THE WOOD WORD NOVEMBER 2015 • Marywood University’s Official Student Newspaper • www.thewoodword.org Marywood hosts Syrian Refugee day on Oct. 26, p. 7
Featured Faculty: Laurie McMillian, Ph.D., p. 11
Marywood receives CSAC Institutional Academic Excellence Award, p. 15
SGA takes budget concerns to Board of Trustees Brigid Edmunds News Editor The Student Government Association (SGA) has taken concerns regarding potential discrepancies with its budget to the Board of Trustees in a letter and an in-person meeting. The SGA letter to the board said, “With our current enrollment numbers (1761 [full time], 194 [part time]) the approximate incoming [money from the student activity fee] is $469,000.” Those fees are described on the Marywood website. The Marywood website says that all monies collected from this student activity fee are to be “directly allocated to the Undergraduate Student Government Association, which, in turn, provides all students the following: weekly and weekend programming; funds for the student newspaper; allocations to various student clubs and organizations, including the commuter and resident committees; and the production of a major concert.” Instead, this year’s allocated SGA budget is $250,000, a figure that already includes an approximate 20 percent cut from their anticipated allotment of $310,00, a figure SGA arrived at based on previous year’s budgets. That total is less than half of amount that SGA should be allocated based on the Student Activity Fee policy and this year’s enrollment numbers. According to the letter, SGA
was notified of the budget cut this past July, though they usually receive the budget information in January of the previous school year. Members of SGA met with the Board of Trustees on Oct. 16 to discuss their budget for this school year along with other issues. According to Kowalski, SGA wrote the letter and requested the meeting with the board after taking their questions about the budget discrepancies to Sr. Anne Munley, IHM, Ph.D., president of Marywood, and Joseph X. Garvey, vice president for business affairs/treasurer and not receiving specific answers about the inconsistencies from either person. In an email to Garvey, SGA asked about the differences in the amounts of money students are paying into the activity fee and how much of that money was actually allocated for SGA. Garvey did not provide them with an answer to that specific question. “It was not addressed [in his response],” Kowalski said. The budget discrepancy, however, was not the only reason for writing the letter. Kowalski said numerous students have voiced concerns to student government about issues on campus from parking to finances. “At first we thought it was just a few students with very strong voices, voicing their opinions,” Kowalski said. However, after more students started attending SGA meetings
Photo Credit/Brigie Sabine
Melissa Kowalski, president of SGA, leads the student government meeting on Nov. 10. and asking questions and raising concerns, SGA decided to act. The tipping point, she said, was the petition that circulated among students in September. “We found that [the petition] was done improperly, and we couldn’t put our name on something like that,” Kowalski said. “We felt it didn’t ask the right questions, but it did involve a lot of students, so when such a number of students get involved with something like that, we need to address it.” Kowalski said the board was responsive during their meeting and that they asked questions about whether SGA brought these concerns up to administration beforehand.
“I got the feeling [that the board] was unaware of these student concerns,” Kowalski said. “We just want a little more backing to finding out these answers,” she said. She said she is concerned that the board will not address those concerns given that the trustees dismissed the faculty’s votes of no confidence in Sr. Anne and Garvey. “I felt like they dismissed a very strong statement [from the faculty], and that leads me to believe they might do the same thing for the student concerns,” she said. If the board does not respond to SGA, and they do not receive answers to the questions posed in the letter, Kowalski said they are
prepared to continue to try and get answers for students. “If that doesn’t work, we’re looking at alternatives,” Kowalski said. Kowalski announced at Tuesday’s Student Government meeting that she was meeting Thursday with Sr. Anne and Ann Boland-Chase, vice president for enrollment services and student success. Sr. Anne, Garvey and members of the board of trustees could not be reached for comment. Amanda Duncklee contributed to this report. Contact the writer: bedmunds@m.marywood.edu @BrigidGraceTWW
The Wood Word is moving online. This our last print issue. Thank you for your continued support and readership. Find us on the web Spring 2016. See pages 8-9 for more information.
The Wood Word 2
November 2015
NEWS
Readiness survey design called into question Patrick Kernan Managing Editor Rachel Looker Asst. News Editor
On Monday, Nov. 2, co-chairs of the Strategic Resource Allocation (SRA) Coordinating Committee, Joe Garvey, vice president for business affairs and treasurer, and Dr. Alan Levine, vice president of academic affairs, distributed a survey to faculty, staff, and administration via e-mail. The survey is entitled “The Change Management Readiness Survey” and focused on Marywood’s willingness to accept change that would be brought about through the SRA process. The e-mail stated, “As part of the SRA process, we are surveying the campus community to assess your perception of Marywood’s readiness for change.” According to the e-mail, the survey was available from Nov. 2 until 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 6. Levine said the survey was published in 2005 by HRD Press. According to Amazon’s website, the survey is written by Larry Goldstein, SRA consultant, Pat Sanaghan, president of the Sanaghan group, another consulting firm, and Avik Roy, a journalist and the opinion editor at Forbes. According to Levine, the distribution of this survey is part of Goldstein’s reallocation process and has been used at many other colleges. “The goal is to help us understand better our, or any organization’s, capacity for change,” said Levine. “Capacity for change is a critical piece and so it should give us a read on our capacity for change.” When beginning the survey, participants were asked to select if they are part of faculty, administration, professional staff, or support staff. They were also asked to identify whether they were serving on one of the SRA committees -- the coordinating committee, the facilitation team, the academic task force, or the support program task force. The survey consisted of 50 statements that all relate to university employees’ perceptions on change and included three statements at the end of the survey
that rate the participant’s feel- your questions, you will doubt the ings toward the “change effort.” validity of the results.” When filling out the survey, Levine said the distribution of questions one to 50 had one cor- this survey was a part of Goldresponding box labeled “mostly stein’s Strategic Resource Allocaagree” next to each statement. tion plan from the very beginning. If participants did not “mostly “We just have hired Goldstein agree,” they could respond by as a consultant and decided to skipping the question entirely. give this survey as his consul“If you mostly agree that a par- tancy suggests we should,” said ticular statement represents the Levine. situation at Marywood UniverWhen asked about the validity sity, please check the box next to of the survey if participants only the statement,” stated the sur- have the “mostly agree” box to sevey’s instructions. “If you do not lect, Levine stated, “It’s not even mostly agree with a statement, a disagree. Either you feel that, or please leave the box blank.” The final three questions related to the change effort and could be rated on a scale from one to ten depending on if the participant felt “low” or “high” about a given question. The email sent to participants of the survey included instructions regarding how to answer the survey questions. “Please try to respond to all the statements,” the instructions read. “If you are uncertain about a particular statement, answer it as best you can and move on to the next statement. Because of the large number of statements, no single item will change the overall picture.” The instructions said the responses to the questionnaire would be anonymous. Lastly, the instrucGraphic Credit/Kelsey Van Horn tions stated: “Try not to read into the survey statements. you don’t.” Use common sense and don’t worAccording to Levine, the survey ry about the details. If you find is only meant to assess an organiyourself asking questions such zation’s capacity to change. as: ‘what do they mean by being “I think that the intention of effective?’ or ‘How do you define the survey is to assess the orgaorganizational norms?’ or ‘What nization’s capacity for change and does a team mean?,’ you are over- I think that the way this survey analyzing. The survey is designed has been designed will allow us to to be user friendly and not a con- do that with that one response,” voluted, complicated diagnostic. said Levine. If you find yourself challenging a Dr. Craig Johnson, math prolot of the questions STOP TAK- fessor and Faculty Senate presiING THE SURVEY! It will only dent, stated that he has never frustrate you because with all of seen one option for the majority
of questions on any other survey before. “I think few people would disagree it’s a poorly constructed survey with oddly worded instructions,” said Johnson. “The idea of having a survey was a good one. It would be nice if it was a better tool.” Dr. Ed O’Brien, professor of psychology and counseling, whose areas of expertise include designing surveys such as these, expressed stronger sentiments against the survey than Johnson did.
“I’ve been doing this for 35 or 40 years now,” O’Brien said, “and this is probably the worst survey that I’ve ever seen.” O’Brien wrote a lengthy critique of the survey, highlighting seven criticisms he had with the survey, including the lack of any choice for users to pick besides “Mostly Agree.” O’Brien said that, whenever any survey is taken to quantify opinions on a given topic, it must be assumed that there will be a variety of opinions to be expressed.
