans to meet regularly next semester and will host a number of events, including another Extra Life marathon.

Robert Berger raberge@pointpark.edu

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY Monday, November 13 11:39 a.m.

Harassment University Center Under Investigation Wednesday, November 15 3:47 p.m.

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os s “Bittersweet” memories

arise of Oakland Playhouse from USG page 1 according to the Memories page of the Playhouse’s website.

Senior musical theatre major Kevin Gilmond said being in a conservatory show allowed him to meet Svagdis, his girlfriend. He shared this experience on the Memories page of the Playhouse’s website: “While performing in The Who’s ‘Tommy’ I met my girlfriend while she was on crew,” Gilmond said. “We’ve been together for a year now and I have the Playhouse to thank for that.”

“Every time Zeva called ‘hold,’ it was tradition for the freshmen to do pushups,” Svagdis said. “I think I did it the first two times then stopped. I guess he thought it was cute.”

According to Gilmond, Svagdis “stood out from the crowd.”

“She was the first girl to say ‘this is stupid,’” Gilmond said.

“It piqued my interest. She’s also extremely beautiful.”

Memories of the Playhouse in Oakland date back to 1934 where its formation came from combining three different buildings, none of which were designed for the performing arts: the Rauh Theater used to be a German social club and the Rockwell Theater was once the Tree of Life Synagogue.

Martin, who graduated

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from Point Park in 1987, credits her four years at the Playhouse as “some of the best years of her life.”

“To see it matter as much to students as it mattered to me…it’s amazing,” Martin said.

Despite memories among students and alumni, the facility is beginning to show its age leaving its occupants ready to usher in a new era for the conservatory.

“The building is in such bad shape, when it rains outside, it rains inside,” Martin said. “I’m very nostalgic about it, and we’ve done great work there, but we’re all dreaming of a new Playhouse where it doesn’t rain on stage.”

The new Playhouse on Forbes Avenue will cater to conservatory students where three academic theatre spaces, a large scene shop, sound stage, prop shop, costume shop and café will become fundamental to the learning environment. The new facility will also showcase “100 percent of production in the making,” where large windows will showcase the students working.

The Playhouse will host a Lights Out Celebration June 18 as a final sendoff for the site.

More information on the event will become available at a later date.

Nicole Pampena nmpampe@pointpark.edu

Correction

Last week’s United Student Government recap stated a roll call vote was to accept NextGen’s revised mission statement. The motion at hand was to recognize the club.

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Libertarian-slanted club starts at university

Young Americans for Liberty chapter welcomes all

By Aidan Segal Staff Writer

Brennen Burke wears a baseball cap with the image of a coiled rattlesnake slithering over the bolded words, “DON’T TREAD ON ME,” an iconic symbol that dates back to the American Revolution. The back of his laptop has an assemblage of National Rifle Association and Libertarian Party stickers.

He is the face of a growing club on campus known as the Young Americans for Liberty, a local chapter of a national organization for college students that is ingrained in Libertarian values but nonetheless a nonpartisan group.

“[Burke] is great. He has done so much to get this club on its feet and moving. I’d say we’ve made excellent progress in the club, and we are still doing it.”

Alex McDannell Cinema Production Major Point Park University In the midst of college campuses across the nation protesting speakers and disavowing the Trump administration to great extents, this small group of students at Point Park gathers weekly to have civil political discussions.

Burke, 20, a junior sports, arts and entertain-

ment management major, doesn’t shy away from the controversy that comes with politics. He claims to challenge both students and professors when a political discussion arises in the classroom.

The hostility students face, primarily right-leaning as Burke sees it, are a result of coming off a gritty election.

“I understand how the freshmen feel how polarizing it is because they just started college after an election year, a very hard, difficult election year,” Burke said.

The Libertarian Party is a young one in contrast to the dominant two-party system, founded 45 years ago. Borrowing values from both Democrats and Republicans, the party’s candidate musters just enough support to appear on the ballot each election, that being Gary Johnson in the case of the past two elections.

With that being said, Burke claims to receive mistreatment for his political views, as well as other right-leaning students since the election of President Trump.

Although not a Trump supporter, but rather voting third party, Burke still disapproves of what he calls political correctness, regarding students who exclaim “not my president” in protest to the current administration, a slogan challenging the president’s legitimacy preceding his victory.

“People that refer to him as ‘he who must not be named,’ he is not Voldemort,” Burke said. “He is the president of the United States. As much as you don’t want to admit that, he is. It is not just Point Park, I think it is a lot of universities as a whole kinda cater to this single-mindedness and echo-chamber effect.”

Allison Hritz | The Globe Brennan Burke, Junior SAEM major, is the head of the Young Americans for Liberty at Point Park.

Alex McDannell, 20, a junior, has been a member of Young Americans for Liberty for about four months despite avoiding politics for most of his life.

Politically, McDannell is an Independent, and he believes that Young Americans for Liberty, being a non-partisan club, has provided an outlet for students of all backgrounds.

“Young Americans for Liberty is not what most people think,” McDannell said. “We do not affiliate ourselves with a specific party. We are in the middle and are here to just talk.”

He says this in praise of the club’s leader for starting a chapter at Point Park and for sticking with it in this divided political climate.

“Brennen is great. He has done so much to get this club on its feet and

moving,” McDannell said.

“I’d say we’ve made excellent progress in the club and we are still doing it.”

Nickolas Kardos, 21, a senior, joined the club this year and politically, he falls right down the middle. He likes being able to engage in politics with other students, but says the club suffers from either lack of interest or scheduling conflicts.

“There haven’t been too many large meetings to do too many discussions, but the couple of times there have,” Kardos said. “Brennen would usually bring up a topic and we’d discuss it for a little bit.”

Kardos does applaud Burke’s work ethic to get the chapter moving along and credits him for having activities on campus.

“He’s been doing a really good job at promoting

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the club, and getting the word out there,” Kardos said. “He’s done a couple events that really started to get people’s attention.”

