Point Park Globe 2016 Issue 4

IN THIS ISSUE: PAGE

Globe

7 PAGE 8 PAGE 9

Point Park

@PPUGlobe September 21, 2016

Contest could make pop singer JoJo a Pioneer for a day Globe’s Point: PointAlert system should be expanded New rugby captain, president hopes to transform club

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Covering the world of Point Park University news since 1967

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STUDENTS HONOR 9/11 ANNIVERSARY PointALERT comes

into question after Wood St. shooting

By Kristin Snapp Co-Sports Editor

A 17-year old was shot at the Wood Street T station last Tuesday, but students did not learn of the event from the PointALERT emergency alert system.

PointALERT is a subscription-based automated text message alert system that makes students aware of potentially dangerous, usually criminal, situations on or nearby campus. It also notifies students of campus closures due to parades or inclement weather.

Jeffrey Besong, Point Park Police Chief, runs PointALERT, and admits that he was “back and forth” on sending students, faculty and staff a notification of the shooting. Ultimately, he opted against it.

photo by Chloe Jakiela

Associated Press photographer Richard Drew, who captured the famous “Falling Man” photo during the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks, joins Point Park students in a vigil on Sept. 15. Drew spoke to students beforehand and participated in the vigil, organized by the Honors Program.

Creator of hit podcast ‘Serial’ helps open Point Park’s CMI

By Sabrina Bodon Online Editor

Two years ago, confined in her basement in State College, the idea of a true crime podcast called “Serial” was no more than just an idea for co-creator and host Sarah Koenig.

But, last Tuesday night at Point Park University, Koenig spoke about that internet podcast, which has over 240 million combined downloads of season one

and two. “Serial” captured the attention of listeners all around the world seemingly smashing its original goal of 300,000 downloads.

“I never set out [or thought to] make this thing nobody else thought of,” Koenig said. “I just thought this seemed cool.”

Koenig shared anecdotes and gave insider background to “Serial” in a lively discussion with Andrew Conte, director of Point Park’s Center for Media Innovation (CMI),

Tuesday evening in the Lawrence Hall Ballroom.

Koenig’s career spans across print and across the globe, including time spent in Moscow working for The New York Times. In 2004, Koenig joined the PBS program “This American Life” as a producer before she launched “Serial” in 2014.

In its two seasons, “Se-

PODCAST page 4

“We were contacted immediately by the Port Authority Police and learned the individual…was already on a bus and had left the scene, so there was no immediate threat to the university,” Besong said in a phone interview Thursday.

According to Besong, the suspect of the shooting boarded a Port Authority bus and was removed and detained in the North Side, after police contacted the driver.

But, many Point Park students have raised concerns about the lack of a notification, regardless, specifically for commuters who rely on the T to get to campus, or for those who live in the Clark Building, nearby the Wood Street T Station.

“I was about to walk back from class and my roommate

SHOOTING page 3

Street harassment key topic of Title IX panel discussion

By Nicole Pampena Copy Editor

Students, faculty and various club organizations gathered on Monday, Sept. 12 to address the issue of street harassment and its presence on campus.

The meeting, set up as a roundtable discussion, strongly focused on brainstorming ways to raise awareness regarding the commonly overlooked cases of street harassment and the frequency at which they occur.

Assistant professor of history Jehnie Reis decided to raise the problem to a level of greater importance

after the topic came up in her foundations in feminism class this past spring.

“One of my students actually brought it up when we were talking about current events,” Reis said. “When I asked how many of them have experienced this at some point, almost every student in the classroom raised their hand.”

Despite following everything victims are told to do in the situation of street harassment, such as not walking alone or not making eye contact, its presence ensues.

This mainly stems from Point Park’s downtown location

HARASSMENT page 4

SIMONSON BAGS THOUSANDTH KILL

‘The Pitch’ competition coming to Pittsburgh area

By Kayla Snyder Copy Editor

Students from Point Park University and other colleges across Pittsburgh will compete in a competition to earn the opportunity to work with some of the largest advertising firms in the city during the Pittsburgh Advertising Federation (AdFed) pitch event.

The annual competition is set to take place on Oct. 6.

The event, referred to as the Pitch, gives 60 college-level juniors and seniors the opportunity to compete in teams of six alongside the

Weather Forecast

most prestigious advertising agencies around Pittsburgh to address a client challenge.

About five years ago, the Pittsburgh AdFed decided it wanted to do something to bring the real world of advertising into the lives of prospective employees, namely college students, according to public relations and advertising professor Robert O’Gara. AdFed resolved that schools should not be working against each other, but working together.

Students from local schools such as Carnegie Mel-

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PITCH page 3

Today: Sunny H 87, L 60

photo courtesy of Sam Robinson, Point Park Athletics

Senior outside hitter Shiloh Simonson recorded her 1,000th career kill with the Point Park volleyball team last Friday against Indiana University East. Simonson is just the fifth player in Point Park volleyball history since 1991 to register 1,000 kills. Read more on page 9.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, H 87, L 65 Friday: Mostly sunny, H 86, L 65 Saturday: Partly cloudy, H 79, L 57 Sunday: Sunny, H 73, L 51 Monday: Mostly sunny, H 74, L 58 Tuesday: Showers, H 73, L 55

Globe Point Park

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

NEWS

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

Sanders campaigns for McGinty at CMU

By Chloe Jakiela News Photo Editor

Bernie Sanders joined U.S. Senate hopeful Katie McGinty at rally at Carnegie Mellon University ahead of her election, speaking to an audience of mostly students about college debt, minimum wage, climate change, infrastructure and more.

“We are saying to the billionaire class, ‘your greed is destroying this country. You cannot have it all. We want a government that represents the middle class not just the people on top,” Sanders said.

Sanders, a former Democratic candidate for president and Vermont Sen., has endorsed Democrat McGinty over the incumbent, Republican Pat Toomey. The two rallied on Sept. 16 at the university to several hundred people.

Both Sanders and McGinty discussed how the American dream has become unrealistic and that common goals are unreachable to the middle and working class.

According to McGinty, modern day families are not asking for much, just basic wants and needs including a house, a week vacation once a year, security after retirement and for parents to be able to send their kids to college.

The rally gathered both older generations and millennials, but students especially.

Freshman SAEM major Benjamin Baklarz could not contain his excitement to hear and see Sanders for the first time.

“He is probably the only honest politician that I have ever known. When I first heard one of his speeches, I actually cried,” Baklarz said.

In the upcoming presidential election, Baklarz is supporting Hillary Clinton, though he supported Sanders during the Democratic primary.

“I don’t like the ‘Bernie or Bust’ movement because Bernie even came out supporting Hillary, and if people consider themselves a Bernie supporter, then they kind of have to support Hillary,” Baklarz said.

Although many people who wanted Sanders to be president are now siding with Hillary, freshman cinema production major Michael Johnson is unsure about having her run the country.

“At first, and still, I’m not a huge fan of Sanders siding with Hillary, because even though it was probably the best option, I believe that between the both of them, Bernie would have been able to do a lot more than what Hillary is willing to do,” Johnson said.

Johnson is open to new ideas and thinks that people should give third party candidates more of a chance.

Other issues discussed

page 2 photos by Chloe Jakiela

Sen. Bernie Sanders meets with supporters after his rally, signing belongings as supporters snap selfies. Sanders rallied for Katie McGinty Friday, Sept. 16 at Carnegie Mellon University. during the rally included raising minimum wage, paid medical and family leave, prochoice rights, making college more affordable, raising more awareness for the LGBT community and improving the well-being of the middle and lower classes were emphasized.

“When you work hard you are supposed to get ahead.

Beautiful people in every part of this commonwealth are giving it their all, every single day. But the part about getting ahead is not looking too good,” McGinty said.

McGinty said she has working class parents and relayed that to the audience to empathize that they are not alone in their struggles as middle class workers.

