Sacred Heart Spectrum 3-24

Inside

Waiting for sunny days Winter weather falls on first day of spring Get Reel tests its ‘Limit’

De Niro and Cooper use their full brainpower in latest film Surviving LSAT woes

Reliving the pressure of cramming, testing, and waiting

Index

News 1 Perspectives 5 Editorials 7 A&E 8 Features 10 Sports 12

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Thursday, March 24, 2011

Sacred Heart University - Fairfield, Conn. Volume 27, Issue 19

Founder’s Day honors longtime SHU educators, administrators Alison Serpico Staff Reporter

The Spectrum/Megan Pulone

The new Student Center, still under construction, is expected to house the bookstore, the Factory, and new dining options.

Campus construction continues Administration predicts Student Center to open February 2012 Mike Peterson Staff Reporter

With the Construction on Sacred Heart University’s new Student Commons building progressing, administrators expect it to be completed by February of 2012.

According to the university’s website, the building will span four levels and take up 46,000 square feet. It will be located at the junction of the Humanities Center Academic Wing and Merton Hall, and is projected to cost 17 million dollars.

“The construction is two to three weeks behind because of snow,” said Sacred Heart interim president John Petillo, Ph.D. “But everything else is fine.

We’ve finished pouring concrete, and we should be putting the electrical pieces in soon.”

The university hopes the building will serve as a means by which to engage the school community.

“Hopefully the building will get students to stay on campus and interact,” said Petillo. “Our goal is to have a great student gathering place, and create a welcoming environment.”

The building will feature a lounge area, two separate dining areas, the university’s bookstore, and student services such as Career Services. A kitchen, a Hearth Room, and an external patio will also be included.

Freshman Nicole Nobole is excited about the project.

“I think it’s a good idea, because we’ll be expanding the school,” she said. “It’ll be another place to hang out. It should be interesting to see how it comes out.”

Other students believe the project is excessive and are unsure about the idea.

“It might be kind of unnecessary,” said sophomore Ed Olchelvski. “We already have most of the things they’re going to put in it. They can use that

money for something else.”

According to David L. Coppola, Ph.D., the vice president of strategic planning and administration, much of the building’s progress will be visible shortly.

“This week the steel girders will come and will begin to be installed,” he said. “At that point, people will get a good idea of the scope and expanse of the building, as well as the elegant roof lines.”

As the project continues, students will be able to take notice of obvious advancement.

“After we’re finished with the steel girders, we will start to stud and clad the building with the stone and then windows,” said Coppola. “This is a very exciting time to watch the construction, because the project will seem to pick up speed over the next three months and most of the work will be visible.”

The Student Commons will have a glass and stone exterior, which is meant to create a visual link to nearby buildings. It will also feature many glass walls, allowing natural light to come through and generating a feeling of openness.

The university’s website features a live webcam through which students, faculty, and parents can track the growth of the construction. Another feature, the interactive brochure, provides an in-depth look at the design and purposes of the Student Commons.

Although optimistic about the project, Nobole believes that the success of the building may depend on the reaction it receives from students.

“I don’t know if it’s going to connect kids,” Nobole said. “It could go either way. It depends on whether the students decide to take advantage of it.”

However, Petillo maintains the Student Commons will be an opportunity to involve students.

“I look out on the Quad on a nice day, and sometimes I don’t see anyone enjoying the weather,” he said. “This project may get students together in a way that hasn’t been done before.”

On Wednesday, March 16, Sacred Heart University celebrated its 48th annual Founder’s Day ceremony, honoring a total of 44 professors and administrators that have fallen under four different milestones of service to the university.

Managed under the university office of human relations, vice president Rob Hardy and volunteers from several departments worked in collaboration to put together the event that makes Sacred Heart stand out among other colleges.

Each year the department recognizes professors and members of the staff and faculty who have committed 15, 20, 25, 30, or 35 years.

“The founder was Bishop Walter W. Curtis, the second Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport, who in 1963 decided to create a new Catholic university unlike any other in the nation at that time,” said Christopher Sheehan, university editor and writer.

“Founder’s Day is the equivalent of a birthday party for the University and a chance to thank the dedicated people at the center of this work.”

The event included mass in the chapel, followed by an awards ceremony and reception, where students and faculty enjoyed a slide show honoring each of the 44 professors and their anniversaries.

“I’ve been through these awards ceremonies before, but this one was particularly special,” said media studies professor Sid Gottlieb, who was honored at the event. “There was such a good feeling evident in the auditorium that it was hard not to feel very happy.”

See FOUNDER’S DAY on page 4...

The Spectrum/Megan Pulone

Dr. John Petillo, interim president of Sacred Heart, speaks during the 48th annual Founder’s Day ceremony.

News

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Pentagon: Gadhafi forces in disarray after assault Associated Press

Critics wonder how long US will be involved in Libya’s affairs

WASHINGTON (AP) — Coalition jets patrolled the no-fly zone over Libya on Monday but launched no new strikes after scattering and isolating Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi’s forces with a weekend of punishing air attacks, Pentagon officials said.

American military authorities were moving to hand control of the operation to its allies in the coalition, though no precise timetable for such a handoff has been specified.

A cruise missile attack blasted Gadhafi’s residential compound late Sunday, hitting a military command and control center, two U.S. officials said. It was the final strike launched over a weekend of ferocious air missions to destroy Libyan air defense and set up the no-fly zone approved by the United Nations to protect civilians, they said on condition of anonymity because they were not yet authorized to speak on the record about the latest developments.

Gadhafi is not a target of the campaign, a senior military official said Sunday, but he could not guarantee the Libyan leader’s safety.

Congressional Republicans, meanwhile, say they want the Obama administration to answer questions about what the U.S. mission is in Libya, how it will be accomplished and how long the U.S. will be involved.

Navy Vice Adm. William E. Gortney, staff director for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Pentagon news conference there is no evidence civilians in Libya have been harmed in the air assault, code named Odyssey Dawn. Gortney also said no allied planes have been lost and all pilots have returned safely from missions that used stealth B-2 bombers, jet fighters, more than 120 Tomahawk cruise missiles and other hightech weapons.

“We judge these strikes to have been very effective in significantly degrading the regime’s air defense capability,” Gortney said. “We believe his forces are under significant stress and suffering from both isolation and a good deal of confusion.”

Gortney did not rule out the possibility of further attacks aimed at preventing Gadhafi from attacking civilians in Libya and enforcing the no-fly zone.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the U.S. expects to turn control of the mission over to a coalition — probably headed either by the French and British or by NATO — “in a matter of days.”

Late Sunday, however, NATO’s top decision-

making body failed to agree on a plan to enforce the no-fly zone over Libya, although it did approve a military plan to implement a U.N. arms embargo.

On Saturday night, three Air Force B-2s, launched from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, dropped precision munitions on an airfield near the city of Misurata, destroying hardened military aircraft shelters while avoiding commercial structures nearby. A military official said the B-2s flew 25 hours in a round trip from Whiteman and dropped 45 2,000-pound bombs.

And fifteen Air Force and Marine Corps aircraft, along with jets from France and Great Britain, hit a heavy infantry unit advancing on the rebel capital Benghazi. “To protect the Libyan people, we took them under attack,” Gortney said.

Gortney said the coalition had control of the air space between Benghazi and Tripoli, Libya’s capital. “The no-fly zone is effectively in place,” he said.

“Anything that does fly that we detect, we will engage.”

Inside Gadhafi’s huge Tripoli compound, an administration building was hit and badly damaged late Sunday. An Associated Press photographer at the scene said half of the round, three-story building was knocked down, smoke was rising from it, and pieces of a cruise missile were scattered around the scene.

Gadhafi and his residence are not on a list of targets to be hit by coalition aircraft, Gortney said. But Gadhafi won’t be safe “if he happens to be at a place, if he is inspecting a surface-to-air missile site and we don’t have any idea that he’s there or not,” Gortney said.

Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the goals of the operation are to protect civilians from further violence by pro-Gadhafi forces, while enabling the flow of humanitarian relief supplies. But it was unclear how long the military effort would continue or on what scale.

That uncertainty led to criticism from senior Republicans in Congress.

House Speaker John Boehner said that the Obama administration “has a responsibility to define for the American people, the Congress and our troops what the mission in Libya is” and how it will be accomplished.

As of Sunday, Gortney said members of the coAP Photo alition included the U.S., Britain, France, Canada, A Libyan rebel prays next to his gun on the frontline of the outItaly, Belgium and Qatar. More are expected to join, skirts of the city of Ajdabiya, south of Benghazi, eastern Libya, but Gortney said those countries, and not the U.S., Monday, March 21. would make that announcement.

Symposium offers information on geriatric health and welfare Andrew Aleman Contributing Writer

Last Wednesday, March 15, Sacred Heart University hosted Health Care and Aging: A Symposium for the 21st Century, which included a screening of the film “Young at Heart,” and a panel discussion by local professionals who are interested in the welfare of the elderly population.

“The number of senior citizens in the U.S. rises dramatically every year. It is our job to make sure this population retains as much independence as possible,” said graduate occupational therapy student Michelle Wall.

The event started with showing “Young at Heart,” which is a documentary about the entertainment group of elderly people, who are at least 70, that perform modern songs of rock and pop from artists such as Coldplay and Sonic Youth. The group was founded in 1982 in Northampton, Mass. and currently goes around the Northeast performing at places such as Hartford and Keene, New Hampshire.

Dr. Salome Brooks of the college of education and health professions and the director for the geriatric health and wellness program lead the panel discussion, after screening the film, along with community members from the physical therapy and health care administration and a member of the Department of Aging of Connecticut.

The panel, along with 15 students that were in attendance, talked about the issues that included Aging in Place, student involvement in assisted living communities, how to live fully until you die, the lack of academic prepa-

ration in any major to deal with the elderly as clients and consumers, and the actual uses of Medicare and Medicaid.

The discussion was intended to bring more of the “liberal arts group who will be dealing with a consumer population of elders/baby boomers aging place and using all levels of business, professional and health services,” said Brooks.

“The number of senior citizens int he U.S. rises dramatically every year. It is our job to make sure this population retains as much independence as possible.”

-- Michelle Wall, Graduate student

Some of the Sacred Heart community might have a special interest in the welfare of the elderly population since Sacred Heart surrounds the Jewish Home for the Elderly. Over the years Sacred Heart students have supplied the institution with volunteers through the volunteer programs. The Sacred Heart volunteers have provided a variety of services and activities at the Jewish Home for the Elderly even helping with the seniors’ recent prom.

“Our generation is growing up in a very ‘me’ centered society, so I think students could gain some perspective by taking the opportunity to give back to our aging population,” said Wall.

Along with the volunteers, the Jewish Home for the Elderly has been the stage for the “Sacred Heart Physical

therapy geriatric residency program for post-DPT graduate students along with 10 homes from the All Star Corporation,” said Dr. Brooks.

In addition to sending student volunteers to the Jewish Home, Sacred Heart in return has been receiving community members of the Jewish home to participate in the classes that are offered at the school.

Sophomore Faustine Jeanlouis said, “My partner in International Relations, a lady from the Jewish Home for the Elderly, was an international lawyer and provided a great learning experience for the project. She improved the overall experience and made it fun. She taught me life is too short, and to be happy doing what you love to do.

There were some health concerns in the initial stage of anticipation and anxiety; however, you’ll start to relax before you know.”

Additionally, the symposium touched on the fact that not all senior citizens are prepared for their years later in life ranging from the issue on how the Medicare spending cap limits the rehabilitation services that are given to social programs such as Meals on Wheels. According to the beneficiary data provided by the Social Security office, “Social Security is the major source of income for most of the elderly [with some] relying on 90 percent or more for their income.”

“The elderly people at the soup kitchen came from a variety of situations. Some of them were homeless; others trying to save money to make ends meet,” said sophomore Phil Hammer, a student who volunteers at the Soup Kitchen in Bridgeport.

March 24, 2011

News 3

Orthopedic PT program receives national accreditation Lauren Kalil Staff Reporter

As freshman Katrina Rossi participated in an interview with The Spectrum, she expressed her enthusiasm and excitement for the national accreditation that the orthopedic physical therapy residency program received.

