Point Park Globe Spring 2020 Issue 5

IN THIS ISSUE: PAGE

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@PPUGlobe February 5, 2020

Meet Sarah Oberle, a sophomore film student and LGBTQ activist Ayla Reed-Porter ranks the top five cutest Pokémon of generation one University hires new women’s soccer coach ahead of fall 2020 season ppuglobe.com

Covering the world of Point Park University news since 1967

Issue 5

Dean of School of BLACK DIAMOND II REPRESENTS Communication to PIONEERS AT CITY MASCOT SKATE start in June 2020 Dara Collins Editor-in-Chief

Point Park University hired a dean for the School of Communication that will begin this summer.

Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs John Pearson sent an email addressed to faculty and staff on Jan. 24 announcing the hiring of Raymond “Bernie” Ankney, Ph.D., as the Dean of the School of Communication.

“I think he will not only create new academic and professional opportunities for students, but I think he will bring in a lot more students to the School of Communication, and I think he will bring the kind of attention that the school deserves,” Pearson said.

Ankney will come to Point Park from Samford University in Birmingham, Ala., where he served as Chair of the Journalism and Mass Communication Department for 13 years.

In June 2018, Ankney announced that the 2018-2019 school year would be his last as Chair, and he began searching for dean positions that fall.

“When the Point Park position opened, I was just ecstatic,” Ankney said. “I grew up in western Pennsylvania, and I’ve always viewed Point Park as a sleeping giant. This is a university that has so much potential.”

Pearson is optimistic about Ankney’s future at the university due to his “track re-

cord of success.” In the email from the Office of the Provost, Pearson explains that during Ankney’s time as Chair at Samford, he advanced the university in various ways.

Among Ankney’s feats at Samford, Ankney raised the national profile of the journalism major, doubled enrollment in the department’s academic programs, increased annual fundraising and established interdisciplinary programs.

“His record of success is important because it shows that he can not only see what’s possible, but he can work with the faculty and think, ‘how can we get from where we are to where we want to be,’” Pearson said.

Associate Professor of Broadcast Production Robin Cecala chaired the search committee for the School of Communication dean and also asserted Ankney’s ability to “click” with the faculty.

“He had the experience we were looking for,” Cecala said.

“He really had the enthusiasm.

He was really excited about Point Park. He really had a lot of good ideas. You really felt like he was going to come in here and do his best to push the School of Communication forward, unite everybody and provide a good future for us.”

Ankney wants to focus on recruitment, raising mon-

DEAN page 2

SGA may remove service requirement for election SGA

By Sarah Gibson SGA Beat Writer

President Jake Berlin introduced the possibility of doing away with the requirement that a student must serve on SGA for a semester before running for president on Monday’s Student Government Association meeting. President Berlin suggested that removing the qualification would make SGA much more accessible for students.

“One of our jobs as a student organization, especially a governing body, is to increase student input and enthusiasm, increase voter turnout and increase attendance and representation in the senate and we can continue to further these initiatives by increasing the opportunities that students have when it comes to elections,” Berlin

said. Senator Dennis McDermott immediately spoke up in opposition, noting that a single semester of experience was the “bare minimum,” and that it wasn’t hard to get elected to student government as a senator, since a single vote is enough to get one elected.

Senator Jade Steele spoke up in support of McDermott, and Bryce Hayzlett spoke in support of the requirement being removed. In Hayzlett’s opinion, a student’s possible prior experience in a high school student government could easily replace the one semester requirement that currently applies to presidential candidates. After some more back and forth, Dean Gieseke spoke up with a number of points in support of this possible change.

“Ask yourself the first question: what is the purpose

SGA page 3

Jared Murphy | The Globe John Pederson (middle), 8, of Munhall poses with RoMo (left) and Black Diamond II (right), Robert Morris University’s and Point Park University’s mascots, at the Pittsburgh Mascot Skate at Schenley Park Ice Skating Rink on Saturday, Feb. 1.

Students question safety in South Side

By Virginia Garner For The Globe

Multiple reports taking place in various locations stated that the sounds of babies crying or young children pleading for help have been playing outside of peoples’ homes, including in Pittsburgh’s Souths Side neighborhood. It is speculated that the recordings are being used to lure people out of their homes into dangerous or life-threatening situations.

Recently, reports coming from South Side residents stated that they heard recordings of the sounds being played outside their own residences. Upon opening the front door, no infants or children were seen. When investigated, police were unable to find evidence of children ever being present or in distress in the vicinity.

Accounts of recordings used to lure naive victims into an area where they could be kidnapped or harmed are not new. One report from Baton Rouge, La. from 2003 came from a woman who claimed Derrick Todd Lee, known as the Baton Rouge serial killer, used the recordings as an attempt to kidnap and murder her. A connection to the se-

rial killer was never officially established, but the woman who reported the incident was left unharmed.

In 2010, another woman from Farmville, N.C., described a similar scene; recordings of a baby crying were played outside her home to lure her into a potential kidnapping or murder. After calling local police, the woman said she saw a mysterious man walking away from her property. The police, once again, could not find any evidence of foul play or criminal activity in the vicinity.

Beginning in 2019, and occurring most recent-

ly within the first month of 2020, numerous reports of similar sounds playing outside residences began rising in Pittsburgh’s South Side neighborhood, a hub of popular restaurants, stores, local businesses and homes.

In addition to the nightlife, the South Side is an affordable option and an optimal location for young college students attending city universities to live. Mya Comstock, a freshman at Point Park University, frequents South Side to go shopping, see movies and eat at

SOUTH SIDE page 2

Alysse Baer | The Globe

Weather Forecast

Today: Cloudy H 36, L 35

Thursday: Rain H 60, L 31 Friday: Snow, H 33, L 26 Saturday: Cloudy, H 38, L 30

Sunday: Snow, H 39, L 29 Monday: Cloudy, H 40, L 34 Tuesday: Rain, H 41, L 42

Point Park

GLOBE

2

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

Iowa Caucus results delayed Monday evening

Reported delays due to ‘inconsistencies,’ new app problems

By Luke Mongelli and Jake Dabkowski Co-News Editors

The results of the Iowa Caucus were delayed Monday night reportedly due to “inconsistencies” and the state’s new app. The problems arose after a newly introduced app, which was to be used to report precinct results quicker, failed because of “coding issue.”

Bernie Sanders’ campaign has released their own polling of 40% of precincts showing them winning 29.6%, the most any candidate had received.

“When those results are announced, I have a feeling that we’re going to be doing very, very well here in Iowa,” Senator Sanders said.

Pete Buttigieg’s campaign

has claimed victory, however they have not released any numbers. This comes off the back of controversy surrounding his campaign’s connection to the failed app.

Joe Biden’s campaign seems to be dissatisfied.

“Things aren’t going well,” a Biden campaign staffer was quoted saying.

A caucus is a form of ranked voting where supporters all go to a venue, such as a church or school. Once there, supporters go to various areas in their room designated for each candidate. After the first round of voting, each candidate below 15% is eliminated, and those voting for them can either go to a different campaign or abstain from voting.

The reason that the Iowa Caucus is of greater importance is because of electability, being the first primary in the election makes it the place where the candidates set their stage for the remaining primaries.

The Caucus itself is viewed by many as a litmus test for if a candidate can get people to rally behind them, and many in states after Iowa view it as important to the overall. Past winners include John Kerry in 2004 and Barack Obama in 2008.