Sanders explained that the majority of Republicans, including Pat Toomey and Trump, believe there should be huge tax breaks to billionaires.

“In the last 16 years since the year 2000, we have seen a ten times increase in the number of billionaires in America,” Sanders said. “Sixteen years ago, there were 51 billionaires, today there are over 500. The very rich get richer, the middle class continues to

shrink and a lot of people are living in poverty.”

Sanders went on to say that the current minimum wage needs to be raised to a living wage of 15 dollars an hour, along with pay equity for women.

“Women are sick and tired of making seventy-nine cents on the dollar, they want the whole damn dollar. We know that while the economy is better today than it was eight years ago, we also know that unemployment is much too hard,” Sanders said.

He also instilled in the audience that infrastructure in America desperately needs repaired, climate and that college cannot continue to be overpriced. Sanders believes education, particularly public college tuition, should be free.

“We need radical changes in the way we deal with student debt,” Sanders said.

“People in this room are paying 7 or 8 percent interest rates on their student debt.

They’re paying it off year after year after year, and that is why I believe we got to make sure that people can refinance their student debt and get the lowest interest rates they can.”

Sanders also indirectly

referenced republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who rejects the subject of climate change.

“You cannot run for president when you reject science,” Sanders said. “Climate change is real.”

This was a first political rally for freshman screenwriting major Gwen Norsic, who wanted to hear the politicians’ ideas and reinforce what she already believes in. Norsic believes that millennials are an important part of the 2016 presidential election.

“We’re about to adopt the world that everyone else created for us so I think we should have a say in how to change it and keep it moving forward,” Norsic said.

Although Sanders is no longer a presidential candidate for the 2016 election, he still plays an important role in politics according to Baklarz.

“I think that, by doing this rally and helping other democrats become senators, he can maybe inspire more younger people to actually to get into offices like a senator or even become the president,” Baklarz said.

Chloe Jakiela cjjakie@pointpark.edu.

AUGUST 25 - SEPTEMBER 8

U.S. Senate hopeful Katie McGinty sits while listening to Vermont Sen. and former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speak at the rally for her candidacy at CMU on Friday.

Poll Average Pennsylvania: Presidential Candidates

44.7

Clinton

38.5

Trump

7.8

Johnson Stein

Poll Average Pennsylvania Senate: Toomey vs. McGinty

McGinty

Toomey

42.2 42.0

2.7 Source: RealClear Politics

Clinton vs. Trump Donald Trump Jr. backpedals from gas chambers joke In an interview with Good Morning America (GMA), Donald Trump Jr. defended the substance of his controversial “gas chambers” comments regarding apparent media bias in favor of Hillary Clinton. Originally, Trump Jr. said on the Philadelphia WPHT radio station that the media would “[warm] up the gas chambers” if Donald

Lester Holt, NBC moderator Monday, September 26 Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY 9:00 p.m. ET

Trump acted like Clinton.

This prompted widespread criticism, such as the Anti-Defamation League’s request for a retraction. When pressed to respond to such criticism on GMA, Trump Jr. said that the media response proves his original thesis.

Source: ABC News

Toomey, McGinty set to debate twice

Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey will face challenger Katie McGinty on two

televised debates in October.

These two debates are on Oct. 17 and Oct. 24 on KDKA and WPVI respectively.

Toomey’s camp had intially requested four debates to be scheduled between the candidates.

McGinty’s campaign offered no explanation as to why she would miss the debates scheduled on Oct. 6 and Oct. 13.

Source: Associated Press

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

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9:36 p.m.

McCauley said. “Employers have been really impressed with that.”

Senneway says that the Pitch is a win for both sides of the spectrum. The nonprofit will have six proposals to choose from and the students will gain real world experience. “[The students] get to meet these high level, creative executives and get an insider view of being in an agency which gives them an advantage when they graduate and are looking for a job,” Senneway said.

O’Gara also stressed the importance and the overall purpose of an event like the Pitch. He said it gives students an experience that a classroom can’t.

“It’s as real world as you can get because that’s what agencies are doing all the time,” O’Gara said.

Registration for the Pitch is still available. Interested students can go to the Pittsburgh AdFed website and submit their $35 fee, which includes lunch, and then register for the event. Space is limited and is on a firstcome-first-serve basis.

11:54 p.m.

Market Street Assault - Off Campus Arrest

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 2:10 a.m.

Boulevard of the Allies Criminal Mischief Under Investigation

t

cr

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 1:12 a.m.

First Ave Terrorist Threats - Off Campus Arrest - No campus affiliation

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 9:50 a.m.

Lawrence Hall Theft Under Investigation

3:47 p.m.

Boulevard Apartments Harassment Referred to Student Conduct

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 12:10 p.m.

Third Ave Theft Under Investigation

1:38 p.m.

Student Center Lot Harassment Under Investigation

7:07 p.m.

Lawrence Hall Alcohol Violation Referred to Student Conduct

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 1:23 a.m..

Thayer Hall Drug Violation Referred to Student Conduct

no

5:47 p.m.

Academic Hall Trespassing Arrest

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Kayla Snyder klsnyde2@pointpark.edu.

no

Wood Street Alcohol Violation Cleared

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lon University, the University of Pittsburgh, Duquense University, LaRoche College, Penn State and more are split into six different teams and assigned to a specific agency.

“We group [the students] into teams and we put them physically in agencies and we give them a challenge that they have to solve in one day,” Rebecca Senneway, Pittsburgh AdFed Board of Education director, said of the event.

Once put into teams, the students will go to the locations where the well-known advertising companies are located and spend the entire day working together to come up with a solution for the client challenge. At the end of the challenge, teams must present their “pitch” in both written form and in a recorded video format to the non-profit client.

The top two finalists will present their pitches again on Nov. 11 and the winner will be invited to attend the Advertising Awards to receive recognition.

This year’s event non-profit participants include Brunner, Chemistry, Garrison Hughes, Gatesman and Dave, MARC and Red House.

PRSSA President Maggie McCauley attended the Pitch last year and worked with Gatesman and Dave. McCauley is also the PR coordinator for the Globe.

McCauley and the other teams worked with the nonprofit organization GirlsHope which houses girls from underprivileged families or neighborhoods and provides help and resources such as educational assistance and mental health resources. McCauley said her client presented multiple objectives, but that is not always the case.

“They could come in and say X, Y, Z and lay it out for you, or it might be a case where you have to make quick decisions about what you want to do with your plan,” McCauley said.

“Those are skills you learn in that day.”

Although her team did not win the Pitch last year, she said it was a great experience and it helped her in terms of a career search.

“I do have that document from our IMC plan that I take to interviews with me to show that I can work in teams; I can work efficiently; I can work effectively and in a timely manner,”

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

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RT PO RE

AdFed tasks university students with making written, video pitches from PITCH page 1

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THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

Data compiled by Alex Grubbs Design by Emily Yount

s os

Police apprehend suspect after shooting at T station from SHOOTING page 1 texted me,” Devon Knott, a junior screenwriting major who lives in the Clark Building, said. “It might have been nice to get an email…my roommate might not have been there.”

Jessica Federkeil, a junior journalism major relies on the T to get to campus from the North Shore each day. “[A PointALERT] is something that might have been nice to have…maybe before I try to go home using the T,” Federkeil, who was on campus later than usual preparing a grand opening event for the CMI, said. “I think with its proximity to campus, they should have sent an alert.”

According to Besong, the decision to hold the alert came not only from the lack of immediate threat, but to emphasize the urgency of PointALERTs. “We don’t want our faculty, staff or students to become immune to the alerts,” Besong said. “We don’t want PointALERT to be used as an information call…we want to keep it for immediate threats.”

Point Park Police officers were at the scene on Tuesday, to aid Pittsburgh and Port Authority police in securing the area. The Point Park Police Department also met with city officials, Pittsburgh Public School officials and Port Authority officials last week.

