Point Park University Globe Fall 2017 Issue 1

THE

GL BE

@PPUGlobe August 30, 2017

IN THIS ISSUE: PAGE

5 PAGE 6 PAGE SINCE 1967 8

Features debuts “Pioneer Public” showcasing the campus community Opinions editors summarize a summer of President Trump Gabe Bubon opens up about starting basketball head coaching career ppuglobe.com

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

Issue 1

No confidence vote Full-time faculty union reach contract agreement passed against

university president

By Josh Croup and Alexander Popichak

Editor Emeritus and Editor-in-Chief

By Josh Croup Editor Emeritus

After 18 months of negotiation and 11 years’ worth of legal battles for recognition, Point Park University and its full-time faculty union voted Monday to accept the terms of their first collective bargaining agreement.

Faculty members learned of a preliminary agreement prior to a pre-semester Faculty Assembly meeting last Wednesday. They met two days later and reviewed the preliminary terms of the contract agreed upon between the administration and the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh/ Communication Workers of America, the union representing the full-time faculty.

The contract was ratified Monday in a 96-6 vote, according to Michael A. Fuoco, president of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh.

“It was a long process with a lot of blood, sweat and

Robert Berger| The Globe With an overwhelming majority, Point Park’s full-time faculty adopted its first-ever collective bargaining agreement Monday. Throughout the course of contract negotiations, union members showed support by hanging signs in their offices.

tears,” Fuoco told the Globe last week. “We’re very pleased that we reached an agreement.

We didn’t receive everything we hoped for, but we did get a good foundation to build for the future.”

The new four-year contract running through 2021 includes increased salaries and more benefits for full-time faculty. It will be applied retroactively to last the academic year.

FACULTY page 2

Library turns page with renovation

By Alexander Popichak Editor-in-Chief

Point Park’s library quietly began a new chapter when it debuted its addition this summer.

The addition is accessed through the basement of the University Center and houses the library’s DVD collection, periodicals and extensive collection of musical scores.

“We moved some stuff from the second and first floor and rearranged the basement to be more interactive area,” associate library director Brendon Wilson said.

The space that used to house the plays will become a part of the new Pittsburgh Playhouse, and the space that once held the presentation room is now the entrance to the new library wing.

“We provided a lot of options for students to do anything and everything with the new space,” Wilson said.

University Architect Elmer Burger said that while some space previously used by the library will be lost to the Playhouse, the library will have a net gain of space.

The addition lies directly below the university television studio and Student Production Services. Burger explained that the University Center comprised of several buildings and the new wing once housed Kasons, a restaurant and bar that closed nearly 10 years ago.

“We had to remove all the kitchen equipment and put a whole new floor in because it was substandard,” Burger said.

The two end sections,

once housing the kitchen and dining areas, is now home to 16 collaborative spaces. Each nook is designed to allow three to five students to privately study or work on group projects.

The rooms are equipped with a television screen, dry erase board and desk space.

“In the old space we had two study spaces you could reserve and the presentation room. We now have 16 study spaces along with the presentation room.”

At the end of one hallway is the presentation room, where students can record themselves giving a presentation “The major emphasis for library workspace expansion was the increased collaborative workspace,”Burger said.

The addition also houses a part of a building that is part of the new Playhouse.

LIBRARY page 3

Gracey Evans | The Globe Additions to the library can be found in the basement of the University Center. Resources include new study spaces along with areas intended for collaborative group work.

A new re-count from last week’s vote of no confidence for university President Paul Hennigan revealed greater support for the motion than originally believed.

Early results of a no confidence vote from Faculty Assembly members said the vote passed with 53 percent in favor of issuing the vote, 44 percent against and three percent abstaining.

Faculty Assembly President Matt Pascal said Monday an error was made when the tellers counted the ballots. The final tally revealed 57 of the 89 faculty members present, or 64 percent, voted in favor of the resolution. 39 were against the vote, or 43 percent, with the same three abstentions.

The vote now goes to the Point Park University Board of Trustees, which announced last week following the vote that an independent expert will be appointed “to thoroughly review this matter and report back to the Board.”

“We recognize the need for continuous improvement and trust in building effective relationships between facul-

Nikole Kost | The Globe

President Paul Hennigan.

ty and administration,” said Joseph R. Greco Jr., chair of the Board of Trustees, in a statement. “We are committed to our goal of being one of the most dynamic, private urban universities with an intense focus on student success through distinctive, innovative and experiential learning.”

Greco also said Hennigan and the administration have the full support of the Board of Trustees until the review is complete.

The board has already conducted two “professionally administered faculty evaluations” of Hennigan that came back positive, according to Greco.

PRESIDENT page 2

USG swears in new cabinet members USG

By Kayla Snyder

USG Beat Reporter

The executive cabinet of the student government was sworn in today during the United Student Government (USG) meeting.

President Bobby Bertha swore in Zac Seymour as the parliamentarian, Shaniece Lawrence as recording secretary, Sabrina Bodon as press secretary and Josh Croup as treasurer. Seymour, Bodon and Croup also serve on the Globe staff as public relations coordinator, online editor and co-sports editor, respectively.

Over the summer, USG worked extensively with Student Activity Involvement and Leadership (SAIL) to pinpoint different organization requests from USG. “We came to the conclusion that a lot of groups were requesting materials for bake sales,” Sabrina Bodon, press secretary of USG said. “We wanted to do that to create an autonomy for the student body with their holding accounts.”

In addition, Bodon said USG meetings which are currently in the Student Center, will be moved to Lawrence Hall 200 to increase visibility.

“The glass walls really cre-

ate a sense that we are within the student body and we are working with them,” Bodon said.

There is no set date for the location change at the time of publication, but Bodon said it will happen when it is most efficient for the university to make the change.

Visibility into the organization is something that the executive cabinet is heavily focusing on during this year.

“This year we strive for an inclusive and active organization that is representative of everyone who attends Point Park University,” President Bobby Bertha said.

To accomplish that goal, USG plans to fill all of the available positions within the organization.

“We’re really looking to current students, graduate students and freshman students to be as full and representative of the student body as we possibly can,” Bodon said.

As the organization stands, there are a total of 36 positions representing six positions from each school at the university and the graduate program.

According to Bodon, the graduate students would serve at-large within the organiza-

USG page 2

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Thursday: Mostly Cloudy, H 78, L 53 Friday: Partly Cloudy, H 71, L 54 Saturday: Showers, H 77, L 62

Sunday: Showers, H 80, L 64 Monday: Partly Cloudy, H 77, L 58 Tuesday: Partly Cloudy, H 72, L 53

Point Park

GLOBE

2

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

Agreement marks union’s first contract from FACULTY page 1

LOCAL

Local

Joseph R. Greco Jr., an alum graduated from Point Park University in 1971, has been appointed as chair of the board of trustees.

The role was formerly fulfilled by Anne Lewis, who served as chair for six years.

The university announced Greco as the new chair in July.

Greco also serves as CEO and chairman of the board for Greco Gas, Inc., a Tarentum-based company that distributes industrial and specialty gases to businesses throughout Western Pennsylvania.

---Point Park University has been named a 2017-2018 College of Distinction.

The honor is granted to schools that succeed in engaging students, demonstrating great teaching and successful outcomes, and developing a vibrant community.

Colleges of Distinction describe their mission is “to help parents and students find not just the ‘best college,’ but the right college.”

---Point Park welcomes more than 900 freshmen and transfer students and around 800 online students this fall, making it one of the university’s largest incoming classes.

According to Point Park’s website, students come from 35 states and 12 foreign countries. The most common majors in the class include business management, cinema production, dance, psychology and sports, arts and entertainment management.

“I would say that a lot of disciplined, tenacious discussions are what reached the agreement,” said Paul Hennigan, university president.

The faculty were represented by the negotiating representatives, lawyers and faculty members throughout the process. Karen Dwyer, an associate professor of English, was one of those faculty negotiators.

“It feels amazing,” Dwyer said. “We’ve been locked in a room for a year and a half doing this.”

Representatives from the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh/Communication Workers of America, the union representing the fulltime faculty, encouraged faculty members to vote “yes” on the preliminary terms of the

agreement negotiators agreed to last week.

Full-time faculty members voted in June 2004 to unionize and join the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh.

The university announced in July 2015 it was dropping its legal appeals case after 11 years.

