February 20th Edition of the Merciad

Merciad THE

MERCYHURST UNIVERSIT Y

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W E D N E S DAY, F E B RUA RY 2 0 , 2 01 9

News ................2-5 Features...........6-9 A&E ............. 10-11 Opinion........ 12-13 Sports ......... 14-15 Laker Living ......16 |

VOL. 92 NO. 12

Super SoMar Palooza!

PAGE 10

Online poll results We asked: What are your Spring Break plans?

4: Prestigious scholarships available to students

7: Mercyhurst celebrates Unity Week 15: Basketball wins and bounces back after loss

Spending time with family at home (50%) Rest and relaxation (29%) Going on vacation with my friends (14%) Getting ahead on homework (7%)

This week’s

POLL

What is your favorite breakfast food?

merciad.mercyhurst.edu

NEWS

PAGE 2

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Library renovations for 2019

By Erin Almeter Staff writer

Mercyhurst has been doing extensive renovation projects lately, beginning with Ryan Hall and the MCPc Cyber Education Center.

With the new athletic updates recently announced, Hammermill Library will not be left out.

The library will be undergoing large renovations coming fall 2019.

Darci Jones, director of University Libraries, stated that the main level of the library will be renovated for the students. Its overall look will be updated while also providing more spaces and rooms for individuals and groups to study.

After the renovations are completed, the plan is to have four new collaborative study rooms with glass write-on boards. In these rooms will also be large, interactive computer screens mounted on the walls. Students will be able to schedule the rooms for group study and/or group projects ahead of time. They will be similar to the previous study rooms that used to be where the

Contributed photo

Mercyhurst’s Hammermill Library will undergo several renovations to its main floor. The changes will create a more inviting and student-focused space for fall 2019.

Cyber Education Center is now.

In addition to the study rooms, a new Public Services and Circulation Desk area will be included in the renovations.

Separate from the study rooms, students will also see sections of comfortable seating, new tables for study spaces and new book

shelving units for showcasing books, references, magazines and newspapers. With new lighting and an enhanced environment, students will see the benefits from this renovation.

The Writing and Tutoring Center will also see improvements in their respective areas.

Finally, the former Library Classroom L225 will be remodeled into a University Testing Center, where students will go to make up exams or receive extra support while taking tests.

Jones said that the hardest part may be “getting everything out of the main floor of the library.” She

described the changes by stating that almost nothing of the old furnishings are going to be coming back in.

Students should expect big changes to the essential library space. It will only increase the value of the library and what is contained within.

Ella DiPietro, junior Intelligence Studies and Religious Studies dual major, frequents the library often.

“I am very excited to see the upgrades to the library. I think the new study rooms will be a valuable addition,” DiPietro said.

“It’s great to have more options on campus for quiet places to work independently or in a small group.”

The third floor, 3R, where the Weber Great Hall and Catherine Walker Reading Room are located, and the fourth floor of Hammermill Library will all remain unchanged during the main floor renovations.

The renovations will surely be a modern and welcome update to the library as it becomes even more inviting and student-focused.

NEWS

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

PAGE 3

Campus assault rattles students

By Kristian Biega

News Editor

The Mercyhurst community was shaken as an assault was reported Feb. 10 at 11 p.m. near the Audrey Hirt Academic Center.

A safety notice was sent out via Omnilert’s e2campus alert system around 1 a.m. to inform the university community about the incident.

The assault was reported by the victim that night to Mercyhurst Police and Safety and was followed by an immediate response by campus police and Residence Life.

The biggest concerns for campus police upon arrival at the scene are always the same: to secure the scene, get the victim medical attention if needed, take the victim to safety and preserve any evidence from the scene.

“We are the first responders,” Mercyhurst’s Chief of Police, DJ Fuhrmann, said. “Our biggest concern is to be sure that the student, staff member, community member or whoever it may be, is safe.”

The alert was sent via text message to all students and faculty who have signed into the e2campus alerts system on the student portal. A follow-up email was sent by the university to outline the situation and make everyone aware of the events. The email stated: “A female was approached from behind by an unknown male. The male placed his hand over her face and grabbed victims body causing scratching on her shoulder and stomach area before fleeing the area on foot. No further description of the male is available at this time.”

This statement is all the information that is known about the assault and that will be made public for the safety and respect of the victim. Since an assault is considered a crime more serious than a misdemeanor, the Erie Police Department was called to Mercyhurst, as per protocol. Erie police are currently conducting an investigation.

“We are in contact with the Erie PD and have provided them with all the information and video we have,” Fuhrmann said. “They are

Contributed photo

Mercyhurst Student Government is hosting a safety forum and self-defense seminar on Feb. 25.

investigating and will let us know from there.”

Fuhrmann wants students to know that the alert text was not sent to alarm or scare people on campus, but to make sure those of the community are on higher alert and awareness of their surroundings, especially at night.

“The alert is simply to make the community aware that a crime has occurred and if we determine it to be a continuing threat to the community, to make them aware where it happened and when it happened,” Fuhrmann said.

Some students were concerned that the e2campus text was not sent out immediately, but Laura Zirkle, Ph. D, vice president of Student Life, confirms that the alert was sent out in a timely manner to be sure to report accurate information about the assault and take the correct protocols. There was also an issue with the follow-up email not reaching all students, but the issue has since been resolved with the IT department.

“If we thought it was an immediate threat, we would act immediately,” Zirkle said. “In this case it was not like we could have put out a notice without gathering some facts. It doesn’t help anybody if

we are putting out bad information. We take a few minutes and try and put that information together and then send it out.”

There are many safety precautions already in place on campus from Res Life and campus police, such as more than 100 fully functioning cameras on campus.

These cameras are monitored 24/7 in the Campus Police Station. Campus Safety is also doing a light audit to ensure proper lighting in well-trafficked areas.

Fuhrmann gave several tips for students to increase their safety on campus. He encourages students to be familiar with campus and the route they use to get home, especially at night. Walk in welllit and populated areas, but make sure to take a path you know well.

However, if there is ever a time when one does not feel safe, Police and Safety will provide an escort or a phone call until you have reached a safe place.

Fuhrmann suggests texting roommates or friends when leaving to walk home with an ETA rather than talking on the phone with headphones in so as to increase reaction time and awareness of one’s surroundings.

“We are all responsible for our

own safety,” Fuhrmann said. “If it doesn’t feel right to you or you don’t feel safe, listen to your instinct. Your instincts are usually pretty good about protecting you.

Make the call. That is what we are here for.”

Residence assistants, hall directors and Police and Safety regularly patrol campus in case of any unwanted activity.

RAs and hall directors are on call each night and make rounds inside and outside between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. They walk in numbers for safety as well and check to make sure that all maintenance is up to date and working properly.

Megan McKenna, director of Residence Life and Student Conduct, stated that RAs may stop and talk to students, not as an attempt to catch them doing anything wrong, but to make sure everything is OK. “Our best defense is making sure the students are aware of their surroundings,” McKenna said.

Mercyhurst being a small and homelike campus, students may not be as proactive in awareness and defense for incidents like this.

While it is a good thing that students feel comfortable on cam-

pus, McKenna urges everyone to take extra precautions.

“Our safe campus is something that we take for granted,” McKenna said. “The hard part is that students feel at home here, which is what we want, however things can happen. The biggest part of it is that we act quickly.”

As each of these representatives from student life and safety have stated, the most important aspect of student safety is being aware of one’s own surroundings at all times.

“These precautions are not about blaming anybody for their actions — you should be able to walk across this campus at night and not think twice about anybody ever approaching you. But the truth is that it’s always better to be a little more safe and err on the side of caution. I would always recommend taking those steps,” Zirkle said.

The university is creating more opportunities for education and awareness over the course of the semester as well.

Both Zirkle and McKenna highly encourage students to give their suggestions — such as adding additional lights or hosting engaging activities for the student body — to the Student Life department.

“Talk to your RA about ideas or concerns you have. We are more than open to suggestions if it will bring students out and about to these events for sure,” McKenna said.

The e2campus alerts will be utilized more now that it is more accessible for students.

“You’ll see a lot more of these timely notices as we are more able to have everybody aware of what’s going on both on and around campus,” Zirkle said.

There will be a safety forum on Feb. 25 at 8 p.m. in the Student Union following a self-defense class featuring the Munio self-defense key chain from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

This is a time for students to voice their concerns and questions about safety moving forward. Students are encouraged to increase dialogue about safety issues on campus.

JOIN THE MERCIAD

Do you like the content you are seeing in the Merciad? Would you like to help us out with articles or photographs?

Would you like to earn money for your work?

We are still looking for writers and photographers, and this semester is the perfect time to start!

Join us at our reporters’ meetings on Mondays at 7 p.m. in Hirt 103.

NEWS

PAGE 4

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Prestigious scholarships Merciad IN A MINUTE

available for MU students

HMA/PCMA hosts Disney Trivia Night

By Katy Vaccariello

Depression Screening Day

The Prestigious Awards Program is one of the lesser known but extremely valuable opportunities for Mercyhurst students to take part in.

This program is comprised of a group of highly competitive scholarships that are available for undergraduate and graduate students to increase their educational experience.

The Prestigious Awards Program includes several informational meetings and assistance from faculty advisers.

They give any assistance needed in writing and completing the well-involved application process for Prestigious Awards.

Each one of the scholarships are available to U.S. citizens, but some require a few more specific requirements.

On top of the requirement of being a U.S. citizen, all applicants must have a minimum GPA of a 3.8 to appropriately compete.

Some awards are specifically for research and study both in the U.S. and abroad for undergraduates, but most are international study programs for graduates.

“Currently, the program supports 13 awards and scholarships,” said Justin Ross, Ph.D., director of Writing Center, Honors and Prestigious Awards.

“Because these awards are competitive, writing the application can be an investment of time and energy. That is why we want students to learn about the awards

The Hotel Management Association/Professional Convention Management Association Club is hosting a Disney Trivia Night on Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. at the Cornerstone Bar and Grill.

Teams of four can register at Cafe Diem at $20 per team. The $20 is due at registration along with a team name, members and a contact number.

Soda and snacks will be provided with food available for purchase.

