Sports
B-1
Baseball falls in PSAC opener
The Rocket www.theonlinerocket.com
Friday, May 10, 2013
Slippery Rock University Student Newspaper
Est. 1934
Volume 96, Number 25
SGA swears in newly elected president President Norton welcomes senate By Kevin Squires Rocket Contributor
Rogers Clements was officially sworn in on Monday as the Student Government Association President for the 2013-2014 year. The executive officers and new senators for next year were sworn in as well. Meagan Black was appointed as the parliamentarian. Dr. Pease-Hernandez was approved as the faculty advisor for next year. Senator Courtney Lee was elected as the Speaker for the Senate. “I really want us as a whole to worry about what our constituents need,” Lee explained. “I want to hear what you [the Senate] have to say because that’s what I feel the Speaker should be.” James Garrity, Alex Merida, and Baylee Childress were elected to the Board of Cooperative Activities for 2012-2013 year. President Cheryl J. Norton was in attendance for the meeting, thanking the new board for taking on the leadership and responsibility of the position. “Together, I know we can all make a difference,” Norton said. It was Norton’s first time attending an SGA meeting and she said she was happy to have selected this one to attend. She thanked the previous members for their support of her and encouraged PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVEN ZAMBORSKY
SEE THREE, PAGE A-3
Rodgers Clements (on the right) swears in his executive board. The board (from left) consists of Vice President of Internal Affairs Dustin Norcross, Vice President of Campus Outreach Anthony Plumberg, and Vice President of Student Affairs Megan Burr, and Vice President of Financial Affairs Abby Schon (not pictured).
Country duo Thompson Square rocks spring concert at SRU
Hertz rental cars likely to be available to students next year By Catie Clark Assistant News Editor
Hertz on Demand, a rental car service, was approved by the Student Government Association Monday evening. The service will allow students to rent cars hourly or daily by reserving them online. According to Ben Motyl, outgoing Vice President of Financial Affairs, a contract with Hertz hasn’t yet been finalized. “We are approved for a one-year contract as a trial run,” Motyl said. “The only condition is that there cannot be any extra fees charged to SGA by Hertz.” Motyl said the projected cost for students will be $8.50 an hour or $68 a day. “Students will be able to sign up for time slots online,” Motyl said.
A question many students have is how insurance will be affected, and the minimum age required to rent the cars. At standard car rental agencies, the minimum age is 25. “The minimum age to rent the cars is 18 with Hertz on Demand,” Motyl said. “Hertz is the insurer on the cars, so the student’s personal insurance isn’t liable for anything. The student would only pay $250 maximum if he/she were in an accident.” According to the Hertz on Demand 24/7 Website, Hertz On Demand 24/7 is the convenience of renting a car by the hour or day. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – with fuel and insurance included. Drivers can create a profile online or download the iPhone app and receive SEE NEW, PAGE A-2
Students question meal plan requirements By Jonathan Janasik which has made the to run without requiring Rocket News Editor
ALEX MOWREY/THE ROCKET
Shawna and Keifer Thompson of Thompson Square preformed in the ARC Sunday evening. They were featured along with country star Justin Moore. See C-1 for more information.
Scan the QR to see an interview with the band.
All students who live on campus at Slippery Rock University are required to purchase a meal plan that costs anywhere from about $1,600 to $1,800 per semester. Because of this, it’s common for students to ask why it is a requirement. According to an article written by Jim Parsons f r o m W TA E n e w s , Slippery Rock University is one of the universities
most revenue from their meal plans. It stated that the university has made almost $4.5 million since 2008 through rebates, profit-sharing and other incentives. Vi ce Pres i dent for Stu d e nt A f f ai r s D r. Constance Foley explained that there are a few reasons why meal plans are required for all students who live on campus. “Financially, we can’t run the programs we want
students to have a meal plan,” Foley explained. Foley said that the other main reason why meal plans are required for on campus students is because it helps students transition from transition from high school to college. “When they come to college, they don’t have to worry about themselves,” Foley explained. “They SEE SCHOOL, PAGE A-3
News
A-2 7-DAY FORECAST FOR SLIPPERY ROCK
May 10, 2013
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
Showers and a heavier t-storm
Spotty showers in the morning
Chance of an afternoon shower
Partly sunny and cool
Partial sunshine
Periods of clouds and sunshine
Periods of rain
52°
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64°
36°
52°
REAL FEAL TEMPERATURE
®
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The patented AccuWeather.com RealFeel Temperature is an exclusive index of effective temperature based on eight weather factors. Shown are the highest and lowest values for each day.
REGIONAL CITIES CITY Akron Allentown Altoona Cleveland Erie Harrisburg Indiana Johnstown Philadelphia Pittsburgh Scranton State College Wheeling Williamsport Youngstown
Friday HI LO W 68 50 t 80 61 t 76 57 t 66 47 t 65 49 t 82 60 t 74 55 t 70 52 t 82 64 t 76 58 t 77 60 t 76 58 t 72 55 t 78 59 t 68 51 t
Saturday HI LO W 66 39 c 74 50 t 68 42 t 64 40 pc 60 41 c 72 46 t 64 40 t 64 39 t 76 55 t 66 42 t 66 43 t 68 45 t 68 41 t 68 45 t 66 38 c
Sunday HI LO W 53 33 pc 66 38 pc 58 32 pc 51 36 pc 50 37 pc 64 38 pc 55 30 pc 51 30 pc 70 46 pc 56 34 pc 60 33 pc 58 34 pc 56 31 pc 63 33 pc 52 29 pc
29°
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UV INDEX
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Tuesday HI LO W 67 53 pc 64 44 pc 64 48 pc 67 53 pc 61 49 pc 66 49 pc 65 48 pc 60 48 pc 64 52 pc 70 50 pc 62 46 pc 62 46 pc 69 51 pc 65 47 pc 68 52 pc
On Friday May 10, two days before Mother's Day, Shannon's Kandy Kitchen will be selling homemade chocolates on the second floor of the Robert M. Smith Student Center from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. All chocolate will be available for less than $10. Cash will be the only method of payment accepted.
Jump for Miranda Skydiving Charity Event Saturday, June 1 at Skydive Pennsylvania in Grove City, PA, the Make-A-Wish Foundation will be holding a charity event. Money spent on skydiving will go to the foundation. People who are not interested in jumping are also invited to come. There will be music, games, food, drinks, and a 50/50 landing pad raffle. Space is limited, to make reservations, email Mx3fundraiser@yahoo.com or call 412-849-4771. Tandem jumps cost $239 per person, and reservations require a $35 deposit.
Last Issue of The Rocket This is the last issue of The Rocket for the semester. The Rocket will resume printing in the fall.
To submit a Rock Note please send your announcement by 6 p.m. Wednesday to Jonathan Janasik at jtj9529@sru.edu or to rocket.news@sru.edu. The Rocket does not guarantee that all requests will be published in the paper.
Index
Newsroom: (724) 738-4438 Advertising: (724) 738-2643 Fax: (724) 738-4896 Email: rocket.letters@sru.edu
Opinion...............A-8 Sports...................B-1 Campus Life.............C-1 Comics.....................C-5
220 Eisenberg Building Slippery Rock University Slippery Rock, PA 16057
2012 Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper Society of Professional Journalists: Region 4
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Wednesday HI LO W 72 54 pc 70 53 pc 74 53 pc 73 57 t 68 55 t 73 56 pc 73 54 pc 71 55 pc 72 56 pc 76 56 pc 67 51 t 72 55 pc 76 56 pc 69 53 pc 75 55 pc
Chocolates for Mom
contact us
73°
Sun
The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index™ number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection. 0-2 Low; 3-5 Moderate; 6-7 High; 8-10 Very High; 11+ Extreme.
Monday HI LO W 53 35 pc 59 35 pc 52 29 pc 51 40 pc 48 38 pc 59 35 pc 51 27 c 47 30 c 60 43 pc 54 34 pc 55 33 pc 53 33 pc 54 32 pc 59 33 pc 51 30 pc
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IN THE SKY
ROCK NOTES
Rock Notes...............A-2 Weather map...........A-2 Blotter.................A-3 Photo Page ...............A-6
66°
Thursday HI LO W 70 54 sh 73 54 c 72 52 t 69 61 r 67 59 sh 77 55 t 71 56 r 69 49 r 77 59 c 71 55 t 75 55 c 75 53 r 73 54 t 78 54 c 70 53 r
Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
Moon
Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
Rise 6:07 a.m. 6:06 a.m. 6:05 a.m. 6:04 a.m. 6:03 a.m. 6:02 a.m. 6:01 a.m. Rise 6:30 a.m. 7:12 a.m. 7:58 a.m. 8:48 a.m. 9:41 a.m. 10:37 a.m. 11:34 a.m.
MOON PHASES
Set 8:26 p.m. 8:27 p.m. 8:28 p.m. 8:29 p.m. 8:30 p.m. 8:31 p.m. 8:32 p.m. Set 9:15 p.m. 10:07 p.m. 10:55 p.m. 11:38 p.m. none 12:17 a.m. 12:52 a.m.
First
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Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2013
NATIONAL FORECAST FOR THE WEEK TEMPERATURES
Above Near Below Normal Normal Normal
PRECIPITATION
Above Near Below Normal Normal Normal
National Summary: A cold front pushing through the East and Gulf Coast states will fuel showers and thunderstorms out ahead of it Saturday. Showers will linger into the central Rockies. Another cold front wil spark spotty thunderstorms in the mid-Mississippi Valley with showers in the Great Lakes. The cold front along the Gulf Coast will linger with showers and storms as the second cold front reaches the Northeast as showers on Mother’s Day. Rain will return to the Pacific Northwest Coast. Monday showers will linger across northern New England while the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies will kick start the work week wet. Florida and southern Texas will have thunderstorms late Monday.