“We are all working together to provide proper ramification, not only from city courts, but from the schools as well,” Besong said.

Point Park Police and its PointALERT system cover the perimeters of Point Park’s campus, from Fort Pitt Boulevard to Forbes Ave., from Stanwix Street to Smithfield Street. However, Point Park police also patrol parts of Oakland neighboring the playhouse, where many commuters reside, along with Market Square due to its high activity and close proximity to campus.

Over the summer, students received a PointALERT notification of a robbery in Market Square. According to Besong, an alert was sent for the robbery because the suspect was not caught. “[The suspect] was not apprehended, and we received note that he was headed down Third Ave, very close to our campus,” Besong said.

The shooting on Sept. 13 came just months after a shooting on July 4 in a nearby intersection that left four people shot. The station made Pittsburgh

headlines all summer long, with reports of several juvenile fights. “[The shooting] definitely makes me feel more uneasy,” Federkeil said.

“Especially at night, it makes you a little more nervous than it typically would.”

Besong said the general

times of unrest at the Wood Street station is generally when high school students are dismissed from school, from roughly 2:30 to 5 p.m.

He advised students to use street smarts, and to avoid wearing ear buds or headphones, which can make it difficult to hear someone approaching from behind.

Students can enroll for the PointALERT notification system by searching “Point Alert” on PointWeb. Police escorts can be requested by calling PPU Police or texting 412-COPSTIP.

Kristin Snapp kmsnapp@pointpark.edu.

OCT. 7–9, 2016

CELEBRATE with Point Park University for a weekend of special performances and social events!

REGISTER ONLINE AT PointPark.edu/FamilyWeekend Registration is open Sept. 1–30.

FRIDAY, OCT. 7 • Welcome Reception • Conservatory of Performing Arts/An Evening of Rising Stars: – Dance and Theatre Performances – Night at the Movies/Screening of Student Films • Photo Gallery/Exhibit of Student Work

SATURDAY, OCT. 8 • Exploring Pittsburgh: Shopping, Pittsburgh Zoo, ★ Phipps Conservatory, ★ National Aviary • Conservatory of Performing Arts/An Evening of Rising Stars: – Dance and Theatre Performances – Night at the Movies/Screening of Student Films • Photo Gallery/Exhibit of Student Work • Java and Jazz in the Park • Men’s and Women’s Cross-Country

SUNDAY, OCT. 9 • Family Brunch

★ New this year!

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

NEWS

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

CMI Director Conte hopes to USG president pro draw crowds, students with tempore selected more high-profile speakers in secret ballot from PODCAST page 1 rial” has covered the stories of Adnan Syed, a then Baltimore teenager convicted of killing his former girlfriend and Bowe Bergdahl, an American soldier captured by the Taliban in 2009 and released as part of a prisoner swap in 2014.

“It’s not just one thing,” Koenig said of the success of the two seasoned podcast. “There was an alchemy to the way it sounded.

A lot of the things you hear on ‘Serial,’ like the theme song, the ‘previously on,’ the Global Link call from Adnan Syed…it’s very much like a TV show…these are all borrowed from TV.” Koenig credits “Serial” co-creator Julie Snyder with the production aspect of the podcast, which is the key point that keeps an audience hooked.

“Suddenly people were interacting with journalism in a way they weren’t used to. They were hearing it as entertainment,” Koenig said.

“Their brains were lighting up…but for a real story.”

It’s difficult to imagine “Serial” as anything less than it is today, but Koenig took a candid approach to the failed podcast she worked on prior.

“We ended up coming up with this idea that was kind of the opposite of ‘Serial,’” Koenig said of the beginnings of the true-crime podcast. “The [idea] would be that all the stories had to have taken place in the seven days prior to broadcast. We tried a couple of times and loved it…We presented that and everyone was ‘eh.’”

It was after that production that Koenig pitched the idea of “Serial.”

“What if we did one story, over time, week by week — one lone documentary,” Koenig said. “Everyone was great [with this idea].”

Koenig realized the success of her podcast around

episode four when she learned there was a podcast about her podcast.

“That’s when I said, ‘wait, what’s happening?’”

Koenig said. “I can’t stress enough how out of touch I was with the outside world.”

“As a woman, I enjoy seeing other very successful women doing what I aspire to do,” Crocker said. “Sometimes these industries can be very male dominant, but seeing a woman doing this inspires me.”

photo by Chloe Jakiela

Journalist Sarah Koenig, creator of the popular podcast “Serial,” discussed her experiences as a professional journalist. The panel was a part of CMI’s grand opening Tuesday Sept. 13.

She also noted when the podcast hit 1 million downloads as a milestone.

Many credit season one of “Serial” to a Maryland judge granting Syed a retrial.

In a way, Koenig accepts her part in this, but doesn’t take all the credit.

“The technical part of why it was overturned was not something we found,” Koenig said. It was the podcast “Undisclosed” which tapped into cell phone data evidence leading to the retrial.

“We missed that,” Koenig said. “But that other podcast only happened because our podcast happened. The amount of attention suddenly brought to [Syed’s] case is crazy.”

Senior cinema production major Traci Crocker views Koenig as an inspiration to women in both the journalism and the production industries.

Conte said the decision to have Koenig close the grand opening for Point Park’s Center for Media Innovation event was largely in part to her success in a field not as widely traversed.

“As you can see, she’s doing something different, something innovative,” Conte said. “She’s not only reporting, but she’s reporting in an innovative way.”

With the opening of the CMI, Conte hopes to bring in more speakers that will draw in large crowds to have discussions that will teach and inspire students.

Following the discussion, Koenig took several questions from the audience.

When asked if “Serial” would return for a third season and for what story, Koenig could only say, “We’re gonna do it.”

Sabrina Bodon sbodon@pointpark.edu.

USG

By Alex Grubbs

USG Beat Reporter

Point Park’s student government elected Sen. Shaniece Lawrence as this year’s president pro tempore on Monday.

United Student Government (USG) voted in Lawrence as president pro-tempore in a secret senatorial ballot after a nomination by Sen. Kayla Damazo.

“I’m excited,” Lawrence said. “I’m going to put my personality in it. I’m just going to be very free and open.”

Sen. Daniel Murphy and Sen. Shayna Mendez, who held the position last year, were also nominated for the vote.

Due to time constraints, USG pushed back the counting of freshman senator ballots. President Blaine King also rescheduled training for the same reason.

All freshman senators cannot formally attend meetings until proper training is completed. Training will be held at the legislative body meeting next week.

Confusion over CulinArt’s meal plan exchange arose after Sen. Murphy brought up a student concern at the meeting.

According to Murphy, the student used their meal exchange around 6 p.m. in the café and tried to go back again later around 11 p.m. and was told they could not do another meal exchange.

Recording Secretary Davion Heron attributed the issue to the hour changes for the food service after its switch from Aramark.

However, Dean of Students Keith Paylo pointed out that meal exchange swipes could not be accepted because it fell during the dinner time frame. “[It] doesn’t matter the hours...the student determines this,” Paylo said at the meeting.

Sen. Shannon Sager said at the meeting that she hopes to expand USG’s social media presence with hopes to “get the communications out and going.”

Despite trying to launch its own Snapchat last year, USG plans to collaborate with Point Park’s Snapchat account to get their awareness on campus out.

Sen. Murphy added that he will be running the Point Park Instagram account and that there could be collaboration on that platform as well.

After trouble with PointSync at the last USG meeting, the senators approved two more student clubs’ budget proposals.

Black Student Union proposed $1,255.38 for club activities and events. USG approved $830.30 of that amount. USG also passed Pay It Forward’s full $82.92 budget.

At the end of the meeting, Sen. Mendez announced the Pittsburgh Student Government Council (PSGC) will be holding its meeting at Point Park.