The Counseling Center will be hosting its Annual Depression Screening Day on Feb. 20.

Screenings will be held in Warde Hall in the First Floor Lobby from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and in the MAC from 2 to 4 p.m.

Complete the confidential survey to receive a free gift card to the Juice Jar.

Business Club hosts speaker Join the Business Club as it hosts speaker Mark Saltrelli, recruiting manager and résumé builder Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. in Zurn 214.

Saltrelli will give useful information and tips on how to improve your résumé. The Business Club encourages students to bring their résumé.

This event is a Professional Development Seminar required for all sophomore business majors.

Applications open for CD12 Carpe Diem 12 is taking place April 12-14 in Villa Maria, Pennsylvania, and you can be a part of it!

Applications are available in Campus Ministry and are due Feb. 22. Turn in an application and $20 to Campus Ministry or any one of the student leaders to secure your spot.

Staff writer

as soon in their college career as possible,” Ross said.

Awards that students can apply for through Mercyhurst include the Gilman Scholarship, Morris K. Udall Scholarship, National Security Education Program Boren Scholarship, Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Rhodes Scholarship and Marshall Scholarship, among others.

The Gilman Scholarship for undergraduate study is for U.S. citizens receiving a Federal Pell Grant who are in the process of getting accepted for a study abroad program. The application and winning of this award provides financial aid for the study abroad opportunities. This support ultimately increases a student’s role in the global economy.

The Morris K. Udall Scholarship is for U.S. nationals, or people with permanent residency. It is also available to any major as long as they are a sophomore or junior.

Students who are interested in or have the career goal of working with environmental issues should look into this scholarship.

The National Security Education Program Boren Scholarship is open to sophomores or juniors of any major. The main goal of the award is to provide funding for study or research projects that take place abroad. When studying abroad, the location must be considered an area that is important to U.S. national security. They must also be locations that tend to be underrepresented in the world of study abroad programs.

Perhaps the most well-known

and distinguished Prestigious Award is the Fulbright U.S. Student Program Scholarship. This scholarship is available for seniors of all majors that hold a B.S. or B.A. degree at the time of nomination. Another key factor is having the interest to teach English abroad.

Former Mercyhurst student Cole Lowe was the 2018 recipient of the Fulbright Scholarship.

“I had known the name ‘Fulbright Scholarship’ was a big deal, but never considered it was so attainable,” Lowe said.

In the end, he met all the necessary requirements and found the courage to apply. The possibilities are endless — all it takes is a little courage to try for one of these amazing scholarship opportunities.

For Lowe, it was incredible to use this award to help him gain a chance to explore the world and deepen a sense of global awareness.

“The best part of the whole process is the thrill and excitement of applying, waiting to hear the results and ultimately the feeling of pride of seeing the headline ‘Congratulations on your Fulbright Award,’” Lowe said.

The Rhodes Scholarship is a graduate scholarship for anyone between the ages of 18 and 24.

The individual in question can be of any major, but they must be a senior at Mercyhurst at the time of award nomination. It provides the opportunity to study abroad at the University of Oxford for a master’s or doctoral degree.

The Marshall Scholarship is open to all majors like several of the previously stated scholarships, and students need a 3.7 GPA to be eligible. This scholarship offers a two- to three-year graduate study program in the United Kingdom. The study will aid students looking to become a leader or major decision maker for their own country.

The scholarship opportunities do not stop with the ones mentioned above.

Students interested in the scope available through the Prestigious Awards Program on possible study opportunities can check out the Prestigious Awards Web Page through Mercyhurst University.

“Most require applicants to write an essay or a series of essays in response to the goals of the awards. The process can take a few months and several drafts,” Ross said. “It is always important to keep the timeline in mind when working through the application process.”

The Prestigious Awards website provides contact information for all of the board members who can guide individuals through the process.

There is also a corresponding faculty adviser for each of the listed awards who can provide a more in-depth description of the award of interest.

For more information, visit www.mercyhurst.edu/academics/prestigious-awards or contact Ross at jross@mercyhurst.edu.

Idea Lab at Blasco Library is a space for engaging learning

By Rebecca Dunphy

Staff writer

When most people think of a library, aisles of shelved books come to mind. However, a local branch of the Erie County Public Library is challenging this with recent expansions.

Only 3 miles off campus, the Raymond M. Blasco Memorial Library has undergone a number of changes in recent years as part of a four-phase, expected $2.7 million renovation.

The first phase of this project included a new circulation area, circulation desk, book sorting system and — perhaps most significantly — the implementation of the Idea Lab. Opened on Oct. 28, 2017, this area is accessible to all Erie County Public Library cardholders. The

space features the Makerspace, Media Lab, “collaboratories” and a community classroom, each of which provide a different experience for users.

Beginning with the Makerspace, this area provides state-of-the-art equipment including 3D printers and pens, a large format printer, sewing machines, vinyl cutter and jewelry-making equipment, to name a few.

The Media Lab, on the other hand, offers a studio-like environment, featuring audio and visual recording devices, photography lighting and green screen for those who want to create music, videos or podcasts in the space.

Use of these resources are free of charge, though some small fees may apply when printing or creating a tangible product.

Beyond equipment, the Idea

Lab is also a spot to cultivate community and education. Library cardholders have the ability to sign out either Collaboratory 102 or 103, providing a private work area that seats five people comfortably.

Much larger is the community classroom, which features two dozen laptops and offers classes on a variety of subjects from new tech skills to job seeking.

Upcoming classes include “Photography for Beginners: Manual Settings” on Feb. 21, “LinkedIn: The Basics” on Feb. 27 and “Learn to 3D Print” on Feb. 28.

In recent news, the Idea Lab has also become home to the Innovation Erie Design Competition, a program centered on the creation of original product ideas that could be created in Erie.

The Innovation Erie Design

Lab will be running on Feb. 23 and March 2 for participants to prepare their designs, due on March 22 at the latest.

The continuation of this 10year project highlights the Blasco Library’s success in creating an accessible space that provides increased opportunity to community members.

This was also exemplified in the recent opening of a Teen Area, funded by the Erie Regional Library Foundation and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Opened on Feb. 9, this space features a performance stage, tables, booths and laptop bar overlooking the Bayfront.

Though strictly for teenagers 13-18, this area again showcases innovation at the Blasco Library as community members await phases three and four.

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

NEWS

PAGE 5

University website gets student-focused update This weekend’s STUDENT GOVERNMENT

By Gillian Mazur

Staff writer

Mercyhurst has recently undergone a new project, updating the university website. In today’s competitive college market, the first impression of a university is very important. Often one’s first impression of a school is from its website, in which a positive experience is crucial for prospective freshmen and transfers.

On average, a website should be updated every three to five years, as it is especially important for those who cannot physically tour the campus such as students from across the country and international students from across the world.

“The main purpose of our site is for prospective students and their families to interact with the university, and the main pages they visit are easily accessible through many routes such as navigation, multiple access points and search,” Dionne Veitch, executive director of Marketing and Brand Management, said. “Finally, it has a very clean and modern appearance.”

Since the start of this summer, Mercyhurst’s Marketing department has been working very hard on updating the university’s website. The new website design was focused primarily on prospective students and their families.

Through a process of website analytics, the marketing team was able to find out what worked and what needed to be fixed. Kyndra Zacherl, Marketing & Branding graduate assistant at Mercyhurst and leader of the Student Communication Team within the Office of Marketing and Brand Management, usually coordinates all website content changes, as requested by various faculty members and departments.

Under Zacherl’s direction, the student team helped to create, engage, analyze and optimize Mercyhurst’s website by moving

all of the old pages one by one to the new website. In total, they moved around 1,500 pages.

They started with analytics in order to know how visitors interacted with the site. Using a product called Hotjar, the marketing team recorded visitors’ interactions to see if, when and where visitors got lost. Additionally, it tracked how users interacted with the site and experienced the website.

“For the first time, there were more mobile visitors than desktop visitors in 2018,” Veitch said.

From there, the team knew it was vital for the updated website to be both mobile and desktop friendly. Using these results, they were also able to build a site map of content, which is essentially an organization chart of the website.

“I don’t think it could have turned out better,” Zacherl said.

“I give credit to our executive director of Marketing and Brand Management, Dionne, for all the guidance she provided, and it wouldn’t have gotten done this quickly or wonderfully without her.”

Mitchell Marsh, a junior Marketing and Hospitality Management double major, got to participate in the update from December to February.

“I got involved with the new website from my position on the Student Communication Team within the Office of Marketing and Brand Management,” Marsh said. “I was asked to help in the transferring of content from our old pages to our new pages, and that role grew as the project went on.”

Marsh was able to work alongside the university’s marketing department, gaining valuable real-world experience.

“This website was a large undertaking, and I was just a very small factor in its completion, but I am very thankful to have the opportunity to work with

such a great team,” Marsh said.

Zacherl thinks that the aesthetic and design of the website will draw people in and give the site a cleaner and more vibrant look.

“Our old website was almost entirely dark green and white.

With this site, we utilized a lot of our lime-green color that really makes everything pop and gives it that extra flair of freshness.

Site-wide, all of our buttons are lime green, along with the scrolling lime-green sidebar and the horizontal line that you see in the header and footer,” Zacherl said.

Students are welcoming the updated site and have given positive feedback.

For freshmen, the easier navigation is especially helpful when trying to find out information such as the bookstore and REC’s hours as well as upcoming events on campus. With easier navigation, a cleaner look and multiple ways to connect with the university, it is easier than ever for potential and current students to interact with the university digitally.

“I feel like it’s easier to navigate around and it looks more visually appealing. People who are going onto the website will find easier access to everything they need,” Chloe Sanfratello, a freshman Communication major, said.

Current students will be able to see the new changes once the new portal updates are completed.

Veitch stated her gratitude for Zacherl and the other students involved with making this a reality and the great efforts that each put in for the website.

“Zacherl met an extremely aggressive timeline while taking care to accommodate every request of the administration.

She exceeded my expectations,” Veitch said. “Additionally, many members of our Student Communication Team, Mitchell Marsh, in particular, worked countless hours moving content.

An incredible effort!”