NATIONAL CITIES
Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursda CITY HI LO W HI LO W HI LO W HI LO W HI LO W HI LO W HI LO W Atlanta 82 64 pc 80 59 t 75 49 pc 72 50 pc 76 55 s 80 60 s 78 60 Boston 71 57 pc 70 54 sh 67 45 c 60 43 pc 60 48 s 67 52 pc 64 58 Chicago 56 42 pc 63 40 pc 58 38 pc 62 48 s 76 57 pc 77 55 t 71 56 Cincinnati 74 53 t 68 40 pc 61 36 s 61 38 pc 73 56 pc 80 57 pc 75 58 Dallas 79 60 t 78 55 pc 82 59 pc 86 63 s 86 65 pc 82 67 t 84 66 Denver 66 43 t 70 47 pc 78 52 pc 88 56 s 88 55 t 74 46 pc 78 55 p Detroit 63 45 r 66 39 pc 54 33 pc 58 43 pc 71 58 pc 77 58 t 72 58 s Houston 84 66 t 78 61 r 80 58 c 81 62 s 83 64 pc 85 66 pc 85 67 Indianapolis 66 48 t 68 39 pc 58 34 s 62 46 s 73 59 pc 79 58 pc 74 59 Kansas City 66 49 pc 68 42 pc 66 44 s 73 59 s 82 65 s 78 58 pc 77 63 p Los Angeles 75 58 pc 80 60 pc 85 62 pc 84 62 pc 82 58 pc 76 61 pc 74 59 p Miami 87 74 s 87 75 s 88 73 s 89 72 t 85 71 s 84 71 pc 85 73 Nashville 74 60 t 72 50 t 66 43 s 66 42 pc 77 53 s 81 60 pc 76 58 New Orleans 81 68 pc 79 64 r 82 61 c 82 61 s 82 61 s 83 67 s 82 67 s New York City 78 61 t 74 55 sh 69 46 pc 61 44 pc 64 50 pc 66 52 t 74 58 Orlando 90 68 s 90 67 t 90 68 t 88 64 pc 83 62 s 86 63 s 86 66 Phoenix 91 72 s 96 76 s 100 78 s 103 79 s 103 77 pc 99 76 s 104 74 San Francisco 63 50 pc 68 54 pc 69 54 pc 67 50 pc 66 51 pc 68 52 s 68 54 Seattle 82 54 s 77 57 pc 67 52 r 64 47 sh 65 45 s 64 49 s 68 48 Washington, DC 83 66 t 78 56 t 70 46 pc 64 43 pc 67 54 pc 78 62 pc 79 63 Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.
Rocket wins 34 regional and national awards The Rocket has been recognized with 34 awards from five regional and national journalism associations for work done by its editors and contributors in 2012-13. The Rocket was one of three newspapers nationwide to be named Most Outstanding University Newspaper for 2012-13 by the American Scholastic Press Association. The Society of Professional Journalists named The Rocket the Best All-Around Non Daily Newspaper (Medium) in their 4th region. The Society for Collegiate Journalists awarded The Rocket an Honorable Mention for Overall Newspaper Excellence (weekly or less). The Rocket’s website was also given a Third Place designation by the Society for Collegiate Journalists and was given an Honorable Mention award by the Pennsylvania News Media Association. Rocket Photo Editor Alex Mowrey received 17 regional and national individual prizes including two First Place National awards and one National Finalist award from the Society of Professional Journalists and two nationwide awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. Overall, Rocket staffers and contributors received 29 individual awards in the categories of writing, design, photography and multimedia production. “The unprecedented recognition of the work done by The Rocket editors and contributors this year is a testament to their hard work and commitment to collegiate journalism,” said Rocket Adviser and Associate Professor Mark Zeltner. Following is a list of awards won by The Rocket in 2012-13: Society for Collegiate Journalists Newspaper Overall Excellence (weekly or less): Honorable Mention: The Rocket Companion Newspaper Website: Third Place: theonlinerocket.com Front Page Design: Second Place: “3-2-12” by Courtney Nickle Editorial Page Design: First Place: “3-23-12” by Courtney Nickle News Page Design: Second Place: “Presidential Campaign” by Will DeShong Photo Essay: First Place: “Year in Sports” by Alex Mowrey News Stories: Second Place: “Student jumps out window to evade fire” by Jon Janasik Editorials: First Place: Will DeShong Continuing News Coverage: Third Place: “APSCUF prepares for strike authorization vote” by Jon Janasik, Sports News: Second Place: “One & Done” by Madeline Williams Sports Feature: Honorable Mention: “Junior Twirler” by Tim Durr News Photography: Honorable Mention: “Humans
vs. Zombies” by Alex Mowrey Feature Photography Third Place: “Getting Inked” by Alex Mowrey Editorial Cartoons: First Place: Emily Schubert Graphic Illustration: Second Place: “New weapons policy” by Emily Schubert Multimedia Sports Story: Second Place: “Frame by frame victory” by Alex Mowrey Photo Slideshow: Second Place: “Mac Miller Concert” by Alex Mowrey Third Place: “SRU vs. Univ. of Michigan” by Alex Mowrey Society of Professional Journalists: Nationwide Breaking News Photography (Medium): First Place: “A Son Remembered” by Alex Mowrey Sports Photography (Medium) First Place: “The Catch” by Alex Mowrey Feature Photography (Medium) Nationwide Finalist: “Country Must Be Country Wide” by Alex Mowrey Society of Professional Journalists: Region 4 Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper (Medium) First Place: The Rocket Breaking News Photography (Medium) First Place: “A Son Remembered” by Alex Mowrey Feature Photography (Medium) First Place: “Country Must Be Country Wide” by Alex Mowrey Sports Photography (Medium) First Place: “The Catch” by Alex Mowrey American Scholastic Press Association Most Outstanding University Newspaper for 201213 First Place with Special Merit Award: The Rocket Pennsylvania News Media Association: Keystones Review Honorable Mention: “Sum 41’s Anniversary Tour” by Will DeShong Feature Photo First Place: “Finally Famous” by Alex Mowrey News Photo Honorable Mention: “A son remembered” Alex Mowrey Photo Story Second Place: “A year in Rock athletics” by Alex Mowrey Website Honorable Mention: theonlinerocket.com by James Intile Columbia Scholastic Press Association Single feature photograph Second Place: "Finally Famous" by Alex Mowrey Photo layout: Two or more pages Certificate of Merit "Rock around the world” by Alex Mowrey and Lexi Kovski
New vehicles would offer students additional travel options Continued from Page A-1
a vehicle access device by mail or pick one up at the local Hertz location, in Grove City. Students will also be able to enjoy 24/7 access to two different vehicles on campus by making a reservation online or on a mobile device. The vehicles, most likely to be mini-vans or SUVs will be parked at the Smith Student Center. Motyl isn’t concerned with students abusing the cars, and thinks they will be an asset to campus organizations for travel.
“I think it could be a possibility [of student’s abusing the vehicles], but I don’t think that will happen because they have to pay hourly fee,” Motyl said. Organizations can still be reimbursed via the Board of Cooperative activities for up to 45 cents a mile if it is in their budget. After reser ving a Hertz On Demand car, the access card or key fob will arrive within 5-7 days after creating a profile online or by using our iPhone app. Once a profile has been completed, the driver
will receive a confirmation email notifying you that your vehicle access device is on its way and can expect its arrival by mail within 5-7 days. D r ive rs m ay a l s o v i s it a participating Hertz 24/7 location to pick up an access card or key fob in-store. Overall, Motyl is in favor of the service coming to campus. “I think it is a good service, and a very affordable option for students and organizations alike,” Motyl said.
News
May 10, 2013
A-3
Police Blotter when an officer observed an individual urinating by at the water tower.
Campus May 2 – There was a report of harassing phone calls. The case was forwarded to judicial. May 2 – There was a report of vehicle damage at East Lake. The case is under investigation. May 2 – There was a report of physical assault at Building B. The incident is being handled by the Slippery Rock Borough Police Department. May 3 – Jared Bonaminio, 19, and Tyler Painter, 19, were issued with underage citations
May 4 – There was a reported brush fire at the Ski Lodge. It was extinguished by officers and the fire department also responded. May 4 – A reported alcohol violation at Building A. The incident was referred to student conduct. May 5 – A reported traffic incident occurred in the Smith Commuter Lot. A vehicle struck a light pole and no injuries occurred.
May 5 – There was a reported theft of a musical instrument at Swope Music Hall. The case is under investigation. May 5 – Pennsylvania State Police requested assistance on a fight call. The Pennsylvania State Police are handling the issue and the individual is in custody. May 5 – Jessica Frosztega, 22, was cited for public drunkenness after an alcohol violation was reported at the Abersold Recreation Center.
simple assault, disorderly conduct, and public drunkenness after a report of an individual displaying a handgun at the East Lake Lot. The firearm was confiscated and the individual was taken into custody. May 7 – There was a report of vehicle damage at the Police Station. The case is under investigation. May 7 – There was a reported theft of a wallet at Bailey Library. The case is under investigation.