PSGC is a congregation of student governments at local universities in the Pittsburgh area that are “member schools of the Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education, according to its website.

Mendez is currently the president of PSGC. Mendez said this meeting includes a workshop to talk about student problems from all the universities in which each government can give input.

Parliamentarian Charles Murria and Sen. Murphy will be voting members at the meeting. Mendez also encouraged the other senators to be in attendance.

The meeting will take place in the Lawrence Hall Ballroom on Thursday, Sept. 22.

Alex Grubbs aagrubb@pointpark.edu.

Point Park clubs leading charge on eradicating street harrassment from downtown campus from HARASSMENT page 1 and susceptibility to street harassers as opposed to a more secluded campus.

This is especially true for

students who live off campus such as Brianna Wuenschel, a freshman cinema production major.

“I came [to the meeting] because I am a commuter,”

Wuenschel said. “I use public transportation, I have a night class from six to nine.”

As a result of this combination, students are left vulnerable and lacking in bystanders.

photo by Nicole Pampena

Point Park University student clubs HerCampus, Strong Women Strong Girls, The Feminist Collective and Confluence direct a conversation on the pervasive problem of street harassment on campus.

Yet even with bystanders playing a factor, as mentioned during discussion, the largest problem the community faces is their failure to speak up or report to the police. Officer Jeremy Bogdanski from Point Park’s Department of Public Safety offered a solution.

“It’s hard to be at the right place at the right time,” Bogdanski said. “One thing I hope everyone knows about is sending an anonymous tip to our dispatch center.”

The speakers also spoke about considering potential awareness campaign methods that not only deter the perpetrator, but also encourage bystanders to help alleviate the confrontation.

Clubs present at the meeting such as HerCampus, Strong Women Strong Girls, The Feminist Collective and Confluence have joined forces in order to plan a campus-wide campaign against street harassment. Further action is expected to be explored after the Health and

Wellness Fair held during the first week of October.

“I feel like this is something that needs to be brought to life,” Reis said.

“To let [students] know this is more universal … without naming names or putting faces on anyone.”

No statistic was readily available at the meeting to demonstrate how often street harassment is reported on campus, let alone occurs.

Reis plans on looking into methods of tracking future statistics after setting out the combined efforts of student organizations and faculty. Ideas ranging from creating a tally system in Village Park to starting a hashtag on social media are currently up in the air.

“A long term goal would be how to take this off campus and deal with it on a larger scale,” Reis said. “We want to spread the message that it happens to everyone.”

Nicole Pampena nmpampe@pointpark.edu.

The Career Development Center Invites You…

Tuesday, September 27 12:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Student Center Network with over 100 employers hiring for internships, full-time and part-time jobs!

Please register online and view employers attending at: https://pointpark.joinhandshake.com , click “Fairs” & “Join Event”

To Login to Handshake – Select Point Park University Sign-on, enter current Point Park username and password (same as your email login)

Remember to bring plenty of resumes and dress professionally!

Don’t forget to schedule a resume review appointment with a career counselor prior to the fair via Handshake by clicking on the “Appointments” tab.

Questions? Contact the Career Development Center: 412-392-3950, careerdev@pointpark.edu

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

FEATURES

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

Rooftop Shindigs give summer guests music, views and movies

By Georgia Fowkes For The Globe

On Sept. 14, the city of Pittsburgh ended “it’s Re:NEW” festivities, with its final monthly Rooftop Shindig of the summer.

This event engaged all ages around the city to not only bring their dancing shoes, but also popcorn and a blanket.

The annual Downtown Rooftop Shindig was presented by Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (PDP), an organization devoted to making the city a place for all yinzers to crawl to when they need a day or evening filled with fun.

The free event is held in the summer months at the top of Theater Square Garage with the goal of giving people a fun weeknight out.

This month’s events were the last of the season.

The night began with a musical performance by The Commonheart, a local folk rock band, followed by a screening of “Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior.” The event was catered by Meat & Potatoes, a restaurant located Downtown, and also included family games such as cornhole and a four foot connect four game.

“It has this really cool weeknight kind of feel in a good way. It’s relaxing. Everyone’s super nice. There’s really good energy,” said Clinton Clegg, lead singer of The Commonheart.

The Commonheart’s performance opened up with their songs “Hold my Hand” and “Cannonball,” both of which invoked energy throughout the crowd.

Clegg couldn’t be happier with the event.

“It’s different, just the

page 6 photos by Robert Berger

The members of The Commonheart perform some of their original songs to the guests in attendance to kick off the event. The stage was set up in front of the screen which would later be showing Mad Max 2. vibe of being on a rooftop is spiritual… it physically feels a lot different than playing a club and the view speaks for itself, I’m speechless,” Clegg said.

Ellie Gordon, a Pittsburgh-based freelance graphic designer, enjoys what the Rooftop Shindig events have to offer and enjoyed the appearance from The Commonheart.

“The band is great. I like the free whiskey shots, it’s fun to be outside and I like the weird, cool movies.

These events in the city are always a lot of fun,” Gordon said.

The Rooftop Shindig began about two years ago in conjunction with the Re:NEW Festival, focusing on creative reuse, sustainability and transformation. As the years progressed, the attendance kept increasing, so they decided to hold more of them.

Intern with the PDP and senior sports, arts and entertainment major, Colten Gill, works on achieving the Pittsburgh motto of liveliness through these events.

“Pittsburgh has gotten itself back in the public eye on a local, state and national level through all of the great things we have going on,” Gill said. “With a vibrant college community, an incredible start-up atmosphere for businesses and the innovations happening in technology, culture and other areas, people are rediscovering their

love for the city.”

Gill wants to ensure that Downtown becomes a vital center for the city by expanding these types of events and involving the community. He hopes to accomplish this through both the events the PDP hosts in addition to the economic initiatives that assist in the growth of businesses in Downtown.

“We want to help people rediscover their love for Downtown,” Gill said. “It really is the place that all Pittsburghers have in common, and events like the Rooftop Shindig and the Re:NEW Festival put us at the forefront of that.”

Georgia Fowkes gmfowke@pointpark.edu

Sports, Art and Entertainment management freshman, Kyle Kuhn, dances with new friend and Pittsburgh native Will, Milner on ther rooftop of Theater Square garage.

CAB THROWS BISON BINGO BONANZA

Monday, September 26th Tuesday, September 27th

Photo by Bri Wuenschel

Freshmen Aislin Shannon, Jess Kavelish, and Alyssa Shade compete to win some prizes at Thursday night’s Bison Bingo hosted by the Campus Activities Board (CAB).

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

FEATURES

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

7

Students can make pop singer JoJo a Pioneer for a day

By Kelsey Wolfe For The Globe

Singer songwriter JoJo, who is known for songs “Too Little Too Late” and “Leave (Get Out),” has the opportunity to tour a campus, attend a class, perform an acoustic set and provide a Q&A session for students of the campus.

That campus could be Point Park University.

Throughout September, Atlantic Recording Group, part of Warner Music Group family of labels, is sponsoring a contest to bring singer songwriter JoJo to a college campus. The nationwide “Freshmen for a Day” contest will give JoJo the opportunity to interact with the students of the winning college.

Ericka Thomas, a junior sports, arts and entertainment management (SAEM) major at Point

Park and college marketing representative for Warner Music, said JoJo is on the rise again and attempting to make a comeback.

“They, I guess, picked JoJo because she already does have a fan base, even though it might be from our middle school years,” Thomas said. “So I think they picked an artist that needs more awareness.”

Thomas believes that winning a contest like this one would be an excellent opportunity for the university, especially the SAEM students.

“If Point Park wins, I think that it would be great for the SAEM program to have a touring artist who has been through it all, signed a major label and everything, to come and speak in one of our classes,” Thomas said.

