March 20th Edition of The Merciad

Merciad THE

MERCYHURST UNIVERSIT Y

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W E D N E S DAY, M A RC H 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. 13

The Roost Opens PAGE 2

Online poll results We asked: What is your favorite breakfast food?

4: Jersey Shore star speaks to students

7: St. Patrick’s Day across campus 15: Hockey players sign with professional teams

An Omelette (56%) Cereal (31%) Pancakes with Syrup (7%) Bacon. Just bacon. (6%)

This week’s

POLL

What is your favorite thing about The Roost?

merciad.mercyhurst.edu

PAGE 2

NEWS

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

The long-awaited opening of The Roost took place on March 15 in honor of St. Patrick’s Day weekend. Students filled the pub from 5 p.m. until late into the evening.

An Irish welcome for the Roost On Friday March 15, Parkhurst threw a grand opening celebration for the on-campus pub, The Roost. The opening came just in time for students to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day weekend in true Irish fashion. The pub was packed with people looking to check out the food, drinks, decor and atmosphere of the place. Students expressed excitement and approval of the long-awaited project and are eager to become regulars for the rest of the year!

From left to right: Berry Temtime, Applied Intelligence Studies graduate student, Adan Ordonez, senior Finance and Economics major, Leonel Martinez, junior Economics and Business Management major and Maria Ortega, senior English major, gather at The Roost’s bar.

Maddie Weitz, senior Political Science major, Julia Vicaretti, senior Public Health major and Lauren Harrison, senior Anthropology major, relax on the comfortable sofas near the fireplace.

The decor and style of The Roost was designed to mimic a true Irish pub. There are decorations of prominent Irish authors as well as Guinness advertisements and pictures of Irish landscapes.

Brittany Warren, junior Political Science and Criminal Justice major, and Leya Belnavis, junior Psychology major, anxiously wait for their food amid the full crowd on Friday.

The fireplace and seating area is known as “The Playwright Snug” further celebrating the rich Irish literary culture thanks to playwrights such as Oscar Wilde.

All photos credit Kristian Biega

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

NEWS

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Guadagnino advocates mental health

By Michael Mongera

Contributing writer

Vinny Guadagnino, star of MTV’s hit reality show, “Jersey Shore,” stopped by Mercyhurst University as part of MSG’s Distinguished Speaker Series on March 12 in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center to discuss mental health and his life in the limelight.

Guadagnino had a relaxed conversation with emcees Michael Grasso, Assistant Director of Residence Life, and junior Intelligence studies major, Lauren Abbott, he shared personal and crucial advice about handling mental health. He also gave students insight on his current life as a reality television personality.

Guadagnino thanked the crowd for attending and praised the students for coming to listen to him speak. Guadagnino detailed his experience with anxiety and how he used his platform in the media spotlight to talk about mental health.

During the fifth season on “Jersey Shore,” he made a noticeable exit from filming, which stunned the cast and MTV viewers. His castmates supported him, but they didn’t understand the seriousness of his anxiety.

Guadagnino stated that a platform like “Jersey Shore” may not be the most conventional place for discussions about mental health, but he wants to help reach anyone he can with

Contributed photo

Vinny Guadagnino posted this photo on his Instragram account after his appearance in the PAC stating: “Changing the negative stigma of mental health , one campus at a time. Thanks for having me @mercyhurstu. #controlthecrazy”

this message.

Guadagnino said that filming the show was like “waking up every day with a sense of dread” due to his anxiety.

He made his way home to Staten Island, where he recuperated. This time inspired his book, “Control The Crazy: My Plan To Stop Stressing, Avoid Drama, and Maintain Inner Cool.” He returned to filming

for the rest of Season 5.

Grasso and Abbott gauged his perspective of where his anxiety stemmed from. Guadagnino recounted his college days where his anxiety started to creep up.

He confessed that his perfectionism is a primary culprit.

“Ultimately what I learned today is I try not to be perfect anymore. I tried to live my life in a perfect capacity,” Guadagnino

said.

After confronting the root of his anxiety, it still took time to build up ways to maintain his mental health.

Guadagnino offered crucial advice to the crowd about handling anxiety in college. He suggested activities such as meditation, exercise and counseling.

Guadagnino urged the crowd to “check in with yourself.” As

well as emphasizing to college kids the importance of sleeping, eating healthy and going to the gym.

He asserted the importance of normalizing discussions about mental health. There is a stigma around mental health that it is not as valid or talked about as physical health, but Guadagnino wants to help change that.

“Anxiety is normal. We all get stressed, we all get depressed at times,” Guadagnino said.

After discussing his new life and book, the event transferred into a Q&A session.

Most of the questions and answers were tongue and cheek.

Inside jokes about castmates were revealed, along with affectionate stories about Guadagnino’s mother.

The event started at 8:30 p.m. however, excited fans started camping out at the event by 5:40 p.m. A few lucky students won VIP pass tickets to sit in the balcony to watch the event.

Students were very excited about the event. Quotes from “Jersey Shore” were passed around along with current events regarding Guadagnino.

Guadagnino also gave the fans something to look forward to. He and “Jersey Shore” castmate Pauly D are getting their own show. The recently filmed “A Double Shot at Love with DJ Pauly D and Vinny” is due out later this year.

New Walker CJ receives grant College Dean

By Rebecca Dunphy

Staff writer

Congratulations to Mercyhurst’s chapter of the National Criminal Justice Honor Society--Alpha Phi Sigma--for receiving a National Advocacy Grant in recognition of their outstanding community engagement.

For the first time, the National Alpha Phi Sigma headquarters, located at Nova Southeastern University in Florida, awarded this grant to specific chapters. The organization recognized 10 chapters who engage with an organization in their community that provides a service helping adults and juveniles in the Criminal Justice System.

Associate professor of Criminal Justice and APS advisor, Maria Garase, Ph.D., applied for this grant on behalf of the society’s strong relationship with Climate Changers, Inc., a local nonprofit organization that provides support services for individuals following incarcerations.

“Climate Changers, Inc. offers transitioning clients an umbrella of programming starting with a

twelve-week program in the correctional facility to prepare inmates to re-enter society as productive citizens, a six to twelve month Intensive Residential/ Non-Residential component; and an aftercare component,” Garase said. “This combination of evidence-based programming equips re-entrants with the tools needed to successfully reintegrate into society.”

The group has had the opportunity to work closely with this organization over the past two years.

Most recently, Alpha Phi Sigma headed a campus-wide winter clothing and pantry item drive for the organization, collaborating with both the Criminal Justice Association and the Student Alliance for Prison Reform.

“Simple things like a clothing drive or food drive are what makes this community engagement so unique,” Alpha Phi Sigma president Amelia Kanonczyk said. “We do not have to have a big party or extravagant event to show this program that we are there for them. It does not matter how big or small the engagement is with an organization/person/

school, it just matters that there is one.”

Items collected ranged from jackets and coats to shoes and non-perishable food items. Upon dropping the items off, students were given the opportunity to tour the facility and many of the services offered to re-entrants.

“I think the interaction with Climate Changers, Inc. has shown students that they have the power to help others in impactful ways,” Garase said. “The activities also reinforce what they are learning in class about the challenges re-entrants face.”

Kanonczyk shares similar sentiments.

“For me, it teaches me that Climate Changers works well with an organization like ours, that’s why we always go back,” Kanonczyk said.

Though the $250 was awarded to the Mercyhurst chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma, all of this money will be donated to Climate Changers Inc. The funds were not restricted, therefore the organization will be able to use the money however they best see fit.

By Carlena Bressanelli Staff writer

Heidi Hosey, Ph. D., current Dean of Global Programs was recently appointed to interim Dean of the Walker College of Business for the next few months.

Hosey will serve as dean until a new dean is appointed.

The sudden change of status for Hosey is to ensure stability of the Walker College. College deans are appointed by Provost Leanne Roberts, Ph. D., with approval from President Victor.

“It is a temporary situation meant to ensure the efficient operations of the Walker College of Business while the administration considers its options in moving forward,” Hosey said.

“The university president and provost are responsible for the longer-term strategic development of the Walker College.”

Although she is taking on another large role at Mercyhurst, Hosey will remain Dean of Global Programs. Hosey is positive about taking on the new role

and feels ready to step into the duties of Walker College Dean.

“Frankly, it will be a challenge to perform both dean roles, but I am bolstered by the immense support of my colleagues on the Provost’s Council,” Hosey said.

“I have great respect for my colleagues in Walker and look forward to working with them in the coming months.”

Hosey hopes to continue the functions of the Walker College for a smooth end of the year.

“My primary commitment in this period will be to support the Walker faculty in continuing its long tradition of high quality instruction and faculty-student interaction and to ensure that the administrative functions of the Walker College continue uninterrupted for the remainder of the academic year,” Hosey said.

Good luck to the new interim Dean of Walker College and the Dean of Global Programs, Dr. Hosey!

NEWS

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Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Boyle wins prestigious Jim Merciad IN A MINUTE SAAC’s 3v3 Basketball Tournament

Mercyhurst’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee is hosting a 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament in honor of March Madness.

On March 24 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., teams of 3-5 players will participate in a double elimination tournament. There is a $12 entry fee per team.

To register, email arenz10@lakers. mercyhurst.edu or pjenny15@lakers. mercyhurst.edu.

McAndrew Essay Contest Submit your best critical essay to the 2019 P. Barry McAndrew Essay on Literature Contest. First prize receives $250 and will be announced at the unveiling of the Lumen on April 28 at 8 p.m.

Submissions are due by Friday March 22 by 5 p.m.

Tug-of-War Tournament Circle K and Mercyhurst Student Government are hosting a Tug-of-War Tournament on April 7 in the Mercyhurst Athletic Center from 1-4 p.m.

Gather a group of 6-8 friends and sign up outside the Grotto Commons on March 21 or 29 between 4 and 6 p.m.

Registration is $30 per team. All proceeds will be donated to the Children’s Miracle Network.

For more information, contact Amelia Kanonczyk at akanon935@lakers. mercyhurst.edu.