May 5 – Benjamin Hogg, 22, was cited for reckless endangerment of another person,
Compiled by Kevin Squires
New Sheetz designed to cut down on traffic, decrease accidents By Kelsey Reese Rocket Contributor
Since 2011, there has been much buzz about the possibility of a new Sheetz Convenience Retail Store and Automotive Fuel Sales Facility, being built in Slippery Rock area. Many have thought of what it would look like, if it would be a bigger success than the current Sheetz in Slippery Rock, and how the Sheetz will impact traffic flow in the area. The new Sheetz, which will sit at the corner North/ South Main Street (SR 0208/SR 0173), and New Castle Street/Franklin Street (SR 0108), will encompass approximately 6,900 square feet, with a lot encompassing a total of 89,000 square feet. Because this is an already busy traffic area, the Slippery Rock Borough teamed up with David E. Wooster and Associates, Inc., to perform a transportation impact study to determine how much the Sheetz would impact traffic in that area. Slippery Rock Borough Plans Examiner and Building Official, Robert Koch, explained the main reason why Slippery Rock decided to perform the study. “The borough wanted to perform the study to try to reduce the accident rate in the area, and make things safer,” Koch said. “The traffic volume in the area will become lot greater than it is now.” A scooping meeting was held on May 26, 2011, to discuss the traffic study. Attendees included representatives of the PennDOT District 10-0, the Slippery Rock Borough, Sheetz Inc., and Wooster Inc. The study initially focused on car crashes in the area. The study pinpointed on the intersections of North/South Main Street and New Castle Street/ Franklin Street, Franklin Street and School Drive, North Main Street and East/West Water Street, and East/West Water Street and School Drive/Private
Drive. Out of the four intersections examined, the most accidents, a total of six, which occurred between Jan. 1, 2006, and Dec. 10, 2010, happened at the North/South Main Street and New Castle Street/ Franklin Street intersection, the exact location of the new Sheetz. To reduce the risk of accidents in the area, there will no longer be any parking in the street, where parking is currently available. Even though parking will be removed along the street, sidewalks will still remain and new sidewalks around the perimeter of the Sheetz will be constructed so the area is safe for pedestrians. Along with the removal of parking, both School Drive, between Legion Street and Franklin Street and Legion Drive, along North Main Street will be vacated due to the size of the lot of the Sheetz. The total roadway area to be vacated is approximately 7,900 square feet. Due to the predicted increase of traffic volume in the area, the design of the Sheetz lot was heavily taken into consideration. The parking lot will include three different full access driveways. One of the driveways is proposed to be let out onto Franklin Street, at the current location of School Drive. Another full access driveway will be located along North Main Street, north of it’s intersection with Franklin Street. A rightin, right-out driveway is also proposed to be located along North Main Street. One issue that may occur while entering the rightin driveway, is the location of the fueling stations. Because they are located towards the front of the lot, this may cause traffic to become backed up, holding up traffic on North Main Street. Even though a traffic backup could be a possibility, the eight fueling stations were placed at the front of the lot specifically for easy maneuverability by costumers that are driving a vehicle. The Sheetz convince store will sit at the rear end of the lot. This
Three new organizations approved by SGA Continued from Page A-1
those graduating to return to Slippery Rock. In a d d it i on t o t h e leadership transition, SGA attended to many regular business items. The Student Government Association passed a motion to purchase a sign for the SGA Pavilion for up to $1,800 this Monday. The motion was tabled at the last meeting because when purchasing an item costing over $500, SGA requires three bids from outside producers. SGA President Dave Wolfe explained that the bid presented had already been put out by the University and was the lowest offer. The money will come out of the budgetary reserves. “It’s just a nice touch to add to get it recognized as the SGA Pavilion.” Wolfe added. Rental cars from “Hertz” car rental were approved to be brought to campus starting in the fall. “It’s very similar to a
zip car,” SRSGA Business Manager Cathy George explained, adding that there would be no membership fee for students. Future SGA President Robert Clements said he felt it would be a “great service for students.” The idea is that the cars could be used for any students needs or could be utilized by a club or organization if needed. Students wishing to rent out the car would need to pay either an hourly fee or a half or full day charge. George explained that the cars would be signed out by signing up online and the costs would cover “the gas, the car, the insurance, everything.” The car rental service will be provided at no cost to the Student Government Association for a trial period. SOAR, the Knitting and Crocheting Club, and the Chess Club were all new organizations approved by SGA. SOAR stands for Students
for Outdoor Activities and Recreation, an organization seeking to bring together all of the outdoor and re c re at i on a l a c t i v it i e s together and hold social events and activities for all students at the ski lodge and on-campus. The Knitting and Crocheting Club will be an organization for people to who knit and crochet or wish to learn to do so to have the opportunity to grow and develop their skills. The Chess Club was described by Ben Zeiger, founder of Chess Club, as a club about “playing chess” Zeiger wants to put Slippery Rock on the chess playing map. The group is open to anyone who wants to learn to play chess. The group also plans to look into “laser chess.” The first SGA meeting of the fall semester will be Monday, August 26 at 8:45 p.m. in the theater of the Robert M. Smith Student Center.
Check out the Rocket's latest online videos! Scan the QR codes to the left to view video of an interview with the country singers from Thompson Square, as well as videos of UPB's Kickoff to Summer event and Concert Band.
placement will allow for those who chose to walk to the Sheetz, to avoid any pedestrian, vehicle conflicts. Ryan Bauder, the assistant manager at the current Sheetz, said that the news Sheetz will be a lot more convent for drivers. “I don’t think the location of the new Sheetz will cause any traffic problems whatsoever,” Bauder said. “The location is more convenient, and the parking lot will be much easier to drive through because it will be pretty big.” The study also focused on the annual traffic growth rate in the area, and how that could increase the traffic around the new Sheetz. The traffic growth rate in the area is approximately 1.58 percent per year, showing that the traffic volume around the location of the Sheetz may increase, due to a growth in annual traffic in the area. Not only did the study focus on the traffic in the area for the new Sheetz, it also focused on the traffic around the current Sheetz, located at the corner of North Main Street and East/West Cooper Street. This helped predict how busy the traffic around the new Sheetz would be, based on the store and gas station itself, and not just the location. The current Sheetz, sits on a much smaller lot, with a smaller convenience store, and only four fueling stations. Due to the size of the lot, there isn’t much room for vehicles to maneuver around, and there is limited parking. Even though the new Sheetz may be located at a more congested area, a lot of the issues within the lot will be avoided, due to it’s size. Slippery Rock University student, Matt Pleso, believes that the new Sheetz won’t cause any major traffic problems due to it’s location. “I think that it won't cause any more traffic problems than what the current Sheetz causes with backing up traffic and with it's tiny parking lot,” Pleso said. “I think it will really be a nice thing to have in town.”
School stands behind meal plan regulations, but open to new ideas Continued from Page A-1
can focus on their academics.” Another reason why meal plans are required according to Foley is that there are very few facilities in the residence halls for students to be able to cook. Foley explained the contract with AVI in greater detail. She stated that every year AVI is given the same amount of money that they got last year plus about 3 percent because of the consumer price index. Because the university has to pay AVI an additional 3 percent, the cost of meal plans for students increases by 3 percent every year. Every once in a while, the university decides to completely change the types of meal plans offered. For example, when the new restraunts in Wiesnfluh and the Robert M. Smith Student center opened, more meal plans were developed with additional flex dollars. Another notable part of the contract with AVI is that they give 25 free meal plans to the universities
administrators in the form of meal cards. According to Foley, this is a common practice with all but 2 schools in the PASSHE system having similar incentives. Foley states that there are many reasons why these meal cards are beneficial to the university. She states that it is supposed to create a sense of community by allowing students to eat with the administrators. It also allows the administrators to see what AVI is doing, and it allows them to give direct feedback about the service. President Cheyrl J. Norton stated that she has only used her meal card three times this year, so she is looking into what else could be done with the cards. “I’ve looked into what are sister institutions have done,” Norton said. “Some of them have taken these meal cards and given them as part of need based grants to students who need additional support. So were looking into if we could do that, because I think that would be a great idea.”
News New Rocket staff has big expectations for next year A-4
May 10, 2013
By Haley Barnes
2013-14 Rocket Staff
Rocket Contributor
The Rocket will enter next school year with a new staff motivated to continue the success the paper has gained over the years. During the month of April, The Rocket held interviews for the new staff of the 2013 fall semester. The Rocket was looking for new ideas and fresh faces and minds to keep up with the prestigious reputation of the award winning school paper. Will DeShong is the exiting editor in chief of The Rocket. DeShong is a senior Journalism major who plans to attend graduate school at Point Park University of Pittsburgh after graduating from Slippery Rock. He is optimistic that the new staff will be able to continue to find success next year. "I think the new Rocket staff will find great success in the upcoming year. Each of the retuning staff members are very talented what they do, and I have confidence that the new faces will be able to fill in nicely," DeShong said. DeShong is also confident that the new staff will bring a mix of skill to the paper. "There is a perfect mix of returning faces that know the positions and of new staff members that will bring new ideas into the mix," DeShong said. With the exploding rise in social media, The Rocket has to keep up with the trends in order to keep weekly readers. The Rocket has already incorporated an online paper, Facebook, and Twitter into news sources for Slippery Rock, but as technology is becoming a true mass medium, the demand for something new is always happening. Catie Clark, a junior public relations
Editor-in-Chief Catie Clark News Editor Jon Janasik Assistant News Editor Kevin Squires Sports Editor Madeline Williams Assistant Sports Editor Kristin Karam Campus Life Editor Rebecca Marcucci Assistant Campus Life Editor Stephanie Cheek Photo Editor Alex Mowrey
ZACH DORNICHE /THE ROCKET
The 2013-14 Rocket staff from left to right in the top row: Jonathan Janasik, Kevin Squires, Kristin Karam, Rebecca Marcucci, Stephanie Cheek, Madeline Williams, and Alex Mowrey. From the left to right in the bottom row: Alyssa Cirincione, Catie Clark, and Mary Leach. Tyler Painter, Todd Hart, and Karleigh Santry are not pictured.
major, is the new editor-in-chief of the paper. Her plans for the paper focus heavily on increasing the online presence of the Rocket. "We're really looking to amp social media and break away from the weekly news cycle,” Clark said. The Rocket is really looking to start letting readers know about news the second it happens as opposed to finding out in the paper on Friday. Two new staff positions were created with the sole focus of increasing social media and web presence. "The Web/Social Media Editor
position will certainly help keep the Rocket engaged throughout the week," DeShong said. "And the Multimedia reporter will certainly put a bigger emphasis on web-only content." Clark made it quite clear that The Rocket has won 34 awards this year and they are really looking to keeping that recognition while adapting to new trends. "We are hoping to continue our legacy next year, and improve by becoming more social media savvy. Our new positions will help with that."