Weekender’s new home

By Rebecca Dunphy

Staff writer

The Weekender has always been a popular resource for students to learn about on and off-campus events. However, things are looking a bit different with the use of a new format: Microsoft Sharepoint.

Students can now access the Weekender by signing into the portal on the Campus Involvement Center page with their Mercyhurst credentials.

“We recommend that students bookmark the page so that they can check it often to stay up to date with all the events happen-

ing on campus,” said Stephanie Przepiora, Student Leadership and Outreach coordinator.

With this new format, the Campus Involvement Center will now be able to update the “Events” portion as events come in to the office, rather than once a week as previously done with the email format.

“In past conversations with the RSCO Council of Representatives, the topic of a master calendar has come up as a resource for students to see what is happening on campus in real time,” said Przepiora. “This new page allows for that calendar with the Events section, which

we are adding new events to all the time.”

RSCO events will automatically be added to the Events portion of the calendar after they fill out the Meeting & Event Registration form. Additional information and fliers can be added by emailing the weekender@ mercyhurst.edu.

These updates will be Wednesday afternoons, along with updates to News, Carpe Erie, MAC/SAC Events and Celebration sections.

In addition to accessibility, students can also look forward to more photos, videos and graphics with this new format.

campus events

Visit the RSCOs in the Student Union on Feb. 22 for the final event of Unity Week! The clubs will be showcasing diversity in their own individual ways.

Do you have talent? Show SAC/MAC what you’ve got on Feb. 23 at 9 p.m. Sign ups for performers end on Feb. 20. Come support your fellow talented Lakers!

MERCYHURST CAMPUS

CRIME LOG For the Week of Feb. 11-19: Feb. 12: Possession of controlled substance, Briggs Ave.

No other crimes reported.

FEATURES

PAGE 6

Ask Mia

Lakers prepare for Spring Break service

By Sarah Klein

Anyone have a problem that they need help fixing?

Ask for Mia’s advice at: featuremerciad@gmail.com *******************

Dear Mia, All of my friends are heading off to tropical destinations for Spring Break and I’ll be stuck at home in New York.

I want to have fun and be with my friends, but I just don’t have the money to do it. Do you have any ideas for having a fun Spring Break from home?

Sincerely, Stuck at Home

Dear Stuck at Home, While it may seem like everyone is off to Florida or Mexico or wherever, that’s just not true.

Plenty of people stay at home for various reasons.

Many people work over break or spend it catching up with family and hometown friends. Staycations can be just as fun as a regular vacation, and a lot cheaper!

I bet there are many hidden gems within or around your hometown that you don’t even realize are there.

Head out with some friends or siblings and be a tourist in your own town!

If you do have a bit of money to spend, maybe take a road trip to a neighboring city. Try out a new restaurant, head to a museum or take an art or cooking class.

While you may not get sand between your toes or a nice tan, you will be saving money and having just as much fun!

Sincerely,

Mia

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Staff writer

Spring Break is only two weeks away, and here at Mercyhurst students are getting ready for midterms and mid-semester projects.

While many students are looking forward to going home or to Florida, others have been planning for a different kind of break: an alternative Spring Break trip.

This type of trip is one focused on service and giving back, frequently involving travel to an area where people are seeking assistance. This year, Mercyhurst students will be participating in three different trips: one to Mexico, one to Detroit and one to Alabama.

This year, about 18 students, alumni and faculty members will be heading down to Valladolid, Mexico, for a medical mission trip.

Once there, they will be joining volunteers from across the country to serve patients in clinics.

“This trip really is an incredible opportunity to experience another culture and give back to a community that’s very different than our own,” sophomore Forensic Science major Heather Atkinson said. “You really learn so much about others and about yourself when you immerse yourself in different cultures.”

This trip was recommended to her by fellow volunteer Raejonna Pascarella, a junior Sports Medicine major who has completed this trip twice already.

“There are so many amazing things that I look forward to on this trip. If I had to pick the most important, it would have to be not only getting to see and scrub in on surgeries, but also interacting with the villagers of Valladolid,” Pascarella said.

The trip made such as impact on Pascarella that she keeps going back.

“This year will be my third year attending the trip,” she said. “I started attending my freshman year, and the trip ignited a fire inside of me that forced me to go back.”

Pascarella is one of many serial Spring Break volunteers.

Twelve students, along with two chaperones, will be attending the highly anticipated annual Habitat for Humanity Spring Break trip in Birmingham Alabama, this year, many for the third or fourth time.

This trip is a weeklong experience helping a family in need by building them a home. This year marks the first year in many that the club has gone to a location outside of Monroe, North Carolina.

While on the trip, students can do anything from gutting a home that needs to be restored to building a brand-new house.

“When I went last year, we built the entire frame of the house, so in a week, we literally went from just the concrete slab of foundation to a framed house with a roof and a porch,” Julia Wrest,

sophomore Intelligence Studies major, said. Wrest is excited to participate for her second year.

Sophomore Intelligence Studies major Marina Delmoro will also be participating with Habitat for Humanity for her second year as well. She currently serves as treasurer of the Habitat club.

“I always wanted to join Habitat for Humanity when I learned about their goals and mission in high school. A couple of Habitat houses were built in my hometown, and I just fell in love with the ability to give back,” Delmoro said.

The final alternative Spring Break option is to Detroit, where Service Learning Coordinator Bethany Brun leads around 10 students each year for an urban immersion experience.

While in Detroit, students work with Neighbors Building Brightmoor, an organization dedicated to reducing urbanstrife via urban farming and land reclamation. Students will also have the opportunity to explore the city and experience its history and culture.

Every year, dozens of Mercyhurst students embark on alternative Spring Breaks to live out the Mercy mission in a new and powerful way.

“College is a great time to experience different cultures and explore the world in ways that aren’t typically offered. It’s an experience you really won’t forget,” Atkinson said.

Circle K seeks talent

By Maria Williams Copy editor

Do you think you’ve got talent?

Come join the Circle K Club Talent Show on Feb. 27.

The club has been hosting this event for many years as an annual event. This talent show is special because all proceeds made go to the Children’s Miracle Network, a nonprofit organization that raises funds for children’s hospitals and medical research.

Circle K’s main goal is to promote Mercyhurst’s core values throughout the community with a service-oriented club.

“The Circle K Club on campus meets every week, and ever since the beginning of the semester we have been talking about doing a talent show, ” Amelia Kanonczyk, senior Criminal Justice major, said. She is a board member and organizer of this event.

“We have been doing this for multiple years now and talents range from dances, singers and even some magic tricks. The most popular act has definitely

been a student who does magic,” Kanonczyk said.

It is the perfect way to show off the many talents of Mercyhurst and also provide some entertainment on campus. The talent show only costs $3 to attend. The show will be judged

by Mercyhurst faculty and staff: Benjamin Scharff, Ph.D., of the History department; Emmaleigh Kirchner, Ph.D., of the Criminal Justice department, and fan favorite Rhonda Blount of Mercyhurst Dining Services.

Scharff, who is a three-time judge, is very excited to see what this show has to offer.

“This is my third year judging the show. I enjoy supporting student endeavors and the talent show is a humorous way to do this. I have not been informed about any of the specific acts, but I anticipate a wonderful slate of performers,” Scharff said.

Judges are not the only one excited for this event.

Paul Cohen, senior History major, is one of the talented singers performing for the judges and the

Mercyhurst community.

“I enjoyed all three years of participating. It never gets old. I think I’ll be singing ‘Let It Go’ in multiple Disney voices. That’s my signature piece,” Cohen said.

Cohen is just one of many talented students participating in this show. There have been seven acts that have signed up to show Mercyhurst what they are made of. Each act will provide a different source of entertainment for their audience.

There will be three winners of the show, with prizes being handed out on the basis of People’s Choice, Judge’s Choice and Person Most Embodying Mercyhurst. They will also receive bragging rights on campus.

“Anyone can participate in the talent show, so please sign up. Even just come to support,” Kanonczyk said.

If you like singing, dancing or even magic, come and enjoy Mercyhurst’s most talented students in the Walker Recital Hall.

To sign up you can contact Kanonczyk by email.

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

FEATURES

PAGE 7

Katy Vaccariello photo

Students, from left, Kevin Hough, Lucy Belleau, Elizabeth Reese and Katelynn Kimble celebrate black history and culture at the Soul Food Luncheon in the Student Union Great Room, where trivia, music and food were used to bring students together for diversity.

Mercyhurst observes Unity Week

By Katy Vaccariello

Staff writer

“Knowledge is Power” is this year’s Unity Week theme. This annual celebration is dedicated to highlighting the similarities shared between the diverse populations across the Mercyhurst campus.

As most know, the activities for Unity Week began Feb. 18 and will continue through Feb. 22.

“The annual Unity Day tradition has been going on for almost 10 years now at Mercyhurst University. This day was created to celebrate our entire campus community by coming together as one and sharing our traditions, culture and cuisine with one another,” Tyler Brentley, Multicultural and Inclusion Coordinator, said.

As the years of celebration grew, Unity Day turned into a week full of festivities.

This started in 2014, when Mercyhurst previously had a Cultural Awareness Week.

Last year was the first to incorporate a

theme for the weeklong celebration, “I Am Power,” which focused on using personal privileges as empowering tools in everyday activities for the community.

“Last year’s Unity Week received an amazing amount of support and appreciation from all levels of the campus community, and it became more than just an event — it was a positive movement. This is why we began and will continue the annual Unity Week celebration,” Brentley said.

This year’s activities were organized by Justin Hawkins, senior Sports Management major and Multicultural Activities Council chair.

He has scheduled a busy week with the help of fellow MAC/SAC programmers and supervisor Brentley.

“I am most excited for three things – Tyler’s soul food luncheon, the Face Card activity on Wednesday and most of all our keynote speaker, Joshua Fredenburg. He will bring his expertise to campus and loves talking with students,” Hawkins said.

The week started out with a campuswide blackout where students rocked a symbol of unity by dressing in all black. Those students in black were recipients of a “Knowledge is Power” shirt and laptop sticker.

As Tuesday rolled in, campus shifted to a Soul Food Luncheon. This meal brought people back in time to experience black history and culture with delicious food, beautiful music and interactive trivia.