Trans Day of Visibility In honor of National Trans Day of Visibility on March 31, Mercyhurst’s Sexuality and Gender Acceptance Club will be hosting speaker Tyler Titus on March 28 at 7:30 p.m.

Titus is the first openly transgender person to win public office in PA. There will also be a panel of Mercyhurst faculty as well as food, drinks, face painting and art pieces.

Mathews Award for Intel

By Sarah Klein

Staff writer

Marina Boyle, a sophomore Business & Competitive Intelligence major from Dublin, Ireland, was recently announced as the winner of the Jim Mathews Undergraduate Award and Fellowship for Intelligence Excellence.

The Jim Mathews Award was started in 2012 by Aurora WDC in order to honor the lasting impact Jim Mathews had on the field of Competitive Intelligence (CI) during his career. The award is presented each year to one undergraduate and one graduate student who demonstrate an interest in pursuing a career in business, competitive, economic and/or market intelligence.

“Winning the Jim Mathews award means the world to me because it validates my hard work up to this point and reminds me of

the extensive opportunities there are in the field. Jim Mathews is naturally someone whose career successes I would hope to emulate in any future endeavors, and I am flattered to bear an award with his name,” Boyle said.

The extensive application process for the Jim Mathews Award begins over Winter Break with an essay based on one of six prompts, focusing on different business intelligence trends. Applicants must also provide a transcript and have a minimum 2.6 GPA. In addition to the essay, potential recipients must demonstrate how they will follow the legacy of Jim Mathews Sarah Klein photo

Marina Boyle is a sophomore Business & Competitive Intelligence major from Dublin, Ireland.

in an intelligence field, having a strong appreciation for ethics and professional values, have strong

leadership experience and display a curiosity and persistent in intelligence coursework.

Boyle believes that this award will help her achieve her longterm business goals.

“My main goals is to start my own businesses both in North America and my home country of Ireland,” Boyle said. “Afterward I hope to retire with enough money and expertise to start an NGO that allows me to use business and competitive intelligence skills for humanitarian work. I hope the Jim Mathews award can be the first step on this ladder.”

From the award’s conception in 2012 to 2017 a Mercyhurst student was always one of the winners, but in 2018 there was no representation. Although Boyle applied for the award that year, but unfortunately did not receive it, the second attempt definitely paid off.

“It’s nice to be able to bring

this award back to the Hurst,” Boyle said. “This win reflects on the wonderful professors I’ve had and instruction I’ve received from numerous professors here – in particular Dr. Tuzuner, Dr. Freyn and Professor Guelcher.”

Apart from the prestigious recognition received, each winner also gets the chance to attend the G2: Reconverge Conference in Madison, Wisconsin and present their winning essay. The G2: Reconverge Conference runs from April 22-April 25, with this year’s theme being Developing Your Organization Intelligence Growth Plan. The four-day conference is also a great opportunity to network and meet others in their future field.

Congratulations, Marina!

Marina Boyle is the Features Editor of the Merciad.

CIS graduate program

By Rebecca Dunphy

Staff writer

The beginning of the school year always brings exciting new opportunities: new students, new classes and, this fall, a new graduate program.

Starting in the fall of 2019, the Computing and Information Science (CIS) Department will be offering a four course program that earns students the Mercyhurst Graduate Certificate in Cybersecurity.

According to CIS Department Chair, M. Afzal Upal, Ph. D., the program was created to respond to market needs.

“Given the zero percent unemployment rate in cyber security since 2016, employers are looking for short duration pro-

grams that can get their existing employees training in the cyber security skills,” Upal said.

Travis Lindahl, director of Graduate and Continuing Education, expands on this.

“With more than 285,000 cyber security job openings (cyberseek.org) and a career growth outlook of 36 percent by 2024 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), this is a graduate school opportunity that will not take long to pay dividends,” Lindahl said. “A quick search of your favorite career search website will result in thousands of cyber security and risk management job opportunities with pay ranges from $70,000 to more than $100,000.”

Individuals in this program will take one course each mini semester (for a total of two courses

in the fall and two more in the spring) in a number of relevant topics, including systems and application security, enterprise risk management and cyber law and policy. Specifically, indivduals will take CIS 500 Computing & Information Science Concepts, CIS 563 Cryptography & Network Security, RMGT 520 Cyber Risk Management and CIS 565 System & Application Security.

These courses cover all the knowledge areas required to pass two of the most respected professional career certificates in the industry: the Systems Security Certified Practitioner and Security+ certificates.

“These certificates prepare students for jobs as cyber professionals carrying out a variety of roles including: cyber analysts, IT

security specialists and cyber security engineers,” Upal said.

Without an application fee, nor the requirement of a STEM background, all an individual needs to do to apply is a college transcript, resume, short personal statement and letter of recommendation.

“We have designed our program to be self-contained allowing anyone with an undergraduate degree in any discipline, a curious mind and a willingness to learn to acquire these highly technical skills,” Upal said.

Interested individuals can apply online at http://go.mercyhurst.edu/apply/ or contacting the Graduate Admissions office at 814-824-3351.

LAKER MOMENT Ambassador Spring Tea

The Mercyhurst Ambassadors welcomed over 20 new members into the club by presenting them with their famous green jackets on Feb. 24. The club also honored their graduating seniors.

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

NEWS

PAGE 5

High schoolers attend 9th Th i s weekend’s annual Ethics Symposium campus events STUDENT GOVERNMENT

By Kristian Biega News Editor

March 5 marked the 9th Annual Rotary Club of Erie Ethics Symposium at Mercyhurst University hosted by the Evelyn Lincoln Institute for Ethics in Society (ELIES) and the Rotary Club of Erie.

Approximately 80-100 students from Erie high schools came to Mercyhurst to partake in a day to discuss what ethics is and why it should matter to them.

“The panels and lectures of ELIES try to address the ethical questions and challenges that students will face in their personal, public and professional life,” associate Religious Studies professor and co-director of ELIES, Verna Ehret, Ph. D., said. “We want to use this symposium to expand this into the high schools to engage in conversations in ways that are age-appropriate, but also to stimulate thinking about their own moral compass and how they want to engage with the world.”

The ELIES was founded 10 years ago by Daniel McFee, department chair of Religious Studies at Mercyhurst North East and current co-director of ELIES and Kevin Sullivan, Ph. D., associate Philosophy professor. The pair talked to the local Rotary Club to figure out how institutions can better promote ethics with the youth of the community. Rich McCarty, Ph. D., associate professor of religious studies, was brought on board the project nine years ago as university liaison with the Rotary Club.

“We have to keep reminding people that ethics is not just our gut opinions about anything, what we’ve been told to believe or even partisan positions,” McCarty said.

“Instead, ethics requires critical reflection on the moral realm by which we give and demand reasons for holding the positions that we do.”

Last year, the symposium grew close to 250 students including several guest from the community as well as Rotarians and others from out of state. While McCarty is proud of the success of the symposium and wanted the program to grow to a regional event,

this year it was scaled down in order to remain a sustainable program for Erie.

The intention for the symposium is to become a way to reach the youth of Erie through more than just one-day events. Ehret led a teacher training session during the day in hopes of supporting ethics clubs, such as Rotary’s “Interact,” in local high schools and to give valuable information on how to continue building ethics education.

This year, the day included presentations from McCarty and Ehret as well as Mercyhurst alumnus Nick Cianci and Erie Mayor Joe Schember. Having speakers from the community emphasized the importance of resources such as this for the youth of Erie in order to build up a stronger community.

The students participated in large and small group discussions and also watched a performance titled “Choices” by a group of thespians from Gannon University.

“It’s a really nice way to bring students on to campus to give them a sense of what it means to actually wrestle with these questions,” Ehret said.

The sophomores and juniors were challenged to think about ethics from non-religious perspectives using the Rotary International Four-Way Test. The Four-Way Test helps one to determine the ethical nature of the things we think, say and do through four questions: I. Is it the truth? II. Is it fair to all concerned? III. Will it build goodwill and better friendships? IV. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Sullivan, Greg Baker, Ph.D, vice president of Mission Integration, Lee Belovarac, MBA, associate Business professor, Alice Edwards, Ph. D., professor of Spanish and Matthew Weaver, Ph. D., associate professor of Psychology, made up the team of Mercyhurst faculty that helped moderate breakout sessions during the day alongside the Rotarians.

“I was very impressed by the caliber of the high school students who attended,” Belovarac said. “They were thoughtful and engaged in our small group discussion. I was also concerned to hear from them about the amount

of bullying, both in person and per social media, that goes on in their schools.”

Weaver’s breakout session also discussed bullying in schools and how kids are concerned about their reputation when doing the right thing. He was impressed by the way the students used the Four-Way Test to work together in talking about difficult issues.

“I could tell that students have already discussed some of these things in their high school classes,” Weaver said. “I think it helped them solidify some ideas and things that had been started in other places. They are able to interact with their peers to see how they have dealt with these issues in the past.”

McCarty stated that ethics may be thought of as a soft discipline, but emphasizes that ethicists are trained with years of a rigorous moral and theoretical background.

“If we can get people from high school age on to respect that ethics is a serious discipline, that learning about ethics can help them with their life, we would start to try to identify people that we can trust with those who are ethicists,” McCarty said.

The Ethics Symposium supports Mercyhurst’s mission and dedication to ethical thinking about difficult issues.

“The mission is scripted here in such a way that I think anybody, regardless of religious or philosophical tradition, can participate in that mission. The way to do that is to care about ethics,” McCarty said.

Weaver echoes the importance of ethics at Mercyhurst and the high caliber of ethical thinkers the university employs.

“You don’t really end up at a liberal arts Catholic institution that values ethics so highly unless you value that as well,” Weaver said.

“We attract a type of faculty that values those types of things and it is clearly something we value as an institution and as faculty.”

McCarty, Ehret and all those involved saw the day ultimately as a great success and hope to continue the work for ethics education in the community in years to come.

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 and 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.

Get ready for a totally tubular trip back in time to 80’s Prom! Bring your dancing shoes and brightest neon dresses to the Rec at 9 p.m.!

Feeling stressed? Come laugh your cares away with SAC/MAC’s LOL Comedy Night!