Textbook Title
Author
Assistant Photo Editor Tyler Painter Web Editor Todd Hart Multimedia Producer Alyssa Cirincione Copy Editor Mary Leach Advertising Manager Karleigh Santry
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May 10, 2013
A-5
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May 10
2012 - 2013 Photo by: Emily Shubert
C A U G H T
0, 2013
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Photo by: Lauren Bonando
ON
F I L M
Top row: (Left to right) Mac Miller squats down to express the emotion in his next song. Junior Alexander Merida hoses down runners after the mud run. President Cheryl J. Norton embraces students after her inauguration. Bottom row: (Left to right) Coach George Mihalik high-fives the cheerleaders after a big game. Country artist Justin Moore performs in the ARC during the spring concert. Members of the band march down Main Street during the Homecoming parade. All other photos by: Alex Mowrey
The Rocket
OPINION
A-8
May 10, 2013
The Rocket
Our View
Volume 96, Number 23 220 Eisenberg Classroom Building Slippery Rock University Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania 16057 Phone: (724) 738-4438 Fax: (724) 738-4896 E-mail: rocket.letters@sru.edu
Editorial Board Will DeShong Editor-in-Chief Jon Janasik News Editor Andy Treese Campus Life Editor Madeline Williams Sports Editor Alex Mowrey Photo Editor Stephanie Holsinger Copy Editor James Intile Web Editor Catie Clark Assistant News Editor Rebecca Marcucci Assistant Campus Life Editor Kristin Karam Assistant Sports Editor Emily Schubert Assistant Photo Editor Erica Kurvach News Reporter Mark Zeltner Faculty Adviser
Advertising Staff Zach Dornisch Advertising Manager Karleigh Santry Advertising Manager
About Us The Rocket is published by the students of Slippery Rock University every Friday during the academic semester with the exception of holidays, exam periods and vacations. Total weekly circulation is 3,000. No material appearing in The Rocket may be reprinted without the written consent of the Editor-in-Chief. The first copy of The Rocket is provided free of charge. Additional copies may be purchased for 50 cents each. The Rocket receives approximately five percent of its funding from the SGA General Service fee paid each semester by students. All other income is provided through the sale of advertising. Advertising inquiries may be made by calling (724) 738-2643 or by e-mailing rocket.ads@sru.edu.
Corrections If we make a substantial error, we want to correct it. If you believe an error has been made, call The Rocket newsroom at (724) 738-4438. If a correction is warranted it will be printed in the opinion section.
Subscriptions Subscriptions to The Rocket are available. Subscriptions are $20 per academic semester and $35 for the full academic year. Inquiries should be directed to the Editorin-Chief at the address listed here.
GRAPHIC BY EMILY SCHUBERT
AVI profiting from unused student meals It’s common knowledge that all students who live in campus housing must purchase a meal plan. The distributor of such meal plans is a company known as AVI Fresh. As part of AVI’s policy for meal plans, any unused meals will be lost at the end of the week. Traditionally, students try and use outlets such as Boozel Express to use up unused meal. But what happens to those meals that go unused? Ultimately, AVI just makes money from students who don’t eat all of their meals in a week. While it is important to realize that students can pick what meal plans they want to sign up for, there is another piece to that puzzle.
AVI only offers meal plans of certain sizes. So no matter what, every student who lives in a residence hall has to purchase meals in some way, shape, or form. Students pay for these meals in semesterly packages. Meal plans often also include flex dollars, which are available for use until the end of each academic year. Within the past five years, AVI has made over $4.5 million from SRU students. How many of these dollars have come from unused meals? It’s hard to say. Because many students don’t use all of their meals each and every week, and even more don’t use all of their flex dollars by the end of the year, this money goes to and stays with the AVI
company. One could venture to say the the majority of the profit margin comes from student dollars. But when it comes to earning a profit, it’s pretty obvious that more money can be made when you’re not actually giving out a product and still getting paid as if you were. It’s basically a gold mine. We should all consider going into the food business if this is the case at every college campus. The real controversy lies with the students, however. Many students believe it is unfair that they are required to have a meal plan if they live on campus. There could be an easy solution to this problem, one in which other universities, such as the University of Pittsburgh
In the Quad In the Quad is a segment in which random students, faculty and staff are asked for their opinions on a specific topic.
already utilize. Instead of marketing meals as weekly packages, they could be marketed as entire semesters. It might require students to do math if they have 150 meals to use in a semester, but it will ultimately save them money if they can use them week after week instead of worrying about hitting weekly balances. Another nuisance to students is having to switch their packages every semester. AVI automatically gives students 15 meals per week, every semester. If students want more or less meals, they have to fill out paperwork to get that changed. In carrying over meal plans from semester to semester, AVI would be helping out students a lot.
This week’s question: Do you think it’s fair that students who live in campus housing have to purchase meal plans?
Editorial Policy The Rocket strives to present a diverse range of opinions that are both fair and accurate in its editorials and columns appearing on the Opinion pages. “Our View” is the opinion of the Editorial Board and is written by Rocket editorial board members. It reflects the majority opinion of The Rocket Editorial Board. “Our View” does not necessarily reflect the views of Slippery Rock University, its employees or its student body. Columns and cartoons are drafted by various individuals and only reflect the opinions of the columnists.
Letters Policy The Rocket welcomes letters to the editor and guest columns, but does not guarantee their publication. The Rocket retains the right to edit or reject any material submitted. Submitted material becomes the property of The Rocket and cannot be returned. Anonymous submissions will not be published. Those who submit letters must identify themselves by name, year in school, major and/or group affiliation, if any. Please limit letters to a maximum of 400 words. Submit all material by noon Wednesday to: The Rocket, 220 ECB, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, Pa. 16057. Or send it via e-mail to: rocket.letters@sru.edu.
Alaina Sarvak Freshman Undecided major Hometown: Burlington, Pa.
Andy Franze Senior Environmental Science major Hometown: McCandles, Pa.
Sean Garee Senior Music major Hometown: Beaver Falls, Pa.
I think it’s fair because they’re paying for housing, so might as well pay for the food. It just makes sense to me.
It’s extremely unfair. It’s like a monopoly, you’re forced to pay for something that you might not use.
It should be optional if you want to pay for it or not. It’s a scam, like paying for cable when you don’t even watch tv.
Opinion
May 10, 2013
The Rocket leads campus discussion
Will DeShong Editor commentary It is tradition here at the Rocket for outgoing staff to write good-bye columns. You know, sentimental pieces to remind everyone the lessons the Rocket has taught us and how it has prepared us for the real world. And my time at the Rocket has certainly taught me wonderful lessons and I can honestly say it has prepared me to be a journalist more than any course ever could, even the wonderful courses taught in the SRU Communication Department. You just can’t beat real world experience. But I’m not going to write about that. Chances are you are not too concerned with my own personal reflections about working for the paper, nor do you want to read my ramblings of how the Rocket won 34 awards from five regional and national journalism associations this year. Instead, I would like to take a moment to comment on the simple importance of the newspaper to the campus community. It is the obligation of the Rocket to cover the news of the Slippery Rock University community. That’s why the staff gets stipends every month. But keep in mind we cover news. The Rocket is not a public relations outlet for the university or organizations within the school. The purpose of this newspaper, and any newspaper in general, is to supply the community unbiased news that is deemed to have a certain standard in newsworthiness. That’s the beauty of journalism. It’s that whole “watchdog” mentality that makes it so special. The paper has no obligations to the school, to any advertiser, or to any organization. We get to publish facts about the campus community in our News, Sports, and Campus Life sections, whether they shine a positive or negative light on anyone the stories are about. We’re certainly not out to “get” anyone, but we have the duty to print the facts, regardless of the impact of the story.
Going beyond simply gathering news, we have a responsibility to offer a variety of news with very limited space on a weekly basis. Sometimes the paper has to bypass events for stories we find more newsworthy. Let’s not forget about the Opinion section. That’s where it really gets interesting. When writing our staff editorials, we pick a side on an important debate. Now, when picking a side, there’s always the other half that disagrees with you. I simply ask that if you are on the opposing side of the Rocket, please understand where we are coming from before you start calling us morons. We have an obligation to write editorials to encourage campus debate. It doesn’t mean we hate you. We’re not trying to pick a fight, or embarrass you. The purpose of editorials is to bring up issues we feel should be discussed. In fact, we offer a nice “Letters to the Editor” section for people to respond to us, if they so desire. We always welcome an articulate letter to the editor far more than ranting about how stupid we are on Facebook and Twitter. But please understand we’re not sitting here trying to figure out how to embarrass people, groups or organizations. We bring up issues we think are important for the campus community to discuss. And that in my mind is the whole purpose of the newspaper – community discussion. The Rocket staff works throughout the week to supply news to the community, so that students and faculty on this campus have a better sense of what is going on around them. The Rocket staff takes pride in helping carry on that discussion, and is always welcome to be a part of it. Please respond to us. The paper is most effective when the community is responding back. We’re out there questioning you, it’s only right that you return the favor. Call next year’s staff out when you feel they mess up. Once again, we always encourage articulate letters to the editor, but we welcome any and all feedback. I have complete confidence that the graduating staff members are leaving the paper in good hands. The new staff will continue on the tradition of encouraging campus discussion and debate through a high standard of news gathering. I hope you all take time next year to engage in the debates. You can start by following the Rocket on Facebook and Twitter. Will DeShong is a senior Communication major and the Editor-in Chief of the Rocket.
Hard work paid off for Rocket
Erica Kurvach Commentary Well this year at the Rocket was a blast. I really enjoyed connecting with the campus more each week and learning how to be a better writer and reporter. I got a lot of practice in writing ledes and coming up with story ideas. One of the challenges that I faced were coming up with story ideas since
Slippery Rock is a small and quiet town. I think that this challenge has helped me grow in abundance. Although we had a rough start this year, the paper worked out in the end. In addition to working as staff reporter, I recruited members for the new position, the Multimedia Content Producer. I thank Dr. Zeltner for helping me push the paper in this direction. Every week I would upload small videos onto The SRU Rocket Youtube channel to embed them into the Online Rocket. I am hoping that Alyssa Cirincione, the Multimedia Content Producer, will explore more hip ideas and expand in new media. Also, “getting the inside scoop” in the news section with Jon Janasik and Catie Clark was fun. I thank the Lord Jesus Christ for His love and for building relationships while working for this newspaper. I will definitely be taking this experience with me this summer for my internship and the rest of my career.
A Modest Farewell Andrew Treese Sweet and Sour It’s amazing how quickly time flies. Yes, I’m aware that this statement is a cliché for a farewell column, but I’m serious. Though the reality of this being my final semester of school didn’t kick in until receiving my ‘golden tickets’ for graduation, the thought that four years of my life flew by in the proverbial blink of an eye was one that really hit home. Looking back on my four years at SRU, I accomplished so much at this institution that I never expected to achieve when I first settled into Room 327 of North Hall in August of 2009. Becoming a proud founding father to the fraternity Kappa Delta Rho (Honor Super Omnia, my brothers!) and an award-winning writer, editor and designer for The Rocket were things I never could have anticipated becoming four years ago to the day. And I never thought that these opportunities would have taken me to Dallas or Chicago for national conventions, let alone a spring break trip to Ireland. Most endearing of all to me, I found the love of my life at SRU – my other half, Lauren. And for this especially, along with the aforementioned reasons, I want to thank everyone who has helped me remain sane [enough] to accomplish all of this and to prepare to accomplish even more after graduation. But with all of that said, I’m going to skip the rest of the pleasantries and cut right to the chase. Slippery Rock, you have royally ticked me off. Having been on the editorial staff for The Rocket ever since February of 2010, I have seen many an example of blindness, arrogance and idiocy sprout from the wood work in our town and amongst our student population. Much like cat crap that festers in an unchanged litter box over time, so, too, has unintelligence grown more and more rank across our campus. So to lay it all out for you and to set the record straight, Slippery Rock, I have a small list of guidelines to keep in mind so you can, you know, think before you speak about other people or, more particularly, “The Rocket.” I call it, “The Five Commandments of Get the Hell Over It.”