Next up is an interactive and informative activity called Face Card. This activity encourages students to view those around them with a new perspective. The event will be held Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. in the Student Union. This activity dives into topics such as privilege and perception when it comes to a person’s experiences and background.

As for Feb. 21, campus will welcome nationally acclaimed speaker Fredenburg, who is an author and the creator of a leadership development curriculum. He is coming to campus to speak about “How

to Create a Winning Culture Within Your Workplace.” This will take place at 8 p.m. in the Mercy Heritage Room and is open to everyone.

Closing out the week is left up to the student programmers of MAC/SAC. Under the guidance of Hawkins, “Unity Day” will be held in the Student Union Great Room Feb. 22 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Campus clubs and organizations will come together to share a wealth of information and conduct interactive stations geared toward their mission. It is hoped that these RSCOs can bring games, cultural food and a night full of inclusivity that will lead to enlightening discussions.

“Unity Week is something very important to me and I’m glad to have had the chance to help plan it,” Hawkins said.

Brentley said “it is an honor to be able to celebrate the differences and uniqueness that we all possess which make us who we are, while still appreciating the similarities we share.”

LAKER MOMENT Luke spreads the love Many Mercyhurst students were lucky enough to receive a visit from Luke the Laker on Feb. 14 when he walked around campus handing out flowers to all of his secret admirers, helping Lakers to have a happy Valentine’s Day.

FEATURES

PAGE 8

RSCO FEATURE: Fashion CounCil

Win $1,000 for driving safely

By Marina Boyle Features editor

Contributed photo

Members of the Fashion Council Executive Board

By Jordan Kessler

Staff writer

This week’s issue of the Merciad RSCO Feature focuses on the Mercyhurst University Fashion Council. The club was restructured in 2017 by the current adviser, Ashlee Rzyczycki, instructor of Fashion Merchandising.

“The mission of the council is to build and strengthen the network of Fashion majors and minors that surround the MU community,” Rzyczycki said.

The goal for the students is to build leadership skills and have real life experiences throughout the fashion community.

The current executive board of the club consists of Lexie Crusciel, Emma Wooley, Ashley Ferrari, Olive Zucchi and Natalie Thompson, all Fashion Merchandising majors.

The club provides a space where individuals with an interest in fashion can gain useful knowledge of the fashion industry.

Many activities of the club Fashion focus on networking, service majors and women’s empowerment.

Crusciel serves as the club are one president and is a senior of the Fashion Merchandising major. most “Contrary to the popular belief, fashion majors are one inclusive of the most inclusive groups groups of of people on campus. We have a welcoming department people on with kind faces and open campus.” hearts from both students Lexie and professors. Fashion Crusciel Council was introduced with the intent to extend our inclusivity to all individuals in any major on campus,” Crusciel said.

She encourages people who do study fashion to still come along and see what they can get out of it.

The council recently sponsored the Day in Red to show support for heart disease-related deaths among women.

Additionally, they do T-shirt sales throughout the year during the holiday seasons.

If you need a St. Patrick’s Day T-shirt this year, the Fashion Council is the place to go.

Another big contribution of the council is its letter project. This is an initiative that encourages students to write letters to other students when they need a boost of confidence. The goal is students supporting students, and so far it has been a success.

For more information on the Fashion Council, email Rzyczycki or talk to any of the e-board members.

“

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Students and other members of the Erie community can win big money for driving safely with a new initiative launched by EriePhi. EriePhi is a data-driven startup that has teamed up with Mercyhurst interns to offer an app that logs driving ability and rewards Erie’s safest driver with a $1,000 award each month.

Shashaanka Ashili, Ph.D., is the founder of EriePhi. As the brains behind this new app, he recruited Mercyhurst students to help him with the project.

One such student is Daniel Bahntge, who is pursuing a master’s degree in Data Science.

Bahntge helped to devise the “3 miles, 30 days, $1,000” competition.

The project’s core aim is to reduce traffic-based accidents on Erie roads by providing an app that monitors your driving and alerts you to your safe and unsafe behaviors.

“We all think we are good drivers, but it is the world of data that can really tell. With our product you can track your driving and identify the areas you can improve on,” Ashili said. “We come up with a score between zero and 100, and the higher the score, the better the style of driving you are exhibiting.”

EriePhi particularly wants to promote this initiative to students, because although anyone can win the $1,000, it could be particularly useful for a student to put toward their education.

The daily score is averaged to find the monthly winner. The app does not look for demographics and is simply linked to your phone number so as to protect privacy.

However, to be eligible you must drive for a minimum of 3 miles per day to be given a score per trip.

Bahntge was first introduced to the project when Ashili pitched the idea to Mercyhurst professors.

“What drew me to this initially was knowing that the community would be engaged. I wanted to implement what I was learning and generate new ideas. I know how close-knit Erie is, and for me this was a chance to give back,” Bahntge said.

As well as helping individual drivers, this business-to-consumer product is really focused on making Erie roads safer for everyone. Anyone can go onto EriePhi.com and download the app for free.

The data that is collected generates an insight into your driving behavior in the form of your score. The data is flushed out periodically to protect privacy, once the information is synthesized.

“In the world of our data everywhere and hearing about compa-

nies like Facebook selling our information to this person and the next, our app empowers consumers to make their own decisions with their information and sell it on if they wish,” Ashili said.

His greatest goal is to see how this project can bring the community together.

“We have engaged local businesses and Mercyhurst students and will be running this competition for four months. My aim is to get more and more people involved including students that can bring their own ideas and apply their skills.”

This competition will reward anyone who makes the effort to drive safely and could really help someone who needs a financial boost. Essentially you can be rewarded for doing something that you do every day regardless – driving in a way that looks out for others.

Ashili concluded by expressing his excitement and hopes of seeing students downloading the app to win big money.

“When I see Erie I see all the ingredients needed for an ideal location – local businesses, awesome community, invested people. We want to keep engaged with the community as we go forward.

The most exciting part is bringing together all the stakeholders and trying to build a global brand from right here in Erie. That’s what keeps me going every day.”

Erie Hack contest aims to help lake

By Kristian Biega News editor

Erie Hack is an annual project that promotes finding technology solutions to Lake Erie’s most pressing problems. Teams from Erie, Cleveland, Toledo, Detroit, Buffalo and Windsor, Ontario, compete against one another in an attempt to create sustainable solutions for Lake Erie.

The focus on Lake Erie promotes sustainability and the preservation of the asset that comes with these cities benefiting from their locations along lake.

“It is a step toward building our ‘Blue Economy,’” Beth Zimmer , co-founder and managing director of Erie’s Innovation Collaborative. “We are very blessed to live on a Great Lake, and to date, have not capitalized enough on this great asset.”

The Erie Hack website states that it is an innovation challenge

“open to researchers, designers, engineers, developers and creatives around the region to build teams, develop innovations and compete for more than $100,000 in prizes.”

Erie-area universities, including Mercyhurst, are encouraged to create teams and compete.

“This competition’s focus on Lake Erie and the impacts to our water are a way to bring more collaboration to solving some of our environment-related problems,” Brittany Prischak, sustainability coordinator at the Erie County Department of Planning and Community Development, said.

“It brings together the researchers or data collectors and the environmental educations with the entrepreneurs and business-minded folks to develop more creative, but also sustainable, solutions.”

The competition also gives new engineers and creators a chance to showcase their talents and potentially gain job opportunities in the

community around Lake Erie.

“Giving young innovators opportunities to make an impact on this community is an opportunity to further their professional development,” Zimmer said. “It also gives them more opportunities to build connections and relationships outside of their current networks. Both of these actions will enable some to seriously consider building their careers here instead of leaving the community after graduation.”

This year, Erie Hack 2.0 will be held in Cleveland, Ohio, on June 20 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the burning of the Cuyahoga River.

“This is very important for Erie because we need to encourage more entrepreneurship and innovation at every turn. Having solutions being developed by people in our community is an extremely key economic driver,” Zimmer said.

FEATURES

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

PAGE 9

Gianluca Ianiro photo

Honors students spent part of their Valentine’s Day making handmade cards for the residents of the Pennsylvania Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Home in Erie.

Campus clubs spread the love

By Gianluca Ianiro

Contributing writer

Feb. 14 has come and gone, and that means all the chocolate at your local drug store is now half off. Some call it a Hallmark holiday created to make a quick buck, and others use it as a day to let the people in their lives know how much they care or don’t care about them.

This day did not fly by the Mercyhurst community, and many of the organizations on campus celebrated the spirit of Valentine’s Day to the fullest.

For many RSCOs, the day was a chance to advance their mission.

The Mercyhurst University Physics Club sold carnations on Feb. 13 and 14 to raise money for physics display instruments.

The Physics Club is looking to raise enough money to purchase “gadgets” that will aid

their middle school demonstrations where they visit local grade schools to show experiments and run workshops.

The Honors Program hosted a service event on Feb. 13 making handmade Valentine’s Day cards to donate to the Pennsylvania Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Home in Erie.

Senior Biology major Emily Pacer, president of the Honors Council, was very excited to use this event to connect service with the day.

“This is a great way to spread the love and give back to our community. As honors students, we strive to engage in academics, leadership and service. This event will help build our honors community here on campus as well as bring some joy to our veterans,” Pacer said.

The Hospitality department also got into the holiday spirit on Feb. 13 by selling cupcakes,

mugs, candy grams and blankets in the CAE. They then sent out emails for the recipients that received candy grams on Valentine’s Day so they could personally pick them up.

One of the students behind this event was Elizabeth McGreevy, junior Hospitality Management major.

McGreevy said that “all of the proceeds go to help our HMA/ PCMA club for us to be able to go to the National Restaurant Show in Chicago in May.” The Student Alliance for Prison Reform also sold doughnuts to raise funds.

Instead of overindulging themselves with cheesy romcoms and writing poems to Valentine’s crushes, these clubs on campus were celebrating this Valentine’s Day by advancing the mission of their organizations and benefiting their community.

Gianluca Ianiro photo

Honors students, from left, Julia Vicaretti, Doug Wilsch, Logan Ford and Lauren Harrison showcase their homemade cards.