Priyanka Wall and Derrick Knopsnyder will take the Walker Recital Hall stage at 9 p.m.

MERCYHURST CAMPUS

CRIME LOG Feb. 24: Criminal Mischief in Lot #5.

Mar. 1: Liquor law, false ID violation in McAuley Hall.

Mar. 14: Theft in Zurn Hall.

Mar. 15: Burglary on 3800 Block of Briggs Ave.

FEATURES

PAGE 6

Ask Mia Anyone have a problem that they need help fixing?

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

Dear Mia, I have been having roommate issues for the last few months, but since break they have been absolutely intolerable.

This past week we got our RA involved and spoke through the issue but nothing much has improved.

My roommates are lazy and messy and constantly take my food or borrow my clothes without asking.

Do you think I should try to request a roommate switch? Or is at the point in the year where it would be better just to stick it out if I can? I’d appreciate your advice.

Sincerely, Fed Up Resident

Dear Fed Up Resident, I’m so sorry to hear that - it sounds like an awful situation to be in. I can see why you are conflicted because only about seven school weeks remain.

If switching at this point in the year would be very stressful and cause a lot of hassle for you, I would say speak to your roommates again about the issues, lean on your RA for support and try to stick it out as best you can.

However, if this situation is as “absolutely intolerable” as you described it, it is likely to be negatively affecting your mental health and well-being. In this case you should try to get out. There is still enough time left to find a living situation that benefits you.

Best of luck with your decision!

You should follow your intuition on this one.

Sincerely,

Mia

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Professor panel discusses emerging bacteria crisis

By Gianluca Ianiro Staff writer

In the words of Amy Danowitz, Ph.D., associate professor of Chemistry “bacteria are so good at adapting because there is a massive evolutionary pressure to do so or die.”

Danowitz gave this insight on the startling issue of drug resistant bacteria at the faculty panel discussion on drug resistant bacteria on Feb. 20.

The Evelyn Lincoln Institute for Ethics and Society gathered a panel consisting of Danowitz, Lucy Thairu, Ph.D, assistant professor of Public Health and Randy Clemons, Ph.D., professor of Political Science in the Walker Recital Hall.

In the talk entitled “Is This A Crisis?” the professors gathered to discuss the expansive problem of bacteria that are resistant to our means to stop them.

Exploring the issue with insight from the Chemistry, Political Science and Public Health departments, the panelists discussed concern from a scientific standpoint, but also how drug resistant bacteria can give rise to public health and policy implications.

“Every year two million Americans are infected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics,” Danowitz said.

In fact, with these bacteria,

disease can spread more rapidly because of how they stay in air traffic and flow from the contaminated animals to vegetable pathways in our water supplies.

One might ask, why not just make new antibiotics each time bacteria adapts?

This is easier said than done.

Thairu and fellow panelists explained.

“Antibiotics and vaccines take a long time to develop,” Danowitz said, and the bacteria now are not just resisting antibiotics, but are resisting the techniques scientists have been using to destroy them.

Thairu provided the example of tuberculosis, which is tested for with a simple injection in the inner surface of the forearm.

Despite being able to test for TB, 36% of TB carriers go undiagnosed and remain asymptomatic for a long time. This makes it very easy for the disease to spread, as one cough from a carrier can form diseased water droplets in the air for hours.

What we are now seeing is a multidrug resistance to TB. When drugs used to kill bacteria do not kill off all of it, the remaining bacteria develops a resistance and becomes stronger.

The next logical question would be what to do about this.

If this issue is occurring everyday and the threat level is only increasing, why isn’t there more

attention placed on this crisis?

Clemons answered this question from a policy standpoint, stating, “This is a crisis, but the government isn’t involved yet, despite the evidence.” Information is not synthesized and currently exists as a large collection of facts over a clear government issue statement.

The vast majority of the public would not understand all the biology jargon used in reports, and therefore are not privy to the dangers posed.

“A problem without a solution isn’t a problem,” Clemons said.

“Scientists need to create a plan that the government deems appropriate before they are going to make this their number one priority.”

Lastly, there would need to be a focus on the recent outbreaks to create a widespread concern that could lead to policy.

Ultimately, the public remains largely unaware of the threat and the ways in which they can help reduce the impact.

Panelist solutions included computer simulations currently tracking the pathways of disease and mapping out weaknesses.

They suggested that the future will consist of making drugs that will attack pathways that bacteria don’t have evolutionary resistance to, and aiming to get ahead of this global threat.

Forsthoefel’s writings on human limits published

By Logan Floyd Staff writer

When it comes to matters of faith, one professor is politely reminding us of our human limits. Keeping those limits in mind could be one step toward fostering peace.

On Feb. 4, Thomas Forsthoefel, Ph.D., professor of Religious Studies, published online his essay, “Loving the Ineffable: Epistemic Humility and Interfaith Solidarity.”

In the paper he argues that the doctrine of ineffability, found in various religious traditions, could serve as a bridge between people of different faiths.

According to Merriam-Webster, something that is ineffable is “incapable of being expressed in words.”

Forsthoefel found this was a common theme: that when it comes to the ultimate reality, be it “God,” “Allah,” “Brahman,” “nirvana,” words only go so far.

“Words may ‘express’ phenomenal realities,” Forsthoefel said, “but they cannot ‘hold’ them; they

cannot contain or fully capture any phenomenal event.”

And because words are what we use to form concepts, including our concept of the divine, our understanding of God must necessarily be limited as well.

“God may be loved, but not thought,” Forsthoefel said, quoting a medieval Christian writing.

This does not mean words are useless, however. On the contrary, Forsthoefel notes the importance of words to “get beyond words.”

“While words may fall short in our understanding of the divine, they are nonetheless important in the process of ... gaining a more refined and deeper understanding,” Forsthoefel writes.

Additionally, Forsthoefel sees the value of ineffability as a remedy for “arrogant knowing,” or uncompromising certainty of some believers that can cause militantism in a faith. According to Forsthoefel, arrogant knowing has been the source of much of the religious strife found throughout history, from the Crusades and the Inquisition to the modern-day troubles caused by fanati-

cal groups such as ISIS. “So much blood has been spilled in the name of certainty,” Forsthoefel said.

Given this, it is important to acknowledge the limits of our knowledge.

Forsthoefel recommends “epistemic humility,” or the recognition that we do not and cannot know everything. We need a tolerance and even appreciation for other faiths.

“Even though it may be scary, [we should] be willing to let go of our concepts,” Forsthoefel said.

This can be a difficult process, but according to Forsthoefel, when we understand that our concepts can be false, we gain not only a greater comprehension of the ultimate reality, but more patience towards those who believe differently, diminishing the ego we have about our faith.

“If we recognize the limits of language that is seen in various religious traditions, valuing that limitation and even living within it can increase a sense of kinship with fellow travelers,” Forsthoefel said.

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

FEATURES

PAGE 7

Lakers celebrate luck of the Irish

By Lauren Abbott

Editor in chief

True to our Irish heritage, the Mercyhurst community pulled out all the stops to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this past weekend.

It started off with the grand opening of the Irish pub on campus, The Roost, on Friday at 5 p.m.

The Roost is an on campus pub available to students, faculty and staff during the evenings to come together in a traditional Irish pub setting.

The Roost features delicious food, a great atmosphere to hang out with friends and beers on tap for those over 21 to enjoy.

As the entire Mercyhurst community was enjoying the new space in the Student Union, multiple groups on campus were also putting on their own events to celebrate the holiday.

The English honor society, Sigma Tau Delta, hosted a party in the Student Union Great Room for English majors and faculty.

Their event featured Irish trivia and lots of baked goods.

“It really was a lovely time. The food was delicious and it was a great night” said Ph. D Greg

Brown, Instructor of English.

The History Club and the Physics and Biochemistry Club also hosted parties to celebrate. The events featured photo booths, food and Irish trivia.

“After traveling abroad for a week to Ireland with Mercyhurst in January, I wanted students who haven’t had the opportunity to visit to experience some of Ireland here at Mercyhurst and thought that trivia was a great way to do that,” Alexandra Strauss, junior History major, said.

And finally, the Multicultural Activities Council and Students Activities Council (MAC/SAC) put on a ‘Luck of the Irish’ event on Saturday night in the Student Union Great Room.

“MAC/SAC hosts a St. Patrick’s Day event every year, which is very special, especially considering Mercyhurst’s Irish heritage” Sarah Klein, head programmer for the event, said.

The event was held from 8-10 p.m. and started off with students learning a traditional Irish dance, known as Ballai Luimnigh, or the Walls of Limerick. The group learned in groups of four and formed a large circle to perform the dance after a bit of practice.

Contributed photo

Jeffrey Roessner, Ph.D., English professor, cuts the cake at the Sigma Tau Delta celebration.

Gianluca Ianiro photo

Students get festive at the Physics and Biochemistry Clubs’ party.

After learning the dance, students were able to sample traditional Irish foods such as Shepherd’s pie and potato pancakes, catered by Parkhurst, who even provided shamrock shakes to go along with the food.

The students then had the chance to fill in activities such as crossword puzzles, trivia and a word search to win St. Patrick’s Day themed prizes such as shirts, Gianluca Ianiro photo Celtic knots and even some bookMAC/SAC programmers practice a traditional Irish dance. store gear.

FEATURES

PAGE 8

RSCO FEATURE: Art therApy Club

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Lakers arrive in Erie’s sister city

By Gillian Mazur

Staff writer

An outlet for creativity and relaxation, Mercyhurst University’s Art Therapy Club is not one to be missed.

Art Therapy Club began sometime within the past ten years with Heather Denning as the club’s advisor for the past three years. The mission statement of the club is to create a warm and welcoming environment for students of all majors to come and make art.

For the 2018-2019 school year, the officers are Julia Detota as president, Morgan Karcher as vice president, Kaitlyn Kirchmeir as secretary and Allison Brusk as treasurer.

With some members ready to graduate, the next school year’s board will include Kirchmeir, Detota and Brusk, but the club currently has openings for the positions of secretary and social media coordinator.