Burke mentioned a controversial name that he would like to bring to Point Park, although he fears that there would be too much backlash.

Conservative journalist and editor of “The Daily Wire,” Ben Shapiro is renowned for his college campus appearances where he takes on all comers, debating anything that comes his way. Burke seeks the same thing for Point Park: an environment to grind out the country’s biggest topics with nothing but respect.

He has next semester and then next year to stabilize a club with set goals, political acceptance and of course liberty, before he graduates.

“Hopefully as the club takes off, gains more membership, gets more publicity, becoming a bigger voice on campus, it will encourage other groups of people to start their own clubs and come out and debate,” Burke said. “I welcome that. I would love to see a young democrats group... even a young communists group, as confused as they may be.”

McDannell has faith in the club and he encourages everyone to join.

“We are all Americans.

It doesn’t matter what your race is, what your sex is, what your religion is or what your gender is, ‘YAL’ is here to bring us together and preserve liberty,” McDannell said.

Check out wppjradio.com Aidan Segal alsegal@pointpark.edu

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

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Students jam to tunes through varied methods

Local record stores, streaming services sell to students

By Chloe Jakiela

Staff Photographer

Alec Ebeling, junior creative writing major, sifted through their record collection and revealed a few favorite vinyls along with an album by their father’s old band “The Spy-Fi Sounds of The Omega Men.” “I like vinyl because it appeals to me as a collector of things, getting that physical album art in your hands; it’s nice, big and you can see it really well,” Ebeling said.

“I’m constantly finding new things to listen to here.”

Dylan Kersten Global Cultural Studies Major Point Park University

Many students prefer streaming their music through services like Spotify and Apple Music while some enjoy the tangibility of physical albums - whether vinyl, CDs or cassettes.

In September, Spotify partnered with Hulu and released a premium bundle at $4.99 a month for students. Apple Music also has a student discount for $4.99 a month to use their services.

Additionally, there are a multitude of music stores in Pittsburgh including Amazing Books and Records on Liberty Ave or in Squirrel Hill, Desolation Row Records in Oakland on Craig Street, Eides Entertainment on Penn Ave, Jerry’s Records in Squirrel Hill and Dave’s Music Mine on East Carson St. Ebeling has been collecting records since eighth grade, but most frequently uses the popular streaming device, Spotify. However, they still prefer vinyl for aesthetic reasons. Ebeling particularly enjoys colored vinyl and the way vinyl sounds versus digital music.

“Musically, it sounds warmer and more ‘there’ than a digital file like how a CD would sound,” Ebeling said.

Vanessa Vivas, freshman theater arts major, grew up visiting music stores and buying CDs while living in Doha, Qatar.

“I was the person who went to music stores and bought physical copies,” Vivas said. “There’s another dimension to it, it is something tangible. Sometimes my family and I still play CDs in the car; we don’t have an aux cord. My family is kind of traditional that way.”

Later on, while still in Qatar, Vivas used Apple Music and YouTube. Now that she is in college, she uses the free, advertisement included version of Spotify.

“Once I moved away and came here to college, I wanted to be more independent,” Vivas said. “Spotify wasn’t available in Qatar.”

The theater arts major primarily listens to a variety of musicals including

“Legally Blonde” and “Bring it On.” She says she listens to musicals because of the excitement and relatability.

When she is not listening to musicals, she listens to a lot of Halsey and DJ Khaled.

Dylan Kersten, junior global cultural studies major, has also been using Spotify since the beginning of college. Whether on the go, at home or DJ-ing events like weddings for the playlist feature, he prefers Spotify over other streaming devices and other methods of listening to music.

He still enjoys listening to full, physical albums “like how the artist intended,” but uses Spotify the most out of convenience.

Both Ebeling and Kersten are in bands that have pages on streaming devices including Spotify and Bandcamp. Ebeling is in Vireo and Typewriters while Kersten is in String Machine and the worship band at his church. Like Kersten, Ebeling listens to Spotify more often than pulling out records due to its convenience.

“It’s not my preferred method but I’m on the go so much, going to class, going out in the car, or even just doing homework. It’s so much easier to use Spotify. It’s instant, it’s right there, it’s all of the music I want to hear,” said Ebeling, who has had Spotify since before it was public.

Because Spotify is easier to use, Ebeling has not bought too many records recently. However they accredit the expansion of their vinyl collection to their father, who still has a huge record collection, and a record store back home in Indiana, Pennsylvania called Backstreet Records.

Before Spotify and listening to full albums, Kersten used an iPod classic and shuffle mode.

“It involved a lot of skipping of weird music that I didn’t delete whereas Spotify is way easier to navigate,” Kersten said.

He has made over 100 Spotify playlists for discovery and specific feelings, but only uses four of them since he prefers listening to full albums of artists now.

While Kersten still buys the CDs of local bands, he finds it simpler to find full albums of artists that use Spotify instead of individually buying the physical albums.

Desolation Row Records employee and former history student Alanna Miles believes vinyl is making a comeback. Located in Oakland, the store is essentially on Pitt’s campus, constantly drawing in students who are purchasing vinyl according to Miles.

Miles is constantly listening to music on Spotify, but recently bought a record player to listen to her favorite artist of all time, David Bowie.

“I’ve spent several hundred dollars on his records alone,” Miles said. “I love having records, they’re beautiful art objects. I also just like the sound quality and the practice of putting it on the record player. It’s a really mindful and active way to listen to music.”

Chloe Jakiela | The Globe Alec Ebeling talks about a record from their father Eric Ebeling’s band in their Oakland home on Nov. 17.

Miles said college-age students are constantly coming in the store and purchasing vinyl.

“They buy a lot of hip hop and rap, but they also buy a lot of classic stuff like The Beatles and David Bowie,” Miles said.

Desolation Row sells mostly records and not as many CD’s, as vinyl is becoming popular again, according to Miles. Additionally she says the store is well-curated and everything is worth listening to.

“I’m constantly finding new things to listen to here,” Miles said. “I obsessively listen to the same seven or eight artists while periodically introducing new things into my diet.”