The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” section are those of the writer(s) alone. The Rocket cannot verify all facts presented in a given letter, but if we are aware of an error or omission, we reserve the right to include an editorial note for accuracy’s sake.
Rocket’s opinion
hurts campus community
I realize that a student newspaper doesn’t need to always paint a positive picture of the school, and only write articles supporting all the organizations on campus. I support the paper’s right to print what they want. I also support the paper’s right print editorials that disagree with decisions made by the student run organizations on campus. What I don’t support is when a series of opinion articles that berate the efforts of an organization are published behind a veil of secrecy. You would expect there to be a level of professionalism and respect that would promote a positive relationship between the different organizations on campus. The last two articles written about guest speakers on campus (“Farm Kings Reality Star” and “Cody Lundin Shares Survival Tips”) failed to give any mention of the campus organization responsible for the event. The organizers of these
Respectfully, Matthew L. Steffey Senior Communication – Public Relations major, and University Program Board member
1) Thou shalt not use social media – particularly Twitter – to splurge verbal excrement in a self-righteous notion to demean other people and organizations. You want to trash talk a person or an organization online (and sometimes through an anonymous profile) yet not take the initiative to confront them? That’s cute. But we’re all adults on this campus (even though some seem to not want to act like one), and if you have a problem, confront them like a grown-up. Otherwise, get the hell over it. 2) ARTICLES are objective news stories, while COLUMNS and EDITORIALS are purposefully opinionated pieces on varying topics. YES, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE. Bashing an objective news story and calling it biased and completely wrong all while singing the praises of an opinion piece for being unbiased and accurate is not only annoying, it makes you look like a dumbass. And when it comes to newspapers, every single one publishes a staff opinion piece. These are called Editorials, and they are not meant to sing praises. Take the time to actually read a newspaper and get the hell over it. 3) Stop using illogical excuses and cloaked bigotry to denounce equal rights for the LGBTQI community. My personal favorite excuse is “because [same sex marriage] will ruin the sanctity of marriage.” No, it won’t. Adultery ruins the sanctity of marriage. Getting a divorce after 72 days of marriage ruins the sanctity of marriage. Marrying someone for reasons other than LOVE ruins the sanctity of marriage. Want a perfect example of someone who ruined the sanctity of marriage? Look at Newt Gingrich. Yes, I just said that. Do your research, and get the hell over it. 4) B eing purposefully loud and obnoxious can be funny once in a while, but being so every single day is no way to get peers to respect you. I think this one speaks for itself. So, get the hell over it. And, last but not least, 5) Yes, Mad Max is awesome. But the fact is, the Thunder Dome really is a stupid name. ‘Sorry not sorry.’ Get the hell over it. If your blood is boiling by this point into my column, that’s good! I made you think. Just please, for God’s sake, use intelligent discourse in person. Not Twitter. Andrew Treese is a senior journalism major, and the campus life editor for the Rocket.
The Rocket will be missed
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR events – SAE and SGA respectively – granted the writer special access for interviews and photos, yet they were not even mentioned. When a writer fails to even include the organization responsible for an event, you are left wondering why. The editorial in the latest edition of the Rocket appears to hint at a reason. It rips the entertainers that have visited SRU this year, and those that were on campus previously, and calls them “D-list reality stars.” This not only is a swipe at entertainers themselves, but it also belittles the efforts of the organizations responsible for bringing them to SRU. That is not something a student paper should be doing. No student organization on campus is better or more important than any other. All the student organizations should be working together for the betterment of the Slippery Rock community as a whole, not tearing each other down. In light of The Rocket’s recent antics, it would appear they have lost sight of that goal.
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Steph Holsinger Commentary As the copy editor of the Rocket, most of you are probably not very familiar with me as I’ve only written two stories this year. My job is to correct everyone’s spelling and grammar (mainly Jon’s… just kidding) and make sure everything is all perfect and sparkly before the editor-in-chief sends it out. So for those of you who wince at the sight of a misspelled word, butchered sentence, or improper use of AP style, you can thank me for making sure that there were as little of those as possible this year. I started my Rocket career last year by acting as the assistant news editor. I provided you all with everyone’s favorite section- the police blotter, and covered those oh so exciting SGA meetings. Although I wrote many stories during my time as assistant news editor, I’m slightly embarrassed and sad to say that this is my first (and last) opinion piece. I’ve had many opinions in my four years
here at SRU, so I regret not expressing them in the best way I know how… writing. Most of the time, I chose to just spew them all over Facebook, which probably isn’t good. What am I supposed to be writing about again? Oh, that’s right. I’m supposed to be writing a goodbye column. I truly can’t believe how fast these past four years have passed. If there’s one thing I regret not doing during my college years, I would say that I regret not getting involved with the Rocket sooner. Through working on this amazing staff, I’ve met many new people, made great friends, and gained real-life experience that will benefit me in whatever field I end up in after graduation. For those of you that are faithful readers of the Rocket, what you probably don’t know is that every Thursday night, we as a staff come together as a team (and family) to put out the best paper possible. I’m truly going to miss Thursday nights with my Rocket family. I’m sad to say goodbye, but I have tremendous faith in next year’s staff, because you’re all a great bunch of hardworking people. So, keep it up guys. Raise the bar higher. I look forward to seeing what you all can do! I love each and every one of you. Keep in touch! I will miss all of you, and in some weird way, part of me will miss the monotony of this community that we call Slippery Rock. Steph Holsigner is a senior Communication major and the Copy Editor for the Rocket.
A-10
May 10, 2013
The Rocket
SPORTS
B-1
May 10, 2013
SRU eliminated from playoffs By Cody Gray Rocket Contributor
ALEX MOWREY/THE ROCKET
Senior infielder Matt Curtis looks to throw the ball to a teammate during the April 1 doubleheader against West Liberty University. Curtis closes out his senior year with 43 starts, 6 RBI, 17 runs and a .220 batting average.
The Slippery Rock University baseball team concluded their season on Thursday after finishing their regular season with a 31-19 (13-11) record and earning the fourth seed in the playoffs for the Pennsylvania State Athletic ConferenceWest division. SRU began their playoff season on Thursday morning against the top ranked team from the PSAC-East division, Millersville. SRU would send junior Lou Trivino to the mound. Trivino gave up four runs off of seven hits in seven innings of work. He also struck out six and walked two. The Rock couldn't get the bats going in their first playoff game, as they only mustered up four hits in nine innings. Juniors Anthony Naso and Zac Anderson finished off the eighth inning for Trivino. Naso gave up one run, as SRU fell in their first playoff game 5-0. The loss pitted them against Gannon for the fifth time in less than a week. “We still feel pretty good,” junior Will Kengor said after the loss to Millersville. “Gannon will be tough, but we’ve seen everyone they got.We just need to swing the bats and throw strikes. We’ll be fine if that happens.” The Green and White sent sophomore Garret Peterson to the mound against Gannon on Thursday afternoon. Peterson pitched four and two thirds innings, giving up five runs off of seven hits while striking out two and walking one. Gannon got off to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but the Rock came back when senior John Shaffer drove in Kengor on a fielders’ choice. Gannon scored three runs in the fifth inning and one in the second to increase their lead to 6-1. Junior Kevin Jovanovich drove in Kengor for his second run of the game to make it 6-2. Gannon would score three runs in the next three innings to make it 9-2. Sophomore Jake Nogalo homered in the bottom of the ninth, but
that was the closest SRU would get as they were eliminated from the conference championship after the 9-3 loss. SRU travelled to Erie on Friday for a doubleheader against Gannon University. The Rock came into the weekend in a tie for fourth place in their division with Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The fourth seed was in play for both teams until the very end. The Rock would send Trivino to the mound for game one of the series. Trivino had another stellar outing, pitching nine innings of shutout ball giving up only six hits, while striking out thirteen batters and walking only one. Slippery Rock found themselves in a pitchers’ duel between Trivino and Gannon’s ace that would require extra innings. The two teams battled through eight innings of scoreless baseball. The Rock’s bats came alive in the ninth. Kengor started off the four hit inning for SRU with an infield single. Junior Brandon Myers would drive in Kengor two batters later on a pinch hit single. Senior Austin Benshadle drove in the second run of the game after Jovanovich crossed the plate. Nogalo drove Myers across the plate to give the Rock a 3-0 lead in extra frames. Trivino shut down Gannon in the bottom of the ninth to seal the win for Slippery Rock. Kengor had two of SRU’s six hits. The second game saw the Rock send Peterson to the mound. Peterson pitched five innings, giving up one run on five hits, while striking out four and walking only one. Gannon got their one run by Peterson in the bottom of the fourth inning. SRU would tie it back up in the top of the seventh after Nogalo drove in Benshadle on an RBI single. Kovalik came in for SRU in the sixth inning. Gannon would get a run off a walkoff double in the bottom of the seventh to get the 2-1 win. Kovalik finished the game giving up one earned run off of one hit and a walk, while striking out three in one and
a third innings. Both teams travelled back to SRU on Saturday for another doubleheader at Jack Critchfield Park. Sophomore Kyle Schneider got the nod for the first Saturday game. Schneider pitched five and two thirds innings, giving up six runs off of ten hits, while walking only one and striking out four. Slippery Rock got off to a 2-0 lead in the first inning with an RBI single from Shaffer and a sacrifice fly from Nogalo. Gannon cut the lead in half in the top of the third. Schneider hit a bump in the top of the sixth where Gannon scored five runs. Kovalik came in with two outs in the sixth and shut down Gannon from that point. Myers would score a run in the bottom of the seventh as Gannon would go on to win 6-3. The loss put Slippery Rock in a do-or-die regular season finale. “It wouldn’t be as fun if there wasn’t anything at stake.” Shaffer said. Junior Mike Dunn got the call in the pivotal finale, pitching three and a third innings, giving up one run off of three hits while walking and striking out one. Gannon got their first run of the game in the first inning after a bases loaded walk. The Rock came back in the bottom of the second after Kengor drove in Benshadle on a fielder’s choice. The game stayed at 1-1 until the bottom of the fifth inning after a Benshadle sacrifice fly and a Nogalo bases loaded walk. Redshirt freshman Jon Anderson came in during the fourth inning to finish off the game. Anderson pitched three and two third innings of shutout ball, giving up only two hits while striking out three and walking two. Two of Anderson’s strikeouts came in the top of the seventh to preserve a 3-1 lead for SRU. Slippery Rock had six athletes named to the all PSAC-west team on Tuesday. First team honorees were Kengor and Shaffer, while junior Jake Weibley, Trivino, Kovalik, and Jovanovich were all named to the second team.