However, only a “Mostly Agree” option leaves out any potential opinion other than that. According to O’Brien, this creates a major issue. “Non-response is uninterpretable,” O’Brien said. “Non-response could be ‘I don’t have an opinion,’ it could be ‘I have a negative opinion,’ or that ‘I don’t understand the question.’ That’s why you have to ask, so you can make sense of a non-response...When they go to score this, I don’t know how they’re going to score it, because non-response is not a meaningful numeric response.” Other issues addressed by O’Brien in his critique of the survey include the phrasing of the directions and the questions themselves. O’Brien suggests that the directions that ask participants to “STOP TAKING THE SURVEY” if they find themselves “challenging a lot of the questions” are problematic. “Directions for the survey were biased and were likely to suppress any expression of concerns about the campus leadership or climate,” O’Brien wrote in his critique. O’Brien also suggests that questions are written in such a way that makes responding difficult, citing the ambiguity of some questions. O’Brien specifically cites question number 8, which asks survey-takers if they “Mostly Agree” with the statement “We have the discipline to successfully accomplish tasks on a daily basis,” mentioning five potential different meanings to this question. This ambiguity makes the question, and others like it, difficult to answer meaningfully. When asked if this survey and the problems he addressed with it would skew the results unfairly in a positive manner for the university, O’Brien answered simply. “It has to.” Goldstein could not be reached for comment. Contact the writers: pkernan@m.marywood.edu @PKernanTWW rclooker@m.marywood.edu
NEWS
November 2015
The Wood Word 3
Board of Trustees appoints two new members Rachel Looker Asst. News Editor Marywood University recently announced that two new members have been added to the Board of Trustees. It was announced that Richard P. Kane and Sr. Andrea J. Lee, IHM, Ph.D, were officially appointed to serve on the board on Oct. 23. According to a news article on Marywood’s website, Kane is from Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania. The article states Kane is the vice chairman of Kane Is Able, Inc., a warehousing and transportation services company, which was recognized as an “Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation” by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Also according to the article,
Kane served three terms as a former Marywood trustee from 2003 to 2012. During his time as a trustee, Kane held the positions of Chairman of the Board, and Treasurer and Chair of the Financial Affairs Committee. Kane has also supported scholarships and contributed gifts to Marywood. He is the benefactor of the Eugene J. and Joan M. Kane Overlook and Veranda at the Learning Commons. Also joining the Board of Trustees is Sr. Andrea J. Lee, IHM, Ph.D., who is currently president of St. Catherine University in Minnesota. Lee has served at Marygrove College in Detroit, Michigan where she held positions including Dean, Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President, and Interim President. She is a member
Photos courtesy of Marketing and Communications
Sr. Andrea J. Lee, IHM, Ph.D., and Richard P. Kane,new board of trustees members. of the Monroe, Michigan branch of the IHM Sisters, according to Marywood’s website. The article states Lee has served as a board member, con-
on the Alverno College Board of Trustees. Lee said she is pleased to join Marywood’s Board of Trustees. “It is an honor and privilege to be called to service as a trustee of Marywood University, an institution I respect and admire,” Lee said via e-mail. “I look forward to getting to know more about Marywood’s programs, faculty and students as I begin service to an IHM ministry which has long been a leader in Catholic higher education.” Kane could not be reached for comment. Contact the writer: rclooker@m.marywood.edu
ference presenter, and advisor to new Catholic university presidents with the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities. Lee is also a current member
Take Back the Night Speaker talked about relationship violence Rachel Looker Asst. News Editor On Thursday, Oct. 29, Katie Koestner, international speaker and director of Take Back the Night Foundation, held a “NoYes” presentation about relationship violence at 9 p.m. in the Latour Room in Nazareth. In an interview before the presentation, Koestner said the topics she would discuss would include consent, incapacitation, how men can make a difference, and what someone can do to help another if they have been sexually assaulted. “I’m going to talk about my own personal experience when I was 18 in college, having gone off and unfortunately becoming the victim of date rape,” said Koestner. “I’m going to talk about the issue as it affects students and communities.” All Marywood athletes were required to attend the presentation, which was open to the public. According to Eric Grundman, assistant athletic trainer and men and women’s golf coach, Marywood holds a student athlete seminar every year and requires all student athletes to attend. Katie Tutak, head women’s lacrosse coach, said that cost is a big factor in choosing the athlete seminar each year.
“Last year we received a grant and we were able to bring in a nationally known speaker on nutrition,” said Tutak. “Nutrition was a topic that we thought was very pertinent to our student athletes.” Tutak said that for the athlete seminar this year, Marywood’s Peers on Wellness (POW) group had already invited Koestner for this presentation on relationship violence. Tutak said she felt this topic also applied to athletes. “It’s a topic that is just as important to student athletes, so we were able to kind of jump on board with that instead of having a separate seminar just for student athletes,” said Tutak. In previous years, athlete seminars have been about various topics including nutrition and academics, according to Tutak. According to Koestner, athletes are role models who are admired by other students. “I think that when they take a stand and say something is not acceptable, then other people tend to pay attention,” said Koestner. “We really need to motivate them to be a part of the solution.” During the presentation, Koestner addressed the athletes in the audience by saying if they take a stand, others will, too. She concluded the presentation by asking
for students’ help when they see someone who needs it. According to takebackthenight. org, the mission of Take Back the Night is to “create safe communities and respectful relationships through awareness events and initiatives.” The website states the organization aims to end sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence and all forms of sexual assault. Twice a year, Take Back the Night holds a national event called “10 Points of Light.” The organization selects 10 locations in the United States to hold a special vigil to show support for survivors of sexual violence, according to Take Back the Night’s website. Marywood was one of the locations chosen this year. According to Marywood’s website, both Marywood and the University of Scranton were chosen by the Take Back the Night Foundation because of each schools’ commitment to raising awareness and preventing sexual assault. Dawn DiMaria, social work graduate student and intern at the Counseling/Student Development Center, said Marywood’s 10 Points of Light event is Koestner coming to speak to the campus community. “We were chosen along with the
Photo credit/Kyle Clouse
Katie Koestner speaks to a room of student athletes at the “No-Yes” presentation in the Latour Room on Oct. 29. University of Scranton as one of the 10 Points of Light, so this is our event for that,” said DiMaria. Some student athletes said they felt this presentation should not have been mandatory. “I feel like it should be made optional,” said Michelle Thompson, senior athletic training major and lacrosse player. “People will make a joke out of it.” David Smith, lacrosse player and freshman marketing major, described how student athletes’
conduct is important. “Athletes are held to a higher standard,” said Smith. “We go out of town and represent Marywood.” Contact the writer: rclooker@m.marywood.edu
The Wood Word 4
November 2015
NEWS
Marywood Aphasia Support Group wins national award Rachel Looker Asst. News Editor On Oct. 26, Marywood’s Aphasia Support Group won Voter’s Choice for the fifth annual Raising Awareness in Stroke Excellence (RAISE) awards. This is the group’s second consecutive win. Marywood’s group was chosen from more than 400 nominations and won the award with 2,911 votes. “It was because of Marywood University students, faculty and staff votes that we won,” said Marla Kovatch, M.A., CCC/SLP, clinical instructor in the CSD department. The Aphasia Support Group consists of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) graduate students who plan activities each week for those affected by aphasia. Aphasia is defined as “a communication disorder that results from damage to the parts of the brain that contain language,” according to the American SpeechLanguage-Hearing Association’s website.
CSD graduate students work with family members and the caregivers of those suffering from aphasia to help recover speech, language and reading skills. Laura Drake, language-pathology graduate student in the CSD department, said that the award is well-deserved. “Our members and their families and friends really deserve the recognition they are receiving,” said Drake. According to stroke.org, the Voter’s Choice award honors a group that represents the best effort in raising stroke awareness. Marywood’s Aphasia Support Group held a fundraiser last June to benefit the National Stroke Association at Yogurt City in Dickson City. The group raised $350. “It feels great to raise awareness for aphasia because not many people are familiar with this language disorder,” said Drake. “I hope that our aphasia awareness event helped people in the community to recognize this disorder and feel more comfortable communicating with some-
Photo courtesy of Marketing and Communications
Marywood’s award winning Aphasia Support Group raises money in June at their fundraiser at Yogurt City in Dickson City. one with aphasia.” June is the national aphasia month. At the fundraiser, students handed out flyers and brochures to educate others about aphasia and stroke victims, according to Kovatch.
Kovatch said that she hopes the Aphasia Support Group continues to hold events to benefit the National Stroke Association and raise awareness about the disorder. “I could not be prouder of the
everyday heroes that comprise Marywood University’s aphasia group and the students that I get to collaboratively work with each semester,” concluded Kovatch. Contact the writer: rclooker@m.marywood.edu
Marywood’s Society for Collegiate Journalists inducts new members; wins chapter of the year award On Friday, Nov. 13, 2015, 11 students were inducted into the Marywood chapter of the Society for Collegiate Journalists (SCJ). As part of the induction ceremony, Meg McGuire, journalist and adjunct professor at Marywood, spoke about the future of journalism and how to be successful in the field in the 21st century. McGuire also presented the chapter with the Society of Collegiate Journalists’ Edward E. McDonald National Chapter of the Year Award. Inductees include Jessica Bonacci (‘19), McKensie Curnow (‘17), Amanda Duncklee (‘18), Alexandra Goebelbecker (‘18), Stephanie Leone (‘18), Connor Moffitt (‘16), Chanya Rice (‘17), Katlynn Whitaker (‘17). Not pictured are John Ferraro (‘17), Rachel Looker (‘18), and Kelsey VanHorn (‘17).
Photos courtesy of Paul Sevensky
New inductees of SCJ stand with current members who welcomed them into the society and celebrated the national award.