Other than vinyl and streaming methods, Ebeling listens to music on cassettes and even uses them for their band’s music.

“The medium of music going away permanently is CDs, but I think there is a cassette resurgence happening,” Ebeling said.

“They’re cheaper and easy to produce at home.”

Contrastingly, Kersten believes physical objects like vinyls, CDs and cassettes can be a hassle to maintain.

“With Spotify, I don’t have to own all these things and know where my CDs are and all that jazz,” Kersten said.

Vivas is surprised at how many students around her are using Spotify. She is still getting used to the service and hopes to learn about the playlist feature among others.

“From what I’ve seen it’s bigger than Apple Music, which is shocking to me because I’ve never been exposed to it before,” Vivas

said.

Collectively, Ebeling, Kersten and Miles believe that streaming music will be around for a while above physical methods, though vinyl is reappearing as a popular method of listening to music whether or not they listen to it often themselves. However, Vivas predicts that most physical music might disappear in the future.

“Our world is becoming heavily reliant on technology,” Vivas said. “We’re prioritizing productivity over everything else. I think the reason records might still be available is because certain people still have collections, still have a player and may be attached to the history.”

Chloe Jakiela cjjakie@pointpark.edu

PIONEER PUBLIC

Alexandra Youssef

By Matt Petras

Co-Features Editor

After college, Alexandra Youssef said she’d like to live in California, working as both a therapist and a film screenwriter.

“I kinda want to do both, I guess,” she said by phone.

“And it’s going to be a lot to work on... so I wanna dual-focus in both and try to see where life takes me.”

The senior student, 21, from San Diego, initially enrolled as a screenwriting major but switched to being a psychology major with a screenwriting minor.

She’s drawn to psychology partly because of mental health issues of her own.

Depression and anxiety have

always plagued her, she said, and she was recently diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. Suffering like this has made her want to help others who are struggling similarly.

“I just really want to help other people who struggle with personality disorders especially,” she said. “My own struggles have really made me want to help people in similar situations.”

Youssef helped write the student film “Dollface,” directed by Bálint Oltvai and produced by David Randolph. The science-fiction film, which was crowdfunded raising $4,310 (with a $3,500 goal), follows a woman who becomes a doll through experiments seek-

Nikole Kost | The Globe

ing perfect beauty standards, according to the Kickstarter page.

“I really love science-fiction with a psychological twist to it, so it was a story that I really wanted to tell,” she said.

Beyond her chief passions, Youssef dabbles in modeling and cosplaying.

She stumbled into being an avid comic book and anime fan, and even grabbed the title of president of the university’s Anime Club back when she was a junior.

“I think once you kind of get into that sort of culture on the internet, you just keep on discovering more stuff,” she said.

Matt Petras mapetra@pointpark.edu

Check out the “Pioneer Public” video online at ppuglobe.com

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Students jolly to work back home for holidays

Black Friday comes around another year for shoppers

By Dara Collins Co-Sports Editor

Men, women and children bustle up and down aisles and in and out of stores from sun up to sundown as the best deals await eager shoppers. Employees flash a friendly smile despite the long day ahead and scurry from shopper to

shopper answering questions. It’s Black Friday, a retail worker’s busiest time of year.

As Thanksgiving break ends and Christmas break peaks over the horizon, students return to their seasonal jobs at home.

“I actually prefer around the holidays be-

Dara Collins | The Globe A bold display advertizes sales at the Johnstown Galleria Aeropostale Sunday, Nov. 26.

cause people are coming home,” broadcast reporting sophomore Meghan Macioce said. “As a cashier, I get to talk to the customers.

I like hearing from people who come home for the holidays or if they’re traveling somewhere for the holidays.

Thanksgiving break allows students a week to recoup from the essays and exams and reunite with hometown friends and family. Some dust off a uniform to work during the holiday.

As Black Friday kicks off the unofficial start of the Christmas shopping season, student-workers prepare for the madness.

“I love the thrill and excitement of [Black Friday],” broadcast production and media management junior Siena Stroh said.

Stroh worked at OshKosh B’Gosh, a children’s clothing store, before taking her current position as a seasonal associate at Adidas just over a year ago. She assists customers with finding shoe sizes and equipment and taking online orders.

Levi’s seasonal employee Julia Menosky also enjoys the atmosphere on Black Friday.

“Working retail on Black Friday is crazy,” Menosky said. “But I do it because I get time and a half, and I worked 8 to 6. We had a steady flow of people all night long. It’s constantly ‘Go, go, go!’”

On the other hand, Macioce’s night shift seemed

unusually slow.

“Major mall stores opened around the same time we did, so that probably hurt us,” Macioce said.

Macioce is a seasonal sales associate at the Saint Vincent de Paul Thrift Store. Her primary duties include sorting and pricing clothes, assisting customers and working behind the register. Macioce also has a year’s worth of experience at Old Navy.

The Adidas location that employs Stroh increases the amount of help on the floor during Black Friday, according to Stroh, to help as many customers as possible.

“Holiday shoppers are usually super intense and are always needing your help,” Sports, Arts, & Entertainment senior Molly Knepper-Miller said.

Knepper-Miller has holiday experience from one season at American Eagle and five at Aeropostale.

She worked year-round before attending Point Park and now typically finds her herself behind the register on most seasonal shifts.

With a few holiday seasons under their belts, these employees became skilled at recognizing the different types of shoppers.

“The holiday shopper’s cart is 10 times more full, and they’re usually happier because they’re in a giving mood,” Macioce said.

As for the nonchalant shopper, they are not looking for anything in particular and do not typically ap-

proach employees.

“A regular shopper on any other normal time of the year will come in and just stroll and look and take a while before they come up to you and ask you for assistance,” Knepper-Miller said.

Stroh finds enjoyment in the last minute shoppers who rush in the week of Christmas.

No matter the time of year, these retail employees agree customers influence their mood.

“If it’s a happy customer, I’m happy,” Macioce said. “If it’s a moody customer, I just want my shift to be over.”