“I think that it’s great that the department won the award and can be recognized for the hard work they have put into the program,” said Rossi. “Knowing that they received this accreditation makes me feel proud to be a member of the PT program here at SHU.”

According to Dr. Gary Austin, associate professor of physical therapy and director of orthopedic physical therapy residency program, the accreditation was received at the end of December through e-mail from the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE).

“We received this accreditation because we met the requirements to be credentialed as the physical therapy program,” said Austin.

According to an article from Hartford Business, “The newly acquired credentials makes Sacred Heart’s program one of the 36 accredited orthopedic physical therapy programs in the country and one of only two in New England.”

To receive this accreditation, a long process of filling out applications and being examined by the ABPTRFE is required.

“There is a massive application process and minimal standards that must be met.

They look at the standards in training and testing, resources, facilities, what type of patients you see, curriculum, and they also look at the program as an on going assessment such as how are you going to make changes to improve the program in the future,” said Austin.

According to Austin, two people from the ABPTRFE came to visit the school. They met with faculty and residence and evaluated the program on site. From there, the com-

mittee renders were able to make their decision to award Sacred Heart the accreditation.

Similar to undergraduate student in the physical therapy program, Rossi, graduate student Elizabeth Suermann is happy about the accreditation that the residency program won.

“I am proud to be a part of the residency program, especially being that there still are relatively few full accredited orthopedic residency programs at this point across the country,” said Suermann.

According to Suermann, she and the other resident in the program, Joe Allen, were involved in the accreditation process.

“We sat down with the site visit team in the beginning of December to answer questions that they had regarding our experience to that point and the overall structure of the program,” said Suermann.

As a graduate student in the orthopedic physical therapy program, Suermann takes advanced classes, teaches in the doctoral of physical therapy (DPT) program, and treats patient’s part time in both the school’s clinic in the Pitt Center and at St. Vincent’s Immediate Health Center on Main Street.

As an undergraduate student, Rossi’s academic schedule is a bit different.

“As an undergrad I am an exercise science major. I have been pre-accepted into the physical therapy program and as long as I keep my GPA above a 3.2, my seat will still be available in the PT graduate program. If I want to be accepted into the orthopedic PT program, I will have to get my DPT and then apply to be in the program,” said Rossi.

The orthopaedic physical therapy program has been at Sacred Heart for the past three years in which six residences have already graduated.

According to Austin, only two residences are admitted in the program per year.

“We take the best of the best so we are able to have top notch students in our program,” said Austin. “We challenge them to be leaders that lead in their professions, and to be the agents of change and progress.”

Teach for America gains financial assistance Jordan Haas Staff Reporter Teach for America has received $100 million through donations to help improve education equality in low-income areas. At the same time, the program helps college graduates expand their knowledge about teaching.

The organization uses the donations received to help increase awareness of education problems in low-income areas. This money may be seen as a great advantage for this company but there will be many years, according to the Teach for America web site, until they can reach their breakthrough potential.

Some said they disagreed with a monetary fix to the problem.

“I wonder if money is the best solution to such a complex problem,” said June-Ann T. Greeley, associate professor of religious studies. “Certainly encouraging our best and most energetic college grads to consider teaching, and teaching in communities which will likely respond well to good, energetic teaching, is a fine idea.”

The Teach For America website explains the basis of the program, along with who it might interest.

According to teachofamerica. org,“Teach For America is the national corps of outstanding recent college graduates of all academic majors and career interests who commit two years to teach in urban and rural public schools and become leaders in the effort to expand educational opportunity.”

It is an organization run through AmeriCorps with a goal to eliminate the education inequality in low-income areas across America. They claim that without reformation within the school structure, students will never reach their full potential.

Teach for America requires a twoyear commitment from its participants through AmeriCorps, which gives participants a period for loan deferment. They also give grants to help pay for education

and assist students with paying back college loans.

“This program is very good but their downfall is that they have no advertising team to put this on TV or any other type of ad. This is a program that does amazing things,” said professor Anita August assistant professor in the English department.

“This organization needs to raise more media and political awareness because many people have never heard of this amazing program. Without the right methods such as PR, this company might never reach their full potential in attracting recent education graduates. America has a lack of educational information being spread on a wide scale network like MTV or VH1 to spread their word across the nation,” said August.

There are scholarships and grants that are offered to students at Sacred Heart, as well as other schools, that major in the education related scholastics.

The organization offers scholarships in return for committing to spending two years teaching in a high need area in Connecticut, like Bridgeport and other low-income areas.

“There is a lack of funding for low-income schools such as Bridgeport public schools; therefore the Bridgeport public schools are behind in technology and supplies,” said senior Vincent Famular. “Due to this, the students cannot receive the proper education they deserve and might not even think about college or further education as a result.”

During students’ two-year span with Teach for America, they examine the downfalls of education equality. One aspect that must be considered is the criteria for special needs.

“I have multiple friends that are interested in and have been working to be teachers in the future. They want to help out the aspect of multi-cultural education and education for special needs, which I am sure is not as good in Bridgeport compared to Fairfield schools,” said Famular.

Photo courtesy of Jean Christian Bourcart

Teachers in the program gain experience at low-income schools.

News

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Spring has sprung but snow stays put Therese O’Shea Editor-in-Chief

Sacred Heart University students went to bed Sunday night after a long, decently warm weekend, eager to wake up to the first day of spring. Yet to their surprise, students hopped out of bed and into their snow boots on the morning of Monday, March 21.

In an ironic twist of fate, the first day of spring turned out to be the snowiest since February. Just the Friday before, local temperatures reached a record 70 degrees in some areas, according to the Connecticut Post.

“I wasn’t happy to see the snow,” said sophomore Kathleen Lieblich. “I had to get out my boots and my coat again that I put away for the snow for next winter.”

After a long, snow-covered winter, students were ready to trade their boots and coats for flip-flops and tank tops.

“I want Spring to happen now,” said sophomore Sherrod Williamson. “This whole Northeastern thing with the snow is getting annoying. Snow isn’t my forte.”

The Post said that the weather did not significantly impact public transportation, but the snow made visibility poor and roadways slippery. Some students opted to stay off the roads and in their dorms to avoid the wintry weather.

“I stayed in bed all day, I hate the snow,” said freshman Lindsay Shea. “It makes me want to stay indoors.

But students should not hang up their down coats just yet; snow is also likely to fall this Thursday, March 24, according to Weather.com. The Connecticut Post advised that the snow should change to rain after around 3 p.m., and sunny skies should return Friday and continue through the weekend.

In fact, according to NewsTimes.com, weather could say cold, damp, and snowy into mid-April, as a series of storms begin to bring foul weather every two or three days.

“They won’t be big storms -- two to four inches, three to six inches, but we’re in a cold pattern,” said Bill Jacquemin, chief meteorologist with the Connecticut Weather Center in Danbury to News Times. “It could be one story after another.”

Now that spring as sprung, students are hoping that the last few days of March will go as predicted: coming in like a lion, and going out like a lamb.

“I want it to be warm so I can go to the beach,” said freshman Jillian Skerry. “I’m definitely over the cold weather.”

This article was contributed to by News Editor, Elizabeth Fish.

The Spectrum/ Zack Lane

Students are hoping that this coat of winter white will not return to campus until next winter.

The Spectrum/Megan Pulone

A musical group performs on stage on Founder’s Day, Wednesday, March 16.

Founder’s Day pays tribute to beneficial professors, staff

...CONTINUED from page 1

Professors also accredited Sacred Heart with helping to improve their curriculum and teaching skills, in particular as the university itself continued to expand.

“I’ve taught many different subjects and different types of students, and been involved with a variety of activities, and that has kept me going for a long time,” said Gottlieb.

But it is not just interaction with students and experience in the classroom that have contributed to the experience at Sacred Heart.

“I believe good colleagues make for a good working environment,” said adjunct English professor, Patricia Conti. “The opportunity for faculty development and to keep learning not only in my discipline but across disciplines make it great to be part of the Sacred Heart community of students and fellow faculty.”

Honorees expressed various reasons for why they have remained at the university of their respective periods of time, however one sentiment in particular was mutual.

“I have been at Sacred Heart for 35 years because frankly I feel this is truly my second home,” said Domenick Pinto, associate professor and chairperson of department of computer sciences and information technology. “It’s like family to me and is such an integral part of me, I feel like I can never leave.”

Perspectives

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Lent shifts from giving up to taking on Hannah Ackerman Staff Reporter

Chips, cookies, chocolate, coffee? What are you giving up for Lent? Are you even bothering to give up anything at all?

Even though Sacred Heart University is a Catholic university, there are students who tend to push the Lenten season aside.

So, are Sacred Heart students taking the time to think about Lent and practice Lenten rituals?

“I think there is a still good amount of people who participate in Lent,” said senior Katie Zebedeo. “However, most of the time it comes in the form of diet. While there are definitely quite a few people who give up something for Lent as an affirmation of their faith, I also think that a lot of people are just going through the motions and participating in them because its expected of them.”

Lent is normally a time when you give up something for 40 days that you are used to having in your life. The typical sweets and junk food always seem to be at the top of the list of things to go.

However, many have noticed a shift in what a younger generation thinks Lent should be about.

“I don’t think that it has as much to do with this generation,” said junior Ryan O’Connor. “Faith and traditions have become less and less important in our culture over time. We also have such a fixation on being better and better in our culture now that it’s now wonder Lent has become almost a second New Year’s resolution.”

Senior Jo-Marie Kasinak also agrees that Lent is an important time not only to give up something you enjoy, but to also think about ways to grow and become a better person.

“I think that it is better to spend time strengthening your faith as opposed to giving up cookies. Personally I have decided to take more time to pray,” said Kasinak.

“Last year I gave up meat. I’m hoping to get more out of my Lenten ‘journey’ this year.”

Another aspect of Lent that is widely practiced is giving up meat on Fridays.

Father Jerry Ryle gave his take on what giving up meat means for students.

“Giving up meat on Friday is no great sacrifice of us in the United States. The story goes, ‘I don’t eat meat on Fridays in Lent because I am a Catholic. I have lobster instead,’” said Ryle. “Not eating meat is the least we can do as Catholics; it is expected or automatic. Is it a sin if one eats meat on Friday? No it is not. This is a suggested

discipline that is well practiced in general.”

Some students still believe that giving up meat on Fridays is an important part of Lent.

“I still make a conscious effort to give up meat on Fridays and I know that in Chartwells they have a lot more vegetarian options that make it easier to refrain from eating meat,” said Zebedeo. “But I’m not sure how serious people take it.”

For some students celebrating Lent is just as important as many other things going on in their lives and students are using this time not only to give up things they may love, but to reflect on themselves as well.

“I think that as we grow older we learn from our own life experiences. The process of reflecting on those experiences is crucial to maturity,” said Ryle. “If our students are seriously reflecting on their behavior, their attitudes, their relationships then I think that is a very good form of Lenten discipline.

“But then there is that clever phrase: ‘When all is said and done a lot more gets said than gets done,’” he said. “It is easy to talk about changing one’s patterns of behavior.

Actually practicing some form of self-denial in the area of food, music, entertainment, texting, Facebook-ing would be a good accompaniment to changing one’s behavior and growing in self knowledge.”

Donald Trump for president?

Amanda Rivera Staff Reporter

While sitting in the Edgerton Center at Sacred Heart University, senior Sammie Latulippe was shocked. Without even looking away from her computer she told everyone in the room the news. Donald Trump was seriously considering running for president.

“I’m not going to vote for him,” said Latulippe. “He is just going to run around firing everyone.”

While students like Latulippe can’t get past his “you’re fired” catchphrase, other students like sophomore Laura Varelas picture Trump in a different light.

“I definitely think he has the qualities that would make a good president,” said Varelas. “If he was just a business man without any of the celebrity aspects people wouldn’t view him like they are viewing him now. He was a businessman before he was a celebrity.”

Since Trump was a businessman before he was a celebrity, some might say that his knowledge of economics might have a positive effect on the United State’s current economic status.