“Point Park University has reached a memorandum of agreement with the Newspaper Guild-Communication Workers of America on a contract subject to ratification by the full-time faculty,” Lou Corsaro, managing director of university marketing and public relations, said in a release last Wednesday. “The University believes it is a fair agreement for all parties.”

“I’m really pleased that we have a tentative agreement,” Hennigan said Monday. “I am the person who convinced the

“It’s a negotiation. We gave up some things to get some things.

Overall, I think it’s a good contract.”

Bill Purcell Professor of Psychology Point Park University board of trustees in 2015 to recognize the faculty union.

So if we get a ratified contract, I will be very, very pleased.”

The university and fulltime faculty union began negotiating in March of 2016

and began negotiations “in earnest” in May of 2016. In a March 2017 interview with the Globe, Point Park President Paul Hennigan said the administration expected negotiations for the faculty’s first contract to take between 18 and 24 months.

Psychology professor Bill Purcell was another faculty representative at the negotiating table.

“It’s a negotiation. We gave up some things to get some things,” Purcell said.

“Overall I think it’s a good contract.”

Robert Berger contributed additional reporting for this piece.

Josh Croup jdcroup@pointpark.edu Alexander Popichak apopic@pointpark.edu

Trustee chair Greco: board recognizes need for “continous improvement and trust” from PRESIDENT page 1 Initial reports from faculty members anticipated a vote from as many as 140 of Point Park’s 147 full-time faculty members. The 57 faculty members in favor of the no confidence vote comes out to 38 percent of the total faculty.

President Hennigan said Monday at the United Student Government (USG) meeting that the university takes the vote “very seriously.” He said the Board of Trustees will follow the guidelines as put forward by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) on a vote of no confidence.

“We share our commitment to best practice,” Hennigan said. “We’re fortunate to have a Board of Trustees who takes governance very seriously.”

Hennigan said the independent expert hired by the Board of Trustees was on campus Monday and Tuesday.

The Board of Trustees is the ultimate governing authority of the university. The university website lists 32 board members, which includes community leaders and elected officials.

Hennigan said the university practices “shared governance” giving the faculty a

Welcome #Back2Campus!

voice to the operation of the university.

The no confidence vote came hours after faculty members were notified of a contract agreement between the university and the union representing the full-time faculty last week. After reviewing the terms, faculty voted to ratify the contract Monday.

The group in attendance for the no confidence vote included 60 percent of Point Park’s full-time faculty. After receiving word of a tentative agreement, they proceeded with their pre-semester meeting to discuss several grievances justifying the vote of no confidence as originally planned.

Several faculty members have declined to comment publicly on the no confidence vote.

Psychology Professor Bill Purcell and Karen Dwyer, an associate professor of English, both represented the full-time faculty at the negotiating table.

“It’s an opportunity to speak truth to power,” Dwyer

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Robert Berger contributed additional reporting for this piece.

Josh Croup jdcroup@pointpark.edu.

Hennigan addresses student government from USG page 1

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said. “As a result, I was in support of no confidence. I think it’s important for President Hennigan to know how his faculty stands on these issues.”

Purcell also voted in support of the vote of no confidence.

“I believe that this presidency has been not good for the university - that it is a fundamentally failed presidency.”

Purcell said.

Hennigan became president of the university in Sept.

2006 after serving as the vice president of finance and operations since 2000. He was named the acting president in Jan. 2006, succeeding Katherine Henderson, who served in the role from 1997-2006.

tion. The at-large members represent the student body as a whole as opposed to the other senators who represent their respective school.

At-large members are not required to attend student body meetings due to time conflicts. USG currently has one at-large member, but plans to appoint new members at the upcoming meetings.

USG will hold freshman applications open starting Sept. 6 to increase membership opportunities within the student body. The elections will be held Sept. 11 to Sept. 13.

Before the meeting was called to order, President Paul Hennigan visited the student government to discuss the future of the institution and addressed the faculty’s recent vote of no confidence.

“The faculty in a special assembly last week … passed a resolution of no confidence in the president of the university,” Hennigan said.

Hennigan said the Board of Trustees will follow the procedure outlined by the Asso-

ciation of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) moving forward.

Senator Matthew Bauman posed a question to the president of the university regarding tuition increases. Hennigan said the main drivers of tuition increases are costs of maintaining the operation of the university, salaries and financial aid.

Bauman asked if the public could have access to the budget.

“Not public records because we’re a private school, so we don’t share the budget of the university publicly,” Hennigan said.

Croup confirmed there will be four funding periods throughout the duration of the school year. The first funding period of the year for clubs and organization deadlines is on deadline for Sept. 12 and they will be allocated Sept. 18.

There will not be a meeting for USG next week Sept. 4 due to the Labor Day holiday.

Kayla Snyder klsnyde2@pointpark.edu.

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

CR do IME notR EcPr OoRss T

Campus security app launched

By Robert Berger

THURSDAY, AUGUST 24 7:40 p.m.

Blvd. of the Allies Disorderly Conduct Arrest - No Campus Affiliation

Co-News Editor

With the start of the 2017 school year, the Point Park Police Department is implementing an anonymous tip app to create a safer campus environment.

“I wanted to add another feature for faculty, staff and especially students,” Chief of Police Jeffrey Besong said. “I think it helps the students who don’t feel comfortable calling the police or getting involved.”

The Point Park PD app is designed to involve community in the crime solving process of the campus Department.

The app gives students the option to remain completely anonymous while filling out a tip. Students are given the option to include their name with the submitted tip.

“We are using the app in real time with our 24 hour dispatch,” Besong said. “Anytime a student submits a tip it goes to our dispatch, my cell phone, email and to other Department supervisors.”

According to Besong, other universities across the country use the service for investigative work as while Point Park will be using it for constant monitoring.

“I think the idea of an app is really cool, you can’t be too secure these days, freshman sports, arts and entertainment major Jacob Blankenbaker said.

The department also launched a texting service for students without smartphone capabilities. Tips can be sent anonymously by texting the

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 25 10:05 p.m.

Lawrence Hall Drug Violation Referred to Student Conduct

Gracey Evans| The Globe Calvin Hall, patrolman for Point Park Police, holds a phone that has the new app to send in tips about suspicious activities.

keyword “PPUPD” followed by the tip to 847411. Along with the app, the texting service is kept completely anonymous. A third option is also available in submitting a tip online through the University’s website.

“It gives students a chance to inform the Department what’s going on,” Besong said.

“Most of our concerns have nothing to do with students, it’s just because we are in a large city.”

Along with the anonymous tip feature, the app includes a built in camera to send a photo or video along with the written tip. Previously submitted tips are stored locally on the app in a tip list. Contact information is also included for reaching out to the Department with emergency and nonemergency situations.

“I like that they’re making it an interactive experience and getting involved with the stu-

dents, junior cinema production major Zach Skeba said.

The app is developed by tip411, a system used across the country to include citizens in the Law Enforcement process.

Point Park is the first Pittsburgh school to use the system as well as to launch a tip based security app.

“The tip411 system has been successful in communities across the U.S.,” said Terry Halsch, president of tip411 in a press release from the Department. “We are excited to partner with Point Park as one of the first Universities to use the new school edition of our innovative tip411 app to directly connect and engage students, faculty and staff.”

The app can be found for download on the Google Play and Apple App store by searching Point Park PPD.

do

Robert Berger raberge@pointpark.edu.

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12:29 a.m.

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Chandelier adorns new periodical space from LIBRARY page 1 A chandelier from the stock exchange building now hangs proudly above the periodicals.

“The floor had been modified and we had to take it out anyway which gave us a chance to bring daylight into the library,” Burger said.

For students, the space should provide a quiet escape from the hustle and bustle of downtown Pittsburgh.

Visit our site: ppuglobe.com for an interactive walkthrough of the new addition

Alexander Popichak apopic@pointpark.edu.

Nicole Pampena| The Globe Freshman musical theatre major Frankie Seratch views the partial solar eclipse with his family during honors early move-in day on Aug. 21.

Lord Stanley returns to campus

By Alex Grubbs Staff Writer

The Pittsburgh Penguins celebrated its fifth Stanley Cup win with a parade through Downtown featuring the sports team on Wednesday, June 14.

“Back-to-back” and “Let’s go, Pens!” roared through the city as the Penguins players and management, local organizations and high school bands made their way from Grant Street through the Boulevard of the Allies while ending at Point State Park.