The club seeks to have both majors and nonmajors learn more about art therapy through trips, exercises and workshops, as well as actually applying the therapeutic qualities of art during events.

The board hopes that each person who spends time with the Art Therapy Club leaves fulfilled, relaxed and with a newly invigorated appreciation for how comforting art can be.

“We want to expose the community of Mercyhurst University and Erie to the many benefits of Art Therapy and to also broaden our appreciation for our chosen future field,” reads the club constitution.

In collaboration with MSG, the Art Therapy Club has hosted a variety of popular MAC/SAC craft events over the years.

Most recently a Paint and Sip night entitled “Coffee and Colors” involved members of the Art Therapy Club leading a painting session for students where they painted their own rendition of an Erie lighthouse.

“I would say that this was our biggest project,” Kirchmeir said. The event had almost 70 students sign up to take part and was one of the most well attended MAC/SAC events of last year.

The Art Therapy Club plans on partnering with MSG to host another art session again in the future.

One does not have to be an Art Therapy major to join the club because the projects chosen for each meeting are specifically tailored to be easy and enjoyable for all. The club also provides snacks for its members at every meeting.

When asked why members should get involved, Kirchmeir said, “People should join this club because art can be very relaxing.”

Within the coming weeks the club has some exciting activities and collaborations lined up.

Art Therapy students and club members are encouraged to submit entries in the Mosaic of Life art show which is sponsored by the Cohen Health & Counseling Center. This show is particularly in line with the club’s mission because art will be displayed in the Counseling Center, the home of therapy on campus.

Rooms are available to use for art creation for the event.

Elections for the vacant officer positions will be held in late March. To get involved with the club as an officer or club member, contact president Detota.

Contributed photo

Mercyhurst students who are studying in Dungarvan prepare to march in the Dungarvan St. Patrick’s Day parade to represent the Hurst.

By Katy Vaccariello Staff writer

As many know, Mercyhurst University strives to always provide its students with the opportunity to travel abroad. One particular trip the school annually provides is to Dungarvan, Ireland.

This study abroad is especially important because it shares a connection with the school’s history, linking Erie to its sister city of Dungarvan, Waterford in Ireland.

The opportunity is available after completing mini three semester classes and traveling abroad during the fourth mini of the spring semester.

This study abroad program provides incredible exploratory experiences balanced with regular studies. When the group is out exploring, they all follow a similar schedule, but when classes are involved, there is freedom for customization, with classes organized based on the student’s individual major.

Rose Kelly, a sophomore Dance major, is taking a ballet class and a choreography class in Ireland.

Paul Cohen, a senior History major, is exploring Ireland’s cultural past.

The student shared that the first few days in Ireland were full of Dublin excursions. Some landmarks visited included Dublin Castle and the General Post Office. They additionally toured Trinity College and walked through several museums such as the Irish National Museum and the Viking Museum Dublinia. While visiting sites, the students embraced the gorgeous landscapes and scenery.

This scenery stuck out prominently to one student in particular. Quinn Cooley, a junior Applied Psychology major, said, “My

Contributed photo

A rainbow over the water in the small coastal town of Dungarvan, Waterford, shot by junior Applied Psychology major Quinn Cooley.

favorite part really has just been the scenery. Dungarvan is a small coastal town near the ocean… If you look one direction, you’ll see giant green mountains with farms scattered across the bottom. Look in a different direction, you’ll see the town and the shimmering river.”

The adventures have only just begun for the students in Dungarvan. Many of their plans involve traveling outside of the city.

Excursions will include Waterford and Galway, and one specific trip will be traveling out of the country to Barcelona and Madrid.

Small scale travels within Ireland will include the Cliffs of Moher, Blarney Castle and Dungarvan Castle.

While staying in Dungarvan, students will also have the freedom to travel outside of the group. Kelly has planned trips to Paris and Rome with a handful of friends. Cooley has the plan to travel to Edinburgh, Scotland with his friends.

Others are considering London and Amsterdam.

“I would say the best part has been exploring Dublin, but I can’t wait for what’s to come,” Cohen said.

The simple act of traveling to Ireland brings an experience all its own. Every experience out in the city brings the students into a new cultural world. The hospitality encountered throughout the trip has been nothing but friendly and welcoming, with the beauty found in the people, city and landscape being nothing but positively embraced.

“My favorite part about being in Ireland is being immersed into a different culture and learning about the history and features of this beautiful country,” Kelly said.

While we hear the glowing reviews of this years lucky students, it is food for thought for all who might consider making the trip to Dungarvan next year. Safe travels, Lakers!

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

RSCO FEATURE: Kappa Delta pi

By Jordan Kessler

Staff writer

The International Honor Society in Education, Kappa Delta Pi (KDP), is in its Alpha Beta Pi Chapter at Mercyhurst University, where it has existed for the past 13 years.

The society was founded in 1911 by William Bagley, Truman Kelly and Thomas Edgar Musselman at the University of Illinois.

Since coming to Mercyhurst, it has held onto its prestigious legacy by inviting Education major sophomores to be inducted as members dependent on a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher in the fall semester of their sophomore year.

Kappa Delta Pi aims to help members reach academic excellence and dedication to teaching through college experience.

The current board members for this semester include president Madison Bruno, vice president Kelli Deighan, secretary Annie Popoff, treasurer Lea Moffatt, membership chair Sydnie Abrecht, foundations representative Claire Eichner and historian Janeida Turbi.

All of the board members are Education majors.

“The mission of KDP is to sustain an honored community of diverse educators by promoting excellence and advancing scholarship, leadership and services,” Bruno, senior Early Childhood and Special Education major, said.

The current adviser for Kappa Delta Pi is Amy Bauschard, an instructor in the Education Department.

One popular event hosted by the club this year was a Family Feud contest that pitted students against professors in October. The club also maintains a frequently updated website where a student teacher is featured each month.

For junior Eichner, this is her second year of involvement with KDP. “KDP is an education honor society that all Education majors have the opportunity to be inducted into,” Eichner said. “It’s a great way as a future educator to become connected with other current educators as well as other education based organizations. We also put on the Teaching and Learning Expo. It’s a great event where MU alumni come and talk about their experience in the education field.”

The Teaching and Learning Expo is the society’s biggest event and has a new theme each year. It focuses on members of the community who present to the attendees about relevant topics and trends in the classroom.

This year marks the 13th annual Expo.

As well as this, Kappa Delta Pi works with other universities in the Erie area to build bridges between students in other educational departments.

KDP is the only national organization that represents all educators regardless of their subject area specialty, grade-level focus or years of teaching experience.

For more information on Kappa Delta Pi, go to the Mercyhurst RSCO website or contact the education department.

FEATURES

PAGE 9

CREATE seeks summer staff for 2019 program

By Gillian Mazur Staff writer

A nationally acclaimed program that many may not know about takes place right here at Mercyhurst each summer.

The Autism Initiative at Mercyhurst (AIM) was born out of the CREATE Summer Program which piloted in 2009 with seven students. CREATE stands for College Readiness Experience for Autism Teaching Excellence.

A truly unique experience for those on the autism spectrum, the three-week program helps assess and prepare those on the spectrum for college readiness.

Participants ages range from high school to adults up to 24 years old and allows those with mental disabilities to determine with their families if they are ready for the challenging demands of higher education.

The CREATE Program is currently seeking Mercyhurst students to be staff facilitators at the program during July of this summer in exchange for both a stipend and a memorable three weeks.

Students enrolled in the program get to experience the true college lifestyle first hand, with meals in a college cafeteria, dorm room living and enrollment in three-credit college courses.

A course series titled College 101 is a curriculum developed specially for the program but can apply universally to nearly every institution. In College 101, students are exposed to different faculty and staff from various departments and offices. Each

explains who they are, what they do and how to reach them if they ever need assistance.

Through participation in a Mini Lecture Series, students are exposed to different faculty and lecture styles. The broad range of topics intrigue a variety of interests and expose students to different fields of academic study with credits that can transfer to numerous schools.

“Favorite course subjects often include Geology, Theater, Forensics and Graphic Design,” Tessie Staaf, Office Manager of the AIM program, said.

The program has been so successful that students have come from all over the world just to participate. In the past, participants have traveled from Florida and Arizona, and even as far away as China.

Students and staff in the CREATE Program take part in local excursions, including a trip to Niagara Falls, every year where they get to actively exercise their newly learned social skills in a diverse setting. In a new and unfamiliar eclectic environment, students are given slips of paper which contain different social tasks they have to accomplish.

Brad McGarry, Director of AIM as well as the CREATE Program has many good things to say about its effect.

“It really is a neat experience.

It’s amazing to see how far the kids are able to come and develop within three short weeks.”

The program for summer of 2019 runs from July 6 to July 27 and the AIM committee is currently looking for students

to work as Junior Staff. As daily workers, each Junior Staff member is assigned three to five students to help peer mentor and assist in the administrative operation of their residential area.

Students serve as a role model to the CREATE participants and eat and live for free on campus for the duration of the program.

The program runs for approximately 25 days with two additional days of training and usually works well for students participating in other Erie or Mercyhurst internships.

Mitchell Marsh, a junior Marketing and Hospitality Management Major, worked as a Junior Staff member this past summer.

“It was a really fun experience throughout the entire month of July and you get to know the students as well as make many new connections and friends on campus,” Marsh said.

Not only do junior staff members receive the $850 stipend, participation with one of the top college readiness experience programs in the country is also a great resume builder.

“Students majoring in Psychology, Sociology and Special Education are usually identified and seek out the positions as an experiential resume builder, but students of all majors are welcome to apply. Those in Residence Life and those who have siblings with mental disabilities are also common applicants,” McGarry said.

To apply, contact either Bradley McGarry or Tessie Staaf for an application and interview for the position. Carpe diem to a new summer opportunity!

Mosaic for Life art show seeks entries

By Jordan Kessler Staff writer

“We want all people to feel welcome here at the Health & Counseling Center and the University at large,” Jessica Macrino, one of Mercyhurst’s counselors, said.

The colorful aspect of the art show is to show that everyone on campus is diverse.

“Diversity is bigger than just the color of one’s skin and it encompasses other aspects of an individual including their ability to walk, see and hear; their religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity; their mental health and wellness and the list goes on,” Macrino said.