Hillary Clinton beat Bernie Sanders by 0.3% in 2016.

Super Tuesday is March 3, and Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Democrats Abroad, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Car-

olina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Virginia will hold their primaries.

The Pennsylvania Democratic Primary will be held Tuesday, April 28.

This year’s primary is expected to be important, as Pennsylvania could be a state that avoids a contested convention at the Democratic National Convention. A contested convention is when a candidate doesn’t win a majority of delegates, which results in the super delegates being brought in.

Recently, Politico reported that Democratic National Committee (DNC) insiders were hoping for a contested convention to stop Bernie Sanders from getting

the nomination, meaning he would need to win a majority of delegates.

Because of this possibility, especially with so many candidates in the race, every delegate counts, and a win in Pennsylvania carries the potential to make or break the primary.

At the time of publication, the results had still not been released.

Please check the online version at www.ppuglobe. com for updates since publication.

Luke Mongelli

lrmonge@pointpark.edu

Jake Dabkowski

jcdabko@pointpark.edu

Ankney emphasizes university potential from DEAN page 1 ey for students, alumni outreach and even detailed a few specific ideas he has for the school, with an ultimate goal to make Point Park a national program.

“There are some things that Point Park does that nobody else is doing, and I think this program right now is in a great place to take off and really grow,” Ankney said.

One of Ankney’s ideas is to introduce a sports communication major.

“I think there is enormous potential to have a sports communication major in Pittsburgh,” Ankney said. “I would love to partner with the professional sports teams since Point Park has so many alumni working there. Our sports media minor at Samford has allowed me to bring kids in from all over the country. I feel very confident that the sports communication program, maybe we’ll partner with [Rowland School of Business] on that, will be a huge draw and bring many new students to Point Park.”

Another idea of Ankney’s focuses on entrepreneurial journalism.

About eight to nine years ago, Ankney noticed that about a third of his journalism students were starting their own businesses, and he would like faculty and alumni to help seniors create business plans that will allow graduates to successfully start their own publications or businesses.

“I very much think a future of journalism education should be focusing on giving students the skills they need to start their own publications and their own production businesses,” Ankney said.

Ankney plans to empha-

size the importance of student media at Point Park, on-campus experience he views as “invaluable.”

Additionally, Ankney wants to create a Student Advisory Committee to hear from all School of Communication students on how he can better serve them.

Ankney’s action plans align with Pearson’s observation that Ankney is student-and-teacher-focused.

Ankney will even teach a course during his first semester on campus.

“I’m really happy that Bernie wants to take that time and get to know our students to teach and be known as a teacher and an administrator who strongly values the role of teaching in the work of the faculty,” Pearson said.

Pearson says Ankney is not only intelligent, but he has a social, relational and emotional IQ that makes him great with people.

“He’s sincere, he’s honest and he’s very direct,” Pearson said. “As a candidate, he was one of the most direct people I’ve ever interviewed in my career.”

Pearson noted the School of Communication has “really exceptionally talented faculty” who “care deeply about what they do.” Pearson said it’s important to bring in a dean that will work well with the existing faculty.

Overall, Pearson believes Ankney is a great fit for the position.

“He was great because he was just being Bernie, and he was being himself,” Pearson said. “He wasn’t trying to prove himself. He was just being himself, and to me that said everything.”

Ankney desires a collaborative effort and encourages students, faculty and staff to approach him with ideas

to better the entirety of the School of Communication.

“I think the potential is just incredible, and I am honored to be chosen for this role and for it to be in an area of the country that I just absolutely adore,” Ankney said.

About Bernie Ankney

Ankney is a Ligonier, Pa. native and said he was “one of those kids who knew he was going to be a journalist at a young age.”

Around ages thirteen and fourteen, Ankney was writing sports stories for the Ligonier Echo including softball, baseball and other high school sports. He graduated from Ligonier High School in 1983.

Ankney’s young desires became reality as he graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) with a journalism degree in 1987.

He then moved to Washington D.C. and worked as a reporter for health science publications for five years.

In 1992, Ankney moved to Johnstown, Pa. and worked at Conemaugh Health System as Director of Scientific Communication and also started his own magazine, Western PA Medicine.

In 1996, Ankney earned his master’s from Syracuse University and then went to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for his doctorate.

Ankney held his first teaching job at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa. and accepted an offer in 2002 back at IUP as a faculty member before being promoted to Program Director. Then, Ankney accepted the position he is currently finishing at Samford in 2006.

Dara Collins

dmcolli2@pointpark.edu

Kate Sullivan Green | Submitted by Bernie Ankney Headshot of Dean Raymond “Bernie” Ankney

Reports arise of strange recordings in South Side from SOUTH SIDE page 1 local restaurants. However, she now questions her safety visiting the neighborhood.

“I go to South Side by myself all the time, and have never felt in danger at all or ever felt threatened,” Comstock said. “But after seeing these horrific reports on the news, I feel like I need to take extra measures to keep myself and my friends safe.

From now on, I’m definitely going to bring a friend with me or look for things to do in other neighborhoods.”

These recordings could be used to attract empathetic and naive victims looking to

help a child. People are urged by police to call 911 immediately and not take matters into their own hands, and instead allow law enforcement to handle the situation to ensure the safety of all involved. Police are declining to comment on the issue at this time.

“It makes me so sad; South Side is such a cool area,” Comstock said. “I really hope nothing like this starts happening in the Downtown area. I would be devastated if anyone was ever harmed in this type of situation.”

Virginia Garner

vgarne@pointpark.edu

JAN. 27 2020- FEB. 4 2020

Monday, January 27th 1:00 a.m. - Lawrence Hall Drug Violation

Wednesday, January 29th 1:55 a.m. - 3rd Avenue Domestic

Wednesday, January 29th 1:09 p.m. - Boulevard/Wood Warrant Arrest

Alysse Baer | The Globe

NEWS

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

APRIL

1

ARTIST MAT KEARNEY

VISITS CMI FOR Q&A

Jared Murphy | The Globe Singer-songwriter Mat Kearney spoke at a Q&A panel at the Center for Media Innovation on Friday, Jan. 31 ahead of his concert at the Roxian Theater.

Correction

ü

In last week’s article “Inadequate facilities generate photography department unrest,” it was incorrectly published that the photography program/major at Point Park University is a department. Also, it was incorrectly published that April Friges is the head of the department. Friges’ title, according to the university’s website, is Associate Professor of Photography and Photography Program Coordinator.

3

2020 Census urges involvement from ‘hard to count communities’ Students among lowest represented Dara Collins Editor-in-Chief

Alysse Baer | The Globe

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020

Pennsylvania’s second lady, Gisele Fetterman, tweeted on Jan. 13 that she will visit all the “hard to count” counties in the state to explain why this year’s census is important.

“If you live in this state, you matter to me and you need to be counted,” Fetterman’s tweet said.

According to the United States Census Bureau website, the census is mandated by the United States Constitution, and its results determine federal funding for communities and states every year and how many seats a state has in Congress.

Fetterman will travel to Philadelphia and Centre, Erie, Allegheny, Lancaster and Luzerne counties over the next couple of months to spread awareness of the importance of the census.

According to an article on Inside Higher Education’s website titled “Getting Out the Count” by Greta Anderson, these hard to count communities mentioned by Fetterman include undocumented and legal immigrants, non-English speakers, low-income citizens and college students.