OPINION
November 2015
The Wood Word 5
Our Opinion: Trustees need to communicate clearly too The Wood Word Editorial Board Throughout this semester, anonymous flyers and a public protest have caused a stir on campus about faculty displeasure with administration. Between Oct. 6 and Oct. 8, faculty held a vote of no confidence for two top university administrators; 88 percent of faculty voters voted no confidence in Joseph X. Garvey, vice president of financial affairs and treasurer, and 71 percent of faculty voted no confidence in president Sr. Anne Munley, IHM. On Oct. 19, the board of trustees sent an email to faculty and staff saying that, though there have been some “expression[s] of dissatisfaction,” the board maintained a position of “unanimous and steadfast” support of Sr. Anne and Garvey. The board of trustees, by recognizing dissatisfaction, but reiterating their support of the current administration, again stymies an opportunity for significant change. How they communicated
that support shows why faculty continues to find fault with campus leadership. The letter was vague in not directly addressing the vote of no confidence. By not acknowledging the vote or its results, the board of trustees dismissed the magnitude of such a measure while they simultaneously stifled discussion for anyone who was not aware of the vote by failing to inform the greater Marywood community clearly of faculty concerns. Meanwhile, the formation of a shared governance committee, which will include eight faculty and eight board members, seems to say there will be more of the same meetings and debates that brought faculty to this point. Dialogue is always good, but the board already disregarded the faculty’s vote of no confidence. If such a drastic measure by faculty didn’t change their minds, what’s the point of the committee? The faculty, meanwhile, have communicated their feelings clearly and precisely.
During the dedication of the Learning Commons on Sept. 8, faculty and students held signs in protest of how money was being spent and how faculty were being treated, among other things. Their points were well outlined and held up for all to see. The vote of no confidence also could not have been clearer. A strong majority of faculty are dissatisfied with the work of Garvey and Sr. Anne. This board letter is yet another instance of withholding information at the top, an issue faculty have grown tired of and one students are now combatting. In a well-organized, detailed letter to the board of trustees, the Student Government Association (SGA) expressed its “deep concern regarding current university administration.” The three-page letter clearly outlined significant concerns of SGA and the larger student body, among them that hundreds of thousands of dollars in student fees are missing from SGA’s budget. SGA’s letter also emphasizes
Jessica Bonacci Asst. Opinion Editor Transportation has evolved from horse-drawn carriages to gasoline powered machines in the past century. Now the world has skyTran, a revolutionary new innovation in transportation technology. According to its company website, skyTran is a “network of computer-controlled, 2-person ‘jetlike’ vehicles employing state-ofthe-art passive, magnetic levitation (maglev) technology.” Put simply, it is a pod that people can travel in that relies on magnets to propel it forward on an overhead track, like a monorail. This monorail, according to The
Times of Israel, is set to demo in Tel Aviv, Israel, in 2016. This fast-travel technology is a step in the right direction as it will be an asset in the future of clean transportation. Since it relies on maglev technology to operate, the system will not require the use of fossil fuels for each pod, which means less carbon dioxide emissions will harm the atmosphere. Instead of these toxic fuels, the network relies on kinetic energy to operate. In fact, skyTran reports that “the power used in two hair dryers can fly you at over 62 mph.” Efficiency, conservation, and speed all come together. That’s something I have no prob-
lem supporting. In addition to being good for the environment, skyTran is great for consumers. A ride on skyTran is predicted to be relatively inexpensive. According to Business Insider, one ticket will cost only $5. That’s much less than the cost of buying Graphic Credit/Connor Moffit and maintaining an electric car, or any other for that matter. Monorails like skyTran’s can revolutionize travel as we know it. I would pay $5 without hesitation to travel efficiently and save transportation. eling with skyTran, the environthe environment. It is a small inHopefully the skyTran mono- ment and wallets all over the vestment that can go a long way. rail will have a successful debut world will reap the benefits. Since this clean transportation so that it can be implemented in Contact the writer: is predicted to be more accessible cities across the globe. One day, jlbonacci@m.marywood.edu to large populations, it is possible we may be ditching our cars for that it can replace older forms this public transportation of the of environmentally destructive future. If people switch to trav-
Graphic Credit/Alex Weidner
that the concerns it is now raising have been presented before and were never addressed. Although responding to such numerous issues raised by SGA requires adequate time, a timetable for such a response has yet to be communicated to SGA. When will SGA and the student body it represents get answers? The board has now joined administrators in shying away from comment or offering vague
responses. That will not suffice in these challenging times. Only transparency and direct communication can alleviate the tension felt throughout campus.
The Wood Word is moving online starting Spring 2016
skyTran elevates transportation with new technology
THE WOOD WORD
Marywood University’s Award-Winning Student Newspaper and product of the Communication Arts Department
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Satara Dickey MANAGING EDITOR Patrick Kernan
NEWS EDITOR Brigid Edmunds
OPINION EDITOR Paul Capoccia
A&E EDITOR McKensie Curnow
SPORTS EDITOR John Ferraro
COMMUNITY EDITOR Amanda Duncklee
Share your opinion! Letters must be 300 words or fewer. The Wood Word reserves the right to edit letters for length and grammar. Send name, title, photo, and a phone number where you can be reached to: thewoodword@m.marywood.edu
The Wood Word 6
November 2015
OPINION
He said, She said: How much vacation is too much? Unlimited vacation has limited benefits Too many workaholics
Paul Capoccia Opinion Editor Starting on Nov. 1, LinkedIn, the massive corporate and professional networking site, will begin to offer its own unlimited vacation time plan, following suit with similar companies like Netflix and General Electric. This will allow the approximately 6,000 employees of LinkedIn in the United States to have as much vacation time as they want, as approved by managers and without changing their schedules or having leaves of absence. Pat Wadors, LinkedIn’s chief human resource officer, said she wants this new policy to empower both managers and employees in allowing for more flexibility, according to Huffington Post. If Wadors is looking to empower her employees, she ought to try something else. While adults in a professional workplace should arguably not need to be micromanaged, the strain on management and work among colleagues certainly will increase with unlimited vacations. Managers who are difficult to negotiate with for vacation time will be seen as villains, while managers who haphazardly dish out vacation time may put projects in jeopardy.
Employees would need to know they could trust their bosses to receive vacation time when they need it; they won’t be able to take it really as they please. They also need to trust their bosses to know when all team members of a proj-
Jessica Bonacci Asst. Opinion Editor America is a country full of opportunity. There are so many careers available to those who seek them out. However, this careerdriven society has created a class of workaholics. In fact, Project: Time Off states that “American workers report just 16 [paid vacation days] used in 2013,” about four days less than Americans took in the 20th century. In order to combat this trend of leaving Photo Credit/Connor Moffitt vacation time unPaul continues to work while Jessica enjoys her unlimited vacation time. used, LinkedIn and other new-age technology compaect need to meet a deadline; oth- rather nice, and many companies nies have switched their vacation erwise, the workplace could be a are doing it with the right intenpolicies to a “discretionary time very volatile environment. tion: to allow their employees off” (DTO) model. When employees ask for vaca- freedom, to empower, and to show Basically, employees can work tion, they also may feel guilty. real concern for their employees’ with their bosses to schedule more Their colleagues may have more well-being. B u t , sometimes flexible vacation time instead of deadlines to meet or less time to structure can take care of that, working with a strict amount of travel, making this optional time and unlimited vacation has really vacation days. strategy a point of division. With- limited benefits. Giving employees control of out a set number, it’d be hard for Contact the writer: their days off may seem like a bad everyone in a given year to have pcapoccia@m.marywood.edu idea, but it has proven to be othtaken the same amount of days. erwise. According to Pat Wadors Some companies such as
Paul Capoccia Opinion Editor On Nov. 4, United States Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake, both Arizona Republicans, revealed a report stating the Department of Defense spent as much as $6.8 million in taxpayer money to professional sports teams for what they call “taxpayer funded marketing gimmicks.” Events included parachute jumps, staged family reunions and exaggerated tributes to service, among other displays. According to a Pentagon memo included in the senators’ report as reported by Mother Jones, Flake and McCain go on to say “If the most compelling message about military service we can deliver to prospective recruits ... is the promise of game tickets, gifts, and player appearance, we need
to rethink our approach to how we are inspiring.” While advertisements to inspire young men and women to service are needed almost intuitively, to promote the military through staged, disingenuous acts is setting a poor standard indeed. Americans deserve genuine displays of national pride, not fake representations of what our military ought to stand for. Serving in our military can unfortunately be a thankless job, especially with the riptides of dissatisfaction with our current deployments overseas by many Americans. But military recruitment ought to be rooted in American ideals, not in sporting events. By setting a precedent to promote disingenuous appearances over legitimate, heartfelt ones is probably the most disconcerting
Kickstarter actually ran into this problem in which workers used less vacation time due to guilt and other factors, also according to Huffington Post, and ultimately changed vacation time models. In theory, the idea does sound
of LinkedIn, the policy “will give... employees the ability to better meet their personal needs, which will then allow them to bring their best self to work.” Unlimited vacation time is also beneficial because it strengthens the bond between employee and employer. Since employees work with managers to figure out their vacation time, it leaves the employees with more responsibility and a greater trust in employers. Entrepreneur magazine reports that “when employees feel trusted and valued by their employers, they gain an enhanced sense of purpose, motivation and responsibility.” Both the employee and the employer experience some sort of job satisfaction increase. Contrary to popular belief, using paid vacation days ends with a positive result. It allows for more satisfied employers, more efficient working hours, and happier employees. The DTO model defies a system of vacation time that has been in place for years. Sometimes, a break in tradition is what the world needs. Contact the writer: jlbonacci@m.marywood.edu
False presentations of veterans have no honor part of the report. As Americans, we rely greatly on our military to protect us and to protect our world. Similar to police officers these days, many are short-changed the respect they deserve. In condoning and funding these kinds of displays is to suggest the American people need to see cheesy displays of fake affection to understand how difficult military deployment can be. The displays insinuate Americans cannot support our military for what they are doing, but rather how they end up feeling. Most unfortunately, these events suggest the military’s individuals are not
The NFL for its part has stated it will audit its funds and return any inappropriately spent by the Pentagon, something honorable in and of itself. The military ought to eliminate these illegitimate displays; it has enough to honor without staging acts. Leave that for the men Graphic Credit/Kelsey Van Horn in football helmets paid capable of recruiting in real ways. to entertain, not for the men and Admittedly, the promise of women with helmets charged game tickets or similar appear- with defending our liberty. ances likely was not a strong inContact the writer: fluence for anyone to join the milipcapoccia@m.marywood.edu tary. Certainly some people saw through the guise, and, while it is disappointing, took them as mere commercials.