“Economics is the crux of everything. It’s the thing that stimulates everything else,” said Varelas. “He knows how to economically run a business well and I think that is similar to proper investment needed for our country.”

Students like Varelas believe that the skills learned in the business world could easily be applied to politics, but junior Anthony Ricco disagrees.

“A businessman is more about making money,” said Ricco. “A politician should be more about helping the people.”

In lieu of his credentials, his celebrity status strikes some consideration among the American voters. Some question whether celebrities who run for public office

AP Photo

Donald Trump arrives at a Comedy Central Roast in New York. Trump says he’ll make a decision by June on whether to join the field of GOP contenders vying to challenge Obama in 2012.

strong contenders.

“It’s the voters’ responsibility to be educated about their vote,” said senior Michael Wilcoxson. “When celebrities run for office most people form a false reality of

what that person is based on preconceptions of their roles in movies or whatever they were in rather than who they actually are. People need to make sure that they are well informed before they vote, not vote based on someone’s celebrity status. I’m not sure how serious they can be about it. It’s kind of a political stunt to boost their celebrity status.”

Ricco also thinks Trump’s celebrity title will affect whether the American populace will vote for him.

“I’m sure some people would, but I feel like the majority of people wouldn’t vote for him,” said Ricco. “He is too much of a celebrity which can go against him. People should take the president seriously. Donald Trump is serious but he’s too fame hungry.”

While some students at Sacred Heart might feel that being a celebrity can hurt someone’s political campaign, there are others who feel that it could actually boost it.

“Arnold Swarzeneger did it,” said sophomore Jensen Richert. “People will vote for a bodybuilder. People will vote for Donald Trump.”

While voters start researching the potential candidates for the presidency in the 2012 election, the candidates’ platforms and beliefs are brought to the forefront.

“When it comes to the war in Iraq what does a businessman really know about the foot soldier’s life,” said Wilcoxson. “How can he really understand what that soldier needs? His area of expertise is the business world. The country is in an economic downturn right now. How is he going to change the country for the better?”

As many students at the university can attest to, the need to make educated decisions about their vote affects all voters.

“He has to persuade me into thinking that he can do something for this country,” said freshman Siham Halawani.

Potential presidential candidates for 2012: Who would you vote for?

Cast your vote at our website -- SacredHeartSpectrum.com

Democrat: - Barack Obama Current President of the United States Libertarian: - Wayne Allyn Root Entrepreneur, author, and political commentator

Independent: - Mike Bloomberg- Current Mayor of New York City - Becky Rusher - Computer Technician - Charlie Crist - Current Governor of Florida - Tim Gay, Sr. - Concerned American Citizen

Republican: - Scott Brown - U.S. Senator from Massachusetts - Jeb Bush Former Governor of Florida - Newt Gringrich - Former Speaker of the House - Lindsey Graham - U.S. Senator from South Carolina - Mike Hukkabee - Former Governor of Arkansas

- Sarah Palin - Former Governor of Alaska - Ron Paul - U.S. Senator from the state of Texas - David Petraus - U.S. Army General - Mitt Romney - Former Governor of Massachusetts - Donald Trump - Business Magnate source: http://2012.presidential-candidates.org/

March 24, 2011

Perspectives 6

He Said/She Said Should you date in or out of your group of friends?

Esteban Rosales He said

AP Photo

In this image released by CBS, Charlie Sheen is shown in a scene from the CBS comedy, “Two and a Half Men.”

And then there was one and a half ‘Two and a Half’ loses one of their leading ‘Men’ Tyler McKeon Staff Reporter

It is 9 p.m. on a Monday night and senior Kristen Karch is aimlessly channel surfing, depressed over the fact that production on her favorite television show, “Two and a Half Men” has been stopped after the Warner Bros. studio chose to fire the show’s star Charlie Sheen.

But that depression quickly turns into joy as she stumbles across a Sheen interview airing on MSNBC.

“I don’t think it’s fair that he was fired form the show because he didn’t really do anything wrong,” said Karch.

“The only reason he got fired was because his bosses didn’t like the things he was saying to the media. I understand the things he said can be taken as offensive but it wasn’t like it was affecting his work on the show. They just don’t like Charlie making them look bad.”

By March 7, the executives at CBS decided to part ways with the show’s star of eight seasons.

Sheen responded to being fired with a hostile letter in which he calls the show’s producer a “maggot” and an “earthworm”.and calls upon fans to “right this unconscionable wrong.”

Senior Seth Hansen has also been following the on going feud and understands why the studio choice to let Sheen go.

“I guess I understand both parties,” said Hansen. “I understand the studio has to maintain a positive image and they can’t really afford for the star of their hit show to be telling the whole nation how much he loves porn stars and drugs.”

While Sheen’s behavior may not help the image of CBS, some students think that the network should have seen this kind of behavior coming when they hired Sheen.

“Charlie Sheen has been in and out of rehab for as long as I can remember,”

sophomore Ethan Ostermeyer. “I remember hearing stories about him all the time in the news about his drug use and the fights he would get into with his wives.

The studio should have known what they were getting themselves into when they hired him so I think they’re completely to blame.”

The past success of the show and the disappointment of the fans have caused executives to hesitate on pulling the pug on the show completely. Talks of hiring a replacement for Sheen on the show have recently surfaced, with stars such as John Stamos rumored to take his place.

“I loved him as Uncle Jesse on ‘Full House,’ and he was great when he played himself on ‘Entourage,’” said Karch.

“I think he would be perfect to play Charlie’s role on the show because he’s a funny, good-looking guy with a familiar face. He’s pretty comparable to Charlie Sheen so I think it would be an easy transition.”

Oddly enough, another “Full House” alum is said to also be a viable candidate to replace Sheen on the show.

Many students seem to think that Bob Saget would be able to fill Sheen’s shoes.

“People think Bob Saget is a nerd because of his role on ‘Full House,’ ” said Ostermeyer. “But that guy is completely crazy. His stand-up act and his role on ‘Entourage’ prove that he definitely can pull it off.”

The future of “Two and a Half Men” is currently unclear, but the next few months of Sheen’s life seem to already be in the works. On April 2, Sheen will be kicking off a nationwide tour at the Fox Theatre in Detroit called “Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat is not an Option.”

“I feel like he has finally given up on trying to fix his image,” said Ostermeyer. “Now he just doesn’t care and it’s hilarious. People think he is losing his mind but all he is doing is winning.”

A real friend will tell you the truth, and will tell you what you need to hear, even if you don’t want to hear it. I have several friends that I am as close to as if they were my brothers, and it’s fair to say that they know me better than I even know myself.

You need that level of closeness with the person you plan on dating, and you need honest friends who will tell if she’s the wrong girl, or support you if she’s Miss Perfect. I have heard different opinions regarding this issue, but my opinion is that you should be friends first with the person you date, and if you get lucky enough, ultimately marry. My question is: why wouldn’t you want to be friends with your girlfriend?

If you were never friends with your girlfriend, then why on earth did you date her in the first place? Maybe it was her looks and she was a total babe. The problem with dating someone based only on her physical appearance is Father Time.

Fact: We will all get old some day, and there is nothing you can do to stop that. A relationship based entirely on sex and physical appearance cannot stand the test of time, because it is as shallow as the people in it.

What’s the solution? Well, it’s not a face-lift. Save that money, start loving yourself and how God made you, and love others as much as you love yourself. Don’t do it for a thank you or to get attention, but do it because it is the right thing to do.

You will learn to see more in people than just what they look like and what they can give you, and it will change the depth of the people you date.

It is possible that couples that have a deep friendship before they date will get married and grow old with each other They have these things called conversations, have things in common, and enjoy many of the same hobbies – weird, I know.

Once you find an amazing girl who is not just beautiful, but has an amazing personality, why in the name of Charles Dickens wouldn’t you want your friends to know her? I think it’s a lot easier if she were already a friend of your friends, but if you’re ashamed to bring your girlfriend around your friends then either there is something wrong with you, your girlfriend, your “friends,” or all of the above.

If your friends are honest, and your girlfriend is all wrong, having the two meet can be extremely helpful. The most miserable people in the world are not single people. They are people that stay together with the wrong person. I’m sure those people would have appreciated if they had a friend who loved them enough to tell them what a huge mistake they were making.

The Bible says that when a man leaves his parents and is joined to his wife, the two become one flesh. They become one person, two halves to a whole. A connection so deep that each person is not complete with out the other. They would have to have a profound friendship in order to fuse in that way.

When I get married, and my wife and I become one person, it will be impossible for my friends to know me with out knowing her as well.

Andrea Gorkofsky She said

In a relationship, the key to success is having a mutual understanding between knowing when it is friend time verse couple time. Not agreeing with your significant other on this matter will most likely lead to an argument starting with, “But you saw your friends all day yesterday.” To help put these petty disputes at ease or prevent them from getting worse, date someone who has the same group of friends as you or at least gets along with them. This is an absolute must.

Chances are you are not going to start dating someone who has been in your group of friends for years. At this point, they really have just landed a place in the friend zone, which means that these people mean the most to you and you value their opinion.

If you have a new love interest, I think it is important to not only make sure your friends approve, but also that you can see this person eventually adapting to your group of friends. If you cannot see yourself sitting around with your boyfriend while a few of the girls are in the same room and being able to carry on like there isn’t a giant elephant in the room, then what are you doing?

Your significant other does not necessarily have to come directly from your group of friends, but it is important to visualize this person easily becoming part of the group.

I would want my boyfriend to be able to come hang out with my friends and feel comfortable if I were running late from class. I would even want my boyfriend to have his own friendship with my close friends and feel like they can talk about anything. At this stage in life, there should be no real separation between boyfriend and friends. A healthy relationship with potential will be able to successfully combine the two.

Think about it this way, if your boyfriend has a whole other group of friends and does not put the time or effort into getting to know your friends, does he really care about you? And if he is not making an attempt with your friends, why should you bother with his?

Now trust issues come into play when it is time for him to have his guy night.

You don’t know his friends and the feeling is just uneasy all around. No relationship should be that way. When your boyfriend says, “The boys are meeting at Steve’s tonight” you should know who Steve is and that the chances of them leaving the TV screen during Call of Duty are slim.

I think what pushes things over the edge however, is when a girl insists their boyfriend is their “best friend.” As much as I am an advocate for the boyfriend to be a part of the friends, your boyfriend is not your best friend and insisting that is not a good thing.

Your best friend is a female who you can go and get your nails done with while you need to vent about what your boyfriend did the night before. Your boyfriend is your get-away from the girl drama in your life for a change of pace to feel appreciated by the opposite sex. Do not confuse the two. Balance your boyfriend and your friends and it should be smooth sailing.

Editorials

7

Growing up jaded in the Facebook generation Erin Murtagh Asst. News Editor

Give me a medium through which I can see pictures, trace the steps, and basically stalk the lives of my classmates, and what do I have? An obsession. A statement like that should raise red flags in any normal social circle, but thanks to a social networking website called Facebook, it makes me normal.

Since its conceptualization, creator Mark Zuckerberg has been able to profit from a college student’s desire for attention and dependence on the Internet. The website allows and encourages users to broadcast every aspect of their personal and public lives in a public sphere. The problem with this, however, is that no one takes the time to actually think about this,

marinate on it, and realize how bizarre it really is.

In its lifetime, Facebook has become a significant part of the college experience. It is odd, and even inconvenient to find that someone does not have an account. Thinking back nostalgically to my freshman year of college, I remember the delights of logging in to discover requests from the new “friends” I had met over the weekend.

Not only that, but keeping up with the public displays of drama was enough to distract me from any form of schoolwork.

“So and so is now single? And posted a status about it? Let me investigate… for hours.”

Regardless, the perils of a Facebook obsession transcend a simple loss of focus. What I did not realize in the past, because it used to seem so far away, is that it can actually have an impact on the

wellbeing of my future.

Now that I am a junior, about to enter the world as a bright eyed, college graduate, I need to worry that I will come off to employers as a glossy eyed, college party girl. And this is a very real possibility because employers are taking Facebook and other Internet behavior into serious consideration.