At the time of the last decennial census, most traditional-age college students were anywhere between 8 to 12 years old. Now at 18 to 22 years old, America’s college students are encouraged more than ever to participate in the 2020 Census Bureau count.

Anderson’s article explains a number of challenges that come with this year’s census and student involvement.

The first challenge discussed is the act of simply informing that students, as a

majority, did not participate in the last census.

To help inform communities about the 2020 Census, Complete Count Committees exist across the country to create awareness. Pennsylvania’s regional CCC is in Philadelphia and can be reached at Philadelphia.rcc.partnership@2020Census.gov.

According to the United States Census Bureau website, CCC’s reach their communities in many ways, including kickoff meetings, rallies, parades and unity youth forums.

The article cites Carah Ong Whaley, associate director of the James Madison University Center for Civic Engagement, when mentioning the different factors that influence student views of the census.

Misinformation exists on social media, misconceptions arise on how students are counted and propaganda campaigns cause mistrust between students and the government.

For instance, the Trump administration’s proposal to add a question about citizenship status, which was struck down by the Supreme Court, caused students and immigrants to question the government’s motives behind the count even though answers are kept anonymous by law.

Another challenge is the census only offers male and female option for respondents, and this would exclude identities in the LGBTQ+ community. Whaley, a commissioner for Virginia’s Complete Count Committee, told Virginians to “skip the questions if it makes them uncomfortable.”

These concerns caused some to consider boycotting the census, but Kell Crowly, a junior at Georgetown University who participated in the

Inside Higher Ed article, says a boycott would be counterproductive.

Over 20 states in the United States provide significant funds to help boost census counts. Pennsylvania is growing at a slower pace than other states, according to current census projections, and is expected to lose a congressional seat in 2023, as reported

by WTAE on Jan. 13.

To avoid these concerns and educate students on why their count matters, students can find common questions and background information on the census at the Census Bureau website. The website explains the census form as “a simple questionnaire about yourself and everyone who is living with you on April 1, 2020.”

The 2020 Census will count the population in all 50 states, Washington D.C. and five United States territories.

The website lists examples of questions and explanations behind the questions that exist on the census form to prepare respondents.

For instance, questions include, “How many people were living or staying in this house, apartment or mobile home on April 1, 2020” or “Were there any additional people staying here on April 1, 2020, that you did not include in Question 1?”

State residents can respond to the census form by mail, phone or online. Most census invitations should be mailed out by Apr. 1. In May, households who have not responded will be visited by census takers. Counts will be submitted in December.

Dara Collins

dmcolli2@pointpark.edu

SGA passes Spring I budget appeals from SGA page 1 of the president and vice president? What is their role? Is it to run a meeting, or is it to be the voice of the students?”

Gieseke said.

Alex Grubbs, a representative of the Graduate Student Association, suggested a referendum to ask students what they thought of changing the rule. Jake Berlin closed out the discussion by stating that the proposition still had to go through the rules committee, and it wasn’t something that had to be decided at that meeting.

Appeals to the previously established SGA student organization Spring I budget were also discussed at the meeting. $9,241.66 were allocated to six

different clubs.

Senator Jade Steele delivered a report on CulinArt, noting that she would be working with them to address a cross-contamination issue.

She informed attendants of the meeting that if they are allergic to shellfish, the cafe sushi was still unsafe for them to eat, even if it says there is no shellfish in it. Senator Steele alleged that this was brought to her attention due to an incident that she personally experienced, and alluded to the fact that it had sent her to the hospital.

“Personally, Culinart almost killed me,” she said.

Senator Hayzlett brought up a problem brought to his attention at one of the town

hall meetings involving the supposed “24 hour” Thayer 212 lab not actually being open 24 hours a day. He said after discussing it with Director of IT, Tim Wilson, he was able to fix that problem, and that the computer lab would now be open 24 hours a day except for Sundays at 2 a.m.

A new club was also recognized towards the end of the meeting. Table Tennis Club, led by their president, Robert Hays, explained their plans for their club, future tournaments and a possible inner city table tennis league where the team would play against other schools.

Sarah Gibson

sagibso@pointpark.edu

4

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020

FEATURES

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

MASCOT SKATE FEATURES THE FACES OF PITTSBURGH

Jared Murphy | The Globe The Pittsburgh Mascot Skate was held at Schenley Park Ice Skating Rink on Saturday, Feb. 1 and featured the mascots of Pittsburgh’s colleges and professional sports teams.

Valentine’s Day activities in the city, DIYs at home

By Tia Bailey Co-Features/A&E Editor

It’s finally February, and all the stores are stocked with pink, red and white heartshaped everything. Valentine’s Day approaches whether you’re in a relationship, single or celebrating with friends, there’s something fun waiting for you on this day of love in the city.

Of course, there are some Valentine’s Day-specific events, but you can also make your own fun. Some events are even planned the week before V-Day.

Specific Events for V-Day: Cookies and Candles: Valentine’s Day

The Candle Lab and the Call Me Crazy Cookie Lady join forces for this event of candle-making and cookie-decorating. For $58, you can make your own 8 oz candle and decorate six cookies.

Price: $58

PIONEER PUBLIC Sarah Oberle

By Amanda Andrews Co-Features/A&E Editor

Film has always been a passion for Pittsburgh native Sarah Oberle, but she would have never imagined that she would pursue a career in the making of films.

Oberle is now a sophomore cinema production student, concentrating in editing film. She also works at the Student Production Services (SPS) as a work study.

“Film has always been a personal thing for me, whether it’s just every weekend sitting on the couch with my dad and watching old movies to any story-driven media like video games, books. Just anything that shows the world through

Location: The Candle Lab (Pittsburgh location) Date and time: Feb. 7, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Keanu Reeves Can Be Your Valentine

Who doesn’t love Keanu Reeves? This event allows all super-fans to celebrate Valentine’s Day with their favorite actor—kind of. The event website states that there will be a life-size Keanu cutout, discounted Row House chocolate popcorn and a chance to win some “Keanu-themed prizes.” If you go on Feb. 14, there will of course be show times for a Keanu movie binge watch. On V-Day itself, they will show “My Own Private Idaho,” “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” and “The Matrix.”

Price: about $10 for movie ticket Location: Row House Cinema Date and time: Feb. 14, 5:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. other people’s eyes is really what I like,” Oberle said.

Oberle originally came to Point Park as an IT major; however, she found that it was not going to be a fulfilling career path for her, and promptly made the switch to cinema production duing her freshman year.

“It was mainly about choosing between something that I could get better at and would make me a lot of money or something that I love,” Oberle said.

Oberle worked on a variety of film-related projects in the past, but one of the first major films she had a lot of creative control over was “Chosen Family: A Short Film,” which she wrote and directed herself.

The film centers around a transgender teenage girl who is in the closet because of her unaccepting parents but can be herself around her friend. After a fight with her father, the father discovers his daughter’s true identity and both of her parents are unwilling to accept their child identifies as a girl. It ends with the protagonist going back to

Valentine’s Day Skate

What kind of “Pittsburgh Events” article would this be without mentioning the MassMutual Ice Rink? Q92.9 FM is hosting the Valentine’s Day skate at the rink.

Price: $10 admission, $4 skates Location: PPG place rink Date and time: Feb. 14, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

CMOA pARTy

The Carnegie Museum of Art will host a “pARTy” where guests can dance, make valentines and take V-Day themed tours around the museum.