COMMUNITY
November 2015
The Wood Word 7
Marywood hosts first ever graduate school fair for undergrad students Amanda Duncklee Community Editor Marywood University held its first graduate school fair in the Fireplace Lounge at Nazareth Hall for students who were interested in learning about or attending graduate school. The event took place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21 and featured 24 colleges from Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey, and one U.S. representative from University College Cork in Ireland.“We have wanted to have a grad fair for awhile,” said Tammy Manka, the associate director of graduate admissions of seven years. Graduate Admissions and Career Services worked on the event for several months. Graduate Admissions was responsible for contacting schools and Career Service’s role was to help guide students to schools that correlate with their desired career and advertise the event to students.
“We wanted to give the Marywood undergrad population a venue to research grad schools since it’s the next step after graduation,” said Manka. “If there are any students who need guidance, Career Services and Graduate Admissions will be happy to help them.” Director of Career Services Carole Gustitus came up with the idea for a grad school fair. “The event provides the opportunity to mingle with admissions people from different cities without traveling,” said Gustitus. “The turnout wasn’t quite what we expected, but many schools said this was okay for the first time. We have learned a lot and the schools have been very helpful,” said Gustitus. Sophomore exercise science major Katie Edwards believed that the grad school fair was a good event. “It’s a good idea to inform students of different schools they can attend, said Edwards. Amy
Photo credit/Amanda Duncklee
Tammy Manka, associate diretor of graduate admissions, prepares the Graduate Admissions table during the Grad School fair. Liberi, the assistant dean of the Graduate School at Rutgers Camden, talked about the importance of enrolling in the right graduate school. “Finding a program that fits your interest is important,” said Liberi. Michell Patterson is the assistant director for graduate admissions at Penn State Harrisburg
discussed what he enjoys about his line of work and what is necessary for students thinking about grad school.“My favorite part of my job is meeting students,” said Patterson. “Grad school is not for everyone; you need that passion to become an expert in a field. The passion really has to come full circle if you’re looking for a masters
or doctorate degree level.” Ann Williams, director of Alumni Engagement, was present at the event and spoke of the importance of establishing connections.“What we can do in the alumni office for students is network them with alumni,” said Williams. “We can help you connect with alumni within your field and the geographical location you may want to be in, which includes 16 different countries.” Williams said that the turnout at the event was slow at some points. “It’s the first grad fair... even if one student finds a grad school they are interested in or an alum wants to make a connection, this is a success,” said Williams. Bethany Wade contributed to this report. Contact the writer: alduncklee@m.marywood.edu ADuncklee_TWW
For a cause: Sisters and students unite to raise funds for refugees
Photo Credit/Katlynn Whitaker
Refugees share their stories during refugee day. Ali Sidiki Staff Writer On Monday, Oct. 26, students and IHM Sisters hosted a fundraiser for the crises going on in Syria, Burma, Palestine, Iraq and Sudan. The first part of the event, an informational session, took place between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the Learning Commons. Students sponsored an open mic night and facts reading about the crises at the Fireplace Lounge in Nazareth Hall later that evening. Students, faculty and people
who wanted to donate to the cause were welcome to attend both parts of the event. The event encouraged attendees to donate clothes, money, blankets and food items to the refugees and organizers were accepting donations on the spot. Senior mathematics major Susan Durand said that she came to the event to support the cause and become more alert about the catastrophes that have struck Syria, Iraq, Burma and Palestine. “I honestly was not aware of what has been going on. I came
here today to support this cause and get more educated about the issue,” she said. Later on, the Fireplace Lounge was filled with the aroma of coffee, the warmth of the barely-lit fireplace and fresh cookies. There were posters all around with various facts about the crises and donation jars and boxes placed around encouraging people to donate. One of the organizers, freshman nutrition major Salma Ahmed said that she wasn’t hoping for such a large turnout and was humbled that about 40 people showed up as compared to the 10 to 15 that showed up earlier at the Learning Commons. “This is a really good turnout. Earlier during the day, there were very few people who attended the informational session at the Learning Commons, and I started to lose hope,” she said. The night was a mix of facts reading of the crises by students followed up by musical performances. Students did their own rendition of famous songs including a nostalgic version of "Here Comes the Sun" by The Beatles.
Students also sang their own original songs. One of the performers, Joseph Buderwitz, a junior history secondary education major, said that he was performing to be “a part of the cause.” Sr. John Michelle, IHM, assistant director of Campus Ministry, helped put the event together and said she was content with the day’s proceedings. “Everything went wonderfully well,” she said. Sr. John also said that the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) played a huge in distributing donations to refugees within Scranton and is still continuing to do so. “I sat down with the ambassadors from CRS and we spoke about this major crisis that has struck the world. That was when we decided that we needed to something about it,” she said. Sr. John also stressed the importance of being aware of the crisis itself. “People are ‘couch-blind.' They don’t want to know what’s going on around them. If they watch something heartbreaking on TV, they feel guilty, and when they
feel guilty, they feel the need to do something. Nowadays, we are too lazy to get up and do something about it. So if they watch something heartbreaking, they simply change the channel,” she said. Four refugees attended this event. Three were from Somalia, while one was from Sudan. Mohammed Ahmed, a 34-year-old Somalian refugee, offered his reasons for emigrating from Somalia. “We came here because we wanted to make a difference, to be happy. We’re here because we want to educate ourselves and make money. We are so grateful for the help that we’ve gotten,” said Ahmed. Students and faculty who could not make it to the event were able to donate until Oct. 30 at designated donation jars at the Nazareth Dining Hall and at the Learning Commons. Half of the proceeds from the 50/50 drawing on Oct. 30 went to the winner while the other half went to CRS in order to help refugees. Contact the writer: asidiki@m.marywood.edu
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COMM
Editor’s Note: No more print, but we’re still here Patrick Kernan Managing Editor If you haven’t kept track of the back-page announcements we’ve run on the last two print issues of The Wood Word, then we have an announcement to make: the paper you hold in your hands is the final print issue of The Wood Word. Does that mean we’re going away? Not at all. In fact, we’ll be more present on campus than ever before, since, from now on, we’ll be publishing exclusively on our website. And I, for one, could not be more excited about this switch. There are a lot of reasons for this, due to realities both on campus and at large in the news industry. There is a lot of argument going on in the field of journalism over whether print-based media is dying. And while I’m not sure if I’m confident enough to say that it’s on its way into the coffin yet, it’s certainly on life-support. Let’s face it: web-based journal-
ism is the future. And if The Wood Word is to function not only as Marywood University’s primary news outlet but also as a learning experience for student journalists, a shift to the web simply makes educational sense. As a student journalist myself, I would rather learn the future of the medium. Not the past.
time we go to print, many of the stories are no longer as timely as they once were. With no print edition to worry about, stories can be immediately published upon completion, which means keeping Marywood news as up-to-date as possible for the reader. And we at The Wood Word have been focusing heavily on our website for some time now. Our coverage of both the controversial hanging of an American flag upside-down in a protest early last Dec. and the bomb threat that cancelled classes and evacuated buildings in Sept. relied heavily on web-based reporting. Both required up-to-the-minute reporting and updates, something that would have been totally impossible on our tri-semesterly printing schedule. Also, we’ve been making strides to produce more interesting multimedia content for our website. In addition to a copy of all of the articles that you see in our print edi-
“The paper you hold in your hands is the final print issue of The Wood Word.” But the main reason why I’m excited to make the switch to all webbased media is the increase in the amount of content we can produce and the increase in quality of that content. Right now, with a small budget, we go to print three times a semester. This means that, by the
tion, on our website you can find podcasts about sports and music, multimedia enhancements to our articles such as audio clips and photo slideshows and even video news packages provided by our sister news outlet TV-Marywood. If readers are concerned about getting the content they know and love from The Wood Word, they shouldn’t be. We’re working on a solution, that will allow us to send our weekly top stories directly to readers’ emails. The Wood Word has had a great run in print, and I count myself lucky to say that I was a part of some of it. But don’t think of this final print issue as “goodbye.” Instead, think of it as an opportunity to hear a lot more from us; because that’s exactly what’s going to happen. Contact the writer: pkernan@m.marywood.edu @PKernanTWW
MUNITY
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Find us online Bookmark, follow, or like our media outlets to stay involved with breaking news articles, photographs, videos, and even podcasts!