The parade followed the team’s victory against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena in Game 6 after Patric Hornqvist and Carl Hagelin scored the only two goals during the last 95 seconds of the game on Sunday, June 11.

Brittany Bishop, a senior sports, arts and entertainment management major, attended the event as Point Park’s social media intern, documenting the

Alex Grubbs | The Globe Fans line the streets of Pittsburgh during the Stanley Cup Parade on Wednesday June 14.

parade moving through the university’s campus.

“The parade was an amazing experience that not every hockey fan gets to experience and having pass through our campus is really unique,” Bishop said.

At Point State Park, the team addressed the crowd

about the achievements of this season.

The first regular season game for the Penguins will kick off on Wednesday, Oct. 4 against the St. Louis Blues at PPG Paints Arena at 8 p.m.

Alex Grubbs aagrubb@pointpark.edu.

Gracey Evans| The Globe The new library spaces house several study nooks in addition to the presentation space. At the center of the addition is a charging station and several tables.

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

FEATURES

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

Senior film student interned with Warner Bros.

Nick Sarnelli spent summer in Los Angeles for the job

By Carley Bonk

Co-Features Editor

Making it big in Hollywood is what most screenwriters would call success.

One of the university’s own, senior screenwriting major Nick Sarnelli, took a step closer to that goal this summer as an intern at Warner Bros. Studios in Los Angeles, California.

“It was interesting to see what scripts were being sent to the studio and to read through stories to see what might be popular,” Sarnelli said.

Screenplay coverage analysis was a major role Sarnelli filled within the studio.

Warner Bros. has their own specific template that works as a checklist for scripts that could be a potential hit. As an intern, Sarnelli learned what makes a script stand out under a cloud of confidentiality that allows the studio to stay competitive.

Sarnelli’s time at Point Park prepared him for what he accomplished at the studio.

“I had already taken a story analysis class so I was able to jump right into more complicated stuff from the beginning,” Sarnelli said. “I think they were pretty impressed with me from the start because they had to teach all of the other interns things that I had already practiced at school.”

Sarnelli said in this industry, connections are everything. During his time in LA, he stayed with his uncle, Jeff Rega, a real estate agent in the area.

“Being in Hollywood, my uncle knew all these guys in the entertainment industry,” Sarnelli said. “He had connections at Pixar that tied me

to my eventual boss, Donald de Line.”

Networking has become a valuable tool in any student’s skill set today, according to one of Sarnelli’s professors, Steve Cuden.

“I always tell my students this industry is not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach,” Cuden said. “You must have a burning passion, drive and determination to make it; after that it is not as much knowledge or talent which is still important - but it is also who you know.”

Sarnelli said it was encouraging to be in an environment that is so charged by the entertainment enterprise.

“Here in Pittsburgh you sometimes come across this stigma that you can’t get a job in this field,” Sarnelli said. “In LA, you are surrounded by it; even the higher ups want to help people like me who are just starting out.”

Cuden, who has won multiple awards on Broadway, film and television said he tries to foster connections between alumni and current students to kick-start careers.

“Ultimately it’s up to you to go out to LA and work hard, but networking is so important,” Cuden said. “Make friends of other students and colleagues to help each other out; it’s great to see one generation helping the next.”

Building a foundation of links with successful people is a crucial part of starting out in any field. Point Park pushes both alumni and students to reach out and learn from each other.

“Anything you can do to just get a foot in the door will help you later on,” Sarnelli said. “It was humbling and eye-opening to be in this

Nick Sarnelli, pictured in front of Hollywood star artwork located in Market Square.

constant balance of stress and chill at the studio. People were working so hard but were surprisingly more relaxed than what I expected.”

Sarnelli, who is known by his friends and professors to have a sideways perspective of the world around him, excelled in this environment.

Senior screenwriting major Austin Harvey, who has been friends with Sarnelli since freshman year, said he noticed a change in Sarnelli following his time in LA. “He matured a lot by doing this internship,” Harvey said. “He got a taste of the professional world of screenwriting and came back with a newfound sense of optimism.”

Sarnelli likes to play by his own rules, according to Harvey.

“If I had to describe Nick in one word - as a person and a writer - I would say that he

is weird - in a good way,” he said.

Sarnelli said he is impressed by stories that are different, that make you think about the plot well after the movie ended.

“I was never really interested in kids’ shows when I was little,” Sarnelli said. “I needed something more to grab my attention.”

Sarnelli has worked on numerous independent webseries, including “Cool Ways to Drink: Origins,” posted on the Youtube channel Dominelli Short Films Factory. This series displays his unique sense of humor. Episode one opens with a parody of a classic “Austin Powers” scene, following a nude Sarnelli parading through his living room, chugging a water bottle.

TV shows are starting to take the limelight over blockbusters, according to Sarnelli.

Allison Hritz | The Globe

“I’ve always loved movies - my favorite is ‘The Exorcist,’” Sarnelli said. “It seems now that TV shows are becoming more popular because there is more time to develop a solid plot and establish characters.”

Spending long hours at Warner Bros. through the summer gave Sarnelli a glimpse into the competitive industry of screenwriting, but he’s ready to see the feature-length picture in his own peculiar perspective.

“I’m already looking into more internship opportunities,” Sarnelli said. “It was really the greatest experience of my life. I can’t wait to get back to LA.”

Carley Bonk cmbonk@pointpark.edu.

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FEATURES

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

5

“Avenue Q”summer staging included university talent The New Hazlett Theater housed the “Sesame Street” parody

By Matt Petras

Co-Features Editor

Alumni Theater Company’s (ATC) July 28-30 rendition of “Avenue Q” was a raunchy parody of “Sesame Street,” puppets and all, steeped in the existential dread of becoming an adult.

In other words, it was perfect subject matter for college students to chew on.

The musical at the New Hazlett Theater in Oakland included several university talents, one a recent graduate, one a current student and one a frequent musical director for Point Park Conservatory shows.

“I think it was good,” Shakara Wright, a senior acting student who played two roles in the musical said. “We did what we were trying to do.”

There were a few sub-

plots, but the musical’s main storyline followed Princeton - played by 2017 graduate Shae Wofford - moving into Avenue Q and figuring out what he wants to do with his life. Throughout the musical, the performers broke into song and dance for such musical numbers as “What Do You Do With a B.A. in English?,” “It Sucks to Be Me,” “There is Life Outside Your Apartment,” and “I Wish I Could Go Back To College.”

Wright primarily played Lucy, a promiscuous erotic night club singer who attempts to woo Princeton throughout the musical. She also played Bad Idea Bear: think the atypical naughty influence on one side of a cartoon character’s shoulder.

There were some alterations for this version, including small changes like calling “Lucy the Slut” just

Welcome Back!

“Those kids are so talented. I just had a blast.”

Camille Rolla Music Director ATC’s “Avenue Q” Lucy as well as big changes like the addition of an allblack cast.

Wofford and Wright dressed in plain black clothing, because they weren’t really the center of attention so much as their puppets were.

Cheryl Capezzuti, a prominent puppet-maker in Pittsburgh, created puppets based on the actors’ appearances for use in the musical.

“Oh my gosh,” Wright remembers thinking when

she first saw her puppet. “She kind of looks like me. She is like a general idea of what I look like.”

“When I first saw it I was interested in what it took to make the puppet,” Wofford said.

Neither of them had ever acted with puppets before, and they both soon realized there are specific challenges to that type of performance.

Wofford watched some videos online to help get a grip on the unique kind of acting, he said.

“I have better muscles now, I’m sure,” Wright said.

One of the two music directors for ATC’s “Avenue Q” was Camille Rolla, along with Joe Serafini. Rolla provided musical accompaniment during rehearsals and coordinated music for the show, and has made similar contributions to several

Point Park Conservatory shows.

“I thought it was great; [ATC] is an amazing program,” Rolla said in a phone interview. “Those kids are so talented. I just had a blast.

Especially since that group has worked together for years. Some of those people, especially the young adults, have been working together since middle school or high school.”

Wofford has been with ATC for 5 years, since the summer before his senior year of high school, and Wright is a founding member. She has been with the group since 2008, which was when she was in 7th grade.

“ATC is like a family,” Wright said.

Matt Petras mapetra@pointpark.edu.