Career Fair is coming to Mercyhurst

By Rebecca Dunphy

Staff writer

The end of the semester is just a few months away, and the search for jobs and summer internships has begun.

Students who are interested in learning about job opportunities and meeting potential employers are encouraged to attend one of three upcoming career fairs happening both on and off campus.

The first of these fairs, the Western PA Collegiate Job and Internship Fair, will be held at Monroeville Convention Center, near Pittsburgh, on March 13.

The event is organized by WestPACS, a group composed of representatives from 45 colleges and universities in northwest Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio.

This event is one of the largest job fairs in the country, with between 170 and 190 employers expected to attend.

“Career fairs are a great way to introduce yourself to potential employers, giv-

ing them a positive experience with you to consider your application, rather than just reading about you on paper,” Heather Balas, Director of the Career Development Center, said.

Balas also serves as the WestPACS President. Though this is a free event, students should pre-register at www.westpacs.org and be ready to present themselves in a professional manner.

For those specifically interested in education, a second fair will be hosted by the Pittsburgh Education Recruitment Consortium on March 27.

Eligible candidates include Education, Speech Language Pathology, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy majors or students pursuing degrees in Administration. To qualify, you must be on track to receive certification by December 2019.

At this career fair, students will have the opportunity to meet professionals from various school districts and educational agencies.

Unlike the WestPACS event, the PERC fair requires an attendance fee. However, it is cheaper if students pre-register at www. percjobfair.org.

To help students get to these off-campus experiences, the Career Development Center will be offering transportation, which can be arranged by emailing Career Counselor Emma Kovacs.

It is understood that for some students, taking a whole day off of class may not be possible, which is why the Career Development Center is bringing opportunities to the Mercyhurst Career Fair on April 4.

“We would love to see you attend several fairs, but understand that it isn’t always easy to take a full day off campus from classes to attend,” Balas said. “So do research and check out the companies attending the fairs. Attend the off-campus fairs if there are employers of interest to you. But absolutely attend the on-campus fair – it’s right here and a great resource for you.”

Students can register for the on-campus

fair using the Handshake website, where they can also sign up for various preparation workshops.

“These workshops are a great way to be a step ahead of your competition at a job fair,” Balas said.

At the preparation workshops, students have the opportunity to learn about various topics including “Navigating a Job Fair” (Feb. 18 at noon and Feb. 20 at 2 p.m.), “Professional Dress” (Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. and Feb. 20 at noon), “Résumé Workshop” (Feb. 19 at noon and Feb. 21 at 2 p.m.), “Elevator Pitch” (Feb. 19 at 2 p.m. and Feb. 21 at noon) and “Interview Workshop” (Feb. 22 at noon).

Various dates and times are offered so students can be fully prepared to launch their future careers.

For those students who cannot attend workshops, resources are available on the Handshake website and appointments are available in the Career Development Center for one-on-one assistance.

PAGE 10

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

SoMar celebrates its 20th year

By Erin Almeter

Staff writer

Make time in your schedule on Feb. 23 for a performance by the SoMar Dance Works company.

The event, Super SoMar Palooza!, is taking place in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m.

SoMar Dance Works, with its base in the Mercyhurst University Dance Department, was cofounded and directed by Solveig and Mark Santillano.

Known for its creativity and artistry, this original dance company often “wows” those in attendance.

This company’s premiere occurred in 1999 at the Missouri Fine Arts Academy.

While it started there, it did not stay in one place.

Performances were soon occurring at the Erie Art Museum, Erie Festival of Dance, the American College Dance Festival, CelebrateErie, the Brick Church for the Performing Arts in Lovell, Maine, the Fredonia Opera House and overseas in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Mercyhurst is hosting the SoMar Dance company as it celebrates its 20th year of dance.

Solveig Santillano said, “It is our gift of thanks to Mercyhurst University for the support throughout the years.”

The dances being featured are choreographed by Solveig and Mark Santillano. While they are seasoned performers and have danced all over the world, they are also faculty in the Mercyhurst Dance department.

With influences from their former companies, Pilobolus Dance Theatre and Momix, the Santillanos were granted the inaugural Erie Arts and Culture Artist Fellowship.

The couple met during international tours with these companies.

They eventually made the transition from being on the road into education, family life and moving from Missouri to Erie.

The “palooza” of an event will feature 25 dancers performing nine favorite dances from the company’s 100-dance repertoire.

A feature dance on the program will be Free Fall.

Contributed photo

Super SoMar Palooza! will feature nine favorite dances from the SoMar repertoire.

While originally performed by the co-founders, the creative partnering work of this dance will be passed to Mercyhurst seniors, Lucas De Marinis and Sarah Taylor.

In addition, Tailspin Tango, Quicksilver, Piercing Darkness, Shape Shifters, Zoom Tube, Crouching Tutu and Hidden Drag Queen will be performed.

The evening will begin with a little flashlight piece magic and also include a dance centered on a play on numbers called “Pi.” There will be a balance of new and old favorite pieces to create a time capsule of the best works of SoMar. The company prides itself on creating a lot of different varieties of dance to include in their shows.

It is one part that contributes to the company’s “wow” factor.

The dancers are able to move from a light and fun themed piece

to something more serious and attention grabbing.

As Solveig Santillano says, the company is “committed to dancing to enhance the community with beauty, but takes on projects of social awareness as well.”

The dances will range from a ballet piece en pointe to an unconventional tribute to and parody of Bruce Lee films as well as nontraditional duet pieces.

In addition, there will be a film component to one of the dances.

The music will be provided by a range of artists, but includes original music by Mark Santillano and a live flute performance by one of the co-founders’ favorite collaborators, Anna Meyer.

Two world premieres will also be revealed during the program.

The lighting will be provided by lighting designer Bob Steineck of Pittsburgh, who creates an atmo-

sphere of magic and mood that lets the dance performance shine through.

The Super SoMar Palooza! will feature dancers who are Mercyhurst Dance majors, alumni and faculty.

It will include Gabrielle Bejarano, Kaitlyn Culp, Caitlin Cummings, De Marinis, Emma Devore, Kate Duane, Austin Duclos, Caroline Enwright, Kristen Faraclas, Dominic Fortunato, Sarah Gregory, Shelby Hildebrand, Niusha Karkehabadi, Nicole Quinn, Rachel Rhodanz, Mark Santillano, Solveig Santillano, Hannah Schayes, Lucie Shultz, Grace Sinke, Jessica Skinker, Jenna Swartz, Taylor, Jo Theisen and Margaret Vivian.

This is the largest cast in SoMar’s history.

This creates the opportunity for new possibilities with new people

while also appreciating the people that continue to stick around.

It is the first time that the roles will be turned over to the students rather than the Santillanos performing them.

They describe it as “bittersweet.”

It was apparent that this was the right time for the students to take on these challenging dances.

Solveig Santillano praised the students, saying “there is a high level of dedication and focus that is unique to this department.”

She went on to say, “As educators and choreographers, (Mark) and I think about how we can help them realize their dreams.

If they want to work with us, we want to work with them.”

Faraclas expressed her thoughts on the performance, saying, “My favorite part of performing with SoMar is that it is a contemporary company which provides a lot of contrast to what we get exposure to in our department, which is mainly classical ballet.”

“The show has an eclectic mix of pieces; there’s sure to be something for everyone,” she said.

Often called “daring, evocative, and slightly mad,” this celebratory performance is sure to entice any attendee ranging from those new to concert dance to dance aficionados, Faraclas said.

With the help of Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts grant by Erie Arts and Culture and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, this performance is set to take the stage.

Solveig Santillano expressed her thanks to all that have helped make this event spectacular, and said, “We are so grateful for Mercyhurst University, the Dance department, our students, friends, colleagues and greater Erie community’s ongoing support. It is a joy to have the opportunity to celebrate our company, SoMar Dance Work’s 20th Anniversary with the Super SoMar Palooza!”

Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, $7.50 for students and $7.50 for Mercyhurst students and youth.

Come join in on the celebration at this palooza dance event and enjoy a post-performance piece of cake following the show.

Jazz concert will feature singer soloists

By Gabrielle Bejarano Staff writer

Have a free Saturday? The Mercyhurst Jazz ensemble will be gracing the stage of Taylor Little Theatre Feb. 23 at 7 p.m.

Scott Meyer, Ph.D., will direct this concert.

The ensemble will be performing a number of well-known classics that were originally sung by legends such as Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie.

Junior Music Education major Lauren Tucci is excited to play

a Vibraphone solo in the piece “Wind Machine.”

She said is looking forward to working with the many talented vocalists in the show.

One of these vocalists is senior Graphic Design major Kimberly Carden, who will sing “Can’t We Be Friends?” by Ella Fitzgerald.

“I have always wanted a chance to sing jazz with a live band, and to get the opportunity to perform among friends is such a rewarding experience” Carden said.

The prep period for this concert was quite short, since the

band just had a performance two weeks ago. Auditions for the vocal solos were held on Feb. 11.

Those who are singing in the show have had just about 12 days to get ready for their audience.

Despite the short preparation time the ensemble has had, audience members can look forward to a fantastic and lively show.

The student vocal soloists include Maria Dombrowski, senior contract major, singing “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square”; freshman Music Education major Paul Caram singing “Feeling

Good”; senior Music Therapy major Josh Phillips singing “Minnie the Moocher”; and Jillian Johannes, a second-year graduate student in the Intelligence Studies program, singing “Orange Colored Sky.” “Moten Swing,” “Wind Machine” and “In the Groove” will be performed by the jazz ensemble.

Junior, Intelligence Studies major Bernard Garwig said that his favorite piece on the program is “Wind Machine.”

“My high school jazz ensemble had it as a part of our repertoire

for competitions and concerts, so it has that nostalgia element,” he said. “It is a fast and exciting swing piece that isn’t too challenging to play but will impress the crowd.”

“Look for (sophomore Music Education major Ethan Wicker’s) drum solo at the end, as it will be one of the best moments of the night,” Garwig said.

Stop on in to Taylor Little Theatre and listen to the sweet sounds of the jazz ensemble Tickets are $5 for adults and $2 for students and youth.