Social media helps news spread on campus All information taken from The Wood Word’s Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/muwoodword
http://www.thewoodword.org The Wood Word at Marywood University
•Flag hung upside-down in the Rotunda in support of Ferguson Post reached: 27,264 Fact: This was posted exclusively on The Wood Word’s Facebook page on Dec. 2, 2014. The post contained pictures of students protesting in support of Ferguson. During the protest a flag was hung upside down and written on. The flag said “There is no Justice on stolen land,” “#BlackLivesMatter “ and the name of recent deaths associated with actions by law enforcement.
@TheWoodWord @TheWoodWord The Wood Word
•Flyers distributed on campus discuss state of Marywood’s affairs
Post Reached: 24,075 Fact: On Sept. 1, 2015, The Wood Word posted on its Facebook page a picture of a flyer discussing Marywood’s finances that was found in Marywood’s Rotunda. This post led to multiple news stories on the flyers and multiple updates on additional flyers via social media. This post has 114 shares, 20 comments and over 120 likes on Facebook. •Bomb threat causes campus evacuation Posts reached: 18,420 (combined) Fact: The Wood Word posted several updates to the Facebook page, keeping readers up to date with the status of the evacuation on Sept. 24, 2015, caused by a series of bomb threats called into campus. The series of updates received a total of 18,420 views. •Faculty Senate holds special meeting, distributes no confidence info
Post reached: 3,221 Fact: This article was posted on Sept. 26, 2015. It was shared 19 times, had over 20 likes and had numerous comments on Facebook. Graphic Credit/Kelsey Van Horn
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November 2015
COMMUNITY
Group Spotlight: College Diabetes Network Sr. John Says: An age is passing Esperanza Gutierrez Asst. Community Editor Diabetes is something that not everyone talks about or is even aware of. A group of students at Marywood decided to challenge this and created the College Diabetes Network. Nicole LaBarbiera, sophomore, criminal justice major, president of the College Diabetes Network: Marywood University Chapter, had the idea of creating the club. “There wasn’t any chapter in the area that had to do with diabetes and I didn’t know anyone that had diabetes, so one day I brought up the idea to Angelika, the current vice president of the club, in the gym to make a club,” said LaBarbiera. Angelika Juzwa, sophomore music therapy major, vice president of the chapter, is a Pre-diabetic and looked forward to being apart of the College Diabetes Network. “Diabetes is underrated, and it
Photo Courtesy of Nicole LaBarbiera
Members of the group pose for a photo during Open House. can affect your life,” said Juzwa. “It’s good to have support, and this club is open for anyone, not just people who have diabetes.” There are currently 30 members in the club, and meetings are held every two weeks either on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday at 8:30 p.m. on the second floor of Madonna. Leslie Mason, second year student and member of the chapter,
is a Type 1 Juvenile Diabetic. Mason has a message for students who have diabetes on campus. “Get involved in your community. Get involved, get out there, participate, do a walk and volunteer in your community because diabetes does affect everyone.” Contact the writer: egutierrez@m.marywood.edu
Sr. John Michele Southwick, I.H.M. Special Contributor to The Wood Word Technology has taken over my life! I hate it! I will never hold The Wood Word in my hands again! Usually if I do not see the paper with my own eyes in front of me, I don’t think of picking it up and reading it. I have to remember to go online to find it and then read it. Maybe it is my age or my lack of technology skills, but it is still the visual aspect of it that I will miss. The people coming onto the campus will also miss seeing it around, I believe. The prospective students, their parents, the alumni and the community will no longer have the paper in paper form. It is a visual reminder of Marywood University, its Communication Arts Department, and its work. The voice of the students will no longer be available for all to “see”
in print, around campus. An age is passing. I do hope that others will have better skills, and maybe a better memory, than I and remind me to look online for the paper because I do love reading it. I would like to thank all of those students who have made The Wood Word possible over these many years, and all of their hard work in putting it together. I know that work is not stopping, but it is changing. Keep up the good work. You do a great job! Contact the writer: southwick@maryu.marywood.edu
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
November 2015
Featured Faculty: Dr. Laurie McMillan Uses modern approach to teaching with YouTube and Blogging
McKensie Curnow A&E Editor Associate Professor of English and Writing Coordinator, Dr. Laurie McMillan has recently entered her 11th year of teaching at Marywood University. McMillan’s recipe for successful teaching includes lots of laughter and a modern approach, using the latest media tools to prepare her students for today’s digital world. She has been a writer for as long as she can remember and credits her passion for writing to reading a lot as a kid. “I used to write a lot of poetry and work
on the school magazine when I was in high school, so I just have always done a lot of writing. My teachers really supported my writing, so I felt successful with it, also,” said McMillan. McMillan earned her Master’s and Ph.D. in English Literature, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Women’s and Gender studies from Duquesne University. Combining her love for writing and her modern approach to teaching, McMillan utilizes blogging for both professional and personal use. She also sometimes uses blogging in the classroom to communicate with students. She has three individual blogs that she uses: WinkyFace Margin Notes, Laurie Mac Reads, and Laurie Mac’s How To. McMillan first created Laurie Mac’s How To video blog. She was inspired to create the video blog after she heard a speech from Dr. Bump Halbritter, Associate Professor of English at Michigan State University, at a conference. “In his presentation, he said ‘If we are going to teach students to write using new media, we need to be using it ourselves,” said McMillan. Her first series of video blogs include goofy how-to videos. Her first video, for example, was “How to Eat a Cupcake.” She used her video blog as her primary Photo Credit/Stephanie Leone
platform, and eventually started using YouTube as her secondary platform. “I didn’t realize that YouTube would be such a go-to destination for people so I thought of the video blog as the go-to destination and YouTube was just a way of posting to the blog. And it was after I started that I realized I got much more traffic on YouTube and that that was really the destination,” said McMillan. Once she found potential in YouTube, she was hooked. McMillan noted that YouTube is a “fantastic place to create a brand and share it publicly.” She also realized that many English majors in their first jobs outside of school would be responsible for managing social media, such as YouTube, for their companies. “To have an entrepreneurial attitude toward YouTube is a way of stepping up your own game even if you’re struggling to find employment in your field, and suddenly you have this awesome skill that you can sell yourself with,” said McMillan. After gaining success, and even some money, with her how to channel, she partnered up with Associate Professor and Director of Broadcast Journalism Program, Dr. Lindsey Wotanis, to create a new channel. After some brainstorming, the team came up with the idea of WinkyFace. WinkyFace started out with three different kinds of videos: behind the scenes videos, parodies of faculty life, and interviews with literary characters. With a combination of both fun
and stress, they figured out YouTube and overtime, they expanded what kinds of videos they do. For example, they created a video where professors read mean evaluations in response to talk show host Jimmy Kimmel’s “Celebrities Reading Mean Tweets.” The parody video has been shared by both MTVu and Rate My Professors. Their studies of YouTube and work with their WinkyFace channel have led to their brand new course they are co-teaching, YouTube Writing and Production. “We are working on a textbook proposal for a YouTube textbook. We also are in the process of writing an article about lifelong learning in the digital age. We think it’s important that faculty jump into digital tools even if they feel afraid,” said McMillan. According to McMillan, WinkyFace is currently on hiatus, but they use it a little bit in class, both to goof around and to teach with. In addition to their YouTube class, McMillan and Wotanis have also worked on a publication together called, “Performing Gender on YouTube: How Jenna Marbles Negotiates a Hostile Online Environment” which was published in Feminist Media Studies in late 2014. Jenna Marbles is one of McMillan’s favorite video bloggers, and one of YouTube’s biggest stars. McMillan said she is interested in the discussion of online spaces and whether everyone has an equal opportunity to participate or whether “online spaces play out the same kind of inequities and injustices that we see in real
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world context.” “We are specifically interested in sexism online and the fact that the same percentage of women were top YouTube stars as we’re represented in CEOs, in Fortune 500 companies, as we’re represented in Congress…basically from 16 to 20 percent is the most you see of women in any kind of industry across the board in terms of the upper ranks – even upper administration for education, even though education is considered a more female world,” said McMillan. In their publication, they studied this trend. After comparing 100 comments on Jenna Marbles and Ryan Higa’s top 10 videos, they found that “Jenna Marbles had a much harsher reception on YouTube than Ryan Higa, even though she is the most popular YouTuber in some points.” They then asked what is it about her videos that are “strong in the face of this harsher reception and we found that she does a lot of performance of gender, both masculine and feminine.” With her extensive research of YouTube and current trends, her own accomplishments with YouTube, and her ability to connect well with her students, McMillan is a step ahead of the game – ready to prepare herself and her students for success and growth in this digital world we live in. Contact the writer: mcurnow@m.marywood.edu
McGraw’s “Damn Country Music” enjoyable, not life-changing
Patrick Kernan Managing Editor I make it no secret that the title of Tim McGraw’s 14th most recent album, “Damn Country Music,” sums up my often negative opinions on the genre as a whole. Country is just one of those genres that rarely actually clicks