Price: $20 admission Location: Carnegie Museum of Art Date and time: Feb. 14, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

the city to go out to eat. You can go with a date, a group or friends or treat yourself.

We’re lucky to be close to places such as the Cheesecake Factory, the Melting Pot and more. If you want something cheaper, you can always go with friends or by yourself to the Milkshake Factory for a small treat.

Build-A-Bear:

Ross Park Mall has a Build-A-Bear, so you and your date or friends and make each other cute little stuffed animals to show each other how much you appreciate them.

Phipps Conservatory:

Make your own:

Spice up the “flowers and chocolates” by visiting Phipps Conservatory. They currently have an orchid and bonsai exhibit that would be great for your Instagram feed.

Dinner:

Museums:

There are many places in

her friend’s house, where she is accepted with outstretched and loving arms.

“A lot of my ideas come from personal stories and emotions and feelings that I’m going through,” Oberle said. “And around the time where I started writing that script, I started going through a difficult family acceptance thing, and I was forced to face the fact that not everyone’s going to support [me] and that that’s okay.”

Oberle herself identifies as a trans woman, so the project was particularly emotional yet cathartic for her. She wants to make drama films that reflect more stories of the LGBTQ community: “I don’t know what it is but I’ve tried really hard...to find good media that represents people like me and people who don’t have the kind of representation, and it can be hard to find,” Oberle said. “And one of the projects I would love to do is work with other people from other backgrounds and putting their voices to the screen.

So for example, the struggles that say a person from a dif-

Don’t forget that as stu-

dents, we get free admission to museums like the Heinz History Center, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Museum of Art, the Mattress Factory and Andy Warhol. Dress up with your friends and enjoy the art the city has to offer.

Dave & Busters:

If you’re wanting to go out and DO something, definitely get a group and head to Dave & Busters at The Waterfront. Everyone can play games and win prizes, which could end up as the most fun option for everyone involved.

Regardless of whether you enjoy Valentine’s Day or not, there’s something for everyone to do in Pittsburgh.

Go out or stay in, and do whatever it is that will make you feel happy this V-Day.

Tia Bailey tbaile@pointpark.edu

Sarah Oberle | Submitted

ferent part of the LGBTQ spectrum faces isn’t necessarily going to be what I face. And just being able to give voices to those that wouldn’t normally have a voice.”

Her advocacy and involvement in the community does not stop with film. Oberle is also the Vice President of the Gender Sexuality Spectrum Alliance (GSSA) organization on campus, which she said

helped her immensely with accepting herself during a rough freshman year. This year, she is working on creating more visibility of the organization to the student body.

Read the full story at ppuglobe.com

Amanda Andrews aaandre@pointpark.edu

A&E

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020

5

Former lead singer of Paramore Hayley Williams launches her solo career with two new singles Kylie Thomas Staff Writer/Photographer

Rating: Paramore is a band known across different genres. From punk to alternative to pop, it’s hard to find a person who can’t sing along to at least one Paramore hit. Now the band has taken a different direction as Hayley Williams, the lead singer, has left for now to create her own solo project.

Paramore is known for songs like “Ain’t It Fun,” “Misery Business” and “Still Into You” among many others.

The band has toured with big names such as Fall Out Boy and were featured on the 2005 Vans Warped Tour. Paramore has gone far beyond these accomplishments, now featuring their own yearly cruise called Parahoy!

The cruise features all things Paramore such as Q&As with the band, performances from Paramore and others and even regular cruise events. It’s a must for any die-hard Paramore fan.

Alas though, all of the fun has come to a halt. After the band’s “After Laughter” album and tour, Paramore announced on Sept. 4, 2019 on its social media, that the band

will be taking a break “to just be” after 15 years of making music and touring.

Fans were upset but understood that the band deserved this time for a break and for themselves. Though miraculously enough, fans didn’t have to wait too long for new music. Just not exactly from Paramore itself.

On Jan. 22, Williams released her new single and music video, “Simmer.” On top of this, the same day Williams announced her first single album “Petals For Armor” will be out on May 8.

But that wasn’t the end for fans, as Williams surprisingly dropped another music video and released a new single, “Leave It Alone,” on Jan. 30.

Both of the singles point towards a new direction for Williams, filled with indie music influence and emotional lyrics.

Williams has always been known for writing with full emotion. Paramore’s last album, “After Laughter” showed this especially with the underlying roots of depression and emotion in each song. The difference between Paramore’s songs and Williams’ new singles is that Paramore often used upbeat streaks to mask some of the emotion while

Williams’ singles strike vividly with melodies that match the lyrical feelings.

“Simmer” is about rage.

It’s about the human urge to have rage and to want to let it show but having to control it.

You have to “simmer down” in order to fit in with societal standards. The lyrics are filled with the story of a girl who’s trying to keep control of herself and her rage, something everyone can relate to.

The interesting thing about “Simmer” is that the music video and the music itself reflect the meaning of the song. The main aspect of the song is the bass in it. It has this bass line that’s deeper in the bass notes and fills all the empty space of the song. It represents the deep, burning wrath within. The music is eerie with the subtle background vocals speaking out in high octaves along with the sharp guitar chords.

Overall, the music conveys the emotion of rage and danger through its instrumental elements and vocal elements. Even the drums in the background keep a consistent running pace that conveys danger.

The music video reflects this as well. The video fea-

tures Williams running naked through the woods. She seems to be running from the red lights as she runs into an abandoned house. She covers herself hauntingly in some kind of deep red paste as she’s followed by a figure in a mask.

Eventually, she kills the figure to find out it’s herself under the mask. It’s all very haunting and suspenseful.

The other single, “Leave It Alone,” on the other hand, gives a completely different narrative. The song is about feeling grief and overcome with melancholy emotion as you realize those around you will die. Lyrics like “‘Cause now that I want to live/Well, everybody around me is dying,” speaks out about the true emotion of fearing loss. It’s a song that you can dwell in, sink down into, and just feel.

Again, like “Simmer”, the music within “Leave It Alone” as well as the music video reflects the lyrics and meaning.

The musicality used within the song is filled with light guitar strings, soft cymbals, and a softer voice on Williams’ part than what she used in “Simmer.” It creates an indie sound and ultimately conveys sadness and thinking. It’s much different from “Simmer” in

that it’s light and soft rather than deep and heavy.

The music video continues on the story from the previous. There’s an interlude after “Simmer,” which shows Williams dragging her dead self into an empty room and then somehow she becomes cocooned like a butterfly. She then breaks out of the cocoon in the “Leave It Alone” video as a bird-like creature. The entire video then is her dealing with herself and trying to escape herself. She’s also pictured in the woods, this time clothed, searching for others but they always disappear. It’s truly an existential crisis all wrapped up into a video, which is exactly what the song is.

Williams is on the right track with these two new singles, building up her first solo album. For her first solo project, it’s impressive. It shows deeper emotion for Williams than what she has shown fans in the past. So far the songs are thought-provoking, awakening and just a perfect listen. It will be interesting to see where Williams goes from here and what is yet to come in her solo exploration.

Kylie Thomas kjthoma@pointpark.edu

Downey’s ‘Dolittle’ remake recreates a classic tale

By Diana Navarrete Staff Writer

Rating: Robert Downey Jr. stars as the character Dr. John Dolittle: a famous, eccentric animal-speaking veterinarian and doctor who serves Queen Victoria of England.