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PAGE 11

FAC U LT Y R E C I TA L R E V I E W

Soroka recital brought down WRH

By Jenny Sabliov

Staff writer

On Feb. 13, Katherine Soroka, mezzo-soprano adjunct voice faculty member, graced Walker Recital Hall and commanded its stage with her skills and mastery of the vocal repertoire.

Her recital was titled “Songs from the Heart: A Musical Valentine,” and was given just in time for Valentine’s Day. When Soroka entered the stage, her presence lit up the auditorium.

She wore a decadent red ballgown befitting the performance.

Her accompanist Nathan Carterette, piano, wore a matching red bowtie.

Soroka opened the recital with “Ch’io mi scordi di te,” K. 505, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

It was a fitting song to open the recital with its warm vocal part and upbeat tempo.

The next song on the program brought Kellen Degnan, cello, to the stage to accompany Soroka for “Élégie,” Op. 10, no 5 by Jules Massenet.

The song opened with a beautifully solemn tone, to which the cello responded in kind and continued its lush, dramatic chord progressions.

Throughout the song, the cello sang along with Soroka and they hit each note together.

Overall, each musician played true to the song’s dramatic and gorgeous nature and namesake.

When Soroka sang the next song, “Adieux l’ hotesse du arabe,” Op. 21, no 4 by Georges Bizet, she showcased her stage background as she danced to the song.

Following this was “Nicolette” from Trois Chansons, no 1 by Maurice Ravel.

This was a more playful song and Soroka showed off her acting skills as she transformed into the characters.

Soroka then sang “Violon,” FP 101, no 5, by Frances Poulenc.

“Violon” was a sultry French piece that made me feel like I was in some Parisian lounge in the 1920s with cigarette smoke lingering in the air.

Soroka then performed Ravel’s “Kaddisch” from Deux Mélodies

Hébraïques, no 1.

She sang this piece to honor the memory of those lost in the Tree of Life tragedy. As she transitioned to this song, her mood and expression changed instantly.

The opening of the song was one of the parts that gave me chills on this recital.

Before intermission, Carterette gave a solo performance on the piano, the piece “L’ isle joyeuse,” L. 106 by Claude Debussy, which he played from memory.

While he gave an excellent performance, this piece did not seem as if it belonged on this recital.

After intermission, Soroka returned to the stage in a different, beautiful red dress.

This was the first faculty recital I have attended that involved a costume change, and it was wonderful.

She sang four out of the five Lieders from “Rückert-Liederm,” a song cycle by Gustav Mahler.

These were very sweet and soft songs, which was pleasantly surprising because they were German.

After this, Jonathan Moser,

Wind Ensemble put on a great show Staff writer

On Feb. 17, the Mercyhurst University Wind Ensemble concert performed under the direction of Scott Meier, Ph.D., associate professor of Music Education and Saxophone.

The Wind Ensemble consists of flute, oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophone, French horn, trumpet, trombone, euphonium, tuba and percussion.

There were five songs total on the concert, and the performance lasted about an hour.

A lot of the music was light and smooth to the ear.

First they played “the Liberty Bell” by J.P. Sousa.

Next they performed Robert Jager’s Third Suite, a piece in three parts, March, Waltz and Rondo.

Their third song was “Echos of Egypt” by Nicholas Baratta.

The fourth song was “Vesuvius” by Frank Ticheli.

Their final song was “Albanian Dance” by Shelley Hanson.

After each song, Meier would mention how the song came to be or how the title came to be.

For example, he said that Sousa had a hard time naming “The Liberty Bell.”

Meier explained that Sousa’s band manager George Hinton suggested “The Liberty Bell,” but Sousa turned the idea down at first. However, Sousa heard that his son had marched in a parade

in honor of the Liberty Bell, so he agreed that is what the title should be.

The songs were cheerful and upbeat, and I even found myself tapping my shoes to the music.

Everyone had a good time.

Meier also gave recognition to some of his students and mentioned how no one is the center of attention. It’s just a happy place.

Toward the end of the performance, he always thanks the audience for coming to support live music and thanks all of the staff for helping put the concert together.

Overall, it was a great show, so next time come on out to the concert and support live music. It deserves to be heard.

Experience Laker talent at art show

By Ashley Viszneki Staff writer

Looking for an art fix? Lucky for you, the Cummings Art Gallery is hosting the Patricia S. Yahn ’50 Juried Student Art Show.

This art show features a selection of Mercyhurst art students’ best works.

These pieces were chosen by guest juror Christine Palatos Bowler, ’81.

She will award the pieces as well.

Some examples of the artwork she could choose are works in photography, graphic design, ceramics, sculpture, drawing, painting and more.

The exhibition takes place from Feb. 25 to March 26.

It will feature beautiful artwork created by students during the past two years.

The Cummings Art Gallery is

and well executed. The opening chords on the piano were unsettling, but as the song warmed, it gave me chills as she sang.

The piano part reminded me of a clear, starry night sky as the keys twinkled along to her voice.

After a standing ovation, Soroka and Carterette returned for an encore of “By Strauss” by Ira and George Gershwin, a humorous piece that allowed her to showcase her musical theater background. This piece was, of course, followed by another standing ovation.

Overall, the recital was impeccable.

I have attended many recitals throughout my time at Mercyhurst and this was definitely one of my favorites.

Not only did Soroka present a technical recital to teach the students, but she also gave an actual performance.

Soroka showcased her wide vocal range, technique, skills and operatic/musical theater background all in a little over an hour.

It was a wonderful performance.

MIAC REVIEW

WIND ENSEMBLE REVIEW

By Carlena Bressanelli

violin, joined to perform alongside Soroka and Carterette in “O cease thy singing,” Op. 4, no 4, by Sergei Rachmaninoff. This song was beautifully dramatic.

As Soroka and the violin alternated melody and harmony, the song came to life and swirled around the audience as each respective part played off the other and intertwined.

Moser left the stage and Soroka and Carterette continued with “Night Songs,” Op. 45 no 3.

Following this, Mark Dubois, English horn, joined the stage to perform “Wedding Song” by Judith Shatin.

It was overall a very sweet song.

Then Soroka and Carterette to performed “My House” from “Peter Pan” by Leonard Bernstein and “Hello, Young Lovers” from “The King and I” by Richard Rogers.

The closing song Soroka sang was “I carry your heart” by Lee Kesselman. A setting of the e. e. cummings poem of the same name, this song was definitely the highlight of the evening.

It was absolutely gorgeous

open Mondays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is closed on Sundays. The gallery will also be closed during Spring Break.

The reception for this show is March 14 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Cummings Art Gallery, located in the D’Angelo Performing Arts Center.

This show is made possible by a gift from fine artist and Mercyhurst art alumna Patricia S. Yahn.

‘Love’d this performance

By Carlena Bressanelli

Staff writer

If you missed Darlene Love’s performance last Saturday, you really missed a show.

Her name might not ring a bell right away, but that is because for much of her life she worked anonymously in studios and on the stage as a backup singer for other acts.

Love has even been called “the most successful unknown singer in rock ’n’ roll history.”

She had a long career in the Blossoms, an established vocal group, and she had a short solo career as well.

Her work with a group of in-demand background singers meant she was too busy for her solo career to last, but eventually she did resume her solo career in 1981. Love has no regrets about her session work and working behind the scenes of other artists because she never pushed to be a star.

Her performance on Feb. 16 was amazing. Her voice took the house down.

Her presence on stage was upbeat, bright and welcoming.

She looked amazing throughout the entire night.

Her band had a lot of musicians in it but they all complemented her songs and her voice well.

For some of her songs, her voice was very powerful and strong, but she could also make it gentle.

In the beginning of her performance, there was a video showing different clips of her singing from different years.

She sang some songs she used to sing backup for but also sang her own songs.

There was even a time during the show where she took the time to say thank you to the veterans in the audience and the ushers working the show.

She gave them each a rose.

She also took the time to recognize couples that were married, newlyweds or over 45 years and more, etc.

The biggest anniversary in the audience was 63 years, and she gave them a free CD. When she took breaks offstage, her background singers took to the stage with some solos and they were great entertainment.

Love sang “Zip -A -Dee- DooDah,” “He’s a Rebel,” “(Today I Met) The Boy I’m Gonna Marry” and several songs from her 2015 album, “Introducing Darlene Love.”

She sang other songs as well.

Toward the end of her performance, she had the audience up on their feet, dancing away and having a great time.

OPINION

PAGE 12

GOOD Mercyhurst has begun a $9.5 million campaign to improve sports facilities on campus!

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Why Mercyhurst needs a club to support survivors than the ones that happen to men. And we rarely talk about women!

Kessler Recently, there was an assault Staff writer on campus.

This is something that a club I have felt very strongly about based on this topic could help the topic of this article for a address. while now.

Additionally, the student Many people I know, including organization would work with myself, have been victims of staff members to provide training sexual assault or other assaults. on what to do and who to go to It is important to talk about when an assault is reported. these things and what we can do I know that you can go to the as a school to prevent them from Mercyhurst University health happening. center, tell a staff member, or the Having a student-run counseling center, but what is the organization focused on this next step? topic would help empower Do you go to police? students and encourage them to Who do you contact? use their voices.

This connects to another part Many students feel victimized of this incident that needs to be and are afraid to come forward discussed: that there are nowhere because they feel that their voices near enough blue lights across will not be heard. campus.

Yes, there is a Women’s The number of blue lights Empowerment club on campus scattered across the campus of that touches on the idea of sexual Mercyhurst University is very assault. limited.

However, sexual assaults and The point of them is to other assaults do not just happen provide safety to the students on to women. campus and to see one wherever We talk about the ones that you are. happen to women more often Unfortunately, the student that

By Jordan

BAD We still have two more weeks to go before break.

WEIRD Something made weird tracks in the football field!

was assaulted last week was not near a blue light and could not get help.

If a blue light were there, maybe the outcome would be different.

Not only is a club or organization based on the issue of assault recommended, it is needed.

We as a university community need to protect our many students.

Many students do not feel safe walking home alone at night, and they have a right to.

I, myself, call one of my friends to stay on the phone with me until I get where it is I need to go.

I encourage you all to do the same.

Unfortunately, a student has already tried to form this club and the idea was ultimately shot down.