with me, and I think it’s better for me to address this bias straight up, than it is to pretend that I don’t have it. Yet, McGraw does something with this album that makes it work for me. He does this by bringing the genre back to its roots. The album begins with “Here Tonight,” which sounds decidedly bluegrass and almost traditionally Celtic in its presentation, with repetitively strummed, almost droning guitar
common in both styles of music. This old school country vibe carries on through the first four songs of the album, suddenly switching to a more mainstream country after the title track. It’s at this point that the album begins to become less interesting for me. While “Damn Country Music” as a title initially described my surprise and excitement over how much I was enjoying the album, it quickly reverted back to my traditional disparage-
ment of the genre. However, McGraw returned back to the original sounds of the album for the final third of it, even managing to mix in a bit of Southern Rock on “Want You Back,” and he finishes the record up with the emotional “Humble and Kind.” Did McGraw convert me to country music fandom with this record? No. But what he did do was create an album that, if occasionally
somewhat strangely organized with its smattering of pop country in the middle that was bookended by more traditional sounds, is rather engaging to listen to. McGraw, while not making a classic here, did make some “damn” good country music. I’m giving “Damn Country Music” a 3 out of 5. Contact the writer: pkernan@m.marywood.edu @PKernanTWW
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Alfredo’s Pizzeria: a South Side classic Brigid Edmunds News Editor South Side’s Alfredo’s Pizzeria has much more to offer than a good tray. Their extensive dinner menu offers dishes to satisfy any craving. The environment of Alfredo’s is welcoming and warm. The soft lighting adds to the atmosphere, and if you want to sit outside, you have that option, even in the fall, as they have space heaters located along their outdoor deck. For me, Alfredo’s is a regular dinner spot when I’m attending any type of event in downtown Scranton. Not only is the location prime, but the food is delicious. I was attending a play at the Scranton Cultural Center, so naturally, I suggested heading down to Alfredo’s for dinner. And since I always get their pizza, I decided to venture out and try a dinner. I was not disappointed in this choice. As a pasta lover, I tend to lean toward more Italian type dishes when I go out, and anything with chicken and garlic in it is a winner in my book. I decided on chicken scampi with angel hair pasta and broccoli. Since it was an entree, I got a choice of either a soup or salad to start. They have different soups daily, and when our server said the soup of the day was cream of broccoli, I was sold. In case you haven’t figured it out, I really love broccoli. My boyfriend ordered the pretzel chicken, which is a dish he swears by, and is very hesitant to share with me because of how delicious it is. Before the soup or entrees came out, our server brought over oven warm bread for us to snack on while we sat and visited. The bread was soft, and you could taste how fresh it was. They also bring both white and wheat breads, in case you favor one over the other. Once our soups and salads came, the table was pretty much quiet. The cream of broccoli was perfectly creamy, without being too heavy, and the balance of fla-
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
November 2015
vors left me wanting more than could fit in the cup sitting before me. Then, the moment of truth: dinner. The bowl of pasta and chicken and more broccoli that sat in front of me seemed like a small mountain of food, and I was so excited to conquer it. The pasta was cooked to perfection; not too soft, but not too al dente. The sauce was a delicious mixture of garlic, butter and white wine, and no flavors overpowered the other (although, I’m a firm believer in never having too much garlic.) The chicken was moist and flavorful, and the broccoli was bright green and steamed to the perfect consistency. The dish came to-
“Not only is the location prime, but the food is delicious.” gether in perfect harmony, and it was hard to have to put my fork down when I was too full to continue. The pretzel chicken, which I was able to steal a few bites of, was equally delicious. Instead of coating the chicken in breadcrumbs, they coat it in crushed pretzels. There is also some sort of glaze on it that just takes the dish one step further. The chicken itself is super moist, but then the outside is so flavorful and the crunch from the pretzels adds a texture to the dish that you wouldn’t accomplish with just regular bread crumbs. Alfredo’s offers a wonderful sit down dinner experience. If you are looking for a date spot, or even a night out with your friends, Alfredo’s is an excellent choice. Located at 1000 Washington Ave., Alfredo’s is a short drive from campus and a great dinner spot for college students. Contact the writer: bedmunds@m.marywood.edu @BrigidGraceTWW
Hit snooze and still look put together McKensie Curnow A&E Editor The most dreaded point of the semester has arrived. The road to finals has begun and the workload is crippling. Group projects, essays, research papers, presentations and readings are seemingly endless and all due around the same time. We don’t sleep, we barely eat, and we have breakdowns on a weekly basis. Walking around campus, you would think that the Marywood student body is infected with a zombie virus. Our morning beauty routines become nonexistent because we’d rather sleep than spend the extra time primping ourselves. It is, however, possible to disguise our fatigued-selves with a few quick and simple tricks. The best part? They’re so easy that we can still hit snooze! Here are a few beauty tricks to look alive during this exhausting time of year. Goodbye bags, hello bright eyes! Lack of sleep usually results in sagging bags and dark circles beneath your eyes. To fake your beauty rest, dab a little bit of concealer beneath your eyes. Then, use an eyelash curler to wake your eyes up. If you have an extra minute or two, apply two coats of mascara and add some white liner to the inner corners of your lower lash line for an extra bright look. Only you will know that you only slept for two hours last night. I recommend: •NYX Hi Definition Concealer Wand, $4.99 at ULTA •e.l.f Eyelash Curler, $1.00 at Target •Loreal Telescopic Mascara, $9.99 at ULTA •NYX Slim Eye Pencil in “White Pearl,” $3.49 at ULTA You glow, girl! Coffee and energy drinks are our best friends – the yin to our yang.
However, the mixture of these caffeinated drinks and the cold, dry Pennsylvania air tend to dry out our skin. Drinking water will help your skin glow from the inside out, so keep a bottle nearby at all times. Additionally, apply some moisturizer to your face (and and anywhere else that needs moisture) before you head out in the morning. It will give your skin a dewy and healthy look and eliminate any dry patches of skin. No one will ever guess that you’re about two seconds away from a mental breakdown. I recommend: •First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration, $12.99 (2 oz bottle) at Sephora Look alive with a pop of color! Lack of sleep and a poor diet drains the life out of our skin. Luckily, adding a punch of color is a breeze and makes a huge difference. Apply some blush to your cheeks to create a pretty roseflushed look. Add some shiny gloss to your lips for a beautiful, yet effortless and natural look. Welcome back to life. I recommend: •ULTA Cheek Color in “Sweet Cheeks”, $7.00 at ULTA •NYX Intense Butter Gloss, $5.99 at ULTA
Graphic Credit/Connor Moffit
No brush? No problem! Brushing your hair can be a chore in itself and styling can take forever. Forget about detangling those knots and put down the heated tools. Brush your hair up into a ponytail or bun. If it’s still looking frizzy, pat your fly-aways with some hairspray and add a headband. Voila! You no longer have to be ashamed to leave your apartment. I recommend: •TRESemmé TRES Two Extra Hold Aerosol Hair Spray (11 oz), $3.99 at Target Remember: when we look our best, we feel our best. A little confidence boost might be just what you need to get you through the last few weeks of school. Best of luck with finals, Pacers. Contact the writer: mcurnow@m.marywood.edu
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
November 2015
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Northeastern Biennial 2015: great opportunity for local artists and students Sophie Pauline Asst. A&E Editor The Northeastern Biennial Twenty Fifteen opened its eighth juried exhibition on Oct. 17 and closed Nov. 12. This series brought together artwork from artists living and working in the Lackawanna County area. This year’s exhibit was juried by Hal Bromm, an art dealer and founder of Hal Bromm Art & Design Gallery in Manhattan. Bromm is known for having opened the first contemporary gallery, which hosted “new talent” to collectors in the Tribeca area. Marywood University’s Mahady Gallery is one of the four host galleries of this event; the other spaces used include AFA Gallery, The Hope Horn Gallery at The University of Scranton, and ArtWorks Gallery & Studio. Jurors selected graduate student Annmarie Holler to display her work in Marywood’s exhibit.
Holler said she was ecstatic to have this opportunity. “This is something that if I have it on my resume employers are definitely going to be like “wow” because I was chosen out of so many others,” she said. Hundreds of pieces are entered, but only so many are selected to be included in this event. There are also four awards given to artists at each of the venues; $500 for 1st place, $250 for 2nd, honorable mention, and a oneperson exhibit. Candace Conville, an art therapy graduate student at Marywood, works in the Mahady Gallery and was very involved in the process of loading in the pieces to the gallery. She said Holler’s piece stood out to her. “It’s really different. The colors and shapes are cool; it’s different shades of blue that are just very precisely painted on and it’s really hard to do that,” Conville said. Holler said she was inspired to
create this piece when she visited New York City and saw reflections made by the buildings. “The idea behind it is the use of color,” said Holler. “[The buildings] made very unique shapes against their windows.” After toying with her photos she started sketching shapes and came to this one that she really liked. “I’ve always been interested in illusions. How far could I push a limited amount of colors? So I just used different hues of blue,” Holler said. Holler noted that each of the four galleries used in the biennial had their own style, or theme to them. Holler said the theme of Marywood’s gallery, “was like one half of the gallery looked like it was color and shapes, some of the other pieces even looked similar to mine, but the other half there was a lot of different technique used; there was fabric, drawing, prints,
Photo courtesy of Annmarie Holler
Annmarie Holler’s “Structure 3” is featured in the exhibit. painting.” “It was a beautiful gallery. A lot of people were saying that Marywood’s set-up was done great,” said Holler.