As access to the website has expanded into high schools, and even into middle schools, other dangers are now real possibilities for naïve users such as myself.

With the constant updating and introduction of new applications, it is becoming easier to leave yourself susceptible to stranger danger.

Not only do you include information about where you’re from, where you go to school, who you’re dating, what you like to do, and what you look like, but it is now possible to tag your location. So

now when you’re at TGI Fridays, trying to enjoy a meal with friends or family, an online predator is waiting for you outside.

And when you walk out, he’s either going to be really disappointed because you look nothing like your profile picture, or he’s going to be able to find you immediately.

Not to completely discredit the entire institution. Facebook does serve positive purposes. It is a good way to keep in touch with relatives or friends around the globe, and has even been the starting point for significant movements, such as the revolution in Egypt.

But it is constantly being abused, and is the way in which it is used only does more damage than good.

As we progress and as technology progresses, we will only continue to become even more of a Facebook generation.

Can’t we all just live in love and ‘eHarmony’?

Oh love. An emotion people love to like, or in many cases love to hate. But what is love? According to the Webster Dictionary love is “a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person”.

But in reality, does one really know what love is? Of course they do… well they did.

My grandfather, Dan Brancato new exactly what love was. Right after his engagement to my grandmother he was drafted into the eighth infantry division of the United States Army. For five years he served overseas in

Editor-in-Chief Therese O’Shea Managing Editor Alyssa Scott News Editor Elizabeth Fish Asst. News Editor Erin Murtagh Brittany Foy

World War II and never once forgot about the love of his life, my grandmother.

Every chance he had, he wrote her a letter or sent her a postcard. He said that he thought about her every night and promised that he would return safe and sound. This was the longest period the two ever spent apart, and he vowed to never leave her again.

When he returned after the war the two were married the following month and were soon blessed with a baby girl. As the years passed their family expanded to a boy and two more girls for a total of four children.

Fast-forward 50 years and the two were he still in love with one another. When my grandmother fell ill and was admitted into the hospital, my grandfather sat by her side for hours on end.

The love of his life was in the hospital Sports Editor and he would not let her be there alone.

Dan Graziano Their love was so strong through mind and body that my grandfather later Asst. Sports Editor passed away from a heart attack caused Liam Roecklein Ryan Hannable from a broken heart. A day later my grandmother began to fade and passed Chief Copy Editor soon after. The two of them died within Lindsay Caiati two days of one another because one Asst. Copy Editor Frank Morrone

Perspectives Editor Kelley Bligh

Advertsing Manager Janelle Cracco

Asst. Perspectives Editor Brittany Calvanese

PR & Digital Media Dir. James Kearns

Features Editor Marisa Graniela

Asst. PR Manager Cliff Faulkner

Asst. Features Editor Ashley Monaco

Photography Editor Zack Lane

A&E Editor Emma Levine

Asst. Photography Editor Sean Elliot Jaclyn Kennedy

Asst. A&E Editor Jaclyn Hendricks

Dan Graziano Sports Editor could not live without the other.

However, in this day in age love has faded into nonexistence. With the prevalence of social networking and online dating, cheating has become a part of everyday life, as our He/She columnists have mentioned.

Studies have shown that people using Facebook to “find and hookup” with old girlfriends/boyfriends.

Websites such as eHarmony and Match are filled with individuals simplify looking for something on the side. Then you have the website AshleyMadison which is a social network and dating website simply for adultery.

With divorce rates at all time highs it makes me wonder, is love dead? And is the social network the one to blame?

While I hope not, I fear that true love is a thing of the past. The love that my parents and grandparents experienced is not something that is in the near future for this generation. With that I am left saddened, damn you Mark Zuckerburg.

Editor’s Choice

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Arts & Entertainment

8

Hollywood Celebrities ‘tweet’ for a cause Bullock, Bieber, Kimmel, among celebrities to tweet support after Japanese earthquake

Megan Pulone Staff Reporter

When the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami struck Japan on Friday, March 11, it also touched a spot in the hearts of many.

That night Twitter blew up with celebrity tweets stating their opinions on the tragedy, offering prayers and trying to gather donations in any way possible.

“There are several resources that are absolutely critical in the immediate aftermath of a disaster, including food, water, medicines, sanitation and so on,” said Jamie Yood, spokesman for Google.org.

“Alongside these, information and communication are vital resources, too. We think it’s fair to say that, in disaster areas, technology can help save lives.”

Billboard.com lists numerous tweets from some of today’s leading artists and celebrities.

“Japan is one of my favorite places on earth,” tweeted Justin Bieber. “It’s an incredible culture with amazing people.

My prayers go out to them. We all need to help.”

Pop princess, Britney Spears tweeted, “So tragic. My heart is breaking for Japan.

-Britney.”

Not only have celebrities been offering their condolences and support, but in many tweets they have also suggested how their fans can help donate to the cause.

“I think it’s great that celebrities are trying to get involved in the relief effort,” said sophomore Emily Fennik. “They are

Jimmy Kimmel and Justin Bieber among celebs to tweet support for Japan. the ones that people look up to and by using Twitter and advertising relief programs, millions of their fans will see what they have posted and Japan will be able to get the help they need.”

Some celebrities even found themselves in the midst of the crisis.

According to MTV.com, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel was vacationing in French Polynesia when the earthquake in

AP Photo

Japan took place.

Kimmel tweeted, “Suddenly, relaxing on an island in the South Pacific isn’t so relaxing anymore.”

Later that day he informed fans that the island was being evacuated.

As celebrities send their regards through Twitter, they are also helping out with donations.

CNN reported that Oscar-winning ac-

tress Sandra Bullock donated $1 million to the American Red Cross. So far, the organization has received $47 million, and is continuing to aid Japan.

The Red Cross has also collected about $2.6 million in $10 donations alone.

Many celebrities such as Grace Potter, Mark Hoppus, and Kim Kardashian included information on how to help the Red Cross through their Twitter accounts.

“Seeing all of this footage in Japan is devastating,” tweeted Kim Kardashian, as she urged fans to “please help the people of Japan by texting REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.”

Celebrities on Twitter were not the only ones advertising the Red Cross relief program, but during the top 12 results show on “American Idol,” Ryan Seacrest announced the information to viewers all around the world. He also informed fans that all profits from the sales of the “American Idol Top 12 Season 10” album and all downloads from the album until the end of the season will go directly toward the Red Cross to aid Japan, according to American Idol’s website.

Along with Red Cross, other organizations such as Save the Children, Salvation Army, International Medical Corps and more are providing relief to the victims of the Japan disaster, according to the Huffington Post.

Nancy Aossey, President and CEO of International Medical Corps, said, “We are putting together relief teams, as well as supplies, and are in contact with partners in Japan and other affected countries to assess needs and coordinate our activities.”

Fairy ‘tales as old as time’ get edgy Tinseltown make overs Bill Haug Staff Reporter

Who is afraid of the big bad wolf? Apparently not audiences, as the live action adaptation of “Red Riding Hood” took a bite out of the box office from March 11 to 13, raking in over 14 million in its opening weekend.

Different than a cartoon Disney tale, director Catherine Hardwicke, best known for bringing “Twilight” to the big screen in 2008, took a unique spin on the 700-year-old legend by putting “Mean Girls” alum Amanda Seyfried in the infamous red hood and caught in the middle of a fantasy-like love story.

“As a kid it was one of my favorite tales, and now it has become this big evil motion picture,” said freshman Sasha Dias.

Though “Red Riding Hood” may seem like the first flick of its kind to turn a fairy-tale into something a bit more edgy, in 2012, Universal Pictures is following a similar suit.

Set to release the upcoming “Snow White and the Huntsman” in December 2012, steps are already being made to bring the “fairest of them all” to the big screen, which includes lining up a notable cast of talent.

“Twilight” Saga’s 20-year-old star, Kristen Stewart, is set to move beyond the borders of Forks, WA for an Photos courtesy of AP Photo (top right + bottom right) Disney.com (top left) eStock Photo (bottom left) enchanted forest as she was cast to play the title character. “‘K.Stew’ is officially playing ‘Snow White’ and her Fairy tale classics “Snow White” and “Little Red Riding Hood” are two stories who are getting a face-lift. deal is in final negotiations and will close next week,” said Up for the roles of the evil queen and the huntsman? “I feel that as long as they are written and directed taste“Snow White” producer Palak Patel on his Twitter page, Academy Award winner Charlize Theron and Oscar nomi- fully and well, it may be great. However, I don’t think they despite the “tweet” being taken down after the announcenee Viggo Mortensen. should be associated with Disney or FELD entertainment ment was made.

“It is an interesting twist, they are modernizing the because of the adult nature of them.”

Though Stewart is no stranger to fictional stories to films,” said senior Amanda Favretto.

“I think people will

As “Red Riding Hood” continues to reign over the life on the big screen, a la “Twilight,” Sacred Heart Unire-watch the old movies and compare them.

I think Red box office and “Snow White” moves into the early stagversity students are skeptical as to if she has what it takes Riding Hood looks really creepy, I hope ‘Snow White and es of production, freshman Natalie Giardina already has to play the porcelain skin beauty. the Huntsman’ won’t be as creepy.” hopes for what cartoon Disney classic Hollywood could

“I personally don’t like her as an actress, but I guess

Other students seem to agree that these intriguing modernize next. that’s cool for Snow White,” said freshman Taylor Kravitz.

“If the movie is going in a darker direction, then she is takes on classic stories will stir both buzz at the box office “I wish they would do ‘The Little Mermaid,’ said as well as with audiences, if made correctly.

Giardina. “Because it is the best story line, and the songs good for the role.”

“I think it’s all very interesting.

Parodies of Disney are the best.”

According to MTV.com, “Snow White” will center classics have been done countless times, but bringing them on the huntsman mentoring the title character to fend off the evil queen, Ravenna, after wanting Snow White dead. to the big screen as obvious renditions is something I’m Contributed to by Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor Jaclooking forward to,” said sophomore Monica Malcomson. lyn Hendricks.

March 24, 2011

A&E 9

SHU community dances in to spring Lisa Manente Staff Reporter

No students from Sacred Heart University are heading to Hollywood to join the cast of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars,” but that isn’t stopping them from taking to the stage to boogie down right here in Fairfield.

On the heels of the recent “Dancing With the Stars” cast announcement, both students and faculty members of the university were tapped to take the “ballroom” by storm with “Dancing with Heart,” a spin off from the ABC reality competition, which will take place on March 30 at 8 p.m.

“I watch ‘Dancing with the Stars’. I like watching the celebrities and the competition aspect,” said freshman Gina Porelli. “It’s fun to watch celebrities dance because you wouldn’t think they could.”

According to Entertainment Weekly, the eleventh season of the dancing hit drew in close to 21 million viewers with its season opener. Though the upcoming season may lack the abs of “Jersey Shore’s” Mike “The Situation” or former “Hills” starlet Audrina Patridge, the list of celebrities set to put on their dancing shoes is just as diverse as its predecessor.

Actress Kristie Alley, supermodel Petra Nemcova, reality star Kendra Wilkinson, and former boxer Sugar Ray Leonard are among some of the cast members eyeing not only a spot in the final three, but the mirror ball trophy as well.

Although “Dancing with the Stars” may showcase the talent of some of the most recognizable names in the entertainment industry, Sacred Heart’s take on the show will feature some familiar faces. The contestants will follow suit to the format of the ABC hit, while trying to snag the championship title from 2010 winners Pam Barnum and junior Zach Johnston.

“We were looking to do something new and different at Sacred Heart,” said sophomore vice president Mia James, who is a member of the production’s board.

Apart from the dancing, the event will also show-

case the talents of not only the Sacred Heart dance team, but a performance from the winner of “Sacred Heart’s Got Talent” competition. While the production is lining up a vast variety of campus talents, the question remains as to whether or not it can surpass the success from the previous year.

“Last year was really successful. Tons of people came and it was a really fun event. There were funny dances and some serious ones,” said James. “We had everything from the Hoedown Throw down to the Charleston.”

In order to score a spot on the dancing lineup, students either chose to nominate themselves or were chosen by other students. However, due to the overwhelming response this year, some nominees will just have to settle with dancing in the aisles.