The Health Center has been working closely with Heather Denning from the Art Depart-

ment and Tyler Brentley, Mercyhurst’s Multicultural & Inclusion Coordinator, to make sure the art show this year is even bigger than the last one.

So who can submit a piece into the art show and what is expected?

“People often hear ‘art show’ and assume this means paintings or pen and ink drawings, but we really encourage people to use a variety of artistic expressions,” Macrino said.

Students can submit drawings, paintings, photographs, spoken word, poetry, dance performances and more. In the show last year, the Mercyhurst Fashion Department submitted a skirt that was displayed on a mannequin.

Another student submitted a video of themselves dancing and the

video was played throughout the entirety of the show.

“The different art mediums used last year really brought life to the show while highlighting the concept of diversity,” Macrino said. More are welcome this year.

The reception and viewing are being held on April 4.

All are welcome to attend, and the artists of each piece submitted are encouraged to go and accept recognition for their hard work.

The reception will have refreshments and interactive activities.

All members of the Mercyhurst community are welcome to come to this event and all students are welcome to submit a form of artwork for display. Diversity is calling all Lakers!

PAGE 10

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

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

Big ‘Strydes’ in Walker

By Jenny Sabliov

Staff writer

On March 13 at 8 p.m., the D’Angelo Department of Music presented baritone Royce Stryder’s faculty recital in Walker Recital Hall.

Stryder was accompanied by Nathan Hess, D.M.A., on the piano throughout the recital.

The program consisted of songs from six different composers.

Stryder opened the program with a selection of three songs from “Old American Songs” by Aaron Copeland.

Copeland wrote two sets of American songs which are comprised of revamped old folk songs.

The first song of the set, was “Zion’s Walls” and encapsulated its revivalist theme.

“At the River” followed as the next song which was an arrangement of Robert Lowry’s hymn.

The final song, “The Dodger,”

was a very quirky, upbeat satirical song and Stryder held true to the song’s tone throughout his performance.

It was a good opener because each movement was stylistically different, showcasing his stylistic range and setting the stage for the rest of the program.

The next song on the program was Liederkreis, Op. 39 by Robert Schumann.

This is a song cycle based on the Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff poem entitled “Intermezzo.”

Out of the 12 pieces in the song cycle, he performed “In der Fremde,” “Intermezzo,” “Waldesgespräch” and “Die Stille.”

The first song was shorter and full of melancholy.

Since Schumann was a pianist first, he gave the piano its own voice during the songs.

Hess truly showcased this as he and Stryder entered a call and response between the voice and piano.

The songs he chose out of the

Photo by Jenny Sabliov

Royce Stryder poses after his successful recital in Walker Recital Hall.

cycle were gorgeous and dramatic.

The song cycle was followed by Maurice Ravel’s “Don Quichotte a Dulcinee,” which consists of three songs based on Spanish dances.

“Chanson romanesque” is based on the guajira.

The second song was “Chanson epique,” a knight’s prayer to St. Michael, St. George and Madonna of the blue mantle.

Finally, the last song, “Chanson a boire,” was a very lively drinking song.

Stryder pulled out a mini flask before beginning the song and pretended to “secretly” take a swig of alcohol as a way of getting into character.

He did a great job maintaining the drunk persona as he performed this song.

This is the first time in a long time that a prop was used during a faculty recital.

After the intermission, Stryder and Hess performed Poeme d’un jour, Op. 21 by Gabriel Faure.

His French accent was expertly done as he performed each of the songs in this work.

The first was “Rencontre.”

“Toujours” was a very dramatic song and it contained a wonderful crescendo between the piano and voice.

“Adieu” was one of the few songs in the recital that gave me chills.

It seemed to be a fitting closer, so I was a little confused as to why it was not chosen to be the final piece on the program until we reached the final song.

The penultimate song on the program was a portion of Georgy Sviridov’s song cycle “Russia Cast Adrift.”

Each of the songs in the cycle were settings of poems by imaginist poet Sergei Yesenin.

The cycle consisted of four songs that were very full and dramatic and Stryder really got into his performance.

“O Rodina, shchaslivyi i neiskhodnyi chas!” began with a very nice, upbeat piano solo.

Throughout this song, the piano’s solo and melody really stood

out and was one of my favorite aspects of the recital.

As voice and piano intertwined throughout this song, it truly showcased each performer’s talent.

The last portion of the recital consisted of a selection of songs from “American Folk Songs” by Steven Mark Kohn.

The very first song, “Wanderin’,” was a very sweet song.

The third song “The Farmer’s Curst Wife” was my favorite and it was the funniest song on the recital.

It was also the “folkiest” of the folk songs.

Stryder truly performed this song as he narrated/sang the story of the poor farmer’s wife.

While this was only the third song out of the five, it deserved, and received, its own round of applause.

“The Ocean Burial” also contained a gorgeous solo piano part as well as a dramatic and welltimed pause between Stryder and Hess.

The recital concluded with the final song, “Hell in Texas,” which was about how the Devil created Hell on Earth which, as the name suggests, is Texas.

This was a dual voice song, so Stryder further demonstrated his skill as he switched between each character as he breathed life into them through his voice.

This opus of American folk songs was a pleasantly surprising twist because they were in English.

Generally, the folk songs in classical literature tend to be foreign folk songs.

Overall, Stryder is an excellent vocalist and truly demonstrated skill and command of the repertoire.

He brought each character to life on the stage.

Stryder performed as if he had been plucked out of a grand opera or musical and placed on the Walker Recital Stage and continued as if nothing happened.

This speaks to his skill as a performer.

Soloists perform with orchestra

By Sarah Klein Staff writer

On March 17, the Mercyhurst Civic Orchestra performed their third annual Concert of Soloists under the direction of Jonathan Moser.

This yearly concert features the winners of the orchestra’s Concerto/Aria Competition, which allows students from Mercyhurst as well as high school students who participate in music programs at Mercyhurst to compete for the opportunity to perform with the orchestra.

The concert’s first piece was

Camille Saint-Saёns’ Introduction et rondo capriccioso, Op. 28.

This concerto featured violin soloist Hannah Byard, a homeschooled high school senior in her fourth year of playing with the Mercyhurst Civic Orchestra.

Despite her young age compared to the majority of the orchestra, Byard left the audience in awe of her talent as she artfully displayed her mastery of SaintSaёns’ soaring, intricate melodies.

She reappeared in the second half of the performance as the concertmaster.

The next two pieces performed in the first half by the competi-

tion winners were Mozart’s “S’altro che lagrime” from the opera La Clemenza di Tito and “Der Hölle Rache” from Die Zauberflöte.

Both arias featured guest soloist soprano Maria Dombrowski.

Dombrowski is a Mercyhurst senior majoring in Creative Writing for Entertainment, with a concentration in vocal performance and creative writing.

She made her operatic debut in her sophomore year.

Dombrowski flawlessly performed two of Mozart’s most well-known and stunning arias.

Following a brief intermission,

F O L L O W T H E M E R C I A D O N T W I T T E R AT @ T H E M E R C I A D

the orchestra returned to perform the entirety of Jean Sibelius’ Symphony No.3, Op.52.

The work’s three movements allowed the winds and brass to take the spotlight.

This piece brought the audience on a journey through Sibelius’ major patriotic statement, which was at times dark and ominous and at other times light and propitious.

The half-hour symphony was a fitting conclusion to the concert, with the final lines of the third movement turning to a grandiose fanfare.

ARTIST

SPOTLIGHT ELIZABETH RATHBURN Mar. 31 @1p.m. in WRH

My name is Elizabeth Rathburn and I am currently in my last semester as a Music major. I have been playing the oboe for about 12 years but have loved music for all of my life. I am a member of the Mercyhurst Wind Ensemble and Civic Orchestra, and enjoy playing in musical pits when I can squeeze them in.

I am also a Communication major and have begun my work towards an Organizational Leadership graduate degree as a 4+1 student. For my senior recital, called “Little Pieces of Me,” I’ll be performing three pieces

by Marcello, Britten and Saint-Saëns.

Each of these pieces has had a significant impact on my musical journey and I am very excited to share them!

Like the arts? How about writing?

Maybe you should write for the A&E section!

Join us at our reporters’ meetings Mondays at 7 p.m. in Hirt 103, or email us at artsmerciad@gmail.com.

You’ll even get paid $10 an article!

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PAGE 11

ROCHE REVIEW

Roche guest pianist dazzles in WRH The following piece was Fantasien, Op. 116 by Johannes Brahms.

From the beginning of the first movement, this work expressed a lot of depth, emotion and energy powering through its chords.

The following movement, “Intermezzo: Andante,” was a drastic shift in energy from the first movement and reminded me of a lullaby.

On March 18 at 8 p.m., pianist Emily Yap Chua, D.M.A., continued the Roche Guest Artist Series in Walker Recital Hall.

Chua is the Music Department Chair and a Professor of Music at Randolph College, and she continues to be an active soloist and chamber musician, having released one recording of piano works by Kent Holiday and another album, a collaboration with soprano Katherine Jolly, set to be released in July 2019.

As the lights dimmed in Walker Recital Hall, Chua walked onto the stage to applause and began performing her first piece without introduction.

The first half of the recital was done from memory.

It was evident in her playing that she spent countless hours learning and practicing the repertoire.

Every note was played perfectly, with each dynamic played well and every nuance of each piece being incorporated.

She opened the recital with George Handel’s Suite in F Major HWV 427.

Personally, I really enjoyed the third movement as it carried the most emotion.

Overall, it was a very technical piece and it had gorgeous, lilting notes that carried variations of the melody throughout the piece.

DANCE REVIEW

Super

By Kristian Biega

Out of the seven movements, I preferred the “Capriccios.”

Knowing and being able to perform this piece from memory truly speaks to her skill and dedication.

Overall, I felt that this piece was incredibly passionate and expressive.

Following intermission, Chua performed “Sonata (1934)” by Witold Lutoslawski.

This was a very intricate and colorful piece.

Chua really brought the work’s texture qualities to life as each layer of the piano’s sound rang through the recital hall.