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes have various opinions on how Downey portrays the character Dr. Dolittle. Some don’t believe that the actor fits the role and is compared with his previous role of Iron Man in the past Marvel films.

However, that is what is most intriguing about the film-viewers have the opportunity to judge for themselves whether the classic roles are revived by new actors. Another popular actor in the film is Antonio Banderas, commonly known from the film Spy Kids.

He perfectly plays the role of the mischievous King Rassouli, Downey’s ex-father in law in the movie.

The backstory of the characters in Dolittle begins with him finding the love of his life and then losing her after she went on a solo expedition.

He is left with the guilt of not being with her during the accident, feeling as though he could have saved her, and decides to shut the doors of his animal sanctuary.

Dolittle is left with the company of his wide array of animals and focuses on curing those with behavioral and mental issues, such as a gorilla with insecurity and irrational fear.

Everything changes for Dolittle when two children sneak into his mansion looking for his aid.

Tommy Stubbins (Harry Collett), a boy in a family of hunters, shoots a squirrel by accident and begs Dr. Dolittle to help it. This leads Dolittle to continue his help of animals

and return to the business of curing animals.

Interestingly, the squirrel becomes one of the main characters and adds silly humor to the film. There is a series of events where the squirrel attempts to seek revenge on the boy for attempting to kill him, until the squirrel ends up forgiving him in the end.

The other child is a girl sent by the young Queen of England (Jessie Buckley) who has fell gravely ill. Once Dolittle finds out that the Queen has been poisoned, he is obliged to set sail off into an adventure to find a magical cure, or his sanctuary and animals will be taken away following the Queen’s death.

With the help of his furry friends and Stubbins, who eagerly wants to become Dolittle’s apprentice, they set sail on a great adventure.

It is the typical, yet intriguing, plot in which there is the adventurer, apprentice and friends set to finding a treasure, or in this case a magical cure, while facing various obstacles, such as a man-eating Bengal tiger.

In regard to the main characters, they all have their own arcs throughout the film.

Stubbins develops skills with the help of his animal friends and Dolittle. He discovers that he has the potential to speak to animals in order to help them.

Dolittle, meanwhile, learns to let go of his past and look towards the future.

There is a good message of self-acceptance and believing in oneself with a strong sense of family, and how it is important to accept help from loved ones.

The attention to detail and overall filmmaking transports viewers into a great adventure and brings out the inner child and imagination of viewers with its lovable characters.

Diana Navarrete dnavar@pointpark.edu

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

Top Five relatable Billie Eilish songs

By Logan Dubil Staff Writer

An 18 year old’s attendance at the Grammy’s is by itself impressive, let alone the fact that this 18 year old left the event with not three, not four but five awards. Newly rising popstar Billie Eilish experienced her first Grammy Awards Ceremony on Sunday, Jan. 26. An opportunity that gave her name major exposure, whether it be on social media or news headlines – a highly expected outcome.

Winning the titles of Best Album, Song, New Artist, Record and Pop Vocal Album must mean something, right? Her fans remained loyal throughout her initial rise and now her career is sky-rocketing more than ever.

Younger fans around the world dive into Eilish’s work with open arms and endless imaginations. Her songs grant her audience the freedom to take in a message, that is relatable to each individual. Which songs fall best into this category? Below is a list of Eilish’s top five most relatable songs.

5. “idontwannabeyouanymore” - Everyone has one person that treated them with little to no respect. Eilish uses this song to express her feelings towards her mistreater, which is herself, singing: “I just wish you could feel what you say, show never tell, but

I know you too well.” Even someone as successful as Eilish admits that “losing feeling is getting old,” so we should, too. Don’t be afraid to be who you want to be. Letting negative thoughts get in the way will allow regret to form overtime.

4. “Lovely” - Unlike the previous song, “Lovely” focuses on a never-ending relationship. No, not the fairytale type seen on television, but the kind that is forced, creating unhealthy habits. “Thought I found a way out, but you never go away,” Eilish sings, emphasizing her struggle to find an escape route. These types of relationships are common throughout our lives, making the song’s message highly relatable.

3. “Ocean Eyes” - Have you ever found yourself seeking love from a distance? If so, “Ocean Eyes” is a must listen track. The song’s lyrics follow young Eilish, discussing her encounters with the owner of the mentioned ocean eyes.

“I’ve never fallen from quite this high, falling into your ocean eyes,” she expresses, giving the audience the opportunity to imagine their secret crush.

2. “Bad Guy” - Ever in the mood to step outside your comfort zone when it comes to music? “Bad Guy” is one op-

tion that gives the listener the chance to experience a new sound. What may seem to be a twisted storyline in the end is a piece incorporated with humor. “I’m the bad guy,” followed with a simple “duh” provides the listener with reassurance, making it clear that the song should not be taken seriously. For this reason alone, “Bad Guy” is a popular, relatable song.

1.

“When the Party is Over” - Not all relationships are successful. Obviously, most relationships fail, which is the theme of this song. Lyrics like “Don’t you know I’m no good for you” and “I’ll only hurt you if you let me” describe a failing relationship struggling to succeed. Think about your past relationships; there must be at least one that was not meant to be, but you still wanted it to work out.

At the end of the day, Eilish and Finneas O’Connell, her brother and partner in crime, will continue producing real music with meaningful lyrics.

The entertainment industry has been known for since the rise of this 18-year-old pop star. Only time will tell what her next album will discuss, but for now, let’s appreciate how relatable her work is.

Logan Dubil lmdubil@pointpark.edu

6

OPINIONS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020

THE

GL BE’S POINT Halftime show proves to be more than entertainment

At this year’s Super Bowl Halftime show, Shakira and Jennifer Lopez blew all of our minds. As soon as Shakira came on stage and the intro notes to “She Wolf” started to play, all of America, that is, all of America that has more than three brain cells, went crazy. It was glorious.

J.Lo on the pole was an incredible showing of strength. The entire performance was rich with Latin culture. It was a total celebration of the power of women, specifically, the power of latina women.

In the grand scheme of the entire Super Bowl, it was just a piece of the beauty.

The Super Bowl has become more than a football game. It is an iconic pop culture moment that blends the best of sports, entertainment and television ads. Sometimes, when your favorite team is not in the mix, it is the perfect, carefree thing to watch and enjoy.

When the Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t in the middle of things, the Super Bowl is an incredibly relaxed event in this city. It doesn’t matter who wins, but it’s a fun game to watch. The halftime shows are very fun to judge and the TV ads are the perfect fodder for memes.

Shakira and J.Lo redeemed the night from the disappointments presented to us in the form of not-sogreat tax service commercials and the infamous Baby Nut. They were the highlight of the night and deserve all of the hype they’ve been given.

Shakira’s hips never lie, and J.Lo is still Jenny from the block, and these two things were proven in their performance. The football was okay, the ads were alright but the halftime performance was the moment of the night that we will all remember.

Point Park Globe globe@pointpark.edu

Top 10 commercials from SuperBowl LIV

By Shannon Hartnett Co-Opinions Editor

This past Sunday was the 56th SuperBowl and the 100th year of the NFL. The San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs played a decent enough game for someone like me to watch who knows enough about football to understand the game, no more, no less.

Of course, the half-time show had an array of opinions. Was there too much booty shaking, or not enough?