Contact the writer: sopauline@m.marywood.edu
English Department Book Swap sale continues
Photo Credit/Kyle Clouse
Students rummage through books the Book Swap and Sale. Anne Zukowski Web Editor Marywood’s English Department held its biannual Book Swap and Sale in the Fireplace Lounge of Nazareth Student Center on Nov. 12. Despite the retirement of Dr. Ann Marie Bush, former associate professor of English, the Book Swap continued for its 15th year. Jill Lynott, secretary of the English Department, and Sr. Christine Mihelich, assistant professor of English, organized the donations and setting up for the sale. Anyone from campus and the Marywood community had the
chance to donate books, exchange their own books for ones on display or shop from the selection of donated books. Soft cover books were priced at 50 cents and hard covers were $1; also, patrons had the opportunity of swapping a book for a book. “Some people come in with 50 books. Some people come in with a couple books or just to buy,” said volunteer Amanda Thornley, a senior English major. “Our Book Swap is a great way for people who read heavily to find a new selection.” Shopper Tristan Tregaskis, a sophomore illustration major,
browsed in the social sciences section. “There are a lot of books here, and I like this idea of trading [a book for a book] if you don’t have cash,” said Tregaskis. Tregaskis also said he liked the variety of books at the sale. Ayssa Alt, a new resident in the Scranton area, heard about this sale from a friend. She donated six bags of books and in return for donating, Alt was able to browse for books. “I haven’t been to [a swap with] such a large selection. I wasn’t expecting this size. I’m finding numerous young adult [books],” Alt said. The event was made possible due to volunteers’ help. Volunteers included the students, librarians and maintenance workers who collaborated to organize the event. A portion of the money raised will go toward Campus Ministry’s Thanksgiving baskets and the rest benefits Marywood’s English Department club. Contact the writer: Amzukowski@m.marywood.edu
DIY Dollar Store Christmas Wreath Francelis Cappellan Staff Writer Christmas decorations can be expensive, but in this DIY project I will show you how to make a Christmas ornament wreath for just $7. What you will need: 1. A round surface to outline the wreath. I used a plastic tray and cut the middle out so I only had the borders. 2. Hot glue gun 3. Christmas ornaments of any color you like. I used 57 Christmas balls, but it all depends on the size of your circular border. 4. A bow Directions: 1. Place the tray on the floor and cut out the middle. 2. The ornaments came with thread, so I found it easier if you tie two balls together.
3. Once you have them tied, tie the two balls on the border of the tray for support. 4. Make sure you glue the bow to the tray before you decorate the entire tray. 5. Hot glue the Christmas balls next to one another the tray and each other until you have the metal tray covered. 6. Leave it on the floor for 15 minutes so it has time to dry and harden. 7. Hang it up! This wreath would look great anywhere; you can use it as decoration for your house or give it to someone as a gift! The inspiration came from The Homeless Finch Blog. Contact the writer: fcapellan@m.marywood.edu
The Wood Word 14
November 2015
SPORTS
Marywood University Basketball 2015 Preview Men’s basketball: New coach, new defense, new attitude
Women’s basketball: Young, but determined to win
Men’s and Women’s
Photo Courtesy/NJS Sports Pics, Jim O’Connor
Connor Callejas plays in his first season with the Pacers. John Ferraro Sports Editor The men’s basketball team is looking to improve on last year’s missed opportunity at a playoff run with a new head coach and a new outlook that comes with it. As The Wood Word previously reported, Enrico Mastroianni was named head coach approximately two months before the season began. Mastroianni was fresh off trying to build the Georgian County men’s basketball program from scratch. Mastroianni does not see a difference in building a brand new program versus arriving at a team that just missed the playoffs. “I don’t think my approach is any different. I have the mindset that every year your team is different regardless of what university you are at or what program you are coaching,” he said. According to the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) coaches’ preseason poll, the season might be yet another challenge for Mastorianni. The coaches seeded the Pacers to finish eighth in the standings, topping only Cairn University and Summit University of Pennsylvania. Those teams combined for a dismal record of 5-55. On the other hand, the Pacers finished last year above .500 (14-11). Mastroianni hinted at the doubt surrounding his new team in relaying his main message to the players. “I told them that the theme for us is to believe. That is the main thing we are trying to
do,” he continued. “We need to stay together through whatever comes our way, whatever adversity or doubt is out there about our program. We were ranked eighth in the preseason poll, but we don’t see it that way.” According to Mastroianni, the subpar ranking only motivates the team to work even harder. “We have high expectations for ourselves. But, it certainly has helped that the conference hasn’t given us much credence in the league and where we are supposed to finish according to everyone else.” To motivate his players even more, Mastroianni has posted the actual preseason poll in the Pacer locker room. Even so, he does acknowledge that the competition in the CSAC is tough. “It’s a good league and it’s only going to continue to get better. Cabrini is always going to be at the top. Teams like Gwynedd Mercy will be competitive also. It seems that since I have gotten away from the conference Rosemont has gotten better. Centenary has improved too,” said Mastroianni. To combat the high level of CSAC competition, Mastroianni has implemented a new defensive scheme for his players, a scheme he said will take
Please see MEN’S BASKETBALL, page 16.
Basketball Preview Men’s Team
Photo Courtesy/NJS Sports Pics, Jim O’Connor
Alexa Gerchman plays in her junior season for the Pacers.
John Ferraro Sports Editor The women’s basketball team may be one of the school’s youngest teams in recent years, but they are determined to fight their way back to the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season. Last season, the Pacers were sent home in a first round loss to Keystone College. The team also lost its leading scorer Danielle Terranella, who averaged 11.4 points a game. This is not the biggest challenge facing Tara Macciocco as she enters her twelfth season as head coach of the Pacers. According to Macciocco, the team’s youth combined with the players’ lack of height are the two biggest hurdles they will face throughout the season. “Our biggest obstacle is definitely our youth and height. We are a much smaller team, but we are a lot faster than last year. And we are a less experienced team,” she said. Furthermore, Macciocco does not know who will take Terranella’s place as the leading scorer on the team. “We don’t have that go-to scorer yet, losing Danielle Terranella. So, I think developing that is going to take some time.” One of the players that could potentially take that role is Alexa Gerchman, a senior exercise science major. “I definitely see myself in Graphic Credit/Connor Moffit the leadership position just
Last Season’s Record: 14-11 Rank in Preseason CSAC Poll: 8th Players to Watch: Shane Letthand (8.0 points per game) and Connor Callejas (9.2 points per game) Women’s Team
Last Season’s Record: 16-11 Rank in Preseason CSAC Poll: 3rd Players to watch: Alexa Gerchman (5.2 points per game) and Gabrielle Giordano (freshman)
because I have been here the last four years. My other seniors are very helpful in their own way. But, I like to be the vocal leader because I’ve been in that position before as a senior in high school,” said Gerchman. Gerchman said communication is probably her biggest skill on the court as well. “I try to keep everybody in check while the game is going on. People get frustrated. I’m the one that calms them down, pulls them away and talks to them.” Macciocco echoed Gerchman’s comments and is looking for her to be more aggressive with her play on the court. “I think in terms of the play on the court, Alexa is the player to look out for. She is much more aggressive at both ends of the floor as well,” said Macciocco. Being more active on the offensive end is something that Gerchman, who averaged 5.2 points a game last year, is looking to do. “I think I need to score more. We lost a lot of scoring last year, and I think I need to step up my game in that aspect. I can’t force shots but I have to be more willing to take open shots,” said Gerchman. In addition to the senior leadership from Gerchman, Macciocco is looking for big things from an incoming freshman. “A newcomer to look out for is Gabby Giordano. She is going to be outstanding for us,” said Macciocco. Giordano was the leading scorer for Holy Cross
Please see WOMEN’S BASKETBALL, page 16.