I particularly enjoyed the third movement as it sounded like three different works being interwoven and somehow worked together.

This further highlighted Chua’s skill.

Before performing the final work, Chua stepped onto the stage and thanked the audience for attending and being so respectful.

The final work was Gargoyles, Op. 29 by Lowell Liebermann.

I really enjoyed the piece.

It was very dramatic and full of lush sounds and chromatic notes.

The overall vibe of the piece was dark and mysterious and truly befitting the name.

The first movement was very unsettling through the rapid changes in sound and it ended on a bit of a cliffhanger.

The second and third movements were beautiful and of the romantic style in mood.

There were no words for how amazingly the finale was performed.

It was so well done with its frenzied character all throughout the keys of the piano.

Chua took us through the centuries with each of the composers.

Each composer and piece were stylistically different from one another.

With her accurate and precise execution of each piece, it truly reflected her skill and dedication on the piano.

She gave a masterclass the next day for Mercyhurst piano students.

Don’t miss the final Roche Photo by Jenny Sabliov Guest Artist Series performance Nathan Hess, D.M.A., Mercyhurst D’Angelo Department of Music Chair, poses with guest soloist Emily Yap of Warp Trio on April 1 at 8 p.m.

Chua, D.M.A. after her performance. in Walker Recital Hall.

By Jenny Sabliov

Staff writer

Chinese troupe performance! comes to MIAC

News Editor

The Mercyhurst Dance Department had rightful cause for celebration as they brought Super SoMar Palooza! to life on Feb. 23.

In SoMar Dance Works 20th year, the performance shone with creativity, strong and impressive technique and innovation and fun.

The show started with a spark as dancers illuminated the pitch black stage with small hand lights in the piece “Piercing Darkness.”

The dancers used the small lights as well as spotlights and full lighting to give life to the stage through their dances.

The small lights were used to create patterns and shapes as a group while soloists shone in the larger spotlights.

Lighting was not the only media utilized in the show.

What was so unique and surprising about this show was the integration of several art forms with acting, videography, costuming and choreography.

Even intermission showcased the legacy of SoMar Dance Works through a projected slideshow of pictures throughout the years.

“For the Honey and You” featured co-directors Solveig and

Mark Santillano in a beautiful and melancholy story of love and loss told through dance and media.

The two dressed in black and white, dancing both together and apart as their story was projected using images of the beach and crashing waves behind them.

The performance featured guest flutist, Anna Meyer, performing “Zoom Tube” by Ian Clark as a trio danced along with her.

The modern flute piece showed great dexterity and mastery of the instrument and was well complimented by the energy of the dancers.

Fun and surprising numbers such as “Crouching Tutu, Hidden Drag Queen” and “Daydreams” showcased the more lighthearted side of SoMar, incorporating acting and storytelling.

“Daydreams” showed a classic desk-worker’s dream come true as she is whisked away to a beach of her dreams.

“Crouching Tutu” proved that ballet is a force to be reckoned with and, when combined with Bruce Lee-esque Kung Fu, can defeat even the toughest foes.

One might expect numbers such as “TRUTH” and “Tailspin Tango” to be intense and serious, but both were full of bright ener-

gy and spirit that was exciting to watch.

“Dance By Numbers” was an interesting and impressive piece that not only required physical skill from the performers, but the ability to recite pi to over 60 decimal places!

The way the dancers moved to represent different numbers and formations as both soloists and in groups was extremely creative and pleasing to watch.

Amidst the fun and creative pieces, there was no loss for amazing displays of technical mastery and strength.“Free Fall” and “Shapeshifters” were two beautiful and intimate pieces with each set of dancers showing extreme skill in technique as well as grace and agility.

The lifts and holds were incredible and seemed to be effortless to the performers.

Overall, Super SoMar Palooza! was an amazing journey through dance using many forms of art and expression.

It celebrated the passion and history of SoMar Dance Works as well as showcasing the bright future of dance that the company fosters.

By Gillian Mazur

Staff writer

On Mar. 23, Mercyhurst’s Institute for Arts and Culture will host the Golden Dragon Acrobats.

The performance will take place in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center at 7:30 p.m.

The Golden Dragon Acrobats is a company that honors the time-honored tradition of Chinese acrobatics, a tradition that is more than 25 centuries old.

The troupe has been recognized as one of the most important Chinese acrobatic troupes in the United States.

Exceptional in the art form, the company has a reputation that is solidly rooted in commitment and value to the artistic details of production.

Combining award-winning acrobatics, traditional dance, spectacular costumes, theatrical techniques and ancient and contemporary music, impresario Danny Chang and choreographer Angela Chang have created a show of spectacular skill and captivating beauty.

With both national and international acclaim, the company remains the only Chinese acrobatic company touring year-round.

Performing at more than 100 venues across the country in all 50 states, the Golden Dragons have traveled around the world to over 65 countries.

The current touring company hails from Hebei, China and has performed in 48 states to soldout audiences within the last four years.

Through their artistic merit, cultural exchange and their participation in youth outreach programs, the Golden Dragons have emerged as one of the leading Chinese acrobatic companies In Nov. 2005, the Golden Dragons made their Broadway debut and for the next six weeks performed and received standing ovations.

Hailed by the New York Times as otherworldly and magical, the Golden Dragons run was highlighted with two very prestigious New York Drama Desk nominations for Unique Theatrical Experience [Danny Chang] and Best Choreography [Angela Chang].

Tickets to this performance are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $15 for students and youth.

Tickets for all MIAC Live performances are free for Mercyhurst students with I.D.

OPINION

PAGE 12

GOOD The Roost has finally opened! Time to crack open a cold one.

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

In defense of the MU mini courses that it could be both of those outcomes, depending on a variety of things.

Kessler In my experience with mini Staff writer semester classes, I have had both the good and the bad, with the The value of mini classes is good outweighing the bad. often disputed.

I’ve had more of them than In my eyes, mini classes are most students as being an very beneficial.

Intelligence Studies major, many Coming into college is a big of my classes are minis. transition, especially for those One complaint I have about used to a grade system that mini classes is that it quickly was divided into trimesters or becomes frustrating when you quarters. have so many classes you need to My high school did everything take and not enough credit space. by quarters - grades, the school For the past four semesters, I day and even some classes. have not been able to take six full When transitioning into three credit courses because of college, I knew that classes and having a mini course each time. scheduling were going to be Many mini courses in the different. intelligence program are only one However, when I saw that I or two credits, which can be very had a mini class on my schedule, frustrating to schedule with.

I was excited.

However, sticking with my At first, I didn’t know what it original point that mini semester was because going into college, classes are indeed beneficial, I had the expectation that I’ve learned that having mini everything was done in halves. semesters can ease up the When I went to class that first workload and stress once they day, I didn’t quite know what to end. expect.

If you have a mini semester in Would it be easier than a full the first half of the full semester, semester? you have that time at the second Or just as hard with more work half of the semester free to do compacted into a shorter amount other work. of time?

If you have a mini semester the I found out very quickly second half of the full semester,

By Jordan

BAD The elevator in the CAE has been out of order since last week.

SAD There’s now a solid month between us and our next break.

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.

you have time in the early part of the semester to prepare yourself and practice your study habits before the new class joins your schedule.

Speaking from experience, I have heard both sides of the mini semester argument.

Some students dread the courses and some students continue to look forward to them.

Like I said, at first, I wasn’t too sure about taking them.

However, after taking a couple, I have realized the many benefits of being able to have that break for the second part of the semester, or the break for preparation in the first half.

Yes, this means that the schedule cannot be filled up to the desired 18 credits for some students.

But this also means that you are pushing yourself to do just as good in these courses because they are less credits and less time than other courses.

So, when the next advising day on April 2th comes up, you should consider taking some mini courses.

I can promise that you will either learn to love them or learn to hate them.

Either way, you are trying something new.

Manafort got off easy

By Nash

Greeven Staff writer

Recently, Paul Manafort, Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman, received his sentencing for crimes he had been indicted for.

Many thought that he would receive decades in prison for his crimes.

Yet, at the end of the day, after two judges handed down their verdicts, Manafort has only received a paltry eight years in prison.

The controversy surrounding this decision has been heated, to say the least.

As for myself, I believe that Manafort deserved many more years than he got.

Manafort spent years, if not decades, working on behalf of the most deplorable people on earth.

He worked on behalf of people like murderers and dictators.

He defrauded our nation out

of millions of dollars through his hidden assets.

He undermined the integrity of our very own electoral system, all for the benefit of a foreign adversary.

He even lied to prosecutors, broke his agreements with them and continued trying to grift while under indictment.

He did all of this gleefully, strutting and preening, confident as to how slick he was.

Everything about what he’s done, and how he’s acted, shows that he deserves many years behind bars.

Yet, for all that was listed above, he gets less than eight years in prison.

Manafort’s sentence is a sick joke in comparison to the draconian punishments routinely doled out for lesser crimes.

Punishments that are, through our unequal system of justice, doled out against the poor and people of color.

Worse, Manafort’s sentencing will serve as a prime example to others of his ilk, both in the present and in the future, that the magnitude of these crimes is

worth the risk.

It tells them that they will live a life of luxury and power, with scant punishment.

That is, if they even get caught in the first place.

This easy sentencing is disgraceful.

Manafort pleaded to the idea that the nine months he spent in prison had changed him as a man.

He made a feeble argument for his leniency, the judge commented he knew what he was doing all along and made the decisions consciously.

Yet, he only ended up with just about eight years in prison at the end of the day.

I don’t know about you, but I completely believe that we have done the wrong thing and have set a bad example of what lying and cheating the American people, and democracy as a whole, will get you.

You’ll get a scant few years in prison due to the otherwise blameless life you’ve lived.

Manafort deserved a much harsher punishment than what he received.

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, March 20, 2019

OPINION

My thoughts on the Cbord system I want to reiterate that this wasn’t all that big of an issue.

By Anthony In fact, it was a total first world Miller problem.

Opinion Editor I was still easily able to get my OneCard balance by just asking Last year, the OneCard portal the cashier what it was whenever on the Mercyhurst website lost I checked into the Grotto several key functions.