Surely some parents flipped stations to the puppy bowl during this dance show to shield their children’s eyes, and I’m sure many recorded the event to watch again later.

Personally, my favorite part of all the SuperBowl shenanigans are the countless commercials that appear on the screen. I like watching SuperBowl commercials so much that I would rather fill my plate up with buffalo chicken dip when the actual game comes back on rather than the commercial break.

If you have not seen the following commercials, I highly recommend watching them.

Without further ado, here are my top ten Super Bowl commercials.

Rick and Morty are aware of the fact that they have been trapped in a Pringles commercial where they cannot escape. Soon after the discovery, a multitude of Mortys’ fill the room carrying canisters of Pringles. A great way to advertise the snack food via animation.

9. Jake from State Farm

This one really got to me. The classic State Farm commercial where the sales associate, when asked what he is wearing, says, “uhh khakis,” but this time around the same intro is used and instead of Jake answering the call this time, it is a new employee also named Jake who turns around and asks his coworker, “Do they always ask you what you are wearing?”

This was a great way to use nostalgic feelings and produce a new spin on the classic commercial.

8. Mountain Dew Zero

Remaking the movie “The Shining” to encapsulate that the flavor is just as good as the original.

Read the full story at www.ppuglobe.com

10. Rick and Morty Pringle’s

Shannon Hartnett snahrtn@pointpark.edu

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

Letter to the Editor: Newman’s response

By Channa Newman Chair of Departmant of Humanities and Social Sciences

May I add a few comments as a follow-up to your article “Professor files 18-count lawsuit against university?” At least two points require clarification.

First, the statement provided by Dr. Ross, which you published, neglects to recognize that I was found innocent of the false Title IX charge: “This lawsuit attempts to use my work in the movement for Palestinian human rights as a basis to attack my support for students who felt victimized by a professor last academic year.”

This is concerning because it suggests that I “victimized” “students” (plural).

As the University knows, I was only charged with a Title IX violation by a single student – and that charge fell completely apart despite the fact that Dr. Ross advised the student, also a partisan in the anti-Israel Boycott Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) circle. Now Dr. Ross says there are multiple students who were “victimized.” This is scurrilous. I never “victimized” any student in over half a century at Point Park.

Make no mistake, I, a Jew and an Israeli, am the only victim here. I am the only one who was purged from the campus, subjected to serious charges, banned from the classroom, severed from email and subjected to a frightening investigation.

For over a decade, the BDS movement has bullied and silenced Jews, Israelis and Zionists at American colleges and universities. In 2018, Point Park became the first school in the United States where BDS partisans charged a professor with a Title IX sexual harassment violation.

A Title IX sexual charge is the nuclear weapon against a faculty member. Even a tenured full professor can lose

his or her job through Title IX. Equally bad, a mere charge can lead to ostracism, shunning, isolation and wild lies on the web as has happened to me. In 2019, a Dartmouth fulltime professor was named peripherally in a Title IX suit.

He was not thrown off campus and out of his classes as I was; but, he became a pariah and outcast on his campus and he killed himself. It is very hard to come to work every day with this undeserved stigma and scrutiny.

The administration’s initial support of the flimsy and legally baseless claim and the brutal way they treated me is a central reason for my lawsuit. Another is the administration’s extreme tolerance for the insidious anti-inclusive, anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic ideology of BDS. With administrative support, this hate-driven ideology – directed exclusively at the Jewish state of Israel and at supporters of Israel such as myself – has ill-served our Point Park community and the Pittsburgh community at large. It is worth noting that the BDS movement has met with different reactions from other university administrations.

For example, Michael Schill, President of the University of Oregon, publicly recognized that BDS is divisive to the social community and inconsistent with the school’s values about inclusion. At the University of Illinois, Chancellor Robert Jones stated that BDS is not compatible with university policies on academic freedom.

Identified by many organizations and nations as being anti-Semitic, the BDS-affiliated Israel/Palestine Mission Network (IPMN) for which Dr. Ross is a lead advocate, produced a zealous manual that garnered praise from white supremacist and overt anti-Semite, David Duke.

Since the BDS movement singles out the state of Israel for demonization and deligitimi-

zation, it is particularly misleading for Dr. Ross to claim in his statement to The Globe that he stands “in solidarity with all struggles for equity and liberation.” One might ask Dr. Ross what he and the BDS ideology that he stands for have done for women subjected to Sharia law or for the LGBTQ individuals who are persecuted in Gaza and who often seek and find asylum in Israel? One might also ask Dr. Ross about his activity as a board member for Friends of Sabeel, North America (FOSNA) – an organization that the Anti-Defamation League listed in 2010 as among the world’s ten “most influential and active anti-Israel groups,” and whose founder, Naim Ateek, not only claims Jesus as the first Palestinian martyr but also figuratively accuses Israelis of “crucifying” Palestinian children.

Identifying himself as a Christian whose approach to Israel-Palestine is through the lens of what he feels “God is calling us to do,” Dr. Ross clearly doesn’t work for Israelis, Jews or Zionists. In fact, Zionists and Jews who identify as Zionists are targeted for ostracism, silencing and elimination. Transmitting the BDS ideology in his classroom, Dr. Ross indoctrinates students in a one-sided, hate-inspired view of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. When Dr. Ross proclaims in his response to the article in The Globe that his commitment to “ensuring that students have access to education in an environment free of traumatizing harassment,” I wonder to whom he is referring? A commitment to transparency and truth might serve the world, our students and our community better than words that hide exclusion and hate.

Thank you for providing me with an opportunity to respond.

Channa Newman cnewman@pointpark.edu

Ranking the top 5 cutest Pokémon Ayla Reed-Porter For The Globe

There are plenty of Pokémon in this world…I mean, in the fictional world of “Pokémon” that just so happens to exist within this world, but it still counts. It is up to us, the everyday civilians, to decide which of these Pokémon are superior. But today, I am going to be the one to decide for you.

You’re welcome.

There are many variables that can be used to weed through the low-class Pokémon and pick out the golden ones. This list will be based on pure cuteness, ignoring the fact that there are some less beautiful monsters that still hold immense power; Gyarados, you have

served me well, but you must sit out this round. We will be looking at the appearance of the Pokémon, as well as their names and their unique traits.

5. Jigglypuff (039)

While putting together this list, I tried to filter out the Pokémon that are obviously cute just for the sake of being cute. As it is in real life, those who are conventionally attractive are always picked first, and that’s not fair. But this is one of those examples.

Jigglypuff (039) is listed in the Pokédex as a normal/fairy type “Balloon Pokémon,” and its defining features are its roundness paired with its big blue eyes.

Even without seeing a pic-

ture of the thing, you can tell that it has to be cute.

The name Jigglypuff is a reflection of its jiggly/balloon nature. When seen, it is very likely to be bouncing around.

This Pokémon’s signature move is its song, which is so pleasant that it can make almost any foe fall asleep. In the show, Jigglypuff follows the main characters around in an attempt to get someone to listen and enjoy its performance, but every time the audience falls asleep before the end of the song. Sad, but still cute.