Rock heads to PSACs Daugherty breaks 10-year old record By Kristin Karam Assistant Sports Editor
The Slippery Rock men’s outdoor track and field team will send 43 athletes, including five top seeds, to Millersville for the Pennsylvania State Athletic C onference Championship after concluding their regular season Friday at the SRU Last Chance meet. Three-time PSAC champion senior Cameron Daugherty cleared 5.19 meters at the Last Chance meet, breaking the 10-year school record. “It’s a great feeling, especially after trying to get it for the past few years,” Daugherty said. “It’s been a long, hard road and I couldn’t wish for a better senior year.” Nick Wilpula previously held the record with a clearance of 5.18 meters, set in 2003. Daugherty’s clearance is the best among PSAC athletes this season, fourth among all Division II athletes, and was a quarter of an inch away from the all-time PSAC record. Even with the all-time record within reach, Daugherty said he is just focused on helping the team. “For now the goal is just to bring home another victory,” Daugherty said. “I’ll be at PSACs for my
team, maybe at nationals I’ll start worrying about doing something crazy.” Head coach John Papa feels that Daugherty sets the standard for the Rock vaulters and is in a good position heading into the championship. “Cam really enjoys pole vaulting,” Papa said. “He’s a great competitor and his confidence has increased this season. He feels he can vault even higher and he’ll be tough to beat at PSACs and nationals.” Senior Kevin Jewel, a two-time PSAC champion, is favored to win the 800-meter run. Jewel, who broke the school record for the second time at the Ashland Invitational, took third at the Last Chance meet in the 400-meter dash with a time of 50.54 seconds. Jewel, like Daugherty, sits at fourth in the nation in his event. Slippery Rock also received top seeds in the 200-meter dash, 100-meter dash, and 110-meter hurdles. Sophomore Hunter Williams takes the top seed in the 200-meter dash, having recorded a time of 21.40 seconds. Weather conditions last week prevented the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, and the short hurdle times from being counted towards records and national qualifying standards. “The lap events were a bit challenging with the wind that we had,” Papa said. “No one missed out for the PSAC due to the wind. Wind-aided marks count for PSAC
qualification, just not for school records or national qualifying marks.” Papa explained that sophomore Katelyn Wetzel, on the women’s outdoor track and field team, missed out on a school record and national provisional mark because of the wind. Senior DJ Chisom enters as the top seed in the 100-meter dash with a winning time of 10.49 seconds. Chisom’s time was the best in the PSAC this season and 19th-best in the nation. The Green and White’s final athlete holding a top seed is junior Jonathan Boyd in the 110-meter hurdles. Boyd recorded a time of 14.46 seconds last Friday to earn the top seed. Senior Ethan Geisler hit NCAA provisional marks and took the win in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 53.05 seconds. Geisler is seeded fourth in both the 110-meter and 400-meter hurdles heading into PSACs. Junior Trevor Foley took second in the event with a time of 53.75 seconds and is seeded right below Geisler. Junior Morgan Elliott took the win in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:57.18. SRU took wins in the discus, hammer throw and shot put. Freshman David Reinhardt won the discus with a throw of 45.80 meters (seeded seventh), senior Joseph Kelly won the hammer throw at 49.67 meters (seeded sixth) SEE SRU, PAGE B-2
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN PAPA
Senior Cameron Daugherty approaches the pole vault pit at the Ashland Invitational April 27. Daugherty is seeded first with a clearance of 5.19 meters going into the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championships.
Sports
B-2
May 10, 2013
Ladies tune up for PSAC meet Case breaks 5K record at Gina Relays By Brian Hepfinger Rocket Contributor
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN PAPA
Sophomore Janine Powis runs the 1,500-meter run at the Ashland Invitational April 27. Powis is seeded eighth in the event for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championships with a time of 4:44.05.
T h e Sl ipp e r y R o ck University women’s track and field team hosted the Last Chance meet last weekend before heading to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championships at Millersville University this weekend. The team had three NCAA provisional marks met in the pole vault and two in the javelin. Junior Julia Cain placed second in the pole vault, with a clearance of 3.81 meters. With that clearance, Cain is now in ninth place overall among Division II athletes. Freshman Kaitlyn Clark also hit the NCAA provisional clearance in the pole vault with a jump of 3.68 meters. Senior Angela Schroeder had the third NCAA provisional clearance in pole vault last weekend, with a clearance of 3.55 meters. Cain and Clark head to Millersville this weekend as the top two seeds. Defending outdoor champion, Lexi Arnold won the javelin event with an NCAA provisional throw of 41.69 meters.
Freshman Sam Taylor also hit the NCAA provisional mark in the javelin, placing third with a throw of 40.89 meters. Arnold and Taylor are ranked as the toptwo seeds for the PSAC Championships. S op h o m o r e K at e l y n Wetzel won the 100-meter dash at the Last Chance invite, with a season-best time of 11.97 seconds. She will represent the sprinters as the top-seed in the 100-meter dash and the third seed in the 200-meter dash at PSACs. Sophomore Samantha Zampetti took second in the event, with a time of 12.33 seconds and freshman Emily Moroco placed third, with a time of 12.44 seconds. Freshman Bryana Clayton won the 400-meter hurdles, with a PSAC-qualifying time of 1:07.50. Freshman Linda Roldan won the high jump event with a seasonbest clearance of 1.63 meters and freshman Bronte Soul won the triple jump event, with a leap of 10.79 meters. In the 4x400-meter dash, Wetzel and freshmen Summer Weinheimer, Lexie Nowakowski, and Cassandra Swartzbaugh won the event, with a season-best time of 3:58.03. They will enter the weekend as the sixth seed. Freshman Ashley West leads the conference with a clearance of 1.72 meters in the high jump. She’s also ranked ninth in the long jump.
S ophomore Br itt any Christiansen enters the hammer throw as the second seed this weekend with a throw of 49.77 meters. Last weekend at the Gina Relays in Hillsdale, Michigan, senior Stephanie Case broke the school record in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 16:50.54, good for ninth place overall. The previous school record was set by Crystal Burnick back in 2011. Sophomore Ang Bagwell hit the NCAA provisional qualifying time at Hillsdale, running 11:11.94 for a 12th place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Case is the second seed in the 10,000-meter run and Bagwell is eighth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase heading into the conference meet this weekend. Head coach John Papa said that his team has worked hard thus far, and they are ready for the PSAC Championships. “We are excited about the upcoming PSAC meet,” Papa said. “Our athletes have worked very hard this entire school year to get ready for this event.” He went on to say that he has confidence in his team, and they are ready for the test. “I am confident that we will perform well,” Papa said. “The competition at this event will be fierce in every event; we are ready for the challenge.”
Penguins look to SRU seeks PSAC title turn series around Continued from Page B-1
Steven Bartley Sports Commentary When most Penguins fans saw the New York Islanders, very few feared it was going to be a long series. I, like most, fell under that category. On paper, the Pittsburgh Penguins looked like they were going to run all over the Islanders. Unfortunately for every Penguin fan out there, that hasn't been the case. The Penguins dominated in game one with a 5-0 win and the series looked like it was going to be an absolute runaway by the Penguins. With Sidney Crosby returning to the lineup for game two, it didn't seem like the Penguins could lose. The Penguins dominated again, scoring two early first period goals. Somewhere during that game, the series shifted and the Penguins were no longer dominating the play. The Penguins ended up losing game two, much to the despise of the hometown crowd. The Penguins escaped game three with a 5-4 win in overtime in Long Island. Game four was played in the same style, but this time the Penguins lost 6-4. What happened to the team that dominated game one? Right now this team is becoming a paper champion and they're failing on the ice. They have everything you could want in a team. We could start with Marc Andre Fleury; he's the team's franchise goaltender, yet during these playoffs he has been everything but that. Fleury has been absolutely awful in net for the Penguins during this playoff series. Since the '09 cup run, Fleury hasn't had a save percentage above .900. His save percentages in the last 4 years of playoffs have been .891,
.899, .834 and .891. When you’re a 5.8 million dollar goaltender, this can’t be happening. This is a perfect opportunity for a guy like Thomas Vokoun to get his chance in the series. Depending on how that goes, this could be his series the rest of the way. Vokoun holds a 3-0 record this season against the Islanders and holds a .970 save percentage and .90 goals against them. He was brought in for moments like this. Although it’s easy to blame the goaltender, the defense in front of him hasn't been doing him any favors. The Penguins inability to get the puck out of the zone has led to numerous goals. The biggest problem is turnovers in their own zone. The Pens are giving up the puck on a silver platter. The Penguins lost game four because of a Malkin turnover in the third period with less than seven minutes in the game. Malkin and the rest of the team need to stop taking so many ill-advised penalties. Malkin will always be his own worst enemy. He's leading in points, but how many bad passes or penalties can he take? He needs to stop letting teams get in his head. He just needs to stand up for himself, be a better leader and not fight at the end of game or take bad penalties. All that being said, I still think this is the Penguins series to lose. This team is too deep with scoring to lose out in the first round. Sidney Crosby seems to be at the top of his game and he's making the players around him better. Dan Bylsma needs to make adjustments and fast. The Islanders have been a more desperate team and Pittsburgh has to match it. I am fearful for anyone in the Penguins organization if they lose in the first round again, especially with the group of players their general manager, Ray Shero, brought in. Shero did his job, now the team has to do theirs. At the end of the day, I think this will be remembered as a scary series. Eighth seeds are no longer pushovers in the NHL. It doesn't matter if the Penguins get it done in six or seven games, they have to win this series.