Thomas also said that the SAEM program is based

around creating live en- sic could learn a lot just by tertainment events, but is talking to her.” unable to frequently make Other students, like Suthem happen. san King, a junior double “It kills me because we major in both dance and have a program pre-med, that is based agree that on creating the chance to concerts and bring JoJo to stuff, but it’s Point Park’s the pricing.” c a m p u s Thomas said. would be a “We don’t have great experia facility, so ence. then we have to “A lot rent and it just of other gets too pricey schools have to bring in our on-campus own artists.” concerts,” “The SAEM King said. program could “Being a possibly do a college in Samantha Thomas whole projdowntown Freshman Animation Major ect dedicated Pittsburgh, Point Park University to something Point Park like this,” said doesn’t have Samantha Thomas, a fresh- the space, so we never get men animation major, “And the same chance as all oththe students who want to er schools.” get into producing and muGlobal security and in-

“The students who want to get into producing and music could learn a lot just by talking to her.”

telligence graduate student Nicole Merrick had a similar response to King in the sense that Point Park does not get the same opportunities to host live music events.

“Point Park University is growing and becoming more modern everyday,” Merrick said. “It’s important that we keep up with what other schools are doing.”

The “Freshmen for a Day” contest began on Sept.

9 and will run until Sept.

30. The winning school will be announced shortly after.

Students can vote by visiting listen.wmg.com and following the Hits 101 playlist on Spotify. Students can choose “Point Park University.” Multiple entries are permitted, as there is no limit.

Kelsey Wolfe kjwolfe@pointpark.edu

CMI opening panels cover the state of modern journalism

By Eddie Trizzino Co-Features Editor

On the day of Point Park’s Center for Media Innovation (CMI) grand opening, Laura Jennings sat in Village Park during the lunch festivities to reflect on the day’s events.

The opening ceremony took place in the morning, but Jennings, the Student Media Coordinator for the CMI, still had one event to look forward to that evening.

Still to come was a branding panel set to feature speakers from ESPN and AT&T, as well as a panel featuring speakers from local news outlets such as PublicSource and NEXTPittsburgh and finally an evening with Sarah Koenig, co-creator and host of the “Serial” podcast.

“I’m really looking for-

ward to seeing Sarah Koenig,” Jennings said. “I loved the first season and I think she brought attention to a new form of journalism.”

Jennings was in charge of hiring student reporters, photographers and social media directors to cover the day-long series of events at the opening of the CMI. She did so mainly through social media posts on Facebook, advertising a paid opportunity for Point Park students. Reporters from the Point Park News Service also covered the event.

“I focused on getting a reaction to the events of the day, I asked people about the center and how it affected them,” Jessica Federkeil, junior journalism major and reporter for the Point Park News Service, said.

Student-produced content appeared later on the Point Park website and the

Point Park News Service, as well as social media outlets managed by Point Park.

“I certainly hoped to pique interest and get people from the community excited for this,” Jennings said.

The 7 p.m. panel featuring Koenig sold out all of its 200 tickets, but a live feed from her panel was streamed from the CMI to the Lawrence Hall Ballroom, as would the #MEDIAPIONEERS panel and the Speed of LIVE panels.

The day’s lunch took place in Village Park from 12-1 p.m., and was catered with walking tacos, kabobs and tofu wraps for anyone attending the festivities to eat. All School of Communication classes were canceled for the day, so the park and the food lines were filled with students enjoying the free food.

Students also enjoyed music

from Pioneer Stars Hannah Jenkins and John Rushlander and his band, “The Grandaddychilds.”

“I’ve played in this park I don’t know how many times, but I always like it,” Jenkins, senior sports, arts and entertainment management (SAEM) major, said.

“I like to take any opportunity I get to play live, and this was a great opportunity,” recent PPU graduate Rushlander said.

Other organizations also took advantage of the event to show their messages. Alex Mecs, junior SAEM major held a table for the Music Association club, where students could also sign up to be the next Pioneer Star.

Ericka Thomas, a junior SAEM major and Warner Music representative, advertised for a contest spon-

sored by the company to get musical artist Jojo to come to campus by gathering enough student votes.

The lunch festivities continued until 1 p.m., until the chefs began to pack in the food and the band wrapped up their set. Jennings commented on the purpose of the upcoming news organization panels. “#MEDIAPIONEERS panel has more traditional news outlets, and it’s really saying that journalism is not dead,” Jennings said.

“I think it all showed that going into journalism or another communication field doesn’t mean you won’t be able to find a job,” said Federkeil, referring to the #MEDIAPIONEERS panel.

Eddie Trizzino eatrizz@pointpark.edu

8

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

OPINIONS

Improved food service neglects key turkey burger demographic

The

Globe Point Park

By Jane McAnallen Copy Editor

PointALERT underutilized Last Tuesday, a 17-year-old was shot in the Wood Street T Station, which Google Maps identifies as 0.3 miles away from Point Park’s campus.

Students, however, did not hear about the violent crime from a Point Park resource, unlike past robberies that students have been notified about via the PointALERT text messaging system.

Point Park Chief of Police Jeffrey Besong told the Globe that he didn’t send out a PointALERT to preserve the urgency of the system for immediate threats.

While we acknowledge that PointALERT should be used for immediate and imminent threats, the question then becomes why was this incident not deemed something urgent enough to warrant notification? If we’re not using PointALERT to notify students of a violent crime blocks away from campus, how else are we to be notified?

Public Safety did not even send an email to students.

Students and staff don’t expect PointALERT to broadcast every crime committed Downtown.

However when a shooting occurs blocks from campus, near off campus housing, we feel we should have been notified.

PointALERT has been

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

incredibly successful in the past at alerting students of danger nearby, which is why we are scratching our heads as to why it wasn’t used last Tuesday.

Point Park Police aren’t responsible for preventing violent crime that takes place off-campus Downtown. But hearing about those crimes right away via PointALERT would be more reassuring than seeing a “Shooting in Downtown Pittsburgh” headline on Twitter.

Students who live or work on the North Shore use the T nearly every day.

Other students live in the Cultural District, close to the Wood Street T Station. Some students who live on campus might also have been near the scene hunting Pokemon.

Information about a violent crime committed within walking distance would have been useful and timely for any of these students, and the PointALERT system is quicker than news outlets. It’s a potentially vitally useful tool.

We came to Point Park as students to expand our horizons. Expanding the horizons of our PointALERT system, too, doesn’t seem unreasonable.

The Point Park Globe globe@pointpark.edu.

With the introduction of a new service provider there are always some bumps in the road, and that holds true with our new food service provider, CulinArt Group.

As a new commuter, I don’t go to the Point Café as often as I used to. I grab some grub between classes occasionally, but opt for the sub shop around the corner if the line seems exhaustingly long. Nonetheless, I have been impressed with our new food service, namely the gorgeous menus and tantalizing new (and just newly named) items.

But all the fancy signs in the world can’t hide their dark underbelly.

Once freshman or sophomore year, I arrived in the Point Café to purchase my usual -- a quesadilla with onions (always), peppers (almost certainly available) and mushrooms (maybe a myth), when I was greeted by a new menu item, a named soaked in sophistication and visions of a Californian bistro where everything is topped with avocado and sprouts: the turkey burger.

I snapped up the opportunity to sup upon this new delight when starkly, suddenly, I was informed there were none to be had.

As semesters rolled by, I’ve managed to find one or two in the Point Café. Rarely at first, but soon none at all. I eventually stopped

asking, moving on from the grille to the deli and there, praying for spinach wraps.

But then came a new era, an era we were assured would end the scourge of Aramark. They brought sleek sophistication, fries shaken at will, pizzas shaped like rectangles and there, on their dark blue menu board sparking hope in the hearts of at least dozens, the turkey burger.

“Walls will, and I cannot emphasize this enough, solve literally all of our problems.”

Jane McAnallen Copy Editor, The Globe

I dared not hope at first, but finally, timidly asked, “Can I get a turkey burger?” But once again hope proved me a fool.