Read the full story at www.ppuglobe.com

Ayla Reed-Porteri amreedp@pointpark.edu

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

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News Editors: Jake Dabkowski, Luke Mongelli Photo Editor: Jared Murphy Features/A&E Editors: Amanda Andrews, Tia Bailey Photo Editor: Emma Federkeil Sports Editors: Allison Schubert, Austin Alkire Photo Editor: Mallory Neil

Graphic Design: Alysse Baer Staff Photographers: Katie Williams, Kylie Thomas, Alexis Wary Staff Writers: Rosalie Anthony, Jake Berlin, Ben Reinke, Mason Strawn, Logan Dubil, Zoey Angelucci, Kylie Thomas

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

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Copy Desk: Sara Cronin, Hannah Walden Social Media Coordinator: Payton Comunale

Delivery Assistant: Mya Burns

SPORTS

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

All In with Allison

By Allison Schubert Sports Columnist

Swinging into Spring Training Happy February everyone! You know what that means?

It is officially the month of spring training.

Last year, the baseball team finished the season 32-17 overall and 19-8 in conference play.

The Pioneers made a run at the River States Conference (RSC) Championship with a No.2 seed, but losses to IU Kokomo and Midway sent Point Park packing.

No. 4 Rio Grande ended up winning the tournament over IU Kokomo the next day.

The softball team finished their season 22-18 overall and 12-6 in RSC play.

The No. 3-seeded women saw a bit more success in the postseason than the baseball team, defeating three opponents (and eliminating two of those) before losing to the eventual tournament champions, No. 2 IU Southeast.

This year, I expect both teams to remain about where they ended last season.

Ten seniors graduated from the baseball program, but only four from the softball program.

Ten seems like a high number of losses, and do not get me wrong, there was a lot of talent that graduated with those players. I am not sweating the losses, however, because the baseball team has proved its depth in the past.

My prediction for the baseball team is a slow start that picks up after the first few series to a steady season.

On the softball side of things, four seniors is not a huge cut, but I am not discounting the talent that those four brought to the Pioneers.

Head coach Michelle Coultas has proven before that she is a talented recruiter, so I have faith in

her that the holes left by the for graduates will be filled by the returners and the recruiting class.

Going into this season, the baseball team is ranked No. 4 in the 2020 RSC Baseball Preseason Poll behind No. 1 IU Southeast, No. 2 IU Kokomo and No. 3 Rio Grande.

The softball team, on the other hand, is ranked No. 2 in the 2020 RSC Softball Preseason Poll, behind conference rival Rio Grande.

When looking at the returning roster, two names stick out to me from the baseball team: Cole Horew and Ryan Huber.

Horew has been a standout for the Pioneers since he started as a freshman, and has only gotten better as he has continued his career on the field.

Huber is one of the only veteran pitchers on this year’s team, so I think he is going to take a natural leadership position within the pitching staff this season.

My top two from the softball team? Katie Tarr and Courtney Blocher.

Tarr, like Huber, is going to rise into that leadership role for the pitching staff. Tarr has proven herself on the mound again and again, and I am sure that this, her senior season, will be no different.

Blocher, now also a senior, has shown her talents in the box and in the infield. She is both an offensive and defensive threat to opponents.

I see nothing short of success for both of these teams, and I am excited for that preview starting in just a few weeks.

Allison Schubert alschub@pointpark.edu

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020

7

Cheer and dance teams compete in duel charity meet

By Zoey Angelucci Staff Writer

This weekend both the competitive cheer and dance teams traveled to Penn State University- Behrend to compete in the Spirit Against Cancer event.

“I remember going to the same competition my freshman year of high school with my school dance team and was amazed at that age how well college teams executed their skills,” junior dancer Jayci Ross said. “It was exciting to be in the same place dancing at a collegiate level eight

years later. Dancing at this competition again brought back some memories and I’m happy I had the chance to dance for such an amazing cause.”

Both teams went headto-head against Gannon University. The dance team beat Gannon, while the cheer team came in second.

“It was amazing... not only did we get to be scored on a different scoresheet like the one we’ll see on our trip to Myrtle Beach, but we also got to help raise money for a good cause,” senior cheer captain Keera Frye said.

“It was a successful weekend and we enjoyed

cheering each other on when each team competed,” freshman cheerleader Angie Lucchino said. “It’s always nice when both cheer and dance travel together.”

The dance team travels to the University of St. Francis this weekend for a National Associate of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) dual meet. This competition will be the final competition before NAIA regionals on Feb. 29.

The cheer team’s next scheduled meet is the regional competition on Feb. 29.

Zoey Angelucci zaangel@pointpark.edu

Mallory Neil | Point Park Athletics Senior cheer captain Keera Frye, backed by the rest of the competitive cheer team, supports the men’s and women’s basketball teams on the sideline of one of their home games.

Men’s basketball suffers 0-2 weekend versus RSC teams

By Mason Strawn Staff Writer

The men’s basketball team was defeated in two games this week, losing both games in the state of Kentucky to River State Conference (RSC) rivals Asbury University and Alice Lloyd College.

The dual losses drop the Pioneers back to an even 12and-12 on the season and drops them to 4-and-6 in RSC play. Point Park still stands in third place in the RSC East division.

On Thursday, the Pioneers fell to the Asbury Eagles 78-67 in a game where the Eagles dropped 49 points in the second half to push them past the Pioneers.

Point Park scored the first bucket of the game and were either ahead or tied with Asbury for the entire first half, being able to out-shoot and out-rebound the Eagles, though the Pioneers were only able to keep Asbury away by as much as six points.

The second half was a different story, as the Eagles simply out-shot and out-rebounded the Pioneers. Asbury also went to the line 29 times and hit 21 free throws from Point Park’s 15 personal fouls in the second half.

Asbury took the lead with 10:51 left to play, and never gave it back, leading by as much as 13.

Adam Scott led the team in scoring as a starter, dropping 23 points in addition to his five rebounds and four assists.

“My mentality was that I have to be aggressive overall in every aspect,” Scott said.

“Coach Freedman, who was our head coach that game

Emma Federkeil | The Globe Freshman guard Xavier Prince drives the ball to the hoop around a defender in a game earlier this season at home.

against Asbury, laid out the perfect game plan; he said ‘just pound it inside and don’t stop’ so that’s what I tried to do and it worked well on our behalf.”

Point Park out-shot Asbury 44-percent to 41-percent, but the Pioneers were only able to shoot 19-percent from beyond the arc compared to the Eagles 43-percent.

In the second game of the week on Saturday, the Pioneers were defeated by the Alice Lloyd Eagles 8869, in another game where the opposing team simply took over in the second half.

Alice Lloyd held the lead for most of the first half, but Point Park came out shooting in the final five minutes of the first half to carry a seven-point lead into half time.

The lead only lasted four minutes into the second half, as Alice Lloyd exploded for a 59-point second half and ended the game with their highest lead of 16.

“I believe the reason both teams [Asbury and Alice Lloyd] were able to produce so well was because they

both made adjustments, and that’s what good coaches and teams do,” Scott said.

In a game where Point Park was barely out-rebounded by the Eagles 44 to 33, the men shot 40-percent from three, but it wouldn’t be enough, as the Eagles shot an even better 46-percent from beyond the arc.

The two teams shot 36-percent and 44-percent from the field respectively.

Sophomore Sherron Schifino led the way in scoring with 18 points and tied for a team-high three assists during the game.

The Pioneers are back in Pittsburgh this week to face off against Carlow University at home on Tuesday, as they look to keep their home record strong with an 8-1 record so far.