and senior Kyle Toms won the shot put at 15.91 meters (seeded second). Reinhardt is also seeded tenth in the shot put, eighth in the hammer throw and fourth in the javelin. Toms is seeded 13th in the discus and 15th in the hammer throw. Daugherty feels the team’s performances this season have been a result of their chemistry and work ethic. “The chemistry we have as a unit makes it so much easier to give your all for your teammates,” Daugherty said. Junior Victor Santoyo is the only Slippery Rock athlete to be seeded in the high jump (seventh), long jump (seventh), and triple jump (sixth). Senior Andrew Greenslade will represent SRU in the decathlon as the second seed with 6,103 points. In the 3,000-meter steeplechase, senior Eric Geddis is seeded sixth with a time of 9:28.21. Slippery Rock’s 4x100meter relay team of Williams, Chisom, senior Mason McLaughlin and junior Hans Lubich take the second seed at 41.49 seconds. The 4x400-meter relay team of McLaughlin, Foley, Williams, and sophomore Monte Chapman seeded fourth. The 4x800-meter relay team of Elliott, Jewel, sophomore Tyler Melius, and freshman Dalton Zebrak is seeded sixth. Papa is confident in his team’s abilities heading into the championship and feels
they are peaking at the right time. “We’re going there with the intent to win,” Papa said. “We’re not favored at this point, but we are peaking at the right time and are all ready to perform well.” Four distance runners traveled to Hillsdale, Michigan for the Gina Relays on April 26. Geddis took 13th in the
3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:28.21. The remaining SRU athletes met standards in the 10,000-meter run. Junior Travis Arrigoni recorded a time of 32:27.94, freshman Steven Green at 32:46.46, and sophomore Chris Grooms at 32:48.75. The PSAC Championships will be held from May 9-11 at Millersville University.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN PAPA
Junior Jonathan Boyd clears a hurdle in the 110-meter hurdles at the Ashland Invitational April 27. Boyd holds the number one seed with a time of 14.46 seconds heading into the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championships.
May 10, 2013
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Rock Roars A Year in Sports
Clockwise from top: Sophomore quarterback Jared Buck and senior tight end Josh Gardner celebrate in the end zone during the Seton Hill game. Junior forward Tabari Perry drives for a layup during an exhibition game against the University of Michigan. Junior defender Izabel Scott drives the ball up the field towards the goal against an IUP defender. Freshman outfielder Megan Maloney makes the stretch for home plate. Freshman distance runner Brittany Ruffo charges out of the water pit during the steeplechase event. Photo by: Tyler Painter
All other photos by: Alex Mowrey
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May 10, 2013
SRU Student Health Services Tips to help you limit your alcohol intake: 1. Do not drink (Remember it is illegal to consume alcohol under the age of 21 in PA). 2. Alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. 3. Keep track of how many drinks you consume. 4. Eat before and during drinking sessions.
For more tips or to schedule an interactive health program contact the HOPE peer educators at 724.738.4888. To make an appointment (walk-ins are welcome): 724.738.2052.
We’re Here to Help Funded by a grant through the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board
The Rocket
CAMPUS LIFE C-1 May 10, 2013
ALEX MOWREY/THE ROCKET
T
hompson Square
Takes the Stage
By Madeline Williams Sports Editor
On Sunday night, the popular American country music duo Thompson Square, composed of husband and wife Keifer and Shawna Thompson, performed to a sold-out audience in the Aebersold Student Recreation Center at Slippery Rock University. With the recent release of their sophomore album Just Feels Good in late March, Thompson Square performed new songs from the album for SRU, including the No. 1 hit off the album "If I Didn't Have You", as well as popular songs from their first
album, Thompson Square. The duo released their self-titled first album back in January 2011, featuring the No. 1 double-platinum-selling single "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not", which swept the Vocal Duo Awards at the CMA, ACM, CMT, ACA award shows and earned them two Grammy nominations. The album also included the hits "I Got You" and "Glass". Although Thompson Square loved their first album for breaking them onto the country music scene, they say the second album is a stronger representation of who they are. "The writing for the new album, Just Feels Good, was pinpoint. We just wanted
to tell our story," Keifer said. "If you sequence the new album in a certain way, it's our story from when we met up until the success we experience now," Shawna added. "We honestly didn't plan it that way. It was completely by accident. We just sat down after we finished and were like 'Oh my gosh, we just wrote about our life'. This album is much more 'us' than the first one. It's us as artists, as individuals, and as a married couple." While many celebrities try to keep their personal lives out of the public's watchful eye, Thompson Square doesn't try to hide their SEE UPB PAGE C-3
Campus Life
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May 10, 2013
Finding the right perfume products to create timeless scents
Katie Ellis "ROCK'n Fashion"
Daisy, which has since spawned a sister fragrance, Daisy Eau So Fresh. The former of the two fragrances is beloved by women for its fresh scent which is laced with three types of flowers including jasmine, violet, and gardenia, and is infused with subtle touches of vanilla and musk. This bold floral fragrance can be worn both day and night by the girl that wishes to evoke memories of springtime all year long. Celebrity fragrances are the hottest trend in the perfume market. Everyone from actors to singers are jumping on the bandwagon and capitalizing on their fame in order to create the latest and greatest perfume. Britney Spears is a pioneer of sorts in the perfume market as she has created nearly a dozen different scents in the last nine years. Spears’ first and most popular fragrance is the seductive, Curious, which made its debut back in 2004, and has earned the star $100 million within its first five weeks on the market. This scent isn’t for the faint of heart as its pear, tuberose, and Louisiana magnolia notes are prominently featured in this Fragrance Foundation pick as the best women’s fragrance of 2004. Pick up this bold fragrance at a store near you, but only if you dare. Wonderstruck by Taylor Swift is “the beginning of something magical” in the fragrance business for the superstar known for adding a bit of magic to everything that she does. The sale of her perfume sparked interest in the perfume industry after a few years of lackluster sales, and led to the launch of her second fragrance, Wonderstruck Enchanted. Her perfume has strong, fruity notes that are complimented with honeysuckle and vanilla undertones. Choosing a perfume to be your signature fragrance can be a difficult process because there are so many scents to choose from, but narrowing down your favorite notes and testing out the samples at your favorite department store is a good way to start.
So, you’re wearing the perfect outfit, your hair looks like you stepped out of a shampoo commercial, and you finally got your makeup to look just right. Well, before you leave the house there is one thing left to put on to complete your look; perfume. Perfume isn’t a beauty product that should be left on a shelf in your room gathering dust. It should be worn every day as a statement-making part of your outfit because the fragrance that you wear says a lot about your personality. In 1921, Coco Chanel released her first fragrance, Chanel No. 5, which has become as iconic as the brand itself. It has been a symbol of class and elegance for 92 years and is regarded as one of the best perfumes ever created. Laced with rose, jasmine, iris and musk notes, Chanel describes it as, “a perfume like nothing else”. This legendary perfume has been regarded as a celebrity favorite for years, with Marilyn Monroe unofficially endorsing the fragrance in the 1950s. In 2012, Chanel shocked the world when they announced that Brad Pitt would serve as the first male face of Chanel No. 5 and star in a number of television commercials and advertisements in order to promote the fragrance. This perfume can be worn by women of all ages and tastes because of its utterly timeless appeal, and if you’re willing to give it a try, there’s no doubt that it will become your go-to scent. Marc Jacobs has been a powerhouse in the fashion industry for decades as the highly successful creative director behind two labels which bear his name Katie Ellis is a sophomore journalism major and Louis Vuitton. In 2007, he debuted and a regular contributor to The Rocket. his most popular fragrance to date,
PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS When looking for a signature scent, make sure it reflects your personality and has a timeless feel so that it can be worn no matter the season, weather, or what mood you are in.