“There was such a huge response for nominations that we actually had to narrow down who we wanted,” said James.

With the hype and anticipation surrounding the springtime event, students seem eager to watch their fellow peers and professors channel their inner dancers.

“It will definitely be funny and entertaining,” said senior Ellie Kfoury.

Freshman Catherine Westby seems to agree.

“It seems fun. It’s fun to get to see teacher’s embarrass themselves,” said Westby.

While Kfoury and Westby are looking to laugh at the entertaining routines, whether or not they seem themselves in a future “Dancing” line-up is still up for debate.

“No. I don’t dance,” said Westby, “I wouldn’t want to embarrass myself.”

Yet Kfoury is more open about slipping on his dancing shoes.

“I think it would be fun,” said Kfoury, “if I had time to spare, I would do it.”

Tickets for “Dancing with Heart” are $2, and all proceeds will go to the sophomore class. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door on the night of the event.

Huckabee slams Portman for unwed pregnancy Valentina Szlashta Contributing Writer

Critics and fans are slamming former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee for his remarks made about Acadamy Award-winning actress Natalie Portman.

Huckabee criticized Portman to radio host Michael Medved on Monday, Feb. 28 while discussing his latest book, “The Most Important Form of Government is Father, Mother, and Children.”

When asked about Portman’s out-of-wedlock pregnancy Huckabee said, “People see a Natalie Portman or some other Hollywood starlet who boasts of, ‘Hey look, you know, we’re having children, we’re not married, but we’re having these children, and they’re doing just fine,’… And I think it gives a distorted image… It’s unfortunate that we glorify and glamorize the idea of children out of wedlock.”

Huckabee also went on to state that Portman’s unwed pregnancy is “troubling” and that “most single moms are very poor, uneducated, and can’t get a job.”

The highly politically-charged comments quickly spread like wildfire, garnering harsh criticism from all angles.

Jill Lawrence of Politics Daily said Huckabee was simply trying to “be provocative” and “garner headlines” and that such behavior does not reflect well on being a “serious presidential candidate.”

A blogger for the Huffington Post lashed out at the politics behind these shocking remarks targeting 2008 Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s teenage daughter’s scandalous unwed pregnancy stating that, “Hypocrisy? Bristol Palin out of wedlock giving birth to a child celebrates Republican values because she did not have an abortion. Natalie Portman pregnant is somehow threatening to the social fabric of American and would mean more ‘government assistance and children starving to death and never having health care.’”

Sacred Heart University students, however, seem to disagree with Huckabee.

Junior AJ Cusello condemned the remarks, saying that Huckabee is blowing Portman’s pregnancy out of proportion.

“I think it’s ridiculous,” said Cusello. “She’s not glorifying her pregnancy, she just happens to be in the media a lot and is a single woman who is pregnant. How

Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee.

AP Photo

about all the single mothers who aren’t in the media?

There’s single mothers who are successful and put their kids through school without the help of the government.”

Freshman Lindsay Shea, however, believes Huckabee’s comments are insulting to the image of America.

“I don’t think that the government has anything to do with the father-mother family dynamic. It’s such a stereotype. That is not America. We are all different and go through different things. You don’t have to have a mother, father, and child in order to be a family.”

Freshman Chris Lizio said it was insulting to Portman’s character.

“It doesn’t matter who you are. It’s your character and how you deal with it,” said Lizio. “I have friends that had kids in high school and love their children and get by just fine. My best friend is a teen mom and she’s a great mom.”

Yet even after the harsh backlash from the media, Huckabee still stands firm behind his comments, claiming being targeted by liberal reporters.

“These people should read my book and they would know what I said instead of what some left-wing partisans are attempting to put forth,” Huckabee told Us Weekly. “I do appreciate the attention to the book as it is sparking interest in it dramatically.”

Portman has yet to respond to Huckabee’s comments.

Ge

t R eel

Have Cooper and De Niro reached their ‘Limit?’

Nicole Mastroni Contributing Writer

Bradley Cooper’s latest film, “Limitless,” brings desperation and the search for a remedy to the big screen.

Cooper’s character, Eddie Morra, is a struggling writer, depressed and unsuccessful. His appearance and apartment are in shambles, and he’s very behind on his book deal deadline.

Despite trying to put on a good front in front of his girlfriend, ex-brother-in-law, and landlord, Morra knows he’s going to lose everything. He has to do something, and fast.

His ex-brother-in-law, Vernon, played by Johnny Whitworth, has just the thing. A random meeting and drink leads to exactly what Morra is looking for—a pill that opens up 100 percent brainpower.

This scenario briefly describes the trailer, and with that, my future ticket purchase was decided.

Every student feels like this at one time or another when it comes to homework and school: rolling out of bed in sweats, and having papers upon papers and tests to complete.

Seeing Cooper play this role as an adult in the working world is relatable to every graduating senior’s worst nightmare.

His girlfriend, Lindy, played by Abbie Cornish, is tired of his lack of motivation, and his landlord is ready to give him the boot. Morra’s future is looking grimmer by the moment.

At this point in the movie, I didn’t know what was going to happen to Morra—he was a step away from homelessness, and needed to figure something out.

But what?

Morra gives the pill a shot, having nothing else to lose. His mind is clear, awake, and focused. He feels good and more alive than he has in a long time.

It’s a refreshing look at Morra, and Cooper transitions from bum to clean-cut and depressed to upbeat flawlessly.

But, this isn’t a story that’s all good news. Vernon is brutally murdered, and his apartment ransacked. It is clear that the pills were what they were after.

The film took a much more dangerous and criminal turn, which kept the audience engaged and intrigued.

A pill a day is all Morra needs. He is now an encyclopedia of knowledge, wowing people at parties.

Morra dabbles in the financial markets, which ultimately catches the eye of Robert De Niro’s character, Carl Van Loon. He brings Morra on board to help him with a huge financial undertaking.

His ability to see patterns in information puts him ahead of Van Loon’s talented staff, and De Niro’s character loves what he’s coming up with.

The life he envisioned for himself after discovering these pills has gone awry. This certainly isn’t what he signed up for.

Without giving anything major away, Cooper, De Niro, and all of the actors in this film work together to bring this dynamic plot to the screen.

Action, a little romance, and a lot of uncertainty and suspense are all wrapped up in this one.

AP Photo

Robert De Niro and Bradley Cooper star in “Limitless.”

Get Reel gives Limitless

Features

10

Surviving the LSAT, choosing a perfect law school Samantha DeFalco Staff Reporter

“The clock is ticking, my heart is beating, and my stomach is turning. I need to ace this test,” said senior Sean Latella.

The LSAT, or Law School Admission Test, is one of the most important tests for any aspiring law student. It determines whether or not they can continue on with their education and get into a good school.

Students at Sacred Heart University were given the opportunity to take the LSAT last semester on Oct. 10 and Dec. 6. Now many eager students are waiting to see if they got into their dream schools.

“The process is exhausting, awful, and miserable,” said senior Nicole Krys.

From signing up to take the test to actually preparing for it, the process is long and tiring.

“In order to take the LSAT, you have to register with LSAC,” said Latella.

LSAC.org is a website that all law students must go to. They set up an account and from there are able to schedule when they are going to take the test.

“I decided to take the LSAT in October so that I would still have a chance to retake it in December if I needed,” said senior Nicole Rowlands.

Like Rowlands, both Krys and Latella also took the LSAT in October.

To prepare for this very important test some students take a prep course. Latella said that two of the most popular prep courses are those offered by the Princeton Review and Kaplan.

Both Rowlands and Latella enrolled in a prep course through Kaplan last summer.

“The course was six weeks long and we met two times a week,” said Rowlands.

For those students like Krys who got the chance to work in a law firm, they are

given a glance at what is to come from their personal law career.

“I worked all summer in a law firm making a small fortune according to the starving student status I had become accustomed to,” said Krys. “Having worked all summer I was able to afford $5,000 for a personal tutor. I had heard that classes were not well received,” she said.

“The tutor was great but it was a huge investment. I met with her weekly, all summer.”

The last few weeks before many take the test is one of the most hectic times.

“The week before the test I practiced and studied more than six hours a day,” said Rowlands. “I spent more time in the library that week than I ever had for finals.”

The LSAT is unlike any other test that most students are used to.

“It is difficult to guess how you scored on the LSAT because one of the five sections is an experimental section and does not count, but you don’t know which section that is until you receive your score,” said Latella.

Most students say that the most stressful part of taking the test is waiting for the results. It takes about two weeks after taking the test to receive your LSAT scores.

“While you await your scores you feel completely helpless,” said Krys. “You’re boggled down with feelings of do I apply to schools? What do I do if I get my score and I cannot get into any of the schools I applied to?”

Latella agrees.

“I think most people who take the LSAT would concur that the time spent waiting to get your score back can be stressful,” she said.

Krys, Rowlands, and Latella all passed the LSAT and were able to apply to the schools that they wish to attend.

“I applied in early January to 12

schools,” said Rowlands. “It’s been about two months since I sent in my applications.

I have been accepted to three schools, waitlisted at three schools, and got rejected by four.”

By April, Rowlands will decide what school she wants to attend however, Krys is taking a different path.

“I decided to take a year off to do AmeriCorps so I will not actually be attending law school until the fall of 2012,” said Krys.

“Being that it is such a huge investment I feel as though it is smart to take time off to ensure that this is the next step I wish to take on my life path.”

Latella is very happy with the law school he chose.

“In the fall I will be attending Pace Law School in White, Plains, NY,” he said.

“Pace was one of the first law schools I looked into, and I’m very excited to start law school there.”

The Spectrum/Venithda Sourignamath

Senior Nicole Rowlands poses outside of the main campus.

Making the transition from junior to senior Meridith McLoone Staff Reporter

Senior year checklist

Get your resume approved by career development

Apply for summer and fall/spring semester internships

Go on a few interviews

Learn how to send professional emails

Network within your friends and faculty

Get letters of recommendations from professors and administrators

Create a Linkedin account for yourself

The transition from junior to senior year can be both exciting and frightening for students at Sacred Heart University. And with only a year left, there are many things to consider.

It is recommended that you speak with your academic advisor who will provide recommendations helpful in preparing for your future and alleviate concerns.

“If students can ascertain a student nurse internship in a position in a hospital, that would be ideal,” said Sheryl Watson, a professor and advisor for the nursing program. “It has shown to be a boost in their clinical abilities.”

“A nursing assistant position would be helpful to practice basic skills and allow for them to be more comfortable when near patients,” she said.

Pursuing an internship in your chosen job field is not only a great stepping-stone toward your future but could also put you ahead of the competition.

“One thing I dedicated my time to over the summer was searching for a job or internship for both the summer going into senior year and the fall semester of senior year,” said senior Emily Izzo.

“Getting a job in my major the summer before senior year and during my senior year helped me establish confidence in my job skills and to apply what I learn in class,” she said.

Although there are many activities solely

available to university seniors, some say it’s important to find a balance between creating memories and working hard.

“I am planning on starting my senior thesis in the summer and looking to see what senior year has to offer,” said junior William Kennedy.

Some social activities that are exclusively offered to graduating seniors are senior pub night at the Outpost Pub, senior mystery trip, and senior career seminars.

As summer comes to a close, students should return with the motivation to succeed in their studies.

“Students need to return to school with the mindset that even though it is your senior year, the first semester is going to be very time consuming with studying, projects, and clinical,” said Watson. “The classes are challenging and should not be viewed that since they are seniors the work load will be a little easier.”

“Bottom line, the message is to be prepared to work hard senior year,” she said.

“Knowing this up front may make it a little easier to get back into school mode.”

Rising seniors should expect a year full of fun, bonding, and hard work.

“They need to return with a positive attitude and willingness to work, there is a lot of support by faculty to help the students become successful,” said Watson.

Current juniors are looking forward to a year they hear will never be forgotten.

“I’m excited to make the most out of my senior year by making strides toward my future career and living it up with my friends,” said Kennedy.

‘Pongr’ your favorite products to build up brands Shawnee Zyskowski Staff Reporter

It’s Heinz or nothing for Sacred Heart University sophomore John Courville.