I encourage this student to try once again, and I encourage you all, as students and staff of the Mercyhurst University community, to stand up with them.

Let’s fight sexual assault and other assaults together.

Excited for renovations The Merciad Editors Lauren Abbott Meghan Maker Kristian Biega Marina Boyle Bernard Garwig Lauren Ganger Anthony Miller Maria Williams Megan Stubbs Kristin Bowers

Positions Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor Features Editor Sports Editor A&E Editor Opinion Editor Copy Editor Ad Manager Adviser

@mercyhurst.edu editormerciad editormerciad newsmerciad featuremerciad sportsmerciad entertainmentmerciad opinionmerciad copymerciad admerciad kbowers

The Merciad is the official student-produced newspaper of Mercyhurst University. It is published throughout the school year, with the exception of finals weeks. Our office is in Hirt, Room 110. Our phone number is (814) 824-2376.

The Merciad welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must be signed and names will be included with the letters. Although we will not edit the letters for content, we reserve the right to trim letters to fit. Letters are due Mondays by noon and may not be more than 300 words. Submit letters to box PH 485 or via email at opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

to host many more activities and events.

This will enable more sports to Greeven be played at both the university Staff writer and the preparatory school.

It will also hopefully lead to Recently, Mercyhurst the creation of more intramural University announced a $9.5 sports and clubs for both the million campaign to improve school and the university. sports facilities on campus.

This upgrade isn’t just for A $9.5 million campaign for a varsity athletes. sports facility?

It’s going to allow additional What can I say but that I’m intramural sports as well as club thrilled! teams, potentially a club soccer This is going to be a benefit team. to both Mercyhurst University As much as I’m thrilled for the and Mercyhurst Preparatory upgrade of a new facility, I am School. admittedly kind of bummed that It is going to attract students we didn’t build a pool here on to both of our institutions. campus.

Hopefully, it will ultimately We certainly have the space bring enrollment up for both for it. schools.

A pool would offer many The $9.5 million upgrade is benefits to both students going toward an additional field. and staff here at Mercyhurst This field will have safety and University. energy efficiency upgrades such It would allow the water polo as L.E.D lighting for better play team to practice here on campus, at nighttime. instead of driving 15 minutes I’m incredibly thrilled for this down the road to the Hagerty upgrade!

Family Events Center.

It’s going to allow both schools It would also allow the school

By Nash

to add varsity dive and swim to athletics.

On top of that, a swimming pool would allow for students to do recreational swim and let other local teams and clubs rent out the pool.

The pool would be a new source of revenue for the school, which in time would pay for itself.

It might even be able to attract more potential students to our campus.

Maybe this pool could become a reality, hopefully someday very soon.

But in the meantime, I’m incredibly excited to see all of the upcoming improvements to the athletics sports complex here at Mercyhurst.

These improvements will undoubtedly benefit the community of Mercyhurst University.

It’ll benefit the community of the Mercyhurst Prep school as well.

And, I believe that in the end, it will ultimately benefit the city of Erie itself.

The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the views of Mercyhurst University, the staff of The Merciad or the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are welcome and can be emailed to opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

OPINION

Regarding the Laker Inn and the upcoming pub

By Paul

Cohen

Staff writer

The Laker Inn has been closed for four months.

No one has received any updates on when the new pub is going to open, and the Laker along with it.

Students have expressed their opinions about the construction of the pub on campus, and the closing of the Laker.

Before I start, I want to state a few things.

Firstly, I am going to be studying in Ireland from March to May. I’ll definitely be wondering when the pub will open when I’m over there, but it won’t be something that will impact me personally.

On top of that, this is my last year as an undergraduate, so by the time the pub opens, I’ll already be on my way.

The only way that it could impact me is if I end up going to graduate school here at Mercyhurst.

So this issue does not impact me all that much on a personal level.

But I know that the pub is on many people’s minds, especially

people who are already, or are about to turn 21.

The idea of celebrating your long-awaited 21st birthday at a pub on a university campus is pretty mind-blowing, at least to me.

I’m sure that many students are impatient to find out when this long-awaited pub is finally going to open.

On that particular front, I am content to wait until I’m back from Ireland.

Once I have gotten back from Ireland, if the pub still isn’t open, which I really hope not to be the case, I will ask for any updates.

I have too much to worry about to be wondering when the pub is going to open.

However, there is a bigger issue to be discussed in regards to the pub.

Many students are still upset that the Laker Inn was closed down for these extensive renovations.

I am not as bothered over it at others are. The main reason for this is that I like Ryan Hall better than the Laker.

For various reasons I didn’t like the Laker as much as many of my friends.

As a result, I just didn’t go to the Laker as often as many of my fellow Lakers did.

I do go to Ryan Hall more

often. It’s come to fill the role for me that the Laker did for so many other students.

I love the Archer Express in Ryan Hall. I love it, and all the other little features of Ryan Hall, too much to miss the Laker Inn. I know many students miss it, though. And I can certainly understand why they would be upset over this closure.

It was a place to catch a quick, cheap breakfast, lunch or dinner in a comfortable and nice atmosphere.

But the closure of the Laker Inn just does not impact me that much, as Ryan Hall filled its role better for me.

There are plenty of worries surrounding the construction of the pub.

Its announcement was dropped on students suddenly, along with the news that the Laker would close along with it.

As for these worries, all I can say is that I only know as much about the renovation process as the other students.

I don’t know how the pub will turn out in the end.

It could turn out for the best, but it could also turn out for the worst.

But I also know that I will be going there eventually, either as a graduate student or a visiting alumnus.

PAGE 13

HURST STUDENTS

SPEAK UP We asked the students: “What is your favorite part of Valentine’s Day?”

Mackenzie Lewis, sophomore Fashion Merchandising major : “My favorite part of Valentine’s Day is doing something special for the people you love.”

David Steets, sophomore Intelligence Studies major: “My favorite part about Valentine’s Day is that it is a wonderful excuse to express your feelings towards the people you care about.”

Veronica Sacco, junior Marketing major: “My favorite would be the love and spontaneity that the day inspires.

People take the extra time to express their love and affection for others, which is something we often forget to do.”

Devin Kramer, junior Political Science major: “My favorite part of this Valentine’s Day was seeing how the philosophy of the holiday has embraced self-love and combating mental illness.”

Compiled by Katy Vaccariello

Do students use Spring Break wisely?

ready to take on the cavalcade of assignments, papers and general

By Anthony bric-a-brac of university life.

Miller But for every success story I Opinion Editor hear about Spring Break, I hear at least one other story about how Spring Break is coming up a a student came back from break week and a half from now. even more overwhelmed and It’s one of the most anticipated even deeper into burnout. times of the year for college Why is this? students all across America.

I think it’s because some After two months of no students don’t effectively use breaks, Spring Break is a time to their break. catch your breath and prepare for This is gonna sound cruel, the latter half of the semester. but it’s the truth: Spring Break And while we still have should not be a time in which midterms to go before we can you altogether completely neglect reach that free time, I think it’s all your work and neglect all your good to look ahead and think assignments. about what’s coming up next.

It’s really, really tempting to use But there’s something that I’ve it that way, but using it that way is been wondering about ever since a trap that will lead to disaster. my freshman year of college, Why do most of us look when I first heard a senior in forward to Spring Break?

McAuley talk about how he Because it’s a time to get away couldn’t wait to “get wasted” and from the endless workload “blow off ” all of his work over university pushes on you.

Spring Break.

But completely ignoring your Namely, I’ve been wondering if workload over break is the worst we use Spring Break wisely. thing to do.

Obviously, many of us do.

It won’t decrease your Many of us come away from workload. In fact, it’ll probably Spring Break rejuvenated and end up increasing it.

You have work due after break, and time marches onwards infinitely.

You may be able to push your workload out of your mind for a bit, but it’ll still exist, creeping closer and closer as the amount of work you have to do a day to keep up grows larger and larger.

From my experience, many professors design their courses around you doing at least a little bit of work over Spring Break.

Sometimes, this is overt, like when a professor assigns an essay to be due on the day a break ends.

Sometimes, it’s more subtle, like the professor scheduling a series of longer-than-usual readings after break.

But the intention is there nonetheless, because they assume that you will put in the work over break.

In fact, in an English course I am currently in, the professor told all of us that we were expected to read ahead over break, all but confirming this hypothesis.

Yet, most of us see Spring Break as a week-long summer

vacation, where we have nothing school-related to worry about.

It’s no surprise then, that so much burnout seems to hit around early March.

It’s because many students put off all their work until break is over, and then are almost inevitably crushed by the weeklong workload they have to complete in a mere few days.

This isn’t an accusation at anyone in particular, or even a sign of failure for those who have done this. I’ve been guilty of this before too.

But it is an accurate observation, I think.

So how do you combat this?

Well, the answer isn’t to swing in the complete opposite direction.

Break is still supposed to be relaxing and fun, after all.

If you lock yourself in your room, doing all the work you can, you will get ahead, but at what cost?

This leads to burnout as well, as this time meant for you to relax and regroup is turned into something much, much more intensive.

The answer, for me last year at least, was to do some classwork a day.

Less work than I would do in an average day at class, but work nonetheless.

I found that this still let me enjoy my break, while also getting ahead on the work to come.

This made the transition back into school life at the end of break much smoother and easier.

I wasn’t crushed by work, or left behind in any of my classes.

I didn’t even suffer from burnout when I got back to school after using this strategy, which was honestly a sort of first for a big break like this.

Yet, it wasn’t effortless either.

It did sting to give up some of my break time to work, but it more than paid off in the end.

So to answer the question in the headline: No, we don’t.

But we certainly can, and if we do, we can get much more out of Spring Break than we do now.

I hope that this advice can lead to at least one student having a much better Spring Break experience this year.

SPORTS

PAGE 14

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

MU ties with PSU Staff report

Last weekend, Feb. 15 and 16, the Mercyhurst Lakers womens hockey team traveled to Penn State to face off against the Nittany Lions for another weekend of hockey.

The Lakers tied with Penn State on both the Friday and Saturday games, for a 1-1 and 2-2 final score respectively.

The first evening, the teams drew at 1, but the Lakers (12-12-5, 9-5-2) held a second-period lead.