As I settled with my beef burger (it was good) smothered in peppers and onion and mushrooms (things of which I dared not dream), it came to me that we could make this café great again. Specifically by serving turkey burgers.

But alas, our strife is not so simple. This isn’t a mere scheme to fill my plate with turkey burgers. These CulinArt folk will make our lives worse, and I guaran-

tee this, by remodeling the café. This very newspaper reported they plan on tearing down the wall in the middle of the café. We should be building walls in the café! Walls will, and I cannot emphasize this enough, solve literally all of our problems.

Now I have seen some take to anger in the café when their hopes are dashed by unavailable food items, but these chefs are not to blame for this unprecedented turkey burger crisis. They are too restrained by the establishment, entrenched in politics when we have needs.

Non-beef burger needs.

Wall needs. We need to take this straight to the top of the food pyramid.

I propose we the people of this once great university begin a campaign to tear down this façade, but, and this is important, not any actual physical walls. One food service provider is the same as the other; what we need is a food revolution.

Take to your smartphones, my friends, and tweet our grievances directly at our foe. Their time has come, and they will soon fall. Sad! Join me, and together, we can #MakePointParkTurkeyBurgersAgain.

But overall food-wise, everything is slightly better than it used to be.

Jane McAnallen jhmcana@pointpark.edu.

Demands of faculty union reasonable, fair

By Margaret Davis For The Globe

Since 2004, Point Park University has been at war with its own professors in a legal battle over the creation of a new union contract. Citing the 1980 Supreme Court case National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) v. Yeshiva University, the university stalled negotiations because it considered the teaching staff to be “managerial employees” who were therefore “ineligible for unionization.”

In 2015, after 12 years, Point Park finally dropped its appeals and agreed to open talks with the faculty, who are represented by the Newspaper Guild/Communications Workers of America. However, 140 of our full-time professors are still working without a contract, and progress has been very, very slow.

I was 10 years old when the legal battle began.

Twelve years is a long time.

Stalling the contract

negotiations process means the university will have to pay less in the meantime. Of course, Point Park has not disclosed how much of our tuition money it has spent on legal fees.

But it’s too expensive to give their teaching staff benefits and a fair wage, or install air conditioning in Lawrence Hall, or fill the pool, or replace the board games in the student lounge with some that actually have all of the pieces.

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that private colleges are, above everything else, for-profit businesses.

Compared to other private universities in urban areas, Point Park pays its faculty about 17 percent below average, but pays administration about 17 percent above average, according to union representatives.

I guess now we know where our tuition money has been going.

Not only are the faculty fighting for pensions, benefits and better wages,

they are also fighting for academic freedom within the classroom. They want to

“It seems reasonable to pay a fulltime faculty member at least as much as, say, the general manager of the Taco Bell I worked at in high school.”

Margaret Davis For The Globe

regain control of what they can and can’t teach without looking over their shoulder worried that what they say

in the classroom could get them in trouble. They want to regain control of not only how they are treated as staff members, but how students are treated as well.

They want to regain control of how long their contracts are, how many classes they teach in a semester and how many adjunct and part-time professors are employed at the university. They want to regain control of their careers and their lives’ work.

This seems reasonable, especially when considering that some full-time faculty members earn less than $50,000 a year. This seems reasonable, when “full-time” for a teacher often means more than 40 hours a week. This seems reasonable when administrations at private universities across the country have gradually gained more and more control over academic freedom, or, in many cases, academic restriction.

It seems reasonable to ensure that when a professor dedicates decades of

his or her life to an institution, they will have a secure retirement. It seems reasonable to pay a full-time faculty member at least as much as, say, the general manager of the Taco Bell I worked at in high school.

It seems reasonable to treat all workers with respect and dignity. It does not seem reasonable to engage them in a legal battle and deny them collective bargaining rights for more than a decade. It does not seem reasonable for a university to behave more like a corporation than an academic institution.

It is up to us, as students who will spend much of our lives in debt to pay for our time here, to show our support for our professors and to remind Point Park University: without teachers, a school is just another empty building.

Margaret Davis madavis2@pointpark.edu.

COVERING THE WORLD OF POINT PARK UNIVERSITY NEWS SINCE 1967

Globe Point Park

The Globe board consists of Josh Croup, Alexander Popichak and fellow editors. Opinion articles, letters to the editor, columns and cartoons do not necessarily reflect the position of the newspaper or editorial board. The Globe reserves the right to refuse advertising and edit all submitted articles and letters to the editor. Letters to the editor must be signed and include the author’s contact information. Offices are located in rooms 710 and 712 Lawrence Hall. Writers should address letters to:

Advertising globeadvertising@pointpark.edu All ads must be approved by the university.

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

The Globe 201 Wood Street, Box 23 Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Story Ideas If you have a news, sports, opinions or feature story that you think The Globe can use, email globe@pointpark.edu.

Josh Croup, Editor-in-Chief Alexander Popichak, Editor-Elect Autumn Barszczowski, Business Manager Dr. Aimee-Marie Dorsten, Faculty Adviser

Emily Bennett, Co-Copy Desk Chief Sabrina Bodon, Online Editor Laura Byko, Co-Opinions Editor Rania Draklellis, Copy Editor Gracey Evans, Sports Photo Editor Georgia Fowkes, Delivery Assistant Julianne Griffith, Layout Editor Alex Grubbs, Copy Editor Casey Hoolahan, Co-Social Media Editor Chloe Jakiela, News Photo Editor Arianna Khalil, Graphic Designer Julie Kooser, Features Photo Editor Jane McAnallen, Copy Editor Maggie McCauley, Public Relations Coordinator Jonnah Mcclintock, Copy Editor Kayla Novak, Copy Editor Hannah O’Toole, Copy Editor

Iain Oldman, Co-News Editor Isabelle Opsitos, Copy Editor Lauren Ortego, Copy Editor Nicole Pampena, Copy Editor Matt Petras, Co-News Editor Marissa Rayes, Co-Social Media Editor Carrie Reale, Co-Copy Desk Chief Michael Richter, Co-Sports Editor Karly Rivera, Co-Features Editor Jordan Slobodinsky, Copy Editor Kristin Snapp, Co-Sports Editor Kayla Snyder, Copy Editor Gerri Tipton, Online Editor Eddie Trizzino, Co-Features Editor Beth Turnbull, Copy Editor Johanna Wharran, Co-Opinions Editor

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

SPORTS CROUP’S CORNER

By Josh Croup Sports Columnist

1,000 kills, one Shiloh Simonson She was always the quiet player that led by example.

In her fourth season with the Point Park volleyball team, Shiloh Simonson has had to step out of her comfort zone to do more than just lead by example.

Point Park volleyball head coach Mike Bruno watched his star outside hitter rally her teammates to complete a comeback victory in the fourth set Saturday against defending conference champion Indiana University Kokomo, just one day after making Point Park volleyball history.

As a volleyball player, Bruno calls Simonson “the real deal,” but he sees her as even a better person.

She’s even babysat his daughters numerous times.

“That speaks volumes as a dad,” Bruno said.

The senior carved her name into the Point Park volleyball record books last week when she earned her 1,000th career kill in the first set Friday against Indiana University East.

The Peters Twp. High School product became the fifth player in Point Park volleyball history since 1991 to notch 1,000 kills. She also has racked up more than 1,300 digs during her impressive Point Park career.

Simonson’s Point Park volleyball resume also includes a conference championship and two NAIA National Championship Opening Round appearances.

She needed only one kill Friday against IU East as she entered the contest with 999.

She sealed the deal early in the first set en route to a 3-1 victory over the Red Wolves.

“It was really exciting,” Simonson said. “I’m just really honored to be up there with those other four girls.”