“Once when I was four, I wouldn’t eat until my Grandma went out and bought Heinz ketchup,” he said.

Big time brand fans, like Courville, are now being rewarded for their loyalty and camera phone skills through the website Pongr.com.

Pongr is a free Internet game and a social networking site rolled into one. It involves both the taking and posting of pictures as well as game objectives.

Through Pongr, participants sign up as part of a company, starting as an “intern” and moving all the way to “CEO” by completing a series of tasks, such as taking more photos of the same brand, inviting friends to join, and linking the photos to your Facebook or Twitter.

“We live in a consumer society,” said Dr. David Taylor, a professor for the marketing department at the John Welch College of Business at Sacred Heart. “We express

Photo courtesy of Pongr.com

One of the popular logos and advertisments for Pongr. com.

ourselves through brands.”

Pongr participants express themselves with photos of their favorite brand from their everyday life. The site states that awards like “badges” are given for exceptional creativity. So the more creative picture, the better.

Participants also get “Pongr Dollars” for their photos.

Those dollars can be used to buy “shares” in the company, which can in turn be turned into real rewards.

“You’re getting stuff basically for free. That’s cool”, said freshman Marlon Bridgman, a fan that declares Lucky Charms are “magically delicious.”

Students see the impact it can have on businesses as well.

“It seems like a smart idea for the companies because of the free advertising,“ said senior Diana Maraboli.

But the website does have it’s drawbacks pertaining to businesses.

“You give up the control over your brand message,” said Taylor. “Things can go wrong with user-generated ads.”

Taylor cited the Molson debacle of 2007 as an example.

That issue occurred when in 2007 Molson launched their Molson Canadian Nation Campus Challenge, encouraging users to submit pictures of themselves having fun with Molson beer.

The campaign, which called for students to “be the #1 party school in Canada,” was met with complaints from universities and parents.

An official investigation was orchestrated to ensure that the winners were not underage.

As a result, the campaign was eventually pulled.

“That’s an example of what can happen when you let consumers control your image and message,” said Taylor.

It is a risk that is apparently worth taking for the over 400 companies that are currently registered with Pongr.

“We connect consumers and advertisers in a quick, fun and easy way,” stated the Pongr website.

Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and now Pongr are making changes in the business world.

“The major change is that consumers can actively engage with the brand and become advocates with or without

the endorsement of the company,” said Taylor.

It is something that marketing managers will have to adjust to.

“They’ve spent their whole career working in a world where they controlled their brand image,” said Taylor.

“Suddenly they have to give up some of that control.”

That control could help students who become members land themselves jobs, according to the website.

“Pongr has relationships with global corporate brands and will help connect top players with the companies themselves,” states the Pongr website.

Some consumers seem to be dubious about Pongr as a possible avenue to employment.

“I’m just not sure how they would control employment opportunities,” said Maraboli.

But it could have career advantages even if it doesn’t give you an interview.

“Building a grassroots following shows that you have some marketing skills, and employers are going to appreciate that,” said Taylor. “However, it’s unlikely to get you interviews, much less a job, on its own.”

Career benefits or not, Pongr has the potential to be another social networking giant.

The site, though not as popularized as sites like Facebook and Twitter, is a point of interest for some Sacred Heart students.

“It’s kind of funny,” said Maraboli, who just learned of the site. “I might do it.”

Not everyone is intrigued by the idea.

“I love Heinz, but I’m camera shy,” said Courville. “I won’t do it. I don’t like pictures of me on the internet.”

Although you do not have to physically be in pictures with products, Courville’s privacy concern may hold some validity. Pongr claims in its privacy disclosure that it may use your profile information for advertising purposes, as well as give it to third party sites at its own discretion.

Though some students are uncomfortable with the idea of their pictures being posted on a highly visited wesbite, this policy doesn’t serve as a deterrent to everyone.

In fact, others are still interested in checking the site out.

“I’d definitely use it,” said Orlowski.

Features’ profiles: criminal justice club CJ students start building skills and helping community while still at SHU

Allison Bennett Staff Reporter

Talking to law officials, visiting offices from different branches government, and working alongside public safety officers are some the activities performed by the criminal justice club at Sacred Heart University.

“The criminal justice club has helped to bring about a fun and interactive environment to the school, while also making sure that we support important causes,” said junior Brian Harrison, the club’s president.

With aid from the club advisor, James McCabe, Harrison works to obtain the goal of improving the club.

The two meet frequently to discuss future endeavors and to stay updated on new opportunities for the club.

“The club’s mission is to promote the field of criminal justice in the university community and to provide learning opportunities for club members and students in the criminal justice field,” said McCabe.

The club began in the fall semester of 2001. Since its establishment, it has become involved with one of the biggest events at the university, the “Jail N’ Bail.”

“In order to play a part in improving the community we live in, as well as the general society. One of the club’s biggest activities throughout the year is assisting with the Jail N’ Bail event,” said Harrison.

The event provides the members with leadership opportunities while making important connections in the community.

“Working with Public Safety, local law enforcement, and the university to raise money for a worthwhile cause was a terrific experience,” said McCabe.

“I am looking forward to this year’s event.”

The event requires a substantial amount of planning and advertising that the club puts together in order to ensure success.

“The CJ Club’s members will be able to work sideby-side with the law enforcement representatives all day,

as well as help to make various signs for the event’s advertisements,” said Harrison.

They also participate in other philanthropic events on campus.

“Setting up a Relay For Life team is another main goal for the club, so as to help raise money for cancer awareness,” said Harrison.

In past years the club has toured high profile places locally and nationally such as the Bridgeport correctional facility and Washington D.C., where they toured places such as the pentagon, the U.S. Supreme Court and the White House.

The club continues to change their mission and raise their standards, which enables them to grow and learn from their experience.

Recognizing that membership is low they began brainstorming ways to become a larger force on campus.

“While the number of members seems to have waned over the past year or so, I am very confident that I can help regain some of the past members that have stopped attending meetings, as well as acquire new club associates,” said Harrison.

McCabe has other ideas about how to further the club’s development.

“I would like the club to become more service and research oriented,” said McCabe.

The club benefits from having an advisor with vast experience in the criminal justice field.

McCabe spent 21 years in various positions with the New York police department.

According to faculty profile page on the Sacred Heart website, McCabe held positions such as commanding officer of labor relations, commanding officer of the training bureau, commanding officer of the 110th Precinct in Elmhurst/Corona, Queens, and the executive officer of the police commissioner’s office of the 113th Precinct in South Jamaica.

“I try to advise the club without interfering and use my professional experience and contacts in the field to en-

The Spectrum/Bill Haug

Criminal justice club president, Brian Harrison poses in between his busy schedule for the Spectrum.

hance club activities and interests,” said McCabe.

The criminal justice club is planning future events that benefit the criminal justice majors and the university as a whole.

“Within the next few years, I hope that the club will have significantly increased the number of participants,” said Harrison.

“Also, I hope that the club will have a growing impact within the school community with regular guest speakers, as well as other various events.”

If you’re interesting in becoming a member of the criminal justice club, contact James McCabe for more information.

Sports Saturday, March 19 M. Lacrosse #19 Denver - 13 SHU- 12 4-OT

W. Lacrosse Holy Cross- 12 SHU- 7

12

Scoreboard Sunday, March 20 M. Volleyball Juniata- 3 SHU- 0

Baseball SHU- 5 Monmouth- 2 11 innings

Softball Seton Hall- 3 SHU- 1

Seton Hall Pirate Classic Champ.

W. lacrosse comes up short

Kelly Welsh Staff Reporter

The Spectrum/Sean Elliott

Sophomore attacker Bryan Badolato (#3) makes a move past a Denver defender in last weekends loss.

Heartbreak city Lacrosse falls in four-OT thriller

Dan Otzel Contributing Writer

The Sacred Heart men’s lacrosse team dropped a four-overtime heartbreaker to #19 Denver University last Saturday, at home in Fairfield.

Denver (5-2) freshman midfielder, Jeremy Noble, ripped his second goal of the afternoon by Sacred Heart senior goaltender Zach Frank to secure Denver’s thrilling victory in front of a loud Campus Field crowd.

Sacred Heart (3-3) forced the extra frames in exhilarating fashion by erasing a five-goal deficit late in the fourth quarter.

Trailing 12-7, with 7:43 left in the game, Pioneer freshman attacker Bailey Dodds netted his first career goal off of a Denver turnover.

Three minutes later, following two saves from Frank (21 total), senior midfielder Billy Skelos cut the Denver lead to three with a nice shot that snuck past the Denver goaltender.

With the crowd noise growing, it was Dodds again, this time sending a riser past Denver freshman goalie Jamie Faus to make it 12-10.

Less than a minute later, Sacred Heart freshman attack Mike Mawdsley punched in his only goal of the game and 13th of the season.

Twenty-two seconds later,

with the tension now palpable, the Pioneers leading scorer, sophomore attacker Bryan Badolato, slammed home his fourth goal of the day and 14th of the season to cap the amazing comeback.

“We needed one more,” said Badolato. “I was drawing a double almost every time and I got my head up, saw the double coming, and I went the opposite way and stuck it.”

“Our guys kept fighting,” said head coach Tom Mariano. “When you work hard during the week you believe in each other and you know you can come back.”

In the first overtime, Sacred Heart was able to rattle off five shots. Two missed, two were saved

by Faus, and one hit the side of the net.

Denver had an opportunity in the second overtime when Pioneer sophomore defenseman Dylan Morrisey drew a one minute penalty for an illegal body check, but Sacred Heart was able to kill it off.

Denver had the best chances of the third overtime, but couldn’t find the back of Frank’s net.

However, just 39 seconds into the fourth overtime, it was Noble, assisted by junior attacker Mark Matthews, who beat Frank with a blazing shot to send Denver home with a victory.

“They made one more play then us,” said Mariano. “That’s really

what it comes down to.”

Denver sophomore midfielder Eric Law started the scoring 1:49 into the first quarter. After Badolato tied the game, Law scored again, giving Denver a one-goal advantage.

Sacred Heart junior attacker Matt King tied the contest and freshman midfielder Alex Miller gave Sacred Heart the lead with just three seconds remaining on the clock.

Denver started the second quarter with three straight goals by Law, junior Alex Demopoulos, and Matthews. The Pioneers answered with two, one by Badolato and one from junior midfielder Aaron Lupo before Denver closed the half with goals by senior midfielder Andrew Lay and Demopoulos for a 7-5 lead.

Sacred Heart quickly tied the game to open the second half.

Badolato and sophomore midfielder Tim Sanders each tallied a goal to even the game at seven.

From there, it was all Denver, as they built a 12-7 lead on goals from Matthews, Demopoulos, Noble, and two from senior attack Todd Baxter.

1:38 later, Dodds began the Pioneers comeback.

This is Sacred Heart’s second loss to a ranked team. On February 19, they lost 10-6 to #9 Hofstra.

“We are taking our game to the next level,” said Badolato. “This game really showed us who we are and what we’re capable of.”

Women’s lacrosse fell to the Louisville Cardinals and the Holy Cross Crusaders this past week. With two consecutive losses, coach Laura Cook and the team remains positive and believes the Pioneers can still capture yet another NEC Championship.

“Louisville is a great opponent; they are a really well rounded team. I love the challenge of playing a team of their caliber; pushing our team to the limits of such a great opponent shows what our team is really capable of,” said junior Katie Kmiotek.

In the first half, the Cardinals rapidly scored four quick goals within the first 15 minutes of the game. Sacred Heart’s sophomore Emily Pepe scored the Pioneers first goal finally putting them on the scoreboard.

With just 10 minutes left in the first half, both the Pioneers and the Cardinals scored two more goals. The Cardinals had a three goal lead over Sacred Heart with the final score at the end of the first half being 6-3.

Louisville absolutely dominated the second half of the game, scoring 13 goals in the 30 minute half.

“Our team has been struggling in every game this season in the second half. We have a lapse each game that really takes us out of it. We really tried to focus on the first 10 to 15 minutes of the second half against Louisville since that has been our usual lapse time in games,” said Cook.