Commons.

Among them was the ability And I do acknowledge that to see the amounts of the the reason the OneCard portal various OneCard currencies you shut down was outside of currently had.

Mercyhurst’s control, making While this didn’t bother my prior rant seem all that more students who have large meal ridiculous. plans and don’t really need to But, nevertheless, I still worry about how many dining found myself waiting for the dollars they have, for people like replacement to the OneCard myself, who only have dining portal. dollars to work with, it was a Recently, that replacement slightly inconvenient change. arrived with the release of Cbord.

I went from being able to Cbord is a system that allows check, at any time, anywhere I you to view the balance of was, the balance of my OneCard, your OneCard from any device to having to ask one of the connected to the internet. cashiers at Grotto Commons or All you have to do is visit their the Laker to tell me. site, and sign up.

You’re probably wondering There is also a Cbord app, so what the problem is with this you can check your balance at scenario. any time.

If anything, doesn’t this Mercyhurst has been pushing encourage more social interaction this system hard the past few on campus? weeks.

If I lived on campus, I think Just a few days ago, I had Luke that to be true. the Laker come up to me in the But I live off campus, I Grotto Commons and hand me commute to Mercyhurst a card telling me how to sign up University daily. for OneCard.

As a commuter, I spend most So what do I think of the new of my time off campus. system?

As a result, the balance of I think that this is a great my OneCard was simply not replacement for the OneCard available to me most of the time. portal.

Not only does it allow me, as a commuter, to see my OneCard balance at any time, it comes with additional benefits.

You wouldn’t believe how handy it is to be able to check your balance directly on your phone.

But what really excites me about this new system is all of the new possibilities it opens for Mercyhurst University.

Mercyhurst has been very vocal about their potential plans for this service.

The biggest one of these plans is that, if enough people sign up for Cbord, they’ll try and make it so you can use your dining dollars around town.

Gannon has had a similar feature for years now, and it’s worked very well for them.

It’s easy to see why.

It opens up so many more dining options for students.

Have someplace in town you like to eat?

If they participate in this program, you could use your dining dollars to eat there for your lunch or dinner.

It would’ve been easy for Mercyhurst to just fix this small problem with some simple fix.

Just using a different service to display the OneCard currencies, for example.

But the Cbord system goes above and beyond that.

It opens up new opportunities for both students and staff on campus.

PAGE 13

HURST STUDENTS

SPEAK UP We asked the students: “What did you do over spring break?”

Abby Staub, Junior Integrated Communications major : “I went to Disney World!”

Adrienne Nannen, Junior Integrated Communications major : “I worked at a bank back home.”

Erin Jenkins, Senior Art Education major : “I student taught in a high school art class!”

Sam O’Connell, Sophomore Early Childhood Education and Special Education major : “I watched movies and hung out with my dog.”

Compiled by Sarah Klein

Why you should sign up to experience the MU world of Habitat for Humanity

responsibilities was a day long demolition.

By Katy Each work day provided a Vaccariello whole new lesson for myself and Staff writer the others.

I gained a slew of brand new Over spring break of 2019, skills including the use of power I had the special opportunity tools like nail guns and saws. to travel south to Birmingham, Power tools were not a new Alabama. concept to me, but this trip was The incredible opportunity different. was offered through Mercyhurst I was given “free reign” to use University’s Habitat for the tools when and where they Humanity group. needed to be used.

This spring trip will stick with This helped me better me. understand where and when to Being my first Habitat for use these tools, and for what Humanity trip, I had no idea reason. what to expect.

In addition to the new skills, The only clue I had was to loads of new memories were expect an entire week full of truly made. hard work balanced by a lot of Some of those memories were fun. not the usual memories you And boy was that explanation would expect. spot on.

One particular memory The week involved four days involved a cute little furry of hard work scrubbing floors to creature. putting together the siding of a On the night of arrival a few brand new home. people, including myself, were In the middle of those prepping lunch for the first day

of work.

While putting together sandwiches, a furry little friend came out to play.

The issue is, that furry little friend just so happened to be a mouse.

Everyone froze unsure of what to do next.

We put all of the food out of reach, and then waited for the perfect opportunity to trap the little thing.

Luckily, the furry friend jumped into a “trap,” that being, the toaster, all on its own.

After that, it could finally be safely carried out the door, and let out.

Now, most memories did not involve something unexpected, like a little mouse.

Most involved jokes made with the fellow habitat people, multiple game nights and fun dinners out.

Jokes were made continuously throughout the week, making the environment of the trip light and fun.

It really made everybody feel welcome.

Game nights were few because exhaustion set in as the week went on.

But no matter what, Cards Against Humanity always made the group laugh.

As for the many dinners out, each meal had its own special quality.

“Mellow Mushroom” brought a night full of trivia, which we dominated.

Well, for about three rounds that is.

The very first night out involved a relatively short journey walking between restaurants trying to find one open to feeding 20 people.

And the last night out was a real taste of southern barbecue that blew all other meals out of the water.

Outside of the main priority of working, we had the freedom to explore for one day.

That day was full of incredibly heavy history that truly opened

my eyes.

A two hour walk through the Civil Rights Institute felt like it brought me back in time to the 60s.

History was followed by a beautiful view in the city’s botanical gardens and a view of the city from the legendary Vulcan Tower.

Both were jaw-droppingly gorgeous.

In the end, I have one simple thing to say about my 2019 spring break, and it shouldn’t surprise anyone.

I am beyond grateful for the opportunities that I was given while on this trip.

I gained new perspectives, fun new skills, and wonderful memories and friendships over the course of this excellent journey.

I will remember this trip for years to come.

I highly recommend signing up for a trip to experience the incredible world of Habitat for Humanity.

SPORTS

PAGE 14

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Athletes show up for charity

By Rebecca Dunphy Staff writer

On March 18 crowds of students filled the PAC at the annual Laker Showdown, benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

This annual event, a dance off betwen the sports teams, is organized by the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) to help the Make-A-Wish foundation raise money to grant the wishes of terminally ill children.

By the end of the night, $3,000 was raised through teams’ sign up fees, purchased student tickets, auction bids and raffle tickets.

“I consider any money we raised a success because it goes to an awesome cause. I think that’s the most important part of this event,” Laker Showdown Committee Chair, Chloe Tyillian said.

“The children need the money the most to make their dream trip turn into a reality.”

In recognition of the cause, the night kicked off with a few words from Make-A-Wish liaison Jan Stork.

Stork informed students that in Pennsylvania alone 500 children are diagnosed with a life threatening illness, highlighting the importance of the organization’s work.

“We provide them hope at a time when all hope seems lost,” Stork said.

The rest of the evening was hosted by MC Leah Kern who introduced faculty judges from across campus, including Director of Residence Life, Megan McKenna; Colleen from the Laker,

Lauren Abbott photo

The first place winning football team posed for a photo afterwards. From left to right, front to back: Freddy Pantaleon, Donny Bryant III, Ayron Thompson, JaKarri Buckner and Qadry Ismail.

professor John Parente, D.Ed. PhD, Vice President of Student Life, Laura Zirkle, Ph.D. and Athletic Director Brad Davis.

Kern was also responsible for introducing each athletic team and act.

The first to perform was the women’s water polo who, as a follow up to last year’s rendition of Pitch Perfect, danced a routine from the movie’s sequel.

In the following performance, by the wrestling team, audience members learned to “Dougie,” before watching women’s hockey take on a variety of Britney Spears hits.

The men’s club hockey team was up next, decked in Hawaiian

shirts and beachwear, for a mash up of Beach Boys songs and “Baby Shark.”

“With this being our team’s first time participating, we really weren’t sure what to expect,” club hockey player Nate Shemo said.

“It was definitely a ton of fun for a great cause and I’m looking forward to next year.”

The first act was wrapped up by the women’s lacrosse team who threw it back to the early 2000’s with Hannah Montana’s “Hoedown Throwdown.”

The entertainment did not stop during intermission, however, with the dance team taking to the stage next with their performance of “Royal Family.”

“Last year I really enjoyed watching the Laker Showdown and this year performing in it with the Dance Team was even more fun,” dance team member Haley Huntley said. “Everyone did a great job and I can’t wait until next year.”

The rest of intermission was dedicated to auctioning off various PSAC signs and banners, before the second act opened up with the men’s ice hockey team.

Dressed as Victoria’s Secret Angels, the team modeled their unique looks to the Backstreet Boys’ “Larger than Life.”

Exciting costumes seemed to be a theme of the night, with the women’s soccer team taking to the

stage next, covered in blankets as they danced to “Katchi.”

Next to last, the cross country team performed a mashup of running related songs while holding signs that they still want Sean Kingston for Springfest.

The event wrapped up with last year’s reigning champs, the football team, featuring a number of popular dances from “Soulja Boy” to “Single Ladies.”

“In my opinion I think the highlight of the night was standing with the judges while the football team was on stage dancing and seeing the crowd go absolutely insane,” Tyillian said. “I’d say my favorite act was definitely football.

They worked hard to make theirs so great and it definitely showed.”

For a second year in a row, the football team took first place, with cross country coming in second, followed by women’s water polo.

Moving forward, Tyillian hopes to get a sponsor for the trophy so it is even larger and more impressive.

“Other than that, I think next year will be exciting to see what they implement into the performances and the event all together,” said Tyillian.

Although students have to wait another year for the next showdown, raising money for Make-AWish does not have to end here.

SAAC will be hosting a 3-on-3 basketball game from 11 a.m. to 2 pm on March 24 as another fundraising effort.

For $12, teams of 3-5 can register by emailing arenz10@mercyhurst.edu.

Loss for MU women’s lax HURST

By Marco Cicchino Staff writer

The expectation was that the top-ranked team in the country would provide a sharp test for the Mercyhurst Lakers women’s lacrosse Head Coach Kevin Cooke’s girls, but not serve as a true warm-up for PSAC play.

But despite an early Laker lead, that the game went to the visitors Saturday afternoon.