These student-workers have some advice for holiday shoppers: respect the employees and be patient.

“Respect the people who are working because they are working long hours and they are trying their best to give you, as the customer, the best service they could possibly have after working a 10 hour shift,” Knepper-Miller said.

Employees are abundant to help shoppers, so do not be hesitant to ask for assistance.

“If you can’t find your size, please ask for help,” Macioce said. “Don’t ruin my display please.”

The holidays are the season of giving and receiving – and shopping.

“Even though the time is crazy, it’s a good kind of crazy,” Macioce said.

Dara Collins dmcolli2@pointpark.edu

Student explores harrowing themes through dance Miami-native hopes to incorporate comedy into future work

By Kelsey Eiseman For The Globe

In a dance routine on campus, a student plays a strong grown man watching three young girls in dresses with their hair in pigtails as they play. The man is dancing, visibly frustrated, while the girls flutter and dance around joyfully.

Continuously watching, the man is lurking in the background. He starts to interact with the young girls, twirling them around, displaying his dominance.

Maytte Subirana Albarellos, someone who is respected by her peers, aspiring to have a career in dance, and with other interests, such as comedy, created this routine.

The scene replays a storyline of a pedophile in her first choreography piece, “One in Seven Girls,” which was showcased at the Student Choreography Project.

With Albarellos first ever choreographing challenge, she grasped the task and ran with it. Manipulating movements of the dancers to play off of the music is very important when choreographing, according to her. It helps create movement and if she has a purpose in mind rather than just dancing, the whole process is easier for her.

Albarellos chose the title “One in Seven Girls” because of a statistic that states one in seven girls will be molested.

She decided on this topic after looking into dark subject matter like serial killers over the summer.

“I decided to go through with [naming my piece] and

make it more aware because most victims are too scared to come forward,” Albarellos said.

Albarellos’ favorite moment while creating this routine was connecting with the cast, making them aware of the topic and having them be open to interpreting what she was asking them to do.

“Seeing it on stage is very real, very nice,” Albarellos said.

According to Albarellos, the level of difficulty she faced while choreographing this routine was extreme. With such a sensitive topic, not crossing a line but getting fairly close to it was difficult.

Not having personal experience with pedophilia, Albarellos consulted a friend who has. She checked in with this friend throughout choreographing, asking if what she was doing was okay and making sure it wasn’t crossing any lines.

Jason McDole, a dance teacher who had Subirana Albarellos as a student for multiple classes and her advisor for the Student Choreography Project, stressed his pride in her. As a young artist, McDole thought she did a great job of raising awareness and questions, and making viewers feel strong emotion.

“I’m really proud of her,” said Jason McDole, assistant professor at Point Park University. “I was also proud of her for wanting to voice and discuss something that people are very uncomfortable talking about. It’s the only way people sit up and listen or be asked to have some thought.”

He stressed that she had transformed from a quiet, reserved, very disciplined dancer to a strong, expressive, passionate person, performer and choreographer.

McDole shared he has witnessed the transformation and watched her have some of her most prominent moments as a dancer.

“She created such great sense of tension at the same time being very respectful, which is really hard to do.”

McDole said. “It’s hard to articulate through dance but be mindful and thoughtful on how to educate this through a dance, she found a great balance to do that, just enough for you to feel it but not be invasive, it was a very qualitative thoughtful approach,”.

“Seeing it on stage is very real, very nice.”

Jason McDole Assistant Professor Point Park University The 20-year-old junior dancer major started her journey in Miami, Fla., in her mom’s dance studio. Beginning at the age of three, Albarellos was taught by her mother who was a dancer in the Joffrey Ballet for 10 years in New York.

When she goes home in the summer, she follows her mother’s steps, and teaches at various dance studios around Miami: Spring Dance Cen-

ter, Miami Dance Company, MADD Dance Company, Moving Artist Dance Company and Artistic Dance Company to name a few.

Her goals are to work at a modern contemporary company, but she is willing to pursue just about any opportunity presented to her, such as working in Broadway. Albarellos wishes to dance professionally first, then move into choreographing.

“To make others feel something, life is hard, especially with nine to five jobs, you feel stuck in this routine and I feel like going to a dance show really helps people feel something and get inspired in many ways,” Albarellos said.

Her goal for this year is to continue choreographing and to become a more versatile dancer.

Everyday life for Albarellos is filled with dance classes and relaxation. Some days are busier than others, but her typical day includes ballet in the morning, academic classes, and her modern and jazz dance classes throughout the rest of the day.

After a long day, she goes home to her apartment off-campus to eat dinner and decides between doing homework or watching Netflix. She arrives a half hour early to warm up to begin her rehearsals with the other cast members from 6:30 p.m.- 10 p.m. in the dance studios at Point Park when she is cast into a routine.

Albarellos has been cast in many shows at Point Park, showcasing her versatility and accomplishments. She said

she has had great experiences with Point Park Connections, Student Choreography Projects, and Student Showcase.

She is also involved in the hip hop club Impulse.

With just completing the Student Choreography Project, Albarellos auditioned for and got a spot in the Winter Showcase. There, she will be performing in the piece called “Chairman Dances” by Lucinda Childs. The show will be performed on Dec. 1-10 at the Pittsburgh Playhouse.

Her time is mostly consumed by dance, but she still finds time to do things she enjoys. Comedy is one of Albarellos’ other passions. She helps write jokes for her friend who is a stand-up comedian.

With comedy in mind, she is already planning on choreographing a piece for the Student Showcase next semester, in collaboration with her friend Laura Barrett, a junior dance major. They are considering doing a comedy-dance combination piece.

“We have been studying comedy for the past few years and we are trying to find a way to combine our two favorite things: dance and comedy” Barret said.

Barret, who describes Albarello as a kind, hilarious, selfless person and an extremely talented dancer, said that she is looking forward to working with her on this piece.

“We are very excited to see how we could mix dance and comedy together,” Albarellos said.

Kelsey Eiseman kneisem@pointpark.edu.