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Letter from the Co-Features Editors

By Carley Bonk and Matt Petras Co-Features Editors

Among the responsibilities of running a local newspaper is aiding in fostering a sense of community. The Globe already runs great stories about new clubs, star athletes, on-campus activism and more. Unfortunately, the stories of interesting, worthwhile individuals often fall through the cracks because of a lack of an obvious, pressing newspoint. Influenced by the work we both did interning at the Pittsburgh City Paper this summer, we’re starting a new print and digital profile series telling those stories, called Pioneer Public.

I, Carley Bonk, was the Multimedia Intern for the City Paper this summer. Every week, I had plenty of opportunities to cover summer events that made Pittsburgh the place to be. With the guidance of my editor, I learned from my mistakes and pushed myself to be better. I had more freedom than I expected, allowing me to become more perceptive of my surroundings. My main goal for Pioneer Public is to encourage others to not only be observant of Point Park’s surroundings, but of

the community. Highlighting our friends, neighbors and colleagues for what makes them unique harbors a student body that is accepting, welcoming and pushes each other to be better.

I, Matt Petras, was the Arts and Entertainment Intern for the City Paper this summer. For one of my weekly assignments, a regular feature called “Everyone is a Critic,” I went to a different art or entertainment event and interviewed an attendee about what their experience was like. Then, a brief excerpt from the interview, a headshot of the person and some basic information about them would get plugged into a neat, consistently designed graphic. I always enjoyed seeing a “critic” crack a smile at the prospect of getting this type of spotlight in the paper - I want to crack some more smiles, on campus.

While our time at the City Paper have certainly colored our approach to Pioneer Public, we think we’ve come up with something uniquely valuable and distinctive. We hope you enjoy.

Carley Bonk cmbonk@pointpark.edu.

Matt Petras mapetra@pointpark.edu

Allison Hritz | The Globe The Pop-Up Coffee Shop located in Village Park offers a variety of baked goods and coffee brews. The stand will be open every Thursday.

PIONEER PUBLIC

NICK KARDOS

By Matt Petras

Co-Features Editor

Nick Kardos’ description of himself started simple enough.

“Very quiet,” he said.

His attire said a lot about who he is, though. He wore a t-shirt with characters from the cartoon “Regular Show,” and two necklaces, one a cross made of nails and the other a shield housing a tiny mustard seed (a reference to Matthew 17:20).

While soft-spoken, Kardos, a 21-year-old senior animation major from Kent, Ohio, has a fervent passion for animation and is a devoted Anglican Christian.

Kardos has a YouTube channel called “FancyPantsBionicle.”

Most videos entail short but fastidiously-crafted stop-motion

animations starring Bionicle action figures, which are construction toys made by The LEGO Group. His most recent upload, “Bionicle Great Sword Fight,” features about a minute and a half of toy-to-toy combat.

“As a kid, Bionicles were a big part of my life, and so were all other LEGOs,” Kardos said.

He has been making these stop-motion animations - which are made through strung-together photos of progressively manipulated objects - for four years, which was before he started college. He was initially selftaught, through online tutorials.

“Stop-motion is very repetitive, but it helps me focus on something and chill out for a little bit,” Kardos said.

Kardos has always been a Christian. “God has always played

Carley Bonk | The Globe a big part in my life,” he said.

He’s been involved with the Body Christian Fellowship, an on-campus group, since he was a freshman and currently serves as a student leader. “I was surprised to find how many Christians there are on campus,” Kardos said.

In conjunction with maintaining his hobbies, academic work and religious practices, Kardos has made a lot of friends.

“It was a really big adjustment because I’m from out of state and didn’t know anyone,” he said.

“But I’ve just had a really good time.”

Reporting contributed by Carley Bonk, Co-Features Editor.

Matt Petras mapetra@pointpark.edu

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

6

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

FEATURES

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

Communication students travel abroad GREETINGS FROM IRELAND AND ICELAND

Chloe Jakiela | The Globe In addition to professionally-focused media visits, students traveled to popular Icelandic and Irish tourist attractions, including the Cliffs of Moher, located in County Claire, Ireland.

Chloe Jakiela | The Globe A view of Reykjavík, Iceland from the Perlan Observatory deck overlooking the city. Reykjavík was the first destination of the trip.

Chloe Jakiela | The Globe A spectacular rainbow displays a show of natural beauty outside the tour bus window for the students on their way to the Golden Circle Tour in Iceland.

Michael Chester | The Globe Pictured left to right: Senior photojournalism major Chloe Jakiela, Junior Journalism major Emily Bennett, alum Jacqueline Roberts and incoming freshman Trevor Marnich pose on the top of the James Joyce tower in Dublin, Ireland for Michael Chester, president of the Press Photographers Association of Ireland.

GREETINGS FROM MANCHESTER, ENGLAND

Alexander Popichak | The Globe Pictured left to right: Junior broadcast production and media management major Alexander Popichak, Senior broadcast production and media management major Miranda Van Bramer, Junior broadcast production major Bre Uhl, Junior broadcast production and media management major Sam Morrison and Senior broadcast production and media management major Bobby Bertha visit the set of BBC Breakfast, a daily morning show produced at MediaCityUK in Manchester, England.

The set was part of a comprehensive BBC tour taken by the group during their Maymester abroad.

Alexander Popichak | The Globe A public art installation outside of MediaCityUK was illuminated at night by projections. In the distance is the Lowry Mall and theater complex.

Alexander Popichak | The Globe Alexander Popichak | The Globe Manchester Cathedral is one of Manchester’s oldest buildings. Each window is dedicated to an event A vigil was held outside of the town hall the day after a bombing at an Ariana Grande concert. or cause in Manchester, and the cathedral hosts multiple faiths on any given Sunday.

Religious leaders as well as Mancurians gathered together in a show of unity.

OPINIONS

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

THE

Behold – a new school year has begun. With the start of a new semester comes fresh school supplies, mysteriously full flex dollar accounts, a somehow brand new feeling of existential dread you’ve never visited before – the list goes on. It wouldn’t be a proper welcome back without a rehashing of the state of the seemingly ever-present fulltime faculty union kerfluffle.

It’s no secret this has been a long, hard road for the full -time faculty. Like all good things, this takes time. At least that’s what President Paul Hennigan told us last semester during an interview for a piece on the annual tuition increase.

According to Hennigan, a typical initial full-time faculty negotiation takes anywhere from 18 to 24 months.

Hennigan supplied our staff with this timeline after a seemingly extended period of silence from both sides of the process.

An entire summer has gone by since we’ve last regaled anything relative to the union, and thankfully we now have some actual news to report on.

Time to get caught up.

Full-time faculty have agreed to preliminary terms of their first collective bargaining agreement. Meanwhile, the Faculty Assembly passed a vote of no confidence last week for Hennigan.

These are big deals.

The agreement serves as

the contract for all full-time faculty members. After an 11year legal battle and 18 months of negotiation, the two sides have come to an agreement.

The union ratified the contract Monday by an overwhelming 96-6 majority.

The vote of no confidence is significant because the faculty assembly – the governing body of full-time faculty – has agreed they have no confidence in the governance of the university president.

Full-time faculty has a contract, but that same group has no confidence in the executive officer of the school. That no confidence vote now goes to the board of trustees – the governing body of the university. Using an independent assessment, the board will determine what to do next.

Hennigan is still the university president, and the vote is a largely symbolic move on the part of faculty to hold administration accountable.

As with anything, there is a process.

Point Park is teeming with prestigious, qualified, competent full-time professors and we are eager and hopeful to find out what comes next for full-time faculty.

We are aware that this process is delicate and will strive to be as unbiased as possible in our coverage of these events.

The Point Park Globe globe@pointpark.edu.

7

Outlook is everything:

GL BE’S POINT

At long last: the union unites

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

A welcome back letter from the editor

By Alexander Popichak Editor-in-Chief

“We shouldn’t have to chase the ghosts of the future.”

That’s what I told my roommate a few days back with regards to his anxiety over running into someone again with the start of the new school year. The story isn’t relevant, but the advice is.

Let me be probably the 50th person to tell you: Welcome (back) to Point Park University.

By now you’ve probably had most of your classes. If you’re lucky you’ve made some great friends or reconnected with some of your favorite people. That said, a lot of unknowns lie ahead.

I can’t tell you if you’ll be cast in a show or how midterms will go or if that cute girl you met in the elevator will agree to go out with you.

What I can tell you is that a lot of that depends on your outlook.

Growing up, I was an extremely anxious kid when it came to the start of school.