The Bloomsburg University Huskies (4-1, 1-0) caused the conference’s first major shakeup this season, using runs of four and five straight and exceptionally minimalistic midfield play to hand the No. 15 Lakers (3-2, 0-1) a rare unranked home loss and consecutive defeats on Tullio Field.

14 and a half minutes into the second half after the teams exchanged runs and goals to run the scoreline even at seven, the Lakers’ Victoria Sullivan was called for a foul.

This in turn allowed the Huskies’ Hannah Jaskuta a free-position for the tally, and the second Husky lead of the game.

A minute later, the Lakers MacKenzie Shanahan was booked on the far sideline at

about midfield after sending a Husky player to the ground, leaving the Huskies’ to start a fastbreak and convert at 16:56 for the eventual game-winner.

Each of the next three tallies would stem from the Lakers’ 12 second-half turnovers (25 overall), first on Laker Kiera Boettcher off a causal from the Huskies’ Delaney Schappert to her teammate Kelsey Kilgallon, who scored.

After Boettcher won the ensuing faceoff, the Huskies’ Abby Nocito caused the reversal off Laker Brenna Fosco to spark a relay.

Nocito found Jaskuta, whose shot was caught in Laker goalie Raelyn Tiberio’s (3-2, 9.00) net for one of her seven second-half saves and 12 overall.

But Fosco missed the outlet pass from Shanahan 12 seconds later and allowed the Huskies to convert their third-to-last of 10 second half clears; and a foul on Kira Kolb handed the Huskies’ Abby Kalish her second of the day.

Less than 90 seconds later, Laker Julia Rescott couldn’t capitalize on the converted clear—one of only two statistics where the hosts outplayed their visitors—

sparking another Husky relay and allowing Anna Dempsey to find teammate Grace Kelleher.

Sullivan brought the Lakers within four after taking a pass from Hubert and ripping the shot over the right shoulder of Husky goalie Angela DiPasquale (3-1, 9.50), but the Huskies had effectively run out the entire second half during their 5-0 run.

The Huskies had originally taken the lead after Laker Angelina Simon opened the second just 1:24 in with a free-position off Dempsey for a score.

Dempsey won the ensuing draw but Husky Taylor Skawinski was turned aside by Tiberio, then DiPasquale and Rescott combined for the same result before Rescott caused a giveaway on the Huskies’ Gabrielle Piccolo and immediately lost it to Jaskuta before Kelleher converted at 3:46.

She repeated the feat less than two minutes later to break the tie before Dempsey and Anna Kenyon exchanged turnovers to allow Tiberio a save on Erika Biehl, leading to a relay to allow Emma Hubert a free-position tally off of the Huskies’ Lana Paulo, her 23rd of the season good for second in the PSAC. Hubert had opened the scoring

1:08 into the game on an earlier free-position from Biehl, but Kelleher immediately responded on three minutes.

The Lakers then went on a 4-0 run to open up their largest lead of the day, with Simon scoring consecutively after two quick stops on the Huskies’ Kalish and Abby Bergman, followed in succession by Fosco at 8:51 and Boettcher at 12:03.

But on exactly 13 minutes, Kolb was called for a free-position foul, allowing Biehl to convert.

Simon was then coaxed into a congruent play at the midpoint of the half, handing Kelleher the free conversion.

The Lakers were able to stand down for the next seven minutes before Jaskuta found herself a causal on Schmitt and Kelleher completed her hat-trick with 6:26 remaining.

Two more Laker bookings and turnovers led to a team foul with three minutes left on the first-half clock, allowing Kalish to convert the free and hand the Lakers their second-straight opening half allowing four in a row.

The Lakers are in action on March 23, with a visit to Shippensburg University.

RESULTS

March 15 and 17: Baseball vs.

Saginaw State University: 7-0 Lakers and 1-8, Saginaw (Lakers are now 8-2) March 17: Men’s lacrosse vs. Davis and Elkins College: 26-8, Lakers (4-2, 1-0) March 19: Women’s tennis vs.

Roberts Wesleyan: 7-0, Lakers (7-4) March 19: Men’s tennis vs. Roberts Wesleyan: 7-0, Lakers (8-2)

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

SPORTS

PAGE 15

Lakers stun IUP, Fairmont

By Bernard Garwig Sports editor

In a weekend that upended expectations, the Mercyhurst Lakers men’s basketball team finds themselves advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history.

Said milestone was achieved by a 63-60 overtime victory against Fairmont State, and a 75-65 takedown of PSAC rival Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), the first two games of the Division II tournament.

On Saturday, the Lakers took on Fairmont State University out of Fairmont, WV. The first half was tight, with small leads for both teams, ultimately finishing out with a one point lead for the Lakers.

In the second half, the Lakers found themselves pulling ahead for a bit, only to once again trade leads until a tied 53-53 score at the end of regulation.

Overtime saw the intensity continue between Fairmont and the Lakers, but with less than three minutes remaining, Fairmont lead by five points.

Despite this, the Lakers worked the score to a 60-60 tie with a mere 1:06 remaining in overtime.

However, the Lakers’ Patrick Smith sealed the Lakers’ next

Christina Veloski photo

The Lakers’ Jason Massey jumps for a shot against Indiana University of Pennsylvania on March 17.

appearance in the tournament, draining a three pointer with seven seconds remaining and putting the Lakers up 63-60 for the final tally.

The victory lead the Lakers to face Indiana University of Pennsylvania, the venue hosts and the

second ranked DII basketball team in the nation.

This contest was the fourth time for the season between the two teams, with the most recent being the PSAC Championship in which IUP staved off the Lakers for a 56-49 victory.

Duszak and Barach sign with pro teams

By Marina Boyle Features editor

Following the end of this year’s season, Mercyhurst men’s ice hockey has found two more successes off the ice for players Joseph Duszak and Derek Barach.

Both Duszak and Barach have been signed to the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Cleveland Monsters, respectively.

In a huge win for both the players and Mercyhurst, Duszak and Barach will spend the next few years with these NHL and AHL teams.

Duszak is a junior from Franklin Square, NY, who has already traveled to Toronto to begin training there.

Duszak and the Leafs have agreed to a two-year future entry-level NHL contract starting in the 2019-2020 season.

Barach is a senior and a native of Glenmont, NY, who has finished his Laker career with 49 goals and 95 assists.

His professional contract with the Monsters - an affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets – was signed on March 10.

Men’s hockey head coach Rick Gotkin was happy to celebrate in the success of the players.

“We are all very happy and excited for both Derek and Joe. They both have worked very hard on and off the ice to help make

their dream of one day playing professional hockey a reality,” Gotkin said. “They are a great example of what you can achieve when you do all the right things everyday and have the commitment and drive to succeed.”

Duszak has recorded 30 goals and 69 assists in 101 games with the Lakers. Currently, he is ranked second in the nation with 1.27 points per game as a defenseman.

In Atlantic Hockey, Duszak is first in points per game, assists per game and points per game as a defenseman.

Duszak is the third Mercyhurst player in five years to sign an NHL contract.

“It was an unbelievable feeling to sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs,” Duszak said. “They are an original six franchise and a first class organization. It is truly an honor and a privilege to try and live out my childhood dream of playing professional hockey with them.”

Barach is a three-time honoree for All-Atlantic Hockey, who was named to the All-AHA Rookie Team as a freshman before moving up to the Second Team in his sophomore and junior years.

Barach was quick to thank all the Mercyhurst coaches for their help and support.

“I am very excited to begin my professional career with such a great organization and look for-

ward to showing the coaching staff and players what I can do.

Mercyhurst gave me every opportunity to be successful from the minute I stepped on campus and I am extremely grateful for that. I would first like to thank my coaches throughout my college career Rick, Tom, Greg, Joe Mormina and Jon Ronan for preparing me throughout my four years at Mercyhurst for this opportunity with Cleveland,” Barach said.

Duszak, like Barach shared sentiments about the strength of the hockey program.

“While I am sad to have my college career end I am extremely excited to prove myself in the professional ranks and show every person who told me I couldn’t make it this far that they had the wrong impression of me,” Duszak said. “I also look forward to seeing the Mercyhurst hockey program continue to grow and am proud to be an alumni of such a great program and university.”

Coach Gotkin commented on the success of both players and the example they can set for others.

“This is a testament in that you can go to a small DI hockey program and develop everyday and have the opportunity to play at some of the highest levels of our game,” Gotkin said. “We are truly so happy for both Derek and Joe.”

However, with the exception of two points scored in the beginning of the game, the Lakers lead the whole way through.

Mercyhurst led at the half 3223, a slow start for IUP, who could not get out of the first half performance hole.

To the point, the second half score was 43-42, Lakers, who would win 75-65.

“To come into this gym and then play the way we played and make the shots and make the stops speaks volumes and I can’t be happier for our guys,” Lakers Head Coach, Gary Manchel said at the post-game presser. “They deserve everything right now.”

Smith lead the Lakers with 20 points, followed closely by Jason Massey with 19.

“You go in expecting a 40 minute battle, and that’s what it was,” Smith said. “Our shots were just falling today, which gave us the win.”

The Lakers’ Derrick Ellis proved instrumental in maintaining the Laker lead late in the second half, making seven points from IUP fouls and leading the team in that stat.

MiyKah Macintosh also had 12 points, six of which came from free throws.

The victory against IUP leads them next to take on West Liberty University, the No. 5 team in the country.

“They (West Liberty) are one of the most resilient teams in Division II that I’ve ever seen,” Manchel said. “They’re never out of it. They’re well coached, they’ve got ridiculous talent.”

LET’S GO,

LAKERS! March 23, Mercyhurst Baseball Field at 1 and 4 p.m.: Baseball doubleheader against University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown March 23-24, Westwood Racquet Club at 4:30 and 1:30 p.m.: Men’s tennis vs. West Chester and Millersville Universities March 23, Lake Erie College at 1 p.m.: Men’s lacrosse vs. Lake Erie College March 23, Shippensburg University at 1 p.m.: Women’s lacrosse vs. Shippensburg University March 26, Tullio Field at 4 p.m.: Men’s lacrosse vs. Alderson Broaddus University

PAGE 16

LAKER LIVING

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

HURST TOON Student-drawn cartoon by Periwinkle