The other four players in the 1,000-kill club at Point Park include Jana Orlofske (1994-97), Rachel Roddy (2007-10), Lindsey Oberacker (2009-12) and Nicole

Wurstle (2010-13). Orlofske and Roddy are both members of the Pioneer Athletic Hall of Fame.

Simonson already has built quite the resume, one that could someday earn her a Hall of Fame nod.

Bruno has enjoyed watching Simonson evolve over the last four years into the player she is today. She was touted as one of the top local high school recruits when she committed to Point Park, one that Bruno was anxious to throw in the starting lineup.

Simonson has played alongside passionate leaders during her four years at Point Park and now finds herself in the role of those she once looked up to.

Point Park was in a position to defeat the defending conference champions Saturday in IU Kokomo. The Pioneers looked to end the match in four sets, but the Cougars didn’t go away without a fight as they jumped out to a 12-6 lead.

That’s when Bruno watched Simonson do what so many of his past leaders did so often: vocally motivate her teammates as they rallied to victory.

Point Park went on a run and tied the set at 15 before defeating the Cougars in the fourth set 25-22, clinching a four-set victory.

“She’s always been a kid that led by example, but midto-late in that fourth set, she reached out of her comfort zone and started speaking more to the team,” Bruno said. “They responded well and I think that was part of the X-factor that led us to play the way we did in that fourth set.”

Playing the role of leader on the team hasn’t been easy for Simonson, but she knows she has to step up to the plate as a leading senior.

“It’s been real uncomfortable,” Simonson said. “I definitely stepped out of my

comfort zone there (in the fourth set). I was always the quiet player that led by example, but now I have to go out there and I have to vocally motivate everybody. It’s a different role, but I’m trying.

I think it’s kind of working.”

Simonson had leaders she looked up to during her first two years at Point Park, including former defensive specialist Olivia Fisher, who she said had the biggest impact on her and her Point Park volleyball career.

“Olivia Fischer had so much passion for the game,” Simonson said. “She was always the one that made me bring everything I had. I try to go out there and I try and lead by the example she used to lead by.”

Channeling those past leaders like Fischer, Simonson has stepped up in different capacities on the team, even if it means going outside her comfort zone. Simonson’s passion, patience and persistence helped reinforce Bruno’s thought that Simonson is “the real deal.”

Her teammates appreciate Simonson’s passion and dedication.

“Shiloh means everything to me,” said sophomore middle hitter and outside hitter Ashley Taylor. “She’s an extremely nice person.

She’s awesome on and off the court. Knowing that she has 1,000 kills pushes me more to make sure that I get that by the time I’m out of here.”

It’s still early in the volleyball team’s season, and Bruno wants to utilize Simonson as much as possible before she graduates.

“Looking at that group that she hit the 1,000 kills with, that’s some great company to be in with,” Bruno said. “I think we still have some unfinished business to do while we still have her.”

Josh Croup jdcroup@pointpark.edu.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

9

Volleyball improves record to 2-0 in conference play

By Michael Turk For The Globe

The Point Park volleyball team reversed a streak of bad luck last weekend after sweeping two River States Conference opponents at home.

“We’re definitely starting to find our rhythm and the chemistry is starting to pull its way through,” said sophomore libero Morgan Dangelo. “We’re trying to play as a team.”

Point Park defeated Indiana University East 3-1 and Indiana University Kokomo 3-1 Friday and Saturday respectively.

Outside hitter Shiloh Simonson collected her 1,000th career kill as a Pioneer on the second play of the match against Indiana University East on Friday.

“I’m just honored because I know only a few select girls have gotten that [1,000 kills],” Simonson said. “I’m grateful that I’ve had this opportunity.”

Simonson is now the fifth member of the 1,000 kills club at Point Park. Simonson contributed a total of 11 kills Friday night to help Point Park pick up its first conference win of the season.

Point Park and Indiana University East went back and forth in set one, exchanging point after point. Neither team led by more than four in the first set. Towards the end of set one, Point Park gained all the momentum after a kill from setter Emily Meng that would give Point Park a 2421 lead. After a Meng service error and couple of IU East kills, the match was knotted up at 24. IU East would come from behind in set one to win it by a final score of 27-25.

After failing to close out set one, Point Park came out firing in set two. Point Park got out to a 12-0 lead to begin the set. The run was conducted by Simonson and her powerful jump serve.

IU East would not go quietly and they fought back but they never came within three points of Point Park and the Pioneers took set two 25-19.

In sets three and four, it was all Point Park. The Pioneers never trailed for the remainder of the match.

They won both sets by the same scores, 25-19.

Freshman outside hitter Madeline Poirier hit .400 for the match and collected

7 kills. The conference leader in blocks, Nikki Inquartano, added seven blocks to her total to go along with five kills. Meng dished out 36 assists to her hitters.

But it was Simonson’s night as she collected 11 kills, three blocks and three aces.

“She’s just a great allaround player,” said head coach Mike Bruno. “She’s your typical outside that can pretty much do it all. She passes all six rotations. She’s got a heavy arm from the end line and a heavy jump serve.”

There was no time to rest for Point Park as the Pioneers had to be back in the gym the following day for a rematch of last year’s conference championship against Indiana University Kokomo.

IU Kokomo was picked number one in the Preseason Coaches’ Poll in August and was favored to win the River States Conference for the second straight year.

This match was selected as the River States Conference Game of the Week.

Just like it did Friday, Point Park dropped the first set to IU Kokomo 25-19. The entire match was close with the two teams exchanging points, but Point Park stayed consistent and won the next two sets by the scores 25-21 and 25-22.

IU Kokomo got out to an early 12-6 lead in set four. But Point Park came right back to tie it up at 15.

With the Pioneers leading 19-18, Simonson continued her stellar weekend with a huge kill from the outside to give Point Park momentum.

Point Park would finish off IU Kokomo 25-22 and complete the upset.

Madeline Poirier recorded a team-high 11 kills, including one that went down for match point. Ashley Taylor contributed with 10 kills, five blocks and 17 digs. Simonson added nine kills, 10 digs and two aces to help Point Park win its first two conference matches of the year.

Point Park has now won five of its last seven matches and is now 6-12 with a 2-0 conference record. The Pioneers’ next match is Tuesday, Sept. 20, when they play fellow conference opponent Carlow in the student center gym at 7 p.m.

Michael Turk mjturk@pointpark.edu.

Red-shirt sophomore integral part of volleyball team

By Dara Collins For The Globe

Even though she started her volleyball career late in comparison to others, Ashley Taylor has accrued many accomplishments.

“Turns out, I was good at it,” Taylor said.

As a freshman, Taylor became the second most efficient hitter on the team and the third most effective blocker. She was awarded First Team All-Conference alongside fellow Pioneer Shiloh Simonson. Likewise, the duo made the AVCA-NAIA All Northeast Region Sections Team for the 2014-15 year.

Unfortunately, due to academic issues at Point Park, Taylor took a year off to at-

tend Community College of Allegheny County to gain credits. She remained close to the team during her break, and she is now back as a sophomore volleyball player and an academic junior.

When asked what quality the team missed the most about Taylor, only one thing came to their minds.

“We missed her positive attitude,” senior Emily Meng said. “She brings the whole team up with her.

After she gets a kill, she has this amazing smile and she’ll light up.”

While Taylor is a vital hitter for the Pioneers, her optimistic mentality matters just as much to the team.

“We definitely could have used her, but she’s on the pace to continue her

performance from freshman year,” Coach Mike Bruno said via phone interview.

Bruno has faith that she will continue to improve her skills at such a young stage.

Taylor explains Bruno’s coaching methods are tough sometimes, but they are in her teammates’ best interests.

“He gives us hard love, but it’s obviously for the best,” Taylor said.

Taylor practices hard and watches her teammates to better her skills.

During her first year as a Pioneer, Taylor looked up to then sophomore, Shiloh Simonson.

“I want to be like Shiloh,” Taylor said.