6

OPINIONS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

THE

GL BE’S POINT

Think before you give, but give For some reason, the inevitable holidays that close out the end of every year inspire the masses to be pretty generous, even for college students.

We’re not exactly sure why, but something about the holidays of the fall and winter months cause people to feel particularly open-handed.

There’s a small possibility that tax deductions may come into play -- considering donors have to make their contributions by Dec. 31 if they want to get that subtraction. We like to think maybe it’s the lavish spirits of the holidays that encourage you to give, but there’s a pretty big possibility that it has something to do with the tax deductions.

Whether or not giving is something you choose to invest time in, chances are you’re going to be bombarded by a lot of charities this season, so get smart.

While we think you should be considering giving to charities all year round, if the tenderness of the holidays is moving you towards generosity, you should make an effort to make sure you’re investing in a charity that is trustworthy and successful.

There are ways to examine

the charities you might be giving to this season. Firstly, see if the mission behind the charity actually matches something you feel compassion for. It would be pretty futile to drop your pocket change into a red bucket outside of Goodwill if you don’t believe in the passion of the Salvation Army.

Something else you should consider is whether or not this charity is fiscally responsible, effective and ethical. A good way to examine this is to see if they have an open-book mindset. The more transparent and accountable a charity is, the better. It also might be proactive to see if the charity is relatively financially healthy. The more sustainable and organized the charity, the more freedom they have to actually pursue the mission they say your money is going towards.

Lastly, if you can, take time to see if the leadership behind the organization is dynamic and trustworthy. Charities that have large turnover rates are signs of struggling charity.

This season, give freely, and consider giving all year. Do it well, and do it with brains.

The Point Park Globe globe@pointpark.edu.

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

Stop making superheroes into sex icons

By Jordan Slobodinsky Co-Opinions Editor

During Thanksgiving break I decided to go see the new Justice League movie.

Overall, I was impressed and I thought it lived up to the hype.

However, this film was not perfect. I found a huge flaw in it--directors Zack Snyder and Joss Whedon somehow managed to sexualize Amazon warriors.

In the Wonder Woman film, the Amazon warriors were wearing battle armor that was appropriate for battle, minus the skirts. What a shocker, warriors wearing real armor.

In Justice League you can clearly see some of the Amazons in a brass or leather bikini.

Please try and explain the logic of this, because I can’t find it.

I also caught several shots in the film focusing on Wonder Woman’s butt. Like, her entire butt. It is no secret that men are attracted to specific parts of a woman’s body, and there are even studies that show that some films are meant to be seen from a male’s perspective.

Movies based on comic books are meant to bring to life the characters that many of us read about as kids. While I understand that they have to be a little mature to make them more interesting and to make more money, sexualizing strong warriors is not something that should be included.

Quite honestly, it’s disgusting

that Snyder and Whedon did this. I wanted to see Wonder Woman kick a bad guy in the face, not look up her skirt while it happened.

Wonder Woman and the Amazon warriors are amazing and are powerful figures in both “Justice League” and “Wonder Woman.” It was a highlight in “Wonder Woman” that the women were powerful and inspiring to a new generation of stronger women.

But it doesn’t end there, because Snyder and Whedon also decided to sexualize Superman. That’s right, the Man of Steel was turned into a Ralph Lauren model.

Without spoiling anything for readers who haven’t seen the film, Superman is shirtless for about ten minutes. Please explain to me why a dead guy comes back to life shirtless?

Now I understand that the actor who plays the last son of Krypton is physically fit, but did we need to look at his abs for ten minutes?

It wasn’t even like Snyder and Whedon tried to hide it either, because there was emphasis on the scenes where he was shirtless. Somehow a guy that comes back from the dead awakens and tears off his shirt?

Come on Snyder and Whedon, does that even seem logical?

It’s incredibly frustrating to me when these directors take the heroes I grew up with and make them into something

else. It’s nothing against Henry Cavill or Gal Gadot, because they’re just the actors doing what they’re told. But they shouldn’t be sex icons; they should be the on-screen heroes that the youth of America sees.

We have seen Marvel have great success with their characters and there is little to no sexual influence. Sure, some of it is implied, but we don’t actually see Scarlett Johansson in lingerie or Chris Evans in a speedo.

But DC is not Marvel, and for some reason they decided to try and ignite hormones when they did not need to.

They are literally portraying superheroes that kids are going to look up to for years to come, and it would be great if they weren’t sex icons as well.

Sure it’s okay to find the actors or heroes attractive, but they shouldn’t be sexualized just to try and appeal to a male director and a male audience.

Leave the Amazons in battle gear, stop focusing on Wonder Woman’s butt, and don’t make Superman unnecessarily shirtless for the majority of his screen time. The stories that superheroes can tell are really inspiring and I think that the big screen can do those stories justice. Let’s just not make those stories into pornographic films.

Jordan Slobodinsky jeslobo@pointpark.edu

This year has been a wild ride, for better and worse A student’s recap of the highs and lows of 2017 and the impact of news

By Lauren Ortego Co-Copy Desk Chief

This year has been a ride.

Between the president’s mere existence, the influx of sexual assault/harassment allegations, the ever-imposing threat of North Korea and Vine being deleted. There’s been the rise of white supremacy, Adam West dying and the current administration being investigated for possible collusion with Russia.

The press’ poor treatment of those marginalized and praise for those committing marginalizing acts, the insufferable amount of mass shootings and lack of action taken to try to slow them, a pedophile running for office being shown sympathy all have had their hand in this doomsday of a year. And, now, the possibility of the way we use the internet being changed for the worse.

Did I mention Vine was deleted?

But you and I know all of that stuff already. This year has been, in a few ways, a success for news and media outlets. People are interested in the news. It’s not just journo-junkies that know what’s going on in the world anymore. It’s everyone from your

mom, to your barber, to your neighbor, Tim, with questionable night-time activities.

That’s good for me, someone whose future employment depends on the success of news, maybe not so much for you, someone just trying to live a stress-free life.