The game opened with a scoreless first period, but the Lakers gained a second-period lead after Mercyhurst’s Kennedy Blair (2-84, 3.22) found Maggie Knott for her fourth of the season.

The Lakers’ K.K. Thiessen then blocked a shot from the Lions’ Shea Nelson with a minute remaining in the frame.

The Lions evened the scored a few minutes later, with a goal from Katie McMillan assisted by Nelson and Loli Fidler.

In overtime, Penn State’s Nelson navigated through the Mercyhurst secondary, but couldn’t beat Blair on the shot.

The lack of further scoring ended the contest in a 1-1 draw.

The Feb. 16 game followed in a similar fashion, with a split decision for the series finale.

Starting off strong, the Lakers had a goal 1:17 into the period by

Michele Robillard, assisted by Sarah Hine and Summer-Rae Dobson.

The visiting Lakers got off to a quick start, as Hine cut in front of Penn State’s Jenna Brenneman and sent a pass behind the net to Mercyhurst’s Michele Robillard at the right side for her second of the season, beating Brenneman short-side and stuffing the puck just inside the right post.

The Lakers held the advantage for the rest of the first period, fending off the Lions and ending the period 1-0.

The Lions bounced back during the second period, with a power play goal from Katie Rankin, assisted by teammates Kelsey Crow and Jessica Adolfsson.

The Lakers then killed off four straight penalties — starting with an interference call on Morgan Stacey at 11:47, a 4-on-4 for a hook on Hine at 14:30, and an interference on Thiessen 31 seconds into the second.

A cross-check on Laker Rachel Marmen followed that eight minutes later — but Stacey was sent back to the box at 11:04 for a hook, and after Adolfsson saw her initial shot wide of net, Rankin deflected her second blueline shot for a score.

The Lakers countered with their own power play soon afterwards.

This allowed the Lakers’ Dob-

HURST RESULTS

Feb. 13: Wrestling vs. Gannon University: 18-19, Gannon (Lakers are now 9-5) Feb. 15-16: Men’s ice hockey vs. West Point: 1-1, 3-4 in OT, West Point (Lakers are now 13-15-4 and 11-10-3) Feb. 16: Women’s basketball vs. Seton Hill University: 88-66, Lakers (9-15, 6-11) Feb. 16: Men’s lacrosse vs.

Wingate University: 14-8, Lakers (1-0)

son to immediately capitalize, despite Mercyhurst’s Molly Blasen in the box for an incidental roughing as well.

Dobsen then found her seventh of the season on the ensuing five on three from team-leading scorer Emma Nuutinen and Samantha Isbel against Cam Leonard just 21 seconds later.

With 39 seconds left in the game, the Lions were able to once again tie the game 2-2 with an unassisted goal by Natalie Heising.

Said unassisted goal would be the final moment that the puck would reach the back of the net, as both teams failed to break the stalemate post-regulation.

The score was one point higher on both sides than the night before though, ending at 2-2.

The Lakers now take the conference race into a massive showdown at the Island Sports Center in Moon Township this Friday.

Trailing the Robert Morris Colonials by just three points, the Lakers have a chance to nab the top seed in the College Hockey America tournament this coming weekend.

“I think our forwards have to get going here to come together and score more goals for us,” said Laker goalie Blair. “Just work hard, work as a team and not as individuals this weekend.”

Staff writer Marco Cicchino contributed to this report.

WRITER’S PICKS 2018-19 College Hockey America Awards Predictions ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM

Forwards: Jaycee Gebhard and Lexi Templeman (Robert Morris University), Emma Nuutinen (Mercyhurst University) Defense: Emily Curlett and Maggie LaGue (RMU) Goalie: Lauren Bailey (RMU) ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM Forwards: Natalie Heising (Penn State University), Nicole Guagliardo (Lindenwood University), Summer-Rae Dobson (MU) Defense: Allie Munroe (Syracuse University), Kelsey Crow (PSU) Goalie: Terra Lanteigne (Rochester Institute of Technology) ALL-ROOKIE TEAM Forwards: Jada Burke (LIN), Laura Bellefontaine (SYR), Lori Fidler (PSU) Defense: René Gangarosa (PSU), Maddison Stitt (LIN) Goalie: Sophie Wolf (LIN) OTHER AWARDS Player of the Year: Jaycee Gebhard (RMU) Rookie of the Year: Jada Burke (LIN) Coach of the Year: Chad Davis (RIT) Best Defensive Forward: Logan Land (RIT) Best Defenseman: Emily Curlett (RMU) — Marco Cicchino

Stellar shooting by Hurst’s Pratapas

By Carlena Bressanelli Staff writer

This week’s Athlete of the Week is men’s basketball’s Trystan Pratapas, a junior Marketing major.

Since he transferred from Keiser University in West Palm Beach, Florida, this year, he has made some news.

“The season has been good,” said Pratapas. “We have really done well and are currently No. 2 in the country in defense. Being student of the week is great, and I really love the support that I have gotten from the student body since I came to this school.”

As the men’s basketball shooter who hit a buzzer beater against IUP Feb. 3, Pratapas was also the top scorer last week.

He also previously hit five three-pointers in a row against IUP in the first matchup between them and the Lakers this season.

Pratapas has 47 three-point shots for the season to date, the most for the Lakers.

That totals up to 141 points from three pointers alone.

Making the most shots that net

Carlena Bressanelli photo

Mercyhurst men’s basketball’s Trystan Pratapas sinks a three-point shot in a Feb. 16 game against Seton Hill University.

the most points also makes him the fifth-highest scorer for the season, with 177 points overall.

“Basketball and school is something that I’ve been doing for the past few years and it is hard, but

I try my best to find a balance in it all. I try to make time to enjoy myself and step away from the game some because I feel like in the long run it only makes me enjoy playing more,” he said.

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

SPORTS

PAGE 15

MU b-ball bounces back

By Bernard Garwig Sports editor

The Mercyhurst Lakers men’s basketball team won 82-58 against the Seton Hill University Griffins.

The Feb. 16 contest saw the Lakers rebound at home after losing to Slippery Rock University 74-83.

That particular loss came after an eight-game win streak for the Lakers that saw them topple seven different Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) teams (the Lakers beat Clarion University in two separate contests).

Starting off the first half against Seton Hall on Feb. 16, Mercyhurst got up by 11 points within the first six minutes of the game.

This was a different story minutes later, as the Griffins climbed out of their deficit and brought the score to 18-19, within one point of the Laker lead.

That would be the closest part of the game ,though, as the Lakers surged ahead by 11 again, and later surged to win the game by 24 points.

Derrick Ellis led the Lakers’ scoring with 24 points.

Patrick Smith and Nelson Maxwell Trey Fahsel photo had 11 each, followed by MiyKah No. 0 MiyKah McIntosh guards against Seton Hill on Saturday, while No. 13 Edvaldo Ferreira and No. 33 Patrick Smith guard the paint.

McIntosh (8) and Jason Massey (6).

Lakers play next Feb. 20 at 7:30 p.m. The Lakers won against the Griffins 82-58.

Women’s water polo opens LET’S GO, season at Cathedral Prep LAKERS!

By Nash Greevan

Feb. 20, Mercyhurst Athletic Center @ 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.: Women’s and men’s basketball vs.

California University of Pennsylvania

Contributing writer

The women’s water polo team started off the Laker Invitational with a tough loss to Bucknell, falling 22-10 on Feb. 16.

Maddie Nye and Mason Feldstein both recorded three goals and one assist.

Sarah Hershey scored two goals and added one assist. Mackenzie Ryburn had one goal and two assists while Rachel Byrnes had one goal and one assist.

Single assists were credited to Rachel Morris, Michaela Hershey and Lindsey Mizrahi. Sarah O’Keefe made one save in net and had one steal.

Madison Maes also had one steal for the Lakers.

In the second game of the day on Feb. 16, Mercyhurst vs. Salem, the Lakers suffered a close loss to Salem 12-10.

Maddie Nye recorded five goals and one assist while Sarah Hershey and Byrnes each had two goals.

Morris picked up one goal and two assists while Michaela Hershey added two assists. O’Keefe made five saves in net for Mercyhurst (0-2).

The women’s team started off Feb. 17 with a super-close loss to Iona 10-8. Maddie Nye recorded three goals while Sarah Hershey had two goals.

Mizrahi, Byrnes, and Morris

Feb. 22-23, Mercyhurst Ice Center @ 7:05 p.m.: Men’s ice hockey vs. Air Force Academy Nash Greeven photo

The Lakers’ No. 3 Michaela Hershey palms the ball in the face of players from Salem University. No. 17 Lindsey Mizrahi also looks on behind Hershey.

had one goal each with Morris also tallying one assist.

Michaela Hershey picked up two assists, and Isabella Morris had one assist.

Michaela Hershey led the team with three steals.

O’Keefe made seven saves in net and had one steal.

In the final game of the day on Feb. 17, the Lakers pulled it off with their first win of the season against VMI, with a Mercyhurst 7-6 final.

Mercyhurst scored three goals

in the fourth period, including the game-winning goal with one second left, to earn its first win of the season.

Sarah Hershey led the way for the Lakers (1-4) with four goals and one assist.

Nye tallied the Lakers’ other three goals and had four steals.

Single assists were given to Michaela Hershey, Ryburn, Rachel Morris, and Mizrahi. Byrnes had five steals for the Lakers.

O’Keefe earned the win in net with 12 saves and one steal.

Assistant Coach Alyssa Diacono said, “the team had a strong intensity, and I was proud of the team’s improvement over the weekend.”

The Lakers are in the pool next at the Red Fox Invitational in Poughkeepsie, New York.

La Salle University, the hosting Marist College, Brown University and Sienna College will be the opponents for the Lakers in that tournament.

Catch the Lakers locally on March 30 at the Behrend Invite.

Feb. 22-23, Robert Morris University @ 7:05 and 3:05 p.m.: Women’s ice hockey vs. Robert Morris University Feb. 23, Mercyhurst Athletic Center: Wrestling NCAA Super Region I Championship

PAGE 16

LAKER LIVING

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

HURST TOON Student-drawn cartoon by Periwinkle