Even in my senior year of high school, I was nervous as to how classes would go and if I would successfully do all the quintessential “senior year” things.

What I failed to acknowledge in those moments were the opportunities that lie in a new day.

Yes, you have no idea what life is going to throw at you.

But the future has not been set yet, and you should use that to your advantage.

I’m still an incredibly nervous person (ask anyone on this staff), but I have learned that the best approach to the unknown is to acknowledge it and react proactively. Plan for the future, but be willing to throw that plan out the window if it doesn’t fall into place.

If you’re holding a copy of the Globe today or reading us online, that means we did something right. We’ve had major issues with the technology that we rely on to lay out the paper.

“Let me be probably the 50th person to tell you: Welcome (back) to Point Park University.”

Alexander Popichak Editor-In-Chief The Globe

All the writing was done over the summer break by our volunteer writing army.

And of course, news broke that changed our coverage plan. With so many moving parts, at one point last week I wasn’t sure we would get the paper out.

Again, I forgot possibility in the mix, and the power of the team we’ve assembled. Over 50 people banded together - designers, writers, photographers, delivery folks and editors - and made this edition not only possible, but a beautiful testament to student-run and student-driven journalism on campus.

From the very first edition of the Globe, we’ve been looking for contributors from all perspectives.

As we have since 1967, we relied on volunteers to contribute to us in order to put together this paper each week. If you’ve been waiting for a chance to get involved - consider this your invitation.

On my last first day of high school, Coldplay’s “In My Place” was the song playing on my car radio as I pulled up. The anxiety that had filled me that morning melted into a determination to seize the year that lies ahead.

So take this start (or restart) as an opportunity to find your place and embrace the unknown in all of its uncomfortable, quirky forms.

Thanks for reading,

Alexander Popichak Editor-in-Chief

Alexander Popichak apopic@pointpark.edu.

What in the world is Donald Trump up to?

A political look at Donald Trump’s most outrageous mistakes this summer

By Beth Turnbull and Jordan Slobodinsky Co-opinions Editors

Summer is a time to kick back, relax and enjoy all of life’s carefree pursuits. So it’s understandable that while you lounged by the pool with your margaritas and your Instagram-worthy baseball caps, you may have missed some political news. We can’t blame you. The high volume of Trump news is enough to deter anyone from following along.

Here’s your recap, so that you can sound fully educated on President Trump’s shenanigans when your professors and peers start debating them.

This summer, we became all too familiar with Mother Russia when it was revealed that the president’s son, Donald Trump Jr., attended a meeting with a Russian lawyer during the campaign. Trump’s response? “Most people would have taken that meeting.”

The president later called the investigation into collusion with Russia a “witch hunt” and is rumored to be carrying a grudge against Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing himself from the investigation.

He even went so far as to blame former President Barack Obama for any “Russian meddling” that occurred during the campaign. Call me crazy, but if Obama was responsible for any election meddling, do you think Trump would have won?

While it is easy to focus solely on Trump, many (if not all) members of his administration are also overwhelmingly dysfunctional. Come on - he couldn’t pass an Obamacare repeal and Republicans control every branch of government.

One such example of this dysfunction is former press secretary Sean Spicer, who once remarked that Hitler never used chemical weapons on his people. Spicer resigned in July after loud-spoken Long

Islander Anthony “the Mooch” Scaramucci arrived in the West Wing.

To be quite honest, I don’t care why Spicer left or why Scaramucci was hired. I’ve had leftovers last longer than the Mooch’s time in the White House. Our country is being run like a circus. It’s no wonder most circuses have gone out of business.

It can be easy to look at Trump and everything that transpired this summer and say, “Well, none of those things are really a big deal,” but I believe recent events truly merit that “big deal” status.

For instance, the gatherings in Charlottesville, Virginia. were a disaster that only further proved Trump’s status as an ignoramus.

Sources indicate that the rally of white supremacists and Neo-Nazis began because of the city’s plan to remove a statue of Robert E. Lee from Emancipation Park.

These extremists gathered to march on the city with their confederate flags waving.

They marched around the city spouting off their chants and clashing with police and other protesters. An outbreak of violence occurred and the city was caught in complete turmoil. A life was lost.

So where was President Trump? At a private golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.

Now, we cannot criticize him too harshly, as the West Wing was under renovation at the time.

Trump was slow to respond to the protests. He did not condemn the actions of the KKK or the white supremacists.

Instead, Donny Boy decided that the best possible measure was to blame people “on many sides.” Let that sink in.

Two days later, after intense criticism and questions of his resignation were raised, Trump held another press conference in which he said, “Rac-

ism is evil.... and hate groups are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans.”

It took him two full days to say Nazis are evil. Yet another example of Trump failing to properly address situations as a leader. His excuse? Unlike most reporters, he wanted to wait until he had all the facts.

The common thread throughout this entire presidency is that Trump is always looking for someone else to blame. Usually, the “fake news” media or another member of his administration.

So what is there to be done really? We can tweet #ImpeachTrump all we want, but Trump is a powerful man, and power is not given or taken away easily. We must be vigilant. He is not harmless. As Americans, we need to stand up and fight back.

Beth Turnbull erturnb@pointpark.edu Jordan Slobodinsky jeslobo@pointpark.edu.

Covering the world of Point Park University news since 1967

THE

GL BE SINCE 1967

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.

Writers should address letters to:

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

Editor-in-Chief: Alexander Popichak Editor-Elect: Emily Bennett Business Manager: Autumn Barszczowski Faculty Adviser: Dr. Steven Hallock Administrative Adviser: Dean Keith Paylo

Robert Berger, Co-News Editor Sha’Ronda Brookins, Delivery Assistant Sabrina Bodon, Online Editor Carley Bonk, Co-Features Editor Lauren Clouser, Copy Editor Dara Collins, Co-Sports Editor Rania Draklellis, Layout Editor Advertising: Josh Croup, Co-Sports Editor, Editor Emeritus Submit advertising related inquiries to Gracey Evans, Photo Editor globeadvertising@pointpark.edu Emilee Fails, Photo Editor All ads must be approved by the university. Shelby Fink, Copy Editor The deadline for ads is Friday at 5 p.m.

Casey Hoolahan, Social Media Coordinator Nick Horwat, Copy Editor Details: ppuglobe.com/advertising Eva Humphreys, Copy Editor Chloe Jakiela, Staff Photographer Nikole Kost, Photo Editor Story Ideas: If you have a story you think the Globe can Casey McGaw, Asst. Social Media Coordinator Mary Moses, Copy Editor use, email globe@pointpark.edu Kayla Novak, Copy Editor

Meetings: Mondays at 2:40 p.m. in the CMI Details: ppuglobe.com/contribute

Hannah O’Toole, Asst. 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 Michael Richter, Co-A&E Editor Veronica Rodriguez, Graphic Designer Allison Schubert, Copy Editor Jordan Slobodinsky, Co-Opinions Editor Kayla Snyder, Co-Copy Desk Chief, USG Beat Reporter Mick Stinelli, Co-A&E Editor Beth Turnbull, Co-Opinions Editor Annabelle Wagner, Copy Editor Hannah Walden, Copy Editor Kelsey Wolfe, Copy Editor Alexa Yanyanin, Public Relations Coordinator Zac Seymour, Public Relations Coordinator

8

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

CROUP’S CORNER

By Josh Croup

Sports Columnist

A Point Park sports crash course I’ve given plenty of overviews of Point Park athletics before, but one theme has been the same in each of my four years at the university: winning.

Point Park sports teams (usually) get the job done.

Things are constantly changing, evolving and updating in the athletic department, but Point Park teams are rarely ones that opponents write off as an easy win.

Of course, there are seasons that we’d like to forget and games that don’t go the Pioneers’ way. But go check out the newly-hung championship banners in the gym on the fifth floor of the Student Center and see just how many recent years you can find.

You can also check out Point Park volleyball home games in that gym. This is what we call a segway. Welcome to the your crash course on Point Park athletics.

HOMES NEAR AND FAR

The volleyball team is the only one that competes on campus. It’s one of the drawbacks of going to an urban university.

But look out the window from one of the top floors of Lawrence Hall towards the Monongahela River and you’ll see the beautiful Highmark Stadium, home to both the men’s and women’s soccer teams for the fifth season, now.

It’s a simple walk over to Station Square or to the Student Center Gym to watch some of the fall sports teams compete. Oh, and they’re both free, so why not at least check them out?