“This year has been, in a few ways, a success for news and media outlets.

People are interested in the news.”

Lauren Ortego

Co-Copy Desk Chief The Globe And I could do what I normally do in my pieces for the Opinions section of this great student newspaper and pick one of these hot topics, make some witty comments, use too many commas, argue my case in 1,000 words to the dismay of the editors and pat

myself on the back for being “woke.”

But I won’t (you’re welcome).

Instead, I’m going to give you some peace of mind, and remind you that it isn’t all bad.

Democrat Danica Roem, the first openly transgender state lawmaker in the country, was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, beating out a man who proposed a bill restricting which bathrooms trans people could use. While this doesn’t mean the battle for trans rights is over, it’s certainly a step in a promising direction.

Earlier this year, a group of swimmers on a beach in Florida were pulled out to sea by a strong tide. Other beachgoers, after notifying police, created a human chain from the sand to the swimmers and brought them to safety.

Chance the Rapper, a 24-year-old rapper from Chicago, won three Grammy’s despite not being signed to any label and having a streaming-only album. He is one of the first independent artists to do so, and has proved that you don’t need to be signed to be successful. Chance has used his rising fame to give back to his community and has started a youth empower-

ment charity in Chicago called SocialWorks.

Kim Kardashian recently took interest in Cyntoia Brown, a woman from Tennessee serving a 60 year sentence for shooting and killing a man who paid to have sex with her when she was only 16-years-old.

She was tried as an adult, and inspired a change in the state’s law. Now, anyone under 18 cannot be charged with prostitution, but rather as victims of sex trafficking. Kardashian hopes to hire lawyers to help get Brown free.

Look, I know the world seems like it’s falling to pieces. And I’m not here to say that you should ignore it because you have the privilege to do so.

You should absolutely face as much of it as you can head-on, and do something about the injustices you see happening every day.

Whether it’s your cousin Chad who just pledged AlphaPhi-Phi Omega making rape jokes or your school treating students of color unfairly, you should 100 percent do something about it.

But don’t wear yourself out. Don’t let it consume your life until you’re just a shell of a person with the weight of the world on your back.

Don’t forget to have hope.

Because hope is the fire that fuels a better reality.

And don’t we all want to see that?

Lauren Ortego leorteg@pointpark.edu

Covering the world of Point Park University news since 1967 Editor-in-Chief: Alexander Popichak Editor-Elect: Emily Bennett Business Manager: Autumn Barszczowski Faculty Adviser: Dr. Steven Hallock Administrative Adviser: Dean Keith Paylo The Globe board consists of Alexander Popichak, Emily Bennett 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 in rooms 710 and 712 Lawrence Hall.

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Carmen Amadio, Copy Editor Robert Berger, Co-News Editor Sabrina Bodon, Online Editor Carley Bonk, Co-Features Editor Lauren Clouser, Copy Editor Dara Collins, Co-Sports Editor Rania Draklellis, Layout Editor Josh Croup, Co-Sports Editor, Editor Emeritus Gracey Evans, Photo Editor Shelby Fink, Copy Editor Sarah Gibson, Copy Editor Casey Hoolahan, Social Media Coordinator Nick Horwat, Co-A&E Editor, Copy Editor Allison Hritz, Staff Photographer The Rev. Eva Humphreys, Copy Editor Chloe Jakiela, Staff Photographer Madison Kelkis, Copy Editor Nikole Kost, Photo Editor Mary Moses, Copy Editor Kayla Novak, Copy Editor

Hannah O’Toole, Social Media Coordinator Isabelle Opsitos, Graphic Designer Lauren Ortego, Co-Copy Desk Chief Sarah Pais, Copy Editor Nicole Pampena, Co-News Editor Heather Peloza, Copy Editor, Delivery Assistant Matt Petras, Co-Features Editor Veronica Rodriguez, Graphic Designer Allison Schubert, Copy Editor Aidan Segal, Staff Writer Zac Seymour, PR and Marketing Coordinator Jordan Slobodinsky, Co-Opinions Editor Kayla Snyder, Co-Copy Desk Chief Michael Stinelli, Co-A&E Editor Mike Turk, Staff Writer Beth Turnbull, Co-Opinions Editor Hannah Walden, Copy Editor, USG Beat Writer Kelsey Wolfe, Copy Editor Alexa Yanyanin, Public Relations Coordinator

SPORTS

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

CROUP’S CORNER

By Josh Croup

Sports Columnist

Thankful for Fous Fousseini Konate had a career night on Thanksgiving Eve, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

The men’s basketball team was riding a five-game losing streak entering its home opener. The game also marked the last non-conference game before Point Park enters River States Conference (RSC) play.

The Pioneers hosted a highly talented Washington Adventist University team that won each of the previous six meetings between the two squads, including the most recent game at the beginning of the season.

The Shock handed Point Park its first loss of the season to kick off its November schedule and start the team’s five-game losing streak.

The Pioneers were outscored 45-25 in the first half of that contest and eventually dropped the game 86-72.

Aaron Barlow led the way on the glass for Point Park with 14 rebounds and 14 points. The 6-foot-6 forward was out Wednesday with an injury, leaving Point Park with one down low presence in the lineup.

They call him “Fous.”

He knew he was going to have to step up and had every intention on making a big contribution on the night before Thanksgiving.

Konate put up 22 points and a career-high 15 rebounds to help Point Park to a 92-79 win over Washington Adventist. It was the only the third time he scored 20 points in his Point Park career and the first time since his first year as a Pioneer during the 2015-16 season.

Konate’s efficiency in the paint made up for Point Park’s poor outside performance, going just 4-18 out-

side the arc. Still, the Pioneers shot 53 percent from the field, their second-best shooting performance of the season behind their lone win prior to last week.

His 15 rebounds were the most by a Point Park player since Jaylen Mann grabbed 19 in a February loss against Carlow.

Konate wanted more.

He said after the game that head coach Gabe Bubon told him to grab 20 rebounds.

“I came five short,” Konate said.

At least we know where the bar is set for the next game.