The men will then travel to Kokomo, Indiana on Saturday to face No. 12-ranked IU Kokomo. Both games are RSC matchups, as the Pioneers stare down their last month of regular season play.

Mason Strawn mtstraw@pointpark.edu

8

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020

SPORTS

THE GLOBE NEWSPAPER POINT PARK UNIVERSITY

Point Park hires new women’s soccer coach New hire Newbery looks forward to ‘harnessing team’s boundless potential’

By Trish Miralles For The Globe

Kicking off into the spring season, the Point Park athletics department has announced John Newbery as the permanent head coach of the women’s soccer team, replacing interim coach Bethanie Moreschi.

Newbery will join the department with a record of victories.

For the last five years, Newbery served as an assistant coach for University of the Cumberlands, where he led the team to qualify for the national tournament and finish as the No. 18 team in the nation in 2019.

According to Director of Athletics John Ashaolu, this drew the department into hiring Newbery as the permanent coach.

“He’s successful, passionate about the game and is ready get right in here and get us back in the right direction,” Ashaolu said. “To qualify for nationals, you have to be the best.”

Ashaolu was also drawn to

Newbery’s wide breadth of recruiting experience and hopes “to turn our low number roster to a high number, talented and well-rounded roster of at least 30 members.”

The current roster only consists of 15 to 18 members.

Faced with a challenging task of replenishing a roster, Newbery is no stranger to turning programs around with success.

During his time at the University of the Cumberlands, he transformed a struggling program, which had only won three games in the past two seasons, into a competitive program.

By the end of their fifth season, they managed to end the year in the second round of the National Tournament for the first time.

“Any success I have had in coaching comes down to three things,” Newbery said.

“I don’t think my career in coaching would have been as positive or consistent without my fantastic coach mentors, Steve Hamilton and Chris LeFevre, to work

Submitted | Point Park Athletics New perminant head coach of the women’s soccer team John Newbery in his official Point Park headshot.

for and learn under, a great group of players that I had the pleasure to coach, and a supportive wife and fami-

ly that have encouraged me throughout my career.”

Although he has yet to start coaching the players,

Newbery said that he looks forward to harnessing the team’s “boundless potential” to push them “to be the best possible version of themselves.”

Newbery’s wife Kaitlyn and two daughters will join his move to the Steel City, anticipating the new adventures that a larger city provides.

“There is so much to explore when it comes to sports, culture, the arts and food,” Newbery said. “The move also allows us to be closer to family, which was a great perk to coming to Point Park.”

Some team members have expressed stun at the departure of interim coach Bethanie Moreschi after the 2019 season. “[Moreschi] was an excellent coach who really cared for our team both on and off the field,” sophomore Tia Horew said. “With the new coach, we hope to win the conference championship, as that is always our goal. Hopefully we accomplish that with our new coach.”

Trish Miralles pmiral@pointpark.edu

Kirschner already makes mark with Pioneers

Freshman finds family among teammates, shows talents on basketball court

By Dara Collins Editor-in-Chief

Point Park’s women’s basketball team has a roster of 19 women, 10 of which are freshman. One freshman in particular is climbing the ladder and making connections on and off the court: Taylor Kirschner.

Kirschner, a New Brighton, Pa. native, is in her second semester at Point Park as a biological sciences major with hopes of a career in sports medicine.

Clarion University and California University of Pennsylvania were among other choices for Kirschner before deciding on the green and gold, but Point Park’s location ultimately played an important role in her decision.

“The city is a big aspect,” Kirschner said. “I never really enjoyed the city until now, which is kind of crazy, so I wanted to explore it a little bit and get to know my area a little more.”

In addition to connecting with her surroundings, Kirschner has created genuine connections with the campus community and her team. “[Point Park] is a very welcoming place,” Kirschner said. “I really liked the

coaching staff, and I’ve definitely come to like all my teammates of course, so I’m definitely glad I made the choice to come here.”

Donning the number 43 on the court, the freshman guard has played all games this season as of Feb. 3.

Kirschner has been playing basketball competitively since around the age of seven.

Throughout her time at Quigley Catholic High School, Kirschner accumulated accolades including MVP and was named to the All-County team all four years of high school and to the All-State team her senior year.

As part of a competitive team, Kirschner played for Quigley as her team appeared in the WPIAL Semifinals three times, district quarterfinals once and state quarterfinals once.

Although Kirschner also had her feet dipped in soccer and softball, she knew she wanted to stick with basketball after high school. When asked why, she has one simple answer.

“I just love the game a lot,” Kirschner said.

Her love for the game is apparent, according to teammate Michelle Burns.

Gabe Sunderman | Point Park Athletics Taylor Kirschner (No. 43) is pictured above cheering on her team while taking a breather during a game last week.

Gabe Sunderman | Point Park Athletics Freshman Taylor Kirschner dribbles past a University of Valley Forge defender in a game at CCAC-Allegheny last week. The Pioneers won the match 97-60.

“She’s dedicated and determined to win and has really been showing that through her work ethic and extra hours at the gym,” Burns said. “More importantly though, she’s an even better person and truly has been a joy to be around this year.”

Kirschner says her best quality as a teammate is her ability to push her teammates.

“I like to push my teammates,” Kirschner said. “I like to help them get better each and every day, and I definitely know it’s cliche, but I like to hype them up... and let them know when they’re doing good. That way we continue to push as a team and hopefully make a run for the playoffs.”

As for her worst quality, Kirschner said her shyness probably made it difficult to mesh well with the team at first.

Connecting doesn’t seem to be a problem anymore as Kirschner has found her place within the team and shines as the third highest scorer on the team averaging 11.7 points per game. Burns leads with 15.6, and fellow freshman Taylor Rinn averages 13 as of Feb. 3.

Burns has taken Kirschner under her wing, and Kirschner looks up to

Burns as a role model.

“Taylor has become like a little sister to me, and I think that just goes to show how much our team has connected over the past few months,” Burns said. “I definitely want to be someone the younger girls respect and can come to at any time.”

“Michelle Burns is a great role model to me, and I think she’s an exceptional athlete and student,” Kirschner said. “By the time I graduate, I hope to be like Michelle Burns for sure.”

Other members of the team already recognize the talent Kirschner gives to the Pioneers.

“Taylor has an important role on this team and has saved us from games that could’ve been a loss,” senior guard Tyra James said. “She’s always there for the rebound and knows how to drain it from three on the other end. She always has my back and is an awesome teammate.”

When she’s not in the gym, Kirschner finds time to enjoy the city as she wanted to know when she first arrived. Kirschner enjoys ice skating at the MassMutual Ice Rink at PPG Place and attending University of Pitts-

burgh games although she is a Penn State fan.

While Kirschner is competitive on the court, her teammates can laugh and joke with her off the court.

“I always find us laughing and messing with each other,” James said. “She’s the type to always give it back when it’s her turn to get picked on.”

As a student-athlete, Kirschner finds it easy to balance work, athletics and leisure.

“I think as long as you’re putting in the time after practice or after games, it should not be much different than that of someone that’s not a student athlete,” Kirschner said. “It’s just a lot about time management and making sure you’re meeting due dates and studying for your tests and everything like that, so just keep up with that. It shouldn’t be that overwhelming.”

Determined and passionate about her sport, team and academics, Kirschner lives up to the quality she values most and hopes to leave her mark on Point Park in her next four years.

Dara Collins dmcolli2@pointpark.edu