Both basketball teams host games at the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) South gymnasium located about 11 miles south of Downtown in West Mifflin.

Just hop on a fan van shuttle before the game and have $2 to gain student admission to support the basketball teams.

You can typically get a twofor-one special with both teams hosting games the same nights.

Shuttles also take students for free to Point Park Field at Green Tree Park to watch the baseball team play in the spring and to Fairhaven Park in Kennedy Township for softball games.

Point Park Sports by the numbers...

17

50

1

varsity sports years as an NAIA school

Black Diamond Mascot

ABOUT OUR MASCOT...

So this is an entire story in and of itself, but let’s not over complicate things: We call ourselves the Point Park Pioneers, not the Point Park Bison.

The bison, whose name is Black Diamond, serves as our mascot. It has since 1967, the school’s first year of intercollegiate competition.

There’s a lot of history there that you can research, but know you’re safe chanting for the Pioneers when you go to a game.

You might also see the bison floating around on campus occasionally, at a game or on social media. Who wears the mascot costume? Well, I guess you’ll have to do your own reporting to find that out. That’s a secret.

NAIA and RSC

These are the two acronyms you need to know.

Point Park has been a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) since 1967 (happy 50th anniversary). The association places a strong emphasis on advancing the character aspects of athletics and typically includes smaller schools across the country.

It’s smaller than the NCAA, which includes local schools like Pitt and Duquesne. The NAIA includes 249 schools, while NCAA Division I alone has nearly 350 schools.

Point Park belongs to the River States Conference (RSC), which includes 13 member schools across Ky., Ind., Pa., W.Va. and Ohio.

Carlow University is also a member of the RSC and shares some home facilities with Point Park.

STAY IN THE LOOP

It’s easy to learn about what your fellow students are doing in their respective sports. We encourage you to check out the Globe’s sports section each week for recaps, profiles and more.

Head to the brand new PointParkSports.com to get updates on the teams, view rosters and watch live broadcasts. Stay tuned to @PointParkSports on social media for live updates as well. Some teams on campus have their own social media accounts that you can follow to further stay updated on the happenings of Point Park athletics.

If you made it to the end of this column, you have no excuse to stay in your dorm room. Get out and head to a soccer or volleyball game this fall. Head to Carnegie Mellon in October to support the cross country teams. Take a fan van to a basketball game.

We have 17 varsity sports teams here and one of the athletes are probably going to sit beside you in class at some point in your college career.

Now that you know a little bit about them, go out, support them and cheer for your fellow pioneers.

Josh Croup jdcroup@pointpark.edu

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

Bubon officially begins head coaching career Men’s basketball hires 5th-ever head coach

By Josh Croup

Co-Sports Editor

Life has no guarantees.

Gabe Bubon knew that entering this summer.

He spent last year as the interim head men’s basketball coach after working as the assistant coach for 12 years to Bob Rager, who took a leave of absence last season following a 27-year coaching career.

Rager’s retirement was imminent and expected, but never official. There was still a chance he would return after taking a season off to recover from knee surgery. There was also a chance that Point Park might hire someone from the outside to replace Rager once he retired.

Bubon took a normal approach to his summer and prepared for the upcoming men’s basketball season. He continued recruiting a new class of students even without a guarantee that he would be the head basketball coach the next season.

Then he received word that Rager officially retired and that he was the choice to officially take over the program.

“To be honest with you, when they told me, I actually teared up,” Bubon said. “It was a rough summer for me just not knowing. It was very stressful.”

Bubon is now officially the fifth head coach in Point Park men’s basketball history. He is also just the third head coach since 1969.

“We have the highest expectations for men’s basketball here at Point Park University,” said Director of Athletics Dan Swalga in a press release. “We feel that Gabe Bubon is up to the challenge as we transition to him as head coach.”

Last year was a scramble during a transition year for Bubon, who was also still the head coach of the men’s and women’s golf teams. Now he can focus solely on one sport and has time to prepare to launch his own era of Point Park men’s basketball.

“I feel a lot more comfortable this year,” Bubon said.

“Last year, I was just doing it. I like to be prepared, and when you’re not prepared, you’re kind of just winging it.

It’s tough. I have time to prepare this year.”

Point Park finished 8-20 last season with a 5-12 River States Conference (RSC), highlighted by 1-15 record away from its home court.

Josh Croup | The Globe Gabe Bubon (right) replaces Bob Rager as the head men’s basketball coach this year after 13 years as the assistant coach and one season as the interim head coach. Wayne Copeland (left) will return as his assistant.

Point Park did not reach the postseason in what was the fifth 20-loss season in the program’s 50-year history.

The team started to get in a rhythm at the end of 2016, but was hindered in the second half of the season by academic suspensions and injuries.

“It was one thing after another,” Bubon said. “We just had no consistency. I look at it this way, I don’t think anything really went right last year.”

Now Bubon has the chance to recruit the type of player that he thinks will fit his system. He hopes the incoming class loaded with junior college transfers will contribute immediately to make Point Park competitive right off the bat.

He also will start recruiting local high school players this season, something Rager typically avoided.

“I really like this group coming in,” Bubon said. “I’m really big on the character of these kids coming in. That translates to other things in life. They want to be here and they want to keep working and getting better.”

Returning to the Pioneers this season for his second year is All-River States Conference (RSC) Second-Team guard Gavin Rajahpillay.

He called year one a “trial year” for himself and Coach Bubon, and is excited to have him as the head coach once again.

“He’s a player’s coach,” Rajahpillay said. “If you can play and you can perform, you’ll play. That makes our jobs easier.”

While Bubon was balancing three coaching gigs, he was also running the men’s basketball team by himself

Point Park Men’s Basketball Head Coach History Jerry Conboy

1969-89: 305-241

Mel Cratsley

Gabe Bubon

1967-68: 8-10

Carl Rizzo 1968-69: 8-10

2016-17* 8-20

Bob Rager 1989-2016: 381-365

*Interim Head Coach

for the first stretch of the season without an assistant coach.

Then, Wayne Copeland jumped on board after Thanksgiving as a vocal assistant for Bubon, who brought energy and a swagger to the bench that was missing at times in prior years. Bubon said Copeland is expected to return this season. He also wants to add to the coaching staff with possibly more assistants.

“You always think you can do something on your own like it’s no big deal,” Bubon said. “It’s just not the reality of it. Everybody has a coaching staff for a reason.

I’ve kind of just been trying to find people that fit my personality.”

Rager’s teams were known for playing little defense and for his run-andgun style of offense. Bubon continued last year with a fast offense that showed occasional signs that the team was transitioning a defensive mindset.

Bubon was part of Rager’s fast offense in 2000. He still holds the program’s single-game record for points and 3-pointers made. On Feb. 11, 2000, he scored 45 points, which included 11 treys. He tallied 505 points that season, averaging 6.0 rebounds-per-game.

He said he has no intentions of slowing down this year. He wants a fast offense with a defensive mentality.

“I think we’ll be able to score a lot of points, and we’re going to be in your face,” Bubon said. “We’re not going to sit back in zone too often. We want to set the tone and we want to guard.”

For Rajahpillay, the objective this year is simple.

“It’s my senior year. I just want to win games,” Rajahpillay said. “I hope everyone understands what happened last year. We have to realize this is not a part-time job. If we want to be successful and have a better record than 8-20, we have to put a lot more time in the gym.”

As a new school years starts, Bubon feels like he should be breaking out the golf clubs. Instead, he gets to focus on fulfilling the dream he has had since setting the scoring record as a player.

“At the end of the day, I really feel that this is my calling,” Bubon said.

Josh Croup jdcroup@pointpark.edu

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

9

Women’s soccer aims for RSC three-peat

By Allison Schubert Copy Editor

At the beginning of the 2016 women’s soccer season, head coach Maggie Kuhn never imagined that just one year later she would be aiming to lead her team to its third straight year as River States Conference (RSC) champions, but that is the exact position she finds herself in now.

Last year, her team was led in net by freshman Rebecca Cohen. Now a sophomore, Cohen’s hope is to help Kuhn and the women’s soccer team three-peat as conference champions.

“I think we’re going to go farther than we did last year,” Cohen said. “We look really good and I’m just impressed by how far we’ve come in just a week and a half together. I could definitely see another conference championship in our future, and hopefully past the first round of the [NAIA Tournament] this year.”