Konate also wasn’t 100 percent Wednesday. He was recovering from a lower back injury suffered the previous Saturday after he fell on it against Buffalo State.

Even though he was slowed down a little but, he knew he couldn’t let the injury impact his mental preparation.

“I was just into it, honestly,” Konate said. “We lost five games straight, and I came into today with a different mindset...I was all in.”

Conference play is next for the Pioneers, starting Wednesday at home against a Rio Grande team that split decisions with Point Park each of the last two years.

A win heading into the Thanksgiving holiday was just what Point Park needed.

“This is a good way to end the losing streak,” Konate said. “As a basketball player, if you keep losing, you feel different. If you win, that brings out a different mindset to the game. Then you play so you can win.”

Josh Croup jdcroup@pointpark.edu

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

Shields claims Point Park’s first XC All-American honors from NATIONALS page 1 Shields jumped out to second through the first two miles of the race.

“I paid for it in the last half mile completely,” Shields said. “I had no idea what place I finished. I was surprised that I finished that high because I thought it was going to be worse.”

The women’s race followed the men’s race on Nov. 18 and Shields crossed the finish line to cheers from her teammates on the men’s team, also competing at the national championship.

Xavier Stephens led the way for Point Park with a personal-best time of 26 minutes, 44 seconds, achieving his goal of racing under 27 minutes at the meet. He finished 127th out of the 248 runners at the meet.

“Most of us had a good race,” Stephens said. “The course wasn’t bad at all. It was a little bit muddy, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be.”

Point Park finished 30th out of 36 teams, two spots higher than the team’s performance at the national championships two years ago.

“This was definitely a memorable season,” Stephens said.

The sophomore joined his team after the program-best national championship performance to cheer on Shields and the rest of the women’s finishers at the fin-

ish line.

“It really helped at the end because I didn’t have a race that I was happy with at the time,” Shields said. “My teammates were very caring and supportive. That’s what teammates are for.”

It was the second time in three years that both Point Park cross country teams qualified for nationals. The 2015 men’s team that competed at nationals included most of the same 2017 men’s runners, including Chris Hunt.

“We knew what the experience was going to be like,” Hunt said. “You get an adrenaline rush, that’s for sure.

You have to pace yourself.

You feel invincible that first 800 meters.”

Hunt raced to a personal record time of 26 minutes, 52 seconds in the 8K race as the second Point Park finisher.

He still has one year of cross country eligibility remaining, but is unsure if he will return to the racecourse next season while he completes graduate school.

“It was really surreal,” Hunt said. “It might be my last cross country race ever.

To run a personal best, that was really special for me...I love everyone on the cross country team so much.”

Hunt also praised Shields’s performance and said the team was proud of her showing at nationals.

“Think about it - she’s

12th place out of the best girls in the nation,” Hunt said.

“It’s crazy to put it in perspective like that.”

Several Point Park runners posted career-best times, including junior Kara Rohlf, freshman Kylie Archibeque and junior Desmond Marrow. Freshman Kayla Roberts was three seconds off of her personal record.

The teams also had the opportunity to train at NIKE World Headquarters in Beaverton, Ore. and received a behind-the-scenes tour of the facility.

The Pioneers worked out on the Michael Johnson Track, named after the U.S. Olympic gold medalist. The track, tucked in the woods, wraps around towering trees and features a statue of the Olympian.

“I’ve never seen anything like that in my life,” Shields said. “I probably won’t get to run on a track like that, again. It was very special to have that experience.”

The team’s experience at nationals made for a perfect segue to track season, beginning this Friday with Point Park’s first indoor meet at the Youngstown State University Icebreaker.

“I feel good about going into track season,” Hunt said.

“I think we are stronger than we ever have been.”

Josh Croup jdcroup@pointpark.edu

Kelly Parsley| Submitted Photo The cross country teams trained at NIKE Headquarters ahead of the 2017 NAIA Cross Country Championships.

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017

SPORTS

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

Men’s basketball nets win in home opener

By Derek Malush For The Globe

The Point Park men’s basketball team snapped its five-game losing streak last week by beating the Washington Adventist Shock 92-79 at their new home, CCAC-Allegheny.

“It feels unreal right now, I feel like I still want to play,” said senior guard Rushan Roberts. “I’m so excited.”

After being away from home for the first six games, the Pioneers found their groove by playing arguably

the best basketball they’ve played all season in their home opener.

Point Park’s win was fueled by senior forward Fousseini Konate who pulled down a career-high 15 rebounds and added a game-high 22 points along with three blocks.

The win was Point Park’s second of the season.

“We needed this one so bad and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome,” head coach Gabe Bubon said.

It was a tied game late in the first half at 38-38, until the Shock hit a go-ahead

Robert Berger | Point Park Athletics Senior guard Gavin Rajahpillay prepares to shoot a free throw against Washington Adventist last Wednesday. The Pioneers won 92 to 79.

three pointer to make it 4138 at the end of the first 20 minutes.

“We needed to stop being cute and play some defense,” Bubon said That is exactly what the Pioneers did, as they forced 20 turnovers for the game on 14 steals and racked up ten Shock turnovers in each half.

Point Park’s defense spilled into the second half as it held the opposition to just 34 percent shooting from the floor and 18 percent from beyond the arc.

All five Pioneer starters finished in double-digits as they outscored the Shock 54-38 on 55 percent shooting in the second half.

Senior guard Gavin Rajahpillay put in 21 points of his own along with five steals. Junior guard Asim Pleas did it all with ten points, five assists and six boards. He also added a pair of steals to his credit.

The team improved its recent free-throw woes as Point Park buried 20 out of 27 shots from the charity stripe.

“Guys stepped up and that’s exactly what we needed to start the half,” Bubon said.

Two new transfers, Michael Connor and Daniel King, who combined for 29 points in the second half, helped seal the Pioneer win.

“We all came together as a family and wanted to get this home win,” said King.