Top 10 chart-topping current hits for listeners of older generations
Rebecca Marcucci "Rock On: A Review of Today's Music Hits" I have great respect for older generations, but when I hear them arguing that music today isn’t as good as it was “back in the day,” I can’t help but to disagree. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of the classics from the ‘50s to the ‘70s and I agree that many songs are better left untouched by other artists. However, I believe that many older generations would appreciate music from modern artists if they gave them a chance instead of changing the station when they hear the newest hits. Adele is a great example. When hasn’t she given an amazing, gutwrenching performance? Let's give that girl some props! I don’t know of any other artists who could convey her soul and true vocal vulnerability. She tells a story with her heart in every song she performs. She’s part of a new British invasion that we can actually be proud of. I’ll plead the 5th Amendment on One Direction! Last week on Ryan Seacrest's Top 40 Countdown, the Top 10 hits were 1. “Stay” by Rihanna, 2. “When I Was Your Man” by Bruno Mars, 3. “Feel
This Moment” by Pitbull featuring with his Mumford and Sons kind of Christina Aguilera, 4. “Suit and vibe has a style of music that would Tie” by Justin Timberlake featuring appeal to a variety of generations. Jay-Z, 5. “Just Give Me A Reason” Along with Phillips, I would also by Pink featuring Nate Ruess, the suggest the Lumineers, Fun, Imagine lead singer of Fun, 6. “Thrift Shop” Dragons, and newcomer Emeli by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis Sande with her hit single “Next To featuring Wanz, 7. “Daylight” by Me.” Maroon 5, 8. “Sweet Nothing by When I first heard Sande, I mistook Calvin Harris” featuring Florence her for Beyoncé without having prior Welch, 9w. “Heart Attack” by Demi knowledge of who she was. But then Lovato, and 10. “Don’t You Worry I was able to make the distinction Child” by Swedish House Mafia. and I quickly became a fan of her Out of these top 10 songs, I music. would suggest about half of them to Another artist to watch is Ed older audiences. By no means am I Sheeran with hits like “A Team” suggesting that these artists could and “Lego House.” As my fanatic ever replace their predecessors, but roommate would say, “He’s the best they could at least compare. singing ginger I’ve ever heard!” If that Bruno Mars might appeal to some doesn’t convince anyone to listen to older generations with his gentle him, I don’t know what else would. falsetto and love ballads along with That has my stamp of approval Pink’s honest and harmonic duet written all over it. with Nate Ruess. I am a little surprised at a lot of Maroon 5 has come a long way country artists that are turning to since “She Will Be Loved” which a rap style of country songs such was released in 2004. While most as Florida Georgia Line’s remix of of their songs are catchy and poppy, “Cruise” with Nelly, Blake Shelton many of their newer songs that they with “Boys Round Here,” and Jason are turning out are about sincere and Aldean with “1994”. often times complicated situations I think it’s more of the preteen that happen in love. circuit that I want to stay away from, Calvin Harris is also an up-and- but then again who wouldn’t, other coming artist with “Feel So Close” than preteens of course. and now “Sweet Nothing” featuring While I appreciate many current Florence Welch. He offers up a fun chart-topping hits, that’s not to say dance beat with meaningful lyrics. that people like my parents would My last suggestion from this top agree with me. If it were up to them ten 10 is Swedish House Mafia with we’d be listening to the Bee Gees or “Don’t You Worry Child”. It offers Conway Twitty. While I’ll respectfully up a fun and inspirational message listen, I’ll be fighting to be ah, ah, ah, to their listeners with an all-around ah, Stayin’ Alive, just saying. great sound. Others that didn’t make the list but Rebecca Marcucci is a jumior are still worthy of older generations’ journalism major, and the Assistant ears are artists like season 11 winner Campus Life Editor for The Rocket. of American Idol, Phillip Phillips
May 10, 2013
Campus Life
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UPB sponsored spring concert features country stars By Rebecca Marcucci Assistant Campus Life Editor
A sea of camouflage hats, flannel shirts, and cowboy boots filled the Abersold Recreation Center (ARC) gymnasium Sunday evening for SRU’s spring concert hosted by the University Program Board (UPB) in preparation for country artists JJ Lawson, Thompson Square, and Justin Moore. Senior communication and emerging technology major and president of UPB, Vince Bianco, 22, said he was ecstatic for this year’s performers. “I was more than pleased with everything,” Bianco said. “I had our amazing staff to back me up and I’m thankful for all of their help. We couldn’t have pulled it off without them.” The concert committee, comprised of 75 members, researched and worked to prepare this year’s spring concert, hoping to find artists students would want to see perform. “The way it goes in preparing for artists first starts with our committee making a wish list of performers we’d want to bring to campus,” Bianco said. “So we reach out to agents to see if they’re available and throughout the year we’ll also reach out to students through online surveys to get a feel of who they’d like to see come to campus.” The contacting process can be challenging at times, Bianco said, but he praised his committee and his advisor Julie Varnish for helping to keep him calm. This year’s set of performers were generally easy to work with,
Bianco said. “You run into small issues every now and then,” Bianco said. “But we were able to work everything out I think.” Many performers were also generous with their time and willingness to perform, Bianco explained. “Thompson Square actually flew in that morning,” Bianco said. “So we were very grateful to have them.” The months of preparation to create a concert UPB hopes students will love can be a difficult task, Bianco said. “Everyone’s watching you,” Bianco said. “You want to please everybody but it can sometimes be hard to do. I thought my job would be the easiest thing in the world. You book the stage, you book the artist, simple! But it takes a lot more than that.” Bianco said the UPB concert committee began researching for the spring concert after Mac Miller performed in December. “We spent all of winter break looking for someone to perform,” Bianco said. This year’s spring concert series show opened with up-and-coming musician JJ Lawson warming up the crowd. Lawson opened for country music duo Keifer and Shawna Thompson of Thompson Square performing songs from their new album “Just Feels Good” such as “If I Didn’t Have You,” “I Can’t Outrun You,” and many more. They also performed favorites from their previous selftitled album “Thompson Square” such as “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not,” “I Got You,” and others. Thompson S quare also surprised the audience with their cover of some chart-topping
hits such as “Some Nights” by Fun, “Locked Out of Heaven” originally performed by Bruno Mars, and “I Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty, just to name a few. Country artist Justin Moore finally took the stage as he rose from beneath his platform with many lights introducing his presence. The crowd went wild when Moore performed songs from
his album “Outlaws Like Me” with songs like “Redneck Side,” “Guns,” “Til My Last Day,” and a special tribute to loved ones with the song “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away”. Moore encouraged the audience to spark their lighters or wave their cell phones in the air to pay respect. He even called out specific members of the audience saying, “You in the pink dress, you’re not too cool to do this! Get
your cell phone out!” Moore also performed songs from his first self-titled album, “Justin Moore” with songs like “Small Town USA” and “Grandpa”. Moore proudly exclaimed, “This is no rap country, or pop country, this is twang country! And if you don’t like it, you can pack your stuff up and get the hell out.” The crowd roared at Moore’s statement.
ALEX MOWREY/THE ROCKET Country music star Justin Moore performed for SRU students Sunday evening in the Abersold Recreation Center (ARC) gymnasium Sunday evening. Moore excited the crowd with his twangy country hits.
Country concert held in ARC sold out, 2,400 in attendance Continued from Page C-1
ALEX MOWREY/THE ROCKET Thompson Square, is a real life couple that does everything together, especially when it comes to writimg music. They have used their parents as inspiration for getting them into music at a young age.
personal, yet professional relationship at all. The couple, who worked as separate solo artists before meeting at a singing competition in Nashville in 1996, is approaching their 14-year anniversar y this month. "As soon as he walked into the Nashville Nightlife that night, I could just tell that there was something special about him," Shawna said. "I felt like we were going to be friends." After Shawna beat Keifer pretty badly in a game of billiards that night, the two have been inseparable ever since. Keifer laughed as he said the two of them have been apart for maybe 10 days at the most. "We've always worked together. I don't know if it could work any other way," Shawna said. Spending most of their time on the road traveling from show to show can be stressful for the couple, but they definitely enjoy spending time together. "Touring and performing gets crazy, but we love traveling together. It's almost like we're on vacation every day, except we have a tour bus" Shawna said. Like any couple, the Thomps ons have t heir disagreements. "We definitely fight and bicker like ever y other couple, in fact, we had a good fight today. I won!" Shawna laughed. "You just gotta know when to let go, which isn't the easiest thing," Keifer smirked
at Shawna. "I admitted I was an asshole today." When it comes to inspirations, both Keifer and Shawna thanked their parents for always supporting all them and helping them get into music at a young age. Shawna also talked about her long-time role model, country superstar, Reba McEntire. "I thought she hung the sun and the moon," Shawna said with starry eyes. "After the ACM win this year, she grabbed me and gave me a big hug. The whole time I was freaking out because Reba McEntire was hugging me! I really have loved her since I was a little girl." In April, the duo won the Academy of Country Music Vocal Duo of the Year honors for the second consecutive year. "Winning the ACMs the first time was amazing," Shawna said. "It came at a time when we really needed some good in our life. My dad had just passed away and it was hard on both of us. But winning the second one made us feel like we're a part of the country music family. It really solidified that and meant a lot to us." In the next five years, Thompson Square says they definitely have plans to move up in their career and try new things. "Headlining is definitely our main goal. That's every artist's dream," Kiefer said with a smile as he reached for Shawna's hand. "And of course, we want to make great records and continue having as much fun as possible."
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May 5, 2013
COMICS
May 10, 2013
MoreOn TV
By Jay Schiller and Greg Cravens
Best in Show
By Phil Juliano
Brewster Rockit: Space Guy
By Tim Rickard
Horoscopes By Nancy Black Tribune Media Services (MCT) To d a y ' s Bir thday (05/10/13). Career and finances thrive. Save the bountiful harvest. Summer brings busy communications, social activities and travel before autumn books. Resolve or release past issues to strengthen old partnerships for new opportunities. Love feeds personal and professional growth, blessed by yesterday's New Moon solar eclipse in Taurus. Share your heart. To get the advantage, check the day's rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21-April 19) -- Today is a 9 -- You're sharp as a tack for the next few days. Do the math. Learn what you need to know. You can do it; ace the test. Invent a new avatar and image. Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is a 9 -- You're moving up to a new level, with regard to finances, living conditions and even romance. A promotion is possible. What do you really want? Ask for it clearly. Include what you want for others. Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Today is an 8 -You're empowered and confident; acknowledge your accomplishments. You're also
a genius at planning. End one research phase and begin another. Goals you thought were out of reach seem suddenly at hand. Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Today is a 9 -- A completion opens a new beginning in partnerships. Today and tomorrow, clean up any messes. Take first steps toward your future. Learning new skills leads to new friends. Assignments flow in. Contemplate. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -Today is a 9 -- In a blissful moment, it all seems so clear. Schedule meetings and parties during the phase ahead. Go ahead and shine. Celebrate your accomplishments. Flaunt it. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is a 9 -- Consider taking on more responsibility and authority. Career matters occupy you. Consult an expert. You're getting more deeply involved in community activities. Follow through. Balance with peacefulness. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -Today is a 9 -- You'd sure like to get away for the next few days ... a business or educational trip? Capitalize on the flow of ideas. You'll find what you seek. Your team is on fire. Enjoy the process. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
-- Today is an 8 -- Your time is best spent at home, or not far away from it. Tackle detailed plans and chores. Cinch a deal. Figure the costs. Ask for the bonus now. Stock your reserves. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Today is an 8 -- Consult with strategic experts. A partner helps with a decision. It's easier to delegate. Home life gets disrupted. Negotiate to refine the plan. Your team brings everything you need. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is an 8 -- Love is in the air. Fall into creative work mode. You're feeling more secure. A new personal door opens, even as work distracts. Reveal something you'd kept hidden away. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today is an 8 -- There's a completion and new beginning at home. Your nerves will become less frazzled soon. Concentrate, decide and then act quickly once clear. Celebrate with a home-cooked meal and lots of snuggling. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is a 9 -- Expect more changes at home, which could provoke emotion. The coming days are good for domestic projects. Ease into it. Get into the planning. Write dream messages. Communicate your vision.
Bliss
The Rocket
C-5 By Harry Bliss
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May 10, 2013