The Pioneers got off to a slow start last year as they looked to defend its first conference title. Point Park opened its tough non-conference schedule with a 1-5-2 record.

However, once conference play began, the team did not just start winning – they kept winning. Point Park fin-

ished with an overall record of 10-7-2 and 6-2 record in RSC play, good for a No. 2 seed in the RSC Tournament.

Point Park went on to defeat Ohio Christian, the No. 1 seed in the tournament, to clinch its second title in program history.

The glory was shortlived, however, when Point Park lost to No. 4 Lindsey Wilson 3-0 in the opening round of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Championship.

This year, the team aims to defend its title for another consecutive season. They look to become the fifth Point Park athletic program to advance to three straight national tournament appearances.

The Pioneers competed in two scrimmages before classes started, one at La Roche College and one at Highmark Stadium against Wheeling Jesuit University.

Although Point Park was only able to pick up one win, they still proved valuable to Kuhn, now in her sixth year as head coach. “[Scrimmages] allow us to see different players in different positions,” Kuhn said.

“Do we want to win? Yeah, we want to win, but I was happy to be able to put players in different positions and see how they react against a

Josh Croup| The Globe Sophomore Nikki Polens dribbles around a Wheeling Jesuit defender at last Friday’s scrimmage at Highmark Stadium. Polens was second on the team in scoring last year with five goals.

quality [opponent]. I think scrimmages show us a lot.”

After winning back-toback conference tournament championships, Kuhn still has not let up on the training routine during the off season. Some players claim the workout regimen has become more difficult with each championship.

“Our training sessions are always hard and always competitive,” sophomore midfielder Gabby Widman said. “The work over the summer that we’ve done – you can see tremendous change in fitness, physicality,

Deep, strong cross country squads eye up Vancouver run

By Dara Collins Co-Sports Editor

The 2017 men’s and women’s cross country teams look to unite to complete the quest to nationals in Vancouver, Wash.

The men placed sixth at the River States Conference (RSC) Championships last year while the women placed third. The Pioneers started the 2016 season strong before everything took a turn for the worst, according to junior Taylor Celich. Injuries and illnesses at times held the team back from reaching its full potential.

“I always focus on the team, but it’s going to be even more of a focus this year because I think we’re stronger together,” fourth-year head coach Kelly Parsley said.

“And though we have some exceptional individuals, I think even those individuals will be even better if we’re able to have a team make it to nationals.”

To achieve this goal, the men’s program welcomes,

and welcomes back, 14 runners. Eric Torres, the 2014 Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC) Cross Country runner-up and 2015 5K and 10K conference champion returns to the Pioneers after a two-year hiatus, and Connor Wright returns after a year at Crowley (Kan.) County Community College.

The women add 15 recruits, many of whom medaled at their respective state meets in high school.

Kayla Roberts joins the herd from Las Vegas, Nev. She received numerous state medals in cross country and track and field and finished sixth in the state in cross country last fall.

Toledo, Ohio-native Kylie Archibeque also joins the Pioneers as a previous state qualifier and will also play on the women’s basketball team.

“We have a really good recruiting class,” Parsley said.

“Probably by far the best in the school history thus far.”

Anna Shields headlines the women’s roster after earning four all-American honors

Sam Robinson| Point Park Athletics The men’s and women’s cross country teams look to return to the NAIA National Championship Meet this year in Vancouver, Wash.

in track and field and RSC Athlete of the Year, among other awards.

“Anna Shields just came off an incredible track season where she was a national champion, the first national champion in Point Park history of any sport,” Parsley said.

Shields is set to perform her best season yet, according to Celich.

“It’s crazy to think that somebody who has done so well already with all her records she’s broken and the awards she’s won, ‘Oh my gosh, how can this girl get any better?’” Celich said. “She will.”

Parsley acknowledges the depth of the women’s crew.

“We’ve never been this talented from top to bottom,” Parsley said.

Sophomores Dannys Marrero, Nathaniel Hersh and junior Desmond Marrow return to the men’s crew after placing in last year’s conference championship.

Senior Chris Hunt, junior Sean Hilverding and junior Bradley Calleja captain the men’s squad while seniors Alexis Sherman and Brittany Maniet hold down the women.

Hunt said the captains collectively bring the team together and maintain a positive attitude.

The Pioneers will compete at the Carnegie Mellon University Invitational on Oct. 7 for their sole appearance in Pittsburgh this fall.

The RSC Championship Meet is slated for Nov. 4 in Asbury, Ky., and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Championship Meet takes place Nov. 18 in Vancouver.

Dara Collins dmcolli2@pointpark.edu

and all that stuff just coming in for the first two weeks of preseason.”

Winning back-to-back conference championships comes with some drawbacks. “[Our biggest challenge] could be that target on our back,” Cohen said. “We’re the team to beat now. It just depends on how we react to it, but I think the girls got it.”

With the scrimmages behind them, the two-time defending RSC champions look to get their first win of the season on Sept. 1 at Spring Arbor University, the runner-up in last year’s NAIA

National Championship.

The Pioneers, picked as the favorite in the 2017 RSC Coaches’ Poll, open conference play on Sept. 28 at Asbury in a rematch of the 2016 RSC Semifinals.

“I’m excited,” Kuhn said.

“We have a lot of incoming players who I think are going to be able to contribute.

We will be young again, but I think that’s exciting.”

Allison Schubert alschub@pointpark.edu

RSC Preseason Polls Women’s Soccer

Men’s Soccer

5th

1st

Women’s Golf

6th

Point Park Pioneers

2nd

1st

Men’s Golf

2nd 2nd

Women’s Cross Country Volleyball

Men’s Cross Country

RSC starts year with commissioner search

By Josh Croup

Co-Sports Editor

Scott McClure resigned as River States Conference (RSC) commissioner after a two-year stint as the league’s first full-time commissioner.

McClure stepped down effective Aug. 1 and began his new role as the assistant athletic director at Lewis–Clark State College in Idaho nine days later, according to the Bonner County Daily Bee. McClure oversaw the conference’s rebranding effort last year and helped increase the number of RSC postseason games broadcasted online during his tenure.

Joe Glover, Indiana Uni-

versity Southeast’s director of athletics, will serve the position in the interim until a national search for the next commissioner is complete.

Until July 30, Glover served as the president of the RSC Administrative Council.

“I want to thank Scott for his great work for the league, its coaches and most importantly, our student-athletes throughout the River States Conference,” Glover said in a press release. “We will work tirelessly to find a new commissioner who will continue to lead the league on this upward trajectory within the NAIA.”

Josh Croup jdcroup@pointpark.edu

10

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2017

SPORTS

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

Expanded volleyball roster seeks nationals return

By Mike Turk For the Globe

With the 2017 volleyball season right around the corner, the 2016 River States Conference (RSC) regular season champions are feeling confident about its season despite being a team with an extended roster of 17 players.

Mike Bruno, the RSC Coach of the Year in 2016, did a lot of recruiting in the offseason after losing seven out of his eleven players from last year’s team.

The four players that are set to return this season are juniors Morgan Dangelo and Ashley Taylor, senior setter Madison Weldon and setter Julia Menosky, who is the lone sophomore on the roster.

Taylor and Dangelo will lead the charge as captains of the squad. Taylor, a right side hitter, led the team in kills last season with 310 and earned a second team all-conference honor. Dangelo helmed the libero position for the majority of the season as she led the team in digs with 411.

“As a player, I grew,” Taylor said on her 2016 season. “I became an all-around player and I loved every bit of it.”

With only four returners, Bruno knew he had to start scouting and recruiting right away for the fall season.

Bruno, who is heading into his 13th season at Point Park, didn’t just recruit a starting lineup. He recruited depth for each position.

13 new players are suiting up for him this season. Eight players are transfers. Four are freshmen. One is a former Point Park basketball player with one semester of school left who decided to switch courts.

A key spot for Bruno to fill was an outside hitter. He found a junior from Sinclair Community College in New Knoxville, Ohio.

Meg Reineke collected over a thousand kills and a thousand digs in just two seasons at Sinclair. Her resume as a player makes her stand out, as she was on the NJCAA Division II All-American Second Team, All-Region XII First Team and two-time All-Ohio Community College Athletic Conference First Team on top of being a two-year captain.

“There are so many good players,” Reineke said. “I have to work hard to earn my spot because I know that anybody could take it.”