The Pioneers’ largest lead swelled to 18 points in the second half as they were able to hang on for the13-

Robert Berger | Point Park Athletics Senior forward Fousseini Konate shoots for a layup against Washington Adventist in Point Park’s home opener last Wednesday. Konate scored the team-high of 22 points for the Pioneers.

point win.

“We’re having trouble finishing games but tonight our guys really wanted it,” Bubon said. “I went a little nuts at halftime during the Buffalo State game because they gave up.”

The Pioneers traveled to Buffalo, N.Y. prior to their home-opener where they dropped both of their games in the Buffalo State Coles Classic Tournament.

They lost in the first round to the University of Maine at Fort Kent on a

buzzer-beater three-pointer that sent the Pioneers packing to the consolation round where they were routed by Buffalo State College 114-87.

Notching the win in the Pioneers home opener, Point Park now stands at 2-5 on the season and kicks off River State Conference (RSC) Wednesday at CCAC-Allegheny at 7:30 p.m. where they host the University of Rio Grande.

Derek Malush dwmalus@pointpark.edu

Student-Athlete: Balancing books with sports Part One: Finding success in competition and in the classroom

By Allison Schubert Copy Editor

Junior Kaitlyn Smith had her choice when it came to schools, but chose Point Park because of women’s basketball head coach Tony Grenek’s recruiting style.

Senior Amber Mole credits her sanity to excessive time management.

Junior Brad Calleja faced his biggest balancing act yet when when he had to fly across the country for nationals.

One thing that all three students have in common is that they are balancing both athletics and academics during their time at Point Park.

Smith is not only a member of the women’s basketball team, but also serves as the executive director of the Campus Activities Board (CAB).

During the recruiting process in high school, Point Park stood out to Smith as the best choice for

THANKSGIVING BREAK SCOREBOARD NOV. 14 - NOV. 27 MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY NAIA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP......................................................Nov. 18 Finished 32nd of 36 Top 8K finishers: Stephens (26:44), Hunt (26:52), Hilverding (27:16)

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY NAIA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP......................................................Nov. 18 Finished 26th of 36 Top 5 K finishers: Shields (17:50), Roberts (19:34), Rohlf (19:43)

MEN’S BASKETBALL (2-5) (0-0) POINT PARK 63, LAKE ERIE 94.............................................................Nov. 14 POINT PARK 76, UNIV. OF MAINE AT FORT KENT 79......................Nov. 17 POINT PARK 87, BUFFALO STATE 114..................................................Nov. 18 (RV) WASHINGTON ADVENTIST 79, POINT PARK 92.......................Nov. 22 Next: Nov. 29 vs. Rio Grande*, Dec. 2 vs. (RV) WVU Tech*

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (5-2) (0-0) POINT PARK 69, JOHNSON & WALES 48............................................Nov. 18 POINT PARK 72, WASHINGTON ADVENTIST 66...............................Nov. 19 Next: Nov. 29 vs. Rio Grande*, Dec. 2 vs. WVU Tech*

COMPETITIVE CHEER AND DANCE Next: Dec 8. @ Concordia University CUAA Dual

MEN’S & WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD Next: Dec. 1 @ YSU Icebreaker *River States Conference Match

her as both an athlete and a student.

“I was looking for a school that would give me the most in professional opportunities,” Smith said.

“Basketball was a big concern for me as well, and coach [Grenek] put a lot of emphasis on academics instead of treating me like I was only a basketball player, so that was a big selling point for me.”

Smith began her role at CAB this semester and has already had to adjust to the demands of her new position.

As executive director, Smith is the face of the organization, but a lot of her tasks are involved in the behind-the-scenes preparation of the events they host.

“A lot of my job is looking at the big picture, but focusing on the small details,” Smith said.

Being on the road a lot for basketball games, Smith has had to utilize bus time and down time to get her school work and extracurricular work done.

“The hardest part about balancing it all, for me, is wanting to give your best effort to everything,” Smith said. “I’m very much a perfectionist and want to put everything I have into everything I do, but I’ve learned that it’s not always going to be perfect. I’ve accepted that giving my best effort is acceptable, and sometimes it’s all you can do.”

Despite her busy schedule, Smith has yet to receive a B during her college career.

“She has her priorities straight,” Grenek said. “She has an amazing work ethic and she strives to be great.

That kind of thing makes her a pillar of the team and of Point Park University.”

Mole is the captain of the dance team, a member of the cheer team and the president of the Student Accounting Association.

Mole’s time management skills are what have helped her to excel in both areas of her student experience so far.

“I have a planner that I love, where I write every detail of my day down,” Mole said. “My coach is very organized, so that’s a huge help as well.”

Like Smith, Mole has also learned that balancing it all requires some sacrifices. For Mole, those come through her social life and her ability to fulfill every commitment.

In addition to her school commitments, Mole is also a member of Phi Beta Lambda and a lifeguard at the YMCA. “There were many times where I was asking myself how I was going to get through it,” Mole said.

“For me, it’s all about relying on my faith. Sometimes you have to take a step back and not question yourself.

I know my work ethic and I know everything will get done, so I also had to have faith in myself.”

Calleja is a runner on the cross country team, a board member for Not on My Campus and serves as a resident

educator.

The cross country team qualified for nationals this season, which resulted in Calleja making a trip across the country to Vancouver, Wash. to compete and miss some of his classes. With finals approaching, Calleja knew he would have a challenge making up all of his work.

“My biggest ally has been getting the most out of every day,” Calleja said. “There are 24 hours in a day and I make it my goal to utilize at least 18 of those.”

Calleja’s secret to success is being proactive with his work.

A transformed procrastinator, he realized that if he was going to have so many responsibilities, he would have to plan things accordingly to get his work done well and on time.

“Our meets are always on Saturdays, which definitely helps me out schedule wise,” Calleja said. “I have to stay organized, use my calendars and I use alarms religiously. If I’m not proactive, it won’t get done as well as I want it to.”

This is the first installment of a two-part series on the academics of student-athletes.

Next week will focus on how coaches value academics.

Allison Schubert alschub@pointpark.edu