She was satisfied with the effort to open the second half versus the Cardinals, but their play did not continue for the rest of the game. “The players did a great job coming out of half time and trying to score. Unfortunately, this time for us the lapse happened in the last 12 minutes of the game,” said Cook.

The Pioneers managed to score five goals in the second half, making the final score 19-8.

“Our team played up to the level of a great opponent.

Louisville competes at a high level and we were able to stay even with them for most of the game. Louisville is a great program and it is always exciting to play them. They challenge us all over the field and this year we were able to compete,” said senior captain Elizabeth Drehwing.

Despite the outcome of the game, Cook reveals that despite a loss there is still positive attributes to be acknowledged.

“It was great to see how the team stepped up against an opponent that has been receiving votes for the top 20 poll. It shows that when we play well as a team and execute the game plan we can compete with tougher competition,” said Cook.

The Pioneers’ game against Holy Cross began with Sacred Heart controlling the first half with a 5-4 lead over the Crusaders.

“I was happy that the players fought back after being down 2-0 to having a lead of 5-4,” said Cook.

The second half of the game did not go so well for the Pioneers. Holy Cross controlled the second half and the Crusaders quickly scored five straight goals, giving the Crusaders a 9-5 lead over Sacred Heart.

“Holy Cross is a team that is very similar to ours. We knew coming in that it was going to be a competitive game,” said Drehwing.

The Crusaders proceeded to score three more goals throughout the second half, giving Sacred Heart little opportunity to score. The Pioneers managed to score two more goals, but inevitably came up short. Holy Cross captured the game 12-7.

“Holy Cross was our last opportunity to get our preconference kinks out. We are a very young team and are still practicing hard every day to work better together and meet our potential,” said Kmiotek.

The Pioneers’ next game marks the start of conference play, March 25 at 3 p.m. against the Robert Morris Colonials.

“We look forward to the conference portion of our schedule and hope that playing a tougher non-conference schedule has prepared us to fight for a fourth consecutive NEC Championship,” said Cook.

Sports

March , 2011

Sports 13

Game of the Week Friday, March 25 Women’s Lacrosse Sacred Heart Pioneers vs.

Robert Morris Colonials Campus Field, 3:00 p.m.

Day in the life: men’s lacrosse

Morgan Mireski Staff Reporter

“5:00 a.m. Thursday morning, waking up while some are stumbling into bed. The dorms are completely quiet except for you and your teammates getting ready for an early morning March practice,” said freshman Tom Sardelli.

Lacrosse is more than a sport; it is a lifestyle. Being a college athlete requires endless amounts of dedication and time.

The Spectrum/Sean Elliott

Freshman midfielder Tom Sardelli (#36) cradles the ball past a defender.

The Pioneers men’s lacrosse team is currently at the start of their season and with a busy schedule ahead of them they have already have set routines.

“A typical day in my life as a college laxer is pretty intense,” said captain Zach Frank. “Because of my awesome class schedule, I wake up around 10:00 a.m. and eat some breakfast. I eat the same thing everyday, banana and peanut butter because it gives me the energy I need for practice.”

Frank, who has had three shoulder surgeries, has to put in some extra time with the trainers.

“I get to the Pitt Center around 11:00 a.m. and get started with my treatment.

After three shoulder surgeries, it requires about an hour of physical therapy and treatment to keep my arm healthy,” said Frank.

“Practice is from 12:30 to 3:00 p.m, usually with a meeting and some film to review either before or afterwards,” said Frank.

The Pioneers dedicate most of their day to being at the Pitt Center. But on their spare time they are focusing on school work and the next opponent.

“After practice, we hit the showers and the guys that have class get going,” said Frank. “The other guys stick around and make sure the locker room is clean

and take the dirty laundry to the equipment room.”

“I, however, am on my way right back to the athletic training room to get in my last bit of treatment. I do about a half hour of treatment on my arm everyday after practice,” said Frank who is trying to get his shoulder back to 100 percent.

“5:00 p.m. rolls around and it’s time for study hall in the basement of the library,” said Sardelli.

“We get our academics squared away and struggle to stay awake as it has already been a long day.” Getting good grades is a requirement not only from the coach, but the players push themselves as well.

“After study hall I try and relax and just [hang out] with some of dudes on the team depending on wither I have class or not at night,” said junior Eric Madigan.

“Most of all though, the best times of my day are spent with my teammates,” said Frank.

“We gel and mesh so well together and can have fun on the field and off and got each other’s backs no matter what.

Whenever it is that I do leave this school, I’ll for sure miss the times I spent with this team.”

There is really strong team chemistry on the lacrosse team. Having good chemistry really makes or breaks a team, but that is not a problem here.

Although there is study hall and long days of practice, there is more that meets the eye.

“The behind the scenes stuff is the most intensive. There’s hours of film review, scouting report studying, and finetuning to our sticks to make sure we’re ready for each practice,” said Frank.

There is a lot more work that the Pioneers put in besides what they do on the field.

“The rest of it is all mental,” said Frank. “Throughout game-weeks, I spend every night getting focused and visualizing the win, which I find helps me out during games. I’m very superstitious so I have a routine that I go through the day/ night before every game and the day of the game.”

Being mentally focused is one of the most important aspects of being a college athlete. One has to be to be prepared for whatever is thrown their way, especially on game day.

A typical day for a lacrosse player is tiring, but worth it. “It is again time to get in last minute homework and to start looking over scouting reports,” said Sardelli.

“Even when the day seems like it has come to a close, lacrosse is still the number one thing on their mind”.

Men’s volleyball looks ahead after tough losses Eddie Cacioppo Staff Reporter The past two games will serve as a learning experience for the men’s volleyball’s younger squad, as the team suffered two tough loses this week. They fell to #10 Rivier Thursday night and then Juniata on Saturday, dropping them to 7-7 on the season.

“We’ve been on a tough run the past couple weeks with the recent losses,” said senior setter Tim Sadowski. “But we’ve been playing some good volleyball.”

Facing Rivier last Thursday, Sacred Heart had a hard time working from the service line, tallying eight aces compared with 25 errors.

The Pioneers saved five match points while the Raiders faced three before the

Photo courtesy of Sacred Heart Athletic Department

Enzo Mackenzie returns a serve.

final set ended 22-20. Freshman outside hitter Enzo Mackenzie had a team high 18 kills as the Pioneers recorded a .231 hitting percentage on the night.

Sacred Heart began by taking a small lead in a competitive first set as Mike Komlanc hammered home one of his five kills to give the Pioneers a 23-20 edge.

Komlanc finished with a .571 hitting percentage, committing just one attack error in seven attempts.

The Pioneers saved back-to-back Raider set points on kills from Bradley Borsay and Jose Juelle after the game was tied 24-24. Then, a Pioneer serving error followed by an attack error lead to the Raiders to taking the first set, 26-24 and a 1-0 lead in the match.

Sadowski dumped in one of his seven kills to give Sacred Heart its largest lead of the second set at 21-12. Sadowski recorded seven kills on 10 attempts on the night and also dished out a match high 48 assists.

“We’re still trying to get a good team chemistry,” said Sadowski. “It is going to take some time to work everything out with the young team that we have, but the talent is there.”

The teams fought hard and in the end it came down to a fifth and deciding set.

The two sides exchanged challenging shots until a Raider kill made it 21-20 and a Sacred Heart hitting error allowed Rivier to convert on its sixth match point and put the set away, 22-20 giving Rivier the victory.

On the Saturday against the Juniata Eagles, Mackenzie stacked up 20 kills and had a .444 hitting percentage. Senior Craig Harvey recorded a match high 10 kills to

Photo courtesy of Sacred Heart Athletic Department

A member of the men’s volleyball team sets to serve the ball. anchor the Pioneer defense.

In the end the Pioneers dropped all three sets falling to the Eagles 3-0.

Sadowski supplied 36 assists in the loss that was decided at the service line with the Eagles dropping in 10 service aces while the Pioneers only had three and committed 17 service errors, including several at key points in the match.

The Pioneers bore down in the second set, recording a .286 hitting mark as Mackenzie led the way, producing eight kills without making an error.

Juniata then stepped up hitting at a .303 clip and using two 3-0 spurts late in the second set to eventually earn a 25-22 set win.

The second set ended in a similar fashion to the first, a Pioneer serving

error resulted in the Eagles final point.

Sadowski recorded 14 assists in the set while Roger Parent chipped in three kills.

Sacred Heart would not get within four against Juniata, in the third and final set. They did make nine kills and zero errors in the final set.

The match ended on the final service error of the night at 25-20 to extend the Pioneers losing streak to four games.

“As a team, we are getting better throughout the course of the season,” said Sadowski. “We are still in a good position to not only make it to the playoffs, but also to make some noise while we’re there.”

The Pioneer men’s volleyball team plays their next match on the road against Stevens Tech this Friday at 6:00 p.m.

Sports

14

Sixteen ‘sweet’ thoughts from March Madness Ryan Hannable Asst. Sports Editor

The first weekend of the NCAA tournament is in the books, and what a weekend it was. It had buzzer beaters, upsets and great performances that we all have come to expect every March.

Here are 16 thoughts to ponder: 16: Get rid of the extra three play-in games. Keep it traditional and the field of 65, one play-in game is more than enough.

Going with the old saying, “if it’s not broke don’t fix it”.

15: Why would Rick Pitino appear on CBS as an analyst just 48 hours after his team lost a heartbreaker to Morehead State ending their season? Real commitment to his team, right?

14: President Obama is in the 99.9 percent tile in the ESPN.com Tournament

AP Photo

Jimmer Fredette pumps his fist after defeating Gonzaga last weekend.

Challenge. How is your bracket doing?

13: The official that called the fivesecond violation in the Texas-Arizona game against Texas was dead wrong. By many accounts the full five seconds did not pass and the time out call should have been awarded.

12: Also, from that game why didn’t Texas call a time out when they had the ball down by one with nine seconds left?

Instead of a rushed drive to the basket, they could have drawn up a play to get a better look. That is one of my biggest pet peeves when teams leave time outs remaining at the end of games.

11: VCU should have been in the tournament. Many analysts were extremely critical of them making the field, but they certainly have proved that they deserve to be there. Not only are they in the Sweet Sixteen, they have blown out quality teams to get there. Beating both Georgetown and Purdue by 18 points, there is no doubt they should have made the field.

10: Kansas definitely has the easiest road to the Final Four out of the remaining number one seeds. They will not need to face a single digit seed until the Final Four (if they advance that far) 9: The ending to the Pittsburgh-Butler game was the most bizarre ending to an NCAA game I have ever seen. Two fouls over 60 feet from the basket in a span of three seconds? And yes, the referees did the right thing making those calls. A foul is a foul regardless of the time.

8: What was North Carolina forward John Henson thinking during the last five seconds of Sunday’s game? Trying to catch a half-court heave that is clearly going out of bounce, and not catching it, which gave Washington once last shot. Then, trying to interfere with the final shot, which nearly was a goal tending call, that would have

AP Photo

A Syracuse fan in disbelieve as Marquette defeated the Orangemen to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. forced overtime.

7: UConn is for real. Some thought they would struggle after winning five games in five days in winning the Big East tournament, but right now they are one of the favorites to cut down the nets in Houston.

6: Jimmer Fredette is the best player in college basketball. He has put BYU on his back and carried them ever since Brandon Davies was dismissed from the team for violating the school’s honor code.

32 and 34 points in two tournament games, enough said.

5: The new television deal with CBS/ Turner is definitely a good think for the tournament. Being able to watch every game in it’s entirety is a definite plus. No more screaming at the television for CBS to show the ending of a tight game.

4: The West Region is definitely the most intriguing of the four. Having a one, two, three and a five seed still alive makes it even more interesting. No other region

has the top three seeds still alive.

3: Five of the remaining 16 teams are from non BCS conferences. Does this show that there is some parity in college basketball and is no longer all about the major conferences?

2: The Big East was definitely overrated this season. They had 11 teams in the tournament, the most out of any conference and yet only two advanced to the Sweet Sixteen. No excuses for a bad section of the bracket, or a bad day. The Big East was the deepest conference in the country, but not the best.