Abby Miller, a freshman from St. Clairsville High School in Ohio, will add even more depth to the outside position. Miller was a two-year team captain and three-year starter in high school and she looks to be a part of the four

Golf hires new coach

By Josh Croup

Co-Sports Editor

The men’s and women’s golf teams have a new head coach for the first time in eight seasons.

Graham Hoffman will lead the charge for the teams, replacing Gabe Bubon, who was recently named the head coach of the men’s basketball team.

Bubon was the first coach in Point Park women’s golf history, leading the Pioneers since its inaugural 2009 season. He stepped up as the head coach of the men’s team that same year, reinstating the program after a 37 year absence. He was the interim head coach of the men’s basketball team and the full-time head coach of both golf teams last season.

Hoffman, a Bridgeville, Pa. native, takes over the Point Park golf program after working as an assistant golf professional at Hickory Heights Golf Club in Bridgeville since 2010. He also has worked with the Tri-State PGA and the West Penn Golf Association.

“My vision is to build a successful program,” Graham said in a press release. “One where we bring in young men and women who are successful in the classroom first and also out on the golf course.

And then hopefully they go on to be successful on their own and support the next batch of kids coming through the ranks.”

The men’s golf program experienced large success in the latter stages of Bubon’s tenure, most recently winning the 2017 River States Conference (RSC) Tournament.

The Pioneers will return three players from last year’s championship lineup, including senior Max Kaminsky, who will look for his third all-conference nod.

The men’s team is also ranked first in the RSC Pre-

Submitted | Point Park Athletics Graham Hoffman

season Coaches’ Poll. The women come in sixth in this year’s preseason poll after finishing sixth at last year’s conference championship tournament.

“We are excited to have Graham Hoffman as part of our athletics team,” said Director of Athletics Dan Swalga in a release. “He brings a wealth of experience, teaching capability and connections in the community. It will be great for us to have a coach dedicated to the golf programs and expect improvement and future success.”

Bubon said he has high hopes for the new coach and will always be thankful for the opportunity he had to lead and shape the Point Park golf program.

“When I had to call the kids and tell them I wasn’t going to be their coach, that was tough,” Bubon said. “But they understand. They were a good group to be around all through the years.”

Point Park’s fall schedule is not yet available, but the Pioneers will compete at the important RSC Fall Preview Tournament Oct. 8-10 at Lassing Pointe Golf Course in Union, Ky.

Josh Croup jdcroup@pointpark.edu

freshmen to make an impact this season.

Ali Peterson, Erica Gumz, Carolina Urquieta and Haley English decided this offseason to trade the sunshine of California for the city life of Pittsburgh. All four were teammates last season at Mount San Antonio College.

Peterson is a junior defensive specialist who will compete with Dangelo for the role of libero. Gumz is a 5-foot-10 outside hitter and English is also an outside hitter, but will miss the entire 2017 season with a torn ACL and MCL that she suffered during the preseason.

Urquieta could compete for the starting role with Weldon and Menosky, but Menosky is the expected starting setter. Urquieta has the height and skill set to play other positions such as a middle hitter. She will likely play on one of the pins or in the middle rather than be the setter.

Dangelo helped Bruno in the recruiting process by landing two players from her home state of Indiana.

Camryn LaMonaca is a freshman outside this year from Greenwood Community High School, the same school Dangelo attended back in Indiana. Jordan Dixon is another Indiana native that transferred from St. Joseph College as specialist. She suffered a minor right foot injury during the preseason and is currently in a walking boot. It does not appear that she will be out for long.

Savannah Dishman from Catawba Valley Community College in North Carolina transferred in as a junior for this season. Dishman could get the start in the middle, but she is capable of playing other positions. She recorded 298 kills in 2016 with 120 digs and hit .383 percent.

As for local talent, Bruno did not have to look far; he found two freshmen in Jazlyn

Gracey Evans | The Globe The volleyball team added 13 recruits to replace a stong group of departed players, including Madeline Poirier (left) and Nikki Inquartano (right).

Rozier and Jada Jones. Rozier was a WPIAL All-First Team section and on the All-WPIAL Third Team while playing at Gateway. At 6-foot, she will give off a big presence in the middle and will frustrate opposing hitters with her blocking abilities.

Jones is a middle hitter and outside from Keystone Oaks. As another talented and tall player at the net, Jones has the ability and skillset to play multiple positions. Bruno may shuffle her around this season from the middle to one of the pins depending on the matchups on the other side of the net.

Devon Larkin is a name one may recognize because she is an experienced member of Point Park athletics -- but on a different court. Larkin has one more semester of school to go so she decided to go from basketball to volleyball. Larkin will be the tallest player on the team at 6-foot-2 and will provide even more depth to the middle.

The latest transfer to sign was middle hitter Destiny Tucker from California (Pa.) University. The 5-foot-10 Ambridge graduate comes to Point Park as a junior.

Bruno has a lot of cards from the deck to choose from this year. While he does have a lot of players who may not see court time every game, he has a lot of talent and depth at each position.

The reigning RSC coach of the year has confidence in his team despite being a new team and never playing together before.

“I’m confident in our product, and we will take it one match at a time and we will put this 2017 campaign in the books,” Bruno said.

In the 2017 RSC coaches’ preseason poll, the Pioneers were voted to finish first in the RSC East, but back-to-back conference tournament champion IU Kokomo is favored to win the entire conference this season.

Point Park went 4-1 in non-conference games last week, including four straight wins at the Milligan (Tenn.)

Tournament. The Pioneers travel to Ohio this weekend for the Rio Grande Tournament and play the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown on Sept. 5 for their home opener.

Mike Turk mjturk@pointpark.edu

Stacked RSC presents men’s soccer with familiar hurdles

By Dara Collins Co-Sports Editor

The 2016 men’s soccer season was cut short when Midway scored a heartbreaking last second goal to win 1-0 in the River States Conference (RSC) quarterfinal. The Pioneers failed to make the conference semifinals for the first year since 2010, but they maintained a winning season for the sixth-straight year.

The men now strive for lucky number seven.

The 2017 Pioneers enter arguably one of the toughest soccer conferences in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

Rio Grande won the national championship in 2015 and was the runner-up in 2016.

West Virginia University (WVU) Tech finished last season ranked sixth in the nation and received a national tournament bid.

Senior second-year captain Josh Williams agrees the two RSC teams will be their toughest competition. Rio Grande traditionally poses a problem to Point Park, and WVU Tech fields a strong team, according to Williams.

“Everyone sort of realizes we’re not just here to have fun and play soccer,” Williams said. “We want to win games.”

The program’s all-time

winningest head coach, Jeroen Walstra told PointParkSports.com the 2017 recruiting class is “one of the most promising ever.”

“I’ve been really impressed with them all,” Williams said. “They’ve all applied themselves and tried making themselves a part of the team.”

15 new players join the Pioneers from eight different countries. San Diego Mesa College transfer Ryan Daniels was named the 2015 Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Goalkeeper of the Year.

Other recruits include goalkeeper Juan Somoza and defender/midfielder Yuki Takeda who transferred from Campbellsville (Ky.) University. Netherlands-native Wessel Rietveld has a “fantastic left foot on him,” according to striker Roberto Whitley.

Eight of the 11 starters from the 2016 squad return for the new season including senior forward Alan Ramos and Whitley. Ramos led the team in scoring for the second straight year while Whitley followed with six goals. Four of the top five goal scorers for Point Park return this season.

“I think some of the players that we had last year are better this year and then again we have some new blood in there too so that’s a

good thing,” Walstra said.

The lack of depth in the 2016 squad has since been recovered with the newcomers and veterans, according to Williams.

Whitley agrees the season looks promising.

“It’s definitely better than where we were last year,” Whitley said. “We lost two players last year, and we’ve gained five good players so we’re in a better position. All the players that played last year as well, we all play better together now because we’ve got a year together, too.”

Although eligibility may be an issue for some players at the start of the season, Walstra hopes to peak in October.

The crew played an exhibition game Aug. 22 at Allegheny College and tied 2-2.

A second scrimmage on Aug. 27 ended in a 2-0 victory for the Pioneers over the California University of Pennsylvania Vulcans.

Point Park plays the regular season opener against Florida National University Wednesday at home. RSC play begins Sept. 28 at Asbury. Fans can catch the Pioneers at home field Highmark Stadium for five of the first six games.

Dara Collins dmcolli2@pointpark.edu