Taylor describes Simonson as an amazing hitter. While Taylor still

respects Simonson’s skills, Taylor boosts her confidence up with her own words of wisdom.

“I tell myself I’m the best,” Taylor said.

Aside from watching her teammates to acquire new skills, she takes notice to their character off the court. Nicole Inquartano, known as “Inky,” is a role model to Taylor.

“If I were to look up to anyone off the court, it would be Inky,” Taylor said.

“She is so nice and so funny.

She is always herself, and she’s not afraid of that.”

Better known as “Shlee” to her teammates and friends, Taylor is a quiet girl but a fiery player.

“She’s a quiet leader, and she’s a competitor,”

Bruno said.

Her quiet nature may have influenced her choice of major at Point Park.

Taylor focuses on attaining a degree in psychology, and she aspires to become a guidance counselor for middle school students.

While the North Hills native is not far from home, Point Park proved to be the perfect fit as other colleges such as University of Dayton, California University of Pennsylvania, Clarion University of Pennsylvania and others did not suppress her love for the city atmosphere. However, she holds a desire to venture to California in her future.

Dara Collins dmcolli2@pointpark.edu.

10

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

SPORTS

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

New captain hopes to positively impact rugby club interest in a women’s club, something he’s determined to spearhead.

If you were to describe “The idea [for a women’s rugby club president Elliott club] needs to gain some seCarr most accurately in one rious momentum. We need word, it would be unconvenmore interest. A lot of the tional. Professional would girls are already in a sport come in at a close second. or have musical theater or The newly elected rugby dance requirements, and club president for the 2016-17 it’s tough to work around school year has big plans that that, because of potential he hopes come to fruition, ininjuries,” Carr said. “But we cluding a new women’s rugby do have people who have club initiative. Despite enterinterest and want to make ing only his sophomore year, it happen, so we’re going to his teammates and mentors do whatever we can to make agree that he has the pairing page 10 photos by Gracey Evans sure those who want to play of a specialized drive and an can eventually find a way. It Sophomore flanker Elliott Carr gives a pep talk to the team before innovative mind to transform would just be nice to have its match against Carnegie Mellon University Saturday. the club from a team into a that sister club.” brotherhood.

Teammate and Rugby this year will be the team’s Pittsburgh Johnstown (UPJ).

“There’s a lot that needs “One of UPJ’s players Club Secretary Brady Winner best, thanks to an average of to be done,” Carr said. “Right three practices a week, forewas cutting across the field agrees that forging the path now, it’s one of my top priorseeing more weekend tourtowards Elliott, and it was for a women’s club is doable, ities aside from classes, obvinaments and eventually playan open field tackle,” Winner especially with someone like ously. I’m spending a lot of offs. said.

“So it was either Elliott Carr in the presidency. time getting stuff ready for “We do care about our retackles him or this kid scores.

“I think it’s something this season.” cord, and we have high hopes He tried to hurtle Elliott, and that could definitely happen,” Carr, a biology major, to make playoffs this year,” he wasn’t having any of that, Winner said. “It would be a feels that he fell into the presso Elliott just stood up and lot of work, and I feel like they Carr said. idency in a sense, claiming he Aside from being an orkind of threw his shoulder would need someone like Elfelt he thought he lacked the ganized and optimistic presand flipped the kid in mid– liott to get things rolling.” extroverted nature that being ident, Elliott proved himself air. It was probably the cool“Elliott needs to find a president of such a large, sucto be a promising player and est thing I’ve ever seen.” female protégé. All it needs cessful club would require. athlete last season, winning Aside from rugby, Carr is that big push and then it’s “I was very surprised at “Man of the Match” during is focused on figuring out good to go.” the nomination,” Carr said. the very first game he ever his future; something he’s If there’s anyplayed for Point Park against unsure of, but knows will one who knows Robert Morris University. undoubtedly involve serving Carr’s character, it “Everyone has to be inothers.

Carr, a trained Emeris Winner. The two sync with each other in orgency Medical Technician locks were inseparable during games der for it to work; you can’t (EMT), sees rugby in his fulast season, both just have one good player,” ture as well; claiming he nevplaying the same Carr said. “What I really like er wants to stop playing as a position hip-to-hip is that at any point, anybody way to stay in shape and have can play. Even if your star a brotherhood he can count and in the scrum.

“That made player goes down, somebody on well into adulthood.

“We’re not just a team; our friendship else has to fill in, so it gives everybody a really good opwe’re a brotherhood. I think stronger,” Winner portunity to be able to play Elliott can definitely lead that said. “We had that and enjoy it.” charge,” Winner said. “He’s chemistry on the Although Carr said the done so much to make the field, because we philosophy of rugby is inteam more of a brotherhood were by each other nately community-driven, than any other year that I’ve throughout the enhis individual performance experienced.

He’s done a hell tire game.” in matches did not go unof a job.”

While the club isn’t hyper-focused noticed, including during a Emily Bennett Carr pushes forward against Carnegie Mellon University defenders Satur- on having a perfect match Winner recalled last elbenne@pointpark.edu day. Point Park lost the match, 35-5. season against University of record, Carr hopes

By Emily Bennett

Co-Copy Desk Chief

“We did the election, and somebody said, ‘I nominate Elliott Carr,’ and the next thing I knew, I’m president.”

That somebody was Jakob Como, last year’s team captain, who Carr bonded with on and off the field. Despite Carr’s newcomer status last year, Como recognized a distinctive ambition in the freshman.

“I know Elliot has the perfect mix of drive and personality to continue to grow the club and accomplish more than every president before him,” said Como, who graduated in the spring.

Aside from reuniting the closeness within the club and kick-starting a female club, Carr is focused on two objectives: recruiting new members and getting the team to playoffs.

Carr considers his focus on recruiting this year more prevalent than past presidents’ efforts. Carr himself was recruited for the club during the annual activities fair last year. This year, he was the one behind the rugby table, this time as president, getting signatures from students and inquiring about

LAST WEEK’S SCOREBOARD SEPT. 13 - 19 MEN’S SOCCER (3-2-1) (0-0)

ST. VINCENT 1, POINT PARK 4.................................... Sept. 13 Goals: Ramos (5), Carr (2) Phoenix (1), Vates (1) POINT PARK 1, SIENA HEIGHTS 3.............................. Sept. 17 Goal: Whitley (3) Next: Sept. 20 @ Grove City, Sept. 29 vs. Asbury

WOMEN’S SOCCER (0-5-1) (0-0)

POINT PARK 0, GEORGETOWN (Ky.) 4...................... Sept. 13 WALSH (Ohio) 3, POINT PARK 1.................................. Sept. 16 Goal: Bowser (1) Next: Sept. 21 vs. Geneva, Sept. 23 @ St. Vincent

VOLLEYBALL (6-12) (2-0)

W. Va. WESLEYAN 2, POINT PARK 3.......................... Sept. 13 IU EAST 1, POINT PARK 3*........................................... Sept. 16 IU KOKOMO 1, POINT PARK 3*................................... Sept. 17 Next: Sept. 20 vs. Carlow, Spet. 27 vs. Rio Grande

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY 3RD PLACE, PSU-BEHREND INVITATIONAL................. Sept. 17 Top finishers: Marrero (3), Hilverding (5), Hunt (6) Next: Sept. 24 @ Lock Haven Invitational

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WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY 3RD PLACE, PSU-BEHREND INVITATIONAL................. Sept. 17 Top finishers: Rohlf (9), Wilson (11), Shields (13) Next: Sept. 24 @ Lock Haven Invitational

Hours: Monday-Friday: 10am - 6pm Saturday: 11am-3pm Sunday: Closed photo courtesy of Kelly Parsley

Sophomores Chris Hunt and Sean Hilverding finished 5th and 6th overall at the Penn State Behrend Invitational last Saturday, helping the men’s cross country team to a third place finish out of 11 teams.