1: Kansas and Ohio State are playing the best out of all the teams and are on their way to a showdown for the National Championship on April 4.

One can only hope that the next two weekends will be as good as the first one.

Here’s to an exciting remainder of the tournament and great moments that will last a lifetime.

Tennis gets first conference win Ryan Urso Staff Reporter

Saturday the Sacred Heart University men’s tennis team traveled to Mount St. Mary’s and earned their first win against a Northeast Conference opponent, in a 6-1 triumph.

Going into the match junior Chad Sullo was determined to get the Pioneers their first conference victory.

“We all were very focused going into the match since Mount St. Mary’s is a in conference match. We knew we needed to get a win,” said Sullo.

The Pioneers dominated the court in doubles play, sweeping Mount St. Mary’s.

From top to bottom, Sacred Heart was able to control each match.

Seniors Kirill Kasyanov and Nick Mazzarese set the tone of the match in the number one doubles spot with a victory, 9-7.

Kasyanov’s play did not go unnoticed.

“I think our number one Kirill Kasyanov is a player to look out for. He is the current NEC player of the year and should have a good end of the season against the rest of the NEC,” said Sullo.

In number two doubles, seniors Michael Syer and Cole Conrad bested their opponents with a score of 8-3. Sullo and Jacob Miller continued the Pioneer’s domination with another 8-3 win.

The Pioneers took the momentum from their doubles play into their singles matches. Kasyanov won his first set 6-1 and took a 1-0 lead in the second.

Unfortunately for St. Mary’s, Matt Blake

Photo courtesy of Sacred Heart Athletic Department

Senior Chris Ujkic hits a volley. was forced to retire, giving the Pioneers the victory.

In number four singles Conrad earned a victory with a score of 6-0 and 6-1. After losing the first set, Sullo posted an impressive pair of 6-0 sets at number five singles.

Miller finished of the day with 6-2 and 6-3 victories in the number six spot.

After the match the Pioneers were happy with their first win in the NEC, but knew there was room for improvement.

“I think the harder matches we played at the beginning of the year have helped our team prepare, but we still have work a lot of things we need to improve looking forward,” said Sullo.

Overall, this season the Pioneers have posted five wins along with five losses. In conference, they are 1-2.

With their first conference win under their belt, the team hopes to carry over the energy and momentum into the remainder of the season.

The Pioneers travel to New Jersey on Saturday to take on conference opponent Monmouth University at 2 p.m.

March 24, 2011

Sports 15

Record setter sets bar for swim team Blake Campbell Staff Reporter

Senior Katie Marshall excels in and out of the pool

Go out controlled and rely on your legs to finish strong. The words from her coach echoed throughout her mind as Katie Marshall dove head first into the pool for what would be her last race as a Sacred Heart University swimmer.

The result of that race was yet another school record as Marshall continued to add to her impressive resume while wrapping up a successful career at Sacred Heart dash --- one that included several records and championship.

“I’m not one to focus on breaking records when I swim. If I break them, I break them. I think that it’s important that we make a name for our program in the swimming community,” said Marshall.

Marshall began organized swimming at the age of 8. Originally from Cumberland, R.I., she attended High School at St. Mary’s Academy Bay View in Riverside where she had much success as a swimmer. She also swam for the prestigious Blue Fish Swim Club.

“It’s a great swim club that is nationally known. That work ethic started there and with that she’s managed to put the whole thing together,” said Richard Ludeman, head coach for the Sacred Heart swim team.

Marshall won state championships as a freshman and again as a senior in high school. Her junior year, Marshall made second-team all state. She responded her senior year by winning first-team all state, also earning herself a spot on the New England Top 10.

Following her high school success,

Marshall chose to continue her swimming career at Sacred Heart .

“Katie came to us a pretty gifted athlete, but Kate’s the kind of kid who feels good isn’t good enough. It’s always ‘How much better can I be,’” said Ludeman.

Marshall’s swimming times stayed consistent from high school through her first year of college. Understanding her caliber, she felt there was still improvement to be made. Putting her trust in the program, Marshall focused on perfecting her routine.

“I needed to work a little harder on specific aspects of my stroke. I started working more on my technique,” said Marshall. “The training here would eventually work out. I made sure that I was lifting like I was supposed to and that I wasn’t missing any practices.”

Marshall’s hard work started to pay off her junior year when she represented Sacred Heart at the U.S. Senior Nationals in Federal Way, WA, making her the first national qualifier in the program’s history.

“It was a high-end meet. There were a few Olympic swimmers there. It was a great atmosphere,” she said “Everyone there loved to swim and was there because they worked hard and competed. It was a great experience.”

That event proved to be the cornerstone of Marshall’s swimming career as there was nothing but success to follow.

Later on that year, she set the school record for the 100 and 200-fly, winning the NEC 200-fly championship along the way. She was also a part of the record-setting relay team for the 200 and 400-freestyle.

Marshall’s success continued through her senior year. In February, she set the

school record for the 200-fly at the NEC Championship Meet, earning her a spot on the All-NEC team. Her final collegiate competition was at the ECAC championship meet the following week.

“I was a little nervous going into ECAC because we have never done championships back to back. We had NEC’s Thursday-Saturday so we only had Sunday–Wednesday off. Then we flew to Pittsburgh Thursday morning. I was unsure if I was going to drop time again,” said Marshall.

But being the competitor that Marshall is, she was able to overcome those circumstances to cut her time once again, breaking her record for the second consecutive week.

“When I got into the water, I felt good.

I knew I was going around the same time I went the previous weekend and I was jus hoping to place well for the team,” said Marshall. “It was a nice way to close out my college swimming experience.”

Though Marshall has etched her name throughout the Sacred Heart record books with all of her individual accomplishments, her focus remains on the overall betterment of the team.

“Our program is still growing and we’re recruiting well so it is important that I’m helping in that aspect and hopefully growing the team,” said Marshall.

Marshall’s selflessness and overall concern with the growth of the team has helped to shape the future of the Sacred Heart swimming program, her coach said.

Through hard work and dedication, he said Marshall has set an example for her younger teammates that could only lead to more success for the team.

“A lot of those kids look up to her and see what hard work does and how it pays off. She eggs people on and makes them work harder. She’s a real team leader,” said Ludeman.

Marshall acknowledges that she has become somewhat of a role model and embraces the responsibility.

“A lot of the freshmen like to train with me at practice. They try to keep up and to get the same splits that I do.

Hopefully I motivate them get their best times. Hopefully they’ll break my records,” said Marshall.

She will graduate with a major in psychology and a minor in political science.

She’s made the dean’s list most semesters and is in the political science honors society. She’s also in the education program and hopes to have a career teaching.

As for swimming, Marshall plans to continue for as long as she can. She has already qualified for the Winter Nationals and will continue training for a chance to qualify for the Summer Nationals.

“Katie’s work ethic is pure determination. She sets goals for herself and stops at nothing until she achieves those goals,” said Laurie Casado, a junior swimmer who shares the 400-yard medley relay record with Marshall.

Marshall’s coach also recognizes her work ethic and potential to continue her career after college.

“Katie’s work ethic is second to none.

Her college career is over but that doesn’t mean her swimming career is over,” said Ludeman. “There are more things to accomplish. It’s not over yet.”

Baseball opens up conference schedule Pioneers drop three out of four at Monmouth

Jason Trueblood Staff Reporter The Pioneers had completed their southern spring break trip with a 6-6 record.

Highlights of the trip included a marquee win over Mississippi State 8-3.

The Pioneers then returned home to stun the ninth ranked University of Connecticut Huskies.

Sacred Heart began NEC play with a four game weekend series against Monmouth, who was predicted to finish first in the conference.

“Troy Scribner just got touched up in the third, he was pitching well up until that point. Monmouth has a pretty good team though, they were picked at the top of the league,” said Kevin Magoon, a sophomore pitcher for the Pioneers.

Monmouth jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning off of an Ed Martin two run home run.

The Pioneers would battle back and score a run in each of the next three innings, taking the lead 3-2 in the middle of the sixth.

“In those few innings we just got the bat to the ball. It took us a few innings to get use to his pitches and we felt that we started to hit him late in the game,” said Magoon.

Hunter Phillips was the Pioneers player of the game, who had an RBI and then stole home, which gave the Pioneers the lead. Phillips, a junior has recorded five RBI’s this season and has scored six runs himself thus far this season.

The Pioneers rally was short lived after Monmouth blew the game open with a three run sixth inning. The Pioneers dug themselves in a hole allowing two runners to get to base without recording an out.

After another pair of Monmouth hits the Pioneers stopped the bleeding, but not after losing the lead 5-3 in favor of the Owls.

The Pioneers failed to record another run and dropped the first of four contests to the Owls.

“We left nine players on base, we have a lot of young guys still cutting their teeth in division one ball, but we have to capitalize when we got players on base,” said Magoon.

Kody Kerski the right-handed freshman took the mound for the Pioneers for the second game against the owls, but once again the Pioneers fell behind early.

The Owls scored a run in each of the first two innings off the bats of Terry and Jamie Rosenkranz, who scored the winning run for the Owls in the first game. “ Kerski has a lot of potential, he’s our young ace and kind of kept us in the ball game, unfortunately we couldn’t help him out, we had three errors. With a young talented pitcher we can’t afford to make mistakes in the field,” said Magoon.

The game only lasted seven innings, given the D-I rule that there must be one short game for a double header, unfortunately the rule favored Monmouth.

The Pioneers scoring drought continued until the sixth inning when firstbasemen Rob Griffith had a two run shot pulling the Pioneers even with the Owls at

two runs a piece.

“We went with Kerski into the last inning, he was a freshman and we didn’t support him, we had two errors,” said Magoon.

The Pioneers recorded two outs, but the Owls were able to take advantage of two costly errors that Sacred Heart committed.

After the first error the Owls capitalized, he scored another run off the very next at bat. The Pioneers then made the decision to give the freshman a rest and bring in senior reliever Matt Fitton.

Yet with a change in pitching the Pioneers committed another error posting the score two to five heading into the final inning.

The Pioneers failed to record a hit in the final three innings, as they drop the second game to the Owls 5-2.

The third contest between the two teams was all too similar to the first two.

The Pioneers fell behind in the second inning only to pull even with the Owls sending the game into extra innings.

“Our guys were playing a solid game, there were a lot of hits and we were really competing,” said Magoon.

The game lasted over three hours, going into twelve innings, with a hit total of 27, but unfortunately the Pioneers would once again fall to the Owls.

“Nick Leiningen and Mike Korevec had played well, they each pitched five plus innings and it was our offense that lacked a little in this game,” said Magoon.

The Owls took little time in the bottom of the twelfth inning to score their

fourth run, with an RBI coming from the second batter ending the game.

The Pioneers had now dropped three in a row to the preseason NEC number one team Monmouth.

The final game for the Pioneers was their bright spot as they capped off the series with yet another thriller, ousting Monmouth 5-2 in eleven innings.

“John Hermanson came in and pitched well and that was the key to this win. The game went into extra innings and our bullpen really stepped up to give us this win,” said Magoon.

The Pioneers rotated between three different pitchers, Chris Dionisio, Hermanson and MJ Schifano who only gave up two runs.

In the eleventh inning the Pioneers scored three runs taking the lead 5-2.

In the bottom of the eleventh the Owls attempted to start a two out rally with a single, but failed to get any more runners on base as the Pioneers prevailed 5-2 in the final game of the four game series.

“In conference you have to find a way to win the close games, we host Maine and then Long Island University this upcoming week and we think that we can win every single one of them,” said Magoon.

The Pioneers game against the Maine Blackbears originally scheduled for today (March 24) was postponed.

They will host Long Island University in a four game series this weekend. With one game on Friday, a double-header Saturday and the series finale on Sunday.

Sports The Spectrum

http://www.sacredheartspectrum.com

Pioneers fall to Holy Cross, eyes still on conference title

BIG GIRLS, DON’T CRY Senior midfielder Jessica Ingrilli (#11) advances down field in last weekends loss to Holy Cross.

The Spectrum/Sean Elliott