SPORTS
November 2015
The Wood Word 15
Marywood receives CSAC Institutional Academic Excellence Award ing to CSACsports.org, including last year’s winner Immaculata University. “We [the Athletic Department] want to continue to represent our quality institution, Marywood, in the best light that we can,” said Gunning. “I’m very proud of our student athletes,” she concluded. “It is very possible that a collegiate athletic team, can be successful not only on the field and in a competitive venue but in the classroom as well.” Contact the writer: sdickey@m.marywood.edu @SataraLynnTWW
Satara Dickey Editor-in-Chief The Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) recently named Marywood University the recipient of the 2014-2015 CASC Institutional Academic Excellence Award. The annual award is given to an institution whose studentathletes achieve the highest combined grade point average (GPA) for the academic year. The Pacers’ GPA of 3.301 for 2014-2015 earned them their first-time CSAC award. “I was delighted we emerged as the leader because that is part of our initiative,” Dr. Mary Jo Gunning, director of Athletics and Recreation, said. “We truly celebrate the student-athlete; individual first, athlete second.” According to Gunning, since the CSAC Academic Excellence award began in 2008-09, the Pacers were always in second place. “I am delighted that Marywood University has received the 2014-2015 CSAC Institutional
Photo Courtesy/Marketing & Communications
In this stock photo from Marketing and Communications, students celebrate accomplishments. Academic Excellence Award, and I extend my warmest congratulations to all concerned,” said Sr. Anne Munley, IHM, Ph.D., president of Marywood via email to the Marywood community. “This is a
wonderful accomplishment, and I want to recognize and thank our administrators, staff, and student athletes for the countless ways in which they enrich the Marywood community by their leadership
and dedication to our mission and core values. We are very grateful to CSAC for this honor.” There were 11 other colleges and universites up for the CSAC award this year, accord-
The Wood Word is moving online starting Spring 2016
Women’s tennis coach receives CSAC Coach of the Year honors John Ferraro Sports Editor First-year women’s tennis head coach Aimee Wentzell received Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) coach of the year honors after her team placed second in the CSAC tournament. The Pacers capped off an impressive season finishing with double-digit wins. The team entered the CSAC playoffs as the third seed before falling to Gywnedd Mercy in the championship match. Leading six freshmen to that second-place finish earned Wentzell the coach of the year award. Wentzell was not expecting it. “I was kind of shocked because it was my first year as a head coach,” she said. “I was very shocked and very grateful. It is an award voted on by the coaches, so it meant a lot that the coaches felt that way.” Wentzell believes that her experience playing college tennis helped her better coach the team throughout the season. “I’ve been through the process of playing college tennis, so I’m supportive of
what these ladies are doing every day,” she explained. “I am able to use the experience I had as a player as a coaching tool as far as drills and workouts.” Wentzell’s mindest working with such a young team was that this season was going to be a learning process. “My mindset was that it was going to be
“My message from the beginning was to always give 100 percent and work the hardest. I tell them and they know that most of the players don’t have natural tennis ability; they have a strong work ethic.” Wentzell continued, “They are willing to run every ball down, be there for one more point than their opponent is. I just want to see them go out and play every match as if it is their last.” Wentzell wants to enjoy this moment, but knows there is work ahead for the with the goal being a Aimee Wentzell, head team, CSAC championship next women’s tennis coach season. “We saw that Gwynedd Mercy was a level ahead of a growing season. All the young us this year. They were very complayers were going to get a chance petitive, but we know what we to experience college tennis for have to do to get on their level,” the first time,” said Wentzell. said Wentzell. She also saw some of herself in Gwynedd Mercy beat the Pacthe players. According to Went- ers 5-0 in the championship zell, this was especially evident in match, but Wentzell is confident how hard the team played on the that the Pacers can rebound and court and the strong work ethic come back stronger next year. behind it. That was Wentzell’s “I have two starters returning biggest message to her team. from the previous year and only
“I was very shocked and very grateful.”
Photo Courtesy/Athletic Department
Aimee Wentzell receives CSAC coach of the year. lose one senior from this season. Plus, I have two freshmen coming back that were going to come in this year but got injured. I just had the meeting with my team
and we are looking to win next year,” said Wentzell. Contact the writer: jwferraro@m.marywood.edu
The Wood Word 16
November 2015
SPORTS
Keeping the pounds off during winter Haley Colarusso calories in pumpkin Staff Writer pie. It’s Christmas, it is The holidays are just okay to have some desaround the corner. Winter sert; however, two cookis gradually working its way ies is enough and one back into our lives and we piece of pie will suffice. have a whole break ahead of According to webus. Winter may seem like a centers.net, New Year’s magical time of year; howevEve is the holiday when er, according to webmd.com, the most alcohol is conthe average person gains 5-7 sumed. Alcohol makes pounds during the winter you gain weight like and the holidays. The wincrazy. It’s tempting to ter and holidays are used as down mixed drinks all justifications to forget your night; however, if you’re diet and workout plans. I going to drink, stick to even have to remind myself some merlot or caberto stay on track. Here are net. Red wine is actuGraphic Credit/ Kelsey Van Horn ally pretty good for you some helpful health tips to keep that weight on Santa Holidays bring good food, but be aware of how much you are consuming. in moderation. Claus only. The Super Bowl. Yes, Thanksgiving is one of my fa- need to pick between the stuffing, abcnews.com, the average person people do tend to gain weight vorite holidays because of the mashed potatoes and desserts. eats 6,000 calories on Christmas drinking beer and eating nachos. food. The average calorie in- I know that’s the worst decision day and that’s not including des- Watching the Super Bowl autotake on Thanksgiving is nearly ever, but, carbs, on top of fat, on sert. One chocolate chip cookie is matically means a ton of terrible 4,500 calories according to calo- top of more carbs, on top of more 78 calories. That might not seem greasy, fatty foods, and beer to like a lot, but who eats just one drink all night. Skip the chips riecontrol.org, which is like eat- fat is not good. Christmas. Yes it is almost cookie? Let’s not forget the 400 and dip and find some pretzels to ing three days’ worth of food in just one meal. To avoid this, you Christmas time. According to calories in cheesecake or the 320 munch on. Bring a vegetable tray
instead of snacks and try not to eat a lot of red meats. Avoid eating like a linebacker on game day. I know winter is dreadfully cold and you don’t want to get out of your warm bed, but spring is less than a few months away. During winter months, eat light portions, drink tons of water and join a gym. Yep, that’s right, join a gym. There will be no more, “I’m just going to go for a run today,” since it is three degrees out. The gym is the best way to keep off those winter pounds. I know the winter is a time for hot chocolate and comfort foods, but always keep in mind your goals. Anyone can reach their own personal goals if they just stick to it. Choose your carbs wisely. Choose your desserts carefully. Always pick red wine. And finally, join a gym. Contact the writer: htcolarusso@m.marywood.edu
Men’s Basketball
Pacer fans are used to seeing. “We are a completely different team from last year. We are going to move the ball a lot faster.” Because the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) is very competitive, with teams such as Cabrini, Gwynedd Mercy, and Keystone, Macciocco knows her team has to take it one game at a time. “We always set our goals and expectations high. But, I do think we have to go one day at a time. That is what the coaching staff has been preaching so far,” said Macciocco. The main point Macciocco stressed to her team is to learn to adapt. “I think the message is that we need to learn how to play within our system, buying in to that system, and coming into a much more physical college game than in high school,” said Macciocco. The Pacers’ regular season begins at home against Wilkes University on Nov. 30. Contact the writer: jwferraro@m.marywood.edu
Continued from page 14
some time to click. “They are learning a new system that they were not familiar with. It’s exposing some bad habits,” Mastroianni continued. “We are trying to get guys to do things the right way. That is very hard to do when you already defined who you are as a player to this point.” He further explained the new system as a “wall” of sorts. “It’s predicated on help. We have to trust each other. If guys are going to pressure the ball like we want them too; there has got to be a backline of help. We call it ‘building a wall.’” Amidst the challenge of learning a completely different defense, Mastroianni sees a major positive with the team that could carry them a long way. “We are obviously a very good shooting team. As a team, we shot a very high percentage last season. We have seen improved shooting during the scrimmages we’ve been having in the pre-
season. We have some really talented shooters,” said Mastroianni. Two players the coach expects big things from are team captain Shane Letthand and second-year player Connor Callejas. “Shane is very experienced. He’s playing very well and is leading the team. Connor has been a pleasure to coach so far. He has a very high basketball IQ,” said Mastroianni. Letthand, a senior social work major, said that for him it has been difficult to adjust to Mastroianni’s newly implemented defensive scheme. “It is pretty difficult to adapt to a new scheme. The principle of this defense is helping our teammates more than we did in the past. It’s a learning process for sure.” Callejas, a sophomore guard, echoed Letthand’s comments about adapting to a new scheme. “I think we are having some difficulties, but every team does this early in the year.” As a freshman, Callejas averaged 9.2 points in nearly 22 minutes per game last season for the
Pacers. He hopes to see his role expand even more this year. “I definitely think it is growing. I’m trying to lead by example. But, we definitely recognize Shane as our captain. I try and do as much as I can to help him out with that,” said Callejas. Coach Mastroianni admits that the team is very young. Therefore, he stresses that they put as much work in as possible. “I’m just here to make sure that the effort is there every game, every workout, and every practice,” said Mastroianni. With a young team, a new defense, and a new head coach, Mastroianni admits that this season is going to be tough. His expectations are still very high. “The common thread is to make the playoffs and win a championship. I don’t think you lace them up if you’re not trying to accomplish that,” said Mastroianni. The Pacers’ CSAC competition begins at home on November 24 against Gywnedd Mercy. Contact the writer: jwferraro@m.marywood.edu
Women’s Basketball Continued from page 14
High School in her senior season. Even with the high hopes for these two players, Macciocco admits that this is going to be one of the toughest challenges in her 12 years coaching Marywood basketball. She compared this season’s young team to her third season of coaching. “I think it was the third year I was here at Marywood we brought in 12 freshmen.” Macciocco continued, “I would say the difference with this group of freshmen is their basketball knowledge is a little bit higher. But the biggest challenge is constant repetitiveness in drills and system.” Macciocco talked further about coaching a young team. “We need to be patient because of the youth. With eight freshmen, you are going to have your really good days and really bad days, until they start to play more consistently and they are no longer freshmen.” With the influx of young players, Macciocco is looking to